I’m Not the One Who Seduced the Grand Duke Chapter 10

Gasp, that’s…….

The moment I caught sight of the turquoise satin box peeking out between his fingers, I froze.

There was no way I wouldn’t recognize it as the box from one of the most renowned accessory shops in the capital of Orden.

He placed the palm-sized, unmistakably meaningful-looking box down and quietly stared at me, as though he wanted to savor my reaction.

“Getting married right away would be too sudden and burdensome, wouldn’t it? So, for now.”

F-For now?

“I’d like us to continue seeing each other on the premise of an engagement.”

“……What?”

Before he had even finished speaking, the ring box sprang open in his hand.

When the emerald ring that appeared inside, its green color exactly matching my eyes, came into view, I was rendered speechless.

This is bad. This man is serious.

“So this is.”

“A shackle, in a way. A beautiful form of binding someone by contract.”

“……You’re probably the only person in the world who would call an engagement ring that, Your Grace.”

“At least you recognize that it’s an engagement ring.”

Saying that was a relief, he slid the box toward me again.

Just as I hesitated to touch it, the Grand Duke casually held out two document envelopes.

“This one is the ‘Engagement Pledge.’ It’s not that I don’t trust you, but just in case. The contents have already been notarized through our lawyer, and my signature is already on it. So all you have to do is sign. Once you sign it and give it to me, I’ll register it with the Imperial Family.”

“A pledge?”

“No matter how much I’d like to deny it, I’m still a member of the imperial family. Thanks to that, the procedures are far more complicated than they are for ordinary nobles.”

The Grand Duke spoke as though it were mildly bothersome.

“And the other one…… simply put, you could call it my engagement gift in advance. A sort of bribe.”

“Oh, my. A bribe for me? It’ll be quite difficult for you to win my favor.”

“That’s why I put a lot of effort into it. I’m pretty sure you’ll like it.”

Well. Would I really?

When I looked at him skeptically, he spoke first.

“Exclusive port rights.”

“What?”

“More precisely, exclusive rights to use a port.”

Wait, what did he just say?

At the unexpected nature of the bribe, I quickly picked up the documents.

When I checked the contents, there really was a certificate transferring the rights to Valka Port, just as he had said.

“I have a territory called ‘Valka.’ It’s located along the coast, and I’m currently having a port built there. It’ll be completed by the end of this month. This is the certificate granting Roar Trading Company exclusive rights to use that port.”

“T-This…….”

“In other words, it’s a port that only House Zaherette can use.”

“…….”

“Do you like it?”

“Do I like it? Of course I do! This, this is incredible!”

All the tea leaves currently being cultivated by Roar were transported by land.

The problem was that the terrain between the plantations and the capital, where the factory was located, was mountainous, and because there were no proper roads, the route had to wind all the way around.

As a result, transportation took time, and the losses that came with it were considerable.

On top of that, despite barely having anything that could even be called a road, the nobles who owned the territories along the route had been taking advantage of the situation to demand tolls.

But what if we could transport everything by sea instead of by land?

“I’m glad you like it. So, do you feel a little more inclined to get engaged now?”

Oh, no.

My mind snapped back to reality as if someone had suddenly thrown cold water over me.

It felt as though I’d been swept away by a flood of business ideas, only to be abruptly dragged back into reality.

“Ahem.”

I cleared my throat and quietly set the troublesome documents back down.

This was an incredibly sweet and delicious piece of candy.

But it wasn’t exactly something I could just gobble down.

“My signature is already on the transfer certificate as well. The rights will be transferred as soon as you sign. Of course, on the condition that you sign the engagement papers too.”

“What if…… I sign only the transfer certificate and then tear up the engagement papers?”

“Well. That might be difficult.”

“What?”

“That’s actually why I came today—to prevent that from happening.”

The corner of the Grand Duke’s mouth lifted ever so slightly, as though he almost wanted me to actually try it.

“If you’re really curious, go ahead and try. But I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ll definitely regret it.”

When I asked what he meant, he gave me a playful wink before smiling brightly.

“Don’t worry. You’ll find out soon enough, whether you like it or not.”

I stared blankly at him and swallowed dryly.

Somehow, it didn’t sound like a simple warning.

“My proposal ends here. Think it over carefully.”

Having finished speaking, he calmly rose from his seat.

His oddly leisurely stride seemed to reflect just how relaxed he was.

But when he reached the door, he suddenly turned his head back.

“Oh, before I go. I should collect my down payment this time too.”

A down payment? Gasp, surely not.

Remembering the kiss I’d received from him last time, I froze.

Wondering if he was going to kiss me again, I fidgeted awkwardly. As though he intended to live up to my expectations, the Grand Duke’s dazzling face slowly drew closer.

Oh, no. Should I close my eyes this time or not?

If I should, when?

While I was seriously pondering the matter,

“Leon.”

“Yes?”

“Try calling me Leon.”

“L-Leon?”

The moment I repeated his name after him, the man—or rather, Leon—broke into a bright smile.

It was such a sweet smile that simply looking at it made me feel as though all my worries and concerns had vanished.

He seemed absurdly pleased just because I had called his name.

“Good. From now on, call me by my name. We’re close enough for that, aren’t we?”

Perhaps he was worried that I’d reject him if he called us betrothed, so he deliberately didn’t say it. But it wasn’t difficult to infer what he had conveniently left unsaid.

Of course, that was only if we became engaged, and only if I signed the documents sitting on that table.

At his suggestion that we call each other more casually, I nodded. It wasn’t particularly difficult, after all.

“Then I’ll be going, Erna.”

After saying goodbye once more, Leon slowly turned around. Then he quietly left the room.

After he was gone, silence settled over the study once again.

I was watching his retreating figure through the second-floor window when, perhaps sensing my gaze,

Leon, who had walked quite a distance, suddenly turned around and looked directly toward where I was.

Flustered at being caught secretly watching him, I was met with a sweet smile as he waved at me.

I instinctively waved back.

What in the world is this?

There was a strange ticklish feeling in one corner of my chest.

And just as I kept repeating the same question over and over in my mind amid the confusion washing over me—

“What happened?! Tell me exactly what happened! Everything! All of it!”

Bang!

The door flew open, and Laura stormed in.

Judging by her ragged breathing, she must have run all the way here. And apparently, she’d figured something out.

“Ah, all right. I know, so, Laura. Calm down first……”

“Do I look like I can calm down right now? Good heavens, to think that an incredible woman who brought the mighty Grand Duke of Bernstein to his knees was right before my eyes all this time……!”

Brought him to his knees? Conquered him?

I’d thought this before, but I really didn’t like those expressions.

“Forget all that. Let’s just get to the point. So, is the Marquis the Grand Duke from that rumor’s lover?”

“I don’t know about being lovers.”

Right. Lover or whatever. I still didn’t know exactly what our relationship was.

“But we did have an accident.”

“An…… accident?”

Yes. An accident.

Laura, who had visibly looked disappointed when I said we weren’t lovers, suddenly had her eyes light up again at the rather scandalous word accident.

Like a beast that had gone hungry for days, her fierce gaze and restless shoulders, as though she were just about to pounce, were extremely intimidating.

“My goodness. Oh, God!”

Then came an exclamation that sounded almost like a roar.

“Our Marquis, who used to regard men as nothing more than rocks, finally, finally! To do something this adorable!”

“A-Adorable?”

“It was that day, wasn’t it? The day you stayed out overnight! I knew it! I knew there had to be something going on! I have pretty good instincts, don’t I?!”

“L-Laura. All right, I get it, so please calm down first……”

“How can I possibly calm down right now?! I feel like running barefoot into Roden Street this very instant and shouting it out!”

Shout? Shout what?

Our Marquis slept with the Grand Duke of Bernstein from that rumor!

Something like that?

“Ahh. I thought I’d be grateful if you brought home even one unmarried nobleman with a decent face, even if he was considerably older than you…… But the Grand Duke of Bernstein?! Gasp, w-wait a minute. Then!”

Laura, who had been making a tremendous fuss and didn’t know what to do with herself, suddenly stopped and went pale.

I silently waited, wondering what bizarre thing she was about to say this time.

“Are you really all right just standing there like this?”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“What am I talking about? There might be an heir of His Grace growing inside your belly!”

……This is driving me crazy.