Chapter 90

The Grand Duke is broken.

The Grand Duke, whose waist I was holding onto, didn’t move. We needed him to snap out of it quickly and cut the cake so the party could begin.

“Grand Duke? Can you hear me?”

“Is that largest lump in the picture on the wall me?”

“No, that’s a tree.”

I was annoyed by his nonsense when I had even drawn leaves. I pointed with my finger to where the Grand Duke was drawn in the picture.

I had drawn the Grand Duke precisely next to Lucas and Tristan.

“Look carefully. That one there is the Grand Duke, that one is Lucas, the opposite side is Tristan, and the last one is me.”

“How much would I need to pay to buy that picture?”

Living up to his wealthy reputation, the Grand Duke made an out-of-place remark and stared at the picture like a statue. My mood improved seeing him unable to take his eyes off it as though it were some masterpiece.

‘Still, we should get going.’

I pulled the Grand Duke’s arm toward the center, though he was reluctant to move.

After standing firm for a moment, the Grand Duke followed me obediently.

People who had already joined the party were gathered where the cake was. Lucas and Tristan, standing at the front, welcomed me.

“Do you know how anxious brother was when you were late?”

“No. It’s just that we need to cut the cake and you weren’t here.”

“Hmm. Brother’s blushing.”

“Cake?”

I placed the cake-cutting knife in the Grand Duke’s questioning hand.

At any party, it was customary for the highest-ranking person to cut the cake. The Grand Duke held the knife with an expression that suggested he didn’t know what to do.

This time, his gaze seemed fixed on the picture on top of the cake.

I had no choice but to explain how the party came about. I wanted to create meaningful memories before Lucas and Tristan left.

“And that’s how so many people came to help with this party.”

I made eye contact with each person who had gathered for me. They responded to my greeting with smiles.

“We’re happy to help the adorable Grand Princess and the two young masters!”

“We’ll do our best to make this a meaningful time for Your Grace as well.”

“We never expected you’d invite all of us to the party. It will be an unforgettable memory.”

“We made the props ourselves, and we hope you like them.”

The Grand Duke’s briefly raised eyebrows smoothed out.

Soon after, shock crossed the faces of the gathered people. A smile appeared on the Grand Duke’s icy, cold face.

The impact of the Grand Duke’s gentle smile was tremendous.

“…I see.”

The gazes of people who couldn’t take their eyes off the surprised Grand Duke met each other. They soon followed the Grand Duke and smiled happily.

‘Everyone likes the Grand Duke after all.’

Perhaps it was natural since he had single-handedly rebuilt the crumbling Grand Duke’s house. The Grand Duke didn’t know it, but the loyalty of his staff was extraordinary.

However, his notorious reputation made it difficult for them to show those feelings. This party seemed to have narrowed the emotional distance they felt toward the Grand Duke.

“Grand Duke. We need to share the cake. Let’s cut it now.”

The chef stood behind the cake, sending eager glances.

“How should I cut it?”

“Hmm. However you want? So everyone here can share it.”

“Understood.”

I had imagined the cake would be cut into about 10 pieces. I thought we could divide it appropriately and then gather to share it.

Slash.

However, the Grand Duke broke the cake into hundreds of bite-sized pieces. The cake, perfectly divided with a single knife stroke, showed almost magical skill.

I couldn’t believe the knife in his hand was made of paper. I clicked my tongue while picking up and comparing the cut cake pieces.

‘What a waste of talent. What a waste.’

Entrusting the cake-cutting to the Grand Duke was the best choice!

“Now, everyone, please line up and take some cake.”

“With this size, everyone can have a taste.”

“Everyone, move aside. I’m going to eat the part with Liat drawn on it.”

“Tristan, maintain your manners at a banquet everyone is participating in.”

“Then, brother can eat the part with the tree drawn on it.”

Tristan, who had seized cake pieces with magic, let out a villainous laugh. I glanced at the two fighting unnecessarily over cake.

Moreover, the pieces they were holding had grass drawings, not me.

‘Please tell them apart.’

Even though they had praised my drawing, they couldn’t distinguish it. Sen, holding an empty plate, asked me.

“Which piece would you like to take, Grand Princess?”

Only the icing was different; the taste of the cake would be the same. So generally, it wouldn’t matter what I ate.

“I think I’ll eat the piece with me drawn on it.”

Just then, a fork stealthily approached and stole the piece I was about to take. The movement of transferring the cake with the fork was incomparably elegant.

The Grand Duke, holding the cake, looked down at me and said.

“This is mine.”

“…Oh, okay.”

He handled the fork like a sword and picked up another piece of cake. What the Grand Duke handed me was the cake piece with him drawn on it.

Somehow, feeling everything was bothersome, I quietly accepted the cake.

I deliberately stabbed the fork into the head part and put it in my mouth.

‘The chef’s cooking is the best.’

The cake that melted in my mouth felt just like today, which made me happy. Lucas had successfully overcome his failure, and Tristan looked happy.

The Grand Duke also had a gentle expression, though he didn’t show it.

“When Lucas and Tristan return, let’s do this again.”

“Let’s.”

The Grand Duke’s fingers roughly tousled my hair. I sincerely hoped we could spend days like this even if a rebellion started.

***

Lucas and Tristan left shortly after the party ended.

“During vacation, I’ll definitely come back. Don’t forget me and wait, little one.”

“I’ll return to keep my promise at next year’s appointment ceremony.”

“Both of you take care.”

Tristan, who had seemed to be leaving bravely, threw a tantrum, saying he didn’t want to go. Lucas also shed tears beside him, making it chaotic.

Because of those two who were genuinely reluctant to leave, I also felt a bit lonely.

‘They’ll be fine.’

Even though we were far apart, letters from both of them arrived regularly. I was busy writing replies to them every day.

[To Liat.

This region has many unusual plants growing, and I thought you might like them, so I dried a few. I hope you’ll use them in your play house.]

What Lucas sent was a very rare medicinal herb worth ten gold coins per root. It was just like Lucas to suggest using such a thing for play.

[To the little one.

Are you doing well without me? Always take Daebak with you when you go somewhere. I picked up some nice jewels and am sending them to you. Keep them if you want.]

The jewels he claimed to have “picked up” had my name clearly engraved on them.

‘He’s so dishonest.’

I had always replied to both of them that I was doing well, but today I thought I could send different content. According to the news, today was the day the person I had been waiting for would arrive.

Behind me as I was writing the letter, I heard measured footsteps.

“Have you been well, Grand Princess?”

“Gerard!”

I turned around and embraced Gerard as he lifted me up. Gerard’s hair, which had been short, had grown quite a bit and was tickling his nape.

His gently curved eyes took me in completely.

“You seem to grow taller every time I see you, and you’ve become healthier!”

“Yes. And you?”

“Me too. I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you for your debutante.”

“It’s okay. I made good use of your gift.”

I often wore the hairpin Gerard and Stephanie had given me. The check had the special effect of making me feel good just by looking at it.

‘Money is always good to have.’

Since hearing the news that Gerard would return, I had been so excited I could hardly sleep. But Stephanie, who was supposed to be with him, wasn’t there.

“Gerard, didn’t you say Stephanie would come too?”

“She decided to stay at her original place for the time being.”

Gerard briefly added that the Grand Duke had approved this.

‘Does that mean she went back home?’

There had been no indication of this in the letter she sent for my debutante. I was worried she might be sick, but according to Gerard, she was very healthy.

I couldn’t believe she had given up even the chance to see Juno and gone back.

“It seems she needed time to organize her thoughts.”

“Did something happen?”

“Many things happened. Being chased by a bear, getting lost and ending up in a neighboring country, almost burning down a forest while trying to cook.”

“Stephanie is fatally bad with her hands.”

“Indeed, thanks to her, I crossed the line between life and death several times.”

Though his words were grumbling, Gerard’s expression was warm. I set aside my curiosity about the gentle look he showed only to those he cared for.

‘It must have been nothing serious.’

It seemed their relationship had also changed during this time.

“About Stephanie. She’s a good person even if she’s a bit clumsy, right?”

“I think that human is not great as an individual, but seem fine as a parent.”

Was that a compliment or an insult?

Since I had agreed to wait, I had no choice but to wait patiently. Stephanie had promised me she would return.

Gerard sat me on his knee and asked in an affectionate tone.

“Could you tell me what happened while I was away?”

I remembered becoming friends with Lucas and Tristan, the fire in the warehouse, the scenery of the ballroom, and what happened at the party we all held together.

But telling all of that would take all night.

“If it’s okay to tell only what I can, then yes.”

“I changed clothes because I thought it would be a long story.”

Gerard pulled at the white shirt he was wearing to show me. I heard that when he first arrived at the mansion, both his appearance and attire were a mess.

I was grateful that he came to find me right away without resting in his room.

“What happened was…”

Gerard listened to my story with a very interested expression.

‘I should hear Gerard’s story too.’

I was very curious about what had happened during his journey with Stephanie. However, after listening to my entire story, Gerard tried to gloss over his own travel stories.

“I think it would be better to hear directly from Lady Stephanie later.”

At that time, I believed Stephanie would come soon.

However, after ten autumns passed and winter had gone by, Stephanie still hadn’t returned by the time I became an adult.

And in the summer of the year I turned twenty, news came that a Saint had been discovered in a rural village.