chapter 11
“I’m just saying, I’m not like that bastard Polius.”
Then he muttered something under his breath.
“…Thank you for taking my side earlier.”
“What? What did you say?”
“If you didn’t hear, then never mind.”
He said it quietly and turned his head away with a slight pout. Honestly, seeing a grown man act like that wasn’t particularly cute.
Hmm… Did he just thank me for taking his side?
I wasn’t completely sure since he mumbled, but judging by the sound of his words, that’s what it seemed like. My intuition is sharp in these things.
As I thought about why he suddenly brought this up, I figured it out.
He must’ve heard what I said to Lady Martis and opened his heart to me a little.
I thought he was the wary type, but he’s surprisingly pure.
After happily finishing my dessert, I parted ways with Damian.
“Well then, let’s meet again next time.”
And just like that, we smoothly set up our next meeting. Compared to our first encounter, when he was bristling at the mere mention of an engagement, this was great progress.
Even when I’d said things like calling a noble lady a “blockhead,” he didn’t react negatively. It seemed he wasn’t the overly sensitive type. No need for me to put on any fake airs, then.
And I’ve learned something important—we hate the same type of man.
He clearly despises people like Polius too. It’s nice that our tastes align. That’s a positive sign.
* * *
The news that Damian was meeting with Melanie soon reached the ears of Count Beldert.
“Father, I can’t just stand by while Damian tries to seduce my woman!”
It was because Polius, after being rejected by Melanie, had exploded in anger.
“Seduce her?”
“Yes!”
Count Beldert had already heard that Damian attended the Founding Festival ball with Melanie as his partner.
But—
“I heard she broke up with you.”
“That’s not true! I never agreed to it! She must have said that because Damian tricked her somehow—”
“You fool.”
Count Beldert cut him off coldly, not even bothering to hear the rest.
“She said she couldn’t stand you meeting other women anymore.”
“That’s only because she’s jealous! No—Father, the real problem is Damian! Why are you blaming me—”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
Lady Clotilde was far too valuable a bride to give away easily.
Lately, other nobles had been making comments about how wasteful it would be for her to marry elsewhere, and that irked the Count. He’d been thinking it was time to tie Polius to her once and for all through marriage.
From what he’d seen, Melanie Clotilde didn’t look like she would live long anyway—and when she, the heir, eventually died, it wouldn’t be hard to swallow up the Clotilde Duchy.
“You couldn’t even keep hold of one woman. What’s so brag-worthy about that? Getting her taken away just makes you a fool, Polius.”
“Father!”
“I’m deeply disappointed. The only advantage you had over Damian was your ability to charm people.”
“…That’s—”
“And yet, of all things, you let a woman be stolen from you? I may have to reconsider my opinion of you. Perhaps I’ve been mistaken all along.”
Count Beldert’s gaze turned icy. Polius stood frozen, unable to speak.
“But… she’s not just any woman—she’s my brother’s—”
He barely managed to open his mouth again, but—
“Melanie Clotilde must not be taken by another house. It’s lucky Damian managed to secure her when you couldn’t.”
“That’s not—”
“Engagements are about alliances between families, not feelings. It doesn’t matter who the other party is… To think I used to believe Damian was just a fool who abandoned Beldert Castle.”
Count Beldert, instead of blaming Damian, praised him.
“Don’t ever call me again for such trivial nonsense.”
Bang! The door slammed shut behind him as he left.
Polius buried his face in his hands, unable to believe what had just happened.
Impossible… Father raised his voice at me?
Count Beldert had always praised Polius for being manly, saying it was good for him to mingle with many women. Meanwhile, he had always clicked his tongue at Damian for never being romantically involved with anyone.
And now, everything had flipped—because of one woman. Polius had become the fool who couldn’t even manage his lover, while Damian was suddenly the wise one cleaning up his brother’s mess.
“Damn it. Damian Beldert, that cursed bastard!”
Even though the Count had a cold personality, Polius had always believed his father loved him. This was the first time he’d seen such a frigid look directed at him.
Don’t tell me… he’s planning to give the heir’s title to Damian?
Damian might not care about the Beldert estate, but for Polius—who desperately needed that position—it was unbearable to even imagine.
“When you won over Melanie Clotilde, I thought, well done. You’ve caught a fine woman.”
He could still remember his father’s praise clearly.
After receiving the Clotilde family’s favor, nobody in high society dared look down on him anymore.
Even if Damian abandoned the Beldert name, once he tries to get engaged to Melanie, who knows what tricks that sly bastard will pull.
Despite Damian having left the family years ago, Count Beldert still hadn’t officially declared Polius as his heir.
Even though Damian had never once used the family name since joining the Mage Tower, his father still treated it as a temporary phase.
That thought filled Polius with anxiety and frustration.
I was already at a disadvantage for being born illegitimate… and since Damian left, even the collateral branches have started getting bold…
He clenched his teeth. There was only one way to secure his position now.
He had to marry Melanie Clotilde—the heiress of the empire’s most noble bloodline, now that there was no imperial princess.
I can’t lose her. She used to love me so much… If I beg her again, she’ll come back to me.
Even after the humiliation at the Founding Festival, he wrote a letter asking Melanie to meet him. He thought to himself that humbling himself like this would be a once-in-a-lifetime event.
You must be struggling to figure out how to smooth over today’s embarrassment, Melanie.
But things didn’t go as he expected.
“What? Say that again. That’s impossible!”
“I’m sorry, sir. There’s no reply to be given.”
She refused to even respond to him?
There must be reasons for all this. How could she turn her back on me? Melanie, of all people?
He’d always thought her coldness was just a misunderstanding. That she wasn’t truly heartless. Yet now she’d unilaterally ended things because he’d met a few other women?
A man’s face isn’t everything. How could she choose someone like Damian…?
Polius hunched his shoulders, overwhelmed. His father had turned his back on him, and so had Melanie. He desperately needed someone—anyone—to reassure him that he was still loved.
So he quickly mounted his horse and rode straight to the Marquis of Ingda’s estate.
“Oh my, Polius!”
“Josephine, sorry for dropping by unannounced.”
“Oh, don’t apologize! You and I are special friends, aren’t we? I’m just happy to see you.”
Unlike Melanie, who coldly rejected his invitations, Josephine greeted him with a bright smile, even though he’d shown up unannounced. Yet another thing that set her apart from that icy woman.
“…Polius, you don’t look well.”
“Josephine… you won’t abandon me too, will you?”
Josephine was the daughter of the Marquis of Ingda. Though her family ranked slightly below the Clotildes, her charm and personality made her a prominent figure in high society.
And in that world—so different from the rigid hierarchy of noble houses—Josephine’s influence was considerable. She was the only person Polius could rely on now.
He naturally leaned into her arms.
“W-whoa?”
“Josephine… you’re all I have left. If even you turn away from me… I might just die…”
“Don’t say such things! How could I ever turn away from my benefactor, Polius?”
Startled, Josephine patted his back soothingly.
If only he hadn’t cast that blessing to ease my pain when I broke my arm… Lady Clotilde probably wouldn’t have broken off her engagement with him.
Though she hadn’t planned it, being caught in bed with Polius had been a stroke of luck.
The Ingda and Clotilde houses had similar histories, but Josephine had always resented how Melanie drew people’s attention with her fragile health and tragic image.
Now, though—she finally had a chance to take Melanie’s place beside Polius.
How thrilling it would be to take the man Melanie Clotilde could not have!
If I help him properly now, he’ll love me even more!
Seeing Polius so distraught, she couldn’t just stand by.
I have to find a way to arrange a meeting with Melanie Clotilde somehow.
With renewed determination, Josephine began plotting her next move—unaware that by opposing Melanie, she was playing right into Polius’s hands.
