Lady Class - Chapter 39

The next day, the news of the engagement between the two was published in the gossip papers.

Kahn threw the paper onto the table. The force made the teacup tremble slightly.

“As expected, so they really were involved.”

They were people who had nothing to do with him, yet his insides Bowiled. Even when he moved around, his mind remained restless, and his frustration didn’t subside.

Leaning back into his chair with his arms crossed, his eyes landed on the gossip paper.

Until Bowil Solomon appeared, Kahn had no idea there was any connection between those two. Rackley had never hinted at such a thing either.

She had mistaken him for a gigolo, thinking she was receiving Lady Class lessons through a friend’s introduction. That was why she had treated him with a certain level of respect, but she had never expected—or wanted—anything beyond that.

If she had known his true identity and was merely pretending all along, that would have been strange.

It also didn’t make sense to assume she had gone there expecting to meet him. By the time Kahn had decided to visit the Harverden estate from the capital, Rackley was already there.

Even on the day he left, she hadn’t tried to stop him, and she had remained a virgin until the very end. If she had truly been aiming for the Duke of Lascarton, she would have asked him to claim her from the start.

If she had wanted to conceive a duke’s heir and force a marriage, she would have thrown herself at him.

“Your Grace, Princess Iellia has arrived.”

At the announcement from his junior aide, Hyan, Baron Valiant—his black-haired royal attendant—burst into the private café room. Following closely behind him was Princess Iellia.

“Your Grace! How much longer do I have to keep this up?! Please, just let me go!”

“If anyone heard you, they’d think I was actually doing something to you. You should consider it an honor to serve royalty.”

“I hate it! I absolutely hate it!”

Baron Valiant clutched his black hair in frustration and threw it to the ground.

It was a wig.

“How long do I have to keep playing this role?! Please, just let me do my job! I miss my desk. I miss being buried in stacks of paperwork inside a closed office!”

Kahn ignored his aide’s dramatic outburst and turned his attention to Princess Iellia.

They had parted under less-than-pleasant circumstances, yet there was no trace of shame or embarrassment on her face.

“Kahn.”

Kahn didn’t even look at her. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the whining Baron Valiant.

“I explicitly told you not to make contact until I called for you.”

“I can’t do this anymore! Just fire me already!”

“Be quiet.”

Princess Iellia cut off Valiant’s whining with a sharp glare before turning back to Kahn.

“Kahn, now that you’ve returned to the capital, can we finally put an end to this act?”

With her luxurious golden waves neatly braided over one shoulder, she was the picture of elegance and beauty.

But Kahn wasn’t captivated in the slightest.

He already knew her true nature—her appearance did nothing for him.

He leaned back leisurely in his chair, smirking.

“Wasn’t this your idea, Your Highness? I gave you the grand romance with the Duke of Lascarton that you so desperately wanted. It seems to me that you got exactly what you wished for.”

“So let’s end it now. This nag won’t stop complaining—‘This is wrong, that’s wrong’—he’s driving me insane.”

“Well, that’s because you never ask for his opinion and simply decide everything on your own.”

“I thought he liked it at first.”

Valiant pursed his lips and averted his gaze.

“You’re a princess. Of course, I served you. But I didn’t expect this charade to drag on for so long.”

“You—!”

Baron Valiant had spoken disrespectfully to royalty far too many times for it to be surprising. Princess Iellia huffed in frustration. No matter how angry or irritated she became, they were bound by promises and obligations, forcing them to remain tied together.

This was a punishment of her own making—she couldn’t just walk away.

“Kahn, let’s end this farce already!”

“Didn’t Your Highness say you would do anything as a gesture of apology? You even liked the idea of making our relationship public.”

Princess Iellia bit her lip.

“I didn’t expect you to put someone else in my place. I thought that, over time, you would grow fond of me.”

“I’m sorry, but women who see men as breeding stallions aren’t my type.”

“Kahn!”

She had initially agreed to the grand public spectacle of their supposed romance, but now she was starting to worry. Their connection had become too widely known. The real issue, however, was that Kahn was not the kind of man who would remain at her side simply because of public scrutiny.

At some point, the news of their breakup would have to go public, and she dreaded the inevitable backlash.

“This much publicity should be enough!”

“I will decide when it ends, as per our agreement.”

Frustrated, Princess Iellia glared at Baron Valiant, who was standing idly by, unfazed.

“You hate this too! Say something!”

“If His Grace says it’s not over, then it’s not over. There’s nothing more to say.”

“You were just threatening to quit!”

“I was speaking figuratively! Employees always carry a resignation letter in their hearts! We never actually hand it in, but it gives us some peace of mind! And with the way my salary is coming in, why would I leave?”

“Ugh! Your slave mentality is infuriating!”

Despite all the time they had spent together, Baron Valiant refused to take the princess’s side. With no way to manipulate the situation, Iellia’s eyes filled with tears.

“Kahn, how can you treat a princess like this? You’re being unbelievably cruel.”

“That’s why one should always consider the consequences before acting. This is the price of reckless behavior.”

Of course, Kahn remained completely unaffected. Whether she cried or not, he didn’t so much as twitch an eyebrow. Seeing his unshaken expression, Princess Iellia bit her lip hard.

“Kahn, do you really think you can escape marriage? You won’t find a better match than me.”

“You’re the one who severed what little attachment I had left.”

Kahn waved his hand, as if shooing away an annoying fly.

“Go on and enjoy your public romance as promised. If you, as royalty, believe you’re above keeping your word, then we can end this right here.”

“Fine! Fine! I’ll do it!”

Princess Iellia’s face went pale. Kahn observed her without a trace of emotion.

She was no different from the other noblewomen—aggressively taking what she wanted, pressing forward without hesitation. She was just like those women who attended the Lady Class in a desperate attempt to trap their future husbands.

How was Rackley any different?

Had she not done the same?

The thought left him cold.

Whether Rackley had been seeing Bowil Solomon all along or not, it no longer mattered to him.

Without another word, Kahn turned away from the princess and left the private café room.

“Kahn!”

Princess Iellia glared at the door Kahn had just walked out of before turning her gaze to Kahn’s aide, Baron Valiant.

Slap!

Without warning, she struck him across the cheek.

“I really can’t stand you!”

“My loyalty lies with the Duke.”

Valiant rubbed his burning cheek. He was used to getting caught in the crossfire between the nobles he served, but Princess Iellia was particularly spoiled.

“It’s exactly because of your awful personality that His Grace dislikes you even more.”

“You jerk! I should have you thrown in prison for insulting royalty!”

“Go ahead. Then I’ll testify that Your Highness tried to assault the Duke.”

Princess Iellia’s face turned crimson as she shouted in frustration.

“You and that damn Duke!”

Listening to their argument, Kahn’s junior aide, Hyan, wiped a cold sweat from his brow.

She’s royalty… Just being accused of insulting a royal could be a death sentence. Kahn was a grand duke, so he was safe, but Baron Valiant acted like he had no regard for his own life.

“Sir, are you sure it’s fine to leave them like that?”

“They’ll sort it out. I have other matters to attend to.”

“You’ve been moving alone quite frequently lately. Please be careful.”

“Who would dare target me?”

Kahn smirked dismissively and draped a black cloak over his shoulders before disappearing into an alleyway. Just a block away from the main street, he entered a district lined with luxury shops.

Most of these establishments operated on a membership basis, requiring an introduction for entry. Kahn made his way into a men’s tailor shop.

The moment he stepped inside, a burly shop assistant blocked his path, eyeing the unfamiliar face with suspicion.

“How may I assist you?”

“Introduction.”

Kahn retrieved a ring from inside his vest, its red insignia clearly displayed. The assistant immediately bowed his head and led him further inside.

At a large worktable, a tailor was examining fabric patterns. He looked up and greeted Kahn.

“How may I serve you today?”

“I need something fast and effective.”

The tailor’s eyes curved into a barely visible smile as he reached under the table and produced a small box, about the size of a match case. Kahn placed two gold coins on the table.

Two gold coins.

For a brief moment, an image of a certain woman flickered in his mind.

But he dismissed the thought, took the box, and opened it. Inside were ten small pills. He took one and placed it in his mouth.

“Do you have more?”

“The supply of Dallant is limited. Everyone wants it.”

“I see.”

It was a substance that had recently become popular in secret circles—an illicit pill that heightened excitement and focus. Dallant, as it was called, was gaining significant demand.

Some called it a gift from the gods.

Kahn tucked the case into his pocket and left the tailor shop. Running a finger along his jaw, he slipped the Dallant pill out from under his tongue before it could dissolve.

Someone was tailing him.

Feigning drunkenness, he staggered to a nearby staircase and lay down on the steps. After a while, the presence following him faded.

He remained motionless a little longer, then slipped into a side alley, moving cautiously.

Just then, a familiar voice reached his ears.

“Bowil Solomon, this is inappropriate. You have no right to force me.”

What were the chances that he would run into her here?

Before he realized it, Kahn instinctively concealed himself.

At the end of the alley, the main street was visible, where Rackley and Bowil Solomon stood close together, holding hands as they waited for a carriage.

It was a strange coincidence.

Even at the Winner family’s banquet, Kahn had never once caught sight of her. Yet here she was, appearing before him on the street.

She wore a deep red dress, her figure accentuated as the fabric hugged her curves.

And she didn’t even bother wearing a cloak over it.

Seeing her dressed like that for her fiancé made irritation flare up within him.

Then again, she was the kind of woman who had taken Lady Class lessons just to secure her future husband. It was no surprise that she would wear such attire.

He was about to walk away when their conversation halted his steps.

“Young Lady, we are engaged. You should be attending social gatherings with me, greeting my acquaintances, and preparing to support me. Yet you refuse to come? Do you really think that makes sense?”

“An engagement is not the same as a marriage.”

Rackley attempted to pull her hand away, but Bowil tightened his grip.

“It’s as good as done.”

“If I’m expected to attend an event, at least consult me beforehand. I already have plans today.”

“Excuses.”

Bowil yanked her wrist sharply and softened his expression, gazing at her with feigned affection.

“Be realistic. If it weren’t for me, you would have been ruined. You would have been exiled from noble society in disgrace. So where do you get the arrogance to defy me?”

His voice was quiet, yet threatening.

Bowil Solomon was blackmailing her.