Chapter 88
“Beloved….”
Everett lifted one corner of his mouth as if in disbelief. Eldin stared coldly at the count.
“Your father is here, yet you don’t even greet him—what are you doing? At your age, are you still throwing childish tantrums?”
The count shook his head with exaggerated gestures. Then, sneaking a glance at the duke to read the room, he softened his expression, smiled ingratiatingly, and rubbed his hands together.
“May I sit here for just a moment?”
No one answered. Everyone looked at Eldin. Her will mattered most. After a brief silence, she replied curtly,
“Sit.”
But instead of sitting, the count turned back to the duke. Due to his extravagant spending, the count’s household finances were already depleted. Today, no matter what, he had to get money from the duke.
“It’ll only take a moment. There’s something I absolutely must say.”
Seeing his opinion naturally disregarded, Eldin let out a short sigh. She knew what kind of man he was, but it was almost surprising how little he had changed. Holding Fernan’s hand, she murmured quietly,
“Please tell him to sit.”
“…Sit down, Count.”
The moment Fernan finished speaking, the count broke into a wide grin and sat down. No sooner had he settled into his seat than he began, shamelessly and at length, to explain how he had raised Eldin.
“I made sure she lacked nothing so she could grow up confidently despite having no mother. Above all, I paid great attention to etiquette, so she wouldn’t be looked down on.”
Everett growled harshly as he listened.
“That’s a curious thing to say. What exactly do you mean by ‘paid attention to etiquette,’ especially in that household?”
It was a biting criticism, but the count seemed to take it differently. He let out a loud sigh and replied,
“First of all, during meals, I trained her so that no sound would come from her utensils. A woman making noise at the dining table—unthinkable. Every time there was a sound, I personally sat beside her and corrected her, again and again.”
As if asking for recognition of his efforts, the count clinked his champagne glass noisily onto the table. Taking Everett’s silence as approval, he continued,
“Well, because of that, at some point she even started managing her weight on her own! Honestly, that’s when I really felt my efforts had paid off!”
It was a pretty way of dressing up starvation caused by abuse. Everyone who knew the truth clenched their teeth.
“But now… really….”
Clicking his tongue, the count looked at Eldin.
“Eldin, are you even managing your weight these days? Just look at the plates in front of you. Seeing you unable to control your appetite even here… how much must you be eating at the duke’s estate? I suppose I should send a mirror to the duke’s household.”
The count snatched up the plate in front of Eldin.
“Hah….”
Eldin let out a short sigh. She could no longer overlook his behavior.
“Count.”
Sitting up straight, Eldin addressed him. Her voice was low but firm. At the unfamiliar tone, the count stared at her, mouth agape.
“You… you just now… what did you call me…?”
“Count. Do you still think I’m a child who trembles at the sight of a cane? I am now a duchess. Mind your manners.”
The count’s shoulders twitched. As things stood, Eldin was the duchess—meaning that even as her biological father, he was not in a position to treat her carelessly.
“Moreover, this is a gathering not only with me present, but with the duke and the former duke and duchess as well. I hope this will be the last time you behave so rudely.”
After speaking, Eldin looked at the count with calm eyes.
“I—no—uh… I’m… sorry.”
Flustered, the count jumped to his feet and left the table.
“My child, you handled that well.”
Kaiden praised her with a gentle smile.
“You handled it well—but next time, you may hit that man with this glass if you wish. I’ll take care of the aftermath.”
Everett said, glaring at the count’s retreating back.
“Eldin, shall we make sure he can never approach you again?”
Fernan asked.
“No. It’s fine. It’ll be fine now.”
Eldin smiled, telling them not to worry. But the moment she finished speaking, the count could be seen approaching again from afar, seething.
Frowning, Eldin quietly watched him.
“You ungrateful wretch!”
The count shouted, pointing at Eldin. It seemed he had been drinking in the meantime; a sharp scent of alcohol wafted from him.
Something must have gone wrong just now! Me apologizing to this mere woman!
The count roared at Eldin,
“With the duke’s family backing you, you’re awfully full of yourself! But would they still stand by you if they knew the truth?”
“What are you—”
Eldin frowned. The count turned to Everett and Kaiden and shouted,
“This child killed her own mother! She killed my beloved wife! I forgave her and raised her anyway—yet look at how she treats her father!”
At the count’s booming voice, nearby nobles began murmuring and gathering around.
“I can still hear Amelia’s sorrowful voice! How did it feel when you killed your own mother? Thinking of how much pain Amelia must have been in, how she must have begged for her life—I still can’t sleep at night!”
“Count!”
Eldin shouted for the first time as she stood up. At her reaction, the count smirked and stepped back.
“What, are you planning to kill me too? You certainly could now! You’re a duchess now, after all! Everyone, stop this woman! She’s trying to kill her father after killing her mother!”
At the count’s cries, the nobles frowned and began approaching Eldin. The ducal family also stood, glaring around them. Just as everyone’s nerves were stretched to the limit—
“What is all this commotion?”
A woman’s voice rang out. Recognizing the owner of the voice, the nobles gasped and hurriedly bowed.
“We greet Her Imperial Highness the Princess!”
At the word princess, the count also bowed. Diana glanced briefly at Eldin, then addressed everyone.
“This is a party held for me, yet the atmosphere is dreadful. I will deal with this matter strictly later, so all of you, withdraw.”
The gathered nobles quickly dispersed. Irritated by the princess’s sudden appearance, the count glared at Eldin before turning toward the balcony.
Diana signaled to the hooded person beside her. Yuricien approached Eldin and took her hand.
“Eldin, just for a moment.”
“Lady Yuricien?”
Eldin looked surprised, then followed her to another place.
“Thank you for helping.”
After explaining what had happened to Diana, Everett rose from his seat with an angry expression. He could no longer tolerate that man running his mouth in front of Eldin.
Kaiden and Fernan also stood and followed, each moving for their own purpose.
Everett strode toward the balcony where the count had gone.
“Who’s there?!”
The drunken count shouted as the balcony door opened. Everett looked at him coldly.
“Well, if it isn’t Lord Everett. What brings you here?”
The count asked, hiccupping.
“It seems you’re not worth keeping alive after all.”
Everett swung his hand, trapping the count inside a vortex of magic. Within that vortex, the count would be tormented by endless nightmares until Everett chose to release him.
Meanwhile, Kaiden went to the count’s estate and began confiscating all its assets and possessions. He knew exactly when men like that were most vulnerable.
All servants in the estate were dismissed, and everything that remained was removed. Before long, the mansion collapsed, and every plant on the count’s grounds withered.
Yuricien, having led Eldin out of the ballroom and into another room, removed her hood and looked at her.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m sorry for ruining the atmosphere at Lady Diana’s party.”
“What are you sorry for?! You have nothing to apologize for. It’s not your fault. That strange man is the problem.”
Yuricien cleared her throat.
“But… are you really okay?”
She glanced at Eldin’s complexion. Despite the humiliation she had endured, Eldin’s expression was calm, as if nothing had happened.
“Yes, I’m fine. But wouldn’t you tell me about the places you traveled to? Every time I read your letters, I felt happy myself—I really want to hear the full stories.”
Eldin asked with a smile. It seemed she didn’t want to talk about the incident any further.
Yuricien scratched her cheek awkwardly and began telling stories of her travels.
Fernan, heading toward where Eldin was, stopped when he heard voices through the door. Eldin’s laughter drifted out.
In this state, she won’t be returning to the ballroom for a while.
Thinking it was fortunate under the circumstances, Fernan turned away.
Mother and Father will deal with the count… then I should focus on the other side.
Fernan returned to the ballroom, searching for a man. Upon finding who he was looking for, he approached him.
“I greet Your Grace the Duke.”
The nobles who noticed Fernan gasped and hurriedly bowed. Fernan’s red eyes fixed on Baron Brian, who stood among them.
“Come see me for a moment.”
“Pardon? M-me?”
The baron asked in confusion. Fernan tilted his head, signaling him to follow quickly.
Upon reaching the garden, Fernan erected a magical barrier so no one could see them or overhear their conversation.
“May I ask what this is about…?”
The baron asked hesitantly. Fernan stared at him in silence. The reason Eldin had not suffered in this life was because she had changed her own fate.
If, on the very first day Eldin came to me, I had turned her away…
He didn’t even want to imagine what would have followed. Eldin would have repeated the same life as before. That was why the man before him was not worth sparing. But since he could not kill him, Fernan chose another method instead.
