When Pride Fell At My Toes - Chapter 24



Only Noblemtl

#24. Don’t provoke
2024.01.24.

The dark night sky was visible through the half-closed curtains.

“It looks like you only slept for about four hours. How about going back to bed?”

“I want to wash up first.”

“Then I’ll prepare some clothes for you to change into. I’ll change the sheets too.”

“Thank you.”

Zaveta showed her to the bathroom in the room and quickly left the room. Emilia drank the glass of water she had stopped drinking earlier and quickly headed to the bathroom. She

tried not to recall the unpleasant dream. She just focused on washing up in warm water and quickly changed into the indoor clothes Zaveta had brought her. In fact, she wanted to go home like this.

However, she worried whether it would be a nuisance to stay here for the night or to ask for a carriage to go back at this late hour.

Then, she decided to just stay, thinking that she would have to report to Enrico and might run into him at this hour.

“Here, have a cup of warm tea and go back to sleep.”

“Thank you. Madam, you should go and rest quickly. I’ll sit down and sleep.”

“… … Okay. Then, have a good dream.”

Zaveta hesitated for a moment, then nodded and stepped aside, seeing Emilia’s complexion improving. Soon, the door closed.

Emilia, sitting on a chair in front of a small fireplace, leaned back comfortably and slowly drank her tea. The crackling sound of the wood burning made her feel at ease.

She thought she was being too relaxed in someone else’s mansion, but since no one was coming tonight and she couldn’t go back right away anyway, she decided to just let it go and not think too deeply. Enrico, who had been so cold earlier, was on her mind, but she thought it would be okay if he showed her how to do well on stage next time.

After all, her job was to dance to the music like the music box she had seen in her dream.

Emilia, who had been staring at the fire with a resigned face, soon got up from her seat indifferently. After putting the teacup down on the table and returning to the fluffy bed, he suddenly stopped walking at the sound behind him.

‘Is Zabetta back?’

It was the sound of the door slowly opening. Emilia turned around to check who was coming in.

“… … Duke.”

If she had known it was Enrico, she would have pretended to be asleep. Emilia’s expression hardened slightly.

“You were awake.”

“Yes, I was just awake for a moment, so I was going to go back to sleep.”

Emilia replied, implying that he wanted her to leave again. However, as expected of someone who would not be interested in such thoughts, Enrico entered the room without hesitation.

His black hair was slightly wet, as if he had just washed up, and he was wearing a black robe similar to his hair color. As he approached, she could smell the heavy scent of perfume soaked in water.

Emilia was momentarily dazed by the languid scent that matched his, but then she hesitated and stepped back when she saw the open front of his robe.

I’ve seen him wear his shirt unbuttoned a few times, but this was the first time I’ve seen him reveal his

pubic hair so much that I was a little taken aback. I’ve seen ballet dancers reveal their upper bodies and wear tights that fit their bottoms, so I thought I was immune to men’s bodies, but when I saw the peacock’s thick chest muscles right in front of me, I couldn’t help but be surprised because they were so different from what I’d seen before.

When he was wearing a suit, he didn’t look like he had this much muscle, but when I saw the water dripping from his hair running down his thick nape and across his chest muscles, I didn’t know where to look.

“Fever?”

He asked quietly, having come closer to her without her noticing. She had been looking to the side as if she was embarrassed, but when she felt him come closer, she took a step back. Then, she covered her forehead with one hand, thinking that he might measure her temperature again like before.

“I’m okay.”

“Take your hand away.”

“Huh?”

“I can’t believe what you say.”

A sigh rose to the tip of her throat. She thought she should tell him to leave since it was rude, but Emilia slowly lowered her hand because he seemed like he wouldn’t leave until he actually checked her.

She also wondered if he would touch her foreheads again like before. When he grabbed her chin and lowered his head, she quickly raised both hands to block her way.

“Wait a minute! You can just check with your hand. Why are you measuring it like this?”

“I tend to have a high fever, so I can’t check with my hand.”

“You can check with the back of my hand.”

“Well. Why do you have to do it like that?”

“… … It’s late at night. It’s a bit uncomfortable for you to come into the room… … . I don’t think it’s right for you to come so close in such comfortable attire.”

Emilia calmly blinked her eyes. Her gaze met with his, who was looking down at her through his fingers. His long eyes dazzled.

“Are you afraid I’ll do something?”

“I didn’t think so. I’m just telling you that this situation isn’t right.”

“This is my mansion, who’s to judge what’s right and wrong? If I’m okay with it, then it’s okay.”

He whispered softly and grabbed her thin wrists. It was either his hands that were very large, or her wrists that were particularly thin. Or maybe it was both, but he grabbed both of her wrists with one hand and pulled her down.

She tried to remain calm, but her eyes were trembling slightly. He tilted his head and smiled, twisting his lips.

“But why do you think I wouldn’t?”

“… … Because the Duke doesn’t see me as a human being.”

Her face quickly turned indifferent as she muttered indifferently, as if she was talking about someone else’s business. A moving work of art, that’s all. Emilia showed a look of resignation, as if she wasn’t surprised, as if she was used to being treated like this.

His lips, which had been quietly looking down at her, slowly lowered. His face, devoid of smile, was cold and heartless. As if this was his original face.

“There’s nothing you can’t touch if you don’t see me as a person.”

Emilia’s eyes went up fiercely. If this continued, it seemed like a conversation that would cross the line. She couldn’t understand why she was acting like she couldn’t hurt him even though she was accepting what he wanted.

‘After all, he contracted me like a toy in the first place.’

Trying to talk to someone like that was her own mistake.

“Our contract was for me to stand on stage. I wish we wouldn’t clash privately like this.”

Emilia moved her arm as if trying to shake off his hand.

“Standing on stage is included. You have to satisfy me as you are.”

It was sheer stubbornness. Emilia raised her voice, furious at his eyes that were staring at her as if they were pressing down on her.

“That wasn’t in the contract!”

“So. You want to break it?”

She flinched and stopped moving her arm. Her fierce gaze relaxed and her lower lip trembled.

Only then did his hand release. He moved his hand and gently grabbed the end of her hair. Her soft platinum hair swayed in his fingers.

“You’re the one who’s sad. I’m just removing one of the artworks I had from my sight.”

He kept his gaze on her and slightly lowered his head, raising her hair. Very slowly, his lips touched her hair. It was just hair, but it felt strangely touching her skin.

Emilia’s two hands, which had hung down listlessly, clenched into fists. His gaze glanced down at her trembling hands.

“Don’t be unnecessarily cautious and provoke me. I don’t intend to touch you.”

He raised his lips and straightened his upper body. His fingers, who were pushing her hair back with a sophisticated smile like a mask, lightly brushed her neck. She could feel his low whisper and breath on her forehead due to the distance that had naturally become closer.

“Is the audition next week?”

He pushed the hair on her cheek behind her ear and placed the back of his hand on her forehead. He quietly touched her skin as if taking her temperature and stared down at her as she stood there. An

uncomfortable silence flowed. He didn’t hear the second hand from him, who usually wore a watch. Only Emilia’s slightly louder breathing filled the silence. She could see her chest rising and falling, gradually calming down.

“… … Yes.”

Her answer, which was a bit late, sounded like she was choking. However, Enrico showed a satisfied look in his eyes, as if he was the owner of a beast that had tamed him.

“Let’s see the next stage after the audition. Take care of your condition until then.”

He said as if he was doing her a favor and took his hand away. Her lips twitched at those words but eventually closed them. She

wanted to reach the truth about her parents even for a moment, but it was clear that if she did that, she wouldn’t be able to maintain her physical strength for long.

Her eyes, a mixture of resignation and regret, were hidden under her eyelids. He made a strange expression for a moment at her action of nodding slightly and then looking down, but quickly erased it.

“This time, you should take on an important role. Since you’re the one I’m supporting, shouldn’t you be able to do that much?”

Emilia put a little emphasis on the word “person.” For a moment, Emilia almost burst out laughing. It was funny how he changed from being overbearing to slightly relaxed, as if he was really trying to train her. It seemed like he was now treating her like a living animal, even though she was just an object.

“That’s right.”

He muttered a word in self-deprecation.

“Just do what you usually do.”

“… … .”

“Then this time, the results will come out as you showed me.”