#11. Completely Crazy

Liking men… Is this really the best solution?

But the words had already been spoken, and there was no turning back now. The only option left was to press onward in this direction.

Not only cross-dressing, but now having to act as a man who likes men.

Life is hard.

“What?”

The Duke blinked at Chloe. Like someone who had heard something they shouldn’t have.

“Actually, I’m not interested in women. To be completely honest, I like men. That’s why I was trying to leave this mansion.”

“What, what do you like?”

“I’ve been admiring Your Grace all this time. Since you didn’t have any women you were seeing, and showed no signs of it, I thought maybe you also had feelings for me deep down. You even gave me the position of personal attendant despite my lack of experience.”

The lies flowed smoothly.

Just as the Duke had pieced everything together according to his misunderstandings and delusions, she too fit the situations perfectly to match her lies.

Strangely enough, everything fell into place.

Although while speaking, she had the urge to slap her own mouth.

“What? What…?”

The Duke stuttered like a broken machine.

“There were actually rumors that Your Grace preferred men, and you even placed my room right next to your office. And you gave me extra money for travel expenses during holidays. Couldn’t I have thought that you considered me somewhat special?”

As she spoke, she became so immersed that her performance came naturally, as if she had really believed it. Everything fit together so perfectly that there was nothing to trip over.

“What? What nonsense are you…”

The Duke’s face turned pale.

So much that she worried her acting might have gone too far.

“If I was wrong, I apologize. It was all my fault for letting my emotions grow too much on my own.”

“Ha!”

The Duke seemed at a loss for words.

“Yes, that’s right. Since Your Grace slept with a woman. You didn’t like men like I do. And seeing how you’re looking for that woman now… That’s why I decided to give up my feelings of admiration and leave this mansion. I wanted to leave before you brought that woman here. I just couldn’t bear to watch that…”

“Nonsense! Lies! How shameless!”

The Duke shouted with a red face. His usual cool composure was nowhere to be seen, and seeing him so flustered made him seem like a child.

“About the blonde hair, I really don’t know. Could Your Grace have been mistaken? Or did someone come to my room without my knowledge?”

“Do you think that makes any sense?”

There was no way to resolve the hair issue. When logic fails, the only option is to go illogical without giving time to think.

“Actually, haven’t you been mercurial with me these past few days, Your Grace? Telling me to come closer, then stay away. Do you know how torturous that was for me? Having hope, then being thrown into despair. You wouldn’t understand that pain.”

Chloe kept rambling on, feeling like she had discovered an unexpected talent for acting. Her mouth seemed to move on its own without even the minimal restraint of going through her brain.

“You told me I had the same scent as the woman you slept with, said I resembled my mother, and asked if my mother was beautiful! Why did you do all that?”

“……”

The Duke opened his mouth to say something but ended up closing it again.

“Yes. That’s right. I… I… I love you.”

She finally threw out that word. Love.

But saying that word wasn’t easy even for a mouth that has disconnected with the brain.

To have her first love confession end up like this.

Hah… life.

What was frustrating was that even though it was a lie, her face turned completely red as if it were a real confession.

She could feel the heat rising in her face without needing to look in a mirror. Of course, this heat was from embarrassment, not the excitement of a confession.

But to the Duke’s eyes, wouldn’t it look like excitement?

“Such nonsense…”

The Duke looked like his soul had left his body.

It was an understandable expression.

For a Duke who disliked women, to have a man, and his personal attendant at that, confess love to him – it was natural to be horrified.

“That’s why I tried to leave. To give up my feelings. Though I really didn’t want to go, I couldn’t burden you anymore, my beloved duke.”

It was strange.

While her self was trying to disappear, her mouth survived and kept speaking smoothly.

Yes, this is who I am. So be horrified and drive me away.

“I’m sorry for serving you while harboring impure thoughts. But I only… felt that way about you in my heart, not once did I…”

“Step back a few steps. You’re too close.”

The Duke waved his hand, seemingly unable to handle the psychological discomfort and rejection.

It was a good response.

“I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable. So someone like me…”

Chloe continued speaking while stepping back,

“… Get out.”

The Duke said what she wanted to hear before she could finish speaking.

Success!

“Get out right now.”

“Yes. Well then.”

Chloe quickly bowed her head, afraid the Duke might change his mind.

“Your Grace, farewell.”

She turned around immediately after saying goodbye.

Just then, a wind blew in from the window. Even the wind is bidding farewell.

The breeze felt refreshing after such an intense performance that had left her palms sweaty.

“… Wait!”

Dark clouds suddenly gathered over her refreshed mood.

Why again!

“You!”

“Yes?”

“Farewell? What do you mean by that?”

“Pardon?”

“I told you to get out of this room.”

“What?”

“You can’t leave this house until I find that woman.”

What is he saying? He clearly looked disgusted just now.

I thought he meant get out of this house immediately!

“No, but I love Your Grace…”

“Quiet! Stop with these strange lies and go back to your room! Until you properly explain about the blonde hair, you can’t leave on your own. Bringing a woman into the house violated employment regulations, and you must take responsibility for that.”

“……!”

This isn’t right. Why did he suddenly change his mind? I even acted as a man who likes men.

This isn’t how it’s supposed to go.

A male personal attendant who comes and goes day and night and stays in the next room says he likes you! Someone who dislikes both women and men getting close should be disgusted and chase him away!

Why are you deciding it’s a lie? What if I really do like you!

“Get out of my room now. And come running when I call.”

The Duke made sure she couldn’t run away.

Don’t come close, don’t go far. What is this?

Why is he like this, really!

Chloe wanted to tear at her hair in frustration at not being able to understand the Duke’s intentions.

Though she couldn’t since it was a wig.

* * *

Clyne Liden left the room with a pale face. A completely white face.

Was that kid’s face always that white? White and small and cute and… What?

Crazy.

You’re crazy, Hughgray Wulfaz! Completely crazy. You’ve really lost it.

Cute? A personal attendant who just confessed to me is cute? This seems more like a mental illness than imprinting.

Liking men, loving the duke, saying such strange things – I almost let him go after finally catching him because I was so surprised.

I came to my senses thanks to the wind that happened to blow in, carrying his strong scent.

I need to find my imprint partner, and he definitely has something to do with that woman.

So I absolutely cannot let him go. Because I need to find the woman I imprinted on.

Yes, that’s the only reason.

To find the woman.

There are no other reasons. Yes, there couldn’t be!

Liking men, liking me – those are all blatant lies. Lies he spouted randomly to hide his relationship with the woman.

That rascal.

Giving off that woman’s scent so strongly, yet daring to lie about liking me?

Liking me? That’s nonsense. A man liking men? What nonsense.

But… Of course, there are such men in the world. Could that kid really like me?

No! What are you thinking, Hughgray Wulfaz!

What does it matter? Why should his sexual preferences be important?

Hughgray kept repeating the same thoughts over and over, back and forth endlessly.

That Clyne Liden was being kept here because he was connected to the woman he imprinted on, and his confession of love was just a lie.

Even if it wasn’t a lie, all he needed to do was find the woman who clearly had a connection with that personal attendant.

He kept repeating this like self-hypnosis.

* * *

Two hours after Chloe had shut herself in her original room next to the Duke’s office, the Duke pulled the bell cord.

Chloe ran to the Duke’s room out of habit.

The Duke calmly instructed her to prepare tea, as if nothing had happened, showing no concern about her attempt to quit being a personal attendant.

Come to think of it, it was time for afternoon tea.

<Get out of my room now. And come running when I call.>

Was that earlier statement just telling her to continue her duties as personal attendant?

“Your Grace, then am I to continue my duties as personal attendant until you find that woman?”

Chloe asked carefully. If she was to be kept here, unable to escape, this was definitely an issue that needed to be clarified. She should be paid even for working one day.

Tap tap tap.

The Duke stared at Chloe’s face while tapping his left index finger on the desk.

“It won’t be found that quickly, you know?”

“Pardon?”

“Finding my woman, I mean. Why don’t you just explain about the hair? You said you need to go home.”

“I know nothing about it.”

Tap tap tap.

The Duke tapped the desk again.

“Then, either continue being a personal attendant or tell me what you know about the woman.”

The Duke apparently didn’t believe her confession about liking men, specifically him. He still thought she was secretly meeting the woman he had slept with. That’s why he was telling her to continue her duties.

“I know nothing about any woman or hair.”

“Really? You don’t have any woman you’re meeting? Look me in the eyes and tell me.”

“I don’t. As I said earlier, Your Grace, I…”

Chloe answered while looking straight at the Duke. Since she wasn’t meeting any woman, she had nothing to fear in meeting his eyes.

“Just bring the tea.”

Despite seeming like he would interrogate further, the Duke unexpectedly turned away from their locked gaze first.

When did his ears get so red?

The Duke’s reddened ears were particularly noticeable as he turned his face away.