The Search for the Duchess’s Husband

“…….” 

Killian stared at Artia with his inscrutable golden eyes, then nodded.

 “Right.” “Thank you.” 

Artia spun around like a bolt of lightning as she replied, casting one of her hidden skills,

“Walk fast while pretending to walk gracefully”

.

 “…But why does the back of my head hurt so much?”

 

Killian stared at Artia’s receding back.

 

She is like a rabbit running away.

 

White, tiny, fragile, wanting to be caught.

 

At that moment, Killian’s eyebrows shot up.

 

He’d thought about wanting to get rid of humans before, but never about wanting to catch them.

 

‘What am I going to do with them?’

 

A rabbit can be skinned to make clothes, and its meat can be eaten, but Artia von Edenberg is not one of them, is she?

 

Killian sighed.

 

Whenever he meets Artia von Edenberg, he thinks of nothing else.

 

It’s annoying.

 

And Nocturne, who stood beside him as if he were not there, had a look of disbelief on his face.

 

Killian had been talking to the woman, pretending to know her.

 

That was bad enough, but the way he looked at her as she left…

 

‘Why does he look like a cat abandoned by its owner?’

 

It was so out of character for him that it was almost frightening.

 

Nocturne frowned inwardly.

 

‘Your Majesty, please don’t go any crazier. It’s bad enough as it is.’

  

* * *

 

 

The day of the fifth suitor.

 

Artia was dressed modestly again, her face pensive.

 “I wonder what kind of man he’ll be today.” 

‘A bachelor who scoffs at the idea of being married for the first time?

A father of five?

Or a grandfather whose days are numbered?’

 

She opened the parlor door without a hint of anticipation.

 

Inside stood a young man with curly brown hair and gentle eyes.

 “I am pleased to meet you, Mrs. Edenberg. I’m Simone von Rushan.” 

She was surprised.

 

This was the most normal man she’d ever met.

 

Artia remembered the information she’d memorized about Baron Rushan.

 

They didn’t come from a prestigious family, but they were said to be wealthy, having amassed a fortune through generations of banking.

 

And the man before her was the brother of the current Baron Rushan.

 

His parents died young, and Baron Rushan raised him as his own child.

 

Maybe that’s why.

 

Although she was the same age as Artia, Simone felt so much older.

 

Simone fumbled with his hand.

 “Madame, forgive me, but I have something to tell you.” “Yes, please.” 

Simone swallowed hard and opened his mouth.

 “I have no intention of getting married yet. I have nothing to say if I get slapped! If you’re going to slap me, slap me like this!” 

Simone turned his head to the side and bit his lip hard.

 

But her answer was as blunt as ever.

 “I don’t care.” “What?!” “Because I’m not much different.” “Oh…” “Well, since you’re here, why don’t you sit down and have a cup of tea. The chamomile my mother made is very fragrant.” 

Simone stared at Artia with his mouth open, then nodded involuntarily.

 

Relieved that Artia had confirmed her intentions, Simon looked more relaxed.

 “I haven’t had a relationship yet, not on purpose, but because I haven’t met the woman of my destiny.” “The woman of your destiny?” “Yes, because I believe in love at first sight, and that’s the kind of woman I want to marry.” 

Simone chewed his macaroon vigorously as he spoke with a naiveté unbecoming of an aristocrat.

  

“But you ignored my feelings.”

“Sweet little brother, if a bit short. All women are the same. It’s all about the circumstances. So don’t be silly and marry the girl you can get.”

  

Simone, who can’t even say no to his brother, came all the way to the Edenberg estate.

 

But it was too embarrassing for him to sit down and talk to Artia when he had no intention of marrying her.

 

So, he worked up the courage to tell her the truth, and miraculously, it worked.

 “I was so relieved when you said it was okay.” 

Artia rolled her eyes at Simone, who was smiling giddily with macaroon crumbs in his mouth.

 

There was not the slightest trace of masculine charm about him.

 

But there was something about his childlike, casual, innocent demeanor that put her at ease.

 

Simone, meanwhile, felt something quite different.

 “My brother told me that Mrs. Edenberg is not a beautiful woman, so I shouldn’t expect you to be good-looking… I think you look pretty enough for me…” 

Simone was insensitive to these feelings because he was extremely inexperienced and uninterested in the opposite sex.

 

So, he ignored her feelings and said what he wanted to say.

 “Madame, I was wondering if you could meet with me just two more times?” “What do you mean?”

Artia asked.

 “If I only see you once today, my brother will not leave me alone, he has a stubborn side.” 

Simone held up three fingers.

 “But if we meet three times and you tell him it didn’t work out, he’ll give up.” 

Simone’s eyes were eager.

 

It wasn’t a bad offer, even for Artia.

 

As long as she met him, she could avoid Catherine’s pressure to meet a suitor, and she could give the impression that she was actively seeking one.

 

Artia nodded readily.

 

 

* * *

 

 

After Simone left, Catherine came up to Artia, her face full of excitement.

 “You stayed longer than usual. Did you like him?” 

‘Yes, especially that he doesn’t want to get married yet.’

 

Instead of being honest, Artia kept her answer short.

 “I think I’ll see him again.” “Yes!” 

Catherine squealed like a child, then added excitedly.

 “Compared to the Duke of Edenberg, Baron Rushan is a far cry from the duke, but he has a lot of money.” 

The Dukes of Edenberg had vast estates and several businesses.

 

But after years of mismanagement, the value of their land had declined, and their businesses were going downhill.

 

In addition, they had borrowed here and there, and the cash flow was not good.

 

In other words, they were prestigious in name but not in substance.

 

In that sense, Baron Rushan was a good fit.

 

Artia knitted her eyebrows.

 “He’s got a bit of a bad reputation for a decent marriage, don’t you think?” 

Shylock, the current Baron Rushan and Simone’s older brother, had a reputation for being cold-blooded, without blood or tears. He would do anything for money.

 “It’s good to spread the word. There’s a lot of money out there.” “…….” “The important thing is that when you two marry, Rushan will receive the honorable title of Duke of Edenberg, and you will have enough money to last a lifetime. What could be more exquisite?” They were to see

each other only two more times.

 

If she said anything else, she would be scolded, so Artia drank her tea in silence.

 

After that day, Catherine didn’t push her to meet a man.

 

Though she did ask once an hour when she and Simone would meet again.

 

It was a short-lived peace, this alliance with Simone.

  

* * *

 

The day Artia and Simon meet for the second time.

 

They were at the Edenberg estate when Simone said.

“Since the weather is nice, why don’t we talk outside today?” “Sounds good.” 

Artia, who loved the house, readily accepted Simone’s offer because of Catherine.

 

She was thrilled that of all the suitors, he was the only one who had come back to visit.

 

She burst into the drawing room and demanded that Simone set a date for the wedding immediately.

 

Catherine, unaware of Artia’s secret, waved excitedly.

 “Come and have a good time! You can come very late at night.” 

With an enthusiastic wave from Catherine, Artia and Simone left the mansion.

 

A moment later, Artia’s eyes widened as she stepped out of the carriage.

 “This is…” Visit my Ko-fi for advance chapter discounts!!