TLDWAE 33

Chapter 33

“I’ve only just realized how rudely the household servants treated you, Madam. I’ve warned them thoroughly so that it will never happen again, and I even scolded the children so they would understand. I’ll dismiss the nursemaid who was under Mother’s influence, so please hire someone of your choosing.”

“And then?”

“I intend to confiscate my mother’s barony of Devon, and I’ll demand restitution from her family for the money she’s embezzled. Also, I’ll see to it that she goes down to the estate and remains there for the time being.”

“And?”

Despite Lubidov’s lengthy excuses, Karia wasn’t moved in the slightest. Her face showed nothing but boredom, as if to tell him to finish quickly if he had more to say. Growing anxious, Lubidov lost sight of his point and began rambling.

“And I’ll have Count Livne make a formal apology to you. As for Sir Valtos, you’ve misunderstood him. The reason he assigned Sir Miller as a guard was simply because Miller’s skills surpassed those of other knights. He’s called the ‘Blue Wolf,’ part of Duke Pandeon’s elite forces…”

“So?”

“I’ll arrange things so that I can spend more time with you. It seems some strange rumor has spread that I’ve been neglecting you, but once we spend time together as a family, people will realize you’re truly the lady of House Pandeon. And then—”

“Your Grace, spare me the useless chatter. I already gave you a choice. So what’s it going to be?”

Forgiveness wasn’t hard to grant—if the apology was sincere, it could melt away at least some resentment. But to Karia, everything the Duke said sounded like a ploy to wriggle out of the situation.

The choice she had offered was simple: report the Duchess Dowager to the Imperial family or divorce. Yet, buried in his endless explanations, there was no answer to that at all.

“Just give me one more chance. I’ll set everything right. I’ll never let you suffer such humiliation again. So please, come back to where you belong.”

“I knew it.”

Lubidov clutched her hand with a pleading expression. His eyes were so desperate and sorrowful that, had he been begging in the streets, he might have emptied the purses of noble ladies entirely.

But Karia could see right through his selfish motives, and it made her skin crawl. Even now, instead of genuinely apologizing, he was using his most effective weapon to shake her heart.

In the end, he had no intention of listening to a single word she said.

“One more chance? I’ve given you countless chances already. You’ve thrown every single one into the gutter like garbage, so I finally decided I couldn’t take it anymore and demanded a divorce. And now the best you can offer me is to ‘graciously return’ what was mine to begin with? Do you take me for a fool?”

“But Madam, I truly knew nothing.”

“Of course you didn’t—you didn’t want to know. You never wanted to see. Don’t act innocent. In the end, the worst of them all is you.”

Karia glared at his increasingly pitiful expression with sheer contempt.

His eyes seemed to ask if she was really going to make him cry like this, as if to beg her not to leave. The expression, appealing to her heart instead of her reason, only filled her with disgust.

As I thought—this wretched man knew all along that I loved him.

The reason he neither stayed with her nor cared for her was arrogance. He was confident that, no matter what, she would always remain behind him.

Because Lubidov Pandeon had long since realized, through her waiting, worrying, and caring, that she loved him.

“Go back. And next time, you’d better return with an answer to the choice I gave you. If you stall, I’ll be the one to decide.”

“That cannot be.”

Karia tried to wrench her hand free with all her strength. But the Duke, who only moments ago had looked like a man in despair, now wore the hardened expression of an adult.

Fearing she might slip away, he tightened his grip on her wrist and yanked her into his arms.

“We’re both too agitated for this discussion, Madam. Let’s return home and think it over calmly.”

“What are you doing? Are you really resorting to force?”

“Madam, please! You can criticize me all you want later, but for now, let’s just go back!”

The hotel was in the middle of a prestigious shopping street frequented by nobles, and their argument was growing heated enough to draw curious eyes.

Karia was weighing whether to risk revealing herself by using magic to crush the Duke, when suddenly an unfamiliar voice cut in between them.

“What the devil do you think you’re doing?!”

Before she could even turn toward the source of the loud shout, a heavy wooden cane with a lion’s head carved on top came crashing down on the Duke’s arm, forcing him to release her. Karia quickly pulled away.

“What kind of shameless man handles a lady with brute force?! Have you lost your senses, Duke Pandeon?!”

A man stepped between them. As Karia rubbed her reddened wrist and looked up, the first thing she saw was a broad back, above which shimmered platinum-blond hair. Realizing who it was, she frowned.

“Count Lowell?”

Why was he here? And had he just helped her?

The man who had roared at the Duke turned around, revealing a stubborn, flushed face. Karia was so taken aback she momentarily forgot to speak, and in her silence, the cantankerous man turned his ire on her too.

“And you! How could you live with a husband who drags you around without caring if he leaves bruises on your wrist?!”

“‘You’? Did you just call me you, Count?”

“If you were being overpowered, you should’ve shouted for help! Why just stand there and take it, why?!”

Momentarily stunned, Karia suddenly flared with anger at Lowell’s scolding. It was bad enough to run into the Duke that morning, but now this man barged in just to pick a fight?

“You crazy old man, why are you yelling at me? What business of yours is this? Mind your own affairs and be on your way.”

Count Lowell, whose body was still well-trained from horseback riding and swordsmanship, looked no more than his mid-forties. Though offended at being called a “crazy old man,” he knew he had been the first to be rude and chose not to retort.

Instead, glancing at the Duke—who was now more aware of the onlookers around them—Lowell quickly gestured at Karia, waving his hand as if shooing away a bird or an insect. The gesture twisted her face in offense. Since she didn’t move, his face twisted too.

“Go on now. You have business to attend to, don’t you? Buying a house, wasn’t it?”

“Yesterday you said you wouldn’t sell and kicked me out.”

“I’ve changed my mind. Let’s go now—at once!”

Count Lowell made sure to say it loud enough for the onlookers, and then he deliberately bid the Duke farewell. Knowing that Lubidov cared deeply about appearances, Lowell was certain he wouldn’t try to stop Karia if she left with him.

As expected, the Duke said nothing. He merely stood there watching them leave, before finally turning and pushing his way through the crowd.

“What is this?! Nothing’s changed from yesterday!”

Karia slammed the contract onto the table so hard that it made a loud crack. The maid pouring tea jumped in fright, her shoulders twitching. Even if she’d experienced it yesterday, watching nobles glare at each other as if trying to burn holes through one another was no easy thing for a young maid.

“If you want changes, I’ll make them.”

Count Lowell, face calm, picked up a pen and scribbled another clause onto the already crammed contract.

[32. The buyer shall, for safety, employ guards so that at least three armed men are on duty at all times in the mansion.]

Seeing yet another bothersome condition added, Karia pressed a hand to her forehead.

So this was what he meant by “changing his mind”? She thought perhaps he regretted demanding a million gold, but instead he was just toying with her!

Even when she glared as though ready to flip the table over, Count Lowell stood firm, chin raised proudly.

“You can’t stay in a hotel forever. You don’t have many options.”

“I already said I’d accept the terms and pay the million gold.”

“The fine wasn’t about money—it was to make sure you actually honored the contract. Yesterday’s attitude—were you trying to pick a fight?”

“You were calling me ‘you, you’ before, and now you’re being all polite, old man?”

The unexpected address made the maid stifle a laugh—“pfft.” Count Lowell shot her a sharp look before, with the utmost patience, attempting persuasion again.

“Think of it as cooperation. I want to get rid of this house, and you need one. If you just agree to the conditions, I’ll hand over the mansion and seal the contract today itself.”

“—Today? Right away?”

“Yes, today. But only if you abide by the terms.”

Since she couldn’t very well return to the hotel after that public scene, Karia had been planning to spend another uncomfortable night at the forest castle. But to get this mansion today? That was certainly tempting.

Still, the conditions were far too many. As she reviewed the long list of demands again, cake and sweets were set down in front of her.