chapter 10
“What, what, what did you just say?!”
Another shrill shout rang out. Anyone hearing it might think I’d just announced the end of the world.
“So you’re saying Lady Clotilde doesn’t care whether Lord Polius gets hurt or not? How could you be so selfish—”
“Oh, you’re mistaken. The one who doesn’t care is you, Lady Martis.”
“…What?”
I waved my hand dismissively. My ears were starting to ache thanks to the person in front of me.
“I don’t know what relationship you think you have with me or with Lord Polius, Lady Martis, but I don’t recall asking for your advice. I’d rather not deal with such intrusive meddling.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Understand what, exactly?”
“His pain! If you knew how much Lord Polius has suffered, you wouldn’t be treating this so lightly!”
Lady Martis bit her lip like a tragic heroine in a melodrama, looking on the verge of tears.
My thoughts on this scene?
What a drama queen.
In her eyes, I was probably the villainess of the century.
I hated how Polius was always painted as the victim while I was cast as the bad one.
“Lord Damian, the Archmage—you may think he’s radiant and flawless, but he isn’t what he seems. Don’t judge him by appearances.”
While I was still processing the absurdity of the situation, Lady Martis lifted her chin with a grim look.
“Perhaps Lord Polius didn’t tell you this… he’s so gentle, he probably kept it secret… but I must say it.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Because the one Lord Polius truly loves… is you, Lady Clotilde. It’s painful, truly painful… but I have to admit it.”
She was so wrapped up in her own tragic monologue that I didn’t know where to interrupt.
Still, I couldn’t take it anymore.
“…And what exactly do you want me to do with that information? You want me to take him back? You met him knowing he was already engaged, yet you’re acting like the tragic heroine here.”
“You can’t keep meeting the Archmage while accepting Lord Polius’s love!”
Her hands were clenched tight, trembling, as she shouted what she wanted to say.
“The truth is, Lord Polius has been scorned his whole life for being an illegitimate child—”
“Oh, you mean when he whined about being discriminated against because his mother was a mistress?”
She looked stunned.
“What?!”
“Who cares about the feelings of a bastard born from adultery? From the standpoint of the legitimate son, that’s none of my concern. Maybe you should worry more about Lord Damian’s feelings instead?”
In the novel ‘The Illegitimate Son Who Became the Best Entrepreneur!’, Polius was definitely the protagonist.
But even though the story was written entirely from his point of view, there were always parts that grated on my nerves.
“Well, Damian, you wouldn’t understand—you’re not a bastard.”
“…What?”
“We’re both our father’s sons, so why am I filthy while you’re pure? My mother’s only sin was loving him!”
Not exactly the words you expect from someone born out of an affair.
Other scenes from the book flashed through my mind.
“Isn’t it easier to serve young master Polius? He smiles so sweetly…”
“I won’t decide on an heir yet. I’ll judge fairly, based on your performance.”
In the end, Damian, who should have been the rightful heir, left his family behind.
‘If you can say that while holding the heir’s seat hostage, then honestly, you’ve already decided to hand it to Polius.’
Again and again, I wondered how the Archmage Damian must have felt—constantly overshadowed, constantly hurt.
When I’d first read the novel, it wasn’t Polius who captured my attention.
It was the side characters—Melanie, the doomed heroine, and Damian, the so-called villain with the deeper story.
Now that I was Melanie, the pathetic supporting character who dies meaninglessly, I couldn’t help but sympathize.
I sighed bitterly.
“Polius, that man—he’s good at using his ‘pain’ as an excuse. Whenever someone points out his flaws, he turns it into, ‘Oh, it’s because I have dirty blood, isn’t it?’ and suddenly he’s the victim.”
Especially with women, that kind of tragic self-pity worked like magic. It stirred their sympathy and maternal instincts.
“You feel like you have to protect him, right? Like you’re the only one who truly understands his pain?”
“…”
“Oh, were you surprised? Did you think you were the only one he confided in? He says that to everyone.”
Of course, I’d once been one of those foolish girls who thought she could heal him, too.
I smirked.
“Well, since Polius doesn’t even think cheating is wrong, it’s easy for him to act like the ultimate victim. That’s how he managed to date you while still being with me.”
Lady Martis said nothing. She just stared down at the floor, dazed.
Watching her like that, I continued.
“To be honest, I don’t care whether you and he end up together. But stop acting like you’re living some grand tragic romance. You were just playing with a man who already belonged to someone else.”
“I… I…”
“And one more thing, for your sake—don’t think you’re special just because you were his partner at the founding ball. There were other women he went much further with.”
“!”
That did it.
“I—I’ll excuse myself!”
Lady Martis ran out of the café in shock. She stumbled halfway out, but picked herself up and fled anyway.
Finally, some peace.
I took a sip of the now-lukewarm water. It was just plain water, but the warmth made it go down smoothly.
Tch.
A cheater lecturing me—the world really is too kind to its protagonists.
Fine then. I’ll shatter that damn story myself.
As I harbored my dark little resolve to turn from fiancée to villainess, Damian returned and sat down across from me.
“You’re back?”
“…”
But the expression on his face was odd. He didn’t answer right away—just looked at me for a moment before bowing his head slightly.
“Thank you… for understanding.”
“It’s fine. You weren’t gone that long anyway.”
Actually, it was probably for the best. If Damian had overheard Lady Martis’s nonsense, even he might’ve felt hurt.
I smiled lightly. My body was still weak, and I could only drink water, but the verbal sparring had felt strangely refreshing.
“Lady Clotilde, may I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
It was surprising that the Archmage himself initiated conversation.
If he was curious about something, that was a good sign.
But even after I agreed, he hesitated for a moment.
“Why did you break up with Polius? Was it really because of… his affairs, as you said at the ball?”
“Well, yes. Why bother trying to understand a man like that? Besides, we didn’t get along in other ways either.”
“For example?”
“He always acted like he was the only one in the world who suffered.”
Damian’s eyes showed immediate understanding.
“Ah. The kind who says, ‘You wouldn’t understand because you’ve lived comfortably—do you know what it’s like to be a bastard?’ That sort of talk?”
“Exactly.”
“And then smiles wistfully, pretending to be noble for enduring it all?”
Heh, he knew exactly the type—probably because he’d been on the receiving end before.
I nodded enthusiastically.
“Since then, I’ve sworn off ‘pure-hearted’ men entirely.”
“Then… you prefer rough ones? Is there something wrong with men being gentle?”
I laughed.
“Oh no, I didn’t mean that kind of pure. I meant Polius’s brain is pure.”
“Pfft.”
Damian nearly spilled his tea. Well, not ‘nearly’—he actually did.
“Lord Archmage, you almost spit out your tea the first time we met. I think tea just isn’t your thing.”
“Did it ever occur to you that it might be you who keeps startling me?”
“What’s wrong with saying someone’s brain is pure?”
I half-expected a scolding, but to my surprise, Damian smiled faintly instead.
“It suits you, that way of speaking.”
Oh. That was the first time I’d seen him smile like that.
But as I replayed his words in my head, I tilted my head suspiciously.
“…Are you teasing me right now?”
“I’m merely being honest.”
Talking with Damian was unexpectedly fun.
What was supposed to be just a show—to make Polius jealous and discuss business—had somehow turned into a genuinely pleasant conversation.
Maybe I hadn’t changed much since the start, but Damian… felt a little different now.
Like he’d let his guard down.
“In any case,” I said lightly, “even if you decide not to go through with the engagement, just make sure you don’t get caught in any rumors with another woman while we’re meeting.”
“I don’t get involved with women easily.”
He sounded almost offended. I grinned teasingly.
“See, that’s what I like about you, Lord Archmage.”
“I’m not saying it to win your favor.”
And just like that, the cold wall was back up.
Just when I thought the atmosphere was finally warming up—Damian spoke again.
