Chapter 3.4
The Marquis’s arrival that day remained uncertain.
Instead, the next day, after Adele opened her eyes, the news she heard was about the Viscountess. Thanks to that, Adele only belatedly realized that the ceiling she was staring at wasn’t that of her own room at the Viscount’s estate but a more lavish and spacious one.
“Where is this…”
She tried to get up but collapsed, clutching her waist. A low voice came from beside her. A muscular, bare body pressed against hers.
“Lie down a little longer.”
It was then.
“The Viscountess…”
Chereph, who had been about to tease her again, raised an eyebrow at the voice coming from outside.
“How bothersome.”
He stood up. Then, lifting Adele into his arms, he headed toward the window.
“What are you doing!”
Startled, Adele tried to cover her chest, but there was nothing to hide. The two of them, completely bare, approached the window. Fortunately, no one was looking up at them.
Instead.
“Is this a protest?”
The Viscountess stood in front of the Duke’s estate.
That was all. As if to show she was maintaining decorum, the Viscountess had her carriage pulled back and stood upright with an elegant cane. It was a silent demonstration, a protest.
“…She’s insane.”
No matter how outrageous the events of last night had been.
This was an act committed by the Duke—someone whose status was incomparable to that of the Marquis Beneaire’s family.
It was neither the time nor place for the Viscountess to stand her ground. Even if she had no sense, Adele hadn’t imagined she would be this reckless.
Goodness. It was a moment that made Adele understand far too well who Daisy had grown up watching.
Adele, pale with shock, unconsciously leaned away from the window.
“Bring the Viscountess here.”
Chereph instructed the butler. Then, as if nothing had happened, he placed Adele back on the bed.
The Viscountess was far too insignificant to affect Chereph’s mood.
“Shall we have some late breakfast?”
At his casual words, Adele shook her head.
“Instead…”
Unconsciously, Adele pulled the blanket to cover herself. Chereph chuckled.
“I’ll play along.”
Though he didn’t know whether it was worth playing along in front of someone like that.
Muttering to himself, Chereph dressed. Then, he personally helped Adele into a robe.
“Master, how far should we let her in?”
The butler asked at that moment.
“Here.”
Chereph pointed to the floor. Adele’s face turned pale. Even though she was dressed, anyone could see she had spent a passionate night. Her partner, naturally, would be Chereph, whose arms still bore her nail marks.
“Yes, Sir.”
Whether it bothered him or not, the young servant standing next to the butler quickly moved.
Dressed in Chereph’s thick robe, with its ties securely fastened, Adele adjusted her clothing again.
The sensation of the fluids Chereph had filled her with earlier slipping down was vivid. She could feel the sheets beneath her growing damp.
The mix of shame and peculiar pleasure made her lower body tingle.
—Knock, knock.
The sound of knocking came, and the heavy door slowly opened. The Viscountess, as always adorned in extravagant attire, seemed to pause upon seeing Adele.
“Greetings.”
But soon, she bowed toward the Duke. Her exaggerated gestures and coquettish smile might have been irritating, but Chereph dismissed her with a simple wave of his hand.
Soon, under the butler’s direction, a small tea table was set up. Only one chair was newly added.
Though Chereph was supposed to host the Viscountess as a guest, he remained seated on the bed.
“Sit.”
Pointing to the chair, Chereph gave no indication of standing up himself.
“…Thank you.”
The Viscountess didn’t seem to care whether Chereph was lying down or sitting on the bed. She even leisurely lifted the teacup once the butler left. Her demeanor was beyond relaxed, bordering on shameless.
“What brings you here?”
Chereph asked casually in front of the Viscountess.
“May I speak directly?”
“Go ahead.”
Chereph was curious about what the Viscountess would say to the man who had practically taken her daughter right before marriage.
But the Viscountess turned out to be even more insane than he had imagined.
“Please marry my eldest daughter, Daisy.”
What?
Chereph raised an eyebrow. Adele, unconsciously, opened her mouth.
“Mother…”
“Stay quiet.”
The Viscountess’s voice carried a commanding tone, revealing how she likely treated Adele in the estate.
Chereph narrowed his eyes. The Viscountess pointed a finger at Adele.
“And do as you please with her.”
The Viscountess was boldly suggesting that the Duke take Daisy as his Duchess and Adele as his mistress.
Duchess Riat. That was the title the Viscountess wanted Daisy to have.
As a family of the Duchess’s rank, noble heirs vying to be adopted into the family would line up. The Viscountess’s thoughts were transparent—she wanted to secure the family’s revival and fill Daisy’s future with splendor.
“You’re insane.”
Adele spoke without thinking.
“Vulgar girl.”
The Viscountess’s face showed nothing but disgust as she looked at Adele.
“I knew it from the moment you started working in a place full of men.”
“!”
Adele’s face twisted. That was the only thing. Working in the Knight Order was the only path she saw to grasp her desired future. The Viscountess had never approved of it.
Adele’s words caught in her throat.
“Someone promised to be married, yet you recklessly spent the night like this. Your attire, everything…”
The Viscountess snapped open her elaborate fan, partially covering her face below the eyes as she waved it lightly. She turned her gaze away from Adele.
Adele felt as though she was falling off a cliff.
Could I not escape everything with just one night’s indulgence after all?
Then, Chereph’s low voice resonated.
“Why are there so many people wishing for things these days?”
Chereph’s lips curved upward as he looked at the Viscountess.
“You want me to take both your daughters?”
“It would be the greatest honor for our family to bear your precious seed, Duke.”
The Viscountess bowed gracefully. Her reasoning was incomprehensible to any sane mind.
Chereph let out a cold laugh.
“Then this is how it should be done.”
He stood up.
“Bring Daisy Limier, the Viscount’s eldest daughter.”
…Was he really going to do as the Viscountess suggested?
Adele bit her lip.
This was humiliation beyond humiliation.
Just as the thought crossed her mind—
“If we’re sharing the same bed, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say we’ve already lain together.”
Chereph gestured toward his butler.
“If you’d like, you may even watch as your daughter is taken. My butler happens to be unmarried, after all.”
“Wh-what…”
The Viscountess’s mouth fell open. Adele’s mind went blank as well.
Chereph reached out and untied the sash securing Adele’s robe.
“I hear Daisy Limier has always had high standards. She was so certain she’d marry a better man than Adele Limier.”
His hand pulled back Adele’s robe. The garment, barely covering her chest, slid down below her shoulders. His warm hand covered her shoulder.
“Perhaps watching Daisy Limier defiled by my butler at the feet of my wife would be a fitting punishment.”
The Viscountess seemed speechless.
“What do you think?”
Adele, unable to face Chereph’s calm voice, closed her eyes. The Viscountess finally managed to speak.
“Oh, my. Joking, joking, surely…”
“You wish I was joking?”
Chereph’s finger slowly moved beneath Adele’s chin. Turning her face toward him so she could meet his gaze, he asked her once more,
“Since the Marquis doesn’t seem to have the courage to throw his glove at me, if you want, I’ll throw mine at him instead.”
Adele opened her eyes. Chereph whispered in a low voice, as if he had already forgotten the madness of his earlier words.
“If you enjoy such twisted relationships, I’ll give you what you want.”
His brilliant golden hair shimmered under the sunlight.
Ah.
At that moment, Adele realized it. This, too, was an act of rebellion. Chereph Riat was delivering the insult that Adele herself couldn’t muster the courage to give.
As proof, the Viscountess’s face, which had been unshaken until now, turned deathly pale.
He wasn’t actually intending to engage in such a relationship. This was…
A small act of revenge.
Unconsciously, Adele found herself smiling.
She thought it must be the brilliance of the sunlight that dazzled her eyes. Otherwise, there was no way to explain the tears welling up. Resolutely, she answered.
“No.”
“Then.”
Chereph’s voice was gentle.
“Shall I take care of everything?”
His words were as light as if he were talking about taking out the trash. Adele slowly nodded her head.
“Good.”
Chereph responded as if he had been waiting for her answer. Without even glancing at the stunned Viscountess, he called for the butler.
“From today, the House Limier no longer exists. If the Emperor asks, tell him I did it.”
Several more servants entered the room behind the butler. Their silent presence carried an unspoken threat that resistance would be met with force.
The Viscountess—or rather, the woman who had been the Viscountess—moved her lips as if to protest, but Chereph continued speaking as if he didn’t care.
“With Limier gone, how about ‘Riat’? Adele Riat.”
“Your Grace!”
“The Viscount, the Viscountess, and the eldest daughter of House Limier have insulted the future Duchess of the Empire. As for their punishment—”
Adele furrowed her brow, determined not to cry. Chereph found her emotional expression so endearing that he couldn’t help but laugh.
“Let’s leave that to the Marquis. Tell Marquis Beneir it’s the price for ruining what would have been his fourth ‘fortunate’ marriage.”
Marquis Beneaire was likely furious by now. He had lost Adele, whom he had been desperate to possess, and all the money he had poured into maintaining appearances for her sake had gone up in smoke. If he wanted someone to vent his anger on, the perfect target was right there: the Limier family.
Chereph’s lips curved into a smooth arc.
“Soon, I’ll visit the Marquis myself.”
It seemed he really intended to throw a glove, just as he had said.
“No, no…!”
Adele’s mother screamed in panic, but no one paid her any attention. Her desperate cries, calling out Adele’s name, were muffled as one of the servants stuffed a handkerchief into her mouth. They grabbed her limbs one by one and carried her out of the room.
“…Is this really okay?”
Adele knew well that the position of a duchess was not something decided by a single person.
Her expression was tense with worry.
Moreover, the Viscount was still a noble with a legitimate title. Surely neither the Emperor nor his vassals would let this slide.
“It doesn’t matter. I already told you, my child will only belong to you.”
…That was a sufficiently convincing argument.
Chereph had always rejected the women the elders pushed toward him, even when they filled an entire carriage.
‘I have no intention of continuing this tiresome bloodline.’
…He had made it clear he had no plans to produce an heir.
But now, he had chosen a woman himself? There was no reason for them to object.
Even the Emperor would likely approve. After all, with the Viscount Limier family, which had been on the brink of collapse, now gone, Adele had no influential background to support the Duke’s household.
If anything, the situation would have been more problematic had a noblewoman from a prestigious family or a princess from another kingdom taken Adele’s place.
Adele nodded as if she understood.
“…You’re accepting this rather calmly.”
One of Chereph’s eyebrows lifted, but Adele couldn’t help but feel relieved.
Chereph reminded her of one thing.
“You must bear my child.”
What?
Adele froze at his words.
“Until you do, don’t even think about leaving this place.”
“That…”
Before Adele could say anything, the man’s shadow completely enveloped her.