Chapter 21

Translator: Nabi

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Chapter 21

“…What are you trying to do?”​​Cassius Brudenell was surprised at the words she uttered.​​​​He was reacting unnecessarily emotionally. Usually, he would not have responded this way. However, the climbing rage paralyzed reason and broke his inertia.

“Honestly…”

Ophelia, on the other hand, was answering calmly without blinking an eye.

“I truly adore Lord Cassius.”

Contrary to her words, the sweet sensation of that was not contained in the words she said at all.

Cassius frowned.

There was a limit to holding back.

Just as he was about to reply to Ophelia’s words.

The Duke of Brudenell, who had been quietly watching the situation, opened his mouth.

“I am glad you have come all the way here from Count Garneid.”

“….!”

People gasped and breathed in. Of course, the most surprised one was Ophelia. She stared blankly at Duke Brudenell, who suddenly interjected out of the blue.

At first, she thought she would be slapped hard on the cheek and get kicked out by the Countess. But now, the Duke was saying something that seemed to acknowledge herself.

“Father.”

Cassius opened his mouth.

“I have no intention of marrying that woman.”

There was somewhat a dangerous ring in his words.

‘It was a warning…’

Ophelia shivered.

…A warning that he will never marry her.

“Cassius, what are you talking about? Didn’t you say you wanted to marry Count Garneid’s Young Lady?”

“That is right. Not this woman, but Young Lady Evelyn Garneid.”

At his words, Duke Brudenell’s sharp eyes pierce Ophelia.

“…That is strange. In my eyes, this lady looks exactly like Young Lady Evelyn Garneid?”

“….!”

At that, Ophelia’s face turned white.

It was only then did he realize Duke Brudenell’s thought.

Coming here, Ophelia disguised herself as Evelyn. So, when she was treated like the real Evelyn, it meant that Evelyn would become the official fiancée of Cassius.

“Father, I have no intention of marrying a substitute.”

He replied bluntly.

Hearing that, she was relieved, but at the same time, she could not help being suspicious. Cassius Brudenell is cold-blooded and mischievous. She cannot believe someone like that would refuse to be the official fiancé of Evelyn.

Ophelia had a bad feeling.

“I thought you wanted to get engaged to Count Garneid’s Young Lady at all costs?”

“Your father is right, Cassius.”

The Duchess also chimed in.

“Maybe it is a good thing. Count Garneid’s Young Lady is a little… she is unique. You can do the ceremony with this lady first. She will not be able to get far, so we will find the Young Lady soon.”

However, despite the persuasion of his parents, Cassius stood his ground.

“…The finger I am going to put on the ring must be the finger of the real Young Lady Evelyn Garneid.”

The eyes he stared at Ophelia were filled with contempt.

It was as though she could hear something he did not say out loud as well.

‘Not the fake one…’

Eventually, the Duchess sighed.

“If that is what you what… So, what should we do with this lady?”

“The daughter of Count Garneid would have forced her to do it, anyway.”

He replied in a dull voice at her question. ​​”Just return home. The Count will take care of the disposition.”​​“Still, we should protest. I cannot let this rudeness pass.”

“That is on mother’s hands, then…”

Cassius, who was waving his hand as if he was annoyed, stopped talking. Then, he looked back at Ophelia with a gaze as though he realized something.

“That is right, this rudeness… we cannot just let it slide.”

He quietly continued.

“So, why don’t we take this lady with us? Until Count Garneid’s Young Lady comes back to me.”

“That is a good idea.”

Duke Brudenell immediately agreed.

“Yes. No matter how illegitimate the child is, she is still the Count’s daughter. Besides, she helped her sister escape, so we cannot let her go.”

“….”

Instead of answering, Cassius simply turned his cold gaze to Ophelia before turning his back to leave.

At that, the Duchess sighed and approached Ophelia.

“The name is probably… Odell?”

“It is Ophelia.”

“Yes, Ophelia.”

The Duchess then pointed gracefully to her corner of the courtyard with the tip of her chin. There, the accommodation, which was so shabby that it did not suit the Duke’s mansion, caught her eyes.

It seemed like it had been abandoned for several years.

“Stay there until your disposition is decided. You had better stay quiet and don’t think about running away if you do not want to see the bad things happen.”

“…Yes.”

Finally, the members of the Duke left, leaving her alone.

Though Ophelia was not stupid enough to run away.

‘I am certain I am under surveillance.’

Eventually, she crawled into the dark and dusty quarters.

What was lingering in her mind was not the Duchess’ elegant threats that filled her head, though the cold eyes of Cassius Brudenell.

Ophelia had a hunch.

‘I am the bait.’

…Bait to get Evelyn back.

* * *

A week later.

Cassius Brudenell boarded the Daisy.

If it were not for the Lord’s extensive intelligence network, it would have taken at least a month to find the ship Evelyn Garneid had boarded.

‘….’

Barely making it on the deck, he touched his pale forehead.

Knowing that Cassius did not like the sea, his subordinate offered to go instead, but he rejected his offer.

‘…Woo-hoo.’

He swallowed a sudden wave of nauseousness.

Well, does he not like the sea, you asked?

His subordinate’s thought was far away from being wrong. Cassius hated the sea.

However…

He could not stand it for another man to see Evelyn, whom he had not seen in a week, first.

‘She must be working at a souvenir shop.’

It was rather ridiculous. The successor of the Countess became a souvenir salesperson?

But, it was like Evelyn, too. It was because she did not care about other people’s eyes.

Cassius silently moved his steps towards the souvenir shop.

…How long has it been?

Finally, he caught the sign that the informant had given him. He stopped quietly in front of the store. Beyond the window, Evelyn was there. She was chatting with a man he had never seen before.

The moment Cassius quietly reached towards the doorknob.

Evelyn was laughing.

Happily.

* * *

It did not take long for Ophelia to get used to her life at the Duke of Brudenell.

Three times a day, a servant brought her a delicious meal.

Although it was only normal food for the Duke’s, Ophelia, who had been the Count’s troublemaker, was only able to eat when the chef was in an especially good mood.

Exactly an hour later.

Another servant comes and collects the tableware.

As long as she was well-behaved, stayed in the accommodation quietly, the Duke did not care about what she does.

Ophelia gave up her hopes that she might be able to escape early.

The Duke’s residence was strictly guarded, and digging and running away was a story that was only possible in fairy tales.

Nonetheless, she did not mean to sit melancholy in this dusty house. She picked up a bumpy broom that had been stuck in the corner.

It was time to turn this place into a more livable place.

Lunch on the third day after Ophelia was being imprisoned in the Duke’s residence.

Someone knocked on the door at a no different time from the previous day.

Ophelia, once again anticipating her meal, opened the door in a hurry.

“Thank you…”

Her words were cut off.

It was because a man, who was not a servant who came every day, was holding a tray on the doorstep. Although it was not the first time, she has even seen his face.

It was David, the commander of the Knights of the Duke of Brudenell.

“What can I do for you?”

David politely handed her the tray without answering.

‘….?’

Seeing that, she dropped her eyes towards the tray. There were dishes that looked much more luxurious than usual.

‘Does he care…?’

The moment Ophelia raised her head to thank him, the door closed.

Just before the door completely shut, a look of reassurance crossed David’s straight face.

That was all.

* * *

Selling souvenirs was not that difficult.

I do not really know about the real Evelyn Garneid, but for me, who worked part-time a few times, it was a piece of cake. All I have to do is just put some iron plate on my face and actively appeal to the customers.

However, Gabriel seemed to still be worried and came to see me as the day went by.

It was nice that he came and said hello at best. Since the only people I knew on this ship were Gabriel and Mrs. Ned.

But, apart from being happy, I could not help but have doubts.

At first, I thought Gabriel was definitely a sailor, of course, but seeing him come to me every day in broad daylight, it seemed like that was not the case.​​However, I did not feel his unique activity to be considered tourists. He did not look like a fugitive like me.

So, I decided to use the regular method.

“Come to think of it, what does Gabriel do on the ship?”

At that moment.

Gabriel’s face, which always seemed relaxed, was cracked.

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