“Lord Fernand Brandner… surely you don’t know where my room is?”

Flustered, Avril involuntarily said his name, to which he smiled without a care in the world.  It was the familiar face of a playboy.  Without showing the slightest sign of caring about Avril’s wariness, Fernand stepped closer.

“I have become able to somehow know the whereabouts of lovely ladies. …That said, it’s a shame we didn’t get to spend too much time together at the ball the other night. With Samuel as your escort, I thought I might be able to take advantage of that opening and become intimate with you.”

“!?”

Avril was utterly bewildered by the words being fabricated one after another. They were far too different from the truth.

I only exchanged greetings with Lord Fernand at that ball, didn’t I…? More over, he was with his fiancée, and I even recall being kept away from him. I know that he is involving himself with me because of his personal grudge against Lord Dylan, but I have absolutely no idea what his actual objective is.

She could objectively understand as fact that he had the desire to somehow do something to her, Dylan’s wife, out of spite for having one of his lovers taken away. What she couldn’t understand was why, despite his intentions having been completely seen through, he continued to involve himself with her right in front of Dylan.

It came to light later that his behavior at the music festival was a deliberate attempt to humiliate the House of Lancester, but… what is the meaning of his more recent behavior?

Dylan stepped in between them.

“Why don’t you stop already? I have no intention of letting my wife get close to a man who keeps multiple lovers alongside his fiancée.”

“Actually, in regard to my lovers, I’ve broken up with all of them.”

“Broken up?”

Avril and Dylan exchange glances. She had absolutely no interest in Fernand’s romantic life, but even taking into account the circumstances they had heard from Samuel, something like that was obviously far too strange.

Dylan, who had likely witnessed Fernand’s history with women far longer than Avril had, also appeared equally unable to believe it.

“I have absolutely no interest in what has happened to you, but I would appreciate it if you stopped making us uncomfortable.”

“Hmph. I would like you not to misunderstand. I am simply drawn to her. Despite her reputation as a wicked woman, her behavior and character are the exact opposite. That is why I went as far as breaking up with my lovers.”

Irritation crept into Dylan’s voice, which had previously been calm.

“I fully acknowledge that my wife is a charming woman, but I have no concern for your personal affairs. If this escalates any further, I will be lodging a formal complaint with the House of Brandner.”

Fernand, who had been at complete ease, was taken aback at those words. Yet, he only lowered his gaze for an instant before looking up again.

“…The ball held at my estate the other day was an extremely significant occasion, one where important figures of high society gathered. Are you aware that you left your wife unattended there?”

“That day, I had not only Samuel but my trusted associate at my wife’s side. There was no issue. Besides, she is unlikely to get caught up in such troubles in the first place.”

“While His Grace the Duke of Lanchester was proceeding with important discussions at that place, did you not consider the possibility that people who wished to obstruct the Brandner Marquis House and the Lanchester Ducal House from drawing closer might carry out some sort of operation? If she were truly precious to you, you should have never left her alone.”

A brief silence arose, one that didn’t even last the length of the time it took to draw a breath, fell between them at Fernand’s words.

That is precisely what Lord Dylan and I had feared might happen that day.

The music festival in the Lancester territory led to the widespread knowledge that Samuel was undergoing etiquette training at the Duke of Lancester house. In other words, it served as evidence to the rapidly deepening bond between the Duke of Lanchester House and the Marquis of Brandner House which had until then maintained a certain degree of distance. Furthermore, rumors were circulating that Dylan might be designated as the Crown Prince.

Fernand’s line of thought—What are you doing leaving a woman who is inexperienced in high society alone?—which came from being neither caught up in disputes over the right of succession to the throne nor the balance of power within the royal palace, wasn’t difficult to understand.

However, the decision on how to conduct themselves that day was one they had made together as husband and wife. Dylan had no cause to be reproached by others for it.

Avril, having sorted her thoughts in an instant, looked straight at Fernand.

“…And what if that is the case?”

Her voice came out with a hardness that surprised even herself as she confronted Fernand who sought to cast blame on Dylan.

“Did you think that I would be unable to behave appropriately in that situation?”

“No… I was simply worried about you, Lady Avril.”

Fernand tried to put on a smile, to which Avril gave an even brighter one. Her expression might have been unexpected, as he took a step back and was left dumbfounded.

Avril, however, pressed on.

“I would be troubled if you underestimated me so much. I am the Duchess of Lanchester. You yourself were the one who called me a calculating wicked woman, were you not, Lord Fernand Brandner?”

“No, I didn’t say quite that much…”

She saw Fernand shake his head, but having gained momentum, she paid it no mind. Shaking off even Dylan’s attempt to stop her out of concern, she loudly made a declaration.

“I, who have captivated the Duke of Lanchester and am furthermore a calculating wicked woman, would never cause Lord Dylan any worry! …Probably. Ahem. Therefore, what you are saying is none of your concern.”

---

Read more than 10 posts ahead and support Faux on Patreon for only $3~

<Previous Chapter

Next Chapter>