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Chapter 16
The Marquis’s words left me completely dumbfounded.
Forgetting even the pain coursing through my body, I pushed myself upright and stared at him.
“Father, what…?”
What did you just say?
At my question, the Marquis lowered his head and quietly avoided my gaze.
“This is a matter between adults. I don’t know all the details of how that boy became involved with you, but you must not get any closer to him.”
I couldn’t understand what he was saying.
Nor could I understand the way he was acting.
The Marquis of Ritberg had never once told Lindsay, “You can’t do that.”
I hadn’t done anything wrong. I hadn’t committed some terrible offense.
I had simply made a friend.
How was I supposed to accept being told to cut him off without warning?
“A matter between adults…? If that’s all you’re going to say, am I just supposed to nod and agree? Martin is my friend. More than that, he’s the only friend at this academy who actually listens to me!”
“Lindsay, stop being stubborn—”
“The one being unreasonable is you, Father! If not, then explain it to me. Please! How am I supposed to accept an order like this when you won’t tell me anything? Martin and I aren’t connected by something that can be severed with a single command!”
The Marquis pressed a hand against his temple as though a headache were coming on.
After a moment of silent contemplation, he seemed to make up his mind. When he looked at me again, his expression had turned unusually stern.
“That boy got you hurt.”
“It wasn’t Martin who hurt me. It was Thomas from the Luxell Marquisate.”
“If you hadn’t been associating with Martin, none of this would have happened to you!”
“I don’t regret it! Martin is worth far more than that to me. He’s my friend!”
“Lindsay!”
The Marquis finally snapped.
His face twisted with frustration as he spoke.
“Why… why must you make your father worry like this? Out of all the children in the world… why did it have to be him you became close to?”
Dragging a hand down his face, he turned away.
“I can compromise on anything else. But not this. If you disobey me, I won’t stand by and do nothing.”
With only a brief order to rest, he left the room.
Lucas lingered for a moment, glancing at me uncertainly before following after him.
I stared blankly at the white blanket wrapped around me.
Then, in a voice drained of strength, I spoke to the maids.
“Could you… leave me alone for a while? I want some time by myself.”
The maids exchanged worried looks.
“If you need anything, please call for us, Miss.”
After leaving those words behind, they quietly exited the room.
The moment the door closed, I buried my face in the pillow.
And there, hidden from everyone’s sight, I cried.
Morning arrived after a sleepless night.
Because I had ordered no one to enter, the maids merely brought meals to my room and left in silence.
The Marquis of Ritberg didn’t come near my room either.
It seemed he was just as angry as I was.
Curled up on the bed, I lay staring into nothingness when a knock sounded at the door.
Knock. Knock.
I deliberately remained silent.
A moment later, another knock followed, accompanied by a hushed voice.
“Miss? Miss… It’s Lucas. May I come in for a moment?”
I blinked in surprise.
Of all people, I hadn’t expected him.
Still pouting, I answered,
“No. I don’t want anyone coming in.”
“You’ll regret it.”
Even now, he was using that playful tone to try and cheer me up.
Before I knew it, the corner of my mouth twitched upward.
“I won’t.”
“Really? Even if it’s about Young Master Martin…?”
A beat of silence.
“…What a shame. Then I suppose I’ll go take care of something else—”
I had no idea I could move this fast in my condition.
Clutching my aching thighs, still trembling from muscle soreness, I hurried to the door and called out,
“I regret it! Very much! So get in here already and tell me!”
Lucas smiled.
“First, back to bed, Miss.”
As soon as he entered, he quietly shut the door behind him.
“And if the Marquis finds out I’m here, I’ll be in trouble.”
Placing a finger against his lips, he motioned for silence.
I nodded obediently and climbed back onto the bed.
Lucas carefully tucked the blanket around me before taking a seat beside it.
“What is it? Don’t tell me… Martin’s still hurt? I knew it. Poor Martin. Poor, pitiful Martin…”
“Miss, calm down and listen.”
A chuckle escaped him.
“Young Master Martin is perfectly fine. Aside from a split cheek, a scraped elbow, and some bruises on his torso.”
I stared.
“…That’s considered fine?”
“At least compared to you. He’s already up and moving around.”
Relief washed through me.
I supposed boys really were sturdier than girls.
“So you came all the way here just to tell me that? I mean… thanks, but…”
The disappointment must have been obvious on my face.
Lucas burst into laughter before kneeling beside the bed so we were eye level.
“Young Master Martin has called many times.”
“He has?”
“At first, the Marquis ignored several of the calls. But since they kept coming, he eventually answered.”
My eyes widened.
“What did Martin say?”
“He asked if you were alright. Then he asked whether you’d woken up yet.”
Lucas smiled softly.
“And he said he’d be sending a chocolate tart later.”
At those words, my nose stung.
That idiot.
He was injured too, yet he was worrying about me.
The thought made my chest ache.
“I see…”
“When the tart arrives, I’ll bring you a slice.”
“…I really don’t understand.”
I hugged my knees tighter.
“Why does Father want me to stay away from Martin? He’s such a good person. What’s so dangerous about him?”
Lucas sighed dramatically, his eyebrows drooping.
“I’d love to know that myself. If we at least knew the reason, it wouldn’t feel quite so frustrating. But how could a mere butler possibly understand the lofty thoughts of his master?”
“Did Father really not say anything? Not even by accident?”
“No.”
Lucas shook his head.
“When he spoke with Young Master Martin, he dismissed every servant from his office. The only things he said in front of me were that Martin seemed very worried about you and that he wished the calls would stop coming.”
“I see…”
A heavy sigh escaped me.
If he would just give me a reason—an actual reason—I could at least try to understand.
But from where I stood, the Marquis’s words felt like nothing more than unfair stubbornness.
After promising to tell me when the chocolate tart arrived, Lucas left.
Silence settled over the room once more.
I stared at the ceiling, blinking slowly.
Then I heard footsteps outside.
A knock followed.
Thinking Lucas had forgotten something, I called out,
“Just come in. Did you leave someth—”
“Lindsay.”
The voice cut me off.
Someone entered the room.
The instant I saw who it was, my lips snapped shut.
“…”
“Lindsay.”
The Marquis stood there, looking exhausted.
“How long are you planning to keep this up?”
A day and a half had passed without me leaving my room.
Apparently, he could no longer endure it.
Avoiding his gaze, I muttered,
“…Why are you here?”
“Lindsay.”
He hesitated before speaking.
“I’ve thought about it carefully. How would you feel about returning to the capital?”
I stared.
“What?”
“I think I was mistaken. I thought living here would help you become more independent. I thought it would be good for you.”
“Why are you suddenly talking about the capital…?”
I bit down hard on my lip.
The resentment I had been suppressing finally burst free.
“Father, don’t you think this is unfair?”
My voice trembled.
“You were the one who sent me here. You’re the one telling me to stay away from Martin without explaining why. And now you suddenly want me to return to the capital?”
Tears welled in my eyes.
“The one being selfish is you. This is so unfair. It’s really unfair, Father.”
“Lindsay, there are reasons for all of this!”
His voice rose for the first time.
“When you become an adult, you’ll understand. You’ll understand why I have no choice but to say such cruel things to you!”
“You keep saying it’s a matter between adults!”
My fists clenched.
“Then stop making Martin and me pay the price for your problems!”
At last, I completely lost my temper.
Throwing the blanket aside, I jumped out of bed.
The Marquis immediately stood as well, startled.
“L-Lindsay, what are you doing?”
“Don’t look for me!”
I snatched a light coat hanging from the wardrobe.
“And don’t follow me!”
With those words, I stormed out of the room.
As I ran down the corridor, the Marquis’s desperate voice echoed behind me, chasing after me long after I was gone.
