A/N: Like I said in the previous chapter, this one is simply an introductory for Adrien to spice things up later on ;) hope y'all like it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug and its characters.

The Masquerade Ball

II

Unlike Ladybug who had to sneak around to be the huntress that she was, the black cat rogue had more control over both of his lifestyles.

As he returned to his estate through a side gate, the dark-clad man casually dismounted from his horse just as his butler arrived to greet him. All the while, a stable boy immediately appeared by his horse's side to guide it towards the stables.

"What'd I miss, Richard?" the rogue asked, a smile on his lips. The butler took this as a sign that his master had a good time. It must have been the red huntress again, he presumed. Coughing to clear his throat, the butler began to recount what the man had missed during his outing.

"Lady Portia Nightingale sent you a letter again, my lord, along with Lady Sullivan, Countess Wellington, Lady Brewkett…" and the names went on and on until they both reached the door to Chat Noir's room which was a good hundred meters from where they came. All the while, servants who passed by the suspiciously clad man and his butler simply bowed their heads in greeting as if seeing their master as such was normal. "…and Miss Hartford." A huff, an inhale, and then a tight smile. Such was the difficult work of his butler, Richard. "Will you answer any of these, my lord?"

With a hand on the handle of his bedroom's door, Chat Noir chuckled. "Richard, why do you torture yourself like this?" he asked, amusement twinkling in his eyes. "I thought we already discussed this."

But the butler merely sighed. "Alright, I'll ignore them all right away, sir." With a dejected form, Richard walked away. Chat Noir shook his head with a small laugh. His butler had always been such a perfectionist but, ever since working under him five years ago, Richard's ways were suddenly and reluctantly reconstituted.

Especially since his master had an awful hobby of going out disguised as a rogue hunter.

As he entered his private room, Chat Noir began removing the weapons and leather clothing off himself. With a sigh, he removed his mask and placed it on his bedside table. As he stared at the small accessory, his mind wandered off to a pair of sea blue eyes underneath a similar but red accessory. Her dark tresses in a high ponytail and her red and kissable—

"Ah, what am I thinking," he muttered, cutting his own thoughts from wandering even further. Being smitten by such a mysterious and dangerous woman couldn't be good for a noble man, especially one of high standing as him.

Besides, he was already set to be engaged.

At the ripe age of 25, he was still a bachelor, and just as he received his title five months ago, numerous ladies, single and married, came swarming around him the first time he attended a ball since. The pressure of getting married was high, not only from his father or the buzzing noble ladies, but also from the deadline the palace had given him. As a highly esteemed noble who's just received his title but was still single, he was required to find a wife as soon as six months since he received his title.

Thus, he chose the easiest yet most preferable lady out of the pool. She had just reached marriageable age and was a very refined lady. What's more, she was not numbered among the swarming, buzzing noble ladies who sought him out in every way. No. Besides, how could she with her kind of reputation?

She was high society's 'Perfect Lady', after all.

However, even high society's Perfect Lady can't match the one lady perfect for him, who was completely unreachable.

Sighing once more, Duke Adrien Agreste stood up and started preparing himself for a bath. There were a lot of things he needed to cleanse off him now that he was to be engaged and committed to one woman.