I Tamed the Northern Grand Duke
After seeing Cecilia off, I stepped into the classroom for the next lecture and claimed a seat in the very back row.
"Hmm. Not many people here."
But before long a familiar face appeared, and I waved.
"Miss Cecilia."
"Eh?"
She walked toward me with a startled expression. Chloe, trailing behind her, looked equally surprised.
"Your Grace, why are you here?"
"I've developed an interest in herbology."
I smiled and patted the empty seat beside me. Cecilia sat down with a hesitant little shuffle. Right then—
"Cecil! Wait a second!"
"Kh…Chloe?"
Chloe hauled her out of the classroom, and they returned only a short while later.
"…Ahem. So you've taken an interest in herbology?"
"I remembered what Miss Cecilia made back at the mansion."
"I see."
Actually, that wasn't true. Diligent Cecilia spent her time polishing herself while the crown prince trailed after Elysia. Herbology was simply one of those efforts.
The only class that overlaps first and second year. I slipped it into the schedule on a hunch, and it paid off.
"…"
"Miss Cecilia?"
"Yes!"
"About earlier—"
"Hello, everyone!"
The classroom door burst open on a hearty voice. A white-haired middle-aged man who looked for all the world like a mountain spirit from a fairy tale strode in, waving cheerfully at the students.
"I'm Professor Sion, in charge of herbology! Looking forward to a good year with all of you!"
He took in the startled faces of the class, then broke into a broad grin.
"Hahaha! No need to look so tense. My class isn't that difficult—just keep up and you'll be fine!"
I was still propped on one hand, staring blankly into space, when Cecilia leaned in close.
"Don't fall for it."
"Hieuk?"
The soft, ticklish brush of her breath against my ear wrung a completely involuntary sound out of me.
"Hm? You there—are you all right?"
"Ah…yes. I'm fine."
"Hahaha! Is that so? Then hurry and take your seat!"
I scratched the back of my head and sat back down. Beside me, Cecilia was smothering little giggles.
"Miss Cecilia…"
"Fufu, I'm sorry. It seems Your Grace has rather sensitive ears?"
"…"
"Revenge for lunchtime. How was it?"
How was it? Damn it, my heart is hammering.
"More importantly—don't be fooled. Professor Sion is notorious throughout the Academy for his ridiculously demanding assignments."
"Urgh. Of all the luck."
I'd walked into this class just to look after Cecilia, only to discover that little landmine. No wonder the original story had him so buried under homework that he never managed to keep Elysia in check and everything went sideways.
"Still…maybe the two of us can handle it?"
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Just trust me and follow my lead, Your Grace."
"Ohh, so my senior is going to take me under her wing? I'm deeply moved."
"Fufu."
Cecilia gave a little shrug of her shoulders. The urge to scoop her up and carry her off like a bundle of treasure surged all over again.
Hold on…my heart.
Professor Sion's dry lecture droned on up front, but none of it reached me. All I could hear was the soft scrape of Cecilia's pen as she diligently took notes right beside me.
Maybe I should sit somewhere else next time.
"Next time, too."
"Hm?"
"You'll sit next to me, won't you?"
"…"
Goosebumps. Had she just read my mind? Was this the composure of a true senior?
"For the sake of the rumors as well, of course."
"…Of course."
Once herbology ended, Cecilia stepped out and headed for her next classroom. It lay in the opposite direction from Victor's, which was a little disappointing, yet simply having sat beside him for an entire lecture had left her floating on air. It had been a thoroughly satisfying hour.
"Cecil~!"
Thud!
"Chloe."
Chloe barreled into her arms and immediately linked elbows. Cecilia smiled down at her friend.
"So? Did you try it like I told you?"
"Uh…yeah."
"How was it? His Grace looked flustered, right?"
"Yeah. He was really flustered…but Chloe."
"What?"
"Th-that thing, you know."
"Whaaaat~"
Cecilia's ears burned scarlet as she hung her head.
"I…I don't think I can ever do that again."
"Why!"
"Be—"
"Be?"
"It's embarrassing!!"
She pointed at the romance novel still clutched in Chloe's arms.
"I…I acted just like the young lady in that novel…"
"Uh-huh!"
"If I do something like that again, my heart will…"
"Aigoo. Our poor Cecil…was it that hard?"
"Yeah. Yeah."
"But Cecil, think about it. Look at all the young ladies at the Academy staring at His Grace."
"…"
"If you want to keep them in check, you need to look at least a little bit like a fox yourself."
"A fox…I'm not—"
"Ah-ah. That's how you lose everything, you know? Listen carefully, Cecilia. My married sisters and my cousin all say the same thing—if you keep acting like a first-year, you won't protect a single thing."
"B-but…"
She almost said that she and the Grand Duke were only bound by a contract, then swallowed the words.
…Wait. Prioritize the contract? In that case, keeping the filth away from His Grace is exactly what a fiancée should do…isn't it?
"Cecil?"
"It's nothing. Keep going."
Seeing the resolve fill Cecilia's eyes, Chloe nodded.
"So acting a little fox-like isn't always bad. Driving other girls out of your territory is perfectly natural. And are we even doing anything wrong? We're just protecting our fiancé."
"Yeah, yeah!"
"So every now and then you throw in a variation. Even in swordsmanship, that kind of unexpected move decides the match."
"I see!"
"Right. So Cecil, if you read this novel and mix the heroine's moves with your usual self…"
Gulp.
Cecilia swallowed dryly, hanging on Chloe's next words.
"…then the day His Grace is completely conquered by you won't be far off."
"Ah…"
Victor looking only at her. Victor loving only her. The deliciously illicit thrill of leaping past a mere contractual bond.
"As expected…Chloe!"
"Fufu."
Chloe Rista, veteran of sixteen years of romance novels, beamed at the friend who had accepted her hard-earned advice.
Cecilia's behavior had thoroughly bewitched me, but after a full day of lectures I managed to pull myself back together.
Wait, was Cecilia always like that? That was exactly like…
It matched, word for word, the way my female friends in my past life used to describe the "foxes" who clung to the guys they were crushing on.
"Hmm. I really can't figure out what—"
"Your Grace."
"Hm? Miss Cecilia?"
I turned at the voice behind me. And then—
Poke.
"Uung?"
"Heh…hehe?"
"…Miss Cecilia?"
She had just jabbed her index finger into my cheek and was now looking up at me with an awkward little smile.
"D-did I startle you!?"
"Yes. You did."
"I…see?"
"Um…Miss Cecilia?"
"Your Grace!"
"Yes?"
She stared straight into my face, then opened her mouth.
"Your Grace's eyes are as blue as a lake…no, wait!"
"???"
She spun away in a flurry, then turned back a moment later and tried again.
"A-again! Your Grace's eyes are as wistful and magnificent as a crimson sunset, and they…"
"…"
"Th-they always make my heart…u-uhh…th-this isn't right…"
"Miss Cecilia?"
"Yes?"
"…What is that book?"
"W-wait a second!! Just wait…"
I plucked the book from her hands and checked the cover.
I Tamed the Northern Grand Duke!
"…"
"…"
"…Uh."
Speechless, I simply stared at Cecilia.
"U-hic…uuu…"
Her face had gone scarlet with mortification. I steered her over to a bench so she could calm down.
"Miss Cecilia."
"Yes…"
"So…you were trying to…tame me?"
As expected of a romance-fantasy villainess. She looked so pure, yet she harbored such darkness?
"No!! It's not that kind of book…"
"Not that kind of book?"
"…It's a romance…"
"Pardon?"
"It's a romance novel!! I borrowed it from Chloe!!"
"Ahh."
Chloe. She didn't look the type, but she clearly had a soft spot for these.
"I see. But why…"
"Th-that…"
"Yes?"
"…Because of the rumors."
"Rumors?"
"If I want to kill the rumors surrounding Your Grace, then I…as your fiancée…have to move first."
"…"
"It's a relationship built on a contract, but this way Your Grace won't be uncomfortable!!"
"Haa."
"Ah—I'm sorry…"
"Miss Cecilia."
"Yes."
"Then tell me next time, will you?"
"Pardon?"
I handed the book back with a smile.
"Otherwise people get the wrong idea. It's important we stay on the same page, don't you think?"
"…"
"Miss Cecilia?"
"Yes…you're right. Then, Your Grace."
"Yes, Miss Cecilia."
"Please just call me Cecilia."
"…Pardon?"
"Come on."
"What on earth…"
Suddenly drop the "Miss"? What was this about?
"It's so everyone can see that our intimacy has deepened."
"…"
"And I…fufu."
Cecilia looked up at me with a bright, sunny smile.
"Lord Victor."
"…"
"How is it? Doesn't it feel like our relationship is a little deeper than when I call you Your Grace?"
Watching her smile at me, competitive fire roared to life in my chest. You started this, didn't you? Fine. I'll pour my whole heart into this!!!
"Cecilia."
"…"
At the sound of her name she went completely blank, staring at me like a honey-tongued mute.
"Yes. Lord Victor."
"…Cecilia."
"Lord Victor."
"Drop the 'Lord'."
"…"
"That way it feels even…"
"…I'll stand up first."
I reached out and stopped her as she tried to flee.
"Your Grace?"
"…"
"Um…uh…"
"Cecilia?"
When I called her name again, softly and with a smile, her ears flushed all the way to the tips. She gave a tiny nod.
"Victor…"
"…"
"With this…please forgive me. I really…I was wrong."
I rose from the bench and nodded.
"Yes. You're forgiven."
"…Um."
"Shall we go?"
"…"
Curious stares gathered from every direction.
Looks like Cecilia's plan is working perfectly…
She still sat frozen in place, so I leaned in close to her ear.
"I'll walk you to the dormitory. And…"
"…"
"You were really cute today, Cecilia noona."
"…!"
Ignoring the chorus of squeals from the young ladies nearby, Cecilia and I started walking toward the girls' dormitory. After dropping her off and returning to my own room, the delayed wave of secondhand embarrassment finally hit. I buried my face in the pillow.
"Have you lost your mind!!!! Couldn't last a single day!!!! And you went and did it again!!!"
"Victor…"
Back in her room, Cecilia sank into her chair and replayed everything that had just happened.
Cecilia.
The way Victor had called her name so gently was sweeter than any dessert in the world.
Cecilia noona.
"Ah…"
And sweeter still was that "noona," the word that reminded her she was the older one.
"…Your Grace is…even more of a fox than I am."
She meant it. She could no longer tell whether the man standing before her was a wolf or a fox. Leaving a man like that loose in an Academy swarming with foxes, without even a leash, was dangerous.
"…It's Your Grace's fault."
Her eyes fell on the necklace lying on the desk. The intense stimulation of the entire day had given her a sudden flash of inspiration—the crystallization of pure obsession. The tracking magic tool that should have taken a full week to complete had been finished in a single day.
"And the one linked to this necklace is…"
Cecilia touched the matching necklace already around her own throat and smiled dreamily.
"…a couple necklace…hah!"
She shook her head hard and muttered under her breath.
"This is…just to uphold the contract…it's absolutely…absolutely not anything like that…so Your Grace…"
With slightly unfocused eyes she gazed toward the distant boys' dormitory.
"This is…all Your Grace's fault…everything is Victor's fault…"