The First Night With the Duke is a romance fantasy webtoon full of chaos, comedy, and unexpected love. It is the story of an ordinary college girl who wakes up as Ripley Liverpool, a fictional character that she had read about before. But she is not the heroine; she is still an extra who does not count in the plot at all. At least that is what she believes. In no time, Ripley finds herself spending a night with the cold, intimidating male lead, Duke Zeronis, accidentally. Now, she’s stuck in a whirlwind of forced engagements, jealous rivals, and twisted plotlines. Ripley does not want to screw up the original story and attempts to behave as a background character, but turns into the main character instead. Let’s read about The First Night With the Duke Chapter 1-9 so you can stay ahead of the series!
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 1: A Novel Awakening and A Naked Surprise
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 1 begins with an average college student jolting awake in an unfamiliar, luxurious bedroom. Except now, she’s Miss Ripley! The maid interrupts her thoughts. She reminds her that she needs to prepare for the birthday party of Miss Etoile. She thinks that name is very familiar. The maid repeats, “It’s the Baron’s daughter, Etoile De Hailey’s birthday today.” Ripley can barely think, and then it dawns on her—Etoile is the heroine of a best-selling romance novel she had read.
In the book “The Flower of Erenel”, Etoile was an orphan who was raised by the Baron after she saved his life. Later, Etoile falls head over heels in love with a cold yet devastatingly handsome Duke Zeronis upon hearing his tragic background. They suffer, and finally, they have their happy ending. Here is the catch: Ripley is not even in that book! Who is Ripley? Well, the maid helps her out. Ripley is Miss Etoile’s brother, Baron Dimitry’s fiancée, Miss Juliet’s sister Miss Julia’s friend.
Ripley prepares to attend the party at the house of Baron Hailey. There, she clumsily meets Etoile and wonders whether she can assist her favorite couple to get together or she should simply stay out of the way. But then… she sees wine and thinks, well, why not have a bit of fun?
The following morning, Ripley, however, wakes up next to a very naked, very attractive blond stranger, who nonchalantly asks what she is looking at. Her jaw drops open quite obviously?! She has a pounding head and a hazy memory, and she freaks out, “What the heck happened?!” The First Night With the Duke Chapter 1 ends with that scandalous, hungover cliffhanger.
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 2: Virginities and Vows
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 2 begins with Ripley waking up to the horrifying realization that the gorgeous blond man she slept with is none other than Zeronis—the sole heir to the Duke of the Empire and the male lead of the novel! Cue massive internal screaming. She curses in her head. She got entangled with a man who was cold, ruthless, and completely allergic to human emotion, the one man she had accidentally gotten entangled with. Great!
Zeronis comes up to her casually and laughs at her panic, and asks her what has got her in this state. Well, the mere fact of having nearly wrecked the scheme of a whole novel. Also, she perhaps has incurred the displeasure of a sadist duke. No biggie. With a history that turned him cruel and completely numb toward others. Zeronis threatens her that she should not say goodbye so easily, or he will squash her with his little, pretty head. Romance is flourishing.
Matters become more uncomfortable when they both come to the realization that they lost their virginity to each other that night. Zeronis proposes that the two of them should take “responsibility.” Ripley is screaming inside her head once more.
Very Bad Decisions
In a later scene, Ripley attempts to construct her hazy memories of the party in a carriage ride. In her hope to fix the plot of the novel, she goes to Etoile. Etoile thanks her as she made the party more interesting with her juggling skills and heavenly drinks. Ripley cringes.
Etoile did not engage in any interaction with the Duke that night, to her surprise. In the original book, Zeronis and Etoile were supposed to interact at this birthday party. Rather, she tells wild rumors about him, with one of them claiming that he is not into women. Automatically, Ripley contradicts this rumor. In shock, Etoile questions how she knows all this. All that Ripley can do is to think, “I am screwed.”
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 3: Bestie? Not in the Script!
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 3 begins with Ripley fumbling to cover her tracks after accidentally revealing too much about the Duke. She instantly adds that she is merely repeating what she has heard. She wonders and asks Etoile what she thinks about Duke Zeronis. As it turns out, Etoile does not feel anything. Not a butterfly, not a starry eye—zilch. Ripley is a bit panicked and starts trying to sell Zeronis’s praises as soon as possible. Like he is on sale, he is strong, handsome, with deep eyes, and so misunderstood!
Etoile is not persuaded, however, and reels off all the bad things she has heard. Ripley, now at full PR, retorts with an assertion that the Duke secretly does care about people, just very quietly. To her complete surprise, Etoile does not fall in love with Zeronis; she faints over the charisma of Ripley and even proposes to spend time with him. The alarm bells go off in the head of Ripley. Etoile never had close friends in the original novel! This friendship would be disastrous to the whole plot!
Ripley attempts to backtrack, saying that they should not get too close, but the face of Etoile, disappointed, causes Ripley to melt, and she blurts out, “I’ll be your friend, Miss Etoile.” Plot derailment: unlocked Level 2.
Making A Mess
Later on, Ripley goes back home only to be rebuked by her aristocratic parents, who had disappeared and brought shame to the family name. The icing on the cake? She is lashed because of it. Bruised and emotionally destroyed, she lies in bed to be greeted by none other than Rose, the main villainess of the story. Rose, the first wannabe future wife of Duke, is famous because she tortures Etoile and even attempts to kill her. Ripley shudders at the realization of this fact: she is now on the radar of the villainess.
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 3 ends with Ripley thinking, “Now I’ve been marked by the villainess.”
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 4: Spilled Tea
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 4 begins with Rose storming into Ripley’s room, clearly on the warpath. The news has gotten out that Ripley came back in the carriage of the Duke—a pure scandal in high society and dynamite to a jealous villainess like Rose. Ripley is flustered and attempts to concoct a plausible alibi, but Rose is not fooled by her lies. Ripley becomes frozen when Rose asks whether she had slept with Duke Zeronis. Yikes.
Offended and angry, Rose picks up a teacup, obviously intending to baptize Ripley with it. Thinking fast, Ripley deflects the flying tea using a hand fan like a true drama queen. But the tea ends up all over Rose instead. Wet and demeaned, Rose storms away, promising to get even. Ripley simply stays there and feels utterly doomed.
Ripley swears never to get into another mess that breaks the plot, hoping to keep a low profile. Then she receives a letter from Etoile, blackmailing her with cute emotional blackmail to have a walk in the park together. Ripley is not able to resist such guilt-tripping. Things are sweet and suddenly turn shocking as Duke Zeronis arrives at the park! Ripley’s jaw drops—apparently, she invited him to try dessert. (Oops?) She attempts to play it cool by introducing Etoile and Zeronis as the worst wingwomen in the world.
But Zeronis, not amused at all, pulls her aside and reminds her of their little responsibility thing. Then he rather carelessly gives her a letter. Ripley opens it and almost faints. The First Night With the Duke Chapter 4 ends with Ripley staring in horror at what looks suspiciously like no normal invitation.
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 5: Dresses And Dances
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 5 begins with Ripley staring at the royal ball invitation like it’s a death sentence, not a dream come true. She is not as thrilled as any other noble lady would be. Her maid, who is confused by the fact that Ripley is not excited (and completely refuses to squeal about a new dress), begins to get suspicious. This is not the girl who had been so infatuated with the glamour of high society!
Later, Ripley drags herself to the boutique to fit into a dress, but unfortunately, bumps into the queen of venom herself, Rose. True to her villainess form, Rose mocks her for shopping at such a high-end place, implying Ripley doesn’t belong. But the maid claps back at her, saying that her lady could afford much more than she ever imagined. Oof—burn.
However, it all goes awry. All the dresses Ripley admires? Rose is quick to take and claim them. Ripley, fed up and burnt out of the small-time petty battle, abandons the scene before things can get worse.
Jumping to the evening of the royal ball. Ripley is in full evening dress, and naturally, Duke Zeronis arrives and demands to be danced with. While waltzing, he casually refers to her as “aggressive,” meaning that notorious first night. Ripley almost burns with shame and runs away to the balcony. But the Duke comes after like a proper gentleman. As the stars glimmer above, he comes nearer and looks at her intently and speaks: “I have something to ask.”
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 5 ends with Ripley holding her breath, unsure if it’s a proposal, a threat…or both.
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 6: Kiss and a Calculated Slap
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 6 begins with Duke Zeronis dropping the ultimate bomb—he proposes marriage! His reasoning? It is only fitting because they spent their first night together. Ripley’s jaw hits the floor. Marry? Over a night she can’t even remember?!. She yells (with slightly more elegance), “Duke Inglid, this is unfair!”
However, Zeronis is not here because of her tears. Again, with his trademark cold composure, he blackmails her in case she refuses. He says her life and the lives of her family are at stake. Ripley attempts to delay him by inquiring whether he is actually ready to be engaged. He readily agrees, however, on the condition of a kiss pledged. He even kisses her passionately before she can object. There, Ripley is standing, in a total shock, her heart pounding and her head spinning.
Rose Slaps Ripley
Ripley is later cornered in another room by Rose, who accuses her of having seduced the Duke. In frustration, Ripley asks Rose how she knows all this. Is she stalking the pair? Rose does not deny it and shouts that she is going to reveal to the Duke the real nature of Ripley. Perfect! That is what Ripley intends to do: scare Zeronis away. However, everything takes a wrong turn when Rose slaps her. Big mistake. Ripley loses it and ends up telling Rose off for all her two-facedness in her toxic obsession with the Duke. This is not love; this is stalking. Let us call it what it actually is.
Just when she thinks that the drama is finished, there is a knock on the door. Ripley is afraid to run because she believes that Rose is returning for Round Two. But a voice prevents her. “Where are you rushing off to?” The First Night With the Duke Chapter 6 ends with Ripley frozen in place, unsure if she’s walking into another trap—or something worse.
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 7: Villain Era Activated
The First Night With Duke Chapter 7 begins with Ripley trying to escape drama for once, only to be stopped by the Duke himself. Zeronis peacefully questions why she was running and then sees the new scar on her cheek. His face is concerned, and he wonders whether someone hit her. Cue awkward silence again.
At the very moment, Rose bursts in, and Zeronis gives her a cold and calculating look. He makes the inferences immediately. Ripley, not skipping a beat, raises a finger and points straight at Rose, having fully accepted her choice to play a villainess. “She did it, she says.
Zeronis, with a stone face, looks at Rose and says, “I’m asking you to refrain from pointing fingers at my fiancée.” The term “fiancée” strikes like a bomb in the room. Rose breaks, and Ripley loses it on the inside. He actually defended her?!
The pair does not even care to explain anything as they walk away. Ripley is already doing her villainous makeover. But again, Zeronis surprises her—he quietly says, “Does it still hurt?” She begins to realize how different this version of Zeronis is from the cruel, distant character in the original story. She wonders and asks him aloud, “What do you think love is?” He says, in reply, softly, “It must be something like giving one warmth… and not wanting to stop giving it.”
The following day, totally inspired, Ripley decides to become a full-scale villainess, yet a tactful one. When her maid Sylvia sees Ripley plotting with sparkly eyes, she wonders who the lucky victim of her rage will be. Ripley smirks and says, “There’s only one person.”
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 8: Failing at Villainy
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 8 begins with Ripley meeting Etoile, fully prepped to unleash her inner villainess. She is prepared to fling innuendos, possibly even a few designer digs. However, when she is greeted by the kind and caring smile of Etoile, her wicked intentions are totally blown away.
In her attempts to maintain her mission, Ripley tries to poke fun at the dressing of Etoile, but when she realizes that Etoile is so nice and self-conscious, she simply cannot do it. Rather, Ripley clumsily suggests lending her one of her own dresses, particularly after she hears that, as Etoile was adopted into the Baron family, she does not spend much on herself.
Etoile feels very touched as she tells Ripley that she is her first real friend. This is a sucker punch to Ripley, and it causes a flashback of an old friendship that is obviously important. Etoile soothingly tells Ripley, It’s okay… You have me now”, before the latter can go into an emotional downward spiral.
Winning at Friendship
Then Ripley rushes to the estate of Duke Zeronis to prevent the latter from coming to visit her parents and seal a date with them, as it is very obvious that her family and the Duke coming together is a disaster. However, in the middle of it, the ride in a carriage unexpectedly stops because the horse breaks its leg. Ripley takes the daring decision of walking to the mansion of the Duke instead of panicking. Her maid Sylvia, is horrified yet internally impressed by the determination of her lady. When they are just on a trekking route in the countryside, a mysterious man appears out of nowhere and stands in their way.
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 8 ends with Ripley narrowing her eyes, wondering if this stranger is a new character or a new problem.
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 9: Bomb Shots
The First Night With the Duke Chapter 9 begins with Ripley and Sylvia being approached by none other than the charming son of a marquis—Mr. Wright, the infamous second male lead, and a man Ripley once admired. He proposes to take her to the home of Duke Zeronis, and Ripley, dazzled by his appearance and terrified by the conflicting story lines, goes along.
During the road trip, Ripley chooses to turn up her villainess energy just because she can, surprising poor Sylvia once more. Mr. Wright, the smooth talker, says he is very close to Zeronis and wanted to visit him. When he attempts some small talk, Ripley interrupts him, feigning not to hear his charms, until he leans in and playfully asks her to give the recipe for her bomb shots at the party.
In time, before she could reply, Duke Zeronis entered, his eyes focused on them like a hunter upon prey. Ripley smirks—is he jealous? Excellent.
Bombshell Confessions
Afterward, in the mansion, Zeronis goes out and, right out in the open, asks what that little scene was. Ripley is in full villain mode and chooses to test him out. She begins listing grand, almost absurd engagement demands: an expensive dress, a huge ring, even a special bridal procession. He accepts everything without batting an eyelid, to her surprise.
“It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,“ he says simply. And then, finally, there is the curveball: Zeronis narrows his eyes and inquires, asking why she and Mr. Wright were awfully close.
Ripley thinks on her feet (or rather does not think at all) and blurts out, “I have a crush on Mr. Wright.” First Night With the Duke Chapter 9 ends with Duke Zeronis’s expression darkening like a brewing storm, and Ripley realizing she might’ve just poked a very dangerous bear.
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