The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 95

Chapter 95. His Feelings

As he reached the entrance of the greenhouse, a frog suddenly hopped up. It seemed to be the frog Emilia had left alone because she thought it was cute.

“So it was you.”

Was its name Rui?

She really likes giving things names.

The image of Emilia playing with the frog rose before his eyes. With a faint smile, Louid closed the open door and returned to Lina.

“Did you leave the door open, young lady?”

“I came in hastily and forgot to close it. I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

She had left it open on purpose in case Emilia passed by, but Lina feigned a mistake and apologized with a guilty expression.

“I see. Then speak. What is it you wanted to tell me?”

Swallowing hard, Lina glanced around and stepped close to Louid. As she approached, he took a step back.

“This is purely my personal opinion, but during the divine fire incident, I felt a presence that was deliberately intensifying the flames.”

“How did you feel that?”

Louid asked with a suspicious expression. He couldn’t understand how an ordinary woman, neither a skilled swordsman nor a sorcerer, could sense such a thing.

“I… I just felt it by instinct.”

That’s not right….

Lina faltered, not expecting him to doubt her.

“You saw flames erupting from the ground and instinctively thought someone was causing them?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And then?”

Lina took another step toward him. Louid naturally stepped back again.

“Even when everyone had evacuated and I was left alone with Her Highness the Grand Duchess, that phenomenon continued.”

Lina recalled that day. There had been a force resisting the flames until she was exhausted. She didn’t know what it was. But to frame the Grand Duchess, she spoke as if Emilia had been the one intensifying the fire.

“Even when you were alone with Emilia, it continued?”

“Yes.”

“So are you saying the culprit of the fire was the Grand Duchess?”

“That’s not exactly what I mean….”

Lina stammered in confusion. She meant to lead him to suspect Emilia, but when he asked directly, she found herself at a loss for words.

“I’ve heard enough. However, that place is one where flames rise all year round even without anyone deliberately igniting them. It’s still burning fiercely now. Next time, bring objective evidence, not intuition,” Louid said in a cold voice, his expression hardened.

“…Yes, understood, Your Highness.”

“That will be all.”

Louid wanted to see Emilia’s face, which he hadn’t seen all day. He didn’t have time to listen to such nonsense. Whether Lina followed or not, he opened the greenhouse door and strode out.

“Oh my.”

What is this supposed to be?

Lina stood there inside the greenhouse, dumbfounded.

“You’re going to leave me behind? And not even believe what I said?”

She couldn’t believe the situation. Louid showed not even the slightest interest in her.

‘That can’t be. That’s impossible. His Highness must just be busy right now.’

She made excuses to herself, slowly shaking her head.

“Hah.”

As Louid walked back toward the main building, he let out a dry laugh.

He was grateful she had saved Emilia, but the claim that Emilia had caused the fire was an absurd speculation. And she even said that to him, her husband.

Could it be she’s deliberately trying to frame her…?

If she disliked Emilia, she wouldn’t have risked her life to save her. He thought Lina was simply imagining things excessively due to the shock she experienced that day.

As soon as he arrived at the main building, Louid was about to head straight to Emilia’s bedroom, but remembering something he needed to instruct Eddie about, he stopped by his office.

“Eddie, handle the documents regarding the Kingdom of Beiro by tomorrow.”

“Yes, understood.”

***

“Emilia!”

After leaving the office, Louid strode up the stairs and entered the bedroom, calling out her name energetically. Just as he expected, she was waiting for him. Louid’s expression brightened.

“Did you return safely?”

Emilia greeted him calmly, as if nothing had happened.

Just moments ago, she had been taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. When it finally settled, he entered the bedroom.

A welcoming expression was clear on Louid’s face as he looked at her. But in her mind, the image of Louid and Lina together kept resurfacing.

After leaving the greenhouse, Lina walked toward the annex with a frown, dragging her feet. She felt extremely unpleasant.

What is this supposed to be after coming all the way here?

For someone like me to be treated this way. Even now, proposals from noble sons kept pouring in for her. She was in the difficult position of having to reject each one, proposals that Emilia had probably never even received once.

As soon as she reached the bedroom, she tore off the dress she was wearing and ripped it apart. The thin dress, sheer enough to reveal her skin, fell to the floor in shredded pieces.

Fine. Let’s see how long you keep rejecting me.

A new sense of competitiveness arose toward Louid, who showed not even a trace of interest in her. It seemed like it would be amusing to see how long it would take before he fell for her.

Dozens of outfits she had prepared were hanging in the dressing room. All of them were designs by Roe.

If I’m going to seduce the iron-walled Grand Duke, I need to wear at least this much.

The image of Louid’s cold face flashed before her eyes, but imagining him eventually clinging to her made her smile on its own. Curling her lips upward, she let out a quiet laugh, changed into a lavish dress for dinner with the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, and redid her makeup.

Knock, knock.

As dusk fell, a knock sounded and a maid entered.

“I will escort you to the dining hall. Please follow me.”

“Alright.”

Lina followed the maid with graceful steps to the dining hall.

***

The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess were already there, waiting in the dining hall.

“Young lady, the head chef has prepared the meal with great care, so I hope you enjoy it,” Emilia said with a polite smile.

“I’ve already heard about the head chef’s skill at the grand ducal manor. I’m finally getting to taste it today.”

Lina replied to Emilia’s words. At that, Louid’s dark eyebrows lifted slightly.

Has Aaron’s skill become famous enough to spread outside…?

He wasn’t particularly interested in fine dining, so he had never spoken anywhere about the taste of the chef’s food.

“Is that so? It seems the chef’s skill has become well-known. Please enjoy the meal.”

Emilia answered from beside him.

“Yes, Your Highness. I’d even like to take him to the marquess’s estate if I could.”

“That would be difficult. Aaron is essential to the grand ducal manor.”

Louid, who had been silent, spoke. Aaron was especially good at making desserts and cakes, and Emilia liked the cake he made. So even as a joke, he didn’t want to let Aaron be taken elsewhere.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Lina replied with a feigned smile. In that moment, the name Aaron was being etched into her mind.

After that, the three didn’t exchange many words, but they finished the dinner without any issues.

“The meal was delicious. Thank you.”

After having tea and cake for dessert, Lina spoke.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Then please rest comfortably.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After finishing dinner with the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, Lina returned to her bedroom and called for Jack. Jack was staying in another bedroom in the same annex.

“Did you call for me?”

“Look into the chef named Aaron. Find out his circumstances and what kind of person he is in detail.”

“Yes, understood.”

Even after coming to the grand ducal manor, she couldn’t freely access the third floor where the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess’s bedroom was located. Soldiers were stationed at each staircase leading to the third floor, and they thoroughly checked the identity and purpose of anyone entering. Because of this, it seemed difficult to plant a spy inside the grand ducal manor.

If she could bring the chef to her side, it would be easier to carry out her plans going forward.

“As expected, it was a good decision to come to the grand ducal manor.”

Seduce the Grand Duke might not be as easy as she thought, but there was no better way to observe the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess than coming here in person.

That night, Louid went to the bedroom earlier than usual. He wanted to drink wine with Emilia. And for the first time in a while, he also intended to try for a child with her.

“Emilia?”

Calling her name with a faint smile, he held a bottle of the finest wine in his hand.

But unlike usual, when she would greet him with, “Oh my, you’re early,” Emilia was nowhere to be seen.

Is she in the bath?

Placing the bottle on the sofa table, he checked the bathroom and the dressing room one by one. But Emilia was nowhere to be found.

Knock, knock.

After the knock, a servant entered carrying a tray with fruit and snacks.

“Leave it there.”

Louid pointed to the sofa table.

Where did she go?

It was still too early for her to have gone to bed. He continued moving around, searching for Emilia. Finally, as he stepped into the bedroom, his footsteps came to an abrupt halt.