Side Story 1 Chapter 7

 ────── 〔✿〕──────

“The fabric I’ve developed these days is so strong that it doesn’t scratch easily.”

Crack.

“So if Your Grace invests…huh? Did you hear something breaking just now?”

Lady Harinia, who was explaining to Dietrich in a voice like a spring  breeze, point by point why Lagrange should invest in her estate, opened her eyes wide at the sound of something breaking next to her. 

“Oh my! Good heavens! The statue!”

Upon closer examination, the statue in the shape of a wolf that Dietrich was holding onto while leaning against the wall was crushed. 

‘Wasn’t this made of metal?’

Since he was a Grand Duke, it seemed that even though it was his own possession, the scale of how he handles things was vastly different. 

‘He seems to be in a poor mood.’

Instead of making a fuss while glancing at the crooked ear of the wolf, Harinia with a quick wit, glanced at Anissa and lowered her voice. 

“.....Your Grace,are you all right?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t look that good.”

The piano being played by Dubois was not romantic enough to feel sticky, and the dancing that went well with it was also blues accompanied by strong skinship. 

Dietrich certainly had Harinia in front of him, but she was sure that his sanity was in the hands of the man on the waist of Anissa. 

‘So that’s why he didn’t ignore what I said and listened to me.’ 

Harinia was eagerly waiting for an opportunity to tell Dietrich about her textile business, but he was difficult to meet and he often ignored people whom he encountered.

He didn’t seem to be in a good mood, but she couldn’t miss it because it was a great opportunity.

Harinia soon made up her mind with determination. 

“Um, so going back to what I was saying…if we can supply the industrial complex that our territory is proud of to other countries by opening the waterway–”

“Very well. I’ll make an investment.”

“R-Really?!”

Before Harinia could even finish her words, Dietrich had smiled and nodded. 

He raised the corners of his lips as if he was very happy with their conversation, even though she didn’t tell any funny jokes. 

Dietrich tapped Harinia on the shoulder, who had roughly understood the situation but couldn’t get a sense of how she should behave. 

“If you want to get the investment, you’d better smile, Lady Ha…..”

“Ha?”

Harinia gave a smile accompanied with a sigh. Though she had caught hold of the precious Grand Duke and explained to him for tens of minutes, he didn’t even seem to remember her name. 

‘Well, the important thing is that he’ll invest.’

“It’s Harinia, Your Grace.”

“Right. Lady Harinia.”

Dietrich slightly lowered the corners of his eyes, as if he liked the friendly smile she gave him – on the surface, that was. 

‘He’s really handsome.’

The glaring light of the chandelier was illuminating everyone equally, but he was the only one who shone.

Dietrich’s defined smile which was sharp but elegant was very beautiful – even if it lacked a hint of sincerity. 

Lady Harinia tightened the corners of her mouth and tried to remind herself that Dietrich already belonged to someone. 

────── 〔✿〕──────

I lost.

I groaned bitterly as I acknowledged my painful defeat. 

‘To think he didn’t look at me even until the song ended.’ 

I had a little expectation with the words of the Count that he was emitting bloodlust, but Dietrich showed no signs of taking drastic actions such as breaking the door like before. 

‘But of course I was definitely not wishing for something like that.’ 

Indeed, Dietrich didn’t seem to be interested, let alone be jealous. 

I glanced at the Count who was in good shape and lightly grabbed the hem of my dress to greet him. 

“Thank you for acquiescing to my sudden request.”

“It’s nothing. I’m happy as it has been a while since I danced with you. Even if I was just being used.”

The Count’s friendly smile stung my petty conscience.

“.....I’m sorry.”

“I thought His Grace would have surely come, but he didn’t move an inch.” 

“I know right.” 

‘He’s still being surrounded by young ladies!’ 

Without turning my head, I checked Dietrich’s figure with only a sideway glance and took out a handkerchief, bit into it, and stomped my foot very slightly. 

‘Even though you’re a married man….’

I didn’t want Dietrich, who was overcome with jealousy, to harm the Count, but his attitude, which was different from before, filled me with disappointment. 

‘A fish that’s already caught, is it something like that?’

Though he reacted violently to Jerry Mont. 

‘Perhaps, did he not just like the food?’ 

I slowly made my way to Dietrich and the young ladies, trying hard to keep my forehead from crumpling on its own. 

“Duchess, thank you very much for inviting me to this ball.”

“I’m also thankful, madam. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a fancy ball that even made me feel better.” 

A group of bright young ladies like butterflies immediately found me as the host of the ball and bowed their heads, but only Dietch did not look back at me as he was talking to a woman as elegant as an iris flower. 

‘Does he think he’s Yuric or something?’

I didn’t know why he was suddenly pretending to be an outgoing extrovert that didn’t seem like him at all. 

‘Should I just kick his leg?’ 

The desire to do so surged bubbling from the depths of my stomach, but I smiled like a painted picture thinking of the external image of the Grand Duchy of Lagrange. 

“Oh my, Duchess!”

The woman Dietrich was talking to greeted me warmly and bowed her head.

“It’s been a while, Lady Harinia.” 

It was Lady Harinia whom I had met at a tea party with the Countess of Devonshire. 

“I’m honored that you remember my name, madam.” 

Did someone not remember her name? 

I tilted my head at her words that seemed to be laden with thorns for some reason. 

“Thank you for inviting me as well.” 

“I’m more grateful that you accepted my invitation.” 

Lady Harinia had a bright, elegant, and clever side befitting that of a young lady cherished by the Countess of Devonshire, and I didn’t dislike her. 

‘So it was Lady Harinia.’ 

When I saw them from afar, I had no idea who the woman Dietrich was talking to so affectionately, but after confirming her identity, I felt a little relieved. 

Because Harinia wasn’t stupid enough nor filled with lust to prey on someone else’s man. 

‘I think I heard that they plan to expand the textile business this time.’ 

I quickly recalled the conversation with the Countess of Devonshire and guessed that the reason Harinia was holding onto Dietrich was because of her business. 

“It’s been a while so I stopped by to say hello. Then, I hope you all have a good time.” 

“Oh, are you leaving already?”

In fact, the young ladies were eager to build a friendship with me, the Duchess, rather than Dietrich, the young and dazzling lord. 

“We wanted to talk with you a little more, madam.” 

The sad look on their faces was so cute that I smiled. 

“The Countess of Devonshire has arrived so I’m going to meet her.” 

Dietrich, who still didn’t even stop pretending not to know me like I had upset him somehow, finally stepped forward in a slow manner. 

Soon, the glossy back of his head caught my eye as he slipped his foot between Lady Harinia and me. 

‘So you’re pretending not to know me until the end, huh?’

I was so stunned that I placed my hands on my sides and smiled, but a pleasant bass sound sank over my head. 

Of course, what he said wasn't for me. 

“I was thinking of getting some wine.” 

The sound of the young ladies breathing in, who had only closed their mouths and flitted their eyes around at the awkward situation unfolding in front of them, could be heard. 

‘This jerk, really?’

“Pardon? I…You’re going to get me some wine?”

“That’s right.” 

Harinia blushed, embarrassed, and asked again to which Dierich nodded his head indifferently. 

“You don’t have to…..”

“I’ll bring it to you.” 

Dietrich reached out to snatch Harinia’s empty glass as if he didn’t care about her opinion. 

“...........”

In an instant, a thin fragile silence froze the hall. 

“Why is His Grace being like that….?”

“Wasn’t he originally famous for following the Duchess around?” 

The young ladies began to whisper so low that only each other could hear them. 

It was no business for the gentleman to bring a glass of wine for a lady, but the peculiarity of the situation was that the gentleman in front of them was Dierich. 

He wasn’t the type to enjoy balls, but as the head of the household, he ‘only’ attended, and there was only one person whom he personally would stand up and bring wine for. 

That was me. 

‘Wasn’t I the only one whom you bring wine for?!’

He originally only danced with me as well.

But didn’t he accept the request of the young lady he had never seen before?

‘Why is he really like that today?’

As Veronica said, he must have eaten something wrong. 

“Me too.”

“What?”

“I’m thirsty, too.  I know how to drink wine, too!”

Dietrich looked down at me with slightly lowered eyelids as I screamed. 

I couldn’t help but raise my hand because I hated his casual face so much. 

Slap.

Slap, slap!

“It hurts.”

‘So what!’

In the first place, I’m hitting you because it hurts.

I pretended not to hear his low muttering and let him experience the proverb that small hands were spicy. 

Slap!

“I’m leaving.”

I was dumbfounded and taken aback, but more than anything, I was overcome with resentment, so I slapped the back of the hand that Dietrich had extended to Harinia, then turned my back.

────── 〔✿〕──────

If you can, please consider supporting the author of this novel by purchasing the original book. You can purchase or wait 12 hours to view chapter-by-chapter on KakaoPage or by volume on Ridibooks.

KakaoPage: https://page.kakao.com/home?seriesId=54347563

Ridibooks: https://ridibooks.com/books/3092010101