Desperately, I realized that reality hadn't changed.

The request from Duke Partlan was just a personal favor. Since it wasn’t a quest, there was no possibility of skipping it.

Having pulled myself out of panic, I expressed my refusal to the duke. No matter how I thought about it, it didn’t seem like anything good would come of it. However, the duke did not accept my plea.

“Lady, you have defeated the First Prince. If you were to remain silent about your feelings, what would others think?”

The Duke of Partlan’s stern voice warned that it could be perceived as …