A Scandal Named Daisy
The Emperor had been in high spirits since that morning.
The mere thought of Ezra's reputation being torn to shreds had put a spring in his step. Before heading to the banquet hall, he summoned his chamberlain.
"Has the Grand Duke arrived?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. I'm told he arrived and is on his way to the banquet hall now."
"And who did he come with?"
"With the former Grand Duchess, my lord."
Coming here accompanied by the very elder who would announce his marriage — truly, it seemed a flawless stage was about to unfold.
But as the Emperor made his light-footed way toward the banquet hall, he realized the closer he drew, the louder it became.
Wailing and screams echoed from far off. An uneasy feeling crept over him.
What on earth was all this racket on such a fine day?
Brimming with irritation, the Emperor thumped into the banquet hall, his footsteps heavy.
"His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!"
The chamberlain's cry rang out, but most of the people inside didn't so much as glance at him.
Every one of them was staring at the Grand Duke.
His pride stung, but the Emperor pasted on a magnanimous smile and pressed forward.
"What seems to be the matter?"
"Ah, Your Majesty."
A noble whose name the Emperor couldn't even recall belatedly recognized him and hastily bowed. Then, glancing around warily, he spoke in a hushed voice.
"It appears the Grand Duke has himself a woman."
"What?"
"And a rather strange one at that. Did you see that thing around his neck? He says it's a token from his beloved — claims he now belongs to someone. Young people these days, honestly. Hahaha."
The Emperor's eyes went round as he turned his gaze toward Ezra. That familiar face, all dazzling golden hair and handsome features, was smiling with a radiance utterly unlike his usual self.
It was a face beautiful enough to ensnare anyone, yet a chill suddenly ran down the Emperor's spine. That smiling face seemed to be telling him, I know exactly what you're planning.
"Your Majesty. When did you arrive?"
The Grand Duke approached him with an air of easy confidence. The Emperor's gaze landed on the collar hanging around his neck.
"Grand Duke, that... isn't that a dog collar?"
Watching the Emperor blurt out his inner thoughts, finger pointed and all, Ezra's eyes curved with laughter.
"A dog collar? This is a token from my beloved."
So this beloved person actually existed? To the Emperor, the notion that someone capable of controlling Ezra Alkenes really walked this earth felt like a dream.
Who, in heaven's name, could tame that mongrel?
Could he have found out about the Witton affair and staged all this on purpose?
The Emperor had planned a surprise announcement today, and of all days, the Grand Duke had chosen this one to trumpet his love affair far and wide.
Frankly, wasn't the timing just a little too exquisite?
The Emperor wanted to confirm his suspicions.
"Really? You've truly fallen for someone?"
"Of course, Your Majesty. Have you been deceived all your life, and by everyone but me?"
Ezra's air of innocent indignation — feigning ignorance of the fact that the man who had always deceived him was standing right there — made the Emperor's stomach churn.
"Merely curious, that's all. Yes... could you bring her before me?"
"If Your Majesty has no objection, it's no trouble at all. My master is a commoner, you see."
The words were barely out of his mouth before gasps of outrage and astonishment erupted from every corner of the hall. Even the Emperor looked taken aback.
"Ha! If you're happy, her standing is of no consequence. Yes — do I know her, then?"
A commoner, the Emperor mused. Probably an opera singer, or the daughter of a merchant house. No ordinary woman could ever catch Ezra's eye.
She had to have either beauty or wealth — one of the two, at the very least.
But the words that left the Grand Duke's mouth shattered every one of the Emperor's assumptions.
"I met her at the Academy graduation ceremony not long ago. From the moment we first met, I knew she was different from anyone else."
"The graduation ceremony...?"
The chamberlain standing beside him went paler still. He sidled quickly up to the Emperor and whispered in his ear.
"Your Majesty — surely he doesn't mean the young lady who knocked him out cold with a handshake?"
Everyone in the banquet hall knew about that incident. The Emperor, giddy with delight at the Grand Duke's humiliating display, had actively bankrolled the gossip rags so they could run the story into the ground.
He fainted because he fell in love at first sight. It sounded absurd and preposterous, and yet somehow — coming from Ezra — it almost seemed plausible.
While the Emperor's mind was still reeling over the corpse of his grand scheme, drowned before it ever left the harbor, the crowd — already buzzing with the juicy gossip — erupted into a clamor.
"So that's why he fainted back then...!"
"Oh my, His Highness the Grand Duke is far more of a romantic than I ever imagined."
"What was that young lady's name again?"
"Daisy — it was Daisy!"
In an instant, the banquet hall turned as rowdy as a fish market.
The three syllables of a commoner girl's name — the girl who had snagged the empire's most eligible man — were destined for the gossip columns the very next morning. It was only inevitable.
The next morning, Daisy woke up feeling refreshed. She hadn't dreamed at all, and her body felt light.
She warmed up the stiff loaf of bread she'd bought a few days ago along with last night's leftover stew, and that took care of breakfast. After washing up and pulling on a shirt and long skirt, she laced up her leather shoes — ready for work.
"Hmm. I wonder if the banquet went off without a hitch last night."
She'd had a major falling-out with the Grand Duke, which meant she'd failed to come up with any way to keep him and the Emperor from tearing into each other.
I'll have to go see him first today.
Once her shift ended, she would have to visit the Grand Duke's townhouse herself and find out what on earth had happened yesterday.
And if he refused to see her — well, she'd just have to climb over the wall like last time.
Still, Daisy had a feeling he would let her in. He wanted something from her, after all.
Hair tied up high, Daisy opened the door and stepped outside — and froze solid at the sight of the crowd blocking her front step.
"Good morning! This is Weekly Gossip — would you happen to be Miss Daisy?"
"Martin, reporter for the Daily Post! The Grand Duke has confirmed his romance with you, Miss Daisy. Is it true?"
"As I understand it, the two of you first met at the Academy graduation ceremony — so where have you been meeting for your dates since then?"
What... is any of this supposed to mean?
Who confirmed a romance with whom?
Daisy's mind went blank white; she couldn't form a single thought.
"Please answer us, Miss Daisy!"
"Just tell us if your relationship with the Grand Duke is real!"
At their shouts, Daisy scrambled back inside like a fugitive and shut the door behind her.
Am I... dreaming?
But the pounding on the door and the reporters' raucous voices outside made it painfully clear that all of this was, in fact, reality.
"Everyone, step aside. Move along now."
"Go on, get out of here!"
Sitting slumped against the door, Daisy heard voices outside herding the reporters away.
"The public has a right to know!"
"And who are you to drive us off?"
"Hmph. Do you really think you can lay a finger on our Grand Ducal House and still make a living in the capital?"
Faced with the knights' imperious manner, the reporters grumbled under their breath — but every last one of them gave way. Nobody wanted to find out what happened to people who got on the Grand Duke's bad side.
Once the front step was cleared, one of the knights knocked on the door.
"Good morning, Miss Daisy. We've come from the Grand Ducal House to escort you."
Daisy shot to her feet and opened the door. A striking woman with short black hair stood there.
"Miss Daisy?"
"Who are you?"
"Kiana, Knight Commander of the Alkenes Grand Ducal Knight Order. His Highness the Grand Duke has asked me to bring you to him."
There was no escaping this. Even if she had to crack that man's skull open, Daisy was going to find out what possessed him to pull a stunt like this.
She gritted her teeth and nodded.
"I'll need to leave word at the pharmacy where I work, at least."
"I've already sent someone over. Don't worry."
Kiana flashed a pleasant, agreeable smile. Daisy's face only grew darker.
Being jerked around like a puppet was not a feeling she enjoyed.
"Then — after you, to the carriage."
Ignoring the hand Kiana extended in gentlemanly escort, Daisy climbed into the carriage waiting in front of the building.
Throughout the entire ride to the Grand Duke's residence, Kiana kept sneaking glances at her. Ordinary looks, ordinary credentials — and her background was worse than ordinary.
What on earth did she do to get the words "beloved" out of His Highness's mouth?
For all his dazzling looks, Ezra had never actually been involved with a woman. If anything, he seemed to outright detest the opposite sex.
So what makes her different?
Kiana made no attempt to hide the gleam of fascination in her eyes.
If someone could finally keep a firm grip on that lunatic Grand Duke and his endless antics, her own working life was bound to get a little easier.
Unaware of any of this, Daisy arrived at the Grand Duke's residence. Apparently the place had already weathered one storm — the front entrance, normally immaculate, was strewn with torn paper and shreds of what looked like ripped fabric.
"Haha, a bit of a mess, isn't it? Please, come right in. He's waiting for you inside."
Daisy nodded and stepped into the townhouse.
"Welcome, my dear!"