99th Actress Chapter 12

Chapter 12. Date

Lian couldn’t help but wonder since the morning. She was tasting the Duke’s food today as usual, but next to her was a glass of the signature milk tea made with organic goat milk that she had drank at the tavern yesterday.

“Duke, is this the one I tasted at that tavern yesterday…?”

“It tasted good.”

Lian spoke in a somewhat excited tone.

“Is that so? I guess it suits the duke’s taste too! This is my first time trying such a delicious drink.”

“Yes. But I got more than I expected.”

He smiled as Lian finished her cup of milk tea and she poured another full cup. After a while, he spoke with a slight frown, checking the documents that Lian had given.

“What are you planning to do tomorrow?”

Lepierre asked Lian. It’s because Lian took her first vacation.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve gone elsewhere… for various reasons…. I think I should use my vacation before the end of this year.”

Lepierre’s eyebrows twitched strangely, as if something was not to his liking.

“Hmm… where are you going?”

“It’s… business… I have to go somewhere….”

“Really? Then let’s go together.”

He said, and Lian hurriedly waved her hand. A day off with her boss wasn’t needed.

“Yes… Yes? How can the Duke, who is so busy… It’s such a shabby place that it’s a bit difficult to host you…”

“It’s okay. I thought I’d go on an inspection trip to experience the lives of the common people. I just happen to have a free schedule for tomorrow.”

“Haha… yes….”

Lian smiled with an awkward expression.

The next day, Lian and Lepierre, wearing casual clothes, went out together.

Lepierre might have been recognized, so he wore his glasses and had his hair slicked back in a pomade style. With the incredibly different atmosphere, she couldn’t stop her eyes from moving to him.

The duke’s carriage was so extravagant that it stood out, so they were traveling in an ordinary carriage. Entering the lively market, Lian went to a store as if she was familiar with it.

Rattle.

“Hello, uncle~” 

A handsome middle-aged man who appeared to be the owner welcomed Lian as if he was familiar.

“Oh my, you come often these days.  I prepared what you ordered last time.”

Then he lifted the package from the corner and placed it on the counter.

“Is this your boyfriend? He’s very handsome~!!”

Lepierre slightly furrowed his eyebrows at this treatment he had received for the first time in his life. However, he left it alone without bothering to correct it.

“I… Let’s go over there and take a look.”

Lian, who noticed it, hurriedly took Lepierre to another place. As she was walking around, she placed things into her basket. The basket contained colorful threads, including needles and various fabrics.

“What are you doing with it?”

“I’m making handkerchiefs.”

“Handkerchief?”

“I’m doing it as a side job, but there are a lot of orders these days.”

She took a handkerchief from her pocket and showed it to Lepierre. It was a cute cotton handkerchief with a cute flower embroidered on the edge.

“It’s cute, right? These days, I make it out of silk, linen, cotton… a variety of things. Orders are flooding in as word of mouth has spread among servants.”

Lepierre was holding the end of the handkerchief given to him by Lian and turning it around. After observing it for a while, he seemed to have made up his mind and spoke to her.

“Hmm… Then, I’ll request one too.” 

“Huh? The Duke… I’m sure you have more luxurious things than these….”

“Sometimes even trivial things catch my eye.” 

The way he phrased that was kind of iffy. She couldn’t tell if it was an insult or a compliment.

“Ahaha… Yes. Then, I’ll make it for you too. There’s a few orders, so it’ll take about 15 days.”

“Okay.”

After paying the price, the two people headed to the middle of a market used by ordinary people. The lively market streets were lined with delicious-looking food, and people were seen bargaining over the prices of goods everywhere.

A figure standing tall in the middle of the market was very noticeable even from a distance. Since his size and appearance were unusual, everyone turned to look at him. 

“Duke, is this your first time coming to a place like this? Let’s eat that.”

Lian suddenly wrapped Lepierre’s arms and took him away. Slightly tensed by the sudden skinship, Lepierre was suddenly pulled by her.

The place they arrived at was a street vendor that was grilling pork in batches. Upon receiving their order, they immediately cut it into pieces and served it to them. She was momentarily surprised by the shocking visuals.

“Duke, try it.”

Lian gave Lepierre meat. He looked at it with a confused expression and took a bite. His brows soon relaxed as if the taste was not as bad as he thought.

Lepierre, who went out to see the market for the first time in his life, did not dislike it. No, it was quite fun. Looking at the vibrant place, he even felt energized. 

Lian also seemed very happy to be going out after a long time. She was running around excitedly, and in his eyes, she looked like a cute puppy, wagging its tail and showing curiosity about its surroundings.

The next place they visited was an accessories store. With various accessories on the stand, Lian was carefully choosing a pin to hold her hair in place.

Just then, she had just picked a pin with a cubic attached to a pretty butterfly. The grandmother, the stall owner, talked to her. 

“You’re a pretty couple. Is your lover buying it for you?” 

“No, grandma. It’s not like that.”

Lian waved her hand and reached into her pocket to pay. However, Lepierre immediately took out a gold coin from his pocket and handed it to the old woman without saying a word. It was as if he had paid 1 million won for a 10,000 won purchase.

“Oh my. No, you… why are you like this?”

After snatching the gold coins and putting them back in Lepierre’s hand, Lian handed the old woman some coins she had taken out of his pocket.

“Okay, this is free. I’m giving it to you because you two fit so well together.”

It was a cute ring made of gemstones, and the street stall owner even personally placed it on the hands of the two people. 

After walking around alone all day, Lian was starting to feel strange, feeling like they were on a date. To the point where she felt embarrassed because everyone would see them as a couple.

“Oh my… it’s not true…”

Her blushing face… was quite cute. Meanwhile, all these time, Lepierre was looking at Lian with his soft eyes.

***

Angelina was on her way out in secret, with her black hood up. It was after research was done on ‘Lian Roshart’.

The Duke always seemed to take her wherever he went. They seemed to have a very close relationship, judging by how he gave her a bracelet with a magic crystal.

As far as she knew, Lepierre had never had anyone by his side. The mere fact that that insignificant Lian Roshart was his first woman made her feel like she was going crazy with jealousy.

Above all, the way he looked at her was like a man looking at a woman. Angelina was well-versed in that field, and she could tell just by looking at his expression and eyes. As she remembered what happened that day, there were many days when she would jerk up from her sleep and not be able to control her anger.

In the end, she decided to take Lian Roshart away from Lepierre.

The first place she visited to carry out her purpose was the secret hideout of the dark guild that was in charge of running errands in the back alleys. After going through several maze-like intersections, starting with the entrance to the tavern, she arrived inside a large corridor. Soon an unusual person appeared in front of her.

“Why did such a precious person… come here?”

He was a beautiful man.

The person who appeared to be the leader of the group was wearing a mask, and just the look in his eyes showed an indescribable extraordinariness. His red eyes were staring at Angelina as if he was engraving her image.

“I came to get some things done.”

The maid, Gemma, placed a large bag on the desk, and it was full of gold coins.

“I heard there’s nothing you can’t get here.”

“Hmm… right. First of all, let’s hear what you want… shall we?”

An hour later-

Angelina, who had put something precious in her arms, got back into her carriage with her robes pressed down.