When Pride Fell At My Toes - Chapter 54



Only Krnovel

#54. His own souvenir
2024.02.23.

Emilia just blinked her eyes. Not knowing how to react, she was flustered, but for a moment, his face smiling in disbelief was strangely bothering her.

“You can sell it, but I’d like you to keep it if possible. It’s a souvenir of its own.”

“A souvenir? Oh, did you get it as a souvenir? If that’s the case, then you should take it!”

“That’s not it. Let’s say it’s a souvenir of finding a new watch.”

What does that mean? A new watch? Emilia thought about it for a moment and then slightly parted her lips.

‘Oh, so you’re saying he bought another watch?’

It wasn’t like she saw it every time, but she remembered that whenever she looked at his watch, it had a different design.

‘No, but then why don’t you just say you bought it new?’

She didn’t understand why he beat around the bush like that sometimes. Whether it was the noble way of speaking of the upper class or just the child’s own strange way of speaking, whenever this happened, I really wished he would just tell me straight.

“… … I appreciate your words, but what would I do with the Duke’s watch? I’ll definitely bring it back next time.”

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to want to keep nitpicking, as he slightly raised his shoulders and lowered them, making a gesture to let her do whatever she wanted.

Emilia slowly confessed what she had been hesitating to say, seeing that he seemed strangely pleased.

“Rather than that, there’s something I’d like to ask you. Can I give it to Fabio?”

“What?”

“Three letters have just been discovered, and they seem to be discussing something. I’d like to know where these three people live and what they do.”

“Hmm, go ahead.”

Enrico answered calmly and held out his hand. For a moment, she looked at him with an expression that said, “What’s with this hand?” and then her eyes widened at his gesture of waving his hand as if asking her to hurry.

“You want to take care of it, Duke?”

“Yeah. No?”

“That’s not it… … . Since Fabio is actually the one doing this, I’ll just give it to you myself.”

“Emilia.”

He didn’t say anything else and just called her name. It would have been better to be sarcastic like before, but if you called her name so softly, I don’t know how she’d react.

Emilia ended up placing three letters in his hand.

“Good idea.”

“… … Thank you.”

“Did you find what you needed?”

“Yes, I saw a lot of receipts like that before. I guess I’ll just be satisfied with what I found now,”

Enrico nodded and held out one hand as if to leave. It seemed a bit odd to be escorted just to leave a room in the mansion.

Emilia hesitated and placed her small hand on top of his.

“Is the opera ball coming soon?”

“Yes.”

“Can I pretend not to know you then?”

“… … Yes? Yes.”

What’s going on? Asking all the questions that caught her attention. Emilia nodded with a small smile.

“Of course. But what if the crown prince pretends to know you?”

“Of course. What should I do?”

It was a problem he hadn’t thought about at all. In the first place, the crown prince wasn’t someone he could stop if he wanted to, and since he had already refused several times on the emergency stairs during the performance, it was a bit difficult to refuse anything more here.

“I’ll take care of that. He’ll probably be distracted and won’t be able to greet you right away, so you can just get out of there.”

In that situation, Enrico’s interference was very appropriate. His possessiveness could be so helpful. Emilia nodded.

“Yes, thank you. But may I ask what that distraction means?”

“I was just going to take the second prince.”

“Ah… … . Then it would definitely be effective.”

The second prince, who had seemingly given up on the fight for the throne and left for another country, suddenly returned in the middle of the night? It would definitely be an issue.

Emilia left the room, happily wondering if the opera ball would be a little easier.

***

And that worry was really pointless.

Emilia looked at Alessandro, who was staring at her from the middle of the ballroom, dumbfounded.

‘He’s going to ask you to dance.’

Everyone’s eyes were drawn to his attitude of looking only at her as if he didn’t even care about the second prince. How could someone who already had a fiancée throw such bad things at me?

When the ballet troupe first came out and danced, Alessandro seemed secretly upset because of the second prince, Riccardo Treano, who suddenly appeared.

After seeing the two standing side by side and talking, he focused on dancing again and finished the stage with a waltz that they all danced together.

While the invited sponsors applauded and waited for the next turn, Emilia went back and changed into her party dress. Then, when she returned to the ballroom, Enrico was now there, and the three of them were facing each other, and the atmosphere seemed ominous.

‘I absolutely do not want to get close to you.’

It was definitely everyone’s mind. Enrico was showing off his smooth lips, the second prince Riccardo had a calm face, and Alessandro had a serious expression with no smile.

“I received the gift you sent me last time. That’s why I brought the younger brother you wanted to see the most.”

Their words were just enough to hear if you concentrated a little. Maybe it was because the surroundings were quiet as if they had been arranged, but at this level, it was easy to hear. Emilia held her breath and focused on their conversation.

“You said you wouldn’t come back. You came sooner than I thought.”

Enrico twisted his lips as if he found it funny as he watched Alessandro speak in an arrogant tone.

“I’m the type that doesn’t finish a gift in one go. That’s why I called Ricardo first to repay you.”

“Then what’s the second?”

“You’ll find out later. It wouldn’t be fun if you knew in advance, right?”

“Huh… … . Where is this place? Are you trying to embarrass us all together?”

“My nephew is really ill-mannered. He needs to learn manners again.”

Alessandro glared at Enrico. The royal family’s fight in such a crowded place was the most exciting situation for reporters.

Emilia decided not to be curious anymore and turned around, thinking she would go home early. But at that moment, Alessandro called her.

“Emilia.”

“… … Yes?”

For a moment, she thought she had misheard. She wanted to ignore him, but there were too many eyes on her for that. In the end, after hesitating for a while, she slowly turned around and saw Alessandro, who had a cold expression on his face from before, smiling brightly.

“Would you grant me the honor of dancing with you?”

I wanted to reject the ridiculous suggestion right away. But if I did, it would be reported in an even worse way. As a woman who rejects royalty. I could

already hear the murmurs around me. Emilia finally swallowed a sigh and reached out to him. Fortunately, Enrico only raised an eyebrow and did not step forward.

Avoiding Enrico’s gaze, who was looking at me with an unpleasant expression, she began to dance with Alessandro. Unfamiliar hands wrapped around her back and arms uncomfortably.

“Are you really surprised?”

The crown prince quickly pretended to be normal.

“Yes, I guess… .”

“I didn’t know that my uncle would prepare such a gift. This is embarrassing.”

“Is that so?”

“Oh, I enjoyed your dance today. As always, it was beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“So I wonder when it would be a good time to have dinner together since we couldn’t last time.”

“Ah… . I think it’ll be difficult for a while since the performances are still going on.”

Alessandro’s lips looked stiff for some reason. He was clearly smiling, but his sparkling eyes made his mood a bit uncomfortable.

“Are you busy only for me?”

“Yes? No. It’s really a busy time.”

“… … Is that so? Too bad. I found a good place.”

He suddenly smiled and lowered the corners of his eyebrows. She looked at him anxiously, hesitated for a while, and then spoke as if she had made up her mind as the music ended.

“If it’s a good place, how about going with your fiancée?”

“Well, I want to go with Emilia, right? And I do have a fiancée, but you know that royalty cannot refuse a political marriage.”

Political marriages of royalty… … . For some reason, Enrico came to mind. But as soon as I had that thought, Alessandro mentioned Enrico.

“Now that I think about it, my uncle might have someone like that.”

“To Duke Michele, a fiancee?”

“Yes. A beautiful princess came from Carent a while ago. “I heard he is positive about marrying your uncle. I have high expectations because I think we will be a good couple.”

When I said Carnt, I thought she was talking about the princess I had seen from afar at the masquerade ball. But was it not just the parts transaction but also the engagement? I wondered if that was why Enrico had not been around the mansion much lately.

The music gradually slowed down and the dance ended. Her long eyelashes cast shadows as she lowered her eyes with a pensive face.

“Well, it was an honor. I hope we can have another time like this.”

“… … It was an honor for me.”

Emilia took a step back, slightly lifting her skirt and greeting him.