Chapter 54

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Chapter 54

Perhaps, the more he spoke, the more his emotions grew. Marquis Loengram, who had become breathless as he continued to speak, turned his anger to Vivian in front of me. He spoke with venomous eyes.

“Useless. It’s all your fault for not checking the authenticity properly.”

“…I’m sorry, father.”

“I didn’t believe what you said in the first place. Why did I recognize you, who would have lived as an illegitimate child for the rest of my life if I hadn’t recognized you?! It was because of that sordid appearance that resembled Persen’s sickly mother…!”

“….”

“You’re not doing anything right, lowly thing.”

“…Still. it’s not all over yet, father.”

“Ha! This is absurd. Are you making excuses until the end?”

As Vivian responded to the venomous Marquis of Loengram’s words, he stared at her with a devouring gaze. She tried to answer the Marquis’ words with a calm expression on her face.

“It’s not an excuse. I’m just trying to accept the situation and find a way out.”

“…Find a way out? The situation right now is not very optimistic, don’t you even know that?”

“Father is only looking at the current situation with a very pessimistic view… Clearly, there’s definitely a solution.”

“What the hell—!”

“As father knows very well, it’s not so easy for any person to dispel his anger and sense of betrayal towards someone who had deceived him for a long time. Especially if it’s someone who, like the Duke of Persen, values ‘who are within their boundaries’.”

It would not be easy to get over his anger and betrayal so effortlessly like that. In particular, it refers to a person who, like Duke Persen, ‘who are within their boundaries.’

“The premise was wrong from the beginning. What he had with Minase Persen was an arranged marriage. He couldn’t believe she was his from the beginning. The only reason he was so angry and hated her was because of his younger brother and vassals, who would be in danger due to his wife’s betrayal!”

“No. Father is absolutely wrong.”

“What?!”

“A little while ago, what did you say to me about those two? You said that the Duke is kind only to ‘my people.’ If so, it means that he’s giving his heart to that girl, Minase Persen.”

“However?”

“What would happen if that girl played with another guy in front of him?”

“…No way.”

“I’m sure father knows why Grand Duchess Blaine sent her an invitation? He’s the one who incited her to send the invitation.”

Vivian paused for a moment, then gracefully grabbed the teacup in front of her and drank it. Wearing a seductive smile, she stared at him.

At first, he could not understand her words. Eventually, with his bewildered face, the Marquis, had a thoughtful expression on her face as if he remembered something from her words.

Soon, a cunning smile appeared on the Marquis’ face. In his mind, the name of ‘he,’ which Vivian had mentioned, came to mind. The Marquis Loengram spoke, staring at Vivian with a flash of excitement and a gleaming gaze, unlike a moment ago.

“Yes, you’re right. He’s there… Rupert Guinivis, that guy!”

`“As father saw, it might be even better if the relationship between the two of them deepened considerably without us knowing. The more he trusted and loved the woman, the greater the wounds he would inflict.”

“Yeah, that’s right. However, as you said, for that situation to happen, the Florence girl must meet Rupert Guinivis. Would it be difficult in the present situation?”

“Minase, I don’t care whom she has a heart for. You just have to show them that kind of situation.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“Of course. Is Grand Duchess Blaine arriving tonight?”

“Yes, she is.”

“Well, I’m going to make my plans come true at the party tonight.”

“….!”

“If the plan succeeds, Duke Persen will be very heartbroken. And, I’ll dig into the cracks in his heart by taking advantage of my resemblance to his mother.”

After finishing her words, Vivian glanced back at her father with her confident face and smiled proudly.

Then, instead of the anger that had been burning just a moment ago, the eyes of Marquis Loengram were shining like a snake, and insidious anticipation filled up. He chuckled and began to laugh as if satisfied. The laughter grew slowly and quickly, just like his desire.

Marquis Loengram, who had been laughing for a long time, suddenly stopped laughing and gazed back at his daughter, Vivian.

“Yes. I’ll trust you.”

“I’ll not disappoint you.”

“Of course, you won’t. How much money did I spend to make you, the lowly thing, a noble girl?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll live up to your expectations.”

“Yeah, that’s my daughter. Haha!”

To the words of the Marquis, Vivian answered in a strangely subdued voice. However, he did not notice the strange nuances in her voice since he was just focusing on what she said.

Vivian stared at the Marquis of Loengram, who smiled as if satisfied with the answer. For a moment, a cold hatred passed from her eyes, though that emotion disappeared quickly like smoke. She turned and glimpsed briefly at the clock on the living room wall.

‘Oh. Now, it was time to leave the place.’

Thinking that, Vivian stood up, arranging the hem of her dress.

“I’ll take my leave first. I’ve to pick a dress to wear to dinner tonight.”

“Yes. Just go now.”

“I’ll see you at dinner, father.”

Vivian greeted the Marquis with her graceful gestures and stepped straight to the door. Standing in front of the door, the servants waiting opened the door as if waiting.

As the door opened, she slowly stepped out into the hallway in front of the door. Soon, the door shut and Vivian walked down the hallway, ignoring her maids following her. The sound of her shoes hitting the marble floor grew faster and faster.

“Young Lady! Walk slowly! You might fall…!”

“…Before I rip that mouth open, shut up.”

After noticing the maids chasing after her, Vivian turned towards them coldly and strode more quickly towards her place.

She muttered in a low voice that only she could hear.

“…I don’t know how long you’re going to ignore me like that, but let’s see. A girl who doesn’t do anything right will use you as a stepping stone to climb up.”

‘Yes, you will see…’

When everything goes as planned, and she becomes the Duchess of Persen, he would be the first person to give up his voice. So, until then, all she has to do is keep that petty marquis in place and serve as his backbone until her plan succeeds.

“Just wait until then… Until then.”

Vivian struggled to remind herself that way, extinguishing the anger that had darkened her heart.

Meanwhile, Seth and Min-ha, who came out after talking in the drawing room, headed to the Red Acacia annex, where they would stay for a while under the guidance of Gawin, who was waiting for them.

Holding hands, the two followed him as they walked along the tree-lined road made of acacia wood, and soon they arrived in front of the red-roofed annex. The annex was also magnificent, although Pompa and a servant were standing in front of the door of the red annex, where purple acacia bloomed and gave off its beauty even more.

Pompa, dressed in a neat dress as if she had changed her clothes, saw Min-ha arriving in front of the annex and approached her.

Bowing to Seth and Min-ha, she uttered with a grim expression on her face.

“Your Excellency, if you don’t mind, I’ll take the Madam first.”

“Yes?”

“Madam, please follow me.”

“What’s going on?”

Seeing her holding Min-ha’s hand as if she was in a hurry, Seth intercepted in front of her and asked. At that, Pompa replied with a strict expression on her face.

“Your Excellency, you must be able to guess. I’m going to adorn the Madam up for today’s dinner.”

“..Euk, dressed up? There’s more to do here?”

“She’s beautiful enough now, does she really need to dress up more?”

“….”

When Pompa’s voice came out of Pompa’s mouth that she needed to dress up, Min-ha shouted in pain, although she blushed at Seth’s words that followed.

“…Seth. I think that’s a bit—”

“I don’t think so, Madam.”

“….”

At her words, he casually said something that was going to give goosebumps with an expressionless face.

‘Was this person originally like this…?’

When she honestly shared everything and got to know each other, his expression of affection became easier to understand. Even though Min-ha was embarrassed, she did not hate it. So, without saying anything, she did not say anything more, and Seth smiled softly at her.

Meanwhile, seeing these two, Pompa exhaled a hollow sigh.

“…It’s a good thing that you and the Madam are on good terms, though now is not the time for the two of you to whisper your love so leisurely. Your Excellency, you must also change into a robe.”

“….”

“…Oh, haha.”

“Then, I will take the Madam with me first. Your Excellency can just follow that servant.”

After saying so, Pompa immediately stood in front of Min-ha and urged her to follow her. She eventually let go of Seth’s hand she had been holding on to and followed Pompa in tears, imagining the torture under the guise of adorning herself.

Seeing her like that, Seth trudged over to the woman who was following Pompa and whispered in her ear.

“I’m sorry that you’re suffering because of me. Whenever Mrs. Pompa gives you a hard time, just shout for me. I’ll be right behind you right away.”

“…Yes.”

Min-ha nodded her head and smiled slightly at his words.

She was not in a good mood until just a moment ago, yet every word he said made her feel like a balloon. Of course, she did not really have the heart to actually do what he said. In addition, Seth, as a knight, would not rush in or out at will.

Nevertheless, she was grateful to him for saying that.

With a lighter expression on her face, Min-ha lightly waved her hand as if it was okay and followed Pompa with a lighter step than before.

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────