The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 100

“Duke.”

“Mmm?”

“Please don’t make that expression, it looks like you’ve just challenged me to a duel.”

The Duke’s expression was so intense that I threw in a joke to lighten up the mood…

At that moment, the duke started nagging me. 

“Kid, why did you just stand still when you heard those words?”

“I didn’t stand still. I shot back at Lady Bennett.”

When I answered the Duke, I sighed. 

“Actually, I shouldn’t have done that….”

“What do you mean you shouldn’t have?!”

“It’s wrong, isn’t it? It’s my first debut into the social world, I should have put up with it.”

“You shouldn’t tolerate that!”

The Duke raised his voice. 

What? Why is he getting emotional? 

I chose the following words carefully. 

“But it’s better to avoid than stir up trouble.”

“What are you avoiding? Baron Bennett doesn’t educate his children on manners, kid!”

The Duke looked at me in anger. 

“That lady was acting in an unruly manner, she’s rude and a brat who needs some sense knocked into her! She ought to know better.”

“Really, I’m fine.”

“No, you shouldn’t be fine in this situation!”

The dance began soon thereafter. 

Hmm, it’s amazing how elegant he was, without a single flaw in his movements. 

It would have been difficult for me to dance properly while being as angry as he was. 

Then, the Duke looked at me with a sharp expression. 

“Kid, are you still bad at ballroom dancing? I saw you step on the Crown Prince’s foot earlier.”

“Ah, that… yes.”

Did you really have to point out my mistake like that? 

Inwardly, I was embarrassed. 

At the same time, it was clear each slow step the Duke took was on purpose. 

I widened my eyes and looked up at the Duke. 

“Wow, you’re being considerate of me?”

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m moving slowly because I’m afraid you’ll step on my feet.”

The Duke’s face was still sullen. 

I ended up chuckling to myself at that.  

The Duke’s eyes were still on me as he shook his head, brushing off my laughter. 

“….I should have made you a princess of Rochester.”

“Hey, why bring that up?”

“If you were a member of the Rochester household, at least you wouldn’t have to endure those rude comments directed at you.”

The ferocious tone he had as he whispered made me laugh awkwardly. 

But, if I were a Rochester….

‘I wouldn’t have been engaged to Damian.’

Even if our temporary engagement was decided by necessity, it’ll probably be a memory I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. 

But then. 

The Duke looked at me fiercely. 

“That smile, I don’t like it.”

“… what?”

“Don’t smile like that. It’s annoying.”

I was a bit stunned.  

Hey, you’re picking on me for smiling now?

Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘It’s hard to get angry at someone who’s smiling?’

The Duke dismissed my antics and was keen on asking more about me. 

“By the way, kid.”

“Yes?”

“Since when did you become close with the Crown Prince?”

Huh?

Close with Damian?

I stared blankly at the Duke. 

The Duke’s brow became crumpled in response. 

“Before your first dance with the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, what about it?”

“…..you brushed the Crown Prince’s lips with your finger.”

The Duke spoke somberly, as if the world would end the next day. 

I asked with a confused expression. 

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Well, you’re a woman and he’s a man. You’re both at that prime age in your lives. I mean…”

Seeing the Duke speechless, I was surprised at where he was going with this. 

“Um, are you asking me if his Highness and I are in a romantic relationship?”

“Yes, that’s it!”

“We’re not like that.”

I narrowed my eyes. 

The Duke’s face brightened upon hearing my answer. 

“Really?”

“Yes, we’re not.”

“But you touched his lips.”

“I did that because I was worried he would hurt his lips, I didn’t mean anything else beyond it.”

Haaa. 

I sighed deeply. 

Honestly, what is it with just touching his lips?

Damian and I have grown up together since we were kids. 

People would be stunned and probably faint if they knew we had held hands before and hugged each other. 

“I see. I didn’t know that, I thought you and His Highness had developed a deeper relationship ….”

Seeing the Duke’s face undoubtedly relieved, I smiled ambiguously. 

‘But that doesn’t mean I’m not attracted to Damian.’

I tried to push these genuine feelings I had for him away from my heart, but I couldn’t. 

 

****

 

At the moment, Damian was looking very upset. 

His scarlet eyes had been fixed on one scene in the entire ballroom. 

To be precise, Charlize was in the arms of the Duke of Rochester. 

Sienna, who wasn’t aware of that, called Damian. 

“Your Highness?”

“Yes, did you call me?”

Damian’s attention remained fixed on his fiancee. 

Sienna let out a long annoyed sigh. 

Well, I’m grateful that you’re at least replying to me. 

“I’m going to have to punch a hole in Lady Charlize’s face for this.”

“I’m sorry, Viscountess Antes.”

“What?”

An apology out of the blue?

A bewildered Sienna looked at Damian. 

“I have to go see my fiancee.”

Parting on those words, Damian bolted through the crowd towards Charlize. 

With a bewildered expression still on her face, Sienna watched Damian leave before laughing to herself. 

“Well, even when he was in the north, he sang about Lady Charlize every day.”

It’s nice to see Damian like this. 

More than anything else, it was fun to see Damian be so jealous. 

Sienna couldn’t hide how intrigued she was. 

 

***

 

Meanwhile, Lady Bennett couldn’t hide her exasperation. 

‘Lady?! A Lady?! She used to be a commoner maid who used to serve me tea!’ 

A girl like that doesn’t deserve to be with the crown prince. Now she’s dancing with the Duke of Rochester too?!!

Well, what about me? 

People lash out in areas they’re weakest in? 

Ha! I’ll show her, I’ll get a Madame Rosita dress somehow!

Lady Bennett couldn’t overcome the defeated feeling she felt and breathed heavily. 

It was true that she didn’t get one of Madame Rosita’s dresses, which made it all the more painful. 

Even the ladies who hovered around her were still disoriented from their sudden encounter with both the Empress dowager and the Duke. 

It was the expressions on their faces that left a lingering impression.  

‘Seriously, if it weren’t for the empress dowager and the Duke of Rochester, I would have-’

As she was gnashing her teeth, she saw someone unexpected. 

‘Oh?’

Lady Bennett’s eyes sparkled the moment she saw her. 

In the distance, Viscountess Antes was standing all alone. 

‘She’s by herself?’

Viscountess Antes was by far one of the most popular people attending the ball party. 

Now’s my chance to speak to her alone!

Lady Bennett approached her all giddy. 

“Oh my, Viscountess Antes!”

“What’s the matter?”

Sienna looked at Lady Bennett with a rather puzzled face. 

‘Who is this lady?’

I thought she was pestering Damian earlier. 

Whether Sienna felt awkward or not, Lady Bennett placed herself right next to her. 

Lady Bennett then lowered her voice and whispered. 

“Truthfully, didn’t Lady Charlize act a bit presumptuous earlier?”

Sienna’s face slightly hardened at Lady Bennett’s brashness when she openly spoke behind Charlize’s back. 

“You know, I think it would have been right for the Crown Prince and Viscountess Antes to have performed the first dance.”

“Well, I don’t really mind.”

“No, don’t say that. You’re here as a representative of the North, aren’t you?”

Lady Bennett acted as if she and Sienna were close friends. 

“When it comes to status and merit, Viscountess Antes should have been the Crown Prince’s partner…”

Lady Bennett gazed sideways at Charlize. 

Her eyes gleamed insidiously. 

“Not to mention, he’s dancing with Lady Charlize when he hasn’t even been recognized as the Crown Prince yet.”

“As I told you before, I don’t really care for that.”

“I’m upset that you’re watching from the side.”

‘… she’s upset?’ said Sienna in her inner thoughts. 

I said I didn’t mind. 

Sienna barely caught herself as a retort was on the tip of her tongue. 

“Out of everything, Lady Charlize is…”

Lady Bennet murmured with malice. 

“She’s but a commoner and a maid, is she not?”

“Lady!” gasped Sienna. 

“How could a woman from such a low-born background profess to be the Crown Prince’s fiancee….”

A terrified Sienna tried to stop Lady Bennett from saying anything else. 

But Lady Bennett’s rant continued unabated. 

“Truly, she doesn’t qualify to be his fiancee.”

After wrapping up her tirade, Lady Bennett was about to laugh to her heart’s content.  

But right then and there. 

“As Lady Bennett said, I’m just a commoner.”

A calm voice resounded. 

It was Charlize. 

Lady Bennett’s face became creased and wrinkled. 

She thought to herself. 

Up until now, no matter what I said about her, Charlize avoided confrontation, why is she suddenly starting one now?

“And I am not at all ashamed of my commoner status.”

“What…huh?”

Out of habit, Lady Bennett was going to respond, but she quickly swallowed her words. 

Charlize smiled brightly at her. 

Like a flower blooming in winter, her smile was bright yet ice-cold. 

“Why do you think the Crown Prince has chosen me as his fiancee?”

Silence enveloped the room. 

All of a sudden, all eyes were on them.