The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 91

Chapter 90. Jealousy (4)

So they came together.

At Emilia’s words, both men’s expressions twisted.

“From here….”

“I was over there….”

The two, who were about to say they hadn’t come together, both closed their mouths at the same time.

“That works out well. The banquet is ready, so I was about to send a servant. Prince, please follow me.”

Standing in front of the two men, Emilia walked toward the dining room. Louid and Ian followed her, each turning their gaze in different directions.

“Prince, please sit.”

Emilia offered the seat beside her.

“Thank you.”

Ian quickly sat in the seat she pointed to. On the table was a lavish feast carefully prepared by the Grand Duke’s head chef.

“I saw a portrait of the Grand Duke in the corridor, but there wasn’t one of the Grand Duchess.”

Ian said as he looked at Emilia.

“A portrait? It hasn’t been painted yet,” Emilia answered with an awkward expression.

“Usually, it’s done before the wedding ceremony. The Grand Duchess’s portrait must be displayed in the imperial palace, as well as in the Grand Duke’s castle and manor.”

“….”

At Ian’s explanation, Emilia fell silent. Her gaze turned toward Louid.

She couldn’t know exactly what he was thinking, but since they would be divorcing soon, it seemed he hadn’t given any order to have a portrait painted. Still, she couldn’t tell Ian ‘we’re getting divorced soon,’ so she had nothing to say.

“It’ll be done soon.”

Louid, who had been silent ever since entering the dining room, finally spoke.

“Ah, I see. Of course it will. It’s only natural. I simply asked out of curiosity,” Ian replied with an exaggerated smile.

“Yes, it’ll be done soon.”

Watching Louid’s expression, Emilia repeated his words. From the way he said it, it seemed he really intended to have it made.

“Let’s eat.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

At Louid’s words, the three quietly focused on their meal. For a while, only the sound of utensils filled the dining room.

“Your Highness, when is your birthday?”

Ian, who was cutting his steak, asked as he looked at her.

“Um….”

Emilia hesitated, unsure whether she should answer. She didn’t know Ian’s intention in asking about her birthday, nor did she know how she should respond in a situation like this. Her gaze naturally turned toward Louid.

“January 25,” Louid answered in a blunt voice.

What? How does Louid know my birthday? And he even memorized it?

Emilia was startled inwardly.

“I see. So you were born in winter.”

“Yes….”

“By the way, the pain in my leg is quite severe, so I don’t think I’ll be able to return today. I’ll have to impose on the Grand Duke’s manor for the night.”

“I’ll have a carriage prepared. As for the horse you lost, I’ll have it sent to you as soon as it’s found.”

Louid answered before Emilia could respond to Ian’s request.

“How can you say that? It’ll be dark soon, and he seems to be in quite a lot of pain. Prince, please stay the night.”

Emilia objected to Louid’s words. She had originally intended to send Prince Ian back quickly, but since he was even saying he would stay, he must be seriously hurt.

He had fallen from his horse and was alone without an escort. She couldn’t send away a prince from another country like that.

Louid glared at Ian without saying a word. Ian looked back at him with the expression of a victor.

“Ah, is this the famous Dalton wine?” Ian said as he lifted the wine glass a servant had filled.

“Yes, it is.”

“It’s truly delicious. Thanks to you, I’ve had the honor of tasting such a fine wine.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I’ll have a few bottles prepared for you to take when you leave.”

“Thank you.”

Louid still looked at Ian with a displeased expression. The dinner ended amid that strange discomfort.

***

That evening, before Louid came to the bedroom, Helen brought tea and cake.

“Eat cake now? Why didn’t they serve it during the banquet?”

Emilia asked with a puzzled expression. It could have been served as dessert during the banquet, so she wondered why it was brought separately late at night.

“His Highness the Grand Duke told me to give it only to Your Highness. His Highness bought it himself. The box had the Marilyn Cake Shop label on it. It’s a famous cake shop in the imperial capital.”

“Really?”

At Helen’s explanation, Emilia’s eyes widened.

But I’m full right now….

She’d eaten so much food and wine during the banquet that she felt extremely bloated.

“I’ll eat it later. Just leave it.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Helen placed the cake on the table and left.

After Helen left, Emilia kept glancing at the cake. It was Louid’s thoughtfulness, so she wanted to taste it soon. She sat at the table and took a bite of the cake.

“Oh my, it’s delicious.”

The cake was truly delicious. It melted in her mouth. Letting out an exclamation, she ended up eating all three slices on the plate despite being full.

I’m so full.

Emilia touched her swollen stomach with a satisfied expression. It was filled to the point where nothing else could go in.

I’ll gain weight, but it was still delicious. It was unexpected that Louid bought the cake for her, but she didn’t think deeply about it.

I should digest this.

To digest her full stomach, she wandered around the bedroom before stepping out onto the terrace. The dark sky was filled with stars.

It’s beautiful again today.

She stood on the terrace for a long time, looking up at the stars. Two men were watching her like that. From the garden path, Louid, and from the window of the guest bedroom in the annex, Ian, were both looking at the same woman.

Unaware of this at all, Emilia watched the stars for a long time before returning to the bedroom and going to sleep.

Late at night, Louid entered Emilia’s bedroom in a robe with long strides. He looked at the cake plate placed on the table.

“Hmph.”

When he saw the empty plate, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

Emilia was in a deep sleep, breathing softly.

She sleeps so much. She must’ve had a hard time taking care of me all this while.

“Thank you, Emilia.”

He climbed onto the bed and said it out loud as he looked at her. She didn’t respond.

“Yeah. You don’t have to answer. Just don’t get hurt.”

Stretching out his long legs and leaning against the headboard, Louid spoke as if in a monologue. Thinking about it, he’d been trying to protect Emilia all this time, yet it was he who received help from her instead.

Emilia, the granddaughter of Duke Berthe, whom he’d hated so much, had come closer to him at unexpected moments. The reason he protected her was simply because it would be troublesome if she died while she was his Grand Duchess, but now it felt like that reason had lost its meaning. Instead, he could no longer deny that another feeling had grown.

‘This isn’t good….’

He didn’t want to push her away anymore. He let out a deep sigh like a ship wrecked in a storm.

***

The next morning, Emilia went to the annex to check if Ian was doing well. It was only natural to look after a guest staying in her home.

“Prince, are you feeling alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine now. You don’t need to worry.”

Ian greeted her with a bright smile. Wearing a white shirt, his slightly long light brown hair was neatly brushed back.

“I’m glad you’re alright.”

“I heard there’s a beautiful garden at the manor. May I take a look with you?”

Ian said he wanted to see the garden.

“The garden? Of course.”

She wondered why he insisted on going together when he could’ve simply looked around on his own, but Emilia went with Ian to the grand garden.

“It’s just as I heard. Truly magnificent.”

Ian admired the fountain and statues in the grand garden as he spoke.

“Thank you for the compliment. The gardeners put a lot of effort into maintaining it. But surely there are many fine gardens at the imperial palace or wherever you stay?”

Emilia tilted her head. She wondered if there really weren’t any gardens like this among the places Prince Ian had stayed or visited in the empire.

“There are, but they lack the most important thing.”

“The most important thing?”

Emilia looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“The Grand Duchess isn’t there.”

“….”

At Ian’s words, goosebumps spread all over her body. Emilia finally realized that the strange feeling she’d been getting whenever she looked at Ian was discomfort. He was handsome, but there was something oddly greasy about him, and even the way he spoke felt cloying.

“Y-you’re joking, right? I heard there are many beautiful women in the Kingdom of Billiot. Haha.”

She’d never actually heard that, but Emilia forced a smile and spoke in an exaggerated tone.

“There’s no woman on the continent more beautiful than you. I mean it.”

Ian suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked at her with a serious expression.

“Thank you, Prince. Hohoho.”

To quickly move past the awkward atmosphere, Emilia laughed out loud and quickened her steps.

“Hahaha.”

Ian laughed as well and followed after her. The two walked side by side, slowly looking around the garden.

Louid had business to attend to at the imperial palace today, but he decided not to go. As he sat at the desk in his office handling state affairs, the sound of laughter reached his ears from somewhere. He stood up and looked out the window, and saw Emilia and Ian walking through the garden, laughing out loud.

‘That bastard.’

Louid’s gaze, which had been glaring fiercely at Ian, shifted toward Emilia. She was laughing. And loudly, at that.