Chapter 2.9

Even when they shared a room in Grand Town, there was hardly any interaction; now that they had separate rooms, it seemed they wouldn’t even have a chance to speak under the same roof. Miguel was experiencing firsthand what it meant to feel distant.

“Indeed. It’s really fortunate…”

Lisael, leaving Miguel who trailed off with a pointless answer, entered her cozy bedroom with the maids. Miguel stared at the tightly closed door as if it were Lisael herself, feeling a sense of betrayal.

‘What… is this…’

The Young Countess’s bedroom was as spacious as the living room of Lisael’s house next to the castle. However, the bed, table, sofa, etc., in that spacious bedroom were, how should one put it… quite modest compared to the room. They were roughly similar in size to the furniture Lisael originally used in her room. Not only in size, but at a glance, the quality seemed far below what one would expect in a Lord’s household.

The culprit behind the perplexing interior wasn’t the servants. They didn’t have that kind of discretion, and it was evident from the maids, who were nervously looking around, unsure of what to do.

‘Then the mastermind behind this ridiculous act is…’

It was undoubtedly the Countess Dante or Miguel’s sister, Kaera. Perhaps territorial behavior, trying to intimidate her or something.

“Sigh…”

Suddenly overwhelmed by a headache, Lisael stood still near the door, covering her forehead with her palm.

‘Look, I don’t want to have a meaningless power struggle with you.’

It was a marriage with nothing wanted or desired. She could live as if dead, but they had already made the mistake of fastening the first button wrong.

And most importantly, what they thought was a shocking form of harassment had no impact on Lisael at all.

Perhaps to those who never knew deprivation and had enough wealth to satisfy endless desires, this room might seem like a wretched space they wouldn’t want to be in for a moment.

‘But it’s much better than my room, still.’

If they wanted Lisael to spend her first night in the Lord’s castle weeping and wallowing in self-pity, they should have sent her to an attic infested with mice and cockroaches. She couldn’t help but chuckle at the unexpectedly naive schemes of the nobles.

“Could you please convey that if they want to prepare something more, they should consider it from my perspective?”

“…Pardon?”

The servants, who were nervously clutching their hands, tilted their heads in confusion at Lisael’s cool reaction.

“What are your names?”

“Charlotte!”

“I’m Emma.”

“Charlotte, Emma…”

The two servants who would serve her from now on seemed to be about Lisael’s age. As Lisael muttered their names to herself, Charlotte cautiously spoke up.

“Young Madam, it might be surprising to hear this suddenly, but we’re very happy to serve you!”

Lisael raised her eyelids slightly, as if hearing something she hadn’t expected, and Charlotte added more to her words.

“We really liked Sir Cherlin… I mean, the former village chief! We’re residents of Cherlin Village too. We were always grateful to the village chief, his wife, and you, Young Madam, for always thinking of the village first.”

Emma, who seemed calmer compared to Charlotte, nodded quietly in agreement, smiling softly from behind.

Genuinely surprised by their words, Lisael alternated her gaze between the two with a blank expression. Of course, the Cherlin family was still welcomed by the residents wherever they went, but she hadn’t expected there to be people in the castle who welcomed her just because she was from Cherlin.

The statement that they followed the former village chief more, despite being people of the Lord, was somewhat risky to make inside the castle. Charlotte was bravely confessing words that would enrage Earl Dante if he heard them directly.

“Thank you…”

Lisael responded to the brave greeting with a sincere smile. It would be nice if other residents greeted her with such smiles if they met her again.

Since hearing Crisen’s story in Grand Town, she had been afraid. Surely, as Crisen said, there would be many who were disappointed with the Cherlin family for marrying as if colluding with the Lord’s family. This left a heavy sense of debt in one corner of her heart.

Thanks to Charlotte and Emma, Lisael felt like she had allies in the vast and isolated castle from the first day, but she couldn’t be entirely happy. Somehow, the room she would stay in felt more spacious, but deep down, her chest felt even more stifled.

*   *   *

Lisael was not given time to cultivate her manners as the Young Countess. From the very next day, she was thrown into the wild reality.

To think she would actually live with Earl Dante and the Countess under the same roof. Even after being attended to and dressed by the maids, it didn’t feel real until she faced them at breakfast, and unpleasant sensations vividly awakened in every cell.

The Earl, with red hair just like Miguel’s. The Countess, who had passed the sunset hue to Miguel’s hair. They were all objects of resentment, harboring even more antipathy towards Miguel.

“Lord, please reconsider. I don’t care about myself, but how will people who have only ever held sickles and pickaxes survive without farmland?”

“Madame, please show mercy. Everyone’s lives have become so difficult that even the children are out begging…”

Her father, who, even after being dismissed as village chief, went to the Lord’s castle every day to plead for reconsideration of the factory establishment. Her mother, who, when the factory was set up and unemployment rose, pleaded with the Countess on behalf of the residents, bringing back food and clothing little by little.

Lisael could still vividly picture the pitiful and miserable appearance of her parents. The Earl and Countess’s sneers as they leisurely watched their pleas as if living in another world.

The expressions of those leisurely cutting smoked apricot-colored salmon with knives became triggers for her ugly memories.

Lisael couldn’t even raise her hand over the table, violating etiquette, and only after receiving a rebuke from the Countess did she reluctantly start eating.

‘I really made a crazy decision…’

No matter how much it was a decision made out of responsibility, how could she think of becoming a family with them? Moreover, even if the Earl allowed the residents to work in the factory as promised, there would surely be those who slander the Cherlin family for clinging to the Lord’s family.

She overestimated herself. She wasn’t a hero with a noble mission or a saint with virtue, yet she dedicated her life to a sacrifice that no one recognized.

“Lisael, sitting idly with your arms down while eating is very rude. Don’t you know basic table manners?”

The Countess didn’t miss the chance to sharply criticize Lisael, who was too full of self-loathing to eat.

“She’s probably just not used to it yet. It’s her first day, so don’t be too harsh. Kaera, you should help her adjust to her new life.”

“Yes, Father.”

The Earl’s words to the Young Countess, advising her, were so formulaic that they didn’t feel sincere at all. The conversation quickly shifted to the land transferred from the village chief, barely after the wedding.

“Lisael, isn’t the castle too big and confusing? You’ve probably never lived in such a large castle in your life. I’ll personally show you around after breakfast.”

“You’re too kind. It’s the servant’s job to do that, yet you’re stepping up to do it yourself.”

The exchange came from Kaera and her husband, Loki. As they say, couples resemble each other; how could they be so similar in their snide remarks and annoying appearances? Lisael reluctantly bowed her head briefly in thanks but said nothing more.

“Kaera, that’s my rightful duty, so don’t interfere. And guiding the Young Countess around the Lord’s castle is an important task that should be done by a superior.”

Miguel, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up next to Lisael.

Although Kaera was ten years older than Miguel, the heir to the Dante family was undeniably him, so she couldn’t argue back and only flushed with anger.

Loki, who was at the bottom of the Dante family’s hierarchy, also clamped his sarcastic mouth shut when Miguel intervened.

For Lisael, it was better to be guided by Miguel than to follow Kaera, who showed clear hostility towards her. Finding herself in a den where Miguel was the best option, Lisael let out a small, hollow laugh.

‘Lisa…’

And Miguel’s eyes narrowed as he finally read the strange atmosphere of the Dante family towards her.