Trapped in a Secret Room With the Magnificent Duke - Chapter 18
The imperial palace in late summer was filled with the heat of couples dancing.
Kadrion, whose senses were highly attuned, felt as though he might suffocate in the stifling and humid air. The mingling smells of the nobles’ sweat, body odor, and various perfumes heightened his discomfort to its peak.
Moreover, Kadrion was followed by lingering, lecherous gazes.
It wasn’t just the eyes of unmarried ladies or noblewomen, but also the dirty looks from some of the men in attendance. Ignoring the attempts of various nobles to engage him in conversation, Kadrion made his way toward the Emperor.
At that moment, a sweet floral scent carried by the warm breeze from an open window tickled his nose.
“…?”
As Kadrion scanned the area for the source of the scent, he spotted a pair of man and woman.
He had seen the man’s face a few times before, but this was his first time seeing the lady. Perhaps due to the fast-paced dance, sweat beads glistened on her forehead, and a pink flush colored her cheeks.
She was pretty, but not strikingly beautiful enough to completely captivate Kadrion’s attention. Nevertheless, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“From the first moment I saw her, I knew she was destined to be my partner.”
Kadrion’s father, the previous Duke Gerard, had said this while looking at the Duchess watering the flowerbeds. Kadrion hadn’t believed it, dismissing it as just the Duke trying to appease his stern wife.
Yet here he was, gazing intently at her without understanding why.
“You dance remarkably well, Lady.”
As Kadrion approached, the lady and the man conversed.
“You flatter me.”
The pleasant floral scent carried by the breeze returned to Kadrion’s nostrils. He stood there, following her movements with his eyes. He thought he might have caught her gaze for a moment.
“Since it’s rather warm inside, why not take a breath of fresh air on the terrace, Lady?” the man suggested.
“That sounds…”
The lady averted her eyes, seeming uncomfortable.
“It’s truly unfortunate, but I’ll have to take my leave for now.”
The two of them dropped their joined hands. Since they continued dancing, it didn’t seem like they were engaged. This meant there was a chance for Kadrion.
However, Kadrion couldn’t ask her to dance that day and had to return to the Duke’s residence. Firstly, it was difficult to escape from the ladies who wanted to have Kadrion’s dance invitation, and secondly, there was someone else who had approached her before him.
“May I have the honor of dancing with you, Lady?”
The man with his plain and unremarkable appearance, wasn’t the type to be popular among women. At the previous ball, he had stood still like a decoration on the wall.
Kadrion’s expectation that the lady would surely reject that man’s dance invitation was proven completely wrong.
“Of course.”
She accepted the invitation to dance.
While Kadrion was waiting for his turn, the Emperor came to find him.
“Duke Gerard has arrived. It’s truly rare to see him, isn’t it?”
When Kadrion returned from a private conversation with the Emperor, the lady was no longer in sight.
* * *
Sitting at his desk in his office, with afternoon sunlight streaming through the large ceiling-high window, Kadrion gazed at a portrait of a woman.
“Is this the lady you mentioned?”
At Bennet’s words, Duke Gerard nodded.
“Is her family definitely the Count Hendrick family?”
“Yes. There were three debutantes at the recent palace ball…”
Bennet added that the woman in the portrait was indeed Count Hendrick’s daughter. Typically, after confirming the face, portraits were disposed of, but Kadrion chose not to follow that convention.
Since the palace ball, Kadrion had attended several social gatherings, expecting her to actively participate in social activities as a debutante. However, his expectation was once again proven wrong.
She had not appeared at any social events.
After several failed attempts, Kadrion decided to try a different approach. He chose to invite her to the Duke’s residence. Kadrion sent a carefully written invitation to Count Hendrick’s family.
“An answer from Count Hendrick’s family has arrived.”
When Bennet presented the envelope, Kadrion’s heart raced.
Thinking he would soon meet her, Kadrion opened the envelope with a joyful heart. As he read the words written in a round, cute handwriting, a gentle smile appeared on his face.
However, after reading the entire letter, his expression turned grave.
“…I didn’t expect a refusal.”
Seeing Kadrion’s deep disappointment, Bennet’s face also darkened.
Who would have imagined that someone would dare to reject the Duke’s invitation? Kadrion’s hand, which had extended towards a woman for the first time in his life, was left in vain.
He hadn’t proposed a relationship or marriage; he had simply invited her to come for tea and a chat at the residence. And yet, she rejected her outright.
‘She accepted that man’s dance invitation, despite his unimpressive family and appearance.’
Recalling the palace ball, Kadrion furrowed his brow.
