The Nanny of House Herzen - Chapter 50
Thinking of his own disgrace, the Marquis should have kept silent, but he was foolish. Out of loyalty to the late Duke Herzen, he decided to teach the young Duke a lesson.
With a twitching mouth, Marquis Luke forced a smile and bowed.
“It seems it’s been so long since we last met that you have forgotten me. I am Genove Luke.”
“Oh.”
That was it.
In the kingdom’s etiquette, the one of lower rank couldn’t initiate a handshake. But the Duke neither extended his hand nor offered any further greeting. The two men stood there, awkwardly facing each other.
Feeling embarrassed, Marquis Luke clenched his gloved hand into a fist.
“…It seems your skills in hosting guests have grown rusty. We will take our leave now.”
The Marquis couldn’t hide his anger, but Carius’s smile remained firmly in place. The new Marquis’s wife, shifting nervously, bowed her head slightly.
As the couple turned to leave, Carius spoke again.
“Oh, forgive me. I was just pondering the ‘Puzkoa’ you mentioned earlier. No matter how hard I try, I can’t recall what it is. Could you explain?”
A laugh, seemingly from Lady Celsius, broke the tension. It was enough to fluster the Marquis.
If it was someone young and naive like the new Marchioness, they might not know about the place called Puzkoa, but for a high-ranking noble like Duke Herzen, they wouldn’t have not known.
The Marquis choked on his words, managing to reply with a strained voice.
“…I must have mistaken someone. I apologize for my hasty words.”
His tone was anything but apologetic, but Carius smiled warmly. Leaning closer to the Marquis, he whispered softly.
“If you’re aiming for a bigamy suit, I’ll gladly play along. But it’s hard to tolerate your old eyes roaming over my wife. It makes me want to skewer you on a spit, so you’d better leave.”
The young woman who had been standing behind the Marquis gasped, covering her mouth, and Genove Luke turned pale. As he retreated, he attempted to threaten Carius.
“Do you think I’ll forget this humiliation? You seem to be under the illusion that Herzen is still what it once was…”
The high-ranking nobles thought that the power of Herzen had significantly declined since the death of the previous Duke. Even the former king, who had once shown deference to Herzen, had passed away several years ago. The numerous rumors surrounding Herzen would have been unimaginable during the former Duke’s reign.
It was well-known that the current young king had been childhood friends with Duke Herzen, but there were also widespread rumors that he viewed Carius with caution. Due to the right to raise private armies, Herzen was seen as a double-edged sword to the royal family.
In this context, the Marquis’s remark was valid, but Carius simply chuckled.
“Please, do remember. It would be troublesome if you pretended to be senile later. Until we meet again.”
The Marquis clammed up and hastily retreated. As Carius composed himself, he turned and beamed.
“It seems the Marquis Luke is quite busy. Given that he recently married his fourth wife, who is about twenty years his junior, it makes sense.”
Laughter erupted from the crowd.
Marquis Luke’s fourth marriage was already a subject of lively gossip in the social circles. Having lost two wives in quick succession and then marrying an even younger woman within a year, he was bound to be a topic of conversation. One can only play the part of the unfortunate so many times.
Amidst the now lively atmosphere, Carius went to Evelyn and firmly clasped her cold hand.
“Do you want to go upstairs and rest?”
Evelyn, who had been momentarily lost in thought, shook her head at his kind question.
“No, this… this is the most enjoyable ball I’ve ever attended.”
Her blue eyes, which he had worried might be filled with tears, sparkled with happiness.
Unable to resist any longer, Carius kissed her. Ignoring the teasing glances around them, he stole a breath from her and his black eyes gleaming playfully.
“From now on, it will always be joyous. I promise.”
It was a promise of a kind Evelyn had never heard before.
Unlike her parents’ and ex-husband’s promises, which were always conditional, this one had no strings attached. It was entirely unconditional, making it all the more reliable.
“…Yes.”
Evelyn’s face blossomed into a radiant smile, as precious and bright as golden peonies.
* * *
“…Haa.”
The face that had made Evelyn smile so brightly was now etched with irritation. Evelyn, having grown accustomed to him by now, couldn’t help but chuckle softly with a relaxed expression.
“Don’t just pull it. You need to start untying it from the loosened end.”
“….We should just call for the old woman.”
Carius grumbled in a displeased voice.
“You said you know how to stitch animal hides, didn’t you? This is just the reverse; it’s much easier, Your Grace.”
It was just a few days ago, Carius had dragged the reluctant Evelyn to the playroom to show it to her.
