Chapter 1.3

Rizle thought for a moment and shook her head. She remembered that she had only spoken briefly with Lord Lido before he left to dance with someone else.  

After Lord Lido left, Rizle had met someone else.  

“I think it was probably Lord Lambus. No, I should call him Viscount now.”  

He had once been a knight directly under the King, but after a viscount who had lost all his heirs died in the war, the title was passed down to Lord Lambus, his nephew.  

“Viscount Lambus?!”  

Mary exclaimed even louder than when she heard Lord Lido’s name. She clutched her head in despair.  

At least Lord Lido had his good looks. Viscount Lambus, on the other hand, wasn’t particularly handsome and was also a gambler. People openly gossiped that the Lambus family would soon be ruined by gambling debts now that he had inherited the title.  

It was common knowledge that anyone owed money by Viscount Lambus should collect it before he squandered his entire fortune.  

If Rizle married him, he would undoubtedly come begging to the Thruella family for money. And Marquis Thruella was not the kind of man to tolerate gambling. He would never give him a single coin.  

But would Viscount Lambus give up so easily? Of course not. A man like him wouldn’t just say, “Oh, I see,” and move on. If he had that kind of rationality, he wouldn’t have been gambling in the first place.  

What would Viscount Lambus do if he couldn’t get the money?  

Mary imagined him raising his hand against Rizle. She remembered hearing from another household’s maid about his violent temper.  

“Please, Miss. Tell me you’re not planning to marry Viscount Lambus. A man blinded by gambling will ruin the household and leave you on the streets!”  

“Didn’t you just say earlier that anyone but Lord Lido would be fine?”  

“Now that I think about it, there are far too many unsuitable men in the world. Miss, please reconsider!”  

Mary pleaded desperately. It wasn’t just about Rizle—this was about her own future too.  

If Rizle got married and moved to a new household, Mary intended to follow her as her maid. If Rizle married Viscount Lambus, Mary would end up serving him too.  

The worst thing Rizle had ever done was drink too much and sleep in late the next day. But moving to the Lambus household, where gambling debts piled up daily?  

Lord Lido suddenly seemed like the better option. If he cheated, Marquis Thruella would be so furious that he’d probably kill his son-in-law on the spot. Mary just had to endure until then.  

“Think carefully. Viscount Lambus isn’t even your type, Miss.”  

Mary knew Rizle liked tall men with big hands. Viscount Lambus was short, with stubby fingers—the complete opposite of her preference.  

Even if Rizle had been drunk, she wouldn’t have accepted a proposal from someone so far from her taste. She wasn’t that irrational. She just didn’t remember everything clearly. It had to be someone else.  

Clinging to that hope, Mary clasped her hands together like she was praying.  

“Hmmm.”  

Rizle, following Mary’s suggestion, tried once more to recall the events of the previous night. After much effort, she remembered a black-haired man kneeling before her, showing her the top of his head.  

Viscount Lambus did have black hair. It seemed likely that he was the one who had proposed. She didn’t remember meeting anyone else. He had been the last person she saw.  

For Mary’s sake, Rizle decided to keep that fact to herself.  

“Let’s just go to Father for now.”  

Rizle left her bedroom. As she stepped into the hallway, the chilly air brushed against her skin. If she had come out in her nightgown, she would have been shivering from the cold.  

Thinking it was a good decision to change clothes, Rizle pulled her thick cardigan snugly around her.  

“Mary, do you really think Viscount Lambus proposed to me?”  

“I just hope that isn’t the case. If he wanted to live even a little longer, he wouldn’t dare.”  

Mary, who had been panicking and pulling her hair out moments ago, had calmed down. After all, if she knew about Viscount Lambus’s gambling, there was no way Marquis Thruella wouldn’t. Even if he didn’t know now, he would investigate before giving his approval.  

Once the Marquis learned the truth, there was no way he would allow the marriage. Certain of this, Mary let out a sigh of relief.  

“Still, isn’t Viscount Lambus at least a nice person? He knows a lot of funny stories.”  

But when Rizle spoke positively about him, Mary grew anxious again. Marquis Thruella might be a strict man, but he was utterly soft when it came to his youngest daughter. If Rizle cried and insisted she couldn’t live without him, the Marquis would probably relent and approve the marriage.  

Mary’s future once again seemed bleak.  

‘What should I do? If Miss Rizle really marries Viscount Lambus, should I just stay at Troskan Castle? But then I’d have to see Barselin every day…’  

‘Did Viscount Lambus truly have feelings for me? Come to think of it, he did say I looked beautiful today.’  

While the two were lost in their own thoughts, they passed through the hallway. Suddenly, the second son of the Thruella family, Gilbert, appeared before them.  

“Do you know how long it’s been since Father called for you? Why are you so late?”  

He had grown impatient waiting for Rizle and had come to fetch her himself. Rizle was confused by how many people were looking for her so early in the morning.  

“Why is everyone looking for me? Oh, is it because of this?”  

Rizle raised her hand, showing the ring on her finger.  

When Gilbert noticed the ring, his expression darkened. He let out a deep sigh and, in a sharp voice laced with frustration, said:  

“You’d better get ready to be scolded by Mother.”  

“Why?”  

“Why? Why do you ask! You accepted the proposal recklessly without any discussions between the families.”

Wasn’t it proper to get permission from father first? 

Gilbert criticized his younger sibling, calling it a foolish act without thinking about the consequences. Rizle acknowledged his words but still felt it was unfair.

“Don’t scold me. I’m telling you, I don’t even remember anything about it.”

“Are you trying to make excuses? Go ahead and say you don’t remember because you were drunk.”

Gilbert scoffed. He thought his sibling was just making excuses to avoid being reprimanded. However, when Rizle couldn’t meet his gaze and began darting his eyes around, the smile vanished from Gilbert’s face. He uncrossed his arms and clenched his fists tightly.

“Rizle Thruella!”

At his voice, filled with rage, Rizle flinched, her shoulders shrinking as she instinctively turned her head away.

“You’re my sibling, but I can’t live because of you! If Father hears this, he’ll collapse in shock, and Mother will faint!”

“Mother and Father seem so weak. Should I take care of them?”

“Do you think this is the time for jokes?!”

The other party claimed that Rizle had accepted the proposal and even agreed to an early marriage. Because of this, it became difficult to outright oppose the marriage from their side.

Well, it wasn’t impossible to oppose it. There weren’t many people in Loen who could criticize the Thruella family for rejecting a marriage without reason. However, the current political situation in Loen was favoring the man. If he wanted, the King could intervene as much as he wanted.

This meant they couldn’t simply oppose and endure it just because they were the Thruella Marquisate.

“Everything is going according to that man’s wishes, and yet you…!”

Gilbert growled, glaring at Rizle as if he would devour her. Rizle awkwardly observed her furious brother’s expression.

“But I really don’t remember anything…”

The only thing she remembered about the proposal was the dark crown of hair. She couldn’t recall how the situation unfolded, what she was thinking when she accepted the proposal, or anything. She knew she was being irresponsible, but what could she do when she woke up in bed? At this point, there was nothing she could answer or take responsibility for.

“Oh, my goodness.”

Mary, who had been watching the siblings’ squabble, lamented quietly, sinking into despair. Seeing Young Master Gilbert so astonished by the other party, it was clear the man was Viscount Lambus.

Mary agonized over whether to stay loyal to Rizle and follow her, or remain in Troskan Castle and fight against Barselin.

“Brother Albert says the man is trustworthy and has even voiced his approval. Father, though initially hesitant, is gradually being persuaded by Brother!”

“No! Please, Young Master Gilbert. Please stop sending Miss to such a gambling debtor!”

Mary begged Gilbert, clasping her hands together. Gilbert was surprised and asked.

“Gambling? That man gambles?”

“Yes. I’ve heard his debts are quite severe!”

Gilbert’s expression changed as he slowly nodded. It was the first time he’d heard about the man’s gambling habits.

To stop the situation from spiraling further under the man’s influence, Gilbert knew his father’s resolve would be crucial. He had been struggling to figure out how to persuade his father, but now, there was hope.

Gambling was one of the things Marquis Thruella utterly despised.

“When did he start gambling? Was it during his time working at the castle?”

Surely, it must have been. 

Gilbert was convinced even before hearing the answer. He had never heard of a diligent worker accumulating gambling debt. His work attitude must have been insincere as well.

Now, there were already two things their father despised about the man. If a third one surfaced, the Marquis of Thruella wouldn’t even consider respecting him as a person.

Just one more thing to find. As Gilbert calculated, Rizle tilted her head and asked.

“Viscount Lambus never worked at our castle, though?”

He was a knight directly knighted by the King, one who had never worked at this castle. 

Was Gilbert referring to the time when the King sought refuge here?

“Why are we suddenly talking about Viscount Lambus?”

The siblings exchanged confused looks. Rizle asked Gilbert, just to be sure.

“Who exactly is my supposed fiancé?”

“Don’t call him your fiancé just yet. Father hasn’t approved anything!”

The fact that the man kept pushing for a speedy marriage seemed suspicious. It felt like he had some ulterior motive. Otherwise, there was no reason to rush.

Gilbert grumbled, voicing his thoughts.

“So, who is the person you’re talking about?”

Frustrated, Rizle pressed him again. Gilbert frowned, reluctant to even speak the man’s name.

“Who else? Heizen Warkliber.”