I’m Not the One Who Seduced the Grand Duke Chapter 52

“If there’s anything you’re worried about or don’t know while preparing, please ask me, Marquess.”

“Ask you?”

“Yes. Ah, and you don’t have to call me ‘Your Grace’ so formally, either. Once you marry His Grace the Grand Duke, you’ll actually be in a higher position than I am.”

With that, Bianca smiled warmly once again, suggesting that we should drop the formalities and become close.

As if they had rehearsed it beforehand, the other noblewomen and young ladies all smiled brightly and looked at me.

All except one person.

Isabelle, who sat there alone as though she were perched on a bed of thorns.

Yeah.

This wasn’t going to work.

I smiled faintly and looked at Bianca.

“If we’re going to talk about social rank that way, something seems a little strange.”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“According to what you just said, wouldn’t the person here who will rise to the highest position be Duchess’s daughter Isabelle rather than me?”

At those words, everyone’s eyes turned toward Isabelle.

They looked reluctant, but none of them could deny it.

She’s going to become Empress.

At those words, Bianca’s brow furrowed unpleasantly.

“And thank you for the offer, but I’m fine. Isabelle has already been helping me a great deal. Everything is going smoothly, so there’s no need for you to worry. Honestly, I’m hardly doing anything myself. She’s taking care of everything so wonderfully that……”

“……”

“Yes. So I trust Isabelle completely.”

Sorry, but I’m not taking your hand, and even if all of you come swarming over here and sweet-talk me, I have no intention of associating with you.

Don’t try to shake me with some half-hearted power play. It won’t work.

I packed all those meanings into my words, and a chilly silence settled over the table.

The atmosphere had completely fallen apart, and all of Bianca’s followers were watching her nervously.

Even so, I didn’t so much as blink as I smiled at Isabelle, which only left them looking even more flustered.

‘They must all have quite a lot going through their heads right now.’

Isabelle was the woman who would one day become the Empress of the Orden Empire.

And Bianca was the wife of a prince from another country.

She might be here now, but eventually, she would have to return to her own country.

Which side to align themselves with was more obvious than they might have thought.

I had merely pointed it out.

I could already see several noblewomen’s eyes wavering with uncertainty.

“Now that you mention it, I think you’re right, Marquess. I’m sorry. I suppose I spoke out of turn. I’m sorry, Duchess’s daughter.”

“No. It’s all right……”

“But I was sincere when I said I wanted to become close with the Marquess. I don’t know if you’re aware, but I’m quite a fan of Roar, which you operate.”

Bianca smiled and slowly traced a finger around the rim of the teacup on the table.

“I married into another country at a young age, and Roar was my only place of comfort when I missed my homeland. And though it’s a little embarrassing to say this, I actually contributed quite a bit to introducing Roar’s tea to high society in the Roman Kingdom. I always had Roar tea with me at social gatherings, and people became very interested in it. As a result, most Roman nobles now enjoy Roar tea.”

Bianca subtly emphasized that Roar’s success in the Roman Kingdom’s market was all thanks to her.

Of course, it wasn’t entirely false.

But it wasn’t entirely true, either.

“So, if I may offer you a piece of advice, it’s best to choose carefully whom you keep close to you. You should consider who would benefit you. And…… whether they would be beneficial to your business. Those are things you ought to think about.”

“……”

“Roar’s products are loved by people throughout the kingdom. But…… you know how it is, don’t you? Trends change, and tastes aren’t eternal. If I were you, I’d be able to help. Of course, the opposite could be true as well.”

“……”

“If it were me, I would prioritize the feelings of someone who could benefit me. What do you think, Marquess?”

Her sweet, gentle voice sounded unpleasant, like a snake flicking out its tongue.

There was no way I could have misunderstood what she meant.

“I find that offensive. Are you threatening me right now?”

“What?”

“It sounds to me like you’re saying, ‘If you want to keep selling your goods in the kingdom, do as I say.’”

“Oh, no. That’s not what I meant. I was only……”

When I asked her so directly, Bianca seemed caught off guard, as though she hadn’t expected me to confront her so openly.

Her eyes widened before she could adjust her expression, and the corners of her smiling lips twitched awkwardly.

“You said you wanted to become friends with me, Lady Bianca, didn’t you?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“And yet, it seems you didn’t properly investigate me before coming here.”

“……What?”

Bianca’s eyes rapidly wavered at my sharp words.

Even then, the corners of her lips maintained a graceful curve.

“I understood what you were saying perfectly. I’ll discuss it with the administrator of the trading company today and put our transactions with the Roman Kingdom on hold for the time being.”

“What?”

“You said that was what you wanted, after all. The kingdom actually requested that we increase next year’s supply, but if that is the will of the Princess Consort, what choice do I have? It seems I’ve fallen out of your favor, so I suppose I’ll have to be cautious.”

“No, no. That’s not what I meant……”

“I really dislike mixing personal feelings into business, but it can’t be helped. I’ll make sure the kingdom’s merchants understand that we discussed this matter thoroughly with you.”

“W-wait a moment, Marquess. I think there’s been some misunderstanding.”

Bianca looked flustered, clearly at a loss.

Of course she was.

‘If she isn’t careful, rumors could spread that the Second Princess Consort returned to her homeland and abused her authority to interfere with trade between the Empire and the kingdom.’

And her counterpart was the fiancée of the Grand Duke of Bernstein, the Emperor’s younger brother.

There was no telling how the other side would interpret the fact that she had tried to win over the Imperial prince’s fiancée.

“Roar has no intention of relying on or submitting to any power by using trade as leverage. I’ll make that clear when I convey our position to the kingdom, so please don’t worry.”

“Marquess! That’s absolutely not what I meant. Let me explain. Please, just listen to me……”

“No. I don’t think there’s anything more for us to discuss. I’m sorry, but we’ll be leaving first. Isabelle, let’s go.”

“Ah, yes!”

Isabelle, who had been watching the whole situation with nothing but her eyes moving nervously, stood up abruptly.

She hurried over to my side and clung tightly to me.

Only then did she seem to relax, letting out a small sigh of relief.

“Erna, are you all right?”

“Of course. I’m perfectly fine. Ah, but……”

I answered her concerned question calmly, then suddenly stopped walking.

I barely swallowed down my irritation.

“I am annoyed, though. I really hate it when people try to manipulate others like that.”

More precisely, it was the fact that she had threatened Roar that irritated me more than anything.

Why?

Because she was doing this precisely because she knew Roar was my weakness.

“How dare she mess with Roar? She really took me for a fool.”

“……”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I got carried away again. I’m sorry for showing you such an unpleasant side of me……”

“No! I absolutely love it!”

Huh?

I had apologized because I felt a little embarrassed, but the response I received was completely unexpected.

Not It’s okay.

She said she loved it.

I looked at Isabelle, wondering what on earth she meant, and saw her standing there with both fists clenched tightly and her eyes sparkling.

She even seemed to be snorting excitedly through her nose.

“You were absolutely amazing. You were so confident. Erna, not Marquess, you’re my role model!”

“Excuse me……?”

“And I’m sorry. I’ve been meaning to tell you, but…… there’s something I haven’t told you.”

“Yes?”

“Actually, I was the one who asked His Majesty to let me take charge of preparing your engagement celebration. I wanted to use this opportunity to become closer to you……!”

Isabelle started babbling excitedly.

She apologized for having ulterior motives, but said she really wanted to do it, speaking so quickly and breathlessly that she was like a young horse that had slipped its reins.

And she only grew more excited.

As though she could no longer contain herself.

“I’ve been watching you ever since you stubbornly protected your title as Marquess and led Roar all by yourself at such a young age! I thought you were absolutely incredible!”

“T-thank you?”

“That’s not all! I read articles about your achievements and thought you were amazing. I even scrapbooked every article about you that I could find. I’ve tried all the blended teas you developed. I-I even wrote reviews about them!”

“No, you really didn’t have to go that far.”

“Of course I had to! Because I’ve always, always…… l-l-liked……”

That was when it happened.

“This is driving me crazy. Seriously.”

A sharp voice came from close by, and a strong arm wrapped around my waist.

Then, without hesitation, it pulled me backward.

Thud.

My back hit something hard like a wall, and at the same time, a familiar scent brushed past me.

A low voice filled with unmistakable displeasure fell over me.

“This is exactly why I told you not to get too close to her.”

“Leon?”

Why were you here?