The Devilish Duke Can’t Sleep

Proofreader: somnium

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At that party that day (1)

“Even through all the history books of Logos, the Queen has never been conjoined with the blood relatives of two Duchies.
I am very sorry to tell you, but Your Majesty, I think it would be good to meet a wider array of Lords.”

It was at the first noble meeting where Lena hinted about her special relationship with Kahel.
She thought there would be a backlash, but when the first words had come out of Damien Luave’s mouth, neither Lena nor the other nobles expected it.

As a result, both the white nobles who were wary of Duchy Luave growing too large, and the black nobles who secretly expressed their support for the union between Lena and Kahel, were both speechless.

“Khmm! Count Allendorf is right.
From what we have heard, Your Majesty has never met any man other than Duke Luave, so it is considered reckless to decide the position of Grand Duke with only that relationship in mind.”

“Of course.
What’s more, I’m worried that Your Majesty doesn’t have parents who have the eye to pick the right match for her.”

“Why aren’t there any? Isn’t there Grand Duke Rufelio?”

“Hoho, I’ve heard rumors that there are a lot of people carrying presents for Grand Duke Rufelio.
Oh, come to think of it, Count Trevan’s son is still single, isn’t he? Grand Duke Rufelio is his cousin…….”

“Are, are you insulting me now?”

The conference room quickly became a battleground.
Now that a powerful Queen who will open a new era of revival of the Ardenian dynasty has appeared, it must be their honest feeling that they prefer to line up with the Queen rather than the two Duchies.
Besides, since the Queen is still young and even her predecessor, who would have guided her, has passed away, they were tempted to take the place of the Grand Duke who could be by her side and whisper.

Lena’s expression clouded at the fact that even her own marriage had become the ground for the nobles’ power battles.
If she borrowed her power, she could have made everyone in this position obey her words, but Lena herself knew best that the power that was given to her was not for that.

So, she was trying to get the nobles to understand, but Damien was creating such an argument…….

‘I’m sad.
It would be easier if only Count Allendorf would go along with me and Kahel.’

In the current situation, Damien Luave was a nobleman with more power than anyone else.
If he had supported the couple’s marriage even if he was criticized a little, other objections could have been moderately suppressed, but now it’s all gone.

However, Damien did not stop there and made another offer.

“It seems like everyone has forgotten something important.
In choosing a spouse for Her Majesty, of course, Her Majesty’s opinion must be of the utmost importance.
However, Her Majesty rarely had a chance to meet a man of marriageable age, and that’s why she misunderstands the relationship she built up with my son for love.
After all, the period of mourning for the passing of the former Queen is over, how about holding a grand banquet to change the atmosphere?”

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The nobles who were flushed as they threw remarks, put on a tempting expression at Damien’s offer.
This was particularly the case with the majority of nobles below Count or Viscount, who did not dare to intervene in the battles of the great nobles.

“That’s a good idea.”

“Come to think of it, there were so many great problems that Her Majesty has not been able to properly tour the social world, yet.”

“That’s right.
It’s important to find a spouse for Her Majesty, but I think it’s also good to evoke an uplifting mood on this occasion.”

Approving voices were heard here and there, and everything went smoothly as Damien had planned.

However, there was something that even Damien, who looked down at everything as if looking down on the palm of his hand, did not expect, that is, Kahel, who was always mature and indifferent, was firmly upset.

“Kahel.
Kahel?”

Damien was already knocking on Kahel’s door for the fifth time.
Normally, the son would run to the lobby on the first floor when he heard that his father had returned, but now he was locking himself in his room all day today, not showing his nose.
He didn’t even give Damien an answer.

Damien didn’t know that Kahel, who had never enjoyed being a teenager, would rebel late, but even this was fun and enjoyable.

“It looks like he was very upset.”

“Actually, it’s understandable that I forbade him to meet Her Majesty before the grand banquet.
Even so, this is the first time Kahel has shown any protest to me.”

“Kahel will understand everything.
But it would be heartbreaking to accept it right away.”

“I guess…… Well, it’s not bad.
A rebellious son, it sounds like I got Kahel’s lost adolescent back, doesn’t it?”

Unlike Arder, who had a worried expression, Damien smiled and headed towards his study.

“Are you really against the union of Lord Kahel and Her Majesty?”

“What would you do if you were me?”

“I understand the concern that the union of the Ducht and the Royal Family will upset the balance of power, but when I think of His Excellency, who has never had any joy in life…….”

“Yes, it is.
So am I.”

“Yes? Then why…….”

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“If they ignore people’s opinions and push forward, the backlash will only grow stronger.
If two people really love each other, they can overcome such hardships.”

Arder still wondered if it was too much of a decision for Kahel to bear, but Damien’s heart wasn’t hard to comprehend.
Because there were even rumors that Duchy Luave was trying to devour the Royal Family.

Still, Arder felt heartbroken, wondering if there was no happiness allowed for Kahel, who had lived through only excruciating pain.
At Kahel’s tightly closed door, Arder’s pity on him stayed for a long time.

* * *

“This dress is subtly glamorous as it is embroidered with gold beads on the finest light gray satin.
Look at this.
Your Majesty’s skin looks whiter and brighter.”

“How about this dress? The gorgeous floral print and cream-colored high-quality fabric look bright and lovely.”

“If you don’t like it, how about this? It is hard to find such a soft and subtle light green color.
On top of that, I added a romantic feel with a pink ribbon and light blue ruffles.”

The anticipation for the grand banquet, where the Queen would find her husband, was rising day by day, but only depression lingered in her room.
The chief handmaid, who had to choose her dress and accessories for the banquet, was very frustrated with Lena’s attitude, who seemed unmotivated to everything.

Even today, the handmaids took out this dress and that dress and showed it in front of Lena, but her gaze seemed to be looking into the air somewhere between the dresses.

Then one of the handmaids, who quietly entered the room, delivered the news Lena had longed for to the ear of the chief handmaid.

“Lady Belrose has arrived.”

“Bring her right here and prepare refreshments.”

The chief handmaid who sent the handmaid out, raised her hand and dismissed the handmaids.
The handmaids, who were restless because they did not know what to do, were relieved in their hearts and backed away.

“Your Majesty.
You don’t seem to be in a good mood today.
Shall I offer some refreshments?”

“I don’t even feel like drinking tea.”

“But soon Lady Sid Belrose will arrive.”

“Sid? Then, please prepare it.”

“I understand, Your Majesty.
And as I say many times, keep it down in the crowd.”

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“Later.”

Usually, she would make an embarrassed expression, but today she doesn’t even do that.
Because it shows how Lena, who was especially kind to her subordinates, was very hurt by this banquet.

The chief handmaid cleared the clutter of the dresses and trinkets and set up a tea table on the balcony.
She just hoped Sid would lift Lena’s mood.

“Your majesty!”

“Sid…….”

Lena’s eyebrows were drooping when she first saw Sid.
She had been told that ‘Her Majesty has been feeling uncomfortable lately.
I would be grateful if you could stop by and cheer up Her Majesty’s mood.’ Sid, who ran like the wind, grabbed Lena’s hand, looking like she was about to cry.

“Your Majesty, why do you look so upset?”

Seeing Lena not showing any signs of relaxing her expression even in front of a sunny balcony, gorgeous tea food and fragrant tea, Sid asked with a burning inside.
Then Lena whispered, after making sure that no one around was listening.

“I don’t want to go to such a big banquet.”

Sid didn’t even know why Lena was saying this.
Because the whole capital was buzzing with talk about ‘a grand banquet held by the Queen to get a husband’.

Sid didn’t like having any man in the world except for Abbert, so she could fully imagine how Lena would feel.
And Sid was not a noble who weighed several things.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Does Sid also think I should marry someone other than Kahel?”

“It’s not that, don’t be too burdened with this banquet! There is no law that says you have to choose a husband this time, huh?”

“There isn’t, but…….”

“They are wasting time and looking for opportunities.
Now that you have to get the nobles’ approval, you will have to adjust to their rhythm appropriately, but as time passes, they will not dare to pick a fight with Your Majesty’s words.
Then, declare that you will marry His Excellency again!”

Lena’s eyes twinkled at those words.

“Is that okay?”

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“What can not be done? It’s not unusual to marry someone you love.
His Excellency even said that he would abandon the Dukedom, so I don’t know why there is so much fuss.”

“Right? Sid thinks so, right?”

“I’m worried that it will fade over time anyway.
Whether it is the Duke or the former Duke, these are not people who want to increase power through these things.”

With Sid’s comfort, the wrinkles that had been slightly held between Lena’s brows were gently stretched out.

“Then…… Is Kahel…… well?”

“His Excellency? Huh…… He locked himself in his room and didn’t come out.”

“What? Really? What about his meal?”

“It looks like the butler was carrying it, but…… I don’t think he’s eating well.”

“He just got better, so what should I do?”

“Who in Luave would yell at him like that? His Excellency now does not even answer the former Duke’s call.”

Lena felt her heart break.
With her power, Kahel’s curse was lifted and his wounded body healed.

However, Kahel’s body was not completely restored to health.

In particular, the aftereffects of breaking the old curse were not yet fully healed.
A curse full of malice had seized his body for nearly 17 years, and even if she forcibly shattered it, there was no way that it would not have left scars on his body and soul.

Seeing Lena’s worried face, Sid smiled and said,

“Why not write a letter to His Excellency instead? I’ll take it to him secretly.”

“Really? Will you?”

“Sure! Who are you talking to?”

Sid chuckled with a playful face.
Until the day of the grand banquet, contact between Lena and Kahel was forbidden, but Sid had no intention to see Lena being hurt by the nobles’ greed.

Anyway, thanks to Sid, Lena’s mood improved, as the chief handmaiden had hoped, and by that evening she was able to choose her dress and accessories.
The chief handmaiden, who doesn’t know what Sid had done, showed her gratitude to Sid, packing the luxurious desserts for her.