DHMM 11

Chapter 11

Anyway, Vitor had to put all those thoughts aside for the moment.

He had to get past the obstacle right in front of him.

“But… how do two men date each other?”

It was the very day Roy decided to accept the contract.

She had made her decision, but perhaps she still felt uneasy about it, because she carefully asked.

Vitor gave a light laugh and answered,

“I don’t have any experience either, but I don’t think it will be very different from dating a woman.”

He had only said it to mean that it probably wouldn’t be very difficult.

But Roy’s expression became even darker.

She looked as if the reality of the situation had suddenly become very heavy.

Seeing her like that, Vitor naturally wondered.

‘Does he have some kind of aversion to men?’

Of course, Roy had sometimes glanced at Vitor’s appearance and seemed to like what he saw.

But that was only simple attraction.

Actually having to make close physical contact with someone of the same sex was a different matter. There could be an instinctive barrier.

Men naturally tended to reject others of the same sex. Similar muscles, similar smells, similar voices.

It was only natural for their bodies to feel some kind of rejection.

Vitor was the same.

He did not particularly like the thick smell of sweat that came from men.

But strangely, Roy was fine.

No, to be more honest, Roy even smelled somewhat pleasant.

There was a faint smell of grass on him.

It was a familiar scent that suddenly seemed to rise from somewhere deep in Vitor’s memories.

He had been so shocked the first time he noticed that scent.

It was exactly the same scent that had tickled the tip of his nose when he had held Natalie in his arms.

The smell of wildflowers brushing against her cheek, and the scent of dew that had remained on his fingertips.

‘Even if I can somehow understand why their appearances are similar, isn’t it strange that even their body scents are similar…?’

Without saying anything, Vitor lifted his water bottle and wet his lips.

He wiped the drops of water running down his jaw with the back of his hand and looked at Roy’s figure, which had already become a tiny dot in the distance.

‘Is my brain simply making a mistake because he looks like her?’

That was probably the most reasonable explanation.

Smells were not as exact as mathematical formulas, and humans tended to trust their eyes more than their sense of smell.

Anyway, the important thing was that Vitor did not feel any disgust toward Roy.

In this situation, that alone was enough.

Compared to him, Roy might have a much harder time dealing with Vitor, who had absolutely nothing feminine about him.

But the contract had already been signed.

Enduring it was now Roy’s responsibility.

Vitor did not need to worry about his feelings.

In the garden of Elysia Estate, soft sunlight was shining down.

Under a rotunda with a round roof, elegant cream-colored tables and chairs were neatly arranged.

A small vase in the center was filled with wildflowers carefully picked from the garden, while thin steam rising from the teapot added to the peaceful atmosphere.

“Thank you for inviting me, Your Grace. I was truly impressed by the skill of the chef at Elysia Estate. He certainly is worthy of being a former imperial palace chef.”

The Marchioness’s daughter of Rüssel said with a bright smile.

“He was specially recommended to me by the former Emperor. I’m glad to hear that you are satisfied, Young Lady.”

Grand Lady Leonora Hermont answered elegantly.

She lifted her teacup and looked gently at the young lady.

“You certainly have a remarkable person by your side. And the garden is also as beautiful as its reputation. It is the most elegant and well-kept garden I have ever seen. How do you make those roses bloom so beautifully?”

The Marchioness’s daughter of Rüssel pointed toward the rose bushes at the far end of the garden and admired them.

Elise Hermont nodded with a pleased smile.

“That is probably thanks to our Duke. Ever since he became the new owner of this estate, he has paid a lot of attention to the garden.”

The Marchioness’s daughter’s eyes naturally turned toward Duke Vitor.

He was sitting a little farther away, leisurely drinking his tea.

It was her first time seeing the Duke this closely.

Just as his reputation said, he was so handsome that merely looking at him made her heart tremble.

He was as noble and strong as a god of the sea, and his precious platinum-blond hair, shining under the sunlight, brilliantly showed the pure bloodline of the House of Hermont.

The Marchioness’s daughter of Rüssel blushed and carefully asked,

“But even though the garden is this beautiful, I imagine you must miss the sea, Your Grace. How do you feel about it? Do you sometimes think about it?”

“Of course. The sea means more to me than just a view.”

“I suppose it does. I have only ever seen the sea from far away. I have never felt so close to it.”

“Whenever you have time, you should visit the naval port where I stay. The scenery is wonderful, but the sound of the sea and the lively atmosphere of the harbor will also make you feel refreshed.”

Vitor’s voice was kind but serious.

“If you invite me, I would be honored. When would be a good time to visit?”

The Marchioness’s daughter of Rüssel asked with shining eyes.

But perhaps she thought she was being too forward, because she quickly added,

“I’m sorry. I have just always wanted to see the sea…”

“Vitor, why don’t you show the young lady around the garden and make plans with her?”

Leonora spoke while watching their conversation with satisfaction.

Vitor readily stood up and held out his hand.

“Would you like to take a look around the garden, Young Lady?”

“Really? Thank you, Your Grace.”

The Marchioness’s daughter of Rüssel nodded and quickly took his hand.

Vitor led her toward the garden.

From a distance, Vitor and the Marchioness’s daughter of Rüssel walking together while exchanging smiles looked perfect, like a scene from a painting.

The two ladies who remained behind naturally looked at each other.

“Don’t they make a wonderful pair?”

Leonora said with a smile.

Elise Hermont immediately nodded.

“They really do. Young Lady Rüssel seems like such a cheerful and lovely girl.”

“But it is rare for Vitor to cooperate this willingly. Do you remember how many marriage meetings he ruined?”

“Maybe he really has decided to get married this time? They seem to get along well, too.”

“Who knows. But it is still too early to feel completely relieved.”

Leonora shook her head and continued,

“Vitor never does anything he doesn’t want to do. Even if it is his duty as the head of the family. We practically forced him to take the position of family head even though he didn’t want it. If he gets the chance, he will hand the position over to Raul at any time.”

“……”

“And that child is already disgusted with the institution of marriage. Do you really think he will accept it willingly? He cannot put it off forever, but because of what he has seen while growing up, his dislike is strong. He will try to delay it as much as possible.”

Elise lowered her eyes sadly.

Then she spoke in a quiet voice.

“I’m sorry, Mother.”

Leonora clicked her tongue briefly.

“If you are sorry, then make sure Vitor’s wedding succeeds this time. That is the only way you can apologize to the family. How long do you think I can keep watching those red-haired people poking their noses into family affairs?”

“Yes, I understand…”

Elise lowered her head and answered quietly.

“They really make me do all kinds of things.”

Roy adjusted her short wig.

The wig was about the same length as her real hair, but its color was one she had seen somewhere before.

Her beautiful silver hair swayed in front of her eyes.

The wig was a kind of insurance, so that if someone ever described Vitor’s lover, Roy would not immediately be identified.

But would this really stop people from recognizing her?

Only the hair color was different. Everything else about her appearance was the same.

The more she thought about it, the more she could only sigh.

She was already disguised as a man, and now she had to pretend to be another man.

She had only accepted the proposal because she wanted to protect her ordinary life with Harper, but things seemed to be getting more complicated by the moment.

‘But why silver hair of all colors?’

Naturally, Roy’s appearance as Natalie came to mind.

‘Did he like the silver hair that much?’

She pulled down her bangs and looked at the silver strands.

The color did not suit her very well.

At least, it suited Natalie.

Whether she was Roy or Natalie, she was still a commoner.

But the way the two acted was different.

Natalie was always confident.

Because she thought of it as a mask she only wore while working for a short time, she did not act submissively.

So she behaved without worrying about what other people thought.

Surprisingly, people at the tavern found that behavior entertaining, and it even helped increase sales.

In many ways, it had worked out well.

If Roy had grown up as a girl in an ordinary family—one that was moderately poor but moderately happy—would she have acted like Natalie?

It was a meaningless thought.

It only left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Anyway, silver was a color that did not suit Roy, a gamekeeper struggling under a mountain of debt, at all.

“Your Grace, what is life like in the navy?”

Roy hurriedly hid behind a tree.

At last, the Marchioness’s daughter of Rüssel and Vitor had arrived at the place where they had agreed to meet.