The Devilish Duke Can't Sleep

Proofreader: somnium

“Then, how did Lady Rosenheim come to hold a tea party on Miss Leslie’s behalf?”

Leslie let out a small sigh at Lena’s question.

“Let’s call it the nosiness of an overly friendly Lady. I happened to attend a small gathering, and the tea party became a hot topic there. When someone asked me something, I just said honestly that I didn’t know because I had never hosted a tea party, and Lady Rosenheim suddenly spoke up. As a noble Lady, she said that a tea party must be held, and that she would help out because I didn’t know…… Everyone was responding to Lady Rosenheim’s words, so I couldn’t refuse Lady Rosenheim’s favor on the spot.”

“I see. You must have suffered.”

“Well, I can’t say no.”

Lena burst into laughter as she saw Leslie still scratching the back of her head like a commoner. In fact, Lena was the same in the noble world that was difficult and uncomfortable, so she was more than happy to have an easy-going friend like Leslie. Lena unwrapped the gift Leslie had given her.

“What? Is it… alcohol?”

“Yes, that is correct. It’s a precious drink that’s like medicine. I drank a little too, and it’s alcohol, but it’s not bad at all and it’s very sweet.”

“Thank you, Miss Leslie. If you drink a cup before bed, you will sleep better.”

“No, no. I am not saying that.”

“Yes…… ?”

“This is a drink that has the effect of stabilizing the flow of magical power. It is a liquor made in the Magic Tower of the Tartan Empire. To be honest, it’s quite expensive.”

Even in Leslie’s explanation, Lena had a face that said she did not understand. Leslie took a deep breath, like an older sister did to her younger sister.

“Miss Lena. You say you’re the Duke’s close maid, right? Then you have to think about how to look good! Please pour this drink to His Excellency at mealtime or before bedtime. You can also explain how good this drink is. Then His Excellency will say, ‘My close maid is like a close confidant’, won’t he?”

At that moment, Lena burst into laughter. Leslie thought Lena was a precarious Baronet that’s why she had brought a precious gift for her.

“Don’t say you got it from me, just say that Miss Lena got it difficultly for His Excellency. Oh, don’t laugh.”

“Ha, but Miss Leslie, that’s too funny.”

“Ugh. From the first time I saw you, Miss Lena seemed so naive. The favor of those in power is really important. Miss Lena is the only maid for now, but what is the law that says you will be like that in the future? So before that, you need to get a proper eye from His Excellency in advance.”

Lena seemed to be looking at an elderly chattering wife from somewhere, and she continued to grin. But she appreciated Leslie’s heart for thinking of her, and Lena nodded her head saying that she would. Besides, when she thinks about it, there’s nothing wrong with giving it to Kahel.

That night, Lena made Kahel’s bed and poured a glass of wine she had been given instead of the sleeping tea and placed it on the bedside table. The dark red color looked like wine at first glance, but it had a sweet aroma that was completely different from wine.

“Hmm? It’s not the sleep tea today.”

“Ah, Your Excellency!”

As soon as Lena looked back at Kahel, Kahel wrapped his arms around Lena’s waist and kissed her. The kiss, once started, didn’t end easily, but Kahel managed to muster his patience and barely pulled their lips apart.

Lena exhaled her heavy breath, but she didn’t forget to tell Kahel about the power of the drink.

“It’s a drink that has the effect of stabilizing the flow of magic. I think it will be good for you…….”

“Is this alcohol from the Magic Tower?”

“Yes! How did you know?”

“It is the only alcohol allowed for magicians in the Magic Tower. It’s famous.”

Kahel also drinks it occasionally. But the scent seemed sweeter because Lena had prepared it. Kahel poured the wine-like drink into his mouth.

“Would you like another drink?”

“I can’t resist the drink you give me.”

Lena smiled and poured another glass. This time, Kahel took a slow sip and talked to Lena. Although they had been together for nearly a year, they had a lot to talk about. No matter how useless and insignificant it may be, it was a conversation between the master and his maid, not as lovers.

“Before, you said clam soup was the best.”

“Clam soup is of course delicious, but the onion cream soup Mr. Mouchet made this time was the best.”

It was interesting to talk about which soup was the best,

“I guess it really is spring now. Yesterday, the duvet was finally hot.”

“The garden will soon be in full bloom. You can look at it as much as you want.”

It was interesting to talk about the seasons,

“The relationship between the butler and the maid chief is serious. Is it because the two are close to each other?”

“Do you know how many years I’ve been nagging them to get married please? Up until now, he’s just been like wood and stone, but the new maid chief looks a bit glamorous, doesn’t she?”

Other people’s love stories were also interesting.

However, the most interesting story was the love story between the two of them.

“So, what about Sir Clint?”

“Oh? How, how, how did you know that?”

“Why? Were you going to keep it a secret forever?”

“If only I could…….”

Kahel also missed the timing to grumble at Lena’s sullen face.

“Haa…… I really regretted it. I will decline.”

“Who the hell arranged the meeting?”

“Sid does.”

“Sid? Why?”

“No, that…… Actually, I was having a hard time because of my feelings for you, so I consulted Sid about my concerns.”

“How can the result of that troubled consultation be a meeting with another man?”

“I heard that if I fall in love with another man, my feelings for you will be sorted out…… At that time, I only knew that I was reacting to the devilish powers, so I thought I had to do something as soon as possible.”

Kahel managed to calm his insider which was about to boil again. It was all his fault. It’s a sin to waste time by not knowing his feelings for Lena and misinterpreting himself. If he had realized his feelings for Lena earlier, if he had revealed it sooner, she wouldn’t have suffered so much on her own.

“I will tell Sir Clint.”

“Aren’t you afraid you’ll see him again? Not a chance. I will tell Arder to take care of it.”

“But that’s not polite.”

“It is not polite to covet the Duke’s lover.”

Kahel blocked Lena’s lips with his own, who was trying to refute the fact. He wanted to hide her in a high tower and see her only by himself, but Lena kept trying to test his patience without knowing anything.

In the end, Lena surrendered to Kahel’s kiss, which covered her mouth to prevent her speaking her words. The two talked, kissed and laughed until midnight. He didn’t know whether he was drunk on the drink that Lena poured or was just intoxicated with happiness.

He felt like his heart would burst at the happiness that seemed to be unacceptable in his life, but at the same time, he seemed to be overlooking something because he was drunk with that happiness. But the man in love was so busy giving his lover all his heart that he couldn’t afford to think deeply.

* * *

“So, did you give the drink to Miss Belrose?”

“Yes, Father. I told her to give it to the Duke. Miss Lena is so naive that she doesn’t seem to be very good in that area.”

“Yes, yes. You did well.”

“Thanks to Father, I got to give such an expensive gift…… Thank you.”

“Uh, hmm, nothing. You, too, have to make friends in the social world, so that’s…….”

Leslie was able to get Lena that gift thanks to her father. In fact, the fortunes of the servant who had just become a Baronet was not enough, so even Leslie could not think of something to repay Lena as a thank you for coming to the tea party.

But, her father brings the good alcohol first and tells her to give it to Lena as a gift. Leslie was very moved to think that her father, who was usually blunt, was so attentive. Moreover, it was her father who advised her to give the drink to Duke Luave. If Lena scored some favor from the Duke, it was all thanks to her father.

But unlike the excited Leslie, her father, Baronet Peregrine, was heartbroken.

“What happened?”

“My daughter gave Miss Lena as a gift, and she was asked to give the drink to the Duke.”

“Hmm…… I’m not sure if he drank it yet.”

“No, no! He must have drank it! Please cut me some slack. Didn’t I do everything I was told to do?”

A guest who came to him in the middle of the night looked down at the desperately crying Baronet Peregrine and smiled.

“Don’t be so afraid, Sir Peregrine. Anyone who sees this would think that I am a very bad person. The bad guy is you, not me. Isn’t it?”

“Ple, please…….”

“So, who would use such a trick? No matter how much you want to succeed, how dare you deliberately ruin the Prince’s path. It looks like you were even good at acting, weren’t you? You look like you threw your whole body to the rescue.”

Baronet Peregrine, who became a vassal by throwing his whole body to save the second prince, who nearly fell and was seriously injured, was in fact the person who saved the second prince and also the one who caused the second prince’s fall.

Knowing that the second prince walked the same path every day, he dug up a stone that made up the stone steps and made it loose on purpose. Then, whenever the second prince took a walk, he wandered around and waited for the second prince to fall.

The plan succeeded splendidly, and he caught the second prince flown in the air, and impressed by his passionate performance, the second prince and his aides promoted him to the lowest rank.

But he never dreamed that anyone would know about it. At that time, the man in front of him, who had been threatening to bring up the incident, suddenly brought a bottle of alcohol and told him to make Duke Luave drink it no matter what. It seems that he had known beforehand that Leslie had an acquaintance with the Duke’s close maid.

“Well, we’ll find out sooner or later whether Duke Luave drank it or not. If I’m sure he had drunk it, I’ll forget about that time, too. Then, I’ll just leave today.”

The man disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind Baronet Peregrine who had a desperate look.

It was in the office of Duke Santella that he reappeared.

“The alcohol was safely delivered to the Duke Luave’s close maid. She was told to bring it up to the Duke while talking about the effects of alcohol, so now it seems that we have no choice but to hope that the Duke’s close maid will do well.”

Leonard paid a generous price to the secret agent of the family, who acted like a henchman. The drink he sent was made with a drug Margella had developed. It would be great if Kahel drinks it, but even if he doesn’t drink it, it’s no big deal. After all, people will think of Kahel as a monster or a devil just by seeing his two hands that transform.