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Chapter : 11
There was a reason Damien desired Briseis’s fortune.
Damien’s family, the Grand Duchy of Maize, had a lot of debt. They married Briseis under the condition that the Marquis of Philia would forgive the debt, and to show off that he cared for Briseis, the Marquis gave her a huge dowry.
But until Damien went to war, the debt only kept growing. Apart from what the Philia Marquis had forgiven, Damien’s terrible business skills caused repeated failures.
Briseis had turned all those failing businesses into profit, based on what she had seen in the original story.
And all of it came from her personal wealth, invested and managed by her.
Even so, Briseis handled the Grand Duchy’s affairs while her husband was away at war. She reduced her social activities as Grand Duchess but actively participated in business to grow the wealth.
The fact that the Maize Grand Duchy was now debt-free wasn’t because of Damien’s achievements, but because of Briseis’s skill and the seed money she had grown to repay the debts.
That was why he acted that way.
Even though wartime accomplishments were praised, rewards were redistributed by the Emperor, which took time.
And with the greedy Emperor now, he might praise achievements but give little in return, using loyalty as an excuse.
“You used the Grand Duchy’s wealth instead of me. Now you should pay it back.”
“The one who should repay is you, Damien. Don’t you know I cleared all the Grand Duchy’s debts?”
Briseis hated even bringing this up. She had paid off the debts twice because she loved him.
At first, the Philia Marquis had only wanted to repay half of the huge debts caused by the Grand Duke’s failed policies.
‘Please trust me, Father. I will lead the Grand Duchy so you won’t be disappointed.’
Briseis even persuaded her father to repay all of Maize’s debt. But Damien, even after their engagement, got into debt again, which Briseis paid off while he was at war.
“I don’t understand. All I know is that you used the Grand Duchy’s wealth as you pleased. So return everything.”
“Then you must return the debts too. Is that what you want?”
“When your husband speaks, don’t argue. Answer obediently. That’s a wife’s virtue.”
Briseis had never felt Damien’s large body so threatening as she did today.
“Are you really the Damien I know?”
His golden eyes looked strangely dull today, almost like he was dreaming.
“Then who do you see?”
“Now you feel like someone else. Not the Damien I knew.”
“Seems your government tempted you that way.”
Briseis found it amusing—he had actually made the government himself.
“No matter how many mistresses, a woman shows signs if she’s not the first in bed. Then I’ll know what compensation to demand from the Philia Marquis.”
“I said no, yet you keep saying the same thing. I don’t want to talk to you anymore. Step aside.”
Briseis, seeing that Damien had lost spirit when the topic of Calisten came up, walked past him without looking back.
As she walked down the corridor, Damien spoke:
“Don’t forget your duty. Even if you graduate from the Academy, women can do nothing in the end.”
Briseis ignored him and headed straight for the Academy.
“Bri! Sit here!”
Briseis almost closed the classroom door when she opened it, because Calisten loudly called her to sit next to him.
“Who told you to wear your uniform like that? Can’t you wear it properly?”
Two buttons at the top of his uniform were undone, showing the upper part of his chest.
“Why? Can you see through this?”
“Yeah.”
“Then look well. I opened it to show you.”
“You’re crazy.”
Briseis frowned and tried to sit elsewhere, but the front seat she usually used was taken by Calisten.
“Bri, good morning.”
“Oh, Caz, good morning.”
“You two know each other?”
When Cassius greeted, Calisten gave a strange look but then softened when he remembered Cassius was also Gael’s friend.
“How did you know each other?”
“We met at the cemetery yesterday. Can you sit properly now?”
Briseis frowned as she saw Calisten deliberately sitting crooked, ready to leave anytime.
“I’ll listen well. Just sit here.”
He tapped the seat next to him for her to sit. She searched for another spot, sighed, and tried moving to the back by the window. Calisten followed. She moved to a middle seat. He followed again.
“I won’t sit with you.”
“Why not? It’ll help you a lot. You’ve already learned everything the Academy teaches anyway.”
“Did you take the entrance exam?”
“I got full marks. It was easy—they tested what I learned before age ten.”
Briseis sighed again, frustrated at someone casually saying it was easy.
“Caz, may I sit next to you?”
“Yes.”
“Cassius, step aside.”
The middle seat was cleared. Briseis glared silently at Calisten.
“Sit in front together. If you like the middle, sit there.”
She shook her head, knowing he would follow her wherever she sat.
“Don’t say a word until I tell you it’s okay.”
Calisten nodded, pretending to zip his mouth, and smiled.
Briseis sighed again and placed her bag on the front center seat. She opened her notes to study what she couldn’t at home.
–Shreeeek–
She ignored the sound next to her and focused on her notes. Briseis was very focused and quickly absorbed her work.
A piece of paper slid toward her. She thought Calisten might be talking nonsense about being sick, but it wasn’t.
「Can I look too? I missed class in the middle.」
Briseis nodded and moved her notes to the center. Calisten sat properly next to her, pretending to focus on the notes. She slowly looked at them too.
While studying, Calisten’s eyes occasionally drifted to her. Her slightly messy red hair from rushing out curled at the ends. He quietly admired her pink lips and clear sky-blue eyes.
He subtly rested his shoulder against hers, pretending to focus on the notes. Briseis moved away her arm.
But he continued, thinking if he got a warning, she might never sit with him again. Briseis returned to her original posture, and their arms gradually touched again.
“Can I see your notes too?” Cassius asked, interrupting.
“Oh yes. I’m looking at Punishment class now. Do you want to see Administrative Science first?”
“Thanks.”
When their shoulders brushed, Calisten glared at Cassius, but Cassius smiled harmlessly.
“I heard you two have been close since childhood.”
“Yes.”
“Did you meet during the war?”
“Yes.”
Calisten tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“You usually tie it up.”
“Isn’t it better loose?”
“You look beautiful no matter what. Loose or tied.”
Briseis didn’t take much meaning from his words. He was the kind of crazy person whose desire cooled once he got what he wanted.
Every time he wanted something, he worked like crazy to get it.
And once he had it, he left it without a second thought.
So Briseis found his habit of praising her to win her heart ridiculous. It didn’t feel sincere.
“By the way, Bri. You fell down the stairs?”
“Someone pushed me.”
Saturn appeared and awkwardly joined the conversation.
“What? Who?”
Calisten’s eyes flickered with a hint of madness at Saturn’s thoughtless question.
