# 8
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Episode 8
* * *
“It's over!”
Ruelia placed the carefully arranged stack of documents on the desk and yawned.
She had a lot of work today as well, but she finished it quickly thanks to her well-honed skills.
“So, time to go home?”
She longed to quickly return to take care of her sister.
Melissa had a low fever, perhaps from being exposed to the cold wind yesterday.
As I expected.
In contrast to her disturbed appearance in the morning, Ruelia regained her elegant appearance and rose from her seat while chanting a song.
“Ruelia.”
At that moment, Kyles entered the office.
“Yes, Sir Duke.”
“Where are you going?”
“Going home to prepare for the party that will be held in two weeks.”
She was planning to take care of Melissa and write a detailed plan at home. A first step to helping Kyles fall in love with him.
“Okay, you should get ready already. So, can we go now?”
"Yes? Where to?"
“To the fashion salon. We have to choose your dress first.”
Kyles looked at her in wonder. Have you completely forgotten their morning conversation?
Ruelia's astonished eyes suddenly sparkled with vitality.
She remembered something she could do for the Duke immediately.
“I really want to visit a certain fashion salon!”
Ruelia's face flushed with excitement.
Cayce looked at her reddened cheeks for a moment, then the idea of replacing the doctor immediately occurred to him.
'What a poor skill.'
There seems to be a problem with his heart.
But today the doctor did not stop praising him.
He said that he had never seen anyone in the empire with a higher body, a lower body, or a better heart than him, and that he was in extreme health.
“Which fashion salon do you want to visit?”
“Louitelros, the largest fashion salon in the business district.”
Without realizing it, Ruelia responded faintly to Caelce's deadpan tone.
When a person has hidden intentions, he feels guilty for no reason.
Even if those intentions are good.
“It looks like you like a dress.”
“I saw it by chance while I was passing by. Their clothes were the most elegant.”
Surely, it would satisfy the Duke's taste as well.
“Okay, let's go there.”
“But can I stop by the house first?”
“Why?”
“When I went out in the morning, I noticed that my sister had a fever. I think she had a cold.”
“Does your sister still get sick a lot?”
Cales, who had lived his life in perfect health, did not understand Ruelia's sister's condition that was not improving despite the medications. Until yesterday.
But after seeing the doctor's actions today, he understood.
It seems that there are many diseases that doctors do not know about. Or maybe they are greedy for money and have poor skills.
“But she has improved compared to before. Thanks to your good treatment, Sir Duke, I was able to give her better medicines.”
"This is good."
“Thank you always, Sir Duke.”
At the word of thanks, Caelce's heart was completely relieved.
It seems that what his followers said was not a lie.
Resignation letter, maybe it was a misunderstanding.
He wasn't going to ask her or confront her about it. No need to make trouble in vain.
“Then I will call for the carriage, so get ready.”
Many thoughts crossed Ruelia's mind as she listened to the Duke's calm words.
She knew well the Duke's true heart behind his indifferent tone.
He is a good person. He would never play the villain.
If possible, she wanted to stay in the Duke's Palace for a long time, alongside someone she respected. Not for life, as the Knights said, but one day she and Melissa will return to her hometown.
“Yes, Sir Duke.”
Her decisions have always been right until now.
Ruelia decided not to lose this confidence.
* * *
Ruelia got off the carriage and went straight up to Melissa's room on the second floor.
"Melissa! I knew this would happen."
Melissa was lying weakly on the bed, cold sweat dripping from her forehead.
“No, it's just a disease.”
“Just an illness?!”
"Really. I'm just... a little tired. Like a cold."
A hint of redness appeared on Melissa's cheeks. Is it the fever again?
Ruelia helped her, and Melissa got up with difficulty and leaned on the head of the bed.
Ruelia immediately took out warm soup prepared by the Duke's Palace cook and placed it on a tray.
Caelus, kindly, ordered the cook to prepare it while the carriage was being prepared.
“This is from the Duke.”
Ruelia said, raising her chest proudly, as if she was showing off.
“I'm fine. I already have food.”
“What? You are sick and cooking? I told you to wait for me because I will finish early.”
Ruelia scolded her stubborn sister who would not listen.
Melissa laughed weakly.
“Eat this. It is more nutritious and beneficial for you. After you finish the soup, take the medicine and rest well.”
“Are you going out again?”
“Yes. It seems that I will go with the Duke to the fashion salon.”
Ruelia told Melissa about the party.
She bragged about her accomplishments in her previous work and praised her wonderful master.
“Furthermore, they will raise my weekly wages starting next week.”
Melissa's eyes lit up, then suddenly turned into a sad expression.
“What's wrong?”
“Nothing. I'm just surprised that someone of the Duke's stature cares about you.”
It wasn't just the look of someone surprised.
Ruelia looked at Melissa in surprise, and the latter laughed again.
"No, I mean, the Duke treats you very well. If you fall in love with him, it will be a disaster. We are commoners, we can only be mistresses of nobles, so don't put your heart into it."
Melissa's warning seemed unusual in some way.
But this is baess talk.
“You never have to worry.”
Ruelia said jokingly to break the serious atmosphere.
“But...”
“The Duke has a woman he loves one-sidedly. He is not the type to take a mistress while he has that woman.”
That's for sure.
A man looks at only one woman, and for her sake he abandons even his loyalty to his friend and falls into the abyss. He will never keep another woman by his side.
That would be very despicable.
Ruelia can bear witness that the Duke is a man sincere in love.
“So, what about you?”
“The Duke is my benefactor and a master whom I respect. I know my limits. If I want a partner, I will choose someone of the same class as me.”
“Well, that's reassuring.”
Melissa's voice was faint.
She looked sad, or maybe frustrated. Maybe because of the fever that affected her mood.
Ruelia looked at her anxiously, and Melissa erased her expression.
Then she pushed her younger sister in a strong tone.
“Isn’t the Duke waiting for you?”
“Oh, right.”
“Then go quickly.”
“Ah… By the way, from now on, the Duke’s knights will protect you and me even on normal days.”
Melissa's eyes widened, then she responded with a hesitant expression.
“This… seems very disturbing. Do we have the right to receive such care?”
“I know many of the secrets of the Duke’s Palace. And you, Melissa, are a dear person to whom I would give my life.”
“Ah… I see.”
Fortunately, Melissa was convinced.
Having someone protect you is reassuring, but it can also be annoying. It may feel like you are being watched.
“Sorry. Because I joined the Duke’s Palace...”
"Even if I had stayed in the Bellona Merchant Guild, the threats would have remained unprotected. And by the way… they wouldn't report my private life to the Duke, right? That would be…"
“It won't happen. I guarantee you.”
This was Ruelia's personal request, not an order from the Duke. So, it will not be reported to the top.
probably…?
Honestly, why would the Duke be interested in Melissa's private life? It's not like she would meet people who were hostile to Duke Abert's family.
“Okay, I will trust you. Now, come down quickly. Won’t the Duke be angry if you are late? It is said that he is very solid, even the Imperial Palace worries about him.”
"Not that much. It's more like a hedgehog than a sword."
He appears thorny and sharp in the eyes of others, but he knows how to hide his thorns from his family.