Chesterfield Mansion: The House of the Man Who Hates Me - Chapter 32

Unlike her, the man, annoyingly perfectly dressed, leisurely tore his bread from across the table.

“I don’t intend to have s*x while starving you. That also requires strength.”

Today, Izer seemed to be in a particularly good mood. For Celian, who had been prepared for punishment following her silent overnight stay, this was somewhat puzzling behavior.

‘Although the attire is a bit strange……’

Celian once again reflected on the fact she had begun to accept. Izer Chesterfield had perverse tendencies. Whether this had been the case since the past or if it was a trait that developed after becoming a Chesterfield — he was not particularly gentlemanly or polite.

Anyway, the bread smelled delicious and the coffee had a good aroma. It was a much milder morning than she had anticipated.

That was until he asked the question.

“Why did you suddenly stay out overnight?”

Cough. The milk that had been going down smoothly got stuck in her throat. The man’s eyes flickered as he watched the white milk trickling down her cleavage.

“Thanks for providing such a good spectacle first thing in the morning.”

“……”

She didn’t have the energy to respond to every perverse comment. In front of the silent Celian, Izer poured himself another cup of coffee and urged her to answer.

“I’m asking why you ran away. What made you angry?”

“I wasn’t angry…”

“Then how should I interpret your escape?”

“It wasn’t an escape……”

The man didn’t seem to have any intention of listening to her words.

“You don’t have money. If you were willing to spend money frivolously, you would have thrown away those worn-out clothes long ago. Unless you’re deliberately wearing such clothes to avoid me.”

“……”

“Yet you impulsively left the house.”

When he said she left the house, his tone sounded like he was treating her like a runaway teenager. Celian raised her head and protested.

“I also have vacations……”

“You mean it was an impulsive vacation, that’s what I’m saying.”

It was annoyingly correct. She didn’t want to retort. As she picked up a new piece of bread, she heard the name she had been consciously trying to push away.

“Ophelia has nothing to do with me.”

“……”

“That doesn’t mean you don’t need to worry about her. After all, that woman is officially engaged to me, and everyone is desperate to marry me off to her……”

Celian lowered her eyes.

“If it’s about her, I’d rather you didn’t speak of it.”

Ophelia Montes is Izer Chesterfield’s fiancée. While it’s possible to guess that Izer doesn’t like the Montes, that doesn’t change the fact that he is Ophelia’s fiancé.

However, Celian Berienne had a clear reason to stay by Izer Chesterfield’s side. Even if Ophelia treated her like a wh*re, even if the world called her a vixen clinging to the young duke.

It was a conclusion she had reached after thinking all night alone. Celian Berienne wasn’t in a position to worry about morality, she had to drill this sentence into her head as if brainwashing herself before she could cross the main gate of the duke’s mansion.

“I’m sorry about yesterday. From now on, I’ll make sure you don’t have to worry about me regarding her. I’ll try my best not to be noticeable.”

“……”

“Of course, if you order me to leave, young duke, I’ll go anytime.”

It was quite a calculated statement. The willingness to step back if he told her to leave, the implication of handing over all decision-making power to him. From beginning to end, it was merely words meant to reassure him.

Izer seemed somewhat puzzled.

“You’re saying you won’t mind Ophelia?”

“Yes.”

“The noble way of thinking is still alive in ‘you’, isn’t it?”

Celian’s eyes began to tremble.

The informal speech would have been better. Every time he pretended to respect her inadequately, she couldn’t help but recall the past.

The cool voice carried by the morning air pierced through her skin and lodged in her heart.

“Right, the existence of a fiancée doesn’t matter to you.”

“……”

“Neither William Winston nor Ophelia Montes……”

The dreaded topic she had feared since the conversation about Ophelia began was now on the table. Celian put down the butter knife she was holding.

Her vision flickered. Giggling sounds, the cold wind on exposed skin and a musty smell, the cold chains that rattled with even the slightest movement. The blindfold that prevented her from seeing made her other senses more acute, and thus, she remembered everything vividly except for what could be perceived visually.

Nausea welled up. Celian held back her tears as she pulled up her dress. Despite Izer’s glare, she steadfastly buttoned up and neatly stacked the plates.

Finally, Celian picked up the corset that had fallen to the floor and bowed her head.

“Thank you for the meal.”

Izer didn’t stop Celian. It seems even he has something called a morning, Celian thought as she knocked on Percy’s door.

* * *

“This house is always so nice whenever I come. My father’s taste is, how should I put it, honestly a bit vulgar. It shows he’s a nouveau riche. He thinks everything expensive is good.”

“……”

“I guess this is what you call home education. My brother and I developed a refined taste from mingling with nobles from a young age, but our father couldn’t do that.”

“……”

“What do you think, Sis?”

She keeps talking alone, yet deliberately addresses her. Celian quietly opened her mouth.

“Sis? Please speak comfortably.”

“Is that so. I didn’t know the term ‘sis’ could be uncomfortable. Then I’ll just call you by name. Is that okay?”

“Yes.”

Ophelia was two years younger than Celian. She wanted to believe there was no particular malice when she called Izer, who was older than Celian, by his name while consistently calling Celian ‘sis’. Ophelia, who first met Izer when he was a commoner, used to call him by his name, while Celian had always been called ‘Sis’.

While there might not be malice in the form of address, her attitude was certainly spiteful.

To be specific, the situation was like this:

Renée and Harris left for a vacation to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Concerned about his wife’s deteriorating health, Harris selected a place with good water, air, and scenery, and for once, left the capital with Percy in tow. As if to prove that there was no place for Izer in their family.

Thanks to this, in a house where Izer was the only person of high status left, Ophelia frequently visited the ducal mansion. Naturally, Izer was irritated. Celian thought that even his outing today was probably to avoid Ophelia.

And Celian was paying the price for Izer’s escape.

“This painting seems to be newly purchased. I haven’t seen it before. When is it from, early 16th century?”

“……It’s likely late 16th or early 17th century. The style of that era……”

“You’re trying to teach me, Celian.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, I understand. You’re a governess, right? That’s your job.”

I spoke wrongly. I didn’t expect the habit of talking with Owen to pop out like that.

Ophelia, who had been roaming the house with the regretful Celian, stopped in front of a portrait.

This portrait of the Chesterfield ducal family was incomparably disharmonious. The hair colors were messy to begin with. The blonde duke and Percy, the aqua-colored Renée, and the black-haired Izer.

If we’re talking about lack of harmony, the eye colors were even worse, absolutely unharmonious. The deep blue of the duke and Percy, the almost gray of Renée, and the bright red of Izer.

But Ophelia’s impression of the portrait seemed somewhat different from Celian’s. She spoke in an admiring tone.

“My fiancé, isn’t he handsome?”

“……”

“He’s lost a lot of weight in his face since this picture was painted. His features have become sharper. Of course, I think his current face is much more attractive and handsome. If his body had slimmed down along with it, that would be a different story……”

The direction of the conversation was becoming quite ominous. As expected, Ophelia turned towards Celian.

“How about it? Has his body slimmed down as much as his face?”

“That’s not something I can answer……”

“Stop pretending. Why hide anything when we already know everything?”

Celian closed her mouth.

‘Do kids these days think it’s cool to talk about bedroom matters?’

She and Ophelia were only two years apart, but perhaps their way of thinking was different from hers.

Ophelia stroked the smooth surface of the portrait with an enraptured face.

“It’s such a funny marriage, isn’t it?”

“……”

“I don’t want to insult his mother. Thanks to her son, I can also claim a part of the Chesterfield name.”

“……”

“Yet Izer told me this: As long as he’s a Chesterfield, I can’t become one. Anyone listening would think he was born a Chesterfield.”

“There are many ears listening. Please be careful with your words.”

“You didn’t answer when I asked if Izer’s body was good, but you react immediately when I criticize him.”

“……”

“Have you seen the handkerchief Izer carries around?”