Chapter 68.

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“Duke, it’s been a long time.”

“Oh, Marquis Belldandy. It’s been a long time.”

The Duke happily greeted the man who was walking towards the side child with his horse on his back.

“Isn’t it the first time you’ve participated in a hunting competition in almost a year? Came a little late. Haha, hunting doesn’t suit me at all.”

“If it continues, you’ll find more and more of it.”

A courteous young marquis among the dukes. His father had died at an early age, but had become a hand of the family and was not young and unhelpful.

(Now if only there were people who could keep their resolutions, they would be completely on their feet.)

There are also some nobles who regard the young Marquis as a hairy child on the grounds that he is not yet married.

The former Marquis’s mohel, the Duke who used to be a lover is still empty next to him after a year makes it impossible to let go and gets sick.

“Did the ladies send you a gift?”

“Probably because it’s been a while since I’ve been out, I’m sorry I wasn’t given one” smiled handsomely and answered the question.

Gifts had been pouring into the Marquis’ house since morning, and the campsite maids would have been outraged to hear it.

The Duke, not realizing that he had rejected all the gifts at once, was flustered for a moment.

“Why it’s just like our son at home. You should also get married quickly and consider the interests of your family.”

“The Duke probably received gifts praying for peace at this hunting convention.”

The Duke’s left breast was looked at by Winter.

“From a distance, scars like the one worn on the chest can be seen at a glance. It was made by a fine craftsman.”

“Geez! Is that him?”

A smile appeared on the face of the Duke who wondered if it was a wasted effort to bring up the subject. He shrugged his shoulders to get a better look at the ornament on his chest.

“Is it too bad my sons have their eyes stuck to the back of their heads and are completely unrecognizable!”

“Not really. Since it’s a decoration that suits the Duke perfectly, so everyone else besides me noticed it too, I guess

“Haha! These people are all flattery!”

The Duke laughed bashfully, but pretended to show off

“My youngest daughter is a bit taller than my eyes.”

In that instant the hand that held whatever was holding the reins trembled a little. It was a faint shaking that no one noticed.

“Is it a gift from the male daughter?”

“Oh, of course, even if you don’t need them, I wanted to tell you something. Not everyone in the Inca Empire has them!”

Whoever heard that would feel proud and not get angry, in a subtle tone, the Duke had countless compliments on this.

Hearing the loud voice, the surrounding nobles couldn’t help but pound their chests for such a duke.

“Your daughter is so discerning.”

The one who didn’t know when he had faltered, at some point he revealed a courteous smile with a mask again.

“This is a meaningful gift that can feel the Duke’s discerning eye.”

“Is it? Do you think so too?” It was a very small gift, but the Duke was happy.

It was the answer he wanted. The duke smiled with satisfaction after showing off the gift his daughter had given her. As a courtesy, the duke began to observe him. It just so happened that an unseen glitter shone on the Marquis’ sleeve…

“Your clothes look good too, the color suits you.”

The same color as the pupil and exactly the same, it was a cuff inlaid with dark blue lapis lazuli.

Now that was something to make his face change.

“Yes? It’s a gift from someone else, you recognized it.”

“Was there a lover in the meantime without my knowledge?”

The Duke asked in surprise.

“The daughter of which family?” Quickly speak like a man. I’m the one who recognized your father!

“That one. Not that kind of relationship.”

Answer with an ambiguous expression. It’s a fact. But the Duke was completely unconvinced.

“Not that kind of relationship with him? It doesn’t seem to be an ordinary relationship. Show me who it is.”

The duke looked at the object, shining with curiosity as if he were seeing a little lady.

There was no hesitation in the assumption that it might be such a young daughter of the person himself.

It was embarrassing to know how to get out of the situation. That was the scene.

The eyes that suddenly made contact with his.

There were many who were skeptical about it. Whether it was the ladies who looked at me with envious eyes, or the nobles who were curious about the behavior of a unique duke in the empire. When Heartless looked up, he immediately noticed it. In the midst of the many people, his dazzlingly deep hair and lime green eyes stared round at the main character who was gazing at him.

“… You’re too loud” Without realizing it, the Duke turned into another person.

“Hm? Did you say it’s funny?”

“Whenever you meet me, you always keep a distance and speak words of rejection.”

It really looks like that when I look at it… maybe it’s because I didn’t make a good impression the second time we met…

Winter remembered the end of the encounter not too long ago.

“Hey, can I see her again?”

A voice that said goodbye without mercy.

But she didn’t know what the real identity of the magician wearing the rabbit mask was.

No, it didn’t matter.

She said he wouldn’t get that answer.

Just like yesterday, even as a reason for later encounters, it was mercilessly rejected.

People always have an easy time with their courteous appearance. Especially young ladies, even if they have a little bit of goodwill, they will smile with a red face. That’s no different than covering your face with a rabbit mask.

But that woman…

It was then that Winter realized he was disappointed in Penelope’s attitude.

That woman would never smile!

The male female who was searching for clues in the rumors was colder, sharper, and more beautiful than the rumors.

“So …………”

His expression remained the same today, a small smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

“Occasionally that smile comes, but I find it precious.”

Unintentionally locking eyes with him

[Favorability 32%]

I widened my eyes when he suddenly had a favorable impression. I wondered if I was looking at him wrong and blinked my eyelids a few times, but it turned out to be the same old thing.

What the heck? Did it go up 6% just by looking at each other?

This wasn’t normal mode, this damn game wouldn’t be in hard mode then with such good feelings.

I looked around at the two people dumbfounded.

The Duke said something with a serious expression, and suddenly broke out into a wide smile and powerfully tapped Winter’s shoulder.

“…”

It sounded loud, but the surrounding was too noisy to be heard intermittently.

What on earth are two people talking about?

The Duke’s words brought an inexplicable smile. At that time, he had no reason to be suspicious of others’ favorability.

“Hey, look! Little Duke Eckhardt and the Second Duke.”

The group of women next to me let out an exclamation while looking . As I followed them and turned my head, I inadvertently spotted two guys facing the direction of the duke.

Heh… The male lead is the male lead ah.

Riding on white and black horses respectively, they were more dignified and majestic than any nobles .

Their looks made people whisper and sigh.

“My, where are you so slippery?

“Would an embroidered handkerchief for Derek have worked?”

“I have guardian bracelets ready to give to Leonard.”

The ladies around them made muffled noises as they watched. They were noisy at that age, and it did not take them long to move cautiously toward them.

Looking back, it seemed as if it was time for many of the ladies to give gifts and leave the scene in a panic. Most of them headed toward Derrick and Leonard.

“Do I know how much those guys have the temper of a dog and make sly noises afterward?” I laughed at the way they looked. But then he thought “Ouch, ouch, ouch,” and rummaged through his pockets. Out of his hand came a small velvet case.

I stared at it blankly, in agony.

‘Who better to give it to…’

There were a total of three gifts bought from Arms from before. The one given to Emily and the Duke. And the other one was just in case…

At that time, I thought of giving it to Ikris if I don’t participate in the hunting competition, and if I do, as a part of preserving my life in case something like this could happen. But it’s better to give one to the hero.

Been thinking about who I would give it to but have had no luck since early in the morning so Derrick is out of the picture.

Yesterday, because the medicine was a bit touched, I was going to give it to take immediately ……

But seeing Winter next to the Duke, once again, he felt distressed.

[Favorability 32%] and [Favorability 3%] whatever, Leonard’s favorability is a tiny difference.

Here, if a gift was given to Winter, the plan to stop knitting was nullified.

Would this risk being taken as insurance again? Still hear the taunts of the Leonard guy all the time ……

At the time.

“Is it a gift for me?”

Like an eagle reaching out to grab food with its talons, it suddenly took the contents of the velvet chest with a sharp thud from behind.