The Devilish Duke Can't Sleep

Proofreader: somnium

“Wow! That’s what ‘fireworks’ is all about! cool!”

Lena, who ate the generously provided dinner till her stomach was full, and after washing lightly, came up to her room and looked out the window, surprised by the suddenly bright sky with a ‘pop’, and muttered in an ecstatic voice.

She had heard from her mother before. In Ardennes, it is said that on the night of the New Year’s Celebration, fireworks are shot into the night sky to create a large flame. Like this firework, it is set out in the hope that everything will prosper this year.

At that time, it was difficult to imagine what it would look like, but when she looked at it, she could tell at a glance that it was the fireworks. It was really a fire ‘flower’. Flowers blooming with bright light splendidly embroidered the black night sky, setting off new sparks of hope in people’s hearts one by one.

In line with the New Year’s Celebration, bloodstone street lamps combined with lylock lit up the streets around the Royal Palace for the first time. The light could be seen even from Lena’s room, so the surrounding area would be as bright as the daytime. The sound of street musicians’ violins, people singing, and dancing men and women and children’s laughter seemed to be heard here as well.

But what she was more curious about was what was going on inside that splendid Royal Palace. There are very few girls who never dreamed of becoming a princess when they were young.

“There must be noble ladies dancing in pretty dresses…….”

Lena, who had been grinning unknowingly and muttering blankly, suddenly remembered Kahel, who was dancing with the butterfly-like ladies.

‘How will the Duke dance? I can’t even imagine.’

Kuku, a laugh leaked out. He was sure to attract the attention of the ladies, but he didn’t seem to be able to dance well. He sometimes shows a very friendly smile, but most of the time he doesn’t smile well and doesn’t talk much.

As she thought about dancing, she remembered a new dress she had been given as a gift a few days ago. Kahel had previously ordered it. The dress, which was quietly hung in her room without being noticed by others, was so pretty that Lena had never even dared to imagine it. But when she saw that dress, her first thought was, ‘Will I ever wear this?’

Even though it is a banquet dress from anyone’s point of view, there is no way that she could attend the banquets of nobles as a maid. This dress was probably the gift for her eyes to enjoy until she died. But it was too sad to just leave it unattended.

‘Shall I wear it?’

Lena decided to try it on and threw the pajamas behind her back. After all, the workday is over, and the Master and guests of the mansion will be enjoying the banquet until dawn, so there was no need for anyone to find Lena.

‘Wow…… ! Like a princess!’

The dress, with cream lace over a lilac fabric that resembled Lena’s pupils, was perfect for Lena. The frills from the neckline to the skirt and the ribbons everywhere gave off a cute feeling, but it didn’t feel childish or excessive.

“Pretty…….”

Lena was amazed at the dress she wore for the first time in her life. Then, while at it, she braided her hair, rolled it up, and put a little rouge on her little finger, and tapped it on her lips as well. Then, she was more like a princess, and her heart was pounding.

Lena turned in front of her mirror and looked at her back, and she spun around again, watching the beautiful spread of the skirt. Then she thought, taking out the coat hanger from the corner of the room and placing it in the middle of her room. She took a headband out of the drawer and tied it like a cravat over the top of the hanger, pulled out a woolen coat and put it on the hanger, and it looked like a man at first glance.

Lena held her skirt opposite the hanger and bowed.

“Hello? My name is Lena. What is Sir’s name?”

But the coat hanger gentleman did not answer.

“You are a quiet person. But thank you for asking me for a dance. After all, the party was about to get boring.”

Lena asked and answered the question by herself as she giggled, then she grabbed one of the hanger gentleman’s hands—although it was precisely the end of one sleeve—and her other hand gripped the waist of the coat.

“Originally, it is the gentleman who grabs the waist, but today I feel like I will fall if I don’t hold Sir’s waist. Do you mind? You are blunt but kind.”

Then she pretended to dance as she moved slightly from side to side. Just doing that made her skirt flutter, as if she was really dancing at a party. The room was quiet with only the sound of fireworks exploding in the distance, but it didn’t matter because a cheerful waltz was playing in Lena’s head.

But as she spun around, grabbing one of the hanger gentleman’s hands and unwinding her body, her eyes met Kahel, who was staring at her through the gap in the open door.

“Ah……!”

Lena hardened in that state. It was as if her brain was dyed white. She had no idea how to explain this embarrassing situation.

However, Kahel opened Lena’s door with a relaxed smile on his face, as if he had been looking at her for a long time, and quietly closed the door. Then, he snapped his hand once, and suddenly, a soft sound of music began to play in the room.

Then he grabbed the headband of her former partner, the coat hanger gentleman, with one hand, and threw it into the corner of the room.

“Fortunately for me, Sir Hanger seems a little tired. Will you give me the honor of your next dance, Lady?”

“Ah, ex, excuse…… This, this is just…….”

Lena tried to spit out anything in her trembling voice, but no proper sentence could be formed.

Meanwhile, Kahel placed her left hand on his own forearm and his other hand lightly gripped her waist.

“I wanted to tell you in advance in case you misunderstood, but the door was open. You better pay attention to the door lock, Lena.”

“Yes, yes! That, I, I will, I will…….”

Lena’s door handle had to be closed with a tight margin to close properly. She doesn’t know if the doorknob is broken or if the handle is on the wrong side. She thought it was closed tightly before, but it seemed like she didn’t hear a ‘click’ sound.

‘You idiot, idiot, idiot!’

Lena couldn’t even lift her blushing face, but she couldn’t shake Kahel’s hand that was holding hers, and she was swearing all over in her head.

“Now, the first step is to start with the right foot…….”

Kahel grabbed Lena’s back, who was slightly more embarrassed, and moved his feet to the sound of the music playing in her room. Naturally, he thought that Lena couldn’t dance, so he tried to move lightly, but Lena naturally began to step on the waltz in the midst of her embarrassment.

“Do you know how to dance?”

“Oh, uh…… As a child, my mother taught me.”

It was cute to mumble in a crawling voice. It was also lovely that she didn’t refuse to dance, even though she was ashamed to the point that the nape of her neck turned red.

“When you dance, do you have to bow your head like that?”

“Sor, sorry!”

“I didn’t mean for you to be sorry, I meant for you to look at me.”

At those words, Lena’s swaying eyes slowly matched Kahel’s ruby-colored eyes. The moment their gaze met, Kahel felt something rushing down his spine. He doesn’t know what it is, but it makes his throat dry, the tips of his ears scorching hot, and he seems to have forgotten for a moment that he is breathing.

“The dress suits you well. I expected it.”

“Ah! Dress, thank you! In fact, I didn’t think I was ever going to wear it, so, I tried it on once and was going to take it off really quickly……!”

“Shh…… I’m not scolding you. Rather, it was good for me. I just came back from not being able to do a single dance at the party today.”

“Yes? Why?”

Kahel rarely dances at parties because he can’t dance with anyone other than Liddell or the Queen, but if he can win Lena’s sympathy, he’ll come up with all sorts of lies.

“Well. Seeing that there weren’t any ladies around me, maybe I wasn’t popular as a dancer.”

“No way! Of course, I don’t know what other noble men are like, but to be honest, you are much cooler than Count Langtail and the relatives who have visited the mansion this time!”

“Really?”

“Yes! Really! So, perhaps, you are the Duke, so they couldn’t come near because everyone was careful? I’m sure you’ll never be unpopular!”

Kahel felt that Lena’s effort to comfort him was so cute that it was dangerous. He’s cool? She might have said it to make him feel good, but when he heard Lena’s words, ‘You’re cool’ directly, he seemed to be somewhat bubbly. He also wanted to brag about it to Gerard, who was the target of comparison.

“It seems that the wounds in my heart heal a little when you say that. If you dance happily with me, I think it will get better.”

“Really…… ? I’m…… not funny?”

“It’s not funny. Rather, I was surprised that you looked like a real noble lady.”

To be honest, the hanger and the dancing back were so cute that it was fortunate that he was the only one watching. He almost burst out laughing when he heard Lena talking to the hanger.

The two of them were silent for a while, only moving their bodies around softly to the sound of the music. In the meantime, red and yellow fireworks exploded in the sky near the Royal Palace, and the light flashed over and over again in Lena’s eyes and then disappeared.

It started out as a semi-playful dance, but as the steps continued, Kahel felt a strange sense of upliftment. He just felt that this moment was so beautiful. The middle of his maid’s small room, neatly arranged, was a more enjoyable party venue for him than a huge hall with a splendid chandelier and a quartet ensemble.

He couldn’t even remember the last time he danced in such a happy mood. Even if he ever did, it would probably be before the age of seven.

Kahel focused all of his attention on Lena without realizing it. Her hair, which was braided and rolled up roughly, was rather natural with fine hair flowing down, and her cheeks, which had not yet lost all of their baby fat, showed a blushing energy whenever fireworks exploded outside the window. Her shy but steady eyes didn’t cast any disgusting emotions on him. Every time he saw her, he was moved by her beautiful pupil, which just twinkled like clear glass grains and looked straight beyond his devilish power.

Most of all, it was Lena’s lips that caught his eye. Her lips, which were a little more red than usual, probably because she had applied a rouge, were a little stimulating, unlike her usual pure and bright feeling. It made him think ‘come to think of it, Lena is an adult…..’, like so……..