CH 146

It was a courteous manner of a lady that could make one fall in love, but I couldn't help but think that she was actually giving him the middle finger as she was being so polite. I'm sure it wasn't just my imagination.

――I mean, instead of greeting me, you greeted Charlotte first.

Her ex-husband, Peter Swift, now Marquis Swift. The current leader of house Swift.

He had a cold demeanor, with his golden hair slicked back and blue eyes that matched his aristocratic appearance. He looked like the kind of person you wouldn't want to face head-on, The man certainly matched the image of a ruthless aristocrat who would do terrible things to Charlotte...I don't know what to think of this guy.......

"He's nothing like Desmond-sama."

What was I even thinking just now? 

Before I could even form the words, Charlotte had taken the lead in the conversation.

／

Peter Swift's mind was filled with disdain.

He had called out to the woman who was nothing but a "tool" for nobles before he called out to him, and yet Desmond didn't even seem to mind. In other words, Desmond is a man who has only a pathetic amount of "pride"not even fit to be called a nobleman, let alone a man. Calling him third-rate is an overestimation.

But still, this man had impregnated Charlotte...

Peter glanced at Desmond from the corner of his eye, his contemptuous gaze resembling that of a teenage boy who couldn't bring himself to look directly at the object of his interest. 

However, the fact remained that Desmond didn't object to him at the time since Charlotte and Peter were conversing. It was also partly due to Desmond's social anxiety, which made it difficult for him to enter the conversation or speak up. But if Desmond were to intervene...

'Oh, sorry. I didn't see you.'

He intended to respond with this line. 

Desmond is a baron and Peter is a marquis. Given their noble titles, it can't be helped that he didn't notice Desmond, and he's already apologized with that sentence. If Desmond were to retaliate, it could be seen as disrespect on Desmond's part.

That was Peter's aim from the start, but Desmond avoided his trap, whether intentionally or not. However, that alone doesn't raise Desmond's evaluation.

If Peter wants to demonstrate his competence as a "noble", he should first join this conversation with Charlotte and make his presence known with decorum and respect.

If he can't do that, Desmond will inevitably be evaluated as incompetent, if not lowly, in aristocratic society.

Peter decided to lower Desmond's evaluation and convince himself that he was right.

"Charlotte, I'm glad that you're attending."

*grin*.

But it was not a happy expression by any means. It was the cold, heartless face of an aristocrat. However, it wasn't just him.

"I am honored too." Charlotte smiled.

Desmond knew her eyes were not smiling. That's why he had to desperately control his trembling next to his beloved wife.

"I am touched by your generosity in inviting someone like me to such a party and personally addressing me, Lord Swift."

――Excellent.

Charlotte pretended to compliment him, but her words were full of sarcasm and a warning. She knew her ex-husband's personality well. It was as if she was saying.

'Oh, please forgive me for not bearing your child, my gracious lord.'

As a man who values his dignity, he had no choice but to eat the poisoned words in front of the same nobles he had invited to his wedding.

Next to her, her husband Desmond's inner thoughts are still rattling. He knew the blade would not turn toward him, but he could not help but be nervous as his beloved wife pointed a poisoned dagger at her ex-husband.

In front of his bated breath, the ex-husband answered, 

"What are you talking about? You are a daughter of the prestigious Terrace family. There is no reason for me not to invite you."

Peter did not deny her words as an enemy would, but instead incorporated her family as the reason. It was as if there were no reasons for them to have a dispute in the past that would prevent her from being invited to the party.

"Aldora is so far away. I wondered what it would be like for you to marry into such a place."

His blue eyes reflect his ex-wife.

"Thank you for your concerned." Charlotte replied with a mask of a smile, making Desmond remain uneasy. "So, who did you invite this time?"

Desmond saw a vision of Charlotte swinging her sword down from above.

"It's been a long time since I've seen your face." Peter snorted.  "Beautiful jewels should not just be kept in a box. It must be taken out from time to time to make it shine and fulfill its purpose."

Charlotte's temple twitched.

――This man...

In aristocratic society, women were seen as "tools" for giving birth to children and as "accessories" for men. Most adopt this idea, so Peter's words won't be an issue. But it's different for Desmond, as Peter is redirecting Charlotte's verbal attack toward him.

Desmond, who kept Charlotte, a "beautiful jewel", inside a "box" called Aldora, where she could not be used effectively.

That's what he was trying to tell Desmond.

However,

――If Charlotte was such a beautiful gem, wouldn't you want to keep her safe from theft rather than show her off?

Desmond pondered, he doesn't get it at all...

"-Puff! Desmond-sama, you're so off... I-I am doing my best, but... ufu! Please don't make me laugh, Desmond-sama... ❤"

"Huh, did I do something wrong!?"

"No, for you, it is all fine"

Charlotte said as she stood next to Desmond, puffing her chest, which was highly emphasized by her large, full bosom.

"Am I really like a shining jewel for you?"

"Of course," Desmond replied.

『――――』

After that, a stir went through the room.

"Um... Desmond-sama?" said Charlotte. "It makes me happy to hear you complement me so confidently, but..."

It was inappropriate. And,

――I'll make me get all wet❤.

"Sorry, I just," he said, looking at Charlotte's cleavage, "Because you're my jewel, I don't want to show it off so openly to other men..."

"..."

"Charlotte...?"

"I'm glad I brought a replacement for my panties."

"That bad!?"

It would be rude to suggest using a 【Clean】,  It's more tasteful to change it.

Charlotte stopped puffing her chest out and leaned in closer to Desmond. Incidentally, on the other side, Margaret-sama dressed in a black dress, the color of the Demon Lord, continued to hold Desmond's arm between her cleavage while still wearing a soft and interesting expression.

And then, Peter finally turned his eyes towards Desmond. As if he hadn't noticed the stone there before.

His blue eyes were shimmering with a dazzling cold flame,

――Crap!

Desmond thought, but it was already too late.

――He wanted to stay in the shadows like this... um, in this case, he had to speak something, right?

Feeling flustered and hindered by his social anxiety from joining the conversation between the two, Desmond couldn't speak up when Charlotte chats with Peter.

'Nothing is more unfortunate than to have a jewel, shining or not, in the hands of one who does not know how to handle it.'

As he was about to respond to Desmond with that line, Desmond proudly interrupted him and literally slapped him down, putting him on the spot.

"Charlotte's radiance is undeniable. Her beauty only increases day by day. It's beyond the realm of jewels."

The air in the venue stirred.

――Huh? Did I mess up something?

*Murmurs*.....

He did mess up. It was obvious to any nobleman present - even if Desmond himself hadn't realized it - that Peter was trying to denigrate Desmond by using Charlotte as an excuse. So Desmond first broke the tip of Peter's sword, and then later refuted his words.

In other words, he objected to Peter's evaluation of Charlotte, saying that it was beyond jewels. Depending on how one interprets his words, although it hasn't been officially recognized yet, Desmond did something that Peter cannot do.

――He impregnated Charlotte.

Considering that Desmond does not excel in the noble trickery arts, he had no idea what he was getting himself into, and in his haste, he merely wants to praise his wife.

Considering that, along with everything else, it was just Desmond's hasty and flustered compliment to his own wife, who was unable to excel in the noble arts, Peter's inability to understand the value of a tool was clear.

'Don't understand the value of "tool" you say? Oh, right, I guess you wouldn't since you never understood how to use them properly. I impregnated Charlotte, and you couldn't. I can easily do things that you cannot. There you go ――Pfft!'

He went all-out and started a fight.

Moreover, those words are still vague enough to allow for excuses. If someone read too deeply into them, they could be seen as a blade woven from words that utilized various sophisticated pieces and metaphors. From Peter's perspective, the sword that he swung with such gusto was evaded, and he was left reeling.

However, Desmond still didn't understand any of this.

"I am sorry. I am not used to this kind of situation. I hope you will forgive me for my slight misbehavior."

*Murmurs*.....

He was a noble and a lord, the other party was of higher rank and had a larger territory. So it wouldn't have been strange for Desmond to bow his head, but in this case, he had not committed a blunder so evident that he had to bow.

The mentality of "if you think there's a problem, just apologize and bow your head" was activated by his panicked mind, thinking that it was okay to do so because he had a lower rank. But in this case, it was as if he was saying...

'Oh? Are you mad? Did I make you angry?  Shorry~, I'll bow my head and apologize ☆. Would a benevolent person like you forgive me? Should I be punished? will you have my head? Or execute me??'

It was a clean neck that had been thoroughly washed with Charlotte's breasts every night before coming here (of course, also by Katherine and Ephemera, Peter's half-sister).

――A full-blown provocation.

"I can't believe that cowardly 《heretic》could be so bold... To act that way towards Swift... and such a headstrong response..."

"Fuwaahhhh... Desmond-sama..."

*Murmurs*....

"I've never seen such an aggressive apology before. That heretic is really......This is something that needs to be reconsidered..."

The bewildered and re-evaluating glances of the surrounding nobles are directed towards Desmond one after another. But still,

"Huh, wait, I don't get it, did I mess up something? Please tell me Charlotte... Charlotte?"

Desmond asks his beloved wife through telepathy,

"Ugu, huf, fu...! Desmond-sama, please don't talk to me right now. I-I'm not laughing, I'm trying my best... Ufu, are you trying to make me laugh to death or dehydrate me? Guh!"

After all, not only does he not understand, but the tone he gives her is of someone clinging to her for help, trusting her with all his heart...

"I'm getting soaked..."

"What are you talking about...!?"

In front of Desmond, Marquis Swift was visibly angry, with a bulging vein on his temple.

Desmond-sama was clueless.