I Refuse This Life, Your Highness! - Chapter 22

After an hour of restful sleep, I found myself frowning at the deputy chamberlain’s report delivered through Bohen.

“They sent this as a thank-you for the wine?”

I scowled, holding a piece of emerald-green silk.

Upon waking, I was greeted by a gift box tied with a velvet ribbon. It had been sent by the leader of the Rubes Trading Company, and upon unwrapping it, I found an exquisite piece of silk. Not just any silk, but the finest produced by artisans in the Lasnus region, known for making only a few rolls per year.

Inside the box were ribbons and lace designed to complement the silk. While not as valuable as the silk, the ribbons were of high quality, and the lace—rumored to be made from “fairy hair”—was a rare luxury.

Even the box itself was extravagant. Wrapped in premium velvet, layered with another wrapping of silk, and tied with ribbons and flowers, the packaging alone could have covered a household’s weekly expenses.

“Yes, there’s a letter enclosed. Shall I read it aloud?”

“…Go ahead.”

“To Her Grace, the noble Grand Duchess: Please accept this humble gift as a token of my gratitude. It is a small gesture from this unworthy merchant to honor a most esteemed client. I sincerely hope Your Grace will accept it with ease. Yours faithfully, Liohl Manas, Leader of the Rubes Trading Company.”

The letter made it clear that the gift was a gesture on behalf of the trading company, a symbolic offering for future relations. If it had been sent in a personal capacity, it might have been less of an issue, but this made things complicated.

It was far too extravagant to be taken lightly. The combined value of the box, silk, ribbons, and lace was staggering.

That said, I had already sent them high-quality wine—enough for the entire company—and facilitated a significant transaction. While this gift wasn’t entirely inappropriate as a reciprocal gesture, sending it back would seem rude, especially with a handwritten letter from the leader.

Still, this was undeniably excessive.

Caught between conflicting thoughts, I looked up at the two attendants standing nearby.

“Should I send it back?”

“Why, Your Grace? It’s not jewelry or anything overly burdensome,” Bohen said.

“I agree,” added Resilly. “How about using it to make your attire for the Harvest Festival?”

“The Harvest Festival…”

Come to think of it, the festival was approaching soon. Both the village below and the Grand Duke’s castle would host large-scale celebrations and banquets. With no hunting competition this year, the festivities would focus more on lavish feasts, and I didn’t yet have an outfit for the occasion. A gown made from Lasnus silk would be perfect for the event.

“Very well, let’s do that.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Resilly seemed thrilled, already contemplating the gown’s design. At least she was excited, which was a small comfort.

However, the mention of the Harvest Festival reminded me of an unpleasant task.

I needed to speak to the Grand Duke about “that.” It was far from an enjoyable conversation, but I had no choice. Reluctantly, I dressed and left my chambers, heading toward the Grand Duke’s office.

After a long walk, I arrived at the office doors, where two guards bowed their heads in greeting.

“Is His Grace inside?”

“Yes, Your Grace. Shall we announce you?”

I nodded, and shortly after, the doors opened. Inside, the Grand Duke sat at his desk, engrossed in reading documents. Beside him, a cup of tea sat untouched and cold.

‘He’s busy, too,’ I thought, feeling a strange sense of camaraderie. As I greeted him, he looked up.

“What brings you here?”

“I came to discuss Erma’s probation.”

“Ah.”

The Grand Duke set aside the document he’d just finished and picked up the next one.

“Now that you mention it, Erma’s absence must be adding to your workload.”

“To be honest, yes, it is.”

I hated the idea of asking for Erma’s probation to end, but overworking myself to death wasn’t an option either. While the deputy chamberlain and I could handle preparations for the Harvest Festival, the aftermath and ongoing castle management required the chamberlain’s involvement.

“In that case, we should release her soon. How about right after the Harvest Festival?”

“That should be fine. The deputy chamberlain is managing the banquet preparations, so I only need to assist.”

“Very well… Oh, and Bi.”

“Yes?”

“If the chamberlain tries anything suspicious again, report it to me immediately.”

“…”

A massive question mark popped into my head. Not just popped—it consumed my thoughts entirely, pushing out everything else. What did the Grand Duke just say?

It was almost as if he knew what Erma had done to me in my previous life…

Should I try to confirm it? But how? If I wasn’t careful, he might think I was crazy. And he wasn’t someone who missed subtle hints. If I tried to phrase it indirectly, he would figure out my intent immediately.

I needed to think this through carefully, step by step. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I bowed to the Grand Duke, instructed the steward to serve him fresh tea, and left the office.

As I walked back down the corridor, my mind raced with conflicting thoughts.

In the Grand Duke’s castle, banquets were held once or twice a month. Most were associated with hunting competitions, while others marked anniversaries, national holidays, family birthdays, or other special occasions.

Managing banquets was entirely the chamberlain’s responsibility.

This time, since the chamberlain was under probation, the deputy chamberlain, Elan, took charge, and I assisted. Elan was a capable deputy, but his responsibilities differed from those of the chamberlain, so we both struggled to manage the workload.

From selecting wines and dishes to adorn the banquet tables to choosing paper for the invitations, the tasks seemed endless. Amid a chaotic week, the Harvest Festival banquet arrived before we knew it.

The Harvest Festival, as its name suggests, was a celebration to pray for abundance. The inner castle walls remained open all night, and the entire area was alive with festive energy.

I wore a dress made from the silk sent by the leader of the Rubes Trading Company. The ceremonial attire, with its teal base embroidered in a matching shade, was as beautiful as its reputation and value suggested. I couldn’t help but wish it had gone to someone more deserving. It was undeniably stunning, but its origin and design felt burdensome.

The gown exposed both shoulders, the collarbone, and the neckline. While the sleeves extended to the floor, they were open from the elbows down, designed to highlight the glittering lace gloves at wrist length.

Adornments of deep green velvet ribbons and blue-dyed lace complemented the intricate patterns of the silk.

I wore a necklace with three small emeralds strung together, matching earrings, and my hair was styled high, decorated with white flowers.

In the mirror, I looked every bit the part of a Grand Duchess.

“Phew…”

“Is something bothering you, Your Grace?” Resilly asked with concern.

It wasn’t the attire itself. The problem was the person who sent the silk.

The leader of the Rubes Trading Company was attending tonight’s banquet as the third prince of the Kingdom of Hasein.

Perhaps it was my impression of him as a shrewd merchant, but the thought of meeting him at the banquet unsettled me. It might also have had something to do with the fact that I was wearing the silk he sent. I had accepted it reluctantly, but to wear it at a banquet he was attending felt strange.

“And His Grace?”

“He said he will arrive shortly.”

I nodded at her reply. The Grand Duke and I were to make our entrance together today. He would personally escort me from my chambers. It was natural as a married couple, yet it still felt confusing.

As I turned away from the mirror to get some water—

“…”

I found myself face-to-face with the Grand Duke.

He had just entered the room. For a long moment, we simply stared at each other, neither of us saying anything.

“…?”

His behavior seemed off. He was silent, his gaze fixed on me as if studying me intently. Worried something was amiss, I glanced down at myself, but before I could speak, he finally broke the silence.

“…It suits you well.”

“Pardon? Oh… Thank you, Your Grace.”

“That gown… it’s made from the silk sent by the Rubes Trading Company, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.”

Without saying anything more, he extended his hand to me. For a moment, I thought his fingertips trembled slightly, but I dismissed it as my imagination. If his hands were truly trembling, it would signal a serious issue for the entirety of Iser.

The cause was likely alcohol. When I thought about it, the Grand Duke drank far too much. If I tallied up the bottles he consumed in my chambers alone, it would exceed thirty a month.

Lost in thought, I placed my hand on top of his, and together, we walked to the banquet hall. During the long walk through the corridor, the Grand Duke didn’t say a word. Though he was usually reserved, today he seemed even more tightly shut.

Was he upset?

“…Your Grace,” I called softly.

His golden eyes turned to me. It wasn’t anger in his expression—it seemed more like he was unsettled. I stayed silent, and he stopped walking altogether.

“What is it?” he asked.

“It’s… nothing,” I replied.

“Very well.”

And so, with the awkward atmosphere unbroken, we arrived at the banquet hall.

“Presenting His Grace, the Grand Duke of Iser, and Her Grace, the Grand Duchess of Iser!”

The musicians began to play.

Every gaze in the banquet hall turned toward us.

I glanced at the head table, where the leader of the Rubes Trading Company—the third prince—was watching me with a satisfied expression. His gaze was far from welcome.

Once we completed our entrance, the music changed, and one by one, couples began stepping onto the dance floor. The sight of their elegant movements, like swaying blossoms, was enchanting.

I was admiring the scene when I suddenly felt warmth envelop my hand. Startled, I turned to find myself meeting the Grand Duke’s golden gaze.

“…Your Grace?”

For a moment, the sharpness in his eyes softened. Then, he slowly knelt on one knee before me. The world seemed to slow down as his deliberate movements became vividly clear. He held my hand gently and pressed a kiss to the back of it.

“May I have the honor of your first dance?”

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