Chapter 14

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“…A marriage proposal?”

I quietly repeated what I had heard in a daze.

“Yes, the proposal.”

“….”

Silence passed.

After a while, my father spoke his words in an uncharacteristically serious tone.

“Is there anything you want to say, Evelyn?”

“…No.”

I have told many lies to Count Garneid and his wife, though this time, I was sincere.

Indeed, I had nothing to say.

Rather…

‘That madman!’

Does my father even know that I am on the verge of ripping my head off?

No, of course, he does not.

In his mind now, if Lord Brudenell and I get married, there would be nothing but profit for the Count Garneid family.

“You may have just met Lord Cassius slightly so far, but things are completely different now. It is time to change your mindset. You cannot act like you used to be anymore, and…”

I listened to my father’s tedious nagging in one ear and let it out through the other.

Now is not the time to act as a good listener or obedient successor.

“Father.”

I calmly cut off his words.

“It was purely coincidental that I met Lord Cassius Brudenell. Why is he… I do not know why he sent me a proposal, but there is nothing inappropriate between me and him…”

“Yes, it might be a coincidence.”

My mother intervened with all her grace.

“However, I am glad that the two of us do not seem to have the need to go around, saying that this marriage proposal is a lie.”

“….”

“No, isn’t that fortunate for our lovely Evelyn?”

As she said that, my mother’s gentle hand brushed my hair. Though I could just only bite my lip without saying a word.

If I were to say that this marriage proposal was someone’s joke…

‘It would have been of no use.’

I sighed.

The opponent was not just a modest nobleman on the outskirts—it was Cassius Brudenell. Rather than trust my excuse that the proposal was someone’s lie, my father would prefer to send a messenger to the Duke of Brudenell right away.

“…You would not be fooled if I said that, anyway.”

“I am just glad that you finally appreciate your parents, Evelyn.”

Mother answered gracefully.

“Lord Cassius has sent us a proposal of marriage… and here you did not even deny it. So, don’t you have to go and do what you have to?”

“…A polite refusal?”

I asked with a glimmer of hope.

“No way.”

Hearing my question, my mother raised one eyebrow. She did not even ask me why I did not want to marry Cassius.

Of course, the reason was understandable.

It was because of all the misdeeds I have done in the past.

‘If I had known this would happen, I would have picked out any of those half-faced men…’

If he has a good-looking appearance and docile demeanor guaranteed by mother, he surely would have made a hundred times better husband than Cassius Brudenell.

But, the past is already the past.

Now, I had to do what I could.

…And, mother seemed to be trying to do what she could as well.

In a loud voice, she called for her favorite maids.

“Did you call us, Madam?”

The three maids ran immediately inside and looked meekly at mother.

“Evelyn has received a proposal. Which was also sent by Sir Cassius Brudenell.”

“….!”

The power given by the name of Cassius Brudenell was very powerful.

The three maids turned blue with astonishment at first, although soon it became a spectacle, with their faces turning red from excitement.

“As you all know, Evelyn has been a little… she was a little busy.”

My mother used polite expressions, but in reality, I had been closer to another expression, which was ‘crazy.’

“That is why she has not been paying much attention to her makeup. Can you take responsibility and take good care of it?”

“Yes, Madam!”

The three maids answered with their faces firm as if her mother had given them an important task.

‘…I need to run away.’

I did not think long.

If caught by their hands, my skin will be peeled off, and then all the hairs under my neck will be plucked and even my nails will be sharpened.

I never dreamed of being subjected to such humiliation…

“Catch her!”

When I heard my mother’s voice, I was already running down the hallway at full force.

“Gasp, gasp—!”

There was only one refuge I could think of.

It was the basement.

‘I can just lock the door.’

The lock that I have asked the craftsman had put on to prevent Cassius from doing anything stupid now seemed like a savior.

Thinking so, I frantically ran towards the basement.

Of course, I did not forget to deliberately return to the main path to confuse the maids who followed me along the way.

Finally, I saw the iron door of the basement.

‘I am alive…!’

Panting, I swung the basement door wide open… Ophelia was there.

“Ophelia?”

I was dumbfounded.

Obviously, I gave her a new room. Even though it was a room for surveillance, the environment itself would have been much better than the basement.

Ophelia glanced at me with her rabbit eyes.

“Wh, why are you here…”

“For now, shut up.”

Ophelia immediately did what I told her. Seeing so, I put my ear to the door for a moment and listened to the signs from the outside.

‘…I cannot hear them.’

It was fortunate.

If they had found out that poor Ophelia was with me, the maids who cannot even raise a hand at me would take their wrath out on her instead.

“I am hiding here for a while.”

At my words, Ophelia nodded her head, though she did not ask any more questions. It was proof that it was not that surprising that I ran away from anyone in this house. When I realized that, it felt a little bitter, though I decided not to care.

“However, why are you here? I gave you a new room.”

“…I have just, uh, been here.”

It seemed that she was hiding something from me. I narrowed my eyes and stared at Ophelia’s complexion.

‘Do not tell me…’

A terrifying thought came to mind.

Maybe Ophelia… thought of where Cassius Brudenell—

Could it have been that she… fell in love?

There was a good chance. After all, Ophelia was the female lead in this damn novel and Cassius was the male lead. Even if they were irresistibly attracted to each other, there would not be anything wrong with it.

I pressed Ophelia in a trembling voice.

“Just… Just tell me the exact reason, otherwise…”

Like a fool, I had no choice but to stop talking to her. Come to think of it, there were not many ways I could control Ophelia.

No, there was not.

She was purely pleased with whatever I gave her, no matter how trivial or insignificant. Even if I was going to punish her, she gladly accepted it—like when I slapped her on the cheek, she forgave me without any resentment.

Why am I threatening a child like this?

“….”

Silence passed.

A dark shade was cast at Ophelia’s beautiful figure.

I could help but to avoid her gaze. It was because I was ashamed of myself for trying to threaten the child.

After a while, Ophelia quietly opened her mouth.

“I, with my sister… I wanted to know what Lord Cassius was like.”

Oh.

I had to try not to sigh.

‘That was it.’

Of course, Ophelia was thinking that I adore Cassius. However, when I was reunited with him, she must have been confused because I had openly expressed my hostility towards him. Hence, taking advantage of the surveillance being neglected, she must have come down into the basement to find a clue… It was understandable.

“So, did you find any clues?”

“No.”

Ophelia’s lips trembled.

“…I think sister took care of Lord Cassius with great care here. But, other than that, I have no idea.”

At the words she just uttered, I frowned.

I really wanted to tackle the word ‘with sincerity’, still, anyway, it is true that I took care of him.

“I thought my sister was in love with him, but that was not, was it?”

This was also true.

“Yes.”

I decided to let Ophelia know something new.

“But, Lord Cassius has sent me a proposal of marriage.”

“….!”

Ophelia’s eyes widened, and asked, “Then, he unilaterally…?”

“I do not think so.”

I shook my head as I said that.

“I’m just the daughter of an ordinary count, and our family is not that great compared to the Lord… Would he ever seriously propose to me? He is doing this because he wants something. I am certain.”

“You cannot say that you are normal.”

She seemed genuinely shocked.

“There is no one in this world greater than my sister!”

“Well, thank you.”

I could not help but laugh. Ophelia’s blind trust was sometimes embarrassing, though it was a real comfort at this moment.

“Anyway, I do not want this marriage. And, you… I hope you understand me.”

When I spoke my last words, my throat choked up a little.

‘Evelyn did not even have a friend to confide in at a time like this.’

Who else would remain as a friend of Evelyn, who is so weak enough to torment her good-natured sister?

“Sister… I am always on your side. Whatever you do, Ophelia will do my best to help.”

Saying that, her voice was more serious than ever.

I hurriedly wiped the tears that had been welling up in my eyes.

Ophelia is… Really, she is an angel.

* * *

Obviously, there was no eternal escape.

In the end, I was caught by my mother’s maids and groomed from head to toe. And, in the midst of the embellishment, my dear parents sent a messenger to the Duke of Brudenell.

Only three hours later, Cassius Brudenell arrived at Count Garneid’s residence.

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