The Devilish Duke Can't Sleep

Proofreader: somnium

Luahalla’s fashion business within Logos grew rapidly with an event called ‘Fashion Contest’. It’s because they’ve never thought of ‘Let’s compete to see which of the clothes made by tailors from different countries is the most fashionable’.

However, from the 3rd contest, the question of the qualifications of the judges began to arise. The question is, do they really have the eye for good design? As the winners of the 1st and 2nd times enjoyed a tremendous boom, more people applied, and those who did not agree with the results immediately pointed fingers over the quality of the judges.

“It is true that it is difficult to find a judge when many of the most discerning Madams of the social world consider it rude to assume a position of a judge in a contest.”

Although Luahalla was consolidating his position as Crown Prince of Hildebrunn, he was fond of the business he had started and visited Logos frequently. In particular, for this year’s contest, there was pressure to select someone who could calm the noise of last year as the judge.

The judges from Hildebrunn, Eivur Kingdom, and the Tartan Empire have been confirmed, but it was not easy to select the judge from Logos, who wields the most influence in the contest. He was even more cautious because rumors circulated that Countess Ardel, who was a judge last year, had been bribed by the winner of the Excellence Award. It had to be someone who wouldn’t sell their honor for such a trivial price, and they had to have a keen eye for fashion that no one could argue against.

Lena, who was quietly listening to Luahalla’s mourning, and was suffering from headache, looked at Luahalla and Kahel, who were frowning without a word, and spoke in a light voice,

“Well…… I don’t know if I can say this because I’m not familiar with the matter, but can’t you just leave it to Miss Liddell Santella?”

“What? Are you talking about Lady Santella?”

“Yes. I had heard that she was the queen of the social world before. In every boutique in the capital, clothes were made to her standards…….”

Luahalla was startled, but Kahel nodded his head.

“I know. Why didn’t I think of that? Liddell would be a perfect fit as the judge! She’s fashion savvy, and she’s been the muse for every boutique, not to mention her sense.”

“Bu, but…… Are you two really okay with that?”

To Luahalla’s embarrassment, who asked that carefully, Kahel and Lena looked at him with eyes wide open, as if they were wondering what he meant.

“Still, well, isn’t she…… the one who tried to hurt you?”

“It wasn’t the person’s true intentions. Liddell is also a victim in a way.”

“No, aren’t you two too merciful? Besides that, I heard that she lost her memory after the incident. Where is the guarantee that she won’t still be the same as she used to be?”

“Her memory of culture and knowledge is intact. The things she forgot were related to the things she had done. And she was such a smart fellow that she seemed to have learned almost everything she had forgotten in the meantime. So, there is nothing to worry about.”

As Luahalla, continued to frown at Lena and Kahel who continued to defend Liddell, spit out his true intentions.

“Have you forgotten all the hardships you suffered because of her?”

“Ahaha! It seems that Sir Luahalla was deeply offended.”

“No, it’s not like that…… ! Ha…… That’s it. Well, the Queen and the Grand Duke recommend her so much, so I will believe her.”

In the end, Liddell Santella was appointed as one of the judges of the 4th Fashion Contest. Among those who like gossip, there was a voice that said that the daughter of the Duchy became only a judge at the contest, but it was not a bad event for Liddell to return to the social world in a splendid way after completing her ‘treatment’. She accepted Lena and Kahel’s favor, who even provided a way for her to return to society.

However, Lian was concerned that she had to meet face-to-face with Luahalla, who was the owner of the business and felt sorry for Liddell.

“If it’s the former Crown Prince Ragdrill, he liked you a lot, but Luahalla is the opposite. Perhaps, he would try to do something to harm you.”

“Brother is too worried…… This event is like a gift given to me from the Queen. If not for this opportunity, how can I naturally reenter the social world?”

“However…….”

“And I am not that easy, either. Even if I lose some memories, the fact that I am Liddell Santella has not changed, so don’t worry.”

Liddell, who had been pacifying the worrying Lian and gaining the attention of the social world, headed to Luahalla’s office.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, Lady Santella.”

“Is that so…… I’m sorry, but I can’t remember…… Nice to meet you, Your Highness Luahalla Rognac Elpheoso. Please feel free to call me Liddell.”

“Ah, well, me too…… You can call me Luahalla.”

“Thank you, Sir Luahalla.”

Luahalla was wary of Liddell, who seemed to have changed in some way, so he never seemed to be at ease in front of her. This is because the numerous crises that nearly struck him in the back of the head and the sabotage operations he actually encountered were still vivid in his memory. She had always appeared to be good, beautiful, and angelic. So he couldn’t believe that face now.

But he couldn’t deny that she was the perfect fit as the contest’s judges. From an early age, she has been at the pinnacle of the social circle, and her keen eye for fashion has surprised even Luahalla, who started this business.

“This is lace from the Akela Kingdom. With this expensive lace wrapped around it, it must have cost a lot of money to make this dress?”

“It was. But thanks to this beautiful dress, it won the grand prize in a contest, and after that, Amir’s boutique, which made this dress, was a so-called ‘huge-hit’. They must have reaped, in profit, tens or even hundreds of times the price of purchasing the Akela Kingdom’s lace.”

“Ummm…… But if it were me, I would have pointed this out here. It seems that they were trying to change or give a point to the overall design that looked pure, but even so, the inflated hips were too much. A pure dress can look vulgar.”

“Hmm…… It seems that way.”

“On top of that, when a woman wears it, her chest is pushed forward and her hips are pulled back, so it is difficult to wear it for a long time. How painful will their back be? The beauty of clothes is important, but the convenience of the person wearing them is also important. I plan to look at that aspect as important in this year’s judging.”

Everything Liddell said was right. It was something that Luahalla, who never actually tried on the dress, didn’t think of. In addition, the most striking thing in the contest was the aesthetic element, so designs that are beautiful but excessively uncomfortable are being submitted day by day. He thought it was a good idea to invite Liddell as the judges, given that she has a keen eye for aesthetics and is able to pick things up sharply.

However, since Luahalla was still a human being, there were times when his stomach swelled up in front of the person he should be pleased with. It was because even the slightest chance reminded him of the past when he had trouble with Liddell.

He was frankly embarrassed. He suffered so much because of Liddell, and it felt unfair that the assailant, Liddell, had forgotten everything comfortably. So he sometimes spoke about what Liddell had done. She also wondered about the past that she had forgotten about.

“…… But when I actually went to sign the contract, the tailor was strangely shaken. It turned out that Miss Liddell had come to buy it. As Sir Kahel advised, it would have been a dog chasing chicken* if I hadn’t signed the contract beforehand. And since then, some tailors have experienced all sorts of accidents that they’ve never experienced in their lives. As if someone was following them and trying to harm them. But, that too, was cut off after entering Duchy Luave and making the clothes there.”

He looked at Liddell with pointed eyes and sarcastically. Liddell listened with a curious expression, and then she grinned.

“That’s too bad. If Kahel had been a little ignorant, the fashion world in this country would have been in my hands.”

“Haa…… ! No remorse at all?”

“It was not my fault. Weren’t we supposed to conquer everything that could be conquered? It’s the fault of the one who sits in vain hoping to get the competitor to move.”

“What, what? Who sits in vain!”

“But if it wasn’t for Kahel, wouldn’t I have swallowed Sir Luahalla’s business items?”

While the meaning of the words was mockery, her voice was clear and cheerful with a soft smile. Luahalla couldn’t even strangle Liddell, so he grabbed the nape of his neck and exhaled angrily and said without much thought,

“Ah, did you just take my business? You even tried to kill me. Even now, when I think of the horde of monsters that rushed to me as soon as I crossed the border, I still get goosebumps. You won’t even remember it anymore.”

But this time, Liddell’s laughter was not heard at all. Luahalla looked around unknowingly, then paused. For the first time, Liddell, who looked like she had been dyed golden like an angel, ‘froze’. The big blue eyes fluttered, not knowing what to do, and the mouth, which had always smiled, was kept straight as if suppressing a cry.

“Ah…… Mi, Miss Liddell..… !”

Luahalla was deeply perplexed because it was the first time he had seen Liddell’s expression like this. No, no one, not just Luahalla, has ever seen Liddell fall apart. But before Liddell collapsed completely, she grabbed herself tightly.

“That…… I’m really sorry. Just because I can’t remember, doesn’t mean the guilt goes away. What the hell was I thinking then? … Every time I hear about what I have done, it scares me, too, so Sir Luahalla must have been terrified, you almost got killed because of me.”

“No, I didn’t mean that, I was just joking…….”

Liddell managed to capture her expression, but Luahalla was terrified that Liddell would immediately shed tears and quit being a judge or whatever. Now, finding another judge is a pain. It is also difficult to go meet Lena and Kahel and explain the circumstances that led to Liddell quitting.

No, he thought that he had been too much for someone who had been living in seclusion for three years and reflected on the sins that she can’t even remember.

But, as Liddell said to Lian, she was none other than Liddell Santella. If she went back to the social world in the future, attacks like this would be common. And she couldn’t be defeated by an attack of just this magnitude.

Even now though, her guilt and fears have flooded her with every attempt, she was the Lady of Santella and was obliged to help her brother, who had suffered because of her, in rebuilding the family.

*a dog chasing chicken, meaning that feeling devastated that all the efforts you put in was in vain. because dogs like to chase things, like chicken, but then the chicken could jump and leave the dog.