The man lifted up his hands trying to placate Lunia. Amethyst gestured for her to sheathe her sword.
âNow this makes me a little sad,â said the man. âYou really donât recognize me? Or, is it because you choose not to? Itâs me, Zaizen. I didnât think I change a lot from back then. Not as much as you.â
Zaizen? Ah, the man Belice mentioned. I donât like him being so informal with me.
âSo?â Amethyst rudely asked.
âSo? What do you mean? I was your first loveâ¦â
âSo what?â
Zaizen flinched and seemed quite flustered. She was so different now. She wasnât the submissive lady that he had wooed.
As other people started looking over, Zaizen started acting tough. âWow⦠indeed you have changed a lot, I didnât know the Duchess was so scary.â He mocked.
âNow you know,â she said briskly. âGet out of my way.â
Amethyst turned to Lunia. Zaizen grabbed her hand. âWait! You canât leave like this! Itâs been so long.â
âWhat? I can do whatever I please!â
âIs it because I left you and called you ugly? Is this your revenge? Let it go. To be honest, you were ugly back then.â
Just what did Amethyst see in this vile assh*le?
She restrained her anger. âDonât flatter yourself. I donât have time to think about revenge on someone so insignificant that I donât even remember their faces.â
âCanât remember?â he said, perplexed. âYou begged me to go out with you.â
âYeah right. Fat chance. Do you have any proof?â
âI have the letter you sent me. It was stolen recently but I still remember that you wrote it.â
âOh really? I also have a hundred golden calves at home which I unfortunately canât show you.â
âWhat? What does that even mean?â
âAs dumb as you look, no surprises there. Stop making things up. There will be consequences if you keep making things up like this and spreading your lies. You should be using honorifics with me.â
âWow, Duchess is actually scary. Someone who should be using honorifics with. You couldnât even meet my eyes before.â
âListen here, you dumbass. I am not only saying this to you as a Duchess but also as an ordinary person. Get your vile face out of my way and get lost.â
âWhat, what?!â
Lunia examined her as she berated him mercilessly. Amethyst had watched so many dramas that the dialogues were imprinted in her mind. There was more where it came from, if needed.
âIf you keep running your mouth, I will tear your tongue out and feed it to the dogs,â said Amethyst.
âYou! How dare you?!â
Lunia pointed the tip of the sword at his throat and pushed slightly. âHow dare âsheâ? Who are you to speak to the Duchess in this manner?â
âCalm downâ¦,â said Zaizen, nervously.
âHm? Forgotten already? Do you know what honorifics are?â
âPlease⦠calm down,â said Zaizen.
âDonât keep running your mouth and spreading lies, understood?â said Amethyst. âIf I ever see you, or anyone, calling me your first love, there will be consequences. Next time you see me, keep your eyes down. Got it?â
Amethyst turned around and walked off. Lunia withdrew her sword and followed her.
âMadam.â
âHm?â
âYou were so amazing.â
Amethyst glanced at her. âReally? I thought you were pretty amazing.â
âNo. Did you see how his face turned all blue with rage at your words?â
âI didnât even look at his face. Who would look at such a vile face? Letâs go. I am tired now.â
âOf course, Madam.â
Amethyst got on the carriage with Luniaâs help and quickly left the palace.
***
Amethyst got back to the dukeâs mansion and waited for Alexcent to come back. She knew that he wouldnât believe baseless rumors about her but she would feel loads better if she could clear everything with him face to face.
Alexcent, on the other hand, headed straight to the office after getting back from the palace. There was a knock on the door.
âCome in.â
âAre you busy?â asked Amethyst as she pushed the door open.
âNot at all.â
âHow about some tea?â
Alexcent nodded. She walked over to him and observed his face. He didnât seem upset. But it was often hard to tell. She placed a tea cup in front of him and poured some tea. Then she sat down on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.
âAlecâ¦.â
âHm?â
âI have something to ask you.â
âGo on.â
âDo you know about the rumor?â
Alexcentâs forehead creased a little. âWho told you?â he asked. He had explicitly instructed everyone to be quiet about it. Someone must have opened their d*mned mouth. There was only one person who ignored his instructions so blatantly. Ah, she did say she was going to meet Belice today.
âIs it important who told me?â
âItâs probably Belice,â he scowled.
âRight. But why didnât you tell me yourself? The rumor is about me. I have a right to know.â
âIt was not worth mentioning. A petty rumor someone spread to aggravate you.â
âYouâre right. It isnât worth our time or energy.â
âYes.â
âSo I hope you donât pay attention to that worthless stuff.â
âOf course, I donât.â
âThatâs good then.â Amethyst placed a kiss on his cheek. She felt him relax.
âYou are the only one for me, you know that. My beginning and my end.â
âMm,â he pulled her closer to him.
âSo, leave him alone, alright?â
âWhat?â
âDonât do anything. Just donât pay attention to it and leave him be.â
He didnât respond. âBecause if you get angry and do something, then I will feel like you acknowledged the rumor to be true.â
âWhat? How would that evenâ¦â
âIt doesnât matter. If you act, the rumor will get worse. People will think you got rid of him because of jealousy which will indirectly imply that the previous rumor was true. It will just get worse.â
âI donât like this.â
âI know. But I donât want you chasing some man who doesnât even matter.â