Duke, Is This Your First Time?

“It’s been a while. Marquess Camelia. Fortunately, you look healthy.”

When Karzen bent eyes like half moons and greeted Elysia, all eyes of the nobles, including Marquis Berten, turned to her.

Elysia felt panic and blinked her eyes.

‘No, what should I do in this situation? I have to pretend to know him, right?’

She glanced at Iker, but he only had a faint, unknown smile. Elysia felt heartbroken at the sight of him, who had put her in an awkward situation, but he was so relaxed.

‘Oh, I don’t know. If he didn’t tell me in advance, it probably doesn’t matter anyway.’

This was when Elysia was about to open her mouth, thinking that she should pretend to know the wizard, because the other person had been pretending to know her first.

Thankfully, Karzen solved her problems.

“Ah, the Marquess probably doesn’t remember me. You lost your consciousness that time.”

Elysia’s eyes opened wide again. She was glad that she didn’t answer that she knew the wizard. 

Karzen, who smiled significantly as if he had read her thoughts, opened his mouth as he looked around the nobles gathered in the conference hall.

“My name is Karzen Lecard. It’s a bit embarrassing to get the call all of a sudden, but people suspected my close friend, so I came like this.”

The conference hall was noisy again at the words ‘close friend’, and the eyes of the nobles turned to Iker. He was not someone else, but a close friend of the next tower lord. It was natural for the nobles to be surprised.

The nobles, who were looking at Iker with admiration and envy, turned their heads when Karzen’s voice was heard again.

“That evening, while I was working at the tower, I got a call from that guy. I went to see what was going on and found Marquess Camellia lying on the bed. She was suffering from a high fever to the point of talking nonsense.”

Elysia was instantly terrified.

It was true that she had a fever, but what nonsense did she say!

Raising her fingers in her embarrassment and scratching her cheek, she glanced at Iker.

She was surprised and grateful that he had prepared this much, but at the same time, she was sorry. To him and to Karzen, who were now testifying. 

After all, they had to lie because of her.

Had he sensed her gaze, Iker turned away from Karzen and met her eyes.

His soft, gentle, golden eyes seemed to be telling her not to worry. It’ll be fine. She will not lose her leadership position. 

She thought for a moment that someone was slowly pumping her heart.

Otherwise her heart wouldn’t be beating so fast.

Confused, she quickly turned her head away. The tips of her ears seemed to burn, but she tried to ignore it, and listened to Karzen’s words.

He seemed to have already put everything together with Iker. She couldn’t believe it was a lie but he spoke so smoothly.

“The Marquess was suffering from Heris’ side effects. It was a very serious situation. Fortunately, I had treated Heris’ side effects once before, so the treatment was not difficult. So I removed it by magic and watched her through the night just in case.”

Karzen paused for a moment and looked at Elysia. It was a look of relief that he was glad that she was safe.

Elysia was at a loss for words for a moment at the perfect performance, obviously done on purpose.

‘No, what kind of wizard is so good at acting.’

As she admired him inwardly, Karzen was finishing up.

His soft words echoed quietly in the conference hall. It was an incredibly trustworthy voice.

“I went back to the magic tower without seeing her awake due to accumulated work, but seeing the Marquess healthy like this puts my mind at ease. The Duke told me she was okay, so I was glad.”

After finishing his words with a voice full of mischief, he looked around at the nobles and smiled. His eyes were charmingly curved.

“Is this enough to prove it?”

Who dares to object to the words of the next tower lord?

Even if he was cheating with Iker, there was no one in the hall who could openly doubt him.

Because not believing the words of the tower lord was the same as not believing in the magic tower.

It was the moment when the meeting held to deal with the dismissal of the Marquess of Camellia was lost due to the testimony of only one, but not ignorable, witness.

While everyone was silent, Iker slowly opened his mouth.

The golden eyes staring at Marquis Berten, who clenched his fists tightly, were cold and fierce.

“Now it’s time for you to apologize.”

“…”

Marquis Berten looked at the nobles who flocked to Elysia to congratulate her while gritting his teeth.

The meeting to dismiss Marquess Camellia was adjourned.

The moment Karzen proved that nothing had happened between Elysia and Iker, the agenda itself disappeared and there was no reason to proceed any further.

When he announced the meeting was finished, Dustin was the first to stand up.

He glared at Elysia and Iker with scorching eyes as if he was going to kill them. He then gave Marquis Berten a deadly look and turned away.

Bang!

A moment later, when a bang was heard, Marquis Berten flinched as Dustin kicked the door out.

The Duke of Russet also followed Dustin out of the meeting hall slowly.

Dustin didn’t even look at him, as if he didn’t like the outcome of today’s meeting.

Marquis Berten was frankly embarrassed.

It was he himself who took advantage of this scandal, but how would he have known that the Duke of Deimos would bring a witness.

And that witness was the next tower lord.

The expected result was reversed due to an unexpected variable.

The winner was Marquess Camellia and the loser was himself.

Grinding his teeth inwardly, he quietly stood up and turned around. 

If it wasn’t for the cold, low-pitched voice calling out to him.

“You probably don’t want to just go, Marquis Berten.”

Marquis Berten stood there like a statue.

As he turned his head, he saw Iker standing with Karzen.

As soon as he faced the shining golden eyes like a wild beast before his prey, he couldn’t move like a butterfly caught in a spider’s web.

***

Elysia, who was being congratulated by the nobles who followed her, was startled by the bang and looked at where the sound had come from.

Then she saw the door closing quickly with Dustin’s back as he left the meeting room.

Even without seeing it, it was obvious that he could not contain his anger and kicked the door.

‘Crazy.’

The Duke of Russet followed Dustin out of the hall as Elysia clicked her tongue inwardly.

 Duke Russet’s face, which she had glanced at, was also hardened.

It was understandable because his plan to wrap up nicely and hand it over to Dustin when Elysia was dismissed from her position was broken.

Now he would have to accept Dustin’s filthy temper.

‘Well, he brought it on himself.’

Therefore, Elysia, who was thinking that she should educate her children or her grandchildren well, turned her head to Aria’s voice.

“I am so glad, Marquess.”

Aria, like the other nobles who had handed her congratulations, was delighted to see Elysia still had her original position.

“Thank you Countess Dolorence. Thank you so much for speaking out earlier.”

Elysia clasped Aria’s hands and gave her sincere thanks.

She was very grateful and apologetic not only to Aria but also to all the nobles who stepped forward for her.

It was all because they supported her that she was able to rise to the top and kept it well until now.

Of course, she knew very well that it was not about trust and faith in herself, but about her name, ‘Camellia’.

Then one day she will change it to herself. And one day that she must protect them just as they have protected her.

‘Like my mother did.’

Elysia, who had been resolute in her resolve while recalling her mother’s life, was startled by Aria’s words.

“No, no matter what happens, I will support and keep the Marquess as promised by my father. So that the Marquess of Camellia can follow the path that the Marquis of Camellia was trying to take.”

What? The former Count of Dolorence promised to protect her? No, before that, there was a road her mother was trying to take?

It was the first time she heard it. After blinking her eyes for a moment, she asked Aria.

“…Your father?”

“Yes. He said it when I succeeded the Count. He said the former Marquess of Camellia had a path she wanted to go. But she couldn’t make it and my father believed that her daughter would. So my father told me to support and help you. This time, we must protect the Marquess.”

Elysia felt confused at the sudden words she heard. She didn’t quite understand.

Was there anything else her mother was trying to do besides guarding and protecting the aristocratic faction?

But she couldn’t ask again.

As she saw Aria looked behind her and her eyes widened in surprise.

Not only her, but also the nobles who surrounded Elysia.

When Elysia turned around, Marquis Berten, who was standing there with a trembling expression on his face, caught her eye.

He looked like he had something to say to her.

‘What kind of argument is he trying to get?’

Recalling his vigilant eyes, she asked him bluntly.

“Do you have anything to say to me, Marquis Berten?”

“…”

Marquis Berten’s mouth, which was slightly opened, closed again, and a wrinkle formed between his forehead. He should have said it, but his expression showed that he didn’t want to say it.

Elysia, frowning to wonder why, could see Iker standing behind Marquis Berten. The Marquis was now here to apologize to her but it was not because he wanted to, but because Iker pushed him. 

Perhaps the Marquis was caught trying to sneak out.

The moment she realized that, Elysia had a mean heart.