The Grand Duke’s Little Lady - Episode 111
Thud.
As her body lurched forward, she heard a low click of the tongue right by her ear.
The next moment, instead of falling down the stairs, Ariel found herself leaning against something solid.
“Be careful.”
The firm and resilient body she touched, along with the peppermint scent lingering in the air, told her exactly who had caught her.
Startled, Ariel tried to pull away, but Lucian’s arm tightened around her waist, pulling her close.
Ariel’s body tensed as if sensing danger.
“You’re like a fawn, always stumbling and trying to run away.”
He pressed her firmly against him.
“Is this the welcome I missed?”
“Let go, let go of me, Lucian…”
“I can’t do that, too risky.”
Lucian effortlessly lifted her and carried her down the stairs.
As soon as she touched the safe ground, Ariel blushed furiously and quickly stepped out of his embrace.
The courage she had regained while descending the stairs vanished without a trace.
‘Lucian is still Lucian’—what a joke.
Everything about him, even his firm body, felt different.
“We’re going to be late. Let’s go.”
She hurried out of the mansion.
Lucian frowned at Ariel’s evasive behavior.
He couldn’t comprehend why Ariel, who hadn’t been cautious even when he revealed his identity as a dragon, was now naturally wary of him.
As they climbed into the carriage, Ariel grumbled inwardly.
‘If I’m a fawn, fine. But why a fawn…?’
* * *
The awkward atmosphere from the incident on the stairs continued inside the carriage.
Ariel’s mouth felt dry.
The carriage was spacious, but being in an enclosed space alone with Lucian was nerve-wracking.
Moreover, Lucian’s eyes were following her every move, glaring as if he wanted to devour her.
As they neared the imperial palace, Lucian’s patience finally ran out.
He spoke in a threatening tone through gritted teeth.
“Kid, if you avoid my gaze one more time…”
Ugh, kid again.
Ariel forgot that she was being threatened and made a distressed face.
‘I was shocked by how much Lucian had changed, but does he still see me as a ten-year-old?’
The difference in size and height had grown more pronounced since then, so she couldn’t argue, but she still felt a bit upset.
Lucian always seemed to see her as a child, a little kid, or a pet.
For Ariel, who wanted to be treated as a mature individual, this was a sad realization.
In truth, expecting such treatment from him, who wasn’t even human, was probably asking too much.
‘Lacartel can’t feel the same emotions towards humans, so it must be the same for me.’
Just because they had a contractual marriage didn’t mean he saw her as a special human.
From a dragon’s perspective, she and other humans probably looked like insects.
Though she knew this, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
‘I’ve grown a lot and people say I’m starting to look like a young lady.’
With a surge of determination, Ariel met his gaze directly.
As she held his gaze, Lucian slowly withdrew his threatening demeanor.
“Now that’s more like it.”
As the carriage arrived at the imperial palace and they entered the ballroom, everyone who saw Lucian held their breath.
Wherever he walked, it was as if a freezing spell had been cast, stopping the flow of the air.
Ariel felt slightly reassured then.
See, it’s not just me!
In the ensuing quiet, Crown Prince Dietrich parted the crowd and approached to greet them.
He looked exceptionally handsome, fitting for the protagonist of the evening.
His radiant blonde hair and white uniform suited him perfectly, and his green eyes sparkled like holy relics in the chandelier light.
“You’re here, Grand Duke. And…”
Dietrich’s eyes widened as he looked at Ariel.
“Grand Duchess…?”
Ariel gracefully lifted the hem of her dress and curtsied.
“Glory to the Empire.”
Dietrich, who had momentarily lost his composure, cleared his throat and blushed slightly.
“I almost didn’t recognize you. You’ve become truly beautiful since we last met.”
“You as well, Your Highness.”
Ariel responded to his greeting with the social etiquette she had diligently learned.
Indeed, Dietrich, who had shed his boyish looks, was elegant and beautiful.
Had it not been for Lucian’s overwhelming beauty that made all other beauty seem inferior, Dietrich would have been the most handsome young man in the entire nation.
“Thank you for accepting our invitation.”
“It is our honor, not yours.”
Compared to the overwhelming presence of Lucian, who made her heart race and left her unsettled, conversing with Dietrich was comfortable.
During their brief conversation, Ariel maintained a small smile as she had learned from Marchioness Lancel.
However, Lucian’s expression grew darker with each passing second as he watched.
Meanwhile, the social circle was buzzing as they observed Dietrich’s amiable interaction with Ariel.
Since his debut at fourteen, Dietrich had never shown such a bright expression to anyone.
“He’s always polite and kind, but he seemed to keep a certain distance.”
“Right. He didn’t seem to like people getting too close to him, nor did he approach others much.”
At that moment, the whispering stopped abruptly.
Grand Duke Lucian interrupted the conversation between the Crown Prince and the Grand Duchess by stepping between them.
Lucian pulled Ariel into his arms and glared at Dietrich.
“The introductions are over, now get lost.”
The people of the social circle, who couldn’t hear the conversation, were anxious, but one thing was clear.
Jealousy.
The Grand Duke was jealous of his wife talking to someone else!
The faces of the onlookers turned red with excitement.
Oh my, does a Lacartel show such emotions too?
Ariel, meanwhile, was flustered and nudged Lucian’s waist.
Ignoring her, Lucian issued a threat.
“If you ask my wife to dance like last time, I’ll destroy you instead of the Auredean Palace.”
Then he led Ariel away from the scene.
Leaving a conversation with royalty was a severe breach of etiquette, but Lucian didn’t care.
His dwindling patience had made him aggressive.
The reason was simple.
The tiny wife beside him was constantly getting on his nerves.
She had run away the moment she saw him return, avoided his gaze as if she had done something wrong, and then smiled easily in front of another man.
From Ariel’s perspective, she was merely being polite, but Lucian didn’t care about that.
His inherent arrogance and selfishness were severely twisted.
Why should I be wary of others?
There wasn’t a single male on this earth that could match him.
He glared at the top of her red-haired head.
She seemed to be the only one pushing him away.
Suppressing the boiling desire for possession and exclusivity, Lucian gripped Ariel’s shoulder tightly.
As if to say, don’t even think about running away.
* * *
The grand imperial ball was indeed as spectacular as rumored.
As the people of the social circle gathered, the palace attendants began introducing the princesses who had been invited.
“Princess Tania of the Seil Kingdom enters!”
“Princess Osiria of the Ebren Kingdom enters!”
Since these princesses were vying for the position of Crown Princess, they were all stunning.
Despite being from other kingdoms, they adorned themselves with the latest imperial fashion and accessories.
As Ariel admired the parade of beautiful women entering, she sneaked a glance at Lucian beside her.
‘Is he…?’
With beautiful princesses all around and every woman stealing glances at him, Ariel wondered if Lucian might be a little affected.
However, Lucian’s expression was as emotionless as if he were looking at a block of wood.
To him, it seemed that pretty women and handsome men were all equally insignificant, like insects.
It was a silly thought, but realizing that he felt the same about everyone else made her feel a bit better.
Ariel giggled to herself.
Just then, Lucian spoke suddenly.
“Now you’re smiling.”
Oh no! Did he catch me staring?
Ariel’s cheeks flushed bright red.
He slowly tilted his head closer to her face.
“You wouldn’t even show your face earlier.”
“Go away.”
she stammered.
I can’t breathe with him this close.
“I don’t want to.”
Ugh…
Are you trying to kill me just to see my face?
When Ariel looked at him with teary eyes, he backed off with a peculiar expression.
At the front, they were announcing the last princess.
Dietrich, still without a partner, looked as uninterested as ever.
“Princess Clarisse of the Siena Kingdom enters!”
Siena Kingdom?
Siena was one of the largest and most powerful kingdoms under the empire.
It was a wealthy nation, rich in resources from its territories.
Of course, it couldn’t compare to the empire with its Lacartels, but its military was quite strong.
It was also famous for its numerous hot spring resorts.
The empire treated the Siena Kingdom better than other kingdoms.
Princess Clarisse, sent from Siena, had just turned seventeen, the age of adulthood.
With her platinum blonde hair and striking features, she was the epitome of beauty.
Her mature figure made her the perfect lady.
‘She’s so pretty. She looks like a true lady.’
As Princess Clarisse made her entrance, the hall buzzed noticeably.
Whispers of “She’s beautiful” and “Her lineage is noble” filled the air.
When the ball began, the princesses mingled with the aristocrats of the social circle.
Since Dietrich delayed the opening dance due to his lack of a partner, Ariel and Lucian opened the first dance.
Ariel, more nervous than usual, stepped on Lucian’s foot several times under her dress.
Each time she stepped on his foot, Lucian’s red lips twisted into an amused smile, causing her to step on him even more frequently.
No one could remain composed with that smile so close.
Finally, after the dance, Ariel excused herself under the pretense of needing a break and escaped to her girlfriends.
Diana and Cecil were waiting for her.
“I’ll be right back,” she said.
Meanwhile, someone was watching Ariel’s hurried departure with keen interest.
It was none other than Princess Clarisse of the Siena Kingdom.