Shall I Save You, Duke?

Chapter 14

"Duke?"

But the Duke just ignored Lina's question and was simply staring down blankly.

Valige was standing without a word for a while, so Lina, thinking that he was angry because she was late for the appointed time, bowed her head.

"I'm sorry for being late, Duke. Something suddenly came up......"

"What's that look?"

The Duke cut her off, asking. Somehow his voice seemed more subdued than usual.

"Huh? Oh, this is......"

Struggling to answer, Valige furrowed his brow as she trailed off.

"Did you come from playing in the water?"

At his words, Lina was shocked, waving her hands.

"No! It's just that I... um. I got wet because I made a mistake."

Lina, who was about to mention Loen, didn't want to make a big deal out of it, and skirted around it as her own mistake.

"That dress?"

His gaze settled on Lina's shoulder.

"Ah, this is what Henry gave me to wear."

The Duke asked, his eyebrows twitching.

"Henry?"

"Yes. The boy you saw in the stable yesterday."

Was it an illusion that she felt the Duke's face go cold in an instant?

[Duke seems to dislike me being with you......]

Suddenly, Henry's words from yesterday, that the Duke seemed to dislike her, came to mind.

'Ah... no way.'

A small doubt sprouted inside her, but she shook her head.

"So, would it be okay if I changed my clothes? It would be difficult to attend to you in this state, Duke."

But no words came from Valige's mouth. He just looked down at Lina with eyes as calm as the sea.

No. Precisely, his gaze was fixed on the brown jacket draped over her body.

How long did the awkward silence last?

Lina, not knowing why, was standing at the door, having an unknown standoff with the Duke.

'Why is there no answer?'

Lina, waiting for the Duke's response, called him cautiously, as if she could not wait any longer.

"Um... Duke?"

The Duke withdrew his gaze from her shoulder.

"Go on. Go."

"Thank you. Then, I'll quickly change my clothes and come......"

But the joy of getting permission was brief. Valige grabbed the jacket that had been hanging on Lina's shoulder.

"Take this off."

Then the jacket that had been hanging on Lina's shoulder hit the floor. In the sudden turn of events, Lina couldn't hide her bewilderment.

'What's going on?'

Her shaking brown eyes seemed to have lost their way, wavering here and there. But the man seemed as if nothing had happened, looking at her calmly.

In the oddly flowing situation, Lina swallowed her silence.

Then she quietly observed the man's mood as she bent over to pick up the jacket spread out on the floor.