NOVEL NEXT Chapter 38
What Selleana pulled out from the clutch was a flat pouch made of leather.
“Viscount.”
“Yes?”
“Who am I?”
“Lady Elard…?”
“Yes, I am Elard, and it would be troubling for you to be so rude.”
The moment she finished speaking and threw the leather pouch, Selleana’s delicate fingers, covered in lace gloves, were tearing through the parchment.
“Could that be, a sc…roll?”
Could it be that the man’s voice broke in astonishment? The light that burst forth from the torn parchment’s fissure painted his face ghastly pale.
“
Uaargh
!”
The man squirmed unsightly and shielded his eyes, but it was already too late.
Flash
! Struck directly by the flash, the man staggered and eventually collapsed to the ground.
In the midst of all attendees’ attention drawn by the sudden burst of light. It was a pitiful sight.
Does acting with manners mean you can fool around?
The pieces of parchment that had been in Selleana’s hands fluttered down onto the unfocused man’s face.
“If you keep cutting off what your opponent says, Viscount, you’ll never marry in your lifetime.”
* * *
“How could you be so thoughtless!”
It was that night at the Duchy Elard.
“Viscount Miniel has been a family of faith to Elard since your grandfather’s time! To such a person, what? What have you done now!”
“I’m not sure who the informer was, but didn’t they tell Father that the viscount first offended me?”
“T-t-that viscount…!”
After the incident with Viscount Miniel, an urgent summon came from the duchy. It was a summon from the duke, having heard about the incident at the party.
“If you’re going to act so recklessly, come home right now!”
Selleana felt a surge of disappointment at the sight of her father being more angry than she expected.
“It’s because Father doesn’t protect me that this happens! I know you deliberately didn’t send any of my brothers.”
“Well, you’ve been neglecting your duties lately…!”
“If my brothers had been there, would anyone have dared to be so rude to me?”
Duke Elard was momentarily speechless. Their beloved lark had never talked back like this since ‘puberty,’ and partly because Selleana was right.
“Did Andy only tell Father about Viscount Miniel? Didn’t he tell Father about the ladies of the empress’s faction blatantly mocking me in front of me?”
“What!”
The Duke of Elard’s face turned crimson as if he was hearing it for the first time.
“Those despicable ones disrespecting you…!”
“Exactly. Who am I? Aren’t I an Elard?”
“…”
“And why do Father and my brothers treat me as if I’m nothing if I can’t become the crown princess?”
“That’s because I’ve repeatedly—!”
“Everyone knows, right now, Elard holds the key to this situation!”
Having poured out what she had been holding back, Selleana breathed heavily with a sigh. Tears of frustration dripped from those amber-colored eyes.
The moment she knew her father had summoned her, all the grievances Selleana had been holding back boiled over. The disappointment towards her father added to the day’s rudeness and frustration, leading to an explosion in an instant.
“So, Lea.”
“Father, I haven’t finished speaking.”
“Now, you’re…!”
Once the reins were off, the lark was relentless.
“Father, you said you would respect my choices. Whatever my true feelings, you said everything would be fine as long as I take responsibility! But why did you act that way at His Majesty’s birthday banquet?”
“That’s because you went to His Majesty on your own…!”
“That was all arranged with Her Majesty. But when my parents and brothers ignore me, everyone looks down on me, don’t they? I’m an Elard!”
“What kind of ignorance is that…!”
“They recognized it, that in Elard, I’m just expected to dance at parties and marry well to barely fulfill my duties as a daughter.”
“Lea, that’s an assumption…!”
“Isn’t it? It seemed like you were treating me as if I were nothing if I didn’t marry the crown prince.”
“No, that’s all for you…!”
“If you get married, that means you become a member of that family. So that’s why the imperial family is the best, right? So, if I become the crown princess, can I ignore Elard? Can we pretend the iron mine in the Oren region or the railroad concession rights never existed? Because I became part of the imperial family?”
The duke froze. First, because Selleana’s critique was spot on. Second… because Selleana accurately mentioned projects like the iron mine development plan and the railway concession rights, which were Elard’s preparations for the era of Theonis.
How did she know? Even Peredo didn’t know about the family business.
The story Theonis told me about Lea’s deal with the fifth prince was also surprising…
Though he had been furious just moments before, the duke felt proud of his daughter and couldn’t manage his ambivalent expression.
…Right. You wouldn’t have imagined that I’d know. I wouldn’t have known if it weren’t from Doli.
The bitterness felt fresh again. Selleana spilled out the remaining words she had been holding back. “Father, I am an Elard. I’m the Elard that no one dares to criticize, even if I use a scroll on an impudent bachelor. That’s how you raised me, right?”
That was true. After Selleana used the scroll, and the party hall was covered in light, no one even dared to reproach Selleana with their eyes. Viscount Miniel was the only one who, unable to withstand the murmurs of the people, fled the scene. Rather, Count Rondel’s family came to apologize for inviting such a person, saying they were sorry.
“I’m confident I can hold a marriage that won’t disgrace the name of Elard. But why don’t you trust me?”
“There’s an easier path with the crown prince. Why take the long way around, huh?”
“To take the easy path for a moment and ruin my whole life?”
“Ru-ruin, you…! Recklessly!”
“If you’re going to be like this, do you think I will stay? This is why I don’t stay, Father. I’m really disappointed.”
“What…!”
By the time the Duke Elard came to his senses, Selleana had already grabbed the doorknob of the study.
“You’re leaving again!”
“I’m still running away, you know?”
“Who will take care of your mother!”
“Father should be the one who takes care of her!” Selleana snapped back and slammed the door, leaving.
Disappointed, disappointed, disappointed… The sharp words of the lark echoed in the duke’s mind for a long while.
* * *
“Damn it.”
Stepping out of the mansion’s entrance, Selleana rolled her foot in frustration. The original male leads, those who chewed her out as if they had been waiting for this, the man who couldn’t grasp the situation, and her father who didn’t understand her. Her day had been too exhausting.
I didn’t expect it to be easy in the first place, but…
As much as she thought the strategic marriage with the Pavellian family was the best option, stepping off that path proved to be more troublesome than expected.
And to think I’d continue to clash with my family like this.
Even if she had known, it wouldn’t have changed her choice, but for Selleana, who had been loved and nurtured for 20 years, it was somewhat shocking. Having vented all her frustrations to her father, she felt relieved but also bitter for hurting him.
The moon hung brightly in the distant sky, making it all the more poignant when Selleana heaved a deep sigh.
“Milady.”
A disciplined female voice rang out from behind Selleana. It was Andrea, aka Andy, a bodyguard assigned by Duke Elard.
“The duke was first and foremost concerned about your well-being, Milady. He was also furious about Viscount Miniel.”
“Enough, Dame Andrea.”
“Milady…”
Selleana slowly walked towards the carriage waiting in front of the mansion. Although she didn’t hear footsteps behind her, Selleana knew Andy was following her. The ones appointed by Theonis and Peredo must be somewhere around as well.
If they care about me this much, why can’t they trust my choice…
Selleana swallowed a bitter sigh.
“Oh my, Milady. Are you going out again…?” The butler, Aiven, ran out from inside the mansion.
“Yes, I have to go. Michi and the kids are all there.”
“The duke was very worried.”
“…”
“As much as he was worried, he was angry. So if Milady could stay in the mansion for just today and have a meal with madam tomorrow…”
“I’m very angry too, Aiven.”
“Oh, dear…”
The elderly butler had much he wanted to say, but having devoted his life to Elard, he knew when to step back. Selleana showed her gratitude with a bitter smile.
“If he was really angry, he would have stopped me.”
“Milady…” Worried yet, Aiven opened the carriage door and helped Selleana onto it.
“Take care. See you again.”
“Milady, please be very careful with your health.”
“I don’t know which handsome gentleman sent it, but my maids received a lot of precious elixirs. Even if it’s in the middle of winter, I won’t catch a cold.”
At Selleana’s jest, Aiven grimaced and ended up laughing.
“Take care on your way.”
“Yes, Aiven, sleep well.”
Thud
, the door closed, and the carriage started rolling as if it had been waiting.
Sigh…
After a moment of contemplation, Selleana spoke towards the window facing the coachman. “To the Magic Tower.”
Her day had only been full of frustrations. Meeting that grumpy cat-like man might genuinely bring a smile to her face. Though she couldn’t understand why he came to her mind.