Married To A Savage Duke - Chapter 59-1

“Do you have that in mind, princess?” Cherryl added. Rosaline was silent for a while, thinking about how to answer her bold statement. She knew that Cherryl’s name was often mentioned in society. That particular incident where she disrespected that old, bald uncle flirting with her at the ballroom was so unconventional that it was still on the aristocrats’ lips after several years. Deep inside, Rosaline was curious how a young woman who hadn’t even reached adulthood could be so direct.

“I am…” Rosaline, who had been contemplating, started calmly. “Ten years ago, I attended a ball held in the county near Carlsvik. You are younger than me, Lady Milose, so I’m afraid you’re not at the party because you’re not old enough.” When the princess suddenly recalled her past, Cherryl blinked. Still, he didn’t rush Rosaline’s answer and responded appropriately. “I was young but I wouldn’t have attended because I had no connection to the North. I always had to attend big balls. At that time, I was entering late adolescence and I was a little tired of the repeated social parties.” Rosaline looked back on the first time she met Cáde. “I saw him at the ball for the first time. The Grand Duke appeared like a boy who was mature enough to be an adult. When I asked a group of teens, they said that he was adopted by Duke Blkanov, and he rarely appeared at social banquets. He ran into me by chance that day he attended. Cherryl listened in silence. She had a hunch that Rosaline was telling her a secret side of Cade, which she had seen in the past. “Maybe because of his appearance, he had also gained a lot of attention. But, the Archduke himself didn’t seem interested. When I saw him escape the ballroom, I secretly followed him.”

“…….”

“Just as I entered the corridor, I heard an animal crying somewhere. When I looked around for the source, I saw a tiny dog rolling on the floor and playing around. I didn’t know if it was the baby of a hound or a wild animal raised by the Count’s family but I remembered that it was a puppy with long yet stiff gray fur.”

When she heard the appearance of the puppy that Rosaline described, she vaguely assumed that it wasn’t a wolf cub. Cherryl waited for the follow-up.

“The person who knelt, stroking the puppy was———”

“The Grand Duke.”

Rosaline smiled faintly at Cherryl’s response.

“That’s right. Contrary to his cold appearance, he was caressing the little beast in a friendly manner. Even in the dark, it was strangely clear that the honest-looking hand was scratching the dog’s belly. It was a moment that had stuck in my head for quite a long time that I can still vividly remember 10 years later.” Philip, Rosaline’s stepbrother, had a terrible hobby of bullying farm animals from an early age. Therefore, she didn’t know that the sight of Cade stroking that puppy was particularly special.

“I couldn’t resist and showed up in the corridor. The Grand Duke acknowledged me like a ghost and raised his head. I mustered up the courage to ask for his name. I was able to get it, of course, but I was more interested in talking to him.” Rosaline remembered Cade’s cold expression, which wasn’t much different from now. “Far from answering, the Grand Duke stared at me as if I was a bug for a split second, stood up, turned his back on me, and walked away. I couldn’t forget the Grand Duke for a while after that day. I thought that if I had given my name first, he would have been nice to me. I had all kinds of delusions of a curious, young girl.”

“Did you like Cade since then?” Cherryl asked warily. Rosaline gave her a bland smile and lowered her gaze.

“It’s true that my memories of that day weren’t easily forgotten. Well, I’ve always wondered what the Grand Duke was like.”

At the vague answer, Cherryl shook her head.

“I don’t understand. From that memory alone, I don’t think you would have come to visit a man with whom you haven’t even interacted that much at dawn. I’m sure there was another reason why you asked me if I loved him.” Cherryl came up with the grimmest assumption. “I just have this strong feeling that you didn’t want to see us wed. Isn’t that true?” Rosaline had no intention of answering Cherryl’s comments. She came here because it was the order of Philip, her stepbrother. Even she hadn’t known the reason and circumstances for having to do so. However, it was true that the journey of meeting her crush from a long time ago was exhilarating. Rosaline’s move would have been unpleasant if she was planning to exchange affection with Cade. However, there was no need to tell Cherryl all this. Rosaline had already made up her mind about this.

“It seemed that the Grand Duke cherished the kindness he used to pet that puppy, and only gave it to you, Lady Milose.”Rosaline, who answered in a discouraged tone, held the little tea left in her mouth. “Which fool would try to stop a man and a woman from getting married if they had already shared a bedroom even before the ceremony?”

“……!”

When their personal love affairs were revealed out of nowhere, Cherryl almost spilled the tea from her cup.

“We don’t share a bedroom or something!”

As soon as she tried to make a quick excuse, there was a knock on the door of the breakfast room.

In time, a voice was heard from the servant asking for admission.

“Ahem. You may come in.”

Cherryl, who had cleared her voice, gave her permission. The servant, who had opened the door, and entered, stood before them and curtsied.

“I’m sorry for disturbing you while you’re chatting.”