Chapter 109
“Huh? No. I just kept it in case.”
“Then, shall I take a look for you?”
“Oh, really? If Pierre is willing to check it, I’d be so grateful!”
Sierra, who often sought advice from Pierre on magical flora and fauna, accepted without suspicion.
Meanwhile, as Pierre showed interest, Edwin shot him a glare.
It was a subtle pressure not to touch the club members.
Avoiding that piercing gaze, Pierre sank into thought.
‘If by some chance the lady is indeed a beast tamer…’
In that case, Pierre would have no choice but to act.
Because she might one day discover the traces of his spell and tighten the noose around his neck.
* * *
Cesare wandered the Ainluk estate with a bored expression.
‘What a fuss over something so trivial to boast about.’
The mansion’s opulence struck him as mere pretense. Its grandeur rivaling the imperial palace only made him more displeased.
Before returning to the country, he’d assumed there’d be no issue in winning over the Ainluk family.
But things had gone awry from the moment his foolish sister failed to seduce one man.
‘Let’s give up on recruiting the Ainluk family.’
Thanks to his mother unusually stepping in to abandon the Ainluks, Cesare felt much lighter.
In truth, his visit to the Ainluk estate was for a very personal reason.
‘It’s obvious why they’d invite me, pretending not to know about the rumors.’
Men were naturally suspicious creatures. Even if they claimed to trust their lovers, it was only human to wonder if there wasn’t some truth to the gossip.
This banquet was likely bait to confirm the relationship between Cesare and Rodellia.
If not, there’d be no reason to gather the subjects of the rumors in one place.
Cesare intended to actively exploit his suspicions.
A place with wine, night, and scenery was perfect for seducing a woman.
This was his chance to bring the haughty lady under him and enjoy her.
Cesare kept a suitable distance, waiting for Rodellia to be alone.
A moment later, Rodellia moved, and Cesare followed after an appropriate delay.
Thanks to the light magic adorning the garden, tailing her discreetly was easy.
In this banquet hall, the only woman with such shimmering pink hair was Rodellia Peris.
Perhaps tired, the lady headed toward a secluded gazebo.
The gazebo, arranged for comfortable rest, held a sofa as cozy as a bed.
Though there was soft lighting, it was dimmer than the bustling square where the banquet raged.
It was when the lady lay down on the sofa without a hint of wariness and turned off all the lights.
Cesare pounced on her as if he’d been waiting.
“Eek!”
He clamped a hand over her mouth as she let out a single scream, whispering low.
“You even found us a nice spot—how thoughtful.”
“Mmph!”
“If you don’t want the duke to find out we’re alone in this remote place, stay still.”
At his coaxing warning, she stiffened.
As expected, she didn’t want her lover to see her like this.
Cesare began roughly undoing the front of the now-submissive lady’s dress.
He’d been quite frustrated, unable to call for a courtesan due to his mother’s orders to restrain himself.
“P-Please, don’t do this.”
At the lady’s plea, Cesare smirked slyly.
Seeing the once-prickly lady show such a fragile reaction filled him with a sense of triumph.
He felt sorry for the lady, but Cesare had no intention of playing coy.
He’d already tipped off Nanael to bring the duke here at the right moment.
The lady had fallen into their siblings’ trap.
‘You should’ve come to me when I was being nice.’
After today, the lady would be his.
The duke wouldn’t overlook his lover fooling around with another man in his own home.
If he pretended to take in the abandoned Peris lady, whose reputation would plummet, it would paint a rather nice picture.
With their daughter’s weakness in his grasp, the Peris family would have no choice but to support him.
It was when Cesare, soaked in excitement, unbuckled his pants.
“What in the world do you think you’re doing!”
With Alferen’s roar, the gazebo’s lights suddenly blazed all at once.
In the abruptly brightened surroundings, the lady covered her face with both hands.
A short distance away stood Nanael and Alferen, along with several nobles.
Among them, the nobles screamed upon seeing the half-naked woman and Cesare with his pants halfway down.
“Good heavens!”
“My word, what is this!”
Alferen’s expression was gravely serious. Nanael looked bored, as if watching a tedious play.
Jessica, standing beside her, wore a face struck dumb with shock.
For Cesare, who’d found her persistent obsession unpleasant, if this made her lose interest, he’d be grateful.
‘They came earlier than expected. Shame—things were just getting fun.’
After briefly glancing down at the lady and licking his lips in regret, Cesare composed a nonchalant face, brushing back his sweat-dampened hair with feigned ease.
“Oh dear. It seems we’ve been caught.”
Seeing Rodellia Peris still hiding her face, Cesare grinned wickedly.
It was the typical reaction of an innocent lady unaccustomed to such scandals.
She wouldn’t believe it.
She’d think it was a dream.
But this was reality, and Rodellia Peris was finished because of it.
Cesare turned to Alferen, whose face was rotten with disgust, and said calmly.
“I was planning to tell you when the time was right anyway.”
He then wrapped the half-naked Rodellia in a blanket and helped her up.
Those who saw the pink hair murmured in trembling voices.
“P-Peris lady?”
“Could the rumors be true?”
“I told you! The way His Highness looked at Lady Peris was suspicious.”
Each whispered with conviction in their voices.
“Why so silent? Too shocked to speak?”
“I’m just a bit dumbfounded, that’s all.”
“I’m sorry for you, Duke, but we love each other.”
“Love, you say?”
As Alferen let out a scoff, Cesare shrugged.
He found the flustered, speechless look quite amusing.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Sudden applause rang out.
“Congratulations. So even Your Highness is capable of love?”
Following that, Rodellia emerged from the bushes with a cheerful voice.
Cesare’s face hardened the moment he saw Rodellia.
The woman who should have been in his arms had appeared so casually.
‘Then who is the woman with me?’
In this unbelievable situation, Cesare looked down at the woman in his embrace.
She was still covering her face with her hands.
A moment later, the others recognized Rodellia and couldn’t hide their confusion.
“Huh?”
“Lady Peris?”
“What? Then who’s the woman with His Highness?”
All eyes turned to the pink-haired woman cradled in Cesare’s arms.
At that instant, the woman who’d been hiding her face the whole time lowered her hands.
Cesare, the first to recognize her, turned as pale as if he’d seen a ghost.
“How are you…”
In response, the woman grinned widely, kissed his cheek, and whispered.
“Why? Scared I might be a ghost?”
At her mocking tone, Cesare’s face twisted in fury.
Just then, someone who recognized her murmured.
“Wait, that woman is…”
“You know her?”
“She’s a famous courtesan. I thought she’d retired since she disappeared recently, but it seems His Highness took her in.”
“How do you know her so well?”
The few male nobles who recognized the courtesan added their comments but couldn’t avoid their wives’ glares.
Alferen, who’d deliberately brought those who knew the courtesan, nodded to Rodellia.
At that signal, Rodellia stood by Alferen’s side and addressed everyone.
“Rumors really can’t be trusted, can they? Who would’ve thought the one His Highness Cesare loves has the same pink hair as me. It’s no wonder everyone was fooled.”
“Ah, so the woman in the rumors isn’t the lady, but…”
“Yes. Exactly. The one I love is Alferen alone. We were already troubled by the rumors, but for His Highness Cesare to step forward and clear it up like this—I’m so grateful.”
As Rodellia smiled brightly, Cesare instinctively realized he’d been had.
