Chapter 3
Meanwhile, Aveline was still in a tense standoff inside Duke Ribes’ carriage.
“Entering my carriage while crying was quite a fresh strategy. What’s your next plan? Seducing me?”
“…What did you say?”
Aveline was so dumbfounded that her tears dried up instantly. Despite the man’s incredibly handsome face, every time he opened his mouth, she could only see it as a good-looking muzzle.
He was indeed strange and crazy, just as the rumors said.
“No. I didn’t have such thoughts.”
“Ah, I see.”
When Aveline denied it, Duke Ribes curved his lips as if he understood everything. Even that gesture made him look like a son born directly from God, but to Aveline right now, it just seemed annoyingly smug.
“So you’re planning to pounce on me right away instead of seducing?”
“What?”
What kind of person is this?
Aveline blamed herself for hastily boarding any carriage without thinking.
‘How can I be this unlucky…’
She had seen this type of handsome man a few times in the novels she often read.
‘They would keep doing such crazy things and eventually become the female lead’s devoted servant.’
But that was just in novels, and faced with such a madman in reality, she just wanted to avoid him, regardless of his god-given good looks.
‘Even in novels, the female lead who endured and kept dealing with such a male lead is more impressive.’
It was clear that Aveline was not a novel’s female lead. She didn’t have that kind of patience.
“Duke. Your words are getting more and more extreme.”
“Ah, I see.”
Once again, Duke Ribes smiled as if he understood everything.
‘What’s he smirking about?’
Inwardly cursing, Aveline was just waiting for the right moment to get out of the carriage.
“It seems you’re resorting to denial now that your strategy has been exposed.”
The handsome muzzle flashed a smile at Aveline.
“Sigh…”
Aveline took a deep breath to stay calm.
‘Be patient. I must be patient. The other party is Duke Ribes, Father’s enemy… Don’t get involved unnecessarily, just focus on getting out of the carriage.’
While she was trying to control her mind, suddenly a fragrant soap smell wafted over.
“Gasp.”
The face of Duke Ribes, who had been sitting opposite her, was suddenly too close.
‘He’s even more handsome up close.’
No matter how crazy he was, she had to admit it. He was indeed worthy of being called one of the empire’s top three handsome men.
As Aveline was trying to give credit where it was due, Duke Ribes dropped another bomb.
“My, such a deep sigh. It seems your disappointment at failing to seduce me is quite profound.”
“Ah, I can’t take this anymore!”
Surprised by her own outburst, Aveline covered her mouth. No matter how crazy he was, the other party was still a duke and the emperor’s nephew. She should have been more patient!
However, contrary to Aveline’s worries, Duke Ribes’ beautiful blue eyes actually sparkled.
“Don’t hold back. Now I’m starting to get a little interested in what you’ll do next, my lady.”
Facing Aveline, who had lost all sense of propriety, Duke Ribes added more fuel to the fire.
“Go ahead, do as you wish.”
Finally, Aveline reached her limit.
“You crazy…! Oops!”
Aveline quickly covered her mouth after blurting this out.
Oh no. Even if he’s crazy, no one likes being called crazy to their face!
Indeed, Duke Ribes’ face had hardened, unlike before.
“…Crazy?”
Watching Duke Ribes blink and repeat the word slowly, Aveline squeezed her eyes shut.
‘I’m screwed.’
Today was turning out to be an incredibly unlucky day.
She had already failed her meeting with the viscount, so she couldn’t afford to get tangled up with Duke Ribes as well.
Just as Aveline took a deep breath and opened her mouth to quickly make an excuse,
“This is quite refreshing.”
“…Pardon?”
Contrary to her expectation that he would get angry, Duke Ribes had a serious expression on his face, his chin resting on his hand.
“This is certainly a method I’ve never experienced before. Cursing me to my face.”
“No, that’s not what I…”
Why, why is he taking this so seriously?
It seemed Duke Ribes thought this was also one of her methods to seduce him.
Aveline wasn’t sure if this was good or bad, but she was relieved that he wasn’t angry and secretly let out a sigh of relief.
“So, who is it?”
However, Duke Ribes came out with another completely unexpected question.
“Pardon?”
“The person who made you cry.”
Despite thinking it was a bit strange, Aveline found herself speaking as if entranced by Duke Ribes’ unusually serious attitude.
“Viscount Berta…”
“Ah, Berta.”
As soon as he heard the name, Duke Ribes nodded as if he understood.
Even Duke Ribes, who seemed to care about nothing but himself, knew about him. It made Aveline realize just how widely Viscount Berta’s notorious reputation had spread.
“Is he still inside?”
“Probably.”
Given that she had hit him quite hard, and he was heavily drunk, he likely couldn’t move easily.
As Aveline nodded, Duke Ribes immediately opened the door and got out of the carriage. Standing in the sunlight, he looked much taller and more handsome than he had appeared inside the carriage.
As he alighted, people around started glancing at him. Even Aveline, still inside the carriage, could feel those gazes, but Duke Ribes seemed completely unaware, maintaining a leisurely attitude.
“But why are you getting out of the carriage?”
“To teach a lesson.”
“What? To me?”
Duke Ribes looked at Aveline as if she was saying something absurd.
“Of course I mean to Viscount Berta.”
“…But why would you, Duke?”
After all, there was no reason for Duke Ribes, the leader of the noble faction, to help Aveline, who belonged to a family in the emperor’s faction.
“I heard something refreshing, so I should return the favor to this extent.”
“…But I called you crazy, Duke.”
She added, wondering if perhaps he hadn’t properly understood the insult. However, Duke Ribes’ expression brightened even more.
“Exactly.”
Why is he so pleased about being called crazy?
It was a thought process incomprehensible to ordinary people.
After standing face to face for a moment, Duke Ribes spoke.
“Did you like him, by any chance?”
“That’s going too far.”
Seemingly satisfied with Aveline’s answer, Duke Ribes grinned.
‘Ah! It’s dazzling.’
Until now, she had only seen him as a handsome muzzle, but now, under the bright sunlight, he looked like an angel lost from heaven.
“He’s known for many scandals, so I had to ask. Now, please wait here for a moment.”
As Aveline watched Duke Ribes about to turn away, she suddenly felt something was off.
“Here?”
“Where else were you planning to wait…?”
Seeing Duke Ribes tilt his head in genuine confusion, Aveline gave up on arguing, feeling that further conversation would be futile.
“It won’t take long. When I return, we can continue with your seduction attempt.”
What?
Duke Ribes, finding Aveline’s dumbfounded expression amusing, chuckled and disappeared into the establishment.
“What just happened…?”
Left alone, Aveline felt dazed by the current situation.
Although he was quite an odd person, Duke Ribes was the first to stand up for her like this.
Would even Ares, her twin brother, let alone her father, do something like this for her? The always-boastful Ares wouldn’t easily step up unless it was something that didn’t hurt his own reputation.
“No. Get a grip.”
Aveline shook her head, trying to straighten out her judgment that kept getting clouded.
No matter what, that person was indeed strange. Not just strange, but even dangerous!
‘Who on earth repays someone for being insulted? Unless it’s revenge.’
She remembered her father once mentioning in passing that if Duke Ribes were left unchecked, he might plot rebellion.
She recalled overhearing her father telling Ares that despite being the emperor’s nephew, he was a dissident who might stab the imperial family in the back at any moment.
‘This might be an opportunity.’
If she returned home like this, it was obvious that her father would be disappointed in her. And that was a situation Aveline really didn’t want.
The thought of her father addressing her with cold eyes and tone—she couldn’t lose the expectation she had just received like this.
‘Come to think of it, Father and Ares once talked about Duke Ribes’ documents.’
She remembered overhearing a conversation between Ares and her father while passing by her father’s office. Could those documents be here?
Although she couldn’t have a smooth meeting with Viscount Berta, if she could find and bring back the documents, they might see her differently.
With trembling emotions, Aveline started looking around inside the carriage.
* * *
At that moment, completely unaware that Aveline was ransacking his carriage, Duke Ribes, or rather Theron, was looking down at a man collapsed on the floor.
Unlike the interest evident in his eyes when he was looking at Aveline earlier, now his gaze was devoid of any emotion.
“It seems you’ve already taken a hit.”
Viscount Berta, sprawled on the floor, already had a split lip, but Theron didn’t seem to care as he stepped on the viscount’s wrist with his well-polished shoe.
“Ugh…!”
A painful groan escaped from Viscount Berta.
“Duke Ribes, barging in suddenly and now what are you doing…!”
Theron crouched in front of Viscount Berta and grinned.
It was a smile completely incongruous with the situation, but his face was so beautiful it could be described as an angel mistakenly fallen from heaven.
Even Viscount Berta was momentarily entranced by Theron’s statue-like face, briefly forgetting the pain of his wrist being stepped on.
But he soon regained his sense of reality due to the words that came out of the statue’s mouth.
