The Devilish Duke Can't Sleep

Proofreader: somnium

The merchant named Benas looked carefully and picked up the recommended item and placed it in front of Kahel.

“When it comes to men’s brooches, there are many people who match it with the color of their eyes. Ruby is overwhelmingly preferred by people with red eyes, but red coral, red jade, red spinel, and garnet are also popular. If you are looking for a high price, red diamonds are also beautiful. If you don’t like flashy things, I think you’ll be fine with brown or black colored gems. These black and smoky crystals are popular gems among gentle people. Cameo brooches and obsidian are in constant demand.”

Everything he offered seemed good. However, Lena’s gaze was on the ruby ​​brooch that seemed to match the color of Kahel’s eyes.

“Lena. Which one do you think is better?”

When Kahel, who was looking down at the jewels, asked without raising his head, Arder sent his eyes to Lena with all his heart, asking Lena to choose a glamorous one. And Lena, who nodded her head in response to that earnest gaze, carefully pointed to the ruby ​​brooch she had been looking at before with the tip of her index finger.

“In my opinion…… I think this will suit you best.”

“More.”

Also, Lena, who didn’t know how to answer, was a little perplexed, but she looked again and pointed to the buckle with black and smoky crystals embedded in it. It was because it seemed to reveal a subtle presence without being excessive when matched with his achromatic clothes. But Kahel kept asking, ’more.’

“You don’t have a bad eye. Give me all the things this maid pointed out earlier. Oh, and this one, too.”

In front of the merchant who was hiding his joy, Kahel pointed to an amethyst pin hidden in the corner of the unfolded jewels.

Kahel’s jewelry box was quite well stocked, thanks to Kahel’s purchase of more jewels than Arder wanted. And Kahel handed Lena an amethyst pin as if to say ‘the payment for picking jewelry for me.’ He handed it to her as if to hold it for a while, so when she suddenly received it, Kahel left a single word, ‘Take it.’ Then he got up and went in.

Lena couldn’t do this or that with the hairpin, which she was holding with two hands together, but Arder smiled and clasped Lena’s hand.

“It is not uncommon to receive a gift like this if you take good care of the master.”

It was then that she realized that she had received a gift. The feel of the hard mineral on her finger was awkward.

‘If someone catches their eye on this, you’ll be mistaken for stealing. Let’s hide it well.’

Baron Fidelia misunderstood her for stealing the jewels attached to the dress just by cleaning the dress at Elliot’s order. No matter how much she complained, Mrs. Marvin urged her not to lie, and Elliott, who had her dress cleaned, had Lena stripp her clothes and inspected for theft.

The memory of her kneeling in front of the oppressive maids resembling Elliot, with a skinny and unappealing body, still haunted Lena from time to time in her dreams. She crouched upon waking from the dream, in which all the ridicule and insults pouring over her head turned into thorns and stabbed her all over her body.

Seeing that the Duke gave her such an expensive gift today, it seemed that he had no intention of killing her right away. But he could change his mind at any time, and he was in a position to kill at least one illegitimate child of a sinner. The butler is also a kind person, but only when she was a faithful maid to the master.

Lena has always been on the optimistic side, but on the other hand, she has also suffered quite a few wounds. So she could not believe those people in the Duke’s residence still, who were much kinder and warmer than Baron Fidelia’s. She just missed Uncle Theo and Sid.

* * *

“Lady. A young woman, who calls herself Elliot Fidelia, is begging for a meeting with His Excellency the Duke, what to do with her?”

Liddell’s fingertips stopped abruptly as she re-examined the pile of invitations that her close maid had filtered out once and picked out where she really should go.

“Fidelia…… Fidelia…… Where did I hear the name before……?”

“The victim of something related to Viscount Horace.”

“Ah!”

At that moment, Liddell’s head lit up.

“One of the minor nobles attached to Viscount Delroins was definitely a baron with the surname Fidelia. If it’s Elliot Fidelia, who is it? Could it be the sister?”

“She’s quite young for that. She must have been around twenty.”

“Really? Hmm…….”

Liddell pondered for a moment, rustling her winding, rich blonde hair. Although Viscount Horace was considered to be a white faction noble, what he did was clearly a crime. If so, would it be a good idea to meet someone related to that? According to rational judgment, it was better not to meet. But the curiosity was unavoidable.

“I’ll see her in a moment. Lead her to the secret parlor. It’s not good for anyone to see.”

“Understood.”

Although she had agreed to meet, Liddell wasn’t really interested.

Viscount Horace was foolish too, but Viscount Delroins and the small nobles who stuck with him were really stupid. She had no intention of getting close to such people. However, she might have ended up with something interesting, so she thought she’d give it a try. If there was nothing, it was enough to just pay a few pennies.

After she had finished her work, Liddell went to the parlor where Elliot was waiting, and showed Elliot, who was tired of waiting, an angelic smile, blowing away her dissatisfaction and impatience.

“La, Lady Santella. It is an honor to meet you!”

Elliot hurriedly bowed her head to greet her. She heard rumors, but she never dreamed that Liddell was such a beautiful lady. She seemed to understand why the Duchy of Santella were called the incarnations of angels.

“Raise your head. Sorry to keep you waiting so long.”

Even her voice was bright and beautiful. It sounded like a real angel’s voice, so Elliot sat down on the floor and cried.

“Huhuuk! Heuk! Please, please help me. My father was brutally murdered. But against the Duchy of Luave, there is no one to help…….”

Elliot forgot her plan to calmly explain the situation before and after, and just wept. It was only then that she thought that she might be expelled, but she could not easily stop her tears once they burst. But the moment Elliot called the dead Baron Fidelia her father, Liddell had already stopped thinking of expelling Elliot.

“Baron Fidelia…… Your father?”

“Yes. I am Elliot Fidelia, the only daughter of Baron Hans Fidelia.”

“The only daughter? So, are you saying that you have no brothers and sisters besides you?”

“Yes.”

“But obviously…… I was told that Baron Fidelia, the Baroness and their daughter had been executed.”

“It was my father’s illegitimate child, who was a maid, who died at the time. She was living on the second floor for some reason at that time. So she must have been mistaken for me.”

It made no sense that they mistook Lena for Elliot and being taken together with the Baron and the Baroness, but Liddell didn’t really care. What was important was this.

“So, you’re saying that the daughter of Baron Fidelia, whom Kahel killed, was the wrong person?”

“Well, half the baron’s blood, but…….”

“Did she enter the family register?”

“N, no…….”

“Then, it’s someone else. This…… How could Kahel make such a mistake…….”

It was as if saying how he could make such a mistake in killing..…. Elliot shook her body. Lady Santella opposite her looked beautiful and good like an angel, but she felt strangely intimidating.

But Liddell momentarily changed her mood and turned a sympathetic gaze to Elliot.

“Then where are you living now? Perhaps your relatives would not have accepted you because getting involved in the case was not good…….”

Tears welled up in Elliott’s eyes again at her tender concern.

“I, I escaped…… from Kerouac secretly five days ago. In fact, I’ve only survived with the thought of meeting Duke Santella, so if I’m thrown out of here, I have nowhere to go. Please help me. Please.”

“That…… I’m sorry for the situation.”

Liddell tilted her head and lifted her arms. That alone made her look like a saint who looked down on people with pity.

“Uh…… Just in time, one of my maid spots is vacant. It’s not much, but you’ll still be able to eat and sleep here. We’ll give you a salary, and if you’re a maid in my house, you’re also popular as a prospective bride. How is it?”

Elliott doubted her ears at the gentle suggestion. For the daughter of a country noblewoman, to be a maid of a Duchy, this was a great opportunity.

“Re, really? Thank you, Lady! I will never forget this grace even if I die! Huhhh…….”

Liddell smiled benevolently and looked down at Elliot. At this point, she felt really good. When she rescues someone from their troubles, when they burst into tears of joy, and above all, when they honor her like an angel or god, Liddell’s heart melts.

“Stop crying, Miss Fidelia. Then I will be sad too.”

Liddell, who was comforting Elliot, soon called her chief maid.

“Maria. This is Miss Elliot Fidelia. Starting tomorrow, I will hire her as my maid, so today, give her food, clothes, and a room. Help her take a bath with warm water.”

“Yes, understood, lady.”

Maria, like Liddell, smiled brightly and helped Elliot up. Elliot believed that she had really been saved by an angel.

* * *

The Grand Duke’s birthday banquet was just around the corner.

Two days before the banquet, Luahalla, who was fighting against the Hildebrunn’s greed to raise the price of lylok even a little and sabotage by the Luave family, asked to meet Kahel secretly. And Kahel, who had expected his visit, opened the door to the parlor at dusk.

“You seem a little emaciated since the last time I have seen you, Sir Luahalla.”

“Haa. There was a bit of that. As you may already know.”

Kahel just nodded his head slightly.

“Is it a felony in Logos to speak ill of the Santella family?”

“It depends on the degree, but it is recommended at least in the Luave mansion.”

Luahalla smiled, blinking his eyes wet with tiredness. But his eyes soon filled with anger and irritation.