Duchess Mira

"I think I remember you from the ball. What brings you here to the palace?" Elias asked Noah, who just smiled at him.

"I came here because the king is calling me." Elias raised a eyebrow. 'That old geezer asked him?' Mira thought while sizing up Noah. 'He might be someone important...'

"Well, you got to wait Noah because the king is currently unwell. " Elias said looking Noah with sharp eyes.

"Is that so? Well, my plans are destroye-" Noah stopped finally smelling Elias disgusting clothes. Noah covered his nose "How about i provide you some clothes, not free." Noah said smiling at Elias. "Thank you for the offer but i must go soon."

"I will give you ninety-nine percent discount" Noah said. 'Are you kidding me?' Mira thought.

"Don't give me that look Duke Elias. You are rich and famous if someone heard that you bought something from me I will become famous!" Mira gave him a deadpan face. 'Who is this desperate wanna be?!'

Elias sighed "how about just make it free?"

"No can do" Noah said to Elias who just sighed once more. 'I can't take this money faced merchant anymore.' Mira thought.

"I should really go my friend is probably getting tired waiting for me."

"Oh, i see... well too bad." Noah said and bowed. "Till we meet again, Duke Elias and again please pardon my rudeness last night." Elias nodded and was about to leave until he notice some vomit on his clothes. Mira looked at this opportunistic merchant cunning smile. Mira sighed knowing the merchant's plan. 'Damn youuu' Mira thought.

He turned his head towards Noah. "How about you come with me and visit the king tomorrow. It is my fault for dirtying your clothes it seems. "

"Free?" Noah asked. Mira wanted to choke this annoying merchant but restrained herself and instead Elias chuckled "Yes, Free. It is my fault in the first place. I didn't look where I was going."

"Well, what are we waiting for handsome duke let's go!" Noah said while running towards her carriage. Mira glared at the merchant for a bit and went inside the carriage thinking 'This gut is not an ordinary man...'

Inside the carriage Noah looked enthusiastically at his surroundings while Mira glanced at him from time to time.

'Who is he? Even that old geezer wanted to meet him.' Mira thought looking at Noah's sparkling smile. 'Is he letting his guard down on purpose?' Then Noah burped loudly. "Excuse for my sudden burp,Duke." Noah said while laughing merrily. 'No, he is not letting it down on purpose.'

"Duke! See, that cake shop over there? It has the best smoothies and-" Mira squinted her eyes in suspicion. 'But really what's even more strange even he is from the empire he knows that if he offends anyone higher above the count's position he is surprisingly calm not only calm like he knows if anything happens he will be able to take care of it.' Mira thought smiling to herself. 'Another weird opponent has come.'

When Mira reached her room she closed it in relief because her head is killing him. She felt so dizzy.

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

"Finally, home!" Mira said. Smiling happily to herself. She felt so tired from all that talking and she can't wait to remove her makeup but then she suddenly remember Noah. 'I came to the wrong room' again.' There are several times when Mira comes into her room forgetting that she is wearing the Duke Elias costume but in the end she gets to her other room safely but this is the worst timing for Mira if someone from the Empire found her secret she knows everything about her plan will be destroyed.

Mira knows that even an Emperor or king will kiss a beggars feet for valuable information.

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

'My head ache has worsened now' Mira thought groaning as she opened the door.

Elias came out off the room and sighed in relief that no one saw him and then someone tapped his shoulder. He jumped and when he turned his head immediately and he sighed with relief. 'It's just Elira' He held his finger to his lips signaling her to be quiet and issued her to follow him. When they reached Elias room Mira smiled.

"I am safe for now." Mira said trying to calm her heart. "Elira please prepare some hot tea with honey for my voice. You may leave the clothes on the table."

"Yes, my lady." Elira said just that and closes the door. When Mira checked Elira was truly gone.

She did a victory dance. "Yeah! I survived!!!"

"Take that you old geezer and mr. perfect skin!!!"

'I am safe for now' Mira thought smiling to herself. She picked up the clothes and started changing. When she changed and smelled herself. She made a face and grabbed a perfume and sprayed it all over her body. She smelled herself and thought 'Do i smell like a boy?'

'Maybe?'

"Duke Elias, is me Noah" Noah said as he knocked on his door. Mira jumped a bit. 'How long since he was there? I didn't hear his footsteps at all.'

Mira straightened her back and her head started to throb even worst then she opened the door giving the famous Duke Elias smile.

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

"Hello, Noah. Lets go out and have some hot tea, shall we?" Elias said to Noah who flashed a dazzling smile. Elias coughed uncomfortably and glanced at Noah. "If it's not rude may i ask why are you here in Aiphilian kingdom?" Noah shrugged and said "I only came here for a small matter, really nothing all that important Duke."

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

"If you really want to know, i am here because a noble lady wanted to do some business and i came and staying in her house for a while." Noah said smiling at Elias. "When are you leaving?" Elias said smiling at Noah to hide the pain of his aching head feeling more and more frustrated by the second.

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮

"I am gonna leave when i feel like it" Noah said and added "Why Duke? Do you want me to stay longer?"

"Are you falling in love with me? " Noah said trying to look embarrassed. 'Be quiet, you no good sly merchan-'

𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔

"I am sorry to say but I am straight."

"You..." Elias said pushing him against the wall feeling dizzy and tired. Elias felt like vomiting.

"What happens if i don't care?" Elias said coming closer to the part Noah could feel his hot breath. Noah turned pale white. "Ha, ha, ha... Duke Elias. You can't take a joke?" Noah said pushing Elias away from him.

"Yes, i can't take a joke" Elias said pushing him again. Noah averted his eyes from Duke Elias because he was so near.

"Y-you k-know w-what i-i t-think t-the k-king m-might g-get a-angry... i-i s-should

p-probably g-go..." As Noah said that he ran far far far away from Duke Elias. When Mira checked if he is gone he leaned against the wall panting.

"M-my lord!!!" Elira shouted as she saw Mira pale as white. "Pardon me for my rudeness" Elira said as she touched her forehead. Elira's eyes widen. "Help! Duke Elias is burning hot!" Elira shouted. "Call the doc-"

After that Mira heard nothing more as she saw Elira's panicked face.