The Black-haired Noblewoman, Who Disguised Herself, Seems To Have Been Doted On While Serving As The Caretaker For The Duke Who Dislikes Women - Episode 15

“Curtis, enough with the unnecessary talk.”

At Curtis’s words, Duke Harrington frowned. However, Curtis continued speaking without a care.

“Lord Lloyd, you know, he inherited the title of Duke of Harrington at such a young age, right? And he’s still unmarried and doesn’t even have a fiancée. Can you believe it? He’s already twenty-four! With his youth and looks, he’s still single, so all the young ladies are going crazy over him. Just stepping into a social event, it’s like bees drawn to honey, women swarm around him, love letters come pouring in, and families are practically begging him to take their daughters. Lord Lloyd is just fed up with it all.”

This is really tough…

But indeed. With such good looks and being the head of the Harrington ducal family, the public wouldn’t just ignore him. Moreover, the fact that he doesn’t even have a fiancée means that many young ladies might think, “I might have a chance!”

While Mr. Curtis chattered on without pause, I glanced at the duke in front of me, who continued his meal with a frown and an irritable demeanor. His silky, lustrous silver hair shimmered in front of his long eyelashes as he slightly lowered his gaze.

“Lord Lloyd insists that he will never get married! He says it’s fine as long as one of his relatives inherits the Duke of Harrington title. He’s completely lost faith in women. After going through so much trouble and witnessing the ugly disputes among young ladies and heads of high-ranking noble families vying for him… well, you can imagine…”

“Curtis, enough already. I’ve had enough of your talk.”

Finally, the Duke of Harrington raised his voice sternly. Startled by his sudden harsh tone, I involuntarily flinched and jumped slightly.

Mr. Curtis said “Haaai” and shrugged his shoulders, then changed the subject with a nonchalant demeanor.

“By the way, I’m also a commoner. I was raised in an orphanage within the Harrington Duchy, but thanks to my skills, Lord Lloyd took me in.”

“Oh, is that so? That’s amazing!”

I was a bit surprised by those words. I had thought he was quite a straightforward person for a man of the noble class.

“Right? A guy like me, who grew up in an orphanage, is working right here by the Duke’s side. I bet this kind of thing wouldn’t happen in other territories. I was lucky to grow up in this Harrington Duchy.”

In response to Mr. Curtis’s hearty laughter, the Duke of Harrington, who had been quietly continuing his meal, spoke up.

“I think it’s very wonderful. The people here are happy, aren’t they? They have a lord who cares so much about them.”

I couldn’t help but say that. I was genuinely surprised and moved by the Duke of Harrington’s words. The Count and Countess of Everly have such a different way of thinking and attitude as lords. I’ve never heard them talk about such things before. The topics about their subjects that I overheard while cleaning or serving tea were always about treating them dismissively.

“…Tch. That representative brought the signatures of the vassals again. I told them not to bother with such things… honestly.”

“The lower-ranking people are full of complaints, aren’t they? They should just work quietly. We shouldn’t indulge them with a sweet face. They’re trying to lighten their own lives by increasing our burden. How shameless, the commoners.”

This person, despite being a duke and holding the strongest position among the nobility in the kingdom, sincerely thinks about all the subjects like this.

I was impressed by their sincere attitude, which was devoid of any pretense. …Perhaps it was due to their dazzling appearance, but they seemed almost to be radiating a halo.

The Duke of Harrington glanced at me briefly, then immediately averted his gaze and said.

“It’s only natural as a lord. The place you were in must have had a terrible environment. ……Eat.”

Encouraged by that, I resumed my meal. …Oh no. I might have sounded like I was trying to curry favor with the duke. I just learned from Mr. Curtis that the duke dislikes women…

I continued eating silently, determined not to make the duke feel uncomfortable anymore. Meanwhile, Mr. Curtis kept chatting cheerfully. Thanks to that, I was able to learn various things.

The Duke of Harrington is twenty-four years old and unmarried. When the previous duke passed away suddenly, the Duke of Harrington inherited the title. His mother, the late duchess, moved to a villa in the south and is living quietly near the grave of the late duke.

Since I was told that Curtis and Amanda are twenty years old, I also mentioned that I am eighteen.

While having such a conversation during the meal, Duke Harrington didn’t say another word.