TDAF 13

Chapter 13

Scarlett boarded a tram the very next day and headed straight for the Dempelt estate.

After riding for two hours from the Crimson family’s territory to the opposite end of the capital, the Dempelt estate finally came into view.

Even after nearly a year away, the mansion still carried the same overwhelming grandeur. The first time Scarlett had seen it from inside a carriage, she had felt as though she were stepping into an entirely different world.

The moment she entered the reception room, she spotted her former father-in-law, Gregory Dempelt. Since his son was an exceptionally handsome man, Gregory himself possessed striking features as well.

Despite having a wife, he pursued women indiscriminately. Gregory believed such indulgence was compensation for his own pitiful life.

Even now, as Scarlett entered, one of the women sitting on his lap hurriedly scrambled away. Gregory, however, looked perfectly composed, as if he had been expecting her.

“My son questioned me,” he said calmly. “He asked whether I deliberately sent you to Melin Monastery because Father Delphio was there. He spoke as though everything that priest did to you was entirely my fault.”

Scarlett immediately answered,

“I never said that. My husband found out by accident.”

Gregory placed a document onto the table with the hand adorned by a large jeweled ring.

“And how exactly does one discover such a thing by accident? You must have hinted at something.”

“They happened to arrest Father Delphio. He told them himself.”

“Don’t speak nonsense. Nearly a whole year passed before he learned the truth. That only happened because you gave him clues.”

Scarlett felt so wronged she wanted to rip open her chest and show him her sincerity, but she knew Gregory would only grow angrier if she argued back, so she remained silent.

Gregory spoke again, looking oddly unsettled.

“He got angry with me. The boy who always pitied me.”

It clearly pained him deeply that his relationship with his son had soured.

After hesitating for a long time, Scarlett slowly knelt on the marble floor.

“If I upset you, then I sincerely apologize.”

Gregory was in a bad mood, and Scarlett had long since learned that when a powerless person faced his anger, the only answer was to beg forgiveness.

Only after seeing her kneel did Gregory seem somewhat appeased. Stroking his mustache, he paused dramatically before speaking.

“You should talk to my son.”

“…Pardon?”

“This happened because your body was weak, and because that priest acted on his own, wasn’t it? Try persuading Victor of that.”

Gregory had always feared his son.

The Dempelt family was strange. While living among them, Scarlett often felt as though she had wandered defenseless into a wilderness. The family functioned entirely on power. Whether between husband and wife or parent and child, the one with more royal blood always dominated.

By that logic, the absolute ruler of the family was Marina Dempelt, who had originally been a princess, and after her came Victor Dempelt, who inherited half the royal bloodline.

Scarlett nodded.

“I’ll do that.”

“Go speak with him immediately. I miss my son.”

Gregory’s expression brightened slightly.

Just then, footsteps sounded behind them, and Scarlett turned instinctively.

Victor had entered the room.

Gregory abruptly rose to his feet.

“Victor, my son. W-when did you arrive…?”

Victor glanced briefly at the situation inside. Then, seemingly dumbfounded, he simply turned around and walked away.

Gregory immediately snapped at Scarlett.

“What are you doing? Hurry and go after him!”

Only then did Scarlett hurriedly rise and follow Victor outside.

She nearly had to run to catch up before finally grabbing his arm.

“Victor.”

Victor turned and looked down at her.

Even after the divorce, he was still a man she had lived beside for two years. Other people might mistake his face for expressionless, but Scarlett knew better. She knew he was displeased—and she knew exactly why.

There were two reasons Victor had chosen Scarlett Crimson as his marriage partner.

First, she was the legitimate daughter of a noble house far removed from high society, meaning she was unlikely to cause scandals.

Second, to a man who despised emotional behavior as intensely as Victor did, a family of clockmakers seemed likely to possess a rational and logical atmosphere.

The Crimson family was the only noble household in the surrounding region. The livelihoods of the entire town depended upon them. People worked in the Crimson family’s five factories or served as employees in their household.

And yet, despite being the daughter of such a family, Scarlett had been utterly shocked the first time she saw the scale of the Dempelt estate.

Although she was born a noble lady of House Crimson, from the age of twelve onward she had handled endless household chores and lived worse than a properly employed maid.

To Scarlett, Victor Dempelt’s first impression had been a mixture of admiration and fear. He resembled not a prince from the fairy tales she used to read, but the king of an enemy nation who had come to force that prince to kneel.

She simply could not believe Victor was truly her husband. For a long time after their marriage, she addressed him the same way the servants did: young master.

She could not even bring herself to meet his eyes.

That awkward arrangement continued for some time after the wedding. Then, the moment Victor heard reports that pirate ships had appeared along the coast, he sailed out to sea. He returned home a month later.

Scarlett supported Victor as he staggered back, looking ready to collapse from exhaustion. In truth, it was less that she supported him and more that Victor had to force himself upright because otherwise the two of them might have fallen together. Still, Scarlett hurriedly settled him into the tea room and fussed anxiously around him.

“Was it difficult? Should I bring you some tea, Young Master?”

That day, Victor studied her face carefully before finally asking,

“Why do you always call me ‘Young Master’?”

The sharpness in his eyes made Scarlett worry he was angry, and she hesitated before answering.

“Answer me. Don’t be so frustrating.”

Victor’s cold tone—one shaped entirely by orders and threats during his time at sea—made Scarlett flinch in alarm.

“I-it just feels like I still should.”

Hearing her timid voice, Victor clicked his tongue in annoyance. Then he leaned back, brushed a hand through his hair, and closed his eyes.

So he disliked being called Young Master.

Then what was she supposed to call him?

Should she use a formal title instead?

After agonizing over it for a long while, Scarlett cautiously approached him.

“Sir Victor, if you’re going to sleep, perhaps you should go to bed—”

Victor opened his eyes.

Then he stared at Scarlett for a long moment before speaking.

“The Crimson family’s education is even worse than I thought.”

That remark instantly upset Scarlett, and she frowned.

“Don’t insult my parents.”

“They raised you incorrectly.”

“No, they didn’t!”

“They raised you like a servant. That’s absolutely wrong.”

“They did not!”

Scarlett shouted back before startling herself. She quickly covered her mouth with both hands and retreated.

Victor looked at her with irritation before slowly leaning forward. Then he began removing the dark navy uniform he wore only when reporting directly after naval battles—a uniform still carrying the scent of the sea.

Seeing him loosen his belt, Scarlett panicked and fell backward before hurriedly dropping to her knees.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“….”

“I’m sorry for talking back.”

Victor silently watched her for a moment before standing and walking toward her.

Scarlett kept her head lowered, staring only at his shoes, when his low voice sounded above her.

“A husband is neither ‘Young Master’ nor ‘Sir.’ Call me by my name or surname.”

“I…”

“I don’t hit you. And from now on, never kneel before anyone again.”

It was such a rational statement—something she could never have heard in the Crimson household—that Scarlett’s frantic breathing slowly calmed.

Only after staring at Victor for a long while did she fully understand his words. She quickly stood up again.

Still, she couldn’t raise her head properly, so Victor lifted her chin with his fingertips.

“Raise your head and look me in the eyes. You’re not a servant.”

At his words, Scarlett looked up at him with eyes like trembling drops of water.

Victor continued,

“Go to bed. I’ve been at sea for a long time. Tonight, I need to hold you.”

Scarlett nodded.

She almost lowered her gaze again out of habit, but quickly forced herself to look back into his eyes.

He spoke in a commanding tone, yet strangely, she felt less afraid than she had on the day they first met. Some of her admiration had faded too, leaving behind a strange tingling feeling instead.

She quickly turned around and ran toward the bathroom.

Perhaps because Victor thought she was too young, he had never once desired her after their marriage. Scarlett had often wondered whether she should ask him about it herself.

Tonight, we’ll share a bed.

I’m truly this man’s wife.

The thought filled her with vivid fear, vague excitement, and a small but undeniable happiness.

Remembering that day, Scarlett finally spoke.

“We’re divorced now, so kneeling should be fine, shouldn’t it?”

“….”

“I never had any pride to begin with. You know that.”

Victor replied flatly,

“I know. You’re shameless.”

“Right. Which is why I’m asking— I need money. Lend me some.”

Unable to meet his eyes, Scarlett stared instead at his shoes.

She told herself she wasn’t being pathetic. She simply had a strong will to survive.

Life is just like this.

Only after repeating that thought to herself several times could she continue speaking.

“Originally, I planned to tell you your father wasn’t to blame and act cute until you calmed down. Not because I like you, but because I thought you’d cool off just to avoid seeing something so pathetic. But since you already heard everything, I’m just saying it directly.”

“….”

“Being your wife was harder than I expected. There was so much I had to do.”

At that moment, Victor pushed open the nearby door and shoved Scarlett inside.

After entering the empty room and closing the door behind them, he bent down until his face was close to hers.

Startled by the sudden movement, Scarlett stepped backward.

“W-what are you doing?”

“I’m curious. I want to see just how little pride you actually have.”

“….”

As he approached until he stood right in front of her, Scarlett backed up until her back pressed against the door. She turned her face away.

Victor’s mocking laugh brushed against her ear.

He caught her chin with one hand, turning her face back toward him before speaking.

“If you were going to kneel because I have the money, shouldn’t you have knelt in front of me instead?”