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Chapter 46
Ophelia and Sir David, who seemed to have become a cockroach couple, when I did not see them, did not leave each other’s side.
[ T/N: Cockroach couple is a term used by single people to belittle couples, or to say that their behavior is annoying. ]
“Oh no, Lady Evelyn…!”
“Be quiet, Ophelia.”
“Young Lady of Garneid, this is—”
“Sir David, please be quiet.”
I touched my forehead.
How long has it been since I left that they have become so close?
Of course, I noticed and was aware of the fact that David fell in love with Ophelia at first sight. Still, I have never dreamed that Ophelia would be so engrossed in him that she would be marrying him.
“…I need to ask you one thing, Sir David. Are you dating my sister?”
“Miss Ophelia and I are dating on the premise of marriage.”
At his bold reply, the faces of the Baron and Baroness Marquell turned sour. On the other hand, seeing Ophelia’s brightly smiling face, I could guess the situation.
“You two, go out.”
I resolutely turned to Ophelia and David, suppressing the urge to shake my head. The scene that will unfold from now on would not be very pleasant, and I did not want to taint Ophelia’s ears.
“Yes, I got it.”
Was it an illusion that David’s face, who hurriedly took Ophelia away, looked so bright? It was not that important, anyway.
With that thought, I turned to Baron Marquell and his wife.
‘It looks like they must have a lot of money.’
It was the impression as soon as I saw them.
Since they have spent a lot of money in the past, I could roughly estimate the value of the clothes and jewelry they are wearing.
‘My head hurts.’
If he was a baron whose spending was comparable to that of Count Garneid, he would have naturally thought about his son’s marriage partner. Though suddenly, his son brought Ophelia and made a fuss about marrying her, so he could not help but get angry.
‘Still, that does not mean they are allowed to pour their abusive words on Ophelia.’
Besides, I also wished the two of them would be together like they wanted.
“I heard what you said about my sister.”
“….”
“No matter how different Ophelia is from me and my mother, she’s definitely my younger sister and a member of the Count Garneid. Please, mind your manners and treat her with respect.”
“Young Lady of Garneid.”
Baron Marquell, whose face turned dark red, opened his mouth. His hands were shaking with excitement, and he seemed very angry.
“Don’t say anything you don’t mean.”
”What are you talking about?”
I asked innocently.
“Ophelia is definitely my precious little sister.”
“…I understand that the Young Lady loves the illegitimate child. Though you can’t see the Young Lady and illegitimate children as having the same bloodline.”
“Whether we have the same blood or not, what does that matter? I think of her as my sister.”
Then, I kindly added.
“…And, the woman the Baron’s son brought to marry is also Ophelia, not another noble lady.”
In the original story, it was David who lost his life for his love for Ophelia. So, it was clear that he was not swayed by just the opposition of his parents. Unfortunately, these two did not seem to know about it yet.
“The Young Lady is still young and naive, so it doesn’t seem like she’s able to tell the difference…”
The Baroness opened her mouth in a stern, but prickling voice.
“I’m not at an age where I can’t tell the difference.”
I cut her off with a cold voice.
“Rather, isn’t it the wife and the husband who don’t make sense? You are spending a lot more than the profits you get from the title of Baron… I wonder if your household is in good shape?”
“…That’s too much, Count Garneid’s Young Lady.”
“Well, how dare you tell my sister that she’s vulgar?”
Baron Marquell exclaimed aloud as if he could not stand it any longer.
“I can’t even listen to you. What’s wrong with calling something vulgar, vulgar?”
At his words, the Baroness added a few words.
“It seems that you have just been engaged to the Lord, but our son has a solid future as the commander of the Knights of the Duke of Brudenell. He’s in a different class from an illegitimate child like the Young Lady’s younger sister.”
Ah.
I think I know something.
Their confidence was not simply about being a baron. It was that his son, David, was commander of the Knights of the Duke of Brudenell.
Regardless, what is the point?
The woman whom their handsome son likes is Ophelia.
“Where are the know-it-all Baron and Baroness that said that?”
There was silence for a moment.
Baron Marquell and his wife stared at me with her mouth wide open, seemingly speechless.
“I am the heir to Count Garneid and the next Duchess of Brudenell. According to the both of you, I, too, have the right to ignore you.”
“That, what…”
The Baron opened and closed his mouth repeatedly in bewilderment. It seemed that he had never been so blatantly ignored as a baron.
That is natural.
After all, high-ranking nobles would not even deal with such a small person like him in the first place.
“I treated you with courtesy at the most, and the only thing that came back was me being treated as a stupid little girl who didn’t know anything about the world…”
I shot them both openly.
Pretty, nice, smart…
What the hell is our Ophelia inferior to Sir David?
As I did not want to talk to them anymore, I turned my gaze to the door. Looking through the cracks in the open door, it seemed that there was no need to go outside to find someone.
“Come in, Ophelia.”
I called Ophelia.
Of course, Ophelia entered, holding David’s hand tightly.
The Baron couple’s eyes seemed as though it was going to pop out. Nevertheless, they did not nag because they could notice my gaze.
They were grumbling, but it was none of my business.
“Sir David.”
I quietly opened my mouth.
“You need a lot of money to get married, right?”
“Yes…?”
David asked back with a puzzled look on his face.
Either way, I kept talking.
“If you want to marry Ophelia, separate yourself from your family. I will provide all the money needed for the wedding. I can’t send my little sister to such a shallow family.”
“Young Lady Garneid!”
As the Baroness cried out, her face turned pale white.
“Do you know what you just said? Now, to my son—!”
“Of course.”
I answered softly.
“The choice is yours. What are you going to do?”
To my surprise, he did not hesitate for a moment.
““I’ll do that.”
“David!”
The baron cried out in astonishment.
“How can you…!”
David politely shook his head at his parents.
“Father, mother. Thank you so much for raising me during this time. Forget about this inadequate son, and I hope you are doing well. And…”
One corner of David’s lips twitched slightly as he continued.
“Now that I have my own family, I don’t think I can pay for your living expenses anymore.”
“….!”
The Baroness covered her mouth, and her suppressed groan came out.
“Now, are you making fun of this mother? Huh? David, I know you’re upset, though think about it for a bit. Without your support, we would…”
“Isn’t there a profit coming from being a baron?”
[ T/N: The main source of his wealth was the produce from his land in addition to taxes and rents from the people living on his land. ]
He answered her softly, but firmly.
“Don’t you know that we can’t live with that!”
“….”
David sighed with a face that had a lot to say.
It was obvious
The Baron and Baroness’s luxury was made possible by the sacrifice of Sir David.
I could not believe they wanted to live lavishly even while sucking the blood of their child. They were people I could not understand at all. Nonetheless, the world is wide, and there are many kinds of people.
‘Still, it seems that the Duke pays a lot of salaries.’
I shook my head and watched their confrontation with interest.
“…If you don’t change your mind, the title of Baron will go to your brother.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“What…?”
“Give titles to whomever father wishes to give them. I don’t need it at all.”
“David…!”
“Are you finished with what you have to say?” Asking back, David frowned though the Baron couple seemed unwilling to back down.
Now, it was my turn to help.
“Sir David.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
“Lord Cassius was looking for you.”
At my words, he pretended to be naive and his eyes widened.
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
I nodded my head.
“He told you to go quickly because it was urgent. I forgot about it because it was a situation, but I just remembered it.”
Even though it was a lie that even a three-year-old would not believe, it did not matter.
“And, you two should go back now since you are Sir David’s guest, not a visitor from the Duchy.”
Despite the Baron Marquell roaring with a red-hot face, he did not say anything to me and growled at David instead before leaving.
“You will regret it, David.”
“….”
David said nothing until the Baron couple left.
After a while, I opened my mouth to David and Ophelia. No, I tried to open it, though it was Ophelia who spoke first.
“…I hate that you can’t get the title because of me.”
David’s voice softened a little.
“It’s not because of Miss Ophelia that I can’t get it. My parents rejected me.”
“You refused it because of me.”
“I can’t even imagine my life without Miss Ophelia now, so whom does it matter?”
“Yes.”
Ophelia nodded her head before adding her words.
“I don’t want your future to be ruined because of me.”
“Ophelia.”
Unable to bear the familiar self-deprecating talk, I cut her off, although David was one step faster.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter.”
“No, I’m sincerely telling you this because it doesn’t matter about the title. And…”
At that moment, I stared blankly at David’s docile face.
It was because I could not believe the bombshell that had just erupted from his mouth.
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