LIGHTNOVELSTORY chapter 116
116 – [Special Side Story] The Duke has a headache.
The garden of the Duke of Valencia’s residence, full of warm sunlight.
It was always a peaceful place where the gardener of the duke’s residence took care of the plants.
“Mister, what kind of flower is this?”
“······Uncle, young lady. I am still in my prime.”
Today a little lady came and harassed an innocent gardener.
“Isn’t that right, mister? How old are you, mister?”
“······You’re still only twenty-nine, young lady.”
“Wow, really? You don’t look like that at all!”
“····.”
“You stop there, Miss Bianca. Are you going to make the gardener cry?”
The identity of this little girl who hit the stomach of the gardener at the duke’s residence with a bright face in the world was more amazing than I thought.
Bianca Valencia.
The identity of this little girl was the daughter of the genius princess Rebecca Valencia and the genius princess’s beloved Albert Zernias.
Bianca, who was scolded by the butler at the Duke’s house, who followed her around, cried.
“Hey, I was really curious, so I asked.”
“Sometimes the truth hurts people more than lies. Didn’t I mention it in class yesterday?”
“Ah, that’s right! I just remembered! Then, I guess I was wrong! I’m sorry, mister!”
“······Hey, you two. I want you to go soon.”
The gardener, who heard the cheerful old man once again, lowered her head and begged the butler and Bianca.
The butler nodded her head slightly and opened her mouth as if she was sorry for bothering the gardener more.
“······Let’s go back soon. It’s time for swordsmanship lessons.”
“Ehh? Didn’t you take magic class earlier in the morning!”
“Why are you doing this all of a sudden, lady. You did well until yesterday.”
“But I want to play more…”
“Be patient, I heard that dinner tonight will be held in the imperial palace.”
“Huh? Really? Are you going to the imperial palace today?”
“Yes, lady. I heard this directly from Her Highness, the Duke.”
“Oops, I have to bully Michael for the first time in a while!”
“······Lady, the crown prince is not a lady’s toy.”
The butler’s expression grew wrinkled as he watched Bianca, who was so excited at the thought that he could harass the innocent prince.
“Exciting!”
“····.”
It was completely irrelevant to the little girl who still spread her bright smile everywhere.
***
Swordsmanship lessons.
Simple self-defense, a class to learn the extent to which one can protect one’s body.
In general, it was a class that boys from aristocratic families took from an early age.
“You need to swing a little harder here.”
“Yap!”
“Good job, lady.”
As if to prove that she is not the blood of a genius princess, Bianca also started taking swordsmanship lessons from her at a young age.
The swordsmanship teacher looked at Bianca’s posture and put on a very satisfied expression.
“Miss Bianca is one of the finest nobles I have ever taught.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It makes me think that she is the daughter of the Duke of Valencia.”
“Of course! I am the daughter of my mother, whom I am more proud of than anyone else!”
Actually, it was a position that could have been burdensome.
She is the daughter of a genius duke who excels in everything. She is
She is not comparable to the duke, but she is the daughter of the duchess and possesses excellent swordsmanship.
In the eyes of others, Bianca was a person who only inherited a good bloodline, so she could have held back under the pressure.
“Is it like this here?”
“Yes, you are correct.”
However, Bianca was different.
She rather enjoys the expectations of her own position and unleashes her talent to the fullest.
In addition to her constant efforts in her talents, which maybe she surpasses that of a genius princess, her Bianca’s skills grew faster day by day.
Even though she’s still a young girl, that’s very respectable.
The swordsmanship teacher, who was looking at her Bianca with her happy expression, had such a thought in her head.
Clang-!
“····.”
“······What?”
Until Bianca didn’t listen to her again and poured mana into her sword and she already broke her sword for the 5th time.
“Miss Bianca!!!”
“Sorry!!!!!”
“Didn’t I tell you not to put mana in your sword!”
“I’m so sorry!!!”
It was truly the end of today’s peaceful swordsmanship class.
***
The time when Bianca broke her sword and was nagging her swordsman.
“····.”
Rebecca, Duke of Valencia, was finishing her business for the day in her duke’s office.
“······Whew.”
It was a repetition of tasks that I couldn’t get used to no matter how hard I tried.
The overall budget of the dukedom, the cost of maintaining the ducal knights, and even the relationship with other noble families.
Since inheriting the title of duke, there have been so many consecutive tasks that I don’t remember having taken a proper break.
She was at least like this because she quickly adapted like a genius princess, but if she was someone else, she might quit school and run away soon.
Still, if there’s something she’s fortunate enough to say.
Smart-
“······Come in.”
“Yes, I am here, Duke.”
“······You don’t have to knock.”
The person she loved was by her side helping her with her work.
At Rebecca’s plain sentence, her husband opened his mouth with a worldly smirk.
“The Duke is working hard, how can I disturb him?”
“····.”
“May I ask what else our duke is dissatisfied with, why is he making such a sad face?”
“······Name.”
“Yes?”
“Name. Please call me. Not the Duke…”
Rebecca’s cheeks were very red as always when she said that.
I, as always, looked at Rebecca and burst into laughter.
“Ah, was that dissatisfied? Did I call you by the title of duke rather than by name?”
“····.”
“I can’t remember how many times I’ve said this, but if you don’t answer, I’m afraid I won’t listen to the Duke’s request…”
“······Call me.”
“Yes? I couldn’t hear you.”
“······I’m dissatisfied, so please call me by name.”
Rebecca slightly frowned as if she was asking if she really had to say this.
It wasn’t just once or twice that I’ve been through this kind of situation, so I’ve seen that expression a few times, but it was that expression that was new every time I saw it.
“If the duke asks me that much, I’ll have to listen.”
“····.”
“But, wouldn’t it be fun to just do a favor again?”
“······What else to do.”
“Let’s make a bet after a long time. A very simple event.”
“It’s been a while. I made a bet last night.”
What Rebecca said was true.
I actually made a bet with Rebecca yesterday as well.
“Are you referring to last night’s bet that the Duke begged you to kiss him?”
“····.”
“Honestly, how is that a bet? It’s as if I did the Duke’s favor.”
It’s just that the bet was set in Rebecca’s favor.
I bet Bianca doesn’t sneak out last night, and Rebecca doesn’t sneak out last night.
What is hanging is the wish ticket as always.
Of course, the result was my defeat because Bianca secretly(?) Went out.
“Everyone in the mansion knows that Bianca always pretends to sleep and then secretly goes out to the garden.”
“Are you saying you don’t trust your daughter?”
“I’m not saying I don’t believe it, it’s true. Also, I never said never to go out at night, so how can I not trust Bianca?”
“····.”
Rebecca keeps her mouth shut as if she has nothing to say about it.
Although there were times when I was annoyed that she always kept her mouth shut only when she was at a disadvantage.
“So are you going to do it or not?”
“······· Can do it.”
More than that, the fact that Rebecca’s expression when she keeps her mouth shut is cute.
I looked at Rebecca as if she was cute today, without much complaint.
As I continued to stare at it, Rebecca asked, averting her gaze as if slightly burdened.
“So what bets have you prepared for today?”
“Ah, can’t it be that I’m only looking for something to bet with the duke all day?”
“Wasn’t it?”
“Well, that’s not entirely wrong.”
It really was.
Actually, it’s true that after I married Rebecca, I had nothing to do.
Of course, I could do it if I found a job.
Like Rebecca, it’s just that I didn’t inherit it right away, so I’ll have to inherit the title of Count Xernias in the future, too.
It’s just that I prefer spending time with Rebecca and Bianca now.
Her father, already aware of her Rebecca’s workload, also said that he would take over her county position until her duties were sorted out to some extent.
Anyway, with several things overlapping like this, except for helping Rebecca with her work, I was virtually unemployed.
“Because the fact that I am now the duke’s husband and the title of Bianca’s father hold nothing else.”
“······Be comfortable with yourself alone.”
“I’m a little saddened by the duke’s words. Does the duke want me to be so busy that I can’t spend time with you as the count?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Rebecca shook her head resolutely as if that was absolutely not the case.
After all, you’re going to tell the truth like that.
It was only cute that she couldn’t throw away her tsundere tendencies even though she had been married for quite some time.
“So what’s the real bet now?”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you something really important.”
“Yes. So please tell me quickly.”
“It’s simple. Let’s play chess for the first time in a while.”
“Chess?”
“Yes, don’t you like it?”
FYI, I’ve never lost a single game of chess with Rebecca.
“····.”
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to.”
“I will…”
It felt like Rebecca’s excruciating headache had already reached here.