Translator: Nox

Chapter 42

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The sight of Tulia stepping into the dining hall initially caught Viscount Lilius off guard, but he rapidly recalculated the situation. He found it strange that she suddenly desired to eat with her twin brothers, yet he viewed it as a stroke of luck.

His wife, Aubrey, was currently teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown. In fact, describing her as mentally unstable was hardly an exaggeration at this point. She had always doted on their only child, Tedrick, shielding him from the world since his infancy. Now, that same son was shivering in the Randel Warehouse—a miserable, frigid stone building unfit for even the lowest commoner.

The conditions there were appalling, especially the lack of a functional kitchen or a proper bed. Though Aubrey tried to have meals sent from the castle, the physical gap between the buildings made it impossible. By the time the servants crossed the long distance from the main estate to the warehouse, the food was invariably cold and unappealing.

Aubrey spent her days in a state of tearful fury, constantly lamenting that her son—a high-born member of House Frazier—was being denied basic sustenance. She laid every ounce of blame on Tulia, cursing the girl with every breath.

Lilius watched the scene, certain that his wife would launch another unprovoked verbal assault on the girl today. He knew Tulia was no longer the predictable child she used to be. In the past, she had been their primary source of wealth—a spoiled, volatile girl whose tantrums alienated everyone except for Lilius and Aubrey. Because she viewed them as her only supportive relatives, they had successfully drained a massive fortune from her.

The Viscount felt a surge of bitterness at the thought of that lost income. The girl standing before him now was unrecognizable. He wondered what kind of incentives or secret instructions her father had given her, as she now countered every move they made with surgical precision. She was no longer a simple target.

While both he and Aubrey had learned to be cautious around her, the presence of the twins changed the dynamic. Neither brother liked Tulia, but Leon Frazier’s animosity was particularly intense; he looked at his sister with the same disgust one might have for a spreading rot.

Lilius hoped Tulia would lose her composure and act out. If she displayed her old, undignified behavior, it would drive a permanent wedge between the siblings. He expected Leon’s short fuse to ignite, leading to a public confrontation that would ruin the meal but serve the Viscount’s interests perfectly. The more isolated Tulia became from her brothers, the weaker her position in the household would be.

He glanced at Aubrey. A month of Tedrick’s exile had left her hollowed out and sleepless, her eyes fixed on Tulia with murderous intent. Usually, Lilius had to work hard to keep his wife from physically attacking the girl, but today he chose a different tactic.

He leaned in close to Aubrey, cutting her meat for her with a show of husbandly devotion. He whispered for her to eat well, silently encouraging her to use that energy to tear Tulia down with sophisticated cruelty.

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“Tulia,” Aubrey began, her voice sharp. “You’ve come to breakfast draped in such gaudy jewelry. Has no one taught you that true virtue lies in modesty, not in such excessive displays?”

Tulia didn’t snap back. Instead, she looked down. “I apologize. I realized I lacked any simple pieces to wear. I will make sure not to wear them tomorrow.”

Aubrey’s eyes narrowed. “You never bothered to dine with your brothers before. Why show up now? You’ve disrupted the entire kitchen by arriving without warning.”

“I am truly sorry,” Tulia replied softly. “In that case, I will limit myself to just soup and a bit of salad.”

“I heard you’ve been ill,” Aubrey pressed on, her voice rising. “Are you so thoughtless that you would risk infecting your brothers? Such selfishness is typical of you.”

Tulia’s voice remained calm. “I only wanted to spend time with Leon and Lisian after so long. My doctor assured me that I was no longer contagious.”

“There is always a risk!” Aubrey shouted, her mask finally slipping. “You have always been a spiteful, self-centered creature!”

Lilius waited for Tulia to bite back with her usual venom, but the response he got was completely unexpected.

“If that is the case,” Tulia said, “I will simply sit here without eating.”

The table went silent. Aubrey stared at her, confused.

“Assistant Butler?” Tulia called out.

“Yes, my lady?”

“Please fetch a veil from my rooms.”

Once the man left, Tulia turned back to Aubrey with a serene, almost angelic expression. “I shall keep my mouth covered, Aunt.”

Aubrey was stunned into silence, and Lilius felt a cold knot of unease in his stomach. This was going entirely wrong. Tulia wasn’t fighting back; she was playing the martyr.

The room was full of high-ranking retainers who had joined the breakfast after the previous night’s dinner was canceled. Every important eye in the house was on them. By donning a veil and refusing to eat in response to Aubrey’s petty criticisms, Tulia had transformed the scene. It no longer looked like a senior family member disciplining a child; it looked like a fifteen-year-old girl being systematically bullied by her own kin.

Tulia sat there, the picture of quiet obedience, while Aubrey looked like a petty tyrant. Even Leon, who usually relished Tulia’s misfortunes, had stopped eating, his expression unreadable. The retainers were trading uncomfortable looks.

Lilius realized the danger immediately. If this continued, the nobility would soon be whispering about how the Viscount and his wife mistreated the Grand Duke’s granddaughter. He scrambled to understand her motive. Was she trying to win over the twins? Had her father promised her something for this performance?

“Tulia Frazier!” Aubrey screamed, her body trembling with rage. “How dare you try to humiliate me like this!”

“My dear,” Lilius interrupted firmly. “That is enough. Let us eat.”

“But Lilius—!”

“Aubrey,” he said, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous warning.

His wife finally recoiled, sensing his genuine anger. Lilius cleared his throat, forcing a gentle tone as he addressed his niece. “Tulia, please, take off the veil and have your breakfast. You must understand that your aunt has been under a great deal of stress lately.”

Tulia turned a look of deep, mocking pity toward Aubrey. “I understand perfectly, Uncle. It’s quite alright.”

“I appreciate your grace,” Lilius muttered.

“Poor Aunt Aubrey,” Tulia added, her voice dripping with artificial sympathy. “I truly hope you feel better soon.”

Aubrey’s hands, resting on the table, clenched into white-knuckled fists that shook with suppressed fury.