The Search for the Duchess’s Husband Chapter 138

Tunguel was a commoner, but she was born rich and had everything she wanted.

 

With so much stuff and people, she never learned to value anything.

 

She broke things and threw them away.

 

Despite this, she was very possessive and never let anyone touch her things.

 

Not even her most prized possessions.

 

Tunguel was not a noblewoman and did not socialize, but she knew of Artia.

 

She was the first woman to be granted a divorce by the current Emperor after he ascended to the throne, and she’d since become an Ethereal.

 

‘But what’s so great about a noblewoman who was lucky enough to be born into nobility, and all she knows how to do is gather around and laugh and talk.’

 

She was more interested in other things.

 

‘So she cleaned up a dying business and now she’s a penniless wretch?’

 

Tunguel quickly concluded.

 

‘She’s trash, a peacock in name only.’

 

So she boldly called Artia over.

 

But it was not at all what she had imagined.

 

Straightening her back, Artia exuded a poise that she hadn’t seen in many young noblewomen.

 

‘Interesting.’

 

Tunguel’s narrow eyes gleamed eerily.

 

Meanwhile, standing beside her, Shine wore a disciplined smile, but inside, he was baffled.

 

Shine had only just realized that Tunguel had called for Artia.

 

‘Why is she here?’

 

Shine was more worried than surprised.

 

Tunguel had a fiery temper. It didn’t matter if the other person was a noble.

 

She had humiliated many noblemen.

 

His heart thudded at the thought of such a thing being done to a person kindly of a Kudran.

 

‘I shouldn’t have been so honest with my master…’

 

But the damage was done.

 

All Shine, a mere servant, could do was hope that Artia would leave the mansion unharmed.

 

That’s when Artia’s clear voice rang out.

 

“May I be the first to state my purpose?”

 

Tunguel pressed her lips together.

 

But even she couldn’t say no to the Duchess.

 

She nodded, her eyes fierce.

 

“As you wish.”

 

At Artia’s glare, Vivi handed the papers to Tunguel.

 

Artia said, “I hear you’ve heard from Shine, so I’ll get right to the point.”

 

“Shine?”

 

Tunguel asked, and Artia looked at Shine.

 

“That’s what I know of him. He never gave me his real name, so I’ll call him that.”

 

The corner of Tunguel’s mouth twitched.

 

“Well, I guess it pays to teach you to be wary of strangers.”

 

“I’m not done talking.”

 

“Oh, my, I’m sorry. Please continue.”

 

Tunguel’s provocative tone didn’t seem to faze Artia, and she opened her mouth.

 

“I’m organizing a production of Edenberg. I offered to cast Shine as an actor, but he declined, saying he was employed elsewhere, so I accepted your invitation.”

 

Artia said, locking eyes with Tunguel.

 

“Please allow Shine to work with me.”

 

Her tone could not have been more polite.

 

At the same time, her pink eyes held an aristocratic arrogance that was almost unbearable.

 

A commoner would have bowed low and said yes.

 

But Tunguel laughed out loud.

 

“Ho-ho-ho-ho! I’ve heard it from him, but he’s got the funniest thing I’ve ever heard: a slave on stage.”

 

Artia’s eyes sharpened for a moment.

 

“The Empire abolished slavery twenty years ago.”

 

“Yes, yes, yes, but, my lady, the law is not the same as reality.”

 

Tunguel chuckled, and then knocked the dessert plate off the table and onto the floor.

 

Boom, the plate shattered, sending the cake on top of it scattering across the floor.

 

Tunguel looked at Shine and said, “This is a treat from your master. Eat.”

 

Artia’s eyes widened in shock.

 

…and Shine knelt on the floor.

 

Just as he was about to raise the cake to his mouth, Artia jumped out of her chair and shouted.

 

“Stop!”

 

The tone of her voice was so squeaky that even Shine and Tunguel froze in surprise.

 

Artia strode over to them and said, “Wake up.”

 

“…….”

 

The violet eyes fluttered wildly, but Shine didn’t move. He couldn’t.

 

Because his master was Tunguel, not Artia.

 

Artia’s mouth dropped open once more as Tunguel raised the corners of her mouth in triumph.

 

“Get up. That’s an order.”

 

The voice was cold, without the slightest hint of gentleness.

 

Shine didn’t dare get up. He didn’t even finish his cake.

 

In the stifling silence, Tunguel glared at Artia and spoke.

 

“Frau Edenberg, I don’t think you understand the situation, and I didn’t hire him.”

 

Tunguel pointed at Shine with the tip of her shoe.

 

“I paid for him from his previous owner, and he belongs to me.”

 

A commoner would have been too afraid of the nobleman to say anything, but not Tunguel.

 

She had the power to defend what was hers.

 

Especially when it came to a young girl from a fallen noble family in name only.

 

But she was wrong.

 

Artia was not the cowardly, incompetent noblewoman she had seen.

 

“Aha, you’ve made that clear.”

 

Artia’s pink eyes deepened.

 

“You mean I don’t have to toe the line anymore?”

 

“……?!”

 

“I’ll take your slave.”

 

Tunguel shouted, eyes wide. “I told you it was mine!”

 

“But I want it for myself.”

 

“What, what?!”

 

“A commoner is going to stop a noble, how dare you?”

 

Originally, Artia’s intention was to convince Tunguel to allow Shine to work as an actor.

 

But after seeing the way she treated him, she realized she wasn’t someone she could talk to.

 

Good intentions with good intentions.

 

Truth to truth.

 

It was the way Artia dealt with others.

 

“……!”

 

Tunguel shuddered, unable to get to her feet.

 

Artia held out her hand in front of Shine.

 

“Take him.”

 

Her tone was much more commanding than it had been a moment ago.

 

Shine tried to look Tunguel in the eye, but he couldn’t. Artia stood in his way.

 

As if she would not allow him to serve her any longer.

 

All Shine could do now was listen to the commands of the most powerful.

 

Shine took Artia’s hand. It felt soft, like a baby’s.

 

Artia squeezed his hand, then said.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

Shine obediently followed Artia.

 

Tunguel’s voice rang out behind them.

 

“Stop, Luca!”

 

But Luca couldn’t stop.

 

Artia wouldn’t let go of his hand.

 

 

* * *

 

 

As soon as they stepped out of the mansion, Artia whirled around to look at Shine-or rather, Luca and said,

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“……!”

 

“I was so angry that I said a bunch of weird things, did you feel bad?”

 

Luca’s eyes widened, unable to think of an answer.

 

For a noble to apologize to him, a slap would be less traumatic.

 

“Luca.”

 

The name that had been called dozens, maybe hundreds of times by others felt strange because it sounded so sweet.

 

Artia laughed softly at Luca, who finally managed to gather his wits enough to say yes.

 

“You have a lovely name.”

 

“…….”

 

“May I ask why you didn’t tell me your name when we met before?”

 

“That’s because…”

 

Luca was a gorgeous man.

 

His mere passage down the street would draw women to him.

 

Their eyes glittered like a predator on its prey.

 

To avoid offending them, Luca was obedient and refused to give them his real name.

 

“…because some people would come to me asking, and then my master would get very angry, both with me and with them.”

 

So that’s why.

 

‘And what an embarrassment it must have been for him, because I finally came to him, and I made a real mess of it.’