The Dragon Duke's Wife - Chapter 33
Six days later, Eleanor handed Ancia an invitation to a tea party.
At the time, Ancia was in the Duchess’s study, reviewing the household’s finances.
She adapted quickly. The first day, she had adorned herself with flashy clothes and jewels, trying to match Eleanor. But after that, she realized that no matter how she dressed, she would always be overshadowed by Eleanor.
Moreover, as a temporary Duchess, she felt it was inappropriate to dress in extravagant and expensive things.
Ancia decided instead to just be herself. For a brief moment, she had been caught up in the illusion that she was a beautiful and seductive woman, enjoying Khalid’s company, but she realized that wasn’t truly who she was.
She put on a modest navy blue dress and styled her hair simply. It wasn’t the attire of a young Madam of the house but rather something more suited to an older woman or a governess—simple and unpretentious.
Yet, Ancia felt a sense of relief, as though she had finally returned to her true self. She was now able to greet Eleanor with a more composed demeanor.
With a bright smile, Eleanor handed her an envelope and asked,
“Would it be alright if we move the table from the sunroom outside?”
“Is it for the tea party? Go ahead, it doesn’t look like it will rain. What time is it?”
“I can’t have a tea party without the Madam’s permission.”
“So, what is this invitation for then?”
“Go ahead, open it.”
Ancia, feeling a little puzzled, took a paper knife and opened the envelope. Inside was an elegant script inviting her to tea, set for half an hour later.
She was a little taken aback, and Eleanor smiled brightly.
“Are you busy? If you can spare a bit of time, let’s have tea in the garden. The chef promised to bake several kinds of cookies.”
“But…”
“Is it too much trouble? The sunshine is really nice today.”
In truth, there wasn’t anything pressing she had to do. It was a bit awkward to refuse, so Ancia reluctantly nodded. Getting closer with relatives was also part of her duties as the Duchess.
It took a little time to move the table from the sunroom to the garden. Eleanor suggested they take a walk in the meantime, so Ancia grabbed an umbrella and walked with her into the garden.
As Eleanor had said, the sunlight was lovely. The sound of water splashing from a nearby fountain felt refreshing, almost as if it was washing away her worries.
They sat for a moment by the fountain, and Eleanor sighed contentedly.
“It’s so refreshing. To be honest, I don’t really like the sunroom. When there’s no water and the sun’s so strong, it feels stifling.”
“…I’ve heard you’re a sea dragon.”
“You know? Yes, I am. That’s why I don’t like being in the capital. The water doesn’t suit me. Plus, there’s Kal here. He’s a fire dragon, so we’re opposites. The whole city has an energy of fire that’s stronger than anywhere else, and it feels like being in a hot spring.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. So, if you’re thinking anything strange, don’t. Our engagement was something decided when we were children. It was arranged by the elders. Even my late grandfather, my father, and uncle, though they were heirs of the dragonblood, weren’t dragonborn themselves. I don’t think they realized that living together might have been difficult because of our inherent natures.”
It seemed like Eleanor knew exactly what Ancia had been holding onto in her heart over the past few days. Ancia tried her best to act as if nothing was wrong. She wanted to handle it with grace, as if she knew it was something that had already been settled between the two of them.
But with the unreasonable resentment and jealousy she felt deep inside, words she didn’t expect slipped out.
“So, you called off the engagement?”
“I never seriously considered marrying Kal.”
Eleanor laughed heartily.
“The reason I don’t come here often is because of the environment, but even without that, I never intended to marry Kal. That engagement was decided by my grandfather, and we’ve always been more like siblings. I’m not saying he’s lacking or anything, but seeing a guy you’ve known since he was a baby wearing diapers, getting his spit on other people’s hair, is a bit much. Once he was out of his diapers…”
“Oh…”
Ancia immediately understood what she was implying.
“Ah, I shouldn’t be saying this. He’d probably make a big fuss if he found out I was sharing embarrassing stories about his childhood with you.”
“No, no. I want to hear more. I can’t even imagine Kal as a child.”
“There’s probably a portrait somewhere. I’ll find it and show you later.”
“I’m looking forward to it. Thank you. But… Eleanor, you may have thought that, but don’t you think Kal might have felt differently?”
Eleanor smiled brightly.
“It was Kal who first asked to call off the engagement. I was just trying to hold on until Grandfather passed. He was already quite old, and I wanted to spare him any heartache. We could have just gotten married, and then gone our separate ways for a while. It wouldn’t be hard to live apart in the long run anyway.”
“I see. But then why did Kal…?”
“He said he found someone he loved.”
Ancia blinked in surprise. It was more unsettling than when she had imagined it while being overwhelmed by jealousy.
Eleanor, as if telling a funny story, smiled brightly as she spoke.
