My Dear Duke(BL)
Chapter 74: A Birthday Ball(1)

Chapter 74: A Birthday Ball(1)

After Anne left, Asher finally gained his composure and apologised for not making it clear to Anne about the rumour. But the duke shook it off as a simple thing because he knew Anne was taking advantage of the situation.

He knew she prefered Asher for whatever the reason and she would be more than happy if this rumour came true.

"Is the duke going to do something about the rumours?"

Asher asked.

"The rumour doesn’t really have much to take care of. But we need to find out who started this because we want to know what made him start such a rumour. Did he see something?"

Asher also thought about this before because or else why would suddenly such a rumour go around out of blue?

Even though he tried to overhear servants gossiping, there was no clue about the one who started this because the rumour had gone around a lot by now.

"Is the duke bothered by this rumour? Is there no way to stop this now?"

Asher asked because he thought he should find it out. What does the duke think about this? Does he hate how people had assumed he and Asher were having a love affair?

"I am not bothered. I am just worried for you. I don’t want you to get mixed up in this mess because nothing will end up good with me also being in the rumour with you..."

"I don’t really care duke. I was also worried for you. I thought the duke might get mad at me. But I never told anyone nor did anything happen for anyone to assume this kind of thing. I was careful. But not enough I guess."

Asher said with his head down, honestly upset as this must be his fault.

"It’s not your fault. So don’t think like that. It’s just that people can’t mind their own business."

The duke said, trying to convince Asher it was not his fault at all.

"So, what do you want to do about the rumour, Asher? If you want, we can try to stay away till the rumour back down. But..."

The duke said, seemingly unsure. Even though that would be a way to prevent the rumour from getting more creative, for both of them, this isn’t the answer. The duke himself wasn’t happy but if Asher wanted to remove himself from getting involved in this kind of rumour, then they would have to sacrifice something.

"Duke, I don’t really care. Let all those gossipers take a hike."

Asher said. He wasn’t really scared. All he worried was if the duke would be upset. Seeing he wasn’t upset at him, he felt relieved.

"You don’t mind people saying you are my lover? And, they think you are among them to spy on them. I am sure they might mistreat you till they find out if the rumour is true."

The duke explained seriously.

"I can take care of myself, duke. Alas, if they believe I am the duke’s lover, there is a chance that instead of mistreating or bullying me, they would just ignore me. I never had a good relationship with any of those servants to begin with. So nothing will change duke.

If the duke is also not bothered, let’s just let it spread and stay like a rumour. If we try to deny it, they might become more interested. I think it’s better to simply ignore those and continue with our lives."

"Mm...I also thought so. If it’s fine with you, let’s then just let it be and let them create their own stories."

The duke who also had similar thoughts agreed with Asher.

"Yeah...they don’t dare to question us face to face anyway, duke."

"You sound so calm handling all this. Aren’t you scared?"

"Why scared?"

"Haa...nothing. Let’s do it that way. Ignore them altogether."

Asher was relieved the duke also thought like him and agreed with him. And, especially, it was good to know the duke had been worrying about him.

After all the things happened, and having to talk calmly like this, Asher felt the duke had a good impression of him. And, Asher was feeling different now that he had witnessed the hidden pitiful side of the duke.

He was glad he could be a person the duke trusted.

"Then I am going back duke."

Asher left after that, back to miss Anne who was silently staring out of the window, not paying attention to him at all. She seemed deep in thought.

’Is she mad?’

Asher chuckled in secret as he found she was really cute.

Definitely spoiled by that guy.

"Does Miss Anne feel happy now? You did it."

Asher said as he thought she must be proud that she got out the word ’father’ finally. And the duke also seemed flustered at that time to hear it which was also adorable.

A first time father...

"Brother Ash."

Oh...she called her brother. It’s good she didn’t continue with ’father Ash.’

"Mmm?"

"If a problem comes, don’t run away. Ask my f-father for help. He is a good person."

"Ha?"

What was that? It was out of the blue.

Asher watched Anne’s emotionless stare on him, then her turning back toward the window as if she said nothing.

But then she mumbled something in a very weak voice again. Asher didn’t hear it clearly but he did hear one word. Others were inaudible.

’Alex? Who is Alex? What about him?’

"Does brother Ash like cats?"

Asher was distracted by Anne’s question again.

"Cats? I don’t know. I might like them but I had never had a cat before."

"Mmm..."

After a weak ’Mm’, Anne was silent again. It seemed like something was bothering her and she had got lost in her thoughts again. If she didn’t want to tell what she was thinking so much about, then Asher wouldn’t ask either. He would let her get her mind clear.

’I wonder what she has to think that much at this age? Do children have things to worry about?’

...

"Duke...It’s an invitation for the grand duke Sage’s daughter’s birthday ball."

Felix had gotten some letters and as he asked Bill to check them, one of them happened to be sent by the grandduke Sage, the nice gentleman who took lead in their trip to Norch Archen before.

Felix kept the invitation to read by himself and checked others to see if there were more important things.

"Duke...tomorrow the counts will be headed. There is a letter informing about that from the palace."

"Mmm..."

Felix didn’t want more information because he wasn’t going to participate in the event anyway.

Other than that, he had no more remarkable letters so he let Bill leave and handle his work as he would focus back on his work.

’A birthday ball...It’s been a long time since I attended one.’

Felix thought to himself when his eyes met the letter lying on his table.

He read the invitation and pondered whether he should attend or not.

He was never a big fan of crowds. But he does want to make Anne attend as many events as possible to make her sociable because he didn’t want her to end up like him, lonely and has very few friends.

At least Felix has two very close friends, but Anne has none yet.

It’s gonna be hard for her since she once broke the hand of a boy who approached her. At a night party, where everyone was present. After that big scene, Anne wasn’t invited to some parties that were held after that one. Still, Felix got invited though, maybe in fear he would go out of his way to ruin them for disrespecting him by not inviting him.

That time, the boy who got his hand broken had tried to bully Anne. So he got into that unfortunate accident as Anne was short tempered and was sick of him. Felix did believe Anne and forgave her. But others wouldn’t do the same and Felix knew it.

He wouldn’t go out of his way to ask others to forgive Anne if they don’t want to accept the truth. Even if the truth comes out, they would still prefer calling Anne ’the girl who broke the hand of a boy at a ball’. Like how he was labelled as the murder of his father, still to this day by some dumb people.

He actually felt sorry for Anne.

He did try to teach her how to be patient and ignore getting into situations that will lead her to get angry.

Did she ever learn?

Felix didn’t know.