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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Standing Up to the Baron
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Akid pushed me behind him, widening the gap between himself and the Baron.
The Baron was already boiling with rage, blinded by fury. He issued his command in a domineering tone.
"Step aside, Young Grand Duke."
"No. Don't lay a finger on even a single hair on my wife's head, Baron Rork."
"The Young Grand Duchess insulted me. Didn't you see it all?"
"You're calling it an insult when she merely pointed out your own stupidity from your own mouth?"
"What do you...?"
"I knew it all along. That you were deliberately forcing an excessive amount of studying on me."
"...I never!"
Baron Rork jumped up as if denying it vehemently.
I stared blankly at Akid standing up to the Baron.
'Good boy, my baby!'
Why did it make me so happy to see Akid defying the Baron?
But perhaps he was still scared of the Baron, as his shoulders trembled slightly.
I wanted to give him courage, so I gripped his hand tightly. I wanted to tell him he wasn't alone.
Fortunately, it seemed to help, as he mustered the strength to continue.
"I've put up with enough. Up until now, it was only directed at me."
"What are you talking about?"
"I can tolerate what you do to me, but not to my wife."
There was an intimidating edge to Akid's voice. As expected of the man who would become the sub-male lead in the future.
Baron Rork flinched. The usual Akid was so docile and never defied him, so this must have shocked him even more.
The Baron seemed to belatedly rein in his anger. He must have realized that flying off the handle at a young Grand Duke couple would only make him look bad.
'Argh, it was a chance to end this once and for all.'
In truth, if he had laid a hand on me, I planned to scream dramatically, cry, and cause a huge scene.
Unlike Akid, I wasn't the type to endure being wronged.
As I smacked my lips in regret, Baron Rork responded slyly.
"I had no idea you thought so poorly of me, Young Grand Duke. It must all be due to my shortcomings as your tutor."
"..."
"I apologize for any roughness in my words or actions."
The Baron bowed elegantly like a gentleman.
I wanted to shove his head to the floor, but with Akid blocking the way, it was impossible. The Baron said,
"I'll take my leave for today. I hope there won't be any disruptions to the lesson next time."
"I'm sorry for calling you a shit-for-brains idiot, Baron."
"Yes, I accept your apo...?"
"People like shit-for-brains idiots never realize they're shit-for-brains no matter how much you tell them, right? Isn't that so, Hanna?"
I grinned innocently as I asked, and Hanna pressed her lips together, holding back a laugh.
But the Baron must have seen it all.
"Y-You...!"
The Baron ground his teeth, his rage flaring up again. But he didn't act recklessly like before.
With even Akid stepping in, he must have realized the situation wasn't in his favor.
He roughly flapped his jacket as if venting his frustration and stormed out of the room.
He was probably rushing off to tattle to his little sister.
'Hah! Just what I wanted!'
I snorted derisively. At that moment, Akid turned around and asked,
"How long do you plan to hold on?"
"Oh."
I flinched at his cold demeanor and let go of his hand. Then Akid said,
"I don't know what whim made you help me all of a sudden, but you shouldn't have gotten involved."
"Is helping my husband a bad thing?"
"Your husband? Have I ever been your husband?"
Akid turned away with a bitter expression. He looked conflicted.
I shouted at his retreating back as he tried to leave.
"Make sure you get that wound treated properly! Or I'll come find you!"
Akid paused for a moment before replying lowly.
"Yes. I'll hide it well so it doesn't cause you any trouble. Don't worry."
I stared blankly at the spot where Akid had vanished and muttered,
"That wasn't what I meant..."
It seemed like it would take more time to win back Akid's heart.
Sure enough, that evening, Grand Duke Hadellus summoned me.
I headed straight to the Grand Duke's study. As I entered the room, three people awaited me. Akid stood there with his head bowed deeply, silent.
Grand Duke Hadellus looked extremely displeased, probably because of the Lady Rork at his side, who was sniffling away.
Lady Rork burst into louder sobs the moment she saw me, playing the pitiful victim.
Having quickly grasped the situation, I spoke calmly.
"I heard you called for me."
"Yes. I have something important to discuss with you."
Grand Duke Hadellus nodded, crossing his legs, and gestured for me to sit beside Akid.
I lightly lifted the hem of my dress in a proper curtsy before sitting next to Akid. He whispered quietly,
"I'll handle it myself."
That meant he intended to take the Grand Duke's anger in my stead.
'Why is he suddenly acting so dependable? Heart, calm down!'
I loved that Akid was looking out for me, and my lips twitched.
But I had no intention of shifting the blame onto him for what I'd done. Gauging the Grand Duke's mood, I whispered carefully,
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
Akid forgot to whisper back and stared at me in a daze.
I grinned widely, wondering if he'd only ever been deceived before, but he bit his lower lip and averted his gaze.
At that moment, Grand Duke Hadellus spoke up.
"What are you two whispering about?"
"Nothing important. More importantly, why did you call me?"
As I changed the subject, the Grand Duke's eyebrow twitched.
But not wanting to nitpick, he got straight to the point.
"I heard you disrupted Baron Rork's lesson today."
"Ah."
I let out a shallow exclamation as if just realizing.
"Even as the Young Grand Duchess, Baron Rork is still the Young Grand Duke's tutor. This is yet another reckless act on your part."
Grand Duke Hadellus emphasized "yet another" and clicked his tongue.
It felt like he was referring to all the complaints, incidents, and accidents since I'd married into this house.
In truth, I felt wronged. That was all the work of Roena Hadellus before I possessed her body.
But no one would believe that, so I just had to diligently clean up the mess Roena had left behind.
'Yeah. Cleaning up this much poop is nothing after receiving my fave.'
I straightened my back, smiled brightly, and said. My arrow was aimed not at Grand Duke Hadellus, but at Lady Rork.
"Lady Rork, did Baron Rork really only tell you that I disrupted the lesson?"
Lady Rork reacted sharply, not expecting the question directed at her.
"Are you saying my brother hid his own faults and only told me what suited him?"
"Hmm, I didn't say that, but it seems like you've got a guilty conscience."
"Th-That's not...!"
Lady Rork trembled and couldn't continue. But I'd already gotten the reaction I wanted, so I turned my gaze to the Grand Duke.
"Yes, I did disrupt it. But it warranted the rudeness."
Seeing my overly confident attitude, Grand Duke Hadellus tilted his head and asked,
"What do you mean it warranted it?"
"Because Baron Rork was abusing my husband under the pretext of corporal punishment."
"...Abusing?"
The Grand Duke's eyebrow twitched at the word "abuse."
"Yes. Today, I heard a loud crashing sound from Akid's study."
"..."
"Worried that something urgent might have happened, I told him to fetch the key."
"And?"
As Grand Duke Hadellus pressed, I let out a deep sigh.
After pausing for effect, I shuddered lightly as if reluctant to even recall it, then continued.
"When I went in, my husband was collapsed on the floor, blood pouring from his head. A sharp quill and inkwell were scattered nearby."
Of course, it was a bit exaggerated from my omniscient fangirl perspective, but no need to explain that.
"It's true I confronted Baron Rork rather intensely out of shock. But anyone seeing that would have done the same."
"..."
As my eloquence wrapped up, the Grand Duke's gaze naturally shifted to Akid's forehead. He immediately reached out and lifted the bangs.
With the forehead exposed, the stitches from the treatment were visible.
"This is..."
The Grand Duke trailed off upon seeing Akid's wound. He clearly hadn't expected Baron Rork to strike him.
Well, he never cared what his son did, so he probably hadn't even noticed the gash on his forehead.
"..."
As Grand Duke Hadellus's expression hardened instantly, Akid spoke up.
"I'm fine."
"Fine? Blood was dripping everywhere! He hit him so hard my husband couldn't even get up from the floor."
As I made a fuss, Akid gave me a look wondering what my game was.
I kept exaggerating to blow the incident out of proportion.
Akid seemed to want to quietly let it end there, but I had different plans.
I'd deliberately timed it to interrupt Baron Rork's lesson, after all.
'I'm going to make sure Baron Rork never touches my husband again.'
As I steeled my resolve, a sudden sob echoed. It was Vestia Rork's crying.
