CHAPTER~20
My explosive revelation turned the Lumiere Salon ice-cold as if someone had poured freezing water over it.
“D-daughter!? So you’re saying that that commoner, no… that girl, no, that young lady is the Count’s daughter?”
Arno, who had been making a scene without knowing the full story, froze in shock as if he had been slapped, then jumped in disbelief.
“Yes, that child. She’s my daughter. Can’t you tell? She’s so pretty.”
I gestured for Mela to come over, as if asking the obvious question were meaningless.
Then Mela, who had been clinging to Ferzen’s side, came running over as if she had been waiting. Every time her beautifully braided hair swayed in the air, it looked just like puppy ears, utterly adorable.
“Ah!”
Mela accidentally stepped on Arno’s hand as she approached.
“Ah! Sorry!”
Mela giggled and just nodded her head. Whether it was an accident or intentional, she didn’t look particularly apologetic.
I nearly burst out laughing at the sight, but held it in.
“I just thought you were divorced, yet you have a child? Count, why didn’t you tell me about it when you’re already in debt?”
Arno, having finally grasped the situation, scolded me in an angry voice. The audacity of his indignation made me smirk. It wasn’t entirely unexpected.
“Why? Because I have debts and even a child, you’ve lost interest, haven’t you?”
Arno was flustered by my sharp question and forced a laugh, continuing to speak. It was a completely different attitude from his earlier arrogant behavior, though it changed nothing.
“No, I just… I need to prepare myself mentally, you see? I was just surprised that you have a daughter. Then, ah… Father…”
As Arno spoke, he turned to look at Ferzen, who was quietly standing behind him.
“If you had known, you wouldn’t have approached me in the first place. You wouldn’t have sent that ridiculous, embarrassing letter of courtship.”
I spoke again, locking Arno’s gaze.
“The Descent Baron family has three sons, including you, Arno. The eldest is still unmarried because he missed the right time to marry.”
Before meeting Arno, I had done some basic research on the Descent Baron family.
When meeting someone, it’s only natural to know at least a little about them.
There were certain parts that felt suspicious, and what I found was even more interesting.
An otherwise clean and scandal-free man, marrying later than younger brothers, is uncommon in noble society.
Moreover, if he only just became a knight at twenty-five, it was unclear if he was even competent as one.
How could someone like that, who rarely attended banquets or social gatherings, fall for a woman like me at first sight?
Arno was constantly pressured to marry by his father, Baron Descent.
Compared to his other brothers who were married and raising families, he had nothing to show, and by that age, still unmarried. Baron Descent probably considered him a burden.
“The reason is obvious.”
I leaned in to whisper so no one else could hear.
“He spent his time at gambling houses and underground auctions, wasting money like water.”
“H-how do you…!”
Arno’s face turned pale at my words.
He glanced around and then backed away, stammering in a panicked voice. Seeing the women whisper, his face flushed bright red as he gritted his teeth.
“He even lost a lot of money gambling, borrowing wherever he could. Isn’t that right, Arno?”
Arno went even paler. His expression was a mixture of disbelief and fear.
The reason I knew all this was thanks to my capable informant.
Loren, the only staff member of the Carencia Guild, had extraordinarily sharp hearing. So even distant conversations reached his ears.
Loren had gathered information at the gambling houses Arno frequented. Arno, being obsessed with gambling, had no scandals or social interactions.
He likely ignored any commoner women he deemed insignificant, assuming no consequences for his actions.
People who seemed perfect always had a flaw once you looked closely. So why had Arno sent me such a cringe-worthy letter? The reason was obvious.
“You thought to take advantage of my divorce from the Decart family and my weakened position, didn’t you? Because I have debts and struggle to manage the house alone. You intended to exploit that to benefit your family.”
“Th-that’s not it!”
So he had shamelessly made rude remarks about my debts and responsibilities, thinking I was easy to manipulate as a single, divorced woman.
Of course, others likely thought the same of me: poor and pitiful Evlyen Leella, cast out from the Decart family.
But no one knew how happy my heart had been for the past five years. I spoke confidently.
“Our Leella family, and I myself, are not as miserable or pitiful as you think. Above all, I have no intention of meeting someone like you.”
“…”
“As you know, my standards have always been, well, very high.”
“Count…!”
“So do not ever show your face before me again, Arno. I did not come here to meet someone like you, but to warn you.”
“W-what did you say?”
“If you ever send that kind of letter again and try to flirt, I will go straight to Baron Descent himself. Understand?”
I raised my hand as if to strike, making the warning clear.
“Ugh!”
Arno shut his eyes tightly in shock. I laughed subtly at his trembling teeth and naturally held Mela’s hand. I exchanged a glance with Ferzen, who stood behind me.
“Ah! Be careful with red.”
I warned Arno and walked out of the salon. Of course, my warning probably wouldn’t faze him at all.
* * *
“Hah! What nonsense! How dare she speak to me like this!”
Left alone, Arno tried to act nonchalant, exhaling in frustration.
“Divorced and kicked out… ha. Only pride left. She knows who I am behind me!”
Arno muttered, nervously running his hand through his hair. At that moment, someone pressed a hand on his shoulder. It was Ferzen.
“So there’s someone after all. Did he leak something about Evlyen?”
“What? But he’s been speaking casually since earlier…”
Arno turned to look at the man speaking to him. The blue eyes from before had now turned a blazing red.
At the same time, Evlyen’s warning flashed through his mind.
“‘Ah! Be careful with red.’”
Red… the man with fiery red irises standing in front of him.
“D-Decart…”
The red moon, the black bird. As soon as he remembered, Arno stumbled backward in shock.
Then another hand grabbed his shoulder.
“What should we do, Duke? There are many eyes here; should we remove them all?”
It was too late to turn back. Seeing the intimidating Elvien, Arno panicked.
“Close the door first.”
“Y-yes, sir. As you command.”
Elvien closed the door leisurely, and the salon, which had been filled with sweetness moments before, echoed only with screams.
* * *
I left the salon without looking back, keeping my eyes forward. I thought I heard the man scream from the building, but ignored it desperately.
When the building was out of sight, I finally stopped walking.
The sky above was now tinged with sunset. The square around me bustled as if a pre-event celebration was about to begin.
“Phew.”
I hid in a quiet alley, catching my breath. Mela, worried, asked softly.
“Auntie, are you okay?”
There was so much meaning in that question. Mela fiddled with her fingers and asked again.
“I said I was your daughter. That would make things awkward for you… but I’m not really your daughter.”
She was being cautious because of what I said earlier. I crouched down to her level to reassure her.
“Mela, listen carefully.”
“Okay!”
“I won’t ask why you met the Black Duke. But do you still like him?”
“Uh…”
Mela hesitated, glancing behind me for a moment.
I sensed his presence and stood, turning around.
“Evlyen, are you okay?”
Ferzen had arrived right in front of us.
“He’s taken care of. He won’t show up again.”
Maybe because of the different clothing, it felt slightly awkward, both earlier and now.
“Ahem.”
I cleared my throat unnecessarily.
“He certainly won’t appear. Especially not in front of a woman with a husband.”
“…What?”
Ferzen’s eyes twitched at my words. Mela’s did too.
“You promised Mela, right? That you’d protect us… then promise me. One year. That’s all I want. Protect me and Mela.”
“Evlyen, that…”
I never imagined I would say these words myself. I took a deep breath and extended my hand.
“I will be your spouse, Duke.”
