The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 50

Episode 50. Festival (2)

After arriving at the center of Lot, the two began exploring the festival.

A lively scene spread before their eyes. The entire city was swept up in festivity. Among the fresh green trees and colorful flowering ones that marked the beginning of summer, crowds of people were enjoying the celebration.

In the square, the sound of street musicians’ instruments echoed, and stalls overflowed with food.

The central streets were packed with people. Children sucked on huge candies as they held their parents’ hands, gazing around in wonder.

“Looks delicious.”

Emilia swallowed hard as she looked at the food being sold from small street carts.

“Miss, have a taste!”

Street vendors tempted passersby with trays full of food. Cheese, fruits, bean dishes, skewers, roasted corn, cotton candy—there were all kinds of delicious-looking treats.

Emilia stopped in front of the skewer cart that looked the most appetizing.

“Two, please.”

“Yes, right away!”

The skewer seller handed her two sticks with a friendly smile.

“Helen, have one.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Ah, thank you.”

Helen, who had accidentally called her “Your Highness” as usual, quickly turned away and tapped her mouth in embarrassment. They had agreed to speak casually and act like commoners during the festival.

The skewer seller, having overheard, glanced toward another vendor selling corn and subtly signaled to him. The vendors’ eyes turned toward Emilia.

“Mmm, this is good.”

Taking a bite of the skewer, Emilia let out an exclamation. The mix of sweetness and saltiness was irresistible.

‘Louid must’ve never known pleasures like this, being a member of the imperial family.’

She suddenly thought of Louid. As a member of the imperial family, he’d only eaten the dishes prepared by palace chefs. Street food was probably something he’d never even seen before.

“Please pack two more.”

“Yes, right away!”

The vendor smiled kindly as he wrapped two more skewers for her.

At every food stand she liked, Emilia ordered two portions to take home. Of course, she and Helen tasted one each first, and she even bought some for the guards.

“I’m so full.”

After sampling food from almost every cart, Emilia felt like she would burst.

Helen, just as cheerful as any young woman in her twenties, was clearly in high spirits. Holding her skewer, she turned to Jamie, who was following behind them.

“Here, have this.”

“Why?”

Jamie, a young man in his twenties as well, looked down at her with a curt expression.

“Never mind if you don’t want it.”

“No, I’ll eat it.”

When Helen reached out to take the skewer back, Jamie quickly accepted it.

“Sorry for getting angry at you last time. And thanks for guarding us today.”

Helen spoke shyly in a small voice. She had yelled at Jamie before when Emilia fell ill from overwork.

“It’s my duty. I’m sorry about that day too.”

“Alright then. Consider this a peace offering.”

“Thank you.”

“Hey, wait up.”

Helen hurried toward Emilia, who was walking ahead. Jamie stood still for a moment, holding the skewer, and watched her walk away.

‘That woman’s the Grand Duchess? She doesn’t look anything like the one I saw at the wedding.’

Lina strolled through the streets pretending to enjoy the festival while receiving discreet hand signals from the assassins disguised as merchants.

They nodded toward a woman dressed as a commoner and raised their thumbs. It was the signal they had agreed to send once they spotted the Grand Duchess. Lina turned sharply and stared at the woman in shock.

The Grand Duchess looked completely different from the woman she’d seen at the wedding.

The once gaunt face had filled out, her sunken cheeks now soft and rosy like a child’s. Her fair complexion and pink cheeks glowed with liveliness as she moved through the crowd.

‘There’s no way the Grand Duke’s treating the granddaughter of Duke Berthe, the man who tried to kill him, kindly, right?’

Seeing the healthy Grand Duchess made her wonder if the relationship between the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess was actually good.

Pretending to browse the street, Lina continued to follow Emilia’s group. No one suspected the beautifully dressed noblewoman mingling among the crowd, even as she watched and occasionally bought things like any other festivalgoer.

At one side of the square, a group of gypsies danced to lively music played by street performers. Suddenly, the Grand Duchess who had been watching joined their circle and began spinning hand in hand with them. Though disguised as a commoner, she was undeniably a noblewoman.

‘What’s the Grand Duchess doing, mixing with gypsies so shamelessly?’

Lina couldn’t believe she’d lost the position of Grand Duchess to a woman like that.

“Tch, let’s go back.”

Annoyed, Lina clicked her tongue and ordered her escort knight. She glanced once more in Emilia’s direction before turning away with an angry face and heading back to the inn.

Emilia returned to the castle after enjoying the festival, her arms full of snacks she had bought.

That evening, the dinner table she shared with Louid was filled with the treats she had brought from the festival: skewers, roasted corn, cotton candy, and more.

“What’s all this?”

Louid looked puzzled at the snacks laid out on the table.

“I bought them while enjoying the festival today. They’re really delicious. Please, try them.”

With a cheerful smile, Emilia picked up a skewer and held it out to him.

“I see. Judging by that bright expression, you must’ve had fun.”

Although Louid had already received reports about where she had gone, what she had done, and what she had eaten, he pretended not to know anything in front of her.

“Yes, it was wonderful.”

Louid took the skewer from her and put it in his mouth.

“It’s good.”

After tasting a bite, he nodded.

“Right?”

Emilia’s face beamed with pride. Louid watched her talk excitedly about what she had seen at the festival, listening to her chatter with a faint look of amusement.

He found that eating while listening to her wasn’t unpleasant. Before marrying Emilia, he had always dined alone in silence. On top of that, the food she had brought was genuinely delicious.

The next day was scheduled for one of the festival’s main events—a stage play. Though Louid had never attended a festival performance before, this time he had received a request to appear with the Grand Duchess, so he decided to go with her.

“Emilia, there’s a play tomorrow. You’ll attend with me.”

“A play? Sounds fun. I’m looking forward to it.”

Emilia replied brightly to Louid’s words, holding the roasted corn in both hands and eating it happily.

The next day, Emilia began preparing early in the morning. Since she would be attending as the Grand Duchess, she thought it best to dress formally.

The preparation that began in the morning continued through a light lunch and into the afternoon. After finishing her hair and makeup, Emilia put on the dress she had designed herself: an ivory dress with soft pink rose patterns. She paired it with a diamond necklace, an ivory hat, and a small handbag.

When she went down to the first-floor lobby to take the carriage, Louid was waiting for her.

“I’m sorry. Did I keep you waiting?”

“….”

Seeing her descend the stairs in that beautiful dress, Louid stood silently for a while, saying nothing.

The sky was clear, and so was the air. The expression of the woman walking toward him was just as bright and pure. It felt as if the northern sunlight was shining only for her.

“Louid, did you wait long?”

When her clear voice reached him again, his dazed expression returned to normal.

“Huh? No, not really.”

Feigning composure, he extended his hand. Escorting Emilia out of the lobby, Louid helped her into the carriage and then followed after her. Once he sat down across from her, the carriage slowly began to move.

For a while, the two sat in awkward silence. The quiet was so deep they could even hear each other swallow. Emilia had nothing particular to say, so she simply gazed out the carriage window. Louid seemed to be the only one conscious of the tension.

After passing through the castle gates, the carriage entered the lakeside road, the same one where Louid had once taken her riding in front of him.

“Louid, isn’t this our first time riding a carriage together since the wedding?”

Eventually, Emilia broke the silence. Louid’s thick eyebrows twitched at her words.

“Is it?”

Now that she mentioned it, it seemed to be true. With a thoughtful expression, he looked at Emilia sitting across from him.

“I suppose it is.”

As the Grand Duke, he had many duties and usually rode on horseback rather than by carriage, so there had been little reason to ride one. Moreover, though unintentionally, he hadn’t had any occasion to go out with Emilia, so there had been no chance to share a carriage.

“The festival is so much fun.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

“There’s so much to see and so much good food. What did you think of the food I brought from the festival?”

Once Emilia began talking, she continued happily with a bright expression.

“It was good. Is this your first time attending a festival?”

“….”

Louid’s question made her pause.

How should I answer? She didn’t even know if the duchy held its own festivals. If she said she had attended one before and he asked about it, she’d be in trouble.

“…I think this might be my first,” Emilia replied after thinking for a moment.

“Might be?”

“I don’t remember much from my childhood. I was always sick.”

“I see.”

Louid nodded slightly in understanding. He had heard from the Emperor that the Duke hadn’t revealed his granddaughter to the public because she was ill. He almost mentioned that he, too, had never been to a festival, but stopped himself.

If he said that, she might ask why. Then he would have to explain that he’d avoided crowds because of Duke Berthe’s assassination threats. That was something he didn’t want to talk about.

He quietly listened to Emilia’s chatter until they arrived at the theater.

Two hours after leaving the Grand Duke’s castle, their carriage arrived at the theater.