I’m in the Arms of the Cursed Grand Duke - Chapter 65

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

Chapter 65

Liriart Demeter.

The noble daughter of the House of Demeter.

She had grown up receiving her marquis father’s affection.

Yes, she had simply grown up being cherished.

‘-is what Father must be thinking.’

The Demeter Marquis hoped that Liriart would grow up without any hardships and marry into a good family.

Not as someone who would study to be the family’s heir.

So he raised her with utmost care. She knew that was the marquis’s way of showing love.

‘But I have no intention of living that way.’

Liriart’s role model was the previous Pruina Duchess, Raisie.

Though she had now retired to the background as the Dowager Duchess, she had been truly magnificent during her active years.

“I will manage the domain until my son grows up, and I need no permission from the marquis.”

“I understand the marquis’s concerns, but do not cross the line.”

Her father, the Demeter Marquis, had subtly coveted the duchy after the Duke’s death.

Even young Liriart could see this, so it must have been crystal clear to the Dowager Duchess.

For Liriart, who had lived according to the marquis’s words that women should above all be beautiful, graceful, and virtuous, this was a refreshing shock.

‘I want to… become like that too.’

She looked happier than marrying well as Father wished. Standing tall and taking charge herself seemed far more interesting than helping someone else.

What would she need to do for that?

After much contemplation, young Liriart made her decision.

‘I must become one. A marquis.’

Naturally, the Demeter Marquis would never allow it. She had no immediate weapons to persuade him either.

So Liriart prepared step by step.

Whenever the Demeter Marquis seemed suspicious, she would throw tantrums and stubbornly insist she would live alone.

She had prevented Nerhi’s affair in the same way.

“So! How did you stop it? You can’t just end the story here!”

Inside the carriage entering the Pruina Duchy for the first time in ten years since the engagement.

Liriart looked at Rossia, whose eyes sparkled as she urged her to continue.

Though she had maintained occasional contact and friendship with Rossia… she was still a woman with an innocent side despite her age.

Even though her circumstances should have made that difficult.

“How did you persuade the Demeter Marquis? It couldn’t have been easy.”

“It wasn’t difficult. Father cherishes me more than anyone.”

The Demeter Marquis didn’t rate Nerhi’s chances of successful rebellion very highly. Still, the reason he had considered listening to him was entirely because of Liriart’s broken engagement. Since it wasn’t about doing anything major, just slightly delaying the schedule, there wouldn’t be any problems.

From the marquis’s perspective, if he could get rid of such a troublesome engagement to that degree, it was worth doing.

But Liriart was different.

“If you interfere with the duchy, I will enter a convent.”

“Liriart, you may not understand, but this is a good opportunity for our marquis house too. If he succeeds, the engagement will automatically be broken. Even if he fails, I can break the engagement saying I cannot send my daughter to such a dangerous place.”

“I want to break off the engagement properly through proper procedures. I learned from you, Father, that this is proper etiquette between people.”

“Wasn’t that etiquette abandoned first by the ducal side!”

From the duchy’s perspective, it was obvious they couldn’t easily break the engagement because of the food aid provided by the marquis house.

If not for that, what reason would there be to continue maintaining an engagement between people who had never met once since their betrothal?

It was frustrating to cut off aid because of this, but that was a matter of contract. During the engagement period, there was an intertwined contract where the north would provide glass and the marquis house would provide food.

Though it seemed like Demeter was at a much greater loss, this was an investment made in anticipation of Liriart’s future as duchess.

Though they had known for more than five years that this investment had failed.

For Liriart, it was actually a good thing. It meant she had put the ducal house in debt. Liriart planned for Demeter, when she became marquis, to collect on that debt.

“So I was a bit stubborn, you know.”

“Right. The marquis doesn’t just ordinarily cherish you.”

At Rossia’s understanding, Liriart smiled gracefully and looked out the window.

“More than that, Rossia. I’m more curious about this right now.”

Outside the window was chaos. It was buried in black ash blown by the wind as if there had been a fire. It felt like countless black sesame seeds scattered on a white sugar field.

‘When I first came to the north, I probably thought sugar was falling, maybe.’

Liriart chuckled and looked at Rossia.

“…Why are you looking at me like that? What do you want to say with that expression…?”

Sad and happy and pitiful and proud. And countless other unidentifiable emotions swirling together in her expression.

“It’s a long story. But let me confirm one thing first. Liri, you don’t want to maintain this engagement, right?”

“Since His Highness has become His Highness, yes?”

“I see…”

Liriart could sense relief from Rossia. It felt strange. Why would Rossia, who had tried so hard to maintain the engagement until now?

“There’s a woman who came up from the desert at the manor now. Her name is Clemente.”

“Yes. And?”

“Clemente is now the center of our north.”

“There was a kingdom in the desert, right? Called Hayat. Is she perhaps a princess?”

“No.”

“Then is she a young lady from some family? The Demeter Merchant Guild is connected to the desert too, so we know most of them…”

It wasn’t a name Liriart had heard before. While princesses were unknowable to the outside world since they were confined together in the king’s harem, nobles were different.

They were all active in external activities.

“She’s currently His Highness’s personal maid.”

“A maid… you say?”

But the manor revolves around a maid? Is that family alright?

Liriart’s bewilderment showed clearly on her face.

“Oh, of course that’s just the atmosphere. Family affairs are being handled properly with good balance. Don’t worry.”

“Ah, did I… show it on my face again?”

“Don’t worry about that either. You only do that in front of me, you’re completely stone-faced in front of other young ladies.”

“It’s all thanks to you making me comfortable, Rossia. Still, doesn’t it make you uncomfortable when I show everything like this?”

“I’m actually more comfortable~ It would be more hurtful if my little sister drew lines by hiding her expressions.”

“Little sister…”

A faint blush colored Liriart’s face before fading.

“So what happened? Please tell me now.”

A maid is a maid. But curiosity must be satisfied, mustn’t it?

“Well. Clemente was preventing an avalanche when she suddenly went berserk and caused a big fire. His Highness put it out.”

“…I don’t understand what you’re saying…”

It felt like the words weren’t registering in her head even as she heard them.

She couldn’t understand how a person could prevent an avalanche to begin with.

“Right, I know. You’ll understand when you get there. But there’s something to be careful about.”

Rossia patted Liriart’s back, then soon gripped her shoulder with slight pressure.

“If you’ve come to the north, you must follow the northern atmosphere. Right?”

“Yes. You’re telling me not to treat that maid rudely, right?”

“Even if you treated her rudely, it probably wouldn’t affect Clemente. Don’t look at other people strangely.”

She didn’t understand what this meant either. Liriart just nodded. Anyway, experiencing it would be much more accurate than hearing about it.

Because the carriage had arrived in front of the manor.

Rossia got out first, and Liriart waited for an escort since she was wearing a dress.

“Welcome, young lady.”

The person who escorted her was Gwen.

“Thank you. But where is His Highness?”

She knew Zephyrus had come outside. Yet he didn’t come out to greet his fiancée visiting after ten years?

Countless people were lined up for her, but that was natural to Liriart.

“Ah, my lady!”

“Yes. Young lady. You must have had a hard journey coming so far.”

“Not at all!”

Liriart conversed with Dowager Duchess Lacy with sparkling eyes. Unfortunately, Lacy had to leave due to her schedule, but Liriart was happy with just that brief conversation.

After seeing Lacy off with a face dripping with regret.

Liriart greeted the servants who were still bowing at the waist and looked for the exotic person.

She could find her easily. In the Northern Region where achromatic colors were common, that woman’s orange hair couldn’t help but stand out.

“I hear there’s a maid who is very special to my fiancé.”

She openly mentioned Clemente.

One or two people should have glanced at Clemente, but no one looked at Clemente.

“Who might that be?”

At least one person should have stepped forward to point out Clemente, but they only maintained silence.

Just as Liriart was about to open her mouth to say something again.

“Ah! I think it’s me. Hello, Young Lady. I’m Clemente.”

Clemente raised her hand like a child giving a presentation, then bowed politely at the waist.

“You think it’s you? Are you saying you didn’t know that you were receiving my fiancé’s favor?”

Liriart attacked Clemente while opening her fan. Since she was controlling the atmosphere of the manor, she probably had considerable political skills. However, she had no intention of being caught up with a mere maid in the process, so she intended to suppress her with authority.

However.

“Favor would mean being close, right? I am close with Master. That… special means the same thing, right?”

“…”

It seemed like the conversation from the carriage was continuing—the one she had definitely heard but couldn’t understand.

Suddenly, the strength she had put into the hand holding the fan felt wasted.

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