Duke, Please Stop Because it Hurts

A rumor would usually lose its potency and eventually perish when it were to be left alone. Rumors can be seen as a double-edged sword. Depending on how those rumors were handled, the hotbed of the hearsay could either benefit them or even cause harm on them.

The situation was presently different when compared to the time she was still regarded as the Count’s daughter. Molitia was currently a proud member of the Duke of Linerio. The Duke’s reputation was now dependent on her own behavior.

“Gilbert, could you please give me a list of the upcoming salon parties? I’m quite shy myself and pretty much lacking in terms of savoir faire, so I’d like you to recommend some of them for me. If there is already an invitation prescribed for me, that would be even better.”

“Do you have any specific  requirements?”

“Um… Honestly, I’d rather have a stable party instead of a young, turbulent one. Well, it is my first time as a Duchess.”

“Okay.”

“Then, can you please instruct me on work again today?”

“Of course.”

The butler smiled and began informing her on what he had been doing previously. Molitia appeared to be a little on the clumsy side, yet she was a quick learner. The knowledge she gained from reading all those books in the Count’s study fairly often had helped her plenty.

The butler seemed content with Molitia, whose mind was just like a sponge that could absorb knowledge easily while she pursued the topic of management.

Only when the night had darkened the blue sky, did Raven return home. In the end, he was caught up by Terrance, who had been enduring too much until he barely let Raven leave.

He was a sentry who was not only astute towards the state, but also towards his own subjects. Nevertheless, he was scarier than any other of his aides once he exploded. Whenever anger had enveloped him, Raven had no other choice but to take a step back.

When he arrived at his study, he straight away loosened his tightened tie around his neck—looking exhausted.

“Molitia?”

“She had already finished her meal and went straight to bed.”

“Is that so?”

Raven briefly glanced over the door. His wish to simply dine with her dissipated instantly.

With a drooping shoulder, he reluctantly handed over his coat to the butler.

“Master.”

“What?”

Then, the butler straight away enumerated the things that had happened today briefly. He listened to Molitia’s plan in handling the operation of the Duchy. He was slightly aware of the plan, but the moment he heard how she intended to partake in the salon party, Raven’s hand immediately came to a stop.

“Did Molitia ask for it?”

“Yes, she did.”

In fact, it wasn’t that she didn’t receive any invitation. The position of the Duchess of Linerio, which had long been vacant was now filled again. This had definitely roused the curiosity of those noble ladies, which was naturally directed towards her.

However, Raven had made all of those invitations vanished into thin air even before they could reach her hand. At first, it was due to her clumsy nature, which he had seen in her but now, it was entirely for a different reason. He no longer wished to let her out as it seemed like she would likely be easily broken.

Raven went silent for a while. Till now, he had only done them behind her back, but he could no longer hide it nowadays provided that she was the one who desired for it. He wasn’t keen on it but alas, he didn’t want to restrict her either.

“Let her do what she wants, then.”

“Okay.”

“So, for now, don’t reject the invitation and hand it over to her.”

The butler immediately gave a bow at Raven’s words. Raven was overwhelmed with a sudden urge that was yearning for Molitia. Nonetheless, once his butler informed that his study was already buried in his piles of work, he had absolutely no choice but to deal with them.

———-

“Madame, this is the list that you requested before.”

“Thank you.”

Molitia then accepted those several invitations. Each invitation that was sent had an almost similar ambiance, albeit with different aspects to suit their own individual salon party.

Molitia’s hands stopped all of a sudden while she was still reading those, one after the other with much curiosity.

“The Salon Party of Marchioness of Nibeia…”