# 54
---
“Cheap woman meets any man.”
These words stopped Matthias in his tracks.
“...What did you just say?”
“Duke, I’m really upset.”
Grace snorted.
“Actually… I intended not to say anything. Because I thought the truth would hurt you, Duke. But I can’t bear to see you being taken advantage of without knowing anything.”
“What don't I know?”
“That woman next to you now, it is said that she was ling her body.”
Grace lied without hesitation.
Matthias' eyebrow rose softly.
“My maid said she saw her in the palace where she used to work. The young master of that family would summon her daily through the lady of the house.”
"truly?"
“She said she was so consumed that she moved between many houses. There was even a saying among the neighborhood youth that they were all her husbands.”
“Ha, this is really amazing.”
"The child is definitely from that period. She was seeing so many men that she didn't know who the father was."
Matthias nodded as if asking her to continue.
An expression that combines anger, confusion, and disappointment.
It was an impromptu lie to catch him, but it paid off.
Grace gained confidence from his reaction and continued lying.
“Actually, I saw it too.”
“What did you see?”
“I saw her with a man in the ducal palace... He seemed very friendly, as if they were very close.”
Mathias gritted his teeth.
He suddenly remembered Elinor being with the man who was suspected to be the master of the Wizards' Tower.
said Matthias, holding back his anger.
“What happened after that?”
“Duke, please don’t be shocked. That woman and the man entered a room secretly.”
“To a room?”
“Yes. I couldn't follow them inside, but I heard strange noises. So, probably…”
“Haha, so something like this happened in my palace.”
“Sorry. I should have told you sooner in order to protect the honor of the Duke’s family.”
“Does anyone else know about this?”
“No. This is the first time I'm telling you.”
Matthias smiled wryly.
How could he be so handsome at this moment? Grace's heartbeat quickened.
“Then keep quiet from now on.”
"What?"
“Don't tell people.”
“Duke? Did you understand what I said correctly?”
"You heard well. I understood well."
“But why… aren’t you going to fire that woman?”
Mathias twisted his lips without answering.
Why doesn't he say anything?
asked Grace, feeling worried.
“Duke, do you… do you really love that woman?”
"no."
Matthias answered immediately.
“I don't like Miss Elinor.”
“As I expected...!”
“But I’m interested in it.”
Grace's bright features turned gloomy in an instant.
What did he just say...?
“So, your lying now really bothers me.”
love.
Matthias had never felt so heavy and burdensome.
He was sure he didn't love Elinor.
That was an obvious fact.
It is said that love is the meeting of half the soul, and if one side withers, the other withers with it.
For this reason, the Grand Duchess suffered greatly when she lost her husband in an accident ten years ago.
If it weren't for the six children who stayed by her side, she might have followed those who left.
But Matthias did not feel that he would want to die if Elinor died.
She was not an important person for him to sacrifice his life for.
but.
'I think I would feel very uncomfortable.'
More than he could bear Grace's abusive lies to Elinor.
Matthias decided to admit it frankly.
He had a crush on Elinor.
It was easy to come up with the answer when he imagined someone else instead of Elinor.
If it had been Grace who had been sneaking out to meet someone in the greenhouse instead of Elinor, Matthias wouldn't have been so angry.
He may have even congratulated her, saying that she had reached the age of forming romantic relationships.
But he was angry because it was Elinor.
Because she's Eleanor, not anyone else.
Thinking about it, it was clear feelings that didn't need to be confused.
'In the end, she was right, I was jealous.'
Mathias snickered to himf.
Over the past few days, his heart had been extremely troubled, but once he admitted it, he felt clear and at ease.
He rubbed his face with his hands and spoke.
“Grace.”
“Yes, yes?”
“I hope you will stop spreading bad rumors about Miss Elinor.”
Grace's eyes widened for a moment.
said Matthias dryly.
“I looked for the source of the rumors. Unlike the previous various versions, this time it was very specific from one side.”
“The Duke?”
“But it all started with your maid.”
Grace's shoulder trembled.
Did he already know everything?
So, why did he leave her...
“You are my sister’s friend.”
Matthias sighed.
“And your mother is my mother’s maid of honor. So, if possible, I don’t want to treat you harshly.”
“The Duke.”
“I have allowed you and your mother to assist in the honoring ceremony as you wish. So, stop your bad behavior now. I assure you, this will be your last warning to speak kindly.”
After the reprimand was over, Matthias turned around.
He intended to return to where Elinor was.
When he thought about it, Grace couldn't take it anymore.
“I love you, Duke!”
Grace shouted.
"I really love you. For a very long time."
It was a confession she made bravely, but Matthias's expression was indifferent.
“You are wrong.”
"Wrong? No, I'm not!"
“Grace, when did I make you feel so flustered?”
Matthias frowned.
“I've known you since you were a little girl. I swear, I've never once seen my sister's friend as a woman.”
“But you were nice to me.”
“Is basic decency now considered kindness?”
“You used to give me a gift on my birthday every year...”
"Always the same batch of cookies. The same gift you gave the other kids. Did you give that any special meaning?"
"Didn't you ever see me as a woman? Didn't you ever think I was beautiful?"
"no."
With the decisive answer, Grace's tears began to flow.
Matthias sighed.
“That's why I was going to talk to you after the award ceremony.”
But he could no longer remain silent after she suddenly insulted Elinor.
"Stop crying. We should have a tribute ceremony after the match."
“Heck, heck.”
“That's what you wanted to do. If you don't want to tarnish Hilliard's honor, which you want to protect, you'd better calm yourf down.”
His attitude was ice cold.
A little girl's tears didn't affect him at all.
As if something dirty had stuck to him, he shook off his clothes and turned around.
When I grabbed the door handle.
Gogong-!
Suddenly, the floor shook violently.
Mathias quickly caught his balance.
He looked back instinctively and his eyes widened.
"What is this…!"
Grace's form was falling apart.
Like a frontier land polluted by black magic, she was polluting the ground beneath her feet with blackness.