Chapter 52
Unlike with Josephine, seeing Melanie surrounded by men put Pollius in a terrible mood.
It was because of the ridiculous things those young noblemen were saying to her.
“I don’t cheat.”
“Honestly, compared to Belderte’s young master—Pollius Belderte, I mean—I’m…”
Of course, it was impossible to compete with Archmage Damian.
His ability, his reputation—no one dared to compare.
But the reason these nobles could so casually approach the Duke’s daughter was because her former fiancé had been Pollius.
‘Even so, aren’t I still better than Pollius Belderte?’
—that was what all those men were thinking.
‘Well, sure, he has a decent face because he takes after that countess his mother pushed aside… but what else does he have? The fairy’s blessing?’
‘People say he’s sensitive, but if you flatter him a little, wouldn’t he be the next duke?’
Meanwhile Melanie could see right through their intentions, and clicked her tongue.
‘It’s not because I have low standards—Pollius is just a painkiller, that’s all…’
But this was all her own karma.
And just as Melanie expected, this entire setup was Josephine’s doing.
“Since the Archmage didn’t firmly propose, and she broke up with Pollius, she looked very lonely.”
“I was out with Madam Milla the other day and ran into her, and she looked at me with such envy.”
Of course, nothing Josephine said was true.
She didn’t mention that she and Madam Milla had been together with the Archmage.
Nor did she let them think she and Madam Milla were the ones who had been humiliated. Josephine set the stage so cleverly that no one suspected.
She never told the nobles to attack Melanie—only to aggressively court her.
‘Ugh, what is she doing now?’
Watching from afar, Clara saw Josephine smiling and scowled in disgust.
Just then, Melanie glanced toward her and gave a subtle signal. Clara understood immediately.
‘Alright. I’ll go tell Pollius.’
Clara hurried to Pollius and spoke in the most pitiful tone she could manage.
“I want to win your heart fairly, but Lady Ingrid is manipulating society just to steal you! She’s so evil!”
In truth, even after Melanie utterly rejected him because the mana stone mine wasn’t his, Pollius still hadn’t given up.
As he struggled through shortage after shortage of mana stones, he couldn’t stop thinking:
‘If Melanie and I were still engaged, business would be so much easier…’
‘If only Josephine hadn’t asked for the blessing so casually that day… Melanie might still be my fiancée.’
He regretted everything.
He shouldn’t have brought Josephine to his bed. Melanie would’ve made a much better wife.
‘No—if I was with Melanie, I wouldn’t need to run a business at all. All her projection stone ventures would’ve been mine.’
Her words had made him angry countless times, and he’d vowed he would succeed just to crush their pride.
And when Clara kept insisting that taking in the theater troupe meant Melanie still had feelings for him—that she hadn’t definitely chosen Damian—he wavered even more.
‘What if going to Damian was just to make me jealous? If it’s now… I could take Melanie back.’
And now other nobles were trying to win her over—because of Josephine.
His anger flared.
Clearly, everything was Josephine’s fault.
Today especially, he was already on edge.
“Haha, Count Belderte. I’m very jealous of your son.”
“Ah, my apologies. I meant the Archmage, Young Master Damian, not this Young Master Pollius.”
Ever since the projection stone business succeeded, everyone kept praising Damian in front of his father.
‘Those compliments used to be mine.’
Damian had been Archmage for a while, but the Magic Tower was usually isolated and ignored unless the kingdom needed force.
There hadn’t been gossip or fame to speak of.
But ever since Damian started doing things with Melanie, he became the sensation of society.
“Yes, the boy had talent in magic since young. Not just because he’s my son—he’s bright, you see.”
Pollius’ father, who used to show obvious displeasure whenever Damian was mentioned, now smiled from ear to ear whenever someone praised him.
Once upon a time, he said he’d never accept Damian back home—
—and now he acted like Damian was his precious son.
Yet when Pollius decided to sell a building and disband the troupe for business, his father said:
“You sold a building without permission and broke up the troupe? Do you know how precious it is to our family?”
“You want to run a business? Business isn’t a game. You can’t even sell a building properly.”
“Damian is your brother. And you enter the same field as him? That’s absurd.”
But Damian had left the Belderte household long ago, saying he hated the family.
Pollius was the only remaining son.
Why didn’t his father see that?
Instead of supporting him, his father only scolded him. He felt like he didn’t even know this man anymore.
‘He went out of his way to attend a gathering for unmarried youths… just to meet Damian. What is wrong with him?’
Married people rarely attended these gatherings—it was taboo.
But because Damian was the star of the night, Count Belderte came anyway, ignoring everyone’s stares.
Pollius felt sick. If his father actually smiled at Damian tonight, he might explode.
‘Don’t tell me… he’s thinking of giving the heir title to Damian? To a man who left because he hated the family?’
Standing beside Count Belderte, Pollius received no attention at all—he felt like a decoration attached to the wall.
“Could you introduce me to your son? I have a promising business proposal—”
“Ah, my apologies. I have urgent business and must take my leave.”
His father hadn’t planned to attend the event at all if Damian wasn’t appearing—meaning he already had unavoidable plans tonight.
“A shame. The Archmage is said to be here but hasn’t shown himself…”
If Father left, this humiliation would end.
Even though Count Belderte came all the way here, Damian was hiding so thoroughly he was nowhere to be found.
“Pollius!”
Just as Pollius was grinding his teeth, Clara rushed toward him.
“What if Lady Clotilde falls for one of those men?”
“What? They’re approaching her even though the Duke’s marriage proposal remains valid?”
Hearing that, Count Belderte’s eyes flared.
“Pollius, I must leave now. Go immediately and tell those young men that the Duke’s proposal still stands!”
“Yes, Father!”
Pollius didn’t care what his father’s intentions were.
As soon as he heard it, he bolted.
Yes—the proposal letter still existed.
Marriage agreements between noble families weren’t sent to a single person. They remained valid unless formally rejected.
There was still a chance.
‘It’s not like she agreed to marry Damian!’
She had loved him once. If he swallowed his pride, she might return.
If she saw him boldly protecting her in front of everyone, maybe her heart would change.
‘She even took in the troupe. Even if she says she hates me, that means her feelings aren’t gone!’
Pollius rushed toward Melanie. Josephine was there too.
“Lady Clotilde, you look lonely. Why not accept one of these gentlemen?”
Josephine had waited for the perfect timing—ready to ridicule Melanie.
“You looked so jealous when you saw me with Madam Milla. You seemed so forlorn.”
Pollius wondered why Josephine was determined to sabotage him until the end.
He didn’t care that he had strung her along. He didn’t think that part mattered.
“Everyone, what do you think you’re doing?”
“…Pollius?”
Josephine turned, startled. But Pollius ignored her.
“The Clotilde Duchy’s marriage proposal to our house is still safely kept. Why are you behaving like this toward a woman who is already promised?”
Pollius believed he was the hero of the story.
Saving Melanie, who was surrounded by villains.
He imagined that he had made a dramatic entrance.
But in that very moment—
he heard the low, deep voice he hated more than anything in the world.
“Exactly. Why are you behaving this way toward someone whose marriage discussion with the Belderte house still stands?”
Pollius turned his head slowly.
And there stood the man he had despised since childhood—
His half-brother.
