C149
It was similar to Liena's fan club in the sense that Liena's followers gathered, but unlike the fan club, Redpal was a small and private meeting.
A notable difference is that anyone who loves Liena can join the fan club, but Redpal only accepts nobles as members.
Among the nobles, only members of families above a certain level were selected as members.
"It was originally created by a few nobles."
Duchess Luciano was also one of the founding members of Redpal.
"How do you know about Redpal?"
Duchess Luciano, with a furrowed brow, shook her head resolutely.
"No, even if you know about it somehow, I can't invite you."
"Why?"
"Why? Yes, Redpal is a gathering of people who love Miss Liena, but there's no way that you, that girl's enemy, can come."
"Is that why the duchess is so hostile towards me?"
"What?"
"What I mean is, are you holding your sword against me because I'm Liena's enemy? I don't recall causing any inconvenience directly to the duchess."
"It's annoying to say the least! Have you forgotten what you did to that delicate girl?"
The duchess pounded the table with her fist.
"Miss Liena mustered the courage to invite you for tea, but you refused! You showed up at the banquet where Miss Liena put so much effort and ruined it!"
"It's my freedom to accept or decline the invitation. I only attended the banquet, but I don't recall ruining it. I didn't create any scandal."
"You arbitrarily stole people's attention!"
"Isn't that what the delicate Miss Liena of the duchess usually does?"
She was momentarily speechless.
"Miss Liena doesn't try to steal it on purpose. It's just that her innate presence is so great..."
Duchess Luciano tried to find an excuse for Liena, but when she saw my gaze, she blushed even more and kept her mouth shut.
I think she knows it's a weak excuse.
"Anyway, I can't invite you!"
"Then it's simple. I can't sell magic stones to the Luciano family either."
"Viscountess! Do you plan to go that way?"
I shrugged while sipping my tea.
"I just don't want to sell my magic stones, so it's a bit unfair to put it that way."
"I am a member of the royal family. Be courteous."
"Princess... No, duchess."
When I suddenly lowered my voice and changed the title, the duchess's body shivered.
"Is the dignity of the Asteroth royal family to barge into someone's residence whom you normally gossip about and ask them to hand over their magic stones?"
"W-What?"
Well, it seems I hit the mark.
I increased my divine power.
"As far as I know, Her Royal Highness has a fiery temper, but she knows etiquette and knows how to apologize when she unintentionally violates etiquette."
"What do you know about me?!"
"I don't know. But this person does."
I took out from my bag the bundle of letters I had prepared in advance and placed them on the table.
"These are handwritten letters sent to me by Duke Luciano. There are more than 50 letters in total."
Initially, Duke Luciano's letter was simply about buying magic stones, but the topic changed once I responded and told him what had happened between the duchess and me.
"...my husband?"
She quickly looked at the contents of the letter.
"Certainly, it's my husband's handwriting."
"It's written here. What kind of person is the duchess?"
The love story of Duke Luciano and his wife was quite famous.
It is said that a long time ago, the duchess, who was then a princess, refused to marry the person her parents had decided on, claiming he was weak.
However, Duke Luciano, who deeply admired the princess, won first place in the hunting festival after much effort and offered the first prize to the princess.
Subsequently, the princess, moved by the gesture, reveals that Duke Luciano is the man she chose, not her parents, and marries him.
"He was definitely a calm person who seemed like he couldn't harm a fly."
I remembered the slender Duke Luciano I had seen at the Bunny Group's foundation celebration last time.
His calm and composed personality was subtly revealed in the writing style of the letter.
I couldn't help but imagine how much a person like that loved the duchess to strive and win the hunting festival.
"It was repeatedly written in Duke Luciano's letter. He said the duchess is a good person."
I opened my mouth when I saw the duchess examining the letter her husband had written with a confused expression on her face.
"So, if he said something bad about me without good reason, he's sure you'll realize your mistake soon and come to apologize. He said he could bet on it."
"And I didn't do anything wrong."
"Do you really think so?"
"Of course!"
"Then go back. If you say so, the duke will be happy to believe it."
"B-but then the magic stones..."
Full Chapter Here☜ (AntiC0pyr1ght)