Chapter 5 – Part 2

“You mean Lady Brennan?”

Faced with the duke’s sculpted face in broad daylight, the Earl of Campbell’s mouth dropped open like a fool, oblivious to his purpose. Then he spoke hastily.

“Yes, she was the young lady who accompanied you to the banquet to celebrate the last exhibition, and she was beautiful.”

Marcus stared at the Earl as if to say more. The Earl of Campbell cleared his throat, embarrassed by the sudden outpouring of attention.

“I wonder if the young lady will have the honor of being your partner during the social season. If you remember my sister, Vanessa, you spoke at a banquet before you entered the academy, but she has since come of age. She’s been wondering about your welfare ever since….”

It was obvious even without paying attention to the rapid-fire voices. Marcus, who quickly lost interest, took a bite of the cigarette he was holding in his hand.

The Earl of Campbell fumbled for his lighter and dropped it. Marcus looked down pathetically at his fumbling and lit the end of his own cigarette. It was still summer, but there were a lot of people who were being annoying this early, even though he already had a woman by his side.

“So, I wanted to ask if you could give the honor to Vanessa as well. If you look at that her face, you’ll definitely remember her. How about having a meal together before social gathering starts? ”

“I will not be changing my partner all through the social season because I am meeting Lady Brennan on good terms.”

Marcus let out a puff of smoke and went down the stairs. Earl Campbell hurried after him again.

“Of course I expected it. However, when I asked His Excellency’s friend, Lord Miller, he said something different… .”

“Trevor Miller?”

“Yes, the third son of the Earl of Miller; I went to see him, as he was unable to come to the celebration of the Exhibition because he was ill with drink.”

As they approached the duke’s carriage parked on the main street, an attendant opened the carriage door and waited for him to board. Marcus did not go straight up but stared at Earl Campbell.

“So?”

It felt like he had set a trap, but Earl Campbell hesitated to answer.

“When I inquired about the relationship between His Excellency and Lady Brennan, Lord Miller simply hinted that you are not seeing each other seriously. Since it’s still summer, I thought maybe my sister Vanessa would have a chance too… .”

Marcus’s patience was stretched to the breaking point, and irritation flared within him.

It wasn’t uncommon for each of them to try to come up with an unassailable partner in order to pass this ‘marriage hunting season’ quietly. Thanks to the appearance of a suitable woman who caught his interest, Marcus was also able to save himself the trouble.

Though he’d been disciplined enough to keep his mouth shut about his mid-season antics, Trevor was quick to tease him about his frivolity.

‘I don’t know what they were talking about.’

He was an idiot who only understood it when he got his as$ kicked. He should have punched the stupid bugger in the head to make him realize that. That would have prevented the useless flying insect from sticking around.

But he hadn’t, because Marcus had taken things too lightly in the first place.

Whether Liese’s history as a maid under the Marquis’ roof spread subtly or not, he didn’t care. Even if the ridiculous spectacle he had created became widely known, it wouldn’t matter because there was no one who would dare to reprimand the Marquis.

So Trevor, the fool, would not take it seriously either. Except for Eric, who takes loyalty between men as seriously as his own life and would never do anything he shouldn’t.

Marcus chuckled at the realization. It was good; after all, everything had to go his way.

“Lord Miller seems to have made a mistake. Do you know him well?”

The Earl of Campbell hesitated, then nodded.

“I would say we’re somewhat close.”

“You must know his playful nature to some extent as well. Is there anywhere that won’t seem like a joke to him?”

“Haha… Miller seems to lack a bit of that, doesn’t he? His cheerful demeanor, trying to lighten the mood, often results in exaggerated speech…”

“It makes for an unpleasant afterthought.”

Marcus muttered, sucking in the last of the smoke from his cigarette as he spoke instead.

“If only we could line up the spreaders and believers side by side and knock some sense into them.”

Count Campbell’s face became thoughtful as he wondered if he was serious. He smiled as Marcus’ handsome face met his eyes.

“Just kidding.”

“Ah, ha ha. Yes….”

“Still, be careful with your words. Wouldn’t it be unpleasant if it reached Lady Brennan’s ears?”

A large hand patted the earl’s shoulder so firmly that the earl’s not-so-small frame swayed. Leaving the dazed man behind, Marcus stepped into the waiting carriage.

A belated chuckle erupted. It was amusing how he had spouted such nonsense, pretending to be a lover to a woman he didn’t care for. Acting seemed fitting only in her presence; elsewhere, it held no significance.

Creating a facade or defending her honor from behind was ludicrous. It wasn’t like they had any real feelings for each other.

Nevertheless, Marcus, extracting an annoying bug, continued reading through the documents left by the steward. The remaining agenda included a meeting at the central bank to discuss several matters, followed by dinner with guests arriving from the capital.

Normally, he should have been with Lieselotte, but he didn’t invite her because she needed to worry about the crime of not being able to protect her own body.

Marcus was bored as hell without her, but he’d put up with it just to see her pretty face crying for money.

He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of her picking out a gift for a man she didn’t like with a small frown on her face.

Presenting oneself as a gift could be appealing. He was willing to comply if she stripped herself. He wondered what she would look like n*ked.

Although his interest would wane quickly after they spent a night together, it wasn’t a bad diversion for the time being. He was unusually pretty, skinny, athletic, and had a nice voice.

Of course, he was willing to offer a generous fee. For her, in need of urgent money, it was the quickest and easiest route.

But the high-minded woman, who would have understood the double meaning of the gift, would desperately think only of the materialistic type. She’s too proud to pretend otherwise, and she wouldn’t warm his bed if she had to.

She’s silly and cute, never realizing that’s how she got his attention.

Having concluded his somewhat enjoyable fantasies, Marcus returned his gaze to the documents. The fog that had clouded his mind, alleviating his desires, dissipated, allowing him to focus on his work.

The carriage passed through a square with a fountain and entered the main road along the river. Due to frequent traffic congestion in the area, the street was bustling even more in the afternoon. The wheels of the vehicle began to roll at a slow pace.

Marcus absentmindedly glanced out of the window. The shopping district by the Melir River was as busy as ever. Cafes, restaurants, and even general stores were filled with customers, thanks to the scenic view.

Therefore, it was even more peculiar that, among the bustling crowd, Lieselotte Brennan was immediately spotted.

She was a woman with waist-length auburn hair, tied into a single braid. She emerged from a bakery, carrying a large brown bag with long loaves sticking out, wearing a long beige linen dress with sleeves and a white apron.

His blood surged as soon as he saw her. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, as if he had seen prey after starving days and nights.

Suddenly, Marcus narrowed his eyes. The smile on her face as she spoke was somehow unfamiliar. It didn’t take long for him to realize that this was an expression she had never made in front of him before.

A man with orange hair appeared from behind the door Lieselotte had pushed open. He wore a white apron, probably from the bakery, and the carriage had stopped just in time to give Marcus a full view of them.

Lieselotte stood facing him, laughing and talking. When a man stepped forward to say something, she shook her head and waved her hand. No matter what they argued about, he didn’t back down.

Eventually, her stubbornness won out. Lieselotte paced every so often, glancing back at the man in front of the bakery and waving repeatedly. Her face still wore a bright smile.

As the carriage’s wheels turned, the unexpected drama that had unfolded before him came to an end. Marcus turned his gaze forward, absentmindedly stroking his chin.

‘Was that impudent statement a lie? ’

She dared to confess it as if she had never had a romantic relationship with someone in her life. When she was as shocked as if she fainted at the slightest touch, was she always playing with another guy behind his back?

But Lieselotte was no great liar. Nor did she seem to have a deep connection with the frivolous-looking man. There was no sign of a kiss or a hug as she said goodbye.

So it must be an accidental friendship. There’s no way that a woman who wanders all over the place couldn’t make a friend in this big land.

Marcus, having reached a clear conclusion, glanced out the window again. He captured the sight of the flowing blue river, glistening with dew. In his refreshed mind, she appeared with clear contours once again.

Lieselotte seemed familiar with this area, as if she had been here often. Who did she meet and what did they do here?

Bachmann’s lovers sat in the grass by the river, contemplating the shimmering scene. They kissed, looked into each other’s eyes, and laughed together. People by the riverside always appeared like that.

Would Lieselotte Brennan, a chaste woman, have done the same with that bastard?

Marcus’s eyes froze cold, his mood nowhere near as low as it had been when the Earl of Campbell had approached him. A surge of hostility surged through him toward the nameless man. The trivial matters now irritated him, causing veins to bulge on his forehead.

The arrow was soon aimed at Lieselotte. Her lids folded down to hide her light green eyes, and she smiled wryly. Remembering that unfamiliar expression, a feeling akin to hostility and something resembling resentment boiled up.

That emotion emerged from the fact that Marcus wasn’t the target of her laughter.

***