CH 71

Chapter 71 – The people called by his loud voice (Torre’s Point of View)

Torre first met Lilianne when he visited her's parents after their engagement. It was not Lilianne herself, but her father that he was supposed to meet.

Lilianne's family of birth, the Lemieule family, had produced many knights in the Desnim country's military department over the generations.

As a daughter born into such a family, her duties were to take a promising knight as her groom, to bring excellent blood into the Lemieule family, and to serve her husband as an obedient wife, not to disobey him.

If one is born into the Lemieule family as a son or daughter who is not suited to martial arts, one is forced to lead a hard life. Lilianne was no exception to this rule and was subjected to a half-abusive upbringing.

On the way home from meeting Lilianne's father, Torre was curious about the person he was going to marry, so he sneaked a peek into a room in the garden where her room was located.

He was shocked to find a surprising sight.

Lilianne, in tears, taking dance lessons, and her teacher, who scolded her for her mistakes and mercilessly cracked down the whip on her. Her mother and the attendants by the wall were berating their daughter for her "poor performance". No one was on Lilianne's side.

Despite this, the tearful fiancée grits her teeth and desperately tries to keep up with the dance class. Torre was struck by the sight of Lilianne.

Seeing a scene so shocking, Torre complained to her father about his fiancé's class. He was not supposed to sneak a peek at Lillianne, but he was so mad that he didn't even care.

But the head of the Lemieule family simply retorted, without moving an eyebrow.

This education was meant to crush his daughter's self-esteem and turn her into a submissive person with no opinions of her own, which was necessary to get a son-in-law and protect the family. "What is this nonsense?" is what Torre wanted to shout.

It was absurd to think that he could not protect the house without a wife who could only act like a puppet. The head of the family is not capable enough and lacks human dignity, which is the reason why he is inclined to crazy ideas.

However, the head of the Lemieule family is the vice-commander of the Order of Knights and Torre's superior. That is why he was offered the position of Lilianne's fiancée. Torre, who grew up in a knightly household where the orders of superiors were absolute, could not deny his superiors to their faces.

So he decided to wait until the day he married Lilianne and became the head of the Lemieule family.

And as soon as he had achieved his position, he wanted to free Lilianne from the Lemieule family tradition.

But Torre was not so sure. Lilianne's mind had already been driven to the point of no return. It did not take long for Lilianne to become dependent on Robin to escape the painful reality.

Lilianne was disowned and had nowhere to go, so she took Robin's sweet advice and came to the frontier town of Sutrena. She had tried unsuccessfully to harm his lord, Nazelbert, and was captured by soldiers.

Before living in the frontier, Torre's family was also offered marriage to Lilianne's sister.

However, it was a terrible thing to ask him to marry her if not her sister. It was too much for Torre to take.

The offer was good, but Torre politely declined. Since he was the third son, his parents let Torre do as he wished.

The reason why he was able to go to Sutrena without any problems was probably due to the help of a man he met at the castle. In the frontier, he calls himself "Belle the Merchant" and dislikes being called by any other name.

As for Lilianne's affair, Belle will be able to handle her situation well in the royal capital.

"Thank God for that. How generous Lord Nazelbert is!"

The duke's son, who was driven to the frontier, is a good man in every sense of the word. That is why Torre respects him and felt compelled to help.

Despite the attempt on his life, Nazelbert gave Lilianne unparalleled treatment.

※

After finishing his work, Torre went to his private room at the inn to take a nap.

It was morning before he could catch up on his various tasks.

Incidentally, the lord and lady are all resting in their rooms.

Torre passed by Lilianne's room and wondered if he should enter his ex-fiancee's room or not.

Kelly had just left Lilianne's room to get some sleep, while a soldier was watching her outside the room.

The two of them conversed only a few times, and her last impression of herself was the worst: that he tried to attack Robin. She might not even want to see Torre.

That's how pathetic of a fiance he was.

But Torre was determined.

If Lillianne was released after atoning for her crimes, he would ask her to marry him again.

He still had feelings for her, though he did not expect a positive response.

As he hesitates, the door to his room opens and Lilianne appears. She asked the soldier on guard if she could have some water. The soldier looked at Torre, who appeared at the right moment.

"Master Torre, may I ask you to stand guard here while I go and get some water?"

He saw through Torre's troubled mind as he loitered in front of the door.

"Oh, ah, ...... I understand."

Torre was confused between gratitude and embarrassment at being suddenly thrown in front of Lillianne. He was in a hurry to say something, but no words came out.

"I am sorry, Sir Torre. You were right and I foolishly followed Robin's lead."

Torre replied with a sullen smile.

"It's too late. I should have realized Lillianne's feelings earlier. I didn't know that you were so cornered, even though you were my fiancée. I could have seen the sight of you bleeding to death in the mansion."

"....... so you knew about it. I never told you about my life, so it is only natural. Don't blame yourself."

"I guess I wasn't a man worth talking to. Knowing Lillianne's abusive upbringing, I was too afraid of my superiors to choose to help you right away."

"Do not worry about me any longer. Even now, I am only surviving thanks to Lord Nazelbert's generous treatment. I am just a peasant woman who has lost everything and has no place to go."

Lilianne is still in solitude. She can't rely on anyone, blames herself daily, and is trapped. ...... If Torre, the only one who understands the situation and can help, doesn't take any action, that will never change.

So Torre hurriedly told her.

"Lilianne, it's a terrible thing to say to you right now, who only knew the mansion and the castle,...... but a place to belong is not something you can just sit back and be given. You have to find a role you can play and make it your own."

"Is... that so... "

"But if, after you have atoned for your sins and are free, you still can't find a place, then don't hesitate to come to me."

"Sir Torre...?"

"I still love Lillianne. You work harder than anyone else, and you're more honest than anyone else."

Torre knew that what Lilianne had learned would not be in vain, and would support her in her future life.

"I'll wait. Until the day you pay for your sins and are free."

"I have missed something important. Thank you, Sir Torre. Your kindness is all I need."

"I mean it! I want to marry Lilianne!"

Torre proposes in a loud voice. His voice was still echoing throughout the inn.

The plan to get engaged after her release had already been tossed out of the window.

"I'll probably be released in a few years at the earliest. I'll be past the marriageable age."

"I'll wait!"

"I'm sure you'll find someone better by then."

"No! I want you, Lilianne!"

Lilianne's eyes begin to water as Torre conveys his stubborn feelings to her.

".... you have a terrible taste in women... you know that?"

"That is not true!"

Torre and Lilianne look at each other in silence as they speak their minds.

They were the only ones who did not notice the gradually increasing number of people around watching them.