Chapter 12

“Liv……”

It was Carl Rayleigh. His hair was a mess because he had such a hard time. He approached Liv deliberately ignoring Dane standing in front of her.

“Get out of this house right now. Come with me. I’ll set you free. You don’t intend to marry that filthy bastard, do you?”

“Carl!”

Liv glanced at Dane anxiously. Rayleigh didn’t even like it, so he stopped between Dane and Liv and grabbed Liv’s hand ferociously.

“Come to your senses, Liv, if you marry that bastard, your life will be miserable!”

It was the first time Rayleigh was so excited.

“Don’t you feel sorry for the child you’re going to have? Aren’t you worried about a child who will be pointed at for the rest of his life? It’s too much for you! You know that! You are only from a Baron family on the edge of the countryside, so how are you going to handle things later!”

Oh my, Dane swallowed a laugh that was about to jump out at the pathetic man’s behavior. He was annoyed by the situation, which was like a third-rate novel, but it didn’t look like he needed to do anything.

With a pale face, Liv stared at Rayleigh. Only then did Rayleigh realize what he was saying.

“Liv, that’s not what I meant. I mean, look at the reality right now. I never said that to shame you.”

Rayleigh cupped her head with his hands and looked at Liv with a pathetic face, but her expression was cold.

“I had no intention of marrying you from the beginning. So please stop.”

“Liv!”

“Let me ask you one question. You told me that you wanted a man of ability to be treated regardless of status or power. Was that a lie?”

Of all the conversations she had with him, it was the words that touched Liv the most.

Of course, it was something that Rayleigh, who had already grasped Liv’s tastes, had uttered to win her favor, but she didn’t know.

“No, I meant it. But there is no such thing as perfect equality in the world. There is a difference wherever you go.”

“That includes the Rayleigh and Ragnell families.”

“Don’t take my words for a leap[1], because I’m talking about that guy and us, not you and me.”

“Dane, you better go back. I’m so sorry to have you hear this.”

“Equality? That’s good. Abolition of the status system? Good! It’s good. But do you want me to give equality to that filthy bastard? That’s a joke. What equality is there for the pig bastards in the back alley?”

“Carl Rayleigh!”

“You don’t know what kind of crap that bastard is doing behind the scenes. The only thing he grew up watching was dirty, so wouldn’t there be more things he could do than others? Otherwise, does it make sense to have come this far? How dare such a pig bastard!”

“Dane, go. Please go.”

“Those bastards are muddying the water! Liv! If you stick with that guy, you’re going to get dirty! So with me…… Please come by my side. I know you want to get out of this house! I’ll make it happen. I’ll set you free. So please…… Please…….”

Liv closed her ears and looked only at Dane. There is no displeasure or anger on his face. He just stares at her quietly. That made Liv’s heart ache even more.

“Damn it! Liv! Where are you looking? Wake up! You want to be tied up and pointed at? Do you want to tarnish your reputation for that one petty bastard!”

‘Please don’t listen to him anymore and leave. Please.’

Dane turned his foot as if he had read Liv’s earnest wish. Liv looked at his back as he left.

Dane’s carriage left with a heavy whirling. Liv didn’t take her eyes off the carriage until it was gone. Rayleigh called out to Liv nervously.

“Don’t ever appear in front of me again.”

“What?”

“I don’t want to see your face again.”

“Liv, have you already finished talking to that bastard?”

“…….”

“Liv, we got along, didn’t we? You were comfortable next to me and I liked you too. You admit that, don’t you?”

“I’ve never thought of you that way. I’m sorry if you misunderstood me. And I’m sorry, but I don’t want to marry anyone.”

Rayleigh gritted his teeth.

“You’d better think about it. Because I’ll be your last chance. Who would truly love a woman like you? I’m the only man who can truly love and cherish you.”

The cold reality of hearing from other people’s mouths was sharp enough to make her bones ache. Liv gasped in intense pain.

“……it’s my life. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“Damn it! Liv Ragnell!”

The scars on her face always held her back. It’s nothing new.

‘Yes, it’s nothing new. I’m fine. I’m fine…… this is like a wound of glory. I just did the right thing.’

Liv constantly whispered in her heart so as not to be hurt any more.

“If it’s because you’re offended by what I said a while ago, I’ll apologize. I’m out of my mind right now, so I keep talking nonsense. How could I be sane? You were taken right in front of me! Hm? Liv…… I’ll kneel in front of you and apologize for the rest of my life if you want. So please…….”

Liv turned to enter the mansion. Rayleigh grabbed Liv’s forearm with a ferocious look on her face, but let go, being wary of the sound of an approaching carriage.

Rayleigh gritted his teeth as he looked at the disappearing back of Liv.

Leaving the closed door behind, Liv sighed heavily. She was confused by the sudden rush of events. The emotions she had suppressed were rising and swelling up, and the tears she had been holding back flowed out.

“My proud daughter.”

Anton approached Liv, who bowed her head with her face covered. Contrary to the gloomy days before, his face was bright and satisfied.

Anton hugged Liv. Liv was horrified by Anton’s unfamiliar arms.

“I knew you could do it. That’s my child. The daughter of the great Ragnell.”

An unknown compliment continued to dig into her stomach and drop her into the abyss. Ragnell, daughter of the great Ragnell, everything is for Ragnell.

‘I didn’t want to live like this. I…….’

Anton pulled Liv away from his chest. Tears continue to fall from Liv’s eyes, looking haggard.

Anton smiled and wiped Liv’s tears. His daughter’s face, which looked like it would break if he hit it, didn’t come into his eyes.

He couldn’t stand Dane who left after spitting out cheeky words and followed him, but Anton unintentionally overheard Dane and Liv’s conversation.

‘Pure Love.’

That was all the impression he had.

Sometimes, a third party can accurately grasp what the other party does not fully understand.

‘The only reason you’re doing this nonsense is because of pure love, you’re a crazy bastard.’

It was a good thing because he got a huge profit thanks to it, but he laughed at the thought that a lowly bastard could do nothing.

Count Rayleigh’s desperate plea was heard. A satisfied smile appeared on Anton’s face.

Anton was oblivious of his daughter crying because of the fullness that spread throughout his body. He knew nothing about how desperate her face was, how humiliated her brown eyes were.

He was just busy thinking about how things would unfold in the future. But it was a worry that made him happy.

Liv, on the other hand, resented everything.

Damn Ragnell,

Damn Ragnell,

Damn Liv……..Ragnell.

Liv constantly resented herself for not being able to do anything.

“Lady Ragnell has entered.”

Dane didn’t leave and parked the carriage nearby, lest Rayleigh show his hand habits. The carriage began to move again as the coachman who had been watching the situation sat down.

The look on Dane’s face as he stared out the window was so amusing that it was hard to tell that he had just heard insulting words.

‘I thought you would react strangely sensitively whenever we talked about the back alley, but that’s what it was.’

It was easy to see that her childhood memories had taken root in her head in a solid form.

Even so, he expected that the noble child, who grew up beautifully, would be surprised by the harsh words she heard for the first time, but his guess was off the mark.

‘Did you just think that I would be hurt by that?’

Every time Carl Rayleigh spoke out, the way she looked at him and was fidgeting from nervousness aroused in him a sadistic feeling and it was hard to resist.

Life in the back alley is not smooth for anyone. Even a small child’s senses were numbed and did not blink at most things. The word pig bastard was as common as the chirping of a bird.

“Equality? That’s good. Abolition of the status system? Good! It’s good. But do you want me to give equality to that filthy bastard? That’s a joke. What equality is there for the pig bastards in the back alley?”

It was a statement he was sick of hearing.

He did not wish for equality. He did not wish for the abolition of the status system. He didn’t want to bring down the one who reigned above. It’s enough for him to rise up.

When he saw the lake that had thrown his mood to the bottom, he remembered the small back he had touched in his palm and the soft smell that lingered on the tip of his nose.

He didn’t know if what she felt for him was sympathy or guilt, but he knew it was a good emotion to take advantage of. And he’s intending to take full advantage of that feeling.

Dane clenched his fists lightly, remembering the soft woman he held in his arms.

‘You have no idea. How long I’ve been waiting for this day.’

The long-awaited goal he desires is not far off.

‘Please don’t let her see through my ugly nature until the very end.’

Dane looked at the dazzling sun and prayed with no faith whatsoever.