The Grand Duke’s Little Lady - Episode 114
Ariel was just about to clench her fists and stand up when Diana’s shocked voice echoed through the room.
“Ariel! What on earth happened?”
Standing beside Diana were Cecil and the Empress.
“Are you alright? What happened?”
Diana and Cecil rushed over and helped Ariel to her feet.
The Empress, meanwhile, glared at Clarisse and her entourage.
“Princess, what is the meaning of this?”
The situation was clear to anyone who saw it.
Ariel was on the floor while Clarisse and her group were laughing.
It was evident that the young Grand Duchess had been bullied while alone.
The Empress, aware of the importance of maintaining good relations with Lacartiel, couldn’t ignore this situation.
“I expected more refined behavior from a princess of Siena. How could you engage in such vulgar actions?”
“N-no, Your Majesty, it’s not like that…”
Clarisse was taken aback.
Usually, the Emperor and Empress were lenient with her, the princess of Siena. She expected no different this time.
But now, the Empress was angry at her instead of the Grand Duchess.
“Your Majesty, please hear me out…”
The Empress didn’t listen to Clarisse’s excuses and turned to Ariel.
“Are you alright, Duchess?”
“Yes, I’m fine, Your Majesty.”
Ariel answered calmly, but the Empress was visibly anxious.
If the men of Lacartiel found out about this, the ball would be over.
This could ruin the Empire’s biggest diplomatic event.
The Empress turned to Clarisse and her group with a frosty command.
“What are you all standing around for? Leave immediately! I will not forget this incident and will inform your kingdom of your misconduct, Princess.”
Clarisse bit her lip in frustration.
But with the Empress ordering her, she had no choice but to comply.
‘This is so annoying! Why did that girl have to fall right then…’
Outside, Clarisse took out her anger on her attendants, slapping them.
“It’s your fault I got scolded. You should have defended me better!”
She fumed, grinding her teeth.
“She must have fallen on purpose. That cunning girl. She must have calculated the Empress would show up!”
Clarisse, raging like a madwoman, stopped hitting one of her attendants only when their lips were bloodied.
“I won’t let this go.”
She grabbed a passing noblewoman of the Empire, a sinister smile on her plump lips.
“Excuse me, but do you know anything about the Grand Duchess?”
The more dangerous the information, the better.
* * *
Since the Empress had scolded Clarisse on her behalf, Ariel decided not to pursue the matter further.
What bothered her most was Clarisse’s implication that she was doing it for Lucian’s sake.
Why would she say that?
Lucian had treated the princess harshly.
After the Empress left, Diana and Cecil couldn’t hold back their questions any longer.
“Ariel, what happened? Tell us.”
“Yes, what did that rude princess do to you?”
Ariel felt she could confide in her friends.
She briefly explained the situation without much emotion.
Diana and Cecil reacted more strongly than she expected.
“What?! The Princess Clarisse said that thing?”
When Ariel nodded, Diana raised her voice.
“That shameless princess! This is completely unacceptable!”
“That thing?”
“Yes, that thing!”
“What… what is that thing?”
Diana, almost breathing fire, shouted,
“An adulterous homewrecker!”
…?
Ariel’s eyes widened.
Taking a man away?
Diana and Cecil, in a rare display of unity, began to harshly criticize Clarisse.
“She’s setting her sights on a married man. Isn’t she insane?”
“You’re right, Diana. Not only did she harbor impure intentions, but she also acted violently towards Ariel. It’s truly shameless.”
Ariel stammered as she asked,
“So… Princess Clarisse did this because she likes Lucian?”
Diana nodded vigorously.
“Yes, absolutely. 100%. That woman is head over heels for the Grand Duke and tried to seduce him!”
“….”
Ariel closed her mouth tightly.
It was shocking, but soon other thoughts filled her mind.
She and Lucian hadn’t married for love.
She had no right to be angry if another woman liked Lucian.
That wasn’t part of their contract.
However, something made her chest feel tight and uncomfortable.
Seeing Ariel fall silent, Cecil spoke gently.
“Why don’t you go see the Grand Duke?”
* * *
At the same time, Princess Clarisse, with a satisfied smile, was approaching Lucian.
The social scene in the Empire was no different from that of her kingdom.
A little digging always revealed a slew of scandals.
Seeing the Empress’s reaction to her made Lucian even more desirable.
‘I thought there was something special about the Grand Duchess because the Empress was so flustered by a mere girl. Turns out, it’s just because she’s the Grand Duchess.’
Then I should make that position mine.
Ah, since Lucian and I are destined for each other, it’s practically mine already, isn’t it?
Lucian, leaning against the wall of the ballroom, exuding an aura of arrogance, looked even more captivating than before.
His slightly furrowed brow and seemingly troubled eyes melted Clarisse’s heart.
‘There are men like him, after all. The type with high defenses. But no man can resist physical advances.’
Once she melted his heart, she would whisper rumors about the Grand Duchess, and he would soon fall for her.
Clarisse licked her lips and called out seductively,
“Your Grace.”
Then she approached Lucian closely.
But he didn’t pay her any attention.
Clarisse bit her lip.
She felt like she had become invisible.
At that moment, Lucian’s gaze sharply shifted past Clarisse, focusing on a distant point behind her.
She turned around to see what had caught his attention.
Lucian straightened up from his relaxed position against the wall.
Clarisse turned around to see who had caught his attention.
A red-haired girl stood there.
Clarisse forced a smile and clenched her teeth.
“Oh, Your Grace.”
She pressed her voluptuous body against Lucian’s arm, making sure Ariel could see.
Seeing the dazed expression on the young Grand Duchess’s face made her chuckle.
A difficult-to-describe expression crossed Ariel’s face as she observed the scene.
* * *
A few minutes earlier.
After Lady Monica took Ariel away, Lucian stood against the wall, glaring at the spot where Ariel had disappeared.
Ariel’s friends had cleverly whisked her away to a ladies’ area where men were not allowed.
Normally, he would have stormed in after her, but her rejection earlier made him hesitant.
So, he kept his eyes fixed on the door Ariel had gone through.
The image of her flinching away from him kept replaying in his mind.
Then, the nameless princess approached him.
He had suppressed his aura for Ariel’s comfort, which had this unfortunate side effect.
“Your Grace.”
Lucian felt a surge of irritation as he recalled this princess ignoring Ariel.
A sudden desire for violence surged within him.
But he blocked it out entirely.
He knew that if he cut down someone in front of Ariel, she would only push him further away.
She had told him not to kill anyone.
Such a kind-hearted soul.
His wife was annoyingly virtuous, no matter how much he urged her otherwise.
Just then, the door connecting to the powder room opened, and Ariel stepped out.
Lucian instinctively straightened up.
Waving goodbye to the daughter of Count Heights, she began walking towards him.
Lucian moved to meet her.
Their eyes met as they walked.
At that moment, the blonde-haired pest latched onto his arm.
“Oh, Your Grace.”
Ignoring the princess, Lucian walked past her, heading straight for Ariel.
“Are you okay?”
He asked, his voice laced with concern and a hint of frustration.
Although Lucian was fully aware of Clarisse’s intentions, he felt nothing but extreme revulsion.
Who could ever be excited by an ant crawling up their arm?
To him, human women were not perceived as females.
No matter how attractive they were among humans, to his eyes, they were no different from centipedes or worms.
Disgusting enough to shake off.
But the expression on Ariel’s face as she watched this scene froze Lucian’s mind.
It was a look he had never seen on her before.
Is she reacting like that because of this pest being with me?
Lucian, who thought Ariel didn’t care about the women approaching him, was suddenly swept up in a new, intense emotion.
Instantly, he felt elated.
However, when Ariel stopped and looked down, avoiding his gaze…
“Sigh…”
The good mood plummeted into the depths of hell.
The pest beside him, thinking his lack of reaction was a good sign, whispered in a sticky voice.
“I admit the Grand Duchess is quite pretty. But such a small girl can’t satisfy you, can she? I’ve heard all sorts of rumors. I can ask the Emperor to arrange a divorce for you.”
Lucian didn’t even feel the need to use his hands to shake her off.
He used his sword mana to throw Clarisse away like a discarded insect.
With a loud scream, Clarisse flew and landed in a ridiculous heap.
Everyone in the ballroom witnessed Clarisse being flung away by Lucian.
It was a public humiliation.
“Consider this a warning. Approach me again, and I will end you.”
Lucian’s voice was icy and cruel as he spoke, then he walked straight towards Ariel.
Ariel didn’t see him throw off the pest and had turned away, weaving through the crowd.
Catching up to the small girl trying to escape him was easier than breathing.
Ariel pushed through the murmuring crowd, heading towards the terrace.
She couldn’t understand why she was feeling this way.
‘Why am I upset? Lucian and I are just in a contractual relationship.’
The shock of seeing his hurt expression and the ache she felt when Clarisse said she liked Lucian crashed down on her all at once.
Having spent her past being abused and mistreated at the Marquess’ house, it had only been a few years since she began forming relationships with people.
It was no wonder Ariel, who had only recently learned warm emotions from good people, didn’t know how to handle these unfamiliar feelings.
Just as she was about to push open the terrace door, a hot hand grabbed her arm and yanked her back.
She knew immediately who it was.
Lucian. Her husband.
He pulled her through the terrace door and slammed it shut behind them.
“What are you doing?”
Lucian grabbed her shoulders with both hands, his self-control slipping.
“Why did you just stand there? Why didn’t you show everyone that I’m your husband?”
His voice was rough and low as he growled.