Grand Duke, Please Stop Obsessing Over Your Wife! - Chapter 25

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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25.

The Duke’s condition that she heard was this.

“Puff out your cheeks as much as possible.”

Oh, seriously.

‘Did I hear that wrong?’

Wouldn’t there be something more contextually appropriate than some cheek nonsense that had nothing to do with the greenhouse?

Holding onto a thread of hope, Annelize asked again.

“Your Grace. Could you say that one more time?”

The Duke brought his hand to his own cheek and tapped it lightly.

“Here. I’m curious how much you can puff it out.”

So she hadn’t heard wrong.

She had heard it correctly, not missing a single word.

“I’m sorry, but is this really a dangerous condition that could cause big trouble?”

At Annelize’s question, the Duke nodded with a serious expression.

“You could puff your cheeks too much and tear the skin, getting injured. Your cheeks are so delicate and soft.”

As if they would!

She almost blurted it out.

Annelize calmed herself down.

‘Let’s be grateful that he’s not asking me to bring five thousand tons of gold bars or the Emperor’s head.’

Don’t get caught up in common sense and context.

Getting a greenhouse for just puffing out cheeks? Anyone could see it was a profitable deal.

She still couldn’t understand why the Duke was curious about her puffing out her cheeks.

But that wasn’t important.

“Be careful.”

The Duke repeatedly cautioned her. She had no idea what he was cautioning about.

“Inhale.”

She breathed in and filled her cheeks with air.

The Duke nodded satisfactorily at the sight of her cheeks filled with air.

“How foolish.”

His sharp eyes crinkled with amusement, folding gently.

‘Come to think of it, he hasn’t been wearing sunglasses for a while now.’

Annelize looked pitifully at his beautiful golden eyes.

‘He’s lost his sense of taste, so he finds fun in such meaningless and trivial things.’

How pitiful…

“Anyway, I’m glad you seem satisfied.”

“Why did you let the air out of your cheeks?”

He didn’t miss that her cheeks had deflated again when she opened her mouth to speak, and scolded her.

“You didn’t say how long to do it, so I let it out when I wanted to.”

“Hmm. Right. It could burst, so being careful isn’t bad either.”

“Gasp. How scary. I’ll have to be extra careful so such a terrible thing doesn’t happen.”

Social life was originally supposed to be difficult.

Annelize answered in a soulless voice while tightly gripping the greenhouse key.

* * *

Several days had passed since receiving the greenhouse key, but she still hadn’t set foot in the greenhouse.

‘Of all times, the greenhouse manager had to be on a business trip.’

Annelize looked at the blizzard-swept window with a melancholy expression.

Now the blizzard felt like flour being poured over a bowl.

‘I’m already hungry, and the Duke keeps scolding me for not eating enthusiastically at every meal.’

After the period when he frowned saying she sparkled had passed.

The Duke watched her without taking his eyes off her for even a moment, as if Annelize was the only person in the world.

[Why are your cheeks getting hollower by the day? Hurry up and eat.]

It was unfair. Annelize wanted to eat too.

‘What can I do when it tastes bad?’

What fault could the cook have? It was because the ingredients were poor.

The items she was supposed to receive from the Emperor were also being delayed longer than expected.

After starving for several days, she finally started dreaming about bread.

But even such a life was now coming to an end.

‘I can finally go to the greenhouse.’

Today was the day the Duke’s retainer who managed the greenhouse was returning.

Knock knock. Just then, a knocking sound came from outside the door.

“Madam. Are you inside? It’s Isaiah.”

Annelize jumped up.

“Please come in, Sir Isaiah!”

“Madam.”

Isaiah came spinning inside.

“Ah. You’re already prepared. Good. Let me guide you to the greenhouse.”

Isaiah extended his right arm as if to escort her.

Annelize went down the stairs leaning on his arm.

The manor was as quiet as expected, with hardly any people around.

“It’s quite quiet for its size, isn’t it? The original permanent staff is about five people. We’ve hired servants to assist you, so it’ll become bustling within a few days.”

That was the reason the greenhouse caretaker had gone on a business trip.

“Our lord isn’t the type to keep many retainers. Except for special occasions, he keeps one utterly useless cat and one somewhat useful dog. You can meet the latter today.”

They must be quite close.

‘He even gives his colleagues affectionate nicknames like cat and dog.’

“Cat, dog, then what are you, Sir Isaiah?”

“Me? I’m a person.”

Isaiah shrugged his shoulders.

‘Surely he wouldn’t be called something like “human-ie” or “person-ie.” He must be too embarrassed to tell me his nickname.’

Annelize thoughtfully changed the subject.

“When can I meet the remaining person?”

At Annelize’s question, Isaiah smiled meaningfully.

“Well. He’s sleeping, so it’ll take quite a while until he wakes up again. I think he’d only wake up just before the world ends.”

As expected of the Duke’s retainers, they were all extraordinary without exception.

“I see. Then I don’t want to meet him.”

At Annelize’s answer, Isaiah burst into laughter.

“How clever of you. Now, the greenhouse is this way.”

How many times had they passed through corridors that stretched like a giant maze?

Isaiah guided Annelize to a small passage in a corner.

Unlike other buildings, this place showed traces of human care.

“Ah, just so you know, I’m about to introduce you to the person who manages the greenhouse. That fellow has decent work skills, but has a tremendous flaw.”

“What is it?”

“He’s afraid of humans.”

That really was a serious flaw. Annelize’s expression became subtle.

“Is it okay for him to meet me?”

“It’s fine. When your superior tells you to do something, you have to do it. What choice is there? As long as you know how to handle him, he listens well, so don’t worry.”

Isaiah continued with a smiling face.

“Have you ever raised a dog?”

Why is he suddenly asking that?

“Yes.”

“Just treat him roughly the same way. That fellow is kind of like a dog. He’s more like a stray dog than a house pet, though. But both are essentially the same.”

“Huh?”

“You knew, didn’t you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Haha. We’ll arrive soon now.”

Isaiah stopped a few steps ahead.

Annelize looked up at the small wooden door in front of him.

Resting! Do Not Disturb

Words were written in paint on a wooden plank, seemingly made by the room’s owner.

There wasn’t just one or two such wooden planks. On the door handle was written ‘Adult is sleeping,’ and above that ‘Business hours: Weekdays 12:00-12:15’…

It was full of childish phrases that were hard to believe were written by the Duke’s retainer.

Rattle. He turned the door handle, but the door wouldn’t open.

Isaiah smiled brightly.

“Please wait just a moment, my lady.”

At the same time, he lifted his leg.

His long leg bent, then straightened directly toward the door in front of him.

Bang!

With a loud sound, what had been a door just moments before instantly turned into a pile of wood fragments.

“Now then. Where could our cute little puppy be hiding?”

Despite his extremely gentlemanly tone, the content was quite rough.

Isaiah walked into the room as if nothing had happened.

“Come out. It’s time for a walk.”

A shrill scream came from inside the room that had been thrown wide open as if to welcome the two visitors.

“Aah!”

The room was packed full of miscellaneous items.

Piles of documents and completely dried-out food. Unidentifiable powders and so on.

What was unusual was that there were many flower pots.

Though they were flower pots that had withered and died.

‘Still, this is the first time I’ve seen anything resembling actual plants here.’

While having such thoughts, the owner of this room quickly popped out from among the miscellaneous items.

Dark gray hair fluttered in the wind.

There was a scar mark on one eyebrow. Dark circles were black under his blue eyes.

“You idiot! What the hell do you think you’re doing right now!”

“Yes, yes. I’m happy to see you too.”

Isaiah naturally grabbed him by the collar and turned him toward Annelize.

The man’s eyes widened as he saw her.

“Th-that person is the…!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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