Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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The Count's and my parents' gazes all turned to the Young Duke.
"Hey, what are you talking about? The Count is here, so don't play such a silly game."
My parents seemed very anxious, afraid of upsetting the Count.
"Tsk, this is why I always said I hated getting involved with these country bumpkins."
The Count seemed angry, muttering curses, but the Young Duke lightly ignored him.
"Ha, Father-in-law and Mother-in-law, you're really too much."
Let's speak properly. They're just an aunt and uncle I met for the first time today.
He smirked and casually tossed his hat aside.
The Count and my parents froze, staring into his eyes.
His vacant, dull golden eyes and his exquisite features, as if sculpted by God himself.
Even if I were seeing him for the first time today, I couldn't possibly not know who he was.
"Y-Young Duke...?"
The Count fumbled for the armrest and tried to stand, but his excessive weight caused him to stumble forward and fall.
The Young Duke, watching this with a cold gaze, spoke to my parents.
"Judging by your appearance, you don't seem to be Bestia's biological parents."
"How can you say such a thing? We've cared for her with such devotion..."
The Young Duke narrowed his eyes and glared at them.
Indeed, my white hair and crimson eyes were an exotic appearance rarely seen in the Empire.
It was natural for them to be suspicious.
"That a creature as breathtakingly beautiful as this, from head to toe, came from you?"
...How can he deliver such lines with such an impassive expression?
He inherited the Duke's crazy genes perfectly.
"No. Young Duke! Look closely. We resemble..."
"Resemble? In what way do we resemble your free-spirited features?"
Then, the Young Duke spread his palm wide and pointed at me.
"Do you have any conscience?"
Where did your conscience go?
"Besides that, so many adjectives like beautiful, lovely, etc., suit her..."
I gasped and tried to cover his mouth with both hands.
No, I tried to cover it.
"Bes..."
Due to his great height, it only ended up pressing my lower lip.
My adoptive parents watched this scene silently, then struggled to part their trembling lips.
"Y-Young Duke, what kind of nonsense is that?"
"If you feel wronged, you can go up to the capital right now and confirm paternity."
For a moment, my adoptive parents' faces turned deathly pale, and they began to make excuses.
"That is... we had no other choice to repay our debts. Above all, even if we're not blood-related, we are legally family!"
That's right. Legally, there was no problem. But they acted as if they had something to hide.
"Bestia is not an object."
When the Young Duke retorted firmly, a strange sense of expectation filled their faces.
"Perhaps you have feelings for my daughter? If so, you can pay the price..."
Speechless with disbelief, I unconsciously looked at the Young Duke.
Strangely, I noticed the muscles in his jaw visibly stiffen.
Was he angry now? Though he seemed cold, perhaps he had surprisingly high empathy.
It was absurd, but there was now only one way to nullify the marriage contract with the Count.
"Young Duke, is that offer you made earlier still valid?"
"Of course."
To stay at the Duke's Mansion until I come of age and consider marriage.
If I'm lucky, I might be able to cure the Duke's illness and earn a lot of money during my year here.
"Then I'll go. To the Duke's Mansion."
He stared at me for a moment, then spoke to the Count in a cold voice.
"Hey, we're taking the carriage you brought."
"What? Then what about me...?"
"Walk to the Count's Mansion yourself."
The Young Duke clicked his tongue as if asking such a thing was beneath him.
"Let's go, Bes."
Ah, were we leaving right away?
In the meantime, the Young Duke picked up the hat he had dropped and put it back on.
"Young Duke, why are you wearing that again...?"
"Bestia gave it to me, so I can't throw it away. I apologize for throwing it earlier."
That was just something I grabbed and put on him.
Seeing him insist on wearing the shabby hat that didn't suit him at all made me laugh for some reason.
"Um, before we leave, I think I should say something at the temple."
"It's fine, Bes. I'll have a servant relay the message."
Why the rush? I don't have anywhere else to go anyway.
"Young Duke, but there's no coachman."
The coachman must have fled after observing the situation inside.
But was there really a reason to flee? It felt suspicious...
"It's fine. Look, here comes one."
As I turned my gaze to where he pointed, a servant from the Duke's family I had seen at the temple earlier was rushing over.
\ \ \
Huff... I should quit this job at the Duke's family, or something.
It's already been 5 years since I started working at House of Duke Russell.
The Duke's whims were nothing new, so I just accepted it.
The problem was my master, the Young Duke.
His sacred appearance, as if sculpted by God, and his background as the sole heir of the Russell family.
Countless young ladies always schemed to stand by his side.
Despite that, he always wore an expression of boredom.
And he never expressed any will beyond "Uh," "Is that so," and "No."
And now, suddenly, marriage?
As I was seeing off the Duke, I heard the news that the Young Duke had followed that young lady to her home, and my vision went white.
My master was not a human capable of love.
His vacant, dull golden eyes represented his indifferent personality.
Apart from that, he was exceptionally talented.
Moreover, the Young Duke would openly show displeasure whenever someone got even slightly close to him.
That's right. The only emotions my master displayed towards others were indifference or annoyance.
He avoided marriage proposals, which came frequently, by making himself as scarce as possible.
Perhaps he's trying to get rid of it quickly because it's bothersome?
"Aristelle, why aren't you answering?"
"Yes? Ah, yes! Master. Did you ask me to find a coachman?"
For some reason, only one luxurious carriage was left standing in this rural area.
Ah... I have a feeling I'm involved in something very shady.
"Yes. I'm going to the Duke's Mansion with Bes."
But didn't that young lady politely refuse him at the temple?
I cautiously approached her and whispered.
"Young Lady, were you perhaps threatened by Master? If so, wave a carrot..."
"Stop talking nonsense and go get the coachman."
As if he had heard everything, my master's expression became even more grim.
What's with this rock-like man...
She missed the timing to say goodbye and offered an awkward smile and a nod.
Honestly, she did possess a beauty that could attract everyone's attention.
Her lustrous white hair, like pearls, exuded an unknown elegance.
And her crimson eyes, which could appear dark at first glance, held a surprisingly clear vitality.
Even in the capital, there were many beauties, but I had never seen anyone with such a mysterious aura as her.
'It's just hard to believe that our Master, of all people, fell for that young lady...'
Even I, forgetting my manners, stared at her intently.
"What are you looking at?"
"Yes?"
"Get lost."
Since when, my master, with a strangely irritable expression, hid her behind him.
The young lady, looking at him with surprise from behind, cautiously began.
"Um... sorry to interrupt, but I'll go get my luggage from the storage room."
"Bes, you don't need dowry."
"Young Duke, stop talking nonsense."
"..."
"Please wait here and chat for a moment."
As soon as she disappeared from my sight, I asked him.
"Master, are you serious? What sin did that young lady commit?"
"What about me? What's wrong with it?"
His words were as short as that. It was impossible to know what he was thinking.
Every action was utterly indifferent.
He possessed all the qualities of the worst possible spouse.
"Why do you want to marry that young lady in the first place?"
"Don't you think she's beautiful?"
"W-Well, of course, she's beautiful."
"Doesn't her behavior and personality seem quite normal too?"
I don't know her well since I only met her today, but she didn't seem to have a difficult personality.
"She seems to be..."
"She has a habit of wrinkling her nose when she says things she doesn't mean."
"Do you like those kinds of actions? Well, she does have many cute aspects..."
"Why?"
"Yes?"
"I suddenly feel displeased. Do not go within ten paces of Bes from now on."
Good heavens. Could it be love at first sight?
For a young lady he met today? That cold-blooded man...
Before I could say anything more, he ran towards her as she came out with her luggage.
'Oh, really?'
It was funny how he snatched something that looked very light because she didn't have much to carry.
\ \ \
Before leaving for the Duke's Mansion, I rummaged through the warehouse behind my house.
'Found it.'
A rather expensive-looking case, out of place in the shabby warehouse, was hidden away.
There was a reason I found this.
One way to escape my family's debt lay within it.
Besides the method of repaying the debt in one go, there was only one last resort.
That was to have my legal status reverted to my real parents.
Of course, since cases of such legal status changes were rare, it was generally considered impossible, but I had no other choice.
To do that, I first had to find my biological parents.
Persuading them was a problem, but finding them in the first place was a hurdle.
Truly, what sins did I commit in my past life to end up like this even after reincarnation...
But fortunately, there was a way out.
Before I was adopted by the House of Baron Rayl, the orphanage director gave me this case, saying it was left by my biological parents.
When I opened the lid of the case, I saw a slightly familiar handwriting on the book.
Titonos
That thing the Duke was looking for earlier.
I don't know why it's here, but it might sell for a good price. Then I could change my legal status.
In fact, not only this book of unknown origin but also my adoptive parents had more than one suspicious aspect.
And why did the Count try to arrange a marriage with me, who lives in this rural corner of the world?
Wasn't House of Baron Rayl and Count Devon's family acquainted with each other beforehand?
I carefully placed the diary back into the case and left the warehouse.
As soon as I came out of the warehouse, the Young Duke saw the case in my hand and approached me with a visibly displeased expression.
"Bestia, are you out of your mind?"
He sighed and blurted it out, sounding angry to anyone who heard.
Why! What's wrong now?
"What are you doing carrying something so heavy by yourself? What if you break your arm?"
If I had to say, this case weighed as much as a child could carry.
So, the one who's not in their right mind must be the Young Duke, not me.
To be continued ▶
