Chapter 43 - Things Known By The Duke Now (2/2)

“Huh? eh? Du, Duke?!”

Yes. It is total darkness because of being suddenly hugged by the Duke. I am panicking at this sudden thing.

“I have come home safely! I wanted to see you,sooner, Viola, so I finished quickly with just a report and ditched the banquet!”

He releases me a little and while peering at my face he says this with a smile but, is such a thing allowed?!

“No, hold, just a moment?! You said you ditched it!”

“Aah, it is okay? I was a little tired from the travel and felt unwell.”

Liar. You seem very healthy.

“Moreover my subordinates were also, as expected, now totally exhausted so, the banquet will be on another day.”

It is a group boycott? Well, it wasn’t really ditching so I feel relieved.

“Is, is that so? ……well then, Duke, you have not eaten dinner yet, right?”

It sounds to me that a banquet wasn’t held.

“Yes, that is right. As for me, Viola……”

“I will immediately tell Carthame and he will prepare!!”

I came close to hearing the Duke’s somewhat questionable utterance but, I ignore it. Ignore!

*beri* I peel the Duke’s arms off and,

“For now please wait in the reception room!”

I push the Duke who is for some reason hanging his head crestfallen, into the reception room.

I leave the reception room, and just as I was about go to Carthame who is probably in the kitchens when I suddenly encounter the person himself.

“Oh, Carthame! Were you not in the kitchen?”

“I returned to my room for a moment to do an errand but, I was summoned by Dahlia and I was just returning to the kitchen.”

*Pachin*, Carthame closes one eye. Yeah yeah, a wink is not necessary there. Well, this is Carthame’s modus operandi so really it doesn’t concern me.

“Oh, is that so. The Duke’s dinner is suddenly needed. I wonder will it be okay even after now?”

“It will be no problem at all! Please wait a moment, Madam!”

On his charming smiling face he has a sweet smile and just like that, he nimbly takes my hand and with a refined gesture, He *Chu-s* the back of my hand! [T/N: ‘Chu is in English in the raws, haha]. He is as elegant as ever. Aah, already like this have I, who has lost my embarrassment about it, ended up losing my innocence?! ……it is not something to lament about. This is also a commonplace event so,

“It is sudden so sorry? Well then, I will leave it up to–”

“Viola? Who are you talking wi…..haaa?! Carthame!! What are you doing!?”

Covering my words is the Duke’s voice showing his face from the reception room. Halfway through, the Duke’s usual composure is now evaporated, and his true self has been completely revealed.

What the Duke witnessed right at that moment was surely Carthame dropping a kiss on my hand! In a second his gaze is sharp and the Duke is now glaring at Carthame as if to shooting him to death.

“Du. Duke!”

Despite me rushing to call out to the Duke, who is showing off such a dangerous atmosphere, he is still glaring at Carthame,

“Viola is my wife! And she a master to you, Carthame!? You seduce such a Viola?!

It is declared in a cold voice that it seems to freeze the surroundings.

To such a absurd utterance from our point of view,

““Huhh?! Never!!””

Me and Carthame’s voices unintentionally harmonize.

“What? Viola, you also stick up for Carthame?”

The Duke’s, now weapon-like sharp gaze is stuck on me. There is intensity when a beauty gets angry and my spine unintentionally trembles,

“I am not sticking up or anything,  also isn’t there noy any reason for Carthame to seduce me?!”

I say while the Duke,whose eyes are carrying a dangerous light, steadily stares at me with his dark eyes.

“Why do you say that?!”

Maybe unable to stand me sticking up for Carthame, the Duke raises his voice more and more.

“After all, He has Dahlia as his beloved wife? Isn’t it highly unlikely that he will look at me?!!”

“……ha?”

“‘ha?’”

At my words, the Duke’s attitude up until now disperses with a whack. I also end up getting flabbergasted at the Duke who is also flabbergasted. Timidly, I say slowly in an easy-to-understand manner,

“……umm, by some chance, Duke, did you not know that Carthame and Dahlia are a married couple?”

“……is that the truth? I didn’t know……”

He awkwardly averts his eyes.

“Because when Dahlia and I got married, Master you were still little,” Carthame says so as to stick up for the Duke.

However, I haven’t yet said enough!

“Moreover Carthame’s skinship is merely a greeting. I was also in a flutter at first but there is not a woman in this mansion who responds to it?”

“Is that so?”

“That is the way it is!”

I am meaninglessly puffed up with pride. After taking a long hard look at such a me, the Duke removes his gaze and faces Carthame again,

“Well then , Carthame.”

“What is it, Master?” Carthame respectfully lowers his gaze and bows.

After seeing this satisfied,

“From now on skinship with Viola is banned,” he says sternly.

And Carthame who was told, gives an immediate reply with a very nice smile,

“Certainly!”

I do not understand why Carthame gave an immediate answer with such a nice smile.  I never said it, but I, do not steal people??