Chapter 44
“From Elzenon’s perspective, I suppose one could think that way.”
It would be a lie to say that Dalia wasn’t at all upset by his suggestion that she should suspect the man she was currently seeing. But, considering that he didn’t know the circumstances, his worry could be seen as ‘reasonable,’ so she decided to listen for now.
However, what Elzenon said next was shocking.
“Wake up from your sweet dreams, milady. If the partner were me, I would gladly accept it even if you asked me to change my family name…”
“Pardon?”
“…Did you really not know of my affection for you, milady?”
“What… are you saying all of a sudden?”
It was a confession she had never, not for a moment, expected.
“I… I’d rather change my own family name. That is, if you would turn your heart toward me even now.”
Dalia was bewildered. Perhaps even more than when she had read the absurdly long letter filled with nonsense from Marquis Bourbon.
It was all the more striking because the man before her had never directly harmed her; on the contrary, he had even shown her some small acts of kindness.
“I really didn’t know, Elzenon. If… if I’ve made you harbor unnecessary expectations, I apologize—”
Elzenon, flustered, quickly interrupted her apology with a slightly defensive insistence.
“And even with this weight gain, I can still love you.”
“…Excuse me?”
Her previously apologetic feelings seemed to freeze as if doused with cold water.
As Dalia slowly stood, Elzenon’s gaze naturally followed her upward.
“So, when I first said you looked healthy, you meant that seeing me gain weight made you dislike me?”
“That… well, the dresses you used to wear no longer fit your figure…”
Elzenon, intending to say it was only natural, stopped mid-sentence, feeling an inexplicable sense of intimidation. He swallowed hard.
Dalia had been someone he thought he could reach with effort. And yet, she had already started glancing at another man. He couldn’t deny feeling a quiet sting of indignation.
Yet the sight of her looking down from above felt entirely different than before.
“And yet you still say you love me?”
“Yes. Isn’t that what true love is?”
Elzenon’s expression suggested he could not comprehend her attitude, yet he was too stunned to continue the argument.
‘Like master, like servant,’ he thought.
Even Elzenon’s claim of affection seemed suspicious—perhaps just a rash statement prompted by his desire for a territorial title in her estate.
If that were the case, what difference was there between him and Marquis Bourbon?
Dalia let out a dry laugh.
At that moment, a cautious knock sounded at the door.
“Dalia. I heard you were receiving a guest—may I come in?”
It was Khalid’s voice.
Dalia, startled, let out a quiet sigh.
Had he arrived just a little earlier, and had she heard all of Elzenon’s disgraceful talk, she shuddered at the thought of what might have happened.
The thugs who had assisted Ahmad in abducting Dalia had vanished without a trace once she had recovered enough to leave her bed.
Though she never asked Khalid how he handled them, it was clear they had mysteriously disappeared from the streets as if by mutual agreement. Surely, it wasn’t that all the thugs had suddenly gone on a trip together.
‘If he had heard about this, he wouldn’t have let them go.’
Unaware of all this, Elzenon gazed blankly at Dalia and stiffened his face.
“Milady. That voice…”
“My boyfriend has arrived. Perfect timing. Now, let me introduce you.”
Dalia strode forward, opening the doors on either side.
Elzenon, eyes narrowing with calculation, caught sight of a black-haired man appearing through the doorway and his eyes widened.
“Could it be…? I, I was told that…”
Unconsciously, his voice rose a few tones in pitch as he demanded clarification. Dalia smiled indulgently at his high-pitched, questioning tone.
“Why? Did you think, like my father wrote, that he would be an old wealthy man?”
She was correct.
“You’re surprised he’s so young and handsome?”
That was also true.
Yet Elzenon forced himself to erase the astonishment from his face.
‘But of course. An exotic nobleman spending lavishly on a trivial engagement with a minor marquis family’s former fiancée—naturally, I assumed he would have no masculine charm, only money.’
Before he could even recover from his shock, Dalia continued with even more astonishing words.
“This is the nobleman willing to give up his own family name for me—the one I’ve been searching for.”
“……”
“Why that face? Don’t understand?”
Dalia patiently explained everything to the dumbfounded Elzenon.
Part of her long explanation was for his sake. If he were to spout nonsense belittling her, Khalid and Roy might not let him leave unharmed.
Better to provide all necessary information and send him off before things escalated. That way, news would also reach her father.
“I apologize if my words are difficult. This is the man I will marry. So your proposal cannot be accepted.”
“That…”
Elzenon slowly processed the meaning of her surreal words and shook his head, feeling as if he had heard someone’s malicious joke. His displeasure was evident.
“That cannot be, milady. Something is wrong here.”
“Wrong? You refuse to believe me? And this guest proposed to me?”
Khalid asked Elzenon directly. Then, taking Dalia’s hand in response to her gesture, he pressed his lips gently to her fingers.
But Dalia quickly withdrew her hand, saying, “Don’t do that in front of our guest,” making Elzenon even more displeased at Khalid’s gaze.
Even Roy’s glare at Elzenon turned sharper.
“……”
Elzenon froze entirely.
He had no idea of the social standing of the man in front of him, and thus dared not respond. Silence followed.
Khalid and Roy’s gazes gradually hardened as they studied him.
Finally, Dalia broke the tension.
“Elzenon. You may not believe it, but it’s all true. Didn’t you suspect my plan to some extent?”
“I did, but… how did you…? What is his rank… no.”
Elzenon was utterly confused.
‘What reason would anyone have to want a man like this?’
Even disregarding appearances, it didn’t make sense. Even if he were a baron, lower than Marquis Bourbon, the situation was illogical.
Even if Dalia took over the Bourbon estate and became the head of the house, it wouldn’t elevate her husband’s title.
‘Any proper nobleman could easily find a woman of higher rank than Dalia and integrate her into his family. Why would this seemingly ordinary man make a choice that doesn’t even let him fully claim a title?’
“……”
A brief moment passed, and Elzenon’s chaotic thoughts gradually settled.
‘This is clearly a case where milady is being deceived.’
He glared at Khalid with disdain while rationalizing the situation.
Despite being open-minded enough to offer advice to Dalia, Elzenon, having grown up in the South, was naturally suspicious.
“Excuse me, milady. Are you certain this man is of noble lineage?”
“Of course.”
“Have you seen proof?”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, have you considered the possibility that he might be a con artist?”
“Elzenon. Stop. You’ve already been rude enough here.”
Despite Dalia’s warning, Elzenon continued.
“Isn’t it so? How could you believe his words so naïvely?”
Seeing Elzenon’s frustration under her cold demeanor, Dalia sighed.
‘Perhaps I was too soft with him, thinking he helped me before leaving.’
Dalia’s regret, Elzenon’s outright suspicion of Khalid, and Roy’s youthful yet fierce expression all converged.
“Right now, he’s insulting you, isn’t he?”
Roy, recognizing Elzenon’s blunder, growled in response.
“Bringing strange news to upset milady, and now daring to challenge you? This guy is impossible.”
“I didn’t—!”
Before Elzenon could defend himself, he was stopped. He was about to ask why a stranger treated him with such insolence, despite helping Dalia.
He watched in horror as his body slowly rose off the ground.
“What did he do?”
The black-haired man had approached close enough to tower over him.
“Ugh…”
Elzenon floated in the air, unable to touch the floor, as the man loomed above him. The intimidating gaze alone made him wheeze in discomfort.
‘From a distance, I thought he was just a handsome man…’
“Did you harm Dalia?”
“……”
Up close, the man’s imposing height and physique made it hard to breathe.
