Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 15
“Duke Krygen?”
“Yes! Your Name brokerage is managed by the Krygen family, right? But why is he here? He rarely attends such public festivals.”
Macy knew quite a bit about Duke Krygen. Indeed, as a resident of Laden, it was impossible not to know of him.
Duke Rubens Wester de Krygen, the Empress’s nephew, and a young noble from the esteemed Krygen lineage. Among the nobility of Obelit, he boasted one of the most prestigious bloodlines and had recently become a prominent topic of discussion for ascending to the highest position in the parliament.
Moreover, it was rumored that everything he touched turned to gold, making him a successful businessman. There were even whispers that the Krygen family might now be wealthier than the royal family itself—an exaggeration, perhaps, but not entirely without foundation.
Every citizen of Laden owed something to the Krygen family, and Macy was deeply indebted to them for finding her Name counterpart through the Krygen brokerage—though it was more Eren who found her than the other way around.
Still, she was grateful for the systematic management of Name treatments by the Krygen brokerage.
“He looks great today. I’ve been feeling down because he hasn’t visited the mansion recently, but to see him here!”
There was a reason why Macy remembered the Duke so distinctly.
Anna worked for Baron Shurton, a family long vassal to Duke Krygen, and she mentioned that the Baron and the Duke were particularly close. The Duke frequently visited the Baron’s mansion, so Macy had often heard Anna praising the Duke’s appearance.
They say he has a captivating presence, and that even crying children stop when they see him. He’s so good-looking that sometimes it overshadows his abilities.
“Macy, look over there! Isn’t our Duke just like a sculpture? How can someone be so handsome?”
“Where is he?”
As always, Anna was effusive in her praise. Having only heard of his reputation, Macy was now curious to see for herself just how handsome he was.
“Over there!”
Anna pointed toward a boat approaching the bridge. Someone seated at the front held an umbrella, obscuring Duke Krygen’s face.
“Oh! Looks like he’s out with Lady Werfel. How romantic!”
Anna hopped up and down on the bench, eager to catch a glimpse of Duke Krygen. The boat displayed the Werfel family crest on both sides.
The woman holding the umbrella must be Lady Isabella Flilly Kin Werfel, a high-born lady rumored to be soon married to Duke Krygen.
As the boat drew nearer, Macy managed to get a clearer view. She adjusted her wide-brimmed hat for a better look.
The first thing she noticed was his jet-black hair, resembling the night sky. A few strands fluttered in the breeze.
Beneath bold eyebrows, his eyes sparkled like sapphires, clear and vivid. They truly confirmed the nobility of the Krygen lineage.
Even seated, his tall stature and broad shoulders suggested a well-maintained physique, evident even beneath dark clothing.
His monochromatic elegance flowed from head to toe. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say Duke Krygen looked like he embodied all things noble.
‘Yet, something feels off.’
Despite his noble demeanor, he seemed out of place here. He appeared to be someone who didn’t enjoy socializing with other nobility.
The Duke sat with crossed legs, gazing at the river with an indifferent expression. Rather than enjoying the leisure, he seemed bored, his slowly blinking eyelids conveyed his boredom.
“How about it, Macy? Can you see him? Over there!”
“Uh… yes, I see him.”
“He’s incredibly handsome, isn’t he?”
“Yes… very handsome…”
Macy found herself completely absorbed in watching him. Anna waved her hand in front of Macy’s face to snap her out of it, but Macy hardly noticed, still fixated on the Duke.
“Macy, you’re totally spaced out, aren’t you?”
“But he’s just too….”
Perfect.
Macy, as an artist, could assert that no creator could overlook such a creation. She rationalized her inability to look away as not at all strange.
Macy had never seen a nobleman so elegant and beautiful.
But it wasn’t just his beauty that had captivated her; there was something chilling about Duke Krygen’s aura, as if there was a raw cruelty hidden beneath his composed exterior. His demeanor seemed cold enough to freeze even the warm sunlight.
From the way he tapped his white-gloved fingers on his knee, timing the world around him, to his haughty gaze that looked down on the revelers as if they were beneath him.
His movements were so interesting that Macy watched them with more intensity.
“….!”
Suddenly, as if sensing her stare, the Duke looked up. Macy felt like a fish speared by a harpoon, startled.
“Wow! I think the Duke is looking this way! He must recognize me!”
Anna, feeling the gaze as well, covered her face shyly.
‘Ah. He recognized Anna. Phew…’
Staring at someone for too long was rude. She thought she had been caught. But really, there was no need to feel guilty; if the Duke disliked being observed, he wouldn’t have come to such a public event.
