The Duke, Who Didn’t Even Call Me by My Name Until Yesterday, Has Suddenly Started Doting on Me? - Chapter 30

As I remained silent, the Duke wrapped his hand around mine and took it in his.

“Mariane, I know your kindness better than anyone. If you say you don’t understand, then I’ll explain.”

The Duke looked at me with a soft smile.

From the palm of my hand that the Duke held… I felt warmth from his eyes, and I was enveloped in a comfortable feeling that made my heart feel light and fluffy.

In the silent space where the visibility was unclear, the Duke’s gentle voice rang in my ears.

“Mariane, you have never once said anything to blame me for ignoring you. You always accepted the bouquets I sent you with a smile. You accepted the gifts I sent you without knowing your preferences, and treasured them. Whatever I told you, you listened with interest. When I held your hand, you shook it back, never letting go. Even though I refused to touch my food, you offered to eat with me. Every time I did something for you, you always said “thank you.” Mariane, you are a truly kind person.”

The Duke looked very happy as he spoke, but I found myself tilting my head a little.

Certainly, what he just said was the same as the exchanges we had had up until now, but there was nothing special about it.

Are you saying that such small things were special to the Duke…? 

“But… that’s normal, right? I don’t think I did anything special.”

Then the Duke burst out laughing.

“You know someone who couldn’t do that normal thing, right?”

“Ah…”

That person was, of course… the former Duke.

If I said anything more, it would sound like I was criticizing the former Duke, so I kept my mouth shut.

“And I’m not the only one. There are other people who know your kindness. There are already many people around you.”

I thought he was referring to the people who work at the mansion, including Lydia and Jake.

“Those are the people the Duke gathered… I didn’t do anything special…”

“It’s true that I gathered the people. But everyone is attracted to you. They’ve been touched by your kindness, and they want to be just as kind to you.”

Really…? Was it okay to think like that?

It’s true that to me right now, all the people I was spending time with here were irreplaceable and precious.

Even though we’re not related by blood, I think of us as family living in the same mansion, and I’d be happy if everyone thought of us that way too. But I still couldn’t think of myself as someone worthy of being loved by someone.

Until now, I thought the reason the Duke loved me was because I was his wife.

That he would cherish and love me because I was his wife. That’s the kind of person I had become. But if that’s not the case… then what was my value?

I didn’t know what I was like in the Duke’s dream, but he might have misunderstood me somehow.

The real me was so weak and unable to do anything… a servile, hopeless person.

“I… am not someone of that value. Even now… I have no confidence in myself… I’m indecisive… and I can’t even stand proudly next to you as the Duchess…”

I didn’t want to say any more things that would belittle myself. And yet the words just came out of my mouth.

The inferiority complex that had built up over the years entangled me like a bottomless swamp, refusing to let me escape.

“That’s not true. You’re very attractive, and stronger than anyone else.”

For some reason, the Duke’s words of encouragement now made me feel frustrated and irritated.

“I’m…! I’m not strong! Even back then…I couldn’t say anything in front of Susanna…!”

Speaking like this was nothing more than a way of taking out my anger.

I regretted that I had been unable to say anything in front of Susanna that day.

I was angry at myself for still being weak, nothing had changed since the old days.

I felt so pathetic, powerless, only able to be protected by the Duke.

Recalling the miserable feelings I had at that time, I hid my face from the Duke, not wanting him to notice the tears welling up inside me.

Once again, the Duke’s calm voice reached my ears.

“But even so, you were trying to protect everyone in this mansion. I honestly wanted to rush over to you right away, but Lydia asked me to just keep an eye on you for a bit. So I watched over you for a while. It’s frustrating, but it seems Lydia knows you better than I do. Besides, I was responsible for that incident. I’m really causing you so much trouble.”

As I thought… the Duke had seen the conversation between me and Susanna.

That’s why he felt responsible and apologized to me back then.

Because he saw how depressed I was when he brought up the story of the Duke in the past.

“Mariane, you show your true strength when you act for someone else. At that time, the way you defended your position as Duchess and tried to protect everyone in the mansion was very beautiful. I like your usual gentle and ladylike nature, but I am most touched by the way you try to protect someone.”

“But… I…”

Why can’t I accept the Duke’s words honestly?

“I…!”

No matter how much time passed, I couldn’t have confidence in myself… I hated myself for being like this.

I couldn’t speak, and the tears I had been holding back spilled out, wetting the back of my hand, which I was holding in my lap.

I was sure the Duke was amazed at how I look, moping around over such a trivial matter and even shedding tears… I was sure the Duke was amazed at the sight of me like this.

Afraid to confirm this, I looked down for a while, unable to raise my face as I stared at the tears spilling out.

Time passed slowly in the silent room – and before we knew it, the moonlight streaming in through the window had reached the bed where we were sitting.

As if guided by the light, I lifted my tear-stained face.

There was…

Nothing had changed.

The Duke was staring at me with his usual gentle and calm smile.

His red eyes sparkled as they reflected the moonlight, and when our eyes met, he narrowed his eyes with a happy look.

His eyes were quietly waiting for me to speak, as if to say, “Tell me anything.”

“Why…?”

It was a very simple question.

“Why are you so kind to me, Duke…?”

It had always been that way.

The Duke was kind.

The Duke said I was kind, but he was the kindest of all. He always watched over me with a gentle smile.

He spoiled me with his endless generosity.

What was the source of that unfathomable kindness?

In response to my question, the Duke narrowed his eyes even more and wiped the tears rolling down my cheeks with a smooth hand.

“Because you were kind to me.”

It took an instant for the answer to come.

There was no hesitation in the Duke’s refreshing words, as if it was obvious.

The Duke’s eyes were looking straight at me. He was smiling gently, just like always.

When I thought back… when his behavior had just changed, the Duke would sometimes look hollow, as if he was remembering someone.

I knew now that he was surely remembering me in his dreams. But I wondered when that had started.

I no longer saw him like that.

The Duke would always have his eyes on me, and continue to whisper to me of his unchanging love.

I wondered what I was like.

At first, I was very happy because it was the first time I was loved by someone other than my mother.

The Duke loved me. That’s why I wanted to respond to his feelings. But as I spent time with the Duke, I noticed his kindness and sincerity, the unexpected sides to him that Lydia had told me about, and the shy gestures he sometimes showed.

My heart was touched by every single side the Duke showed me, and before I knew it, I had grown to like him very much.

Perhaps we were alike.

Even if the reasons we fell in love were different, perhaps as we spent the same time together, our feelings gradually began to move in the same direction and intertwine.

The Duke gently wiped the tear from the other side of my cheek that he had wiped away earlier, and gently placed his hand on my head.

“Mariane. Even if you don’t have confidence in yourself, that doesn’t change the fact that I love you. If you’re in pain and crying, I’ll wipe away your tears no matter how many times you cry. There’s no need to force yourself to be strong. I can just be by your side and protect you forever.”

The Duke gently stroked my head and smiled a pure smile.

No matter what I was, the Duke would accept me as I was.

I thought he would embrace me completely with his never-ending love.

“Aren’t you being too soft on me, Duke…?”

“That’s right. I want to spoil you. So much so that you’ll need me by your side.”

The Duke said with a slightly malicious smile.

If I really continued to be spoiled by this person, I would end up becoming a useless person.

I felt stupid for thinking so hard about things, and a laugh welled up in my eyes.

“Hehe.”

What was I worried about?

It had always been that way.

Not to me in my dreams.

The Duke had always conveyed his love to me.

Looking straight at me, with an expression of unbearable love…

The Duke was before my eyes, just as he always had.

I had seen him so many times, but the feelings that had been dammed up deep in my heart welled up and overflowed.

I too… this time I wanted to tell him the words I had never been able to say.

Your name…

“Lady Alexia.”

The Duke’s eyes, smiling as he spoke the name for the first time, widened.

His ruby-red eyes stared fixedly at me as if he was witnessing an unbelievable sight.

Seeing the Duke like that, a feeling of love welled up inside me.

I wondered if the Duke had always felt this way.

My face naturally broke into a smile, and my chest and cheeks began to heat up.

I was so happy to be able to say these words, and this time tears began to well up.

“I love you.”

As I whispered these words to the Duke, I was sure I was wearing the same expression as the Duke when he always whispered words of love to me.

I thought he was smiling because he loved me so much.

The Duke was staring at me, his eyes wide open and frozen, but his crimson eyes began to waver. Tears began to spill out.

“Oh, Mariane… thank you. I love you too. I love you. Always and always.”

The Duke spoke these words with such a happy smile that this time my tears began to flow.

We had only just confessed our love, so why were we both crying so much?

It felt a little strange about it… but I was happy.

I came to my senses a little and my face got hot.

We looked at each other and laughed shyly.

Suddenly, I felt the Duke’s hand on my shoulder, and his face slowly came closer.

Realizing what this meant, I slowly closed my eyes… and soon our lips quietly met.