Chapter 28: CH 28

“Oh my, what to do?”

Juliana opened her eyes wide in surprise.

Louis appeared while she was eating her meal. There was only Anna, her temporary maid, and Louis, in the room.

“I broke the bowl.”

Juliana deliberately acted as if she was startled. She revealed her anger on purpose, so no matter how ignorant a person was, they would notice.

“It’s okay, you can just call the maid.”

There was no change in Louis’ face. He reacted calmly with his characteristic laid-back attitude. Louis’ trademark Azalea flowers were in his front pocket.

“If I do that I will truly feel bad, Grand Duke.”

Juliana didn’t give Louis a chance to speak and continued.

“Right now, there are only three of us in this room… I already broke three bowls before the Grand Duke appeared. I feel so sorry for making Anna clean up the broken bowls.”

It was the first time she had broken a bowl but she didn’t even blink an eye as she lied naturally. Anna, who stood next to her, seemed to be surprised at what she had heard. Juliana pretended not to notice and fixed her gaze on Louis.

‘Now, what are you going to do?’

When he told her that she could call the maid, she cleverly countered it by saying that she could not make her do it.

‘I wish someone else could pick it up, but there’s only the three of us in the room? And, am I not a guest?’

If interpreted, it meant that he shouldn’t order Anna to do it as she had already picked up three broken bowls before he came. That he should bow his head and pick it up for her. In front of a maid, it was tantamount to an insult.

‘Really, the way the nobles speak is very inconvenient…. How great is it to just be honest?’

With that thought, she looked at Louis. He furrowed his eyebrows in displeasure.

‘Grand Duke.’

At her use of those distant words, one of Louis’ eyebrows raised. What was this discomfort?

What discomfort! It was just a broken bowl!

Juliana inwardly rejoiced at the grimace on Louis’ face. She was proud of herself for causing such a reaction. Her skills were gradually improving!

Yes. It was better to rebel than despair. Juliana was going to give him a proper payback.

‘Is being the Empire’s Lunatic everything? Do you think you’re the only one who can act recklessly?’

Juliana gained confidence from his distorted expression. She intended to sabotage his interest in her by making him go through all kinds of inconveniences. She was going to show the man an example.

“Juliana.”

Louis gradually approached her with a stiff face. Juliana sensed that it was time for her to commit herself to her acting, and distanced herself from him.

“Grand Duke, please do not cross the line. I value my privacy so much that it would be difficult if you come too close…”

Juliana paused her speech for a moment, then hesitated. She continued and said,

“…It’s very unpleasant. It’s not like you don’t understand, right?”

“……”

“No way. Aren’t you the one and only Grand Duke of the Empire?”

Acting like this was disgusting even in her opinion and she wanted to stop. It was difficult at first, but her act became more and more natural. Words that she didn’t even memorize flowed freely out of her mouth.

“Ah, the smell.”

Juliana grabbed her nose. Louis was dressed stunningly today, and the smell of his sweet perfume wafted as he drew near. Was it enough to say that it smelled like a male’s seductive pheromone?

She was kind of annoyed that he dressed so nicely to look good for someone.

“What’s this smell?”

However, she also planned to use this as a side dish for acting. It was time to eat so it was good to complain that she had lost her appetite. Juliana was very hungry, but she put her bowl aside and left her regrets behind.

She furrowed her eyebrows and fanned her nose as if trying to find the source of the smell, Louis’ ears seemed to heat up. He looked terribly embarrassed.

“……Julie.”

Louise stood tall and called out her name. Juliana pretended not to hear him and glanced around her.

“Where’s the smell coming from? Is this vase the problem?”

“Julie.”

Juliana was delighted at the thought that she had elicited a reaction from him. Yes, he should feel it too!

The absurd things that she went through. She wanted him to feel it, like dirt underneath his nails. How embarrassed was she when she found out that he was the empire’s madman and the very person who had brought her here.

She wished he felt at least half of the shock she received!

“Does the flower that the Grand Duke brought, smell?”

“Julie.”

“…..”

Louis’ eerie voice gave her goosebumps. She accidentally hit the vase as she stopped. Clang, the bowl, and now even the vase fell to the floor.

Juliana looked at the fallen petals and shards of glass in cold sweat.

Earlier, no matter who saw it, would know that she purposely broke the bowl. She had nothing to say here, even if he thought that she had also hit the vase on purpose.

‘Well… maybe it’s a good thing.’

If Louis hated her, he wouldn’t want to keep her here. Maybe he already hated her for what she just did.

She broke the bowl, then the vase… She also acted as if he smelled bad!

That’s what she thought.

“Get out.”

Juliana’s heart stopped for a moment as Louis spoke in a blunt voice.

… Was he that offended?

It was an act as she had no choice but to play in front of a man who wouldn’t let her go. But the words he spat out in a cold voice pierced her heart like a dagger. Juliana hid a bitter laugh and tried to leave the room.

“Yes, I understand!”

The moment Juliana was about to step away from him, Anna answered. Juliana stopped walking towards the door at the sound of her voice.

Anna quickly removed the broken bowl and shards of glass with an eagerness that said she wanted to get out of this awkward atmosphere quickly. And just like that, she ran away.

“……”

Juliana was bewildered by Anna’s hasty disappearance. She glanced at Louis who was staring at her.

It was at that moment that she realized Louis was speaking to Anna, and not her when he said ‘Get Out’. Juliana’s heart was shaken by the confusing feeling of relief.

‘Why did I just feel relieved?’

It was not that she had nowhere to go, and it also wasn’t because she wanted to remain in the Grand Duke’s mansion. Juliana was distracted and didn’t know that Louis was still staring at her.

“Julie.”

Louis brought her back to her senses with a stern voice. Juliana was startled and turned to him.

If she had acted like this, her face would have been flushed red by now. There was no change in his expression, as if he was wearing an iron mask.

“Why, why……”

Juliana’s voice sounded like an ant crawling. Her conscience was pricked by the recent vase incident. Louis slowly stepped towards her. He quietly stood next to Juliana then leaned down.

“Please call me Louie like you used to.”

“Huh?”

He pointed it out so kindly that Juliana stuttered for a moment.

It was something she never thought of. Juliana obviously thought he was angry. She thought that was why he grimaced and had a hardened expression… It turned out that he was upset about something else.

‘D*mn it!’

Juliana bit her lip hard. She forgot that she was acting. Juliana thought she couldn’t change her strategy now, and decided that she would rather take this opportunity.

She was going to continue acting.

“I don’t think I can do that. Grand Duke.”

Juliana deliberately pushed the Grand Duke away and drew an invisible line in front of each other.

“I’m sad, Juliana. We are friends.”

Louis subtly added and spoke in a sorrowful voice.

“Friends should be close to each other, both physically and mentally.”

A timid tone of voice that seemed to tell the truth of the world.

Juliana opened her mouth at his absurd words. She lost her conviction for a moment, but regained her composure and kept her heart as firm as an impregnable fortress. She couldn’t afford to be soft in front of a man like this

“Grand Duke, I think the order is wrong.”

Juliana straightened her back and tucked her long hair behind her ear. She expressed her opinion in a resolute tone.

“How can friendship be established between a deceiver and the deceived?”

“…..”

“I thought it had been a long time since the relationship between those friends had ended… Do I have to tell you for you to realize that?”

She could see Louis’ face crumbling in shock.

“You hate me now? I don’t deserve to be friends with Julie?”

His voice trembled. Juliana remained silent, lest her heart be weakened by his mournful voice.

There was no going back across the river that she had already crossed.

How could they still be friends when the truth and secrets had already been revealed?

“Yes, no more… I don’t think I can anymore.”

Juliana aimed for the kill. When she spat her words out, she felt nauseous.

Yes, he had to live with what she said.

With that thought, she saw Louis furrowing his brows as if he was distressed.

Louis placed one hand on his chest, like someone holy, and his long eyelashes trembled.

A pure and beautiful appearance. The man turned his head to the side, then stared at the ceiling, biting his lip and behaving strangely.

Juliana almost stopped breathing as he turned his gaze back to the front.

From the angle she saw, his moist eyes were clearly visible… His face was contorted as if he was in pain. He looked at Juliana with sorrowful eyes.

Juliana became nervous as she saw his eyes that seemed to be possessed. She pinched her own thigh to calm down. He slowly opened his lips.