I Will Seduce The Northern Duke

It took less time for the carriage to reach the store than when she visited last time.

Perhaps because she reached the destination a few hours later than usual, the huge storefront of Crange was crowded with carriages with brilliant emblems on each door.

The carriage of the Renbird family was second to none. Although Kalcion did not like enjoying much luxury, his carriage was by far superior.

Selena got off the carriage and approached the store with her arm crossed around Kalcion's to greet the gatekeepers. They stood upright in the unusual aura of Kalcion.

"Ah, please welcome! We apologize for the inconvenience, but it'll be difficult to enter because currently, we have no more vacancies!"

"No vacancy?"

Kalcion appeared to have never heard of the word "no vacancy" in his life. Curious about what he would do next, Selena watched silently.

"Did you just reject our entry?"

"T-That's not what we meant! We have no space, however….!"

"I don't understand. There's no place for us to sit, is that what you were saying?"

Crange's gatekeepers did not recognize the carriage of the Renbird family.

Though Irelle only stayed in Kalcion's mansion in the capital, she was a member of the Duchy. Kalcion would have gladly accepted it if she had asked for a Duke's carriage, but it seemed she had no courage to bring that up.

Naturally, Kalcion had never stepped in a place like this, and the gatekeepers were probably changed several times after the previous Duchess walked in.

Gatekeepers usually memorized major family emblems, but Renbird was a family not very influential in terms of purchasing power compared to their reputation.

"Who owns this store?"

"Yes, it is Madam Annil!"

"I wish to see her."

"Yes, please wait!"

Selena wondered how Kalcion would solve this situation when he also called for the storekeeper. As said by the gatekeeper, the owner rushed out of the store.

"Yes, my name is Annil. I'm the owner of Crange."

Kalcion greeted with a nod.

"This is the Duke of Renbird. I have been standing here for a long time since there was no seat inside."

"Ha! Renbird…… Oh, my!"

Only then did Annil widen her eyes, as she looked between Kalcion and Selena.

A woman under the care of Renbird, who visited the store the last day. That tremendous beauty of hers with long black hair. And now, even the Duke of Renbird himself was with her.

The previous day, she remembered siding off with the aristocrats in her store about cutting her off and insulting her. That was what the response her regular customers wanted, who generally helped in maintaining the sales and reputation of her store.

‘……But why did the Duke appear with her!'

She never expected this. She was visibly in a cold sweat.

No matter what, men were never known to appear with their lovers during shopping. Not in the case of the Duke of Renbird at least. The legendary dragon landed in her front yard with a pigeon.

As per the rumors she heard, Selena was not just any woman for the Duke to accompany her.

"Pardon me for not recognizing Your Grace! It's an honor to have you here! First of all, please step inside!"

"But they said you had no seats left."

"Yes. There's none, but please allow me to make it!"

She had to, even if it were impossible.

To Annil's desperate pleadings, Kalcion acted as if he couldn't care less and wanted to walk away.

The next moment, Annil rushed to open the door herself.

This temporarily attracted the attention of the guests chatting inside, just so they could greet anyone they knew and ignore anyone they didn't.

People who confirmed the identity of the newly arrived guests began whispering.

For those who didn't know him, it was his looks that stood out.

‘…….The Duke of Renbird?'

‘He came to a place like this?'

‘Because of…. that girl next to him?'

Whispers followed, but no one dared to speak as loudly when Selena visited alone.

Selena felt a bit uncomfortable with the sudden change in the atmosphere. So, this was the taste of power.

If life gives you the fruit of power, you shouldn't just look at it, you should take a bite from it. Even if Selena didn't pluck that fruit, the world fed her with its own hands.

"We've prepared a seat, this way please……"

Annil hurried to guide them inside. However, the room where she guided them was isolated.

Selena shook her head.

"The room is stuffy. I like the open space."

"O-Oh! Is that so? We prepared a table inside so that you could enjoy it in comfort, but….. we'll move it to this side right away!"

Selena tried not to laugh as they struggled to move the sofa, table, decorations, and plants as per her convenience.

People watched the special treatment quietly, and some of them had nowhere to sit.

Even those who greeted Kalcion once or twice at a party could not approach him, as if blocked by an invisible wall.

Welcome tea and small cakes were provided as soon as Selena sat down. She took a sip and placed the cup down.

"I've heard you provide delicious cakes. I really wanted to come here."

"I see."

"I don't really like sweets……., but this place is famous."

Curious, Selena peeked a glance at Annil. Perhaps Annil was lost in thought.

"…….Oh, yes! Could you give me some time? We'll present to you the best we have made till date."

"Of course."

"Why don't you taste these while you wait? They were made considering the amount of sweetness."

It was enough to feel full just by looking at those cute frostings of the cakes.

Kalcion grabbed Selena's wrist as she went to cut a piece with her fork and put it in her mouth.

"What's wrong?"

"Let me try it first."

"What?"

The two of them had similar tastes. He also preferred meat over fish, and did not have a sweet tooth.

"It might be poisoned."

Swoosh—

Thanks to Kalcion – who didn't lower his voice – the atmosphere turned cold in an instant.

The aristocrats gathered in that store appeared bright and warm. There was no apparent danger in sight.

However, Kalcion sounded like he was in the middle of a battle.

And adding to that, poison. Both Irelle and now, Selena were not safe, but it didn't mean that he had to bring that up here.

"Do you have to do that here? I didn't even ask you."

"You don't know what people can be like."

"If it is poisoned, should the Duke eat it?"

"I can tell roughly, by its taste. I can resist certain poisons, so I'll be fine."

"Okay……, go ahead."

Selena fed him the piece she cut. After a while, he frowned.

"…….Is it sweet?"

"A lot."

"Oh, then I shouldn't eat this."

Aside from testing for poison, Selena – who found that she could use him to detect the amount of sweetness – cut another cake and put it in his mouth.

His face became similarly disastrous as he chewed it slowly.

"I think it's the most intense expression I've ever seen."

Selena chuckled.

Kalcion – who was already frustrated from the sweet taste in his mouth – hardened with a more brutal expression when she teased. However, Selena proceeded to cut a new piece of cake.

"Is this sweet, too?"

"It is."

"Okay, this is the last one."

Eventually, none of the cakes Annil brought in went into Selena's mouth. It only left Kalcion's tongue overwhelming in sweetness.

"There's nothing to eat."

As soon as Selena put down the fork, Annil rushed over and bowed down her head.

"Forgive me, I kept you waiting. This cake was made just now, so it's not particularly sweet. Would you like to try it?"

"Yes, please."

She had no reason to refuse such a fresh and vivid cake.

Annil cut a piece of the cake and presented it as she received permission.

Selena fed Kalcion the first bite like earlier. He expected it to be sweet again, but his face straightened after a while.

"This is fine."

"Huh? Is it?"

She cut a piece and put it in her mouth. Like Kalcion, she was taken aback.

"Oh, it's true. It's not very sweet."

Selena – who continued to have a few more bites on the delicious cake – stopped and glanced at Kalcion when she felt his gaze on her.

"What's wrong……?"

"……Nothing."

Kalcion turned his head hurriedly.