If I Disobey the Duke

His family (2)

Princess Ingrid made rested her elbows on her tea table. She had thick, straight eyebrows, sharp raised eyes, and a lofty expression like a cat. It was as if Vlad had turned into a woman.

“How could a commoner be born with such an appearance… You’re like a deer that lives on the moon. Extremely beautiful, but also really tough. I must say that each area is different. There are so many fun things to do when you’re by my side. Hehe.”

Lily rolled her eyes and looked behind Ingrid. Ivan, who was standing there, averted his eyes, and she rolled her eyes again and looked straight ahead. Her eyes met Ingrid’s gray ones.

“The salon is also well decorated. It has a more elegant charm than what the capital aristocrats have. It’s been a while since the construction has been completed, but it seems to be quite aesthetically pleasing. Yes?”

The salon was the most unrelated space in the castle to Lily. She didn’t know any aristocrats, and the balls and tea parties she had experienced all her life were just terrible. How hard it was for a commoner, who became the daughter-in-law of a noble family, to prepare for her mother-in-law’s social gathering. It was painful to even speak.

She didn’t even want to look at the salon, but it was worthwhile to take great care in preparation for the day Vlad’s guest would come.

“I’m going to ask you something. Then you do the same to me. Yes?”

“How dare I question such a noble bloodline. It’s an honor for me just to invite you to speak. Your Highness.”

Vlad urged her not to get entangled with the princess, but she was sitting face to face like this in a day. She just wanted to go back to her bedroom, quickly.

Unsurprisingly, Ingrid looked back at Ivan, wrinkling the back of her nose, as if her answer was not enough.

“Ivan. Doesn’t it mean that there’s nothing to ask about, am I that boring that she doesn’t want to know anything?”

“It can be said that you’re a person who does not care about anything at all and is alone in her excitement.”

“What?” Ingrid snorted and turned his head towards him. Part of her loose black hair fell over her shoulder and flowed down. She grinned at Ivan. “Yes. I’m going to make you bald for my fun today. When I’m pulling out your hair, I’ll smash you against the ground and make you regret that you grew hair. I will not forgive you even if you’re my half-uncle!”

“The soon-to-be-enthroned one has already engaged in such a vicious and terrible tyranny, Your Highness.”

“Your uncle…?” As Lily repeated it blankly,

Ingrid shook her head again. Her eyes filled with interest, as if she was glad that Lily had reacted. “Didn’t you know? He’s also an illegitimate child of my grandfather. Your husband’s half brother.”

tl/n : Ivan is the half-brother of Vlad. Vlad’s royal half-brother is the emperor. Vlad is Ingrid’s uncle.

A shadow fell on Lily’s face as she listened to her explanation.

The emperor threw illegitimate children as numerous as grains of sand, but no one acknowledged their existence. Likewise for illegitimate children, both the biological father and their children implicitly denied blood ties and lived their own lives.

Moreover, Ivan’s body was surrendered to the arms of God. It was, in fact, a blatant insult to bring up his lineage.

Lily’s eyebrows naturally furrowed, and at that moment, Ivan took control of the conversation.

“If you tell her how I came to be here, we will have more conversations, Your Highness.”

He seemed to have prevented Lily from protesting against Ingrid in any way. Noticing his meaning, Lily quietly bit her lips.

“Right. Do you know how hard it was in the chapel for half a year? I had to stay there for three years… The only person with whom I can chat with is Nerva, the mountain mortal. It was so boring that I even counted my hair.” Ingrid shuddered. “At the same time, my handmaiden sent a telegram to tell me that my brother-in-law would abdicate soon. He’s going to die soon, right? Fufu. I was planning to go back soon and prepare for the coronation ceremony of the Crown Princess.”

“Ah…”

Ingrid smiled again at her, who simply nodded her head in confusion. It was like an aristocratic woman who found the jewelry she liked the most at the jewelry store. “Anyway, it went well. Wouldn’t you have missed out on this interesting thing? To be honest, I didn’t want to come to the castle where the Duke of Winter was.” She tilted her head, her black, straight hair falling to one side. “If that mongrel put a curse on me, the effect would be enormous. No matter what country it is, the consequences are scary.”

This time it wasn’t a provocation. It was sincere.