EnShiLada

(Rather than a synopsis, this is more like a prologue.)

"P... please marry me, your grace!"

She shut her eyes after saying those words. Her face gradually reached the brightest shade of red in embarrassment, excitement, and also... fear of being rejected.

After a few seconds of silence, and waiting for a definite response, she instead heard a gentle laugh that was on par with the music of the gods being played by angels, filling the entire room.

Slowly, Pepper opened her eyes, mesmerized by the sight. She buried the image of the man in front of her, laughing as his fist covered his slightly open lips. The wrinkles around his closed eyelids emphasized the tenderness of his calm face. 

It was not the kind of laugh mocking Pepper or what she said, rather, it was more like a surprised laugh that escaped his mouth that one couldn't help but say...

'He looks kind and sweet.' 

Embarrassment struck her once more as the Grand Duke opened his eyes and met hers. She immediately lowered her head, pretending to watch her shoes squabble. She hoped that he didn't see her ogling in front of his face. 

"U...uhmmm"

Pepper could still hear his quiet laughter as she watched his long fingers reach for his teacup on the glass table. She couldn't deny that seeing the silver ring on one of them reflected brilliantly on the glass affected her, but she didn't have the right to talk about it. 

Pepper had only realized how guilty she felt for the late duchess for committing such an inconceivable thing, but she knew she had to go through with it.

She wanted him. 

'Please, late duchess, bestow your blessings on us. I swear I'll take care of him, so please, please... I hope he accepts my proposal.'

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Yes, yes finally! I am graduating from college, hopefully, *fingers crossed*. Finally have some spare time to write. And, please excuse my poor written and bad synopsis, that's my most hated part in writing so I didn’t go all out here.

I am fond of reading historical, fantasy romance that’s why I am setting this story bet. 17-18th century because that’s the most appropriate age for my dramatic story (lol), I guess? Anyways, this may not be much like the other well-written novels out there but, if you're here, I hope you enjoy.

My inspiration for writing this one was the anime Ristorante Paradiso, I recently re-watched the anime and *Italian chefs kiss* to the level of maturity of that anime!

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Beloved, Pepper

Astounded, Sunny and the Countess' out-of-shock question unified.


Pepper whose gaze had shifted to the Countess, was even more surprised by her mother's presence. 


The Countess ignored Pepper's question. Her reasons had left long ago when she decided to eavesdrop and barged into the parlor room and into the conversation between friends. That didn't matter anyway, because her daughter, Pepper, was more unreasonable in her eyes at the moment.


"T...tell me. Who's the man you want our permission for m... marriage?"


Pepper's face became heavier and muggy as a result of the Countess' pressing question. Her face was red, but not as red as her mother's, who was clearly enraged by what she heard.


"Are you perhaps listening to our private chat, mother?"


Pepper looked at the servant behind the Countess, who kept bowing her head with a frightened face. She was Doey, Pepper's personal attendant, who had left the room door ajar while she went outside to get some refreshments. Pepper pierced Doey with her wide emerald eyes before returning them to the Countess.


"I am not. It's just a coincidence that I happened to hear that you're in love with the Grand Duke and wanted to marry him!"


The Countess was spitting fire. She felt betrayed by Pepper and remembered the time during the blessings when she asked about the Grand Duke. Betrayed, because she thought that she was just being curious, but it turned out that wasn't the case. The Countess was aware that it was the first time Pepper saw the Grand Duke, it was also shown to her curiosity, so why? Her blood was boiling as she questioned herself. Was it just so simple and easy to fall in love to the point that you wanted to get married to the man you only saw once and only for a couple of minutes? And, in the worst case, to a man way older than her?


Sunny and Doey shrieked at the display being shown before their eyes. They wanted to exit the room but were prevented by the mother and daughter's unshakable aura, pinning them to their place. They had no choice but to remain still and hold their breaths while the drama was being unfolded before them.


Everyone panicked when Countess Alegra lost her balance and was about to fall, but the Count, who had just arrived, caught her in the nick of time with a nervously fast-beating heart.


Pepper and the two let out a sigh of relief, as if it were the only time they could release a deep breath in such a tense situation.


Pepper fiddled with her fingers and averted her gaze from the Count's puzzled look. She fixed her gaze on the floor as if it were the most impressive thing in the room. She was as nervous as the count in a different way that sweat had formed on her hands.


Pepper could hear her father sigh as her mother, who was in her father's arms, cried in frustration.


"Please, my lord, knock some sense into your daughter."


Pepper met her father's gaze with hesitancy, and a nervous laugh escaped her mouth before looking away.


Chapter 3 - Everyone kept getting shocked