Chapter 2.8

In short, to Cherlin, the Dante family was nothing short of a sworn enemy. Even if the former village chief didn’t know the value of the land he owned, and even if it was an opportunity for his daughter to become a future Countess, unless the world turned upside down, there was no way the former village chief would accept this proposal.

“Ha, to gain something big, you must lose something small. What else could I do? I’ve decided to take a significant loss and hire a large number of Cherlin residents in the factory.”

The village residents were subjects the Lord had to care for, and Miguel felt a sense of detachment from his kin, who sincerely lamented the labor costs while smacking his lips. 

The Cherlin family, the village fools who only ever worried about the well-being of the residents, was on the verge of being sucked dry by the vicious Dante family. Being overly kind was a trait too unsuitable to survive in this harsh world. Miguel realized this truth as he looked at the former village chief.

To send his precious daughter to a family more hateful than Satan to save the village—such a heartfelt decision would be hard for him and his father, the Earl, to understand, even if they were reborn.

“As for the village chief, that’s one thing, but did Lisael Cherlin… agree to the marriage proposal?”

Miguel’s lips trembled slightly as he cautiously asked about her intentions. There was a specific reason why Miguel couldn’t believe in the marriage proposal even when the conversation had come this far.

Lisael, who was once a neighbor and childhood friend with whom he shared every moment without separation, would never accept marriage with him. The only friend, someone he couldn’t hold onto despite holding on. There was surely a time when that child living next door occupied a significant part of his life. Now, those memories seemed so distant that he wondered if they were dreams or imagination.

By then, he and Lisael had crossed an irreversible time point, and their relationship had twisted like misaligned gears, making the time they spent together seem meaningless.

Afterward, even in the few encounters they had each year, they became obsessed with hurling blame at each other and leaving wounds on each other’s hearts.

Marriage with that Lisael? 

Miguel suddenly felt a wave of nausea rising from within. Marrying a woman with whom it was difficult to even stay in the same space for a long time? The Earl was making a demand equivalent to asking him to die.

“The village chief has already accepted, so why would his daughter dare refuse? She’s a spitting image of her father, who cares deeply for the villagers, so she’ll come around with the village chief’s persuasion.”

Miguel clenched his molars slightly, leaving the Earl Dante, who was excitedly chattering without knowing his own festering insides.

‘Right, I forgot she was like that….’

Having barely seen her since reaching adulthood, it was hard for him to recall the face of the girl who had grown into a proper lady. Miguel, who imagined the adult Lisael with the child’s face he couldn’t forget since he first laid eyes on her, pushed aside his thoughts and returned to reality.

“That’s unfortunate, Father. You managed to convince Cherlin, but you’re facing an unexpected obstacle.”

The Earl was left speechless with surprise, unable to utter a word, his eyes wide open, when Miguel added:

“I will never marry that woman, not even if you really throw me out of the house.”

“You scoundrel of a son!”

Too much time was spent in the office. Having expressed his opinion without hesitation, Miguel stood up and opened the door, allowing the Earl’s curses and his groans as he clutched the back of his neck to spill out simultaneously.

“Scoundrel, that’s harsh.”

Why would he use such unspeakable curses when he had given birth to me so handsomely?

Miguel muttered as he walked down the corridor, genuinely finding it hard to understand. His sharply defined face was faintly reflected in the transparent window of the corridor.

*   *   *

Although he later reversed his decision without a second thought, there was room for consideration since he was someone who wished for Lisael’s well-being and happiness more than anyone else. 

However, the problem was Earl Dante, whose greed knew no bounds. The saying that the rich are worse off was true; if there was any hidden wealth in Cherlin, he would undoubtedly exploit it to the marrow.

He had an overwhelming urge to hint to Lisael, asking her to confide if there was any secret wealth at home, promising to hide it securely for her. But what reason did she have to trust him with such a secret? Lisael would probably feel more at ease entrusting fish to a cat.

‘So my actions going forward are even more important.’

He would make a desperate effort to build trust and open her heart. Gathering 7 years’ worth of emotions that had to be suppressed.

This naturally led to a chronic problem: why, despite countless resolutions, couldn’t Miguel Dante speak kind words to Lisael as much as he felt?

As a nobleman and gentleman, he showed the minimum courtesy and manners to ladies he had no interest in. So why did he ride a steep, crooked path when it came to Lisael, whom he loved dearly?

Miguel stubbornly sought the cause of this on the way back, and finally realized: He had never been kind to Lisael, not even once since childhood!

Even when he liked her and confidently interacted closely with her, he was either mischievous or prickly towards Lisael.

He acquired the manners of a gentleman after his connection with her was severed, around the time he transitioned from boyhood to manhood. This damned mouth perfectly remembered the habit of speaking to her as if grumbling.

From the moment he realized this, Miguel felt much, no, completely at ease. He was merely consistent.

And now that he knew the cause, he could gradually change from now on.

‘Treat Lisael as if meeting a lady from high society for the first time….’

He couldn’t do it. The ladies in his memory were just women trying to continue a conversation with cheap smiles and clumsy words to get his attention. Only the decent ladies, whom he didn’t even remember, hadn’t approached him.

To equate Lisael with such materialistic ladies was an insult to her.

“Young Master, Young Madam. You’ve had a long journey.”

While Miguel’s consciousness was generating all sorts of random thoughts as if they were being produced in a factory, the butler came out to greet them, announcing that they had finally arrived at the Lord’s castle. It was very late at night.

“The Lord and the other young couple are now resting in their chambers, so you should greet them tomorrow. I’ll show you to your rooms as you must be tired from the journey.”

Lisael still found the title “Young Madam” unfamiliar whenever she heard it. It felt uncomfortable and awkward, like trying to squeeze into a dress that didn’t fit. Just before entering, she looked up at the Lord’s castle, which was hard to see to the top even when she craned her neck at a right angle.

Until recently, she had never imagined entering the castle again—as a member of the Dante family, no less.

She was a Cherlin from Cherlin Village. Lisael Dante—no one had called her that yet, but she wanted to postpone the moment when she would be called that forever.

“Young Madam, please follow me.”

When she didn’t follow, the butler approached again to guide her. The staff of the Lord’s castle, whom she had known since childhood, treated her with respect and without prejudice, despite the difference in status, as she was a well-known figure in the village.

It was likely thanks to the reputation she had steadily built alongside the village chief Cherlin. Lisael’s steps towards the castle were heavy.

“This is the bedroom the Young Countess will use.”

“We have separate rooms?”

“Yes, all other couples in the Dante family also have separate rooms.”

For nobles, it was natural and common for couples to have separate bedrooms. There was a faint hint of relief on Lisael’s face as she asked again, seemingly surprised.

“That’s fortunate. I thought we’d have to share the same room and bed.”

How could she say something so delightfully thrilling? 

When Lisael smiled with brutal clarity at Miguel, who had followed her, he felt a subtle sense of disappointment.

Even among nobles, it was not uncommon for couples to share a room, at least during the honeymoon period, so to be honest, Miguel had a slight expectation. However, the staff of the Dante family had demonstrated their unnecessary efficiency by setting up a separate bedroom for the Young Countess right next to his.

‘It’s not fortunate at all. They’re annoyingly impeccable in their work only at times like this.’