Regarding the Duke with Gynophobia and the Eccentric Lady Scholar Chapter 10

Translator: ノンぶりyuu
Editor: Readers

Returning to normal speed next week…

The day after she was freed from the academic conference, Elsa went out into the royal capital. She had promised Rebecca that she'd go out with her. Luca and Gaius were also busy with work, so after some consideration, they decided to go out on this day.

Elsa wore her brimmed hat and Rebecca had her parasol. The two were walking ahead while the two men were following them from behind while talking. This was perhaps a dating method that no one would think a dignified aristocrat would do. But since the four didn't mind, it didn't matter what they did.

Although the two women were walking ahead, Rebecca was mainly pulling Elsa. Rebecca didn't care about the men behind her and entered the clothing store.

"Ah, it's been such a long time since I've done this. Or rather, I'm itchy to dress Elsa up. You're not even bad in the first place so it'll work out one way or another."

Elsa had a similar experience with her sister Alesia and thus remained silent. She thought this store was too refined and didn't know what to do.

"Hey, hey. How would you like Elsa to look, Luca?"

Rebecca asked and Luca looked at Elsa. She stared right back at him. She wanted something that would allow her to blend in with the citizens but Luca was uselessly elegant. Even though he's a disappointment inside.

"…… Well……"

Luca swiftly eyed the clothes. It was a nice shop but they didn't sell dresses for evening parties here. They only sold clothes for casual wear and street clothes. Elsa understood at least that much.

"This one."

Luca pointed at a red dress. Rebecca picked it out and said, "Hmm".

"Luca, your tastes are actually better than Elsa's, are they not?"

"Well, Luca's tastes are better than mine but I won't be wearing that. At least give me a red evening wear dress."

"Ah, that's too bad."

Rebecca said and returned the dress. She once again asked Luca for his opinion.

"Then how about clothes other than that one?"

"…… Even if you say so."

Luca compared Elsa with the dress, he was earnestly choosing a dress. Elsa and Gaius, who have been notified of their placements, stood silently while watching Luca.

"…… That looks like fun, Rebecca."

"More than anything."

Gaius and Elsa said in lifeless voices. Luca looked pointlessly serious so the one who was having fun was Rebecca. By the way, they were choosing the outfits together but Luca, who had gynophobia, was taking a bit of distance from Rebecca.

"Hey, Elsa. Are you two actually going out?"

Gaius asked quietly as if to make his point but Elsa didn't change her expression and dodged it with, "Who knows".

"What do you think?"

Elsa raised one side of her lip and smiled. Gaius stared at her face but he couldn't read anything from it and sighed.

"I can't read Luca's or your expressions."

"I'm often told that."

"Then, what do you like about Luca?"

He asked a different question and Elsa thought a bit before saying:

"The missing part of him."

"I can only see a future where you have hardships."

Gaius cut off and Elsa shrugged.

"Elsa. Hey."

"Mhm?"

Elsa stood up from the chair she was sitting on when Rebecca called her. As Elsa approached her, she showed Elsa two dresses.

"Which one do you prefer? Luca said he'll buy it for you."

Elsa felt as if he was financing her but since they started off on a patron contract, it was already too late.

Elsa looked at the dresses. In Rebecca's right hand was a vivid blue dress. It was summer so the dress was quite low cut but it wasn't low enough to show her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Well, even if it was that low she didn't have anything to show.

The dress didn't require any panniers and had pleats instead. The pleats were black so it gave off a calm impression.

The dress in Rebecca's left hand also gave off a calm impression. Well, it couldn't be helped if they considered Elsa's aura. The dress was mainly green but the skirt part was white. The skirt part also had pleats but the upper part was a turtleneck. It was the type that you wear bolero's with.

Elsa hesitate for several seconds before saying:

"This one."

Elsa pointed at the green dress on the left. Rebecca said, "Wooo!" Luca, who was standing next to her, hung his head down. Apparently the blue dress was chosen by Luca.

"…… The first red dress was better after all……"

"If it was for an evening party then I would have said it was fine. …… No, I'm sorry."

Luca was looking at her despondently so she inadvertently consoled him. This man was basically a piece of junk.

"…… Hey Elsa. What do you like about Luca?"

"Gaius also asked me that……"

Luca really did buy her the dress and proceeded to send it off to the Lombardini household. Rebecca asked Elsa, who had left the clothing store, the same thing that her husband did.

"Who knows? I wonder what's good about him."

It was troublesome to answer so Elsa evaded the question with an appropriate answer. Rebecca stared up at Elsa and said:

"Elsa, you're the kind of person that starts liking useless guys, aren't you……"

"Really?"

She'd heard that reliable woman had the tendency to be drawn to useless men, but she wasn't sure if that applied to her. Luca was certainly a piece of junk.

"He~y, Elsa. Do something about him."

A voice called out from behind her and she turned back. Gaius was pointing at Luca. Gaius looked like he was suffering. Elsa sighed and changed places with Gaius.

"Luca, how long are you going to be like that for? You're an adult already. Good grief."

Elsa said mercilessly and Luca sighed. Elsa also sighed.

"I was wondering if Rebecca knew more about you than me……!"

"No, that's not the problem, it is? To begin with, this is the first time I've been shopping with you. Please choose something again next time."

Elsa said and Luca shivered while nodding. Why was he……? Was he like this? Elsa felt as if she was taking care of a child. Was it because she was a school professor? No, she was a real professor.

"Sense ~! Elsa-sensei!"

Because she was having a monologue inside of her head, she felt as if she hallucinated when someone called her teacher. Was what she had thought, but she actually did hear it.

The females who were squealing were the students Elsa taught at the university. To some extent, they were also young aristocrat ladies. They went out without care. It's the two who are always attached to each other.

"Rosalia, Ilaria. It's been a while. Are you shopping?"

"Yes. Sensei…… Are you on a date?"

They glanced behind Elsa as they got closer to her and Ilaira, the student who had calmed down a little, asked. Elsa vaguely answered, "Well, something like that."

"Eeeeeh. Sensei, how casual. Today's dress suits you as well! You should dress like that all the time."

The one who was blabbering away was Rosalia. She was a little flashy but she's smart.

"My own sense is devastating so that's impossible."

She knew which clothes to wear when she considered the time, place and occasion but she couldn't choose her own clothes.

They were chatting happily for a while, then Ilaria glanced behind Elsa and said.

"Sensei…… Is it alright for your boyfriend to be hit on by girls?"

When being told so, Elsa looked towards Luca's direction. Indeed, strong, pushy woman were hitting on Luca, who was perplexed and turning pale.

"…… I see. It's interesting so I'll watch for a while."

"Sensei, aren't you a s.a.d.i.s.t?"

Rosalia retorted and Elsa shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, I'll go and rescue him now. That's enough playing, you two. Also don't find a good man in the high society. But do your homework, the deadline won't be extended."

"Ye~s. If we don't find a good person then we'll be just like Sensei, won't we?"

"Rosalia, I'll increase your homework."

"Eh ~."

Rosalia smiled and complained. Rosalia knew that Elsa wouldn't get angry so she said such things.

Rosalia and Ilaria said, yes, ye~s, while waving their hands. Elsa felt as if she wasn't being respected as a teacher but she knew that she was adored so she didn't feel bad. She smiled a bit and waved back at the girls, then she went to rescue Luca.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"A-ah. Elsa."

Luca looked relieved when Elsa called out to him. The faces of the woman who were talking to Luca said, 『What the, so he has a girlfriend』. Well, if she had to say, wouldn't 『Married』be better? Given Elsa's age.

"I'm hungry so let's go eat something."

"Okay……"

She rescued him somewhat forcibly but the flirting girls said nothing. They looked around their 20s but they didn't think 『I can win against her! 』and use force to come between them when they saw the mature Elsa. It was a little strange.

Because Luca's cool appearance and Elsa's intellectual one balanced each other out. They appeared 『Perfect』. Elsa didn't care much about her appearance so she didn't know that they suited each other.

"Elsa! You said that next time you'd help me straight away, didn't you?!"

Luca said half crying as he drew closer to her. Elsa was annoyed and said.

"You always get hit on. Anyway, can't you shake them off more smartly?"

"If I can do something like that then I wouldn't have gynophobia!"

Indeed.

"What are you two doing?"

Rebecca and Gaius, who were waiting a distance away, looked at the two quarreling and said. Gaius smiled wryly.

"You two haven't changed."

They were looking at Elsa and Luca pleasantly but Elsa wondered if it was just her imagination.

"Well then. I'm hungry so let's eat before heading home.

"Agreed."

Elsa agreed with Rebecca so the four went into the coffee shop.