Chapter 1 – Part 4

Since high school, Olivia had never studied on anyone else’s dime. Her sister raised her, and Olivia repaid her by securing scholarships to cover her tuition. That’s how she grew up.

But now she had both wealth and power. In her experience, with wealth and power, any such weakness was easily managed. If it became a problem, she would deal with it.

“Could you prepare some cold water?”

“What? Yes, of course…”

Were servants always this questioning? Even though it was still spring, she already felt a surge of heat. Footsteps echoed behind her.

A regretful male lead. Sure, Olivia acknowledged her preference. But liking the trope and liking the character were different things.

“Phew.”

Olivia looked around the withered greenhouse. It struck her again how neglected it had been during the half-year she was gone. Annoyingly, she felt a pang of sympathy for Olivia.

“Olivia!”

Soon, Gael appeared, looking flushed. Despite supposedly coming to see a loved one, he brought along his entourage of grown men.

A regretful male lead. They always had their reasons. Pretending to have another woman, pushing away the heroine, keeping another woman close, and enduring misunderstandings silently until they begged for forgiveness later.

“What the hell are you doing?”

But that was their business. Olivia enjoyed watching regretful male leads get crushed. And she had little patience.

“Count Abyss.”

That was her trait. She had many thoughts but was impulsive.

“Liv, why are you acting like this? It’s me. Don’t you recognize me?”

“I recognize you, Count Abyss.”

Unlike Gael, who was getting more agitated, Olivia grew calmer. He had a handsome face but his actions were just a façade.

“Why are you doing this to me? Are you out of your mind?”

Gael murmured, brushing back his silver hair as if frustrated.

“Didn’t you hear from the knight commander? It’s not that I’m out of my mind; I just lost some memories. I know we were something.”

How long did she have to keep this polite tone? Olivia’s lips curled in dissatisfaction.

“I heard. But how could you… how could you not come to me? Did you ‘deliberately’ avoid me?”

It was almost comical how he acted like a main character in distress. Olivia decided she needed to make things clear.

“You see it correctly.”

“What?”

“I might have liked you once, but not anymore. I’m not interested in someone else’s fiancé; no, I just don’t like you anymore.”

Even after saying it, something felt lacking. Olivia opened her mouth again.

“To be blunt, I don’t have a speck of feeling for you.”

“…”

“If you don’t believe me, I’ll declare it in front of the entire empire. If I show any sign of liking you, you can cut off my head.”

Gael’s expression turned strange. Anger? Sadness? Whatever it was, it didn’t matter. Olivia pushed her doubts aside and continued.

“So, no more unannounced visits. We’re nothing to each other.”

“Olivia, you need treatment. You’re not in your right mind.”

Gael’s facial muscles twitched.

“I didn’t leave Ronae to see this. I came here just for you. Despite all the eyes on me!”

“Then were you never going to give up on me?”

Olivia’s gaze sharpened like a whetted blade. She took a step forward.

“Answer me. Were you going to look for me until you died?”

“…”

Gael only opened and closed his mouth, unable to respond. Olivia stood in front of him.

“I don’t think so.”

“…Olivia.”

“You should have just forgotten someone like me and lived on until you die.”

The expression on Gael’s face faded away. It was a searching look, rather than the flustered one from earlier. Olivia felt an odd sense of unease.

“And how dare you.”

A sinister smile spread across Olivia’s face.

“How dare a mere count address a Marchioness so casually?”

“What?”

“Are you brainless? I’m asking how a lower rank dares to speak informally.”

Olivia had worked in a prison that was like a minefield, and her sister was a military sergeant. She was well-acquainted with hierarchical structures. This punk needed to be put in his place.

Gael stared at Olivia for a while, then laughed like a madman.

“Oh, or is it that?”

Gael spoke with certainty.

“Olivia, did you have to fake your death just to see me regret it?”

…What the hell is he saying?

“I’ve been worrying myself sick only to be betrayed. I was a fool to search for you like I was dying, not realizing you were deceiving me. Here you are, perfectly fine.”

Just as quickly as he had laughed, Gael strode up and grabbed Olivia’s shoulders.

“You must have gone somewhere nice to recover during the time I was searching like a madman.”

“…”

Gael stepped closer, gripping Olivia’s shoulders with increasing force.

“What should I do? Even if you put on this act, I can’t let you go.”

“Can’t let me go?”

“Yes, you are mine, and I intend to keep you by my side forever.”

Olivia’s expression remained calm. Only her red lips moved.

“What about your fiancée?”

“…We can talk about Ronae later. First, let’s go back to the Count’s manor. Blame it all on me, but let’s go.”

Gael, talking like someone with anger issues, covered his face with his hand and sighed.

“It’s my fault. I should have taken better care of you.”

Take better care of me?

“Gael.”

Olivia gently cupped Gael’s cheek, forcing him to meet her gaze.

“Should you have taken better care of me?”

“Yes, you’re already a pitiful and miserable woman because of me, so I should have kept you close…”

“How considerate of you.”

Gael, who had been answering as Olivia spoke, finally sensed the coldness in her voice.

“Leaving a pregnant fiancée at home and keeping an ex-lover around… Quite a mess. Is this what being a noble is like?”

Olivia’s smile was so bright that the attendants nearby didn’t sense the tension.

“But all that aside, I am what I am. Isn’t that right?”

Olivia stepped back. Then…

“Aaagh!”

“Cut it out, you worthless bastard!”

A scream echoed through the greenhouse, and Gael’s attendants rushed forward in shock. Olivia had kicked him in the groin for the first time in her life.

Olivia enjoyed seeing regretful male leads get crushed.

And she was not patient.

* * *

He didn’t like darkening his room. Until nightfall, he always drew the curtains.

It wasn’t that he was afraid of the dark. But given the assassination threats he faced even within the Duke’s mansion, he minimized the risks. Poisoned needles could be hidden in the furniture.

“We’re almost done.”

Ricardo informed him softly while tying off the bandage.

His master, who had struggled at first, now didn’t make a sound. Ricardo stared at the sturdy, bandaged body.

“Do you think the bleeding has stopped?”

“The area around the shoulder blade is still oozing slightly. You should be careful when moving.”

“A little bleeding is fine.”

His master’s soft laughter contrasted with Ricardo’s heavy heart. How long must his master endure this pain? Having raised him like a son, Ricardo couldn’t ignore his sorrow.

“How about reducing your schedule today? Either rest from the duties of the mansion, or…”

Ricardo’s gaze shifted to his master, who was buttoning his shirt.

“Meet Marchioness Charbert later.”

The man’s movements halted. From that, Ricardo knew his master’s response.

“Let the butler handle the urgent matters. Leave only the documents I must review.”

His master buttoned his shirt without hesitation.

“But…”

“I can’t delay any longer.”

Ricardo fell silent. He understood how much his master was enduring. What he had done to save one person.

“Where is Buddy now?”

Even from the brief question, longing dripped, making it impossible to dissuade him.

“She’s at the Marchioness’s mansion. I heard she has a meeting today. It’s unlikely to be smooth after what happened yesterday.”

Ricardo cleared his throat awkwardly as his master’s gaze moved to the telegram on the table.

[To Duke Marsden,

Count Abyss has visited the Charbert Marchioness’ manor. There was a violent incident…

I’m too embarrassed to put it in words.]

The telegram started politely and ended in a hurry.

Marsden couldn’t help but smile. He had been worried that Olivia might be struggling, but it seemed she was adapting well.

“Mas!”

He remembered her clear and strong voice. She was the one who had given him the nickname ‘Mas’, despite his dislike of nicknames. Unlike the other parasites flocking to power, she approached him slowly.

She had even said it was fine if he kept his distance for a while if he doubted her sincerity. There was nothing more difficult than doubting the sincerity of the people around you.

“What time is Marchioness Charbert’s meeting?”

“It’s at 2 PM, but I’m not sure if the Marchioness will come out on time. I heard her personality has changed like a different person. They can’t believe it’s the same person.”

Ricardo’s words lingered anxiously, perhaps worried that Marsden might be surprised. Marsden gave him a reassuring smile.

“Whatever she’s like, she’s still Buddy.”

“…”

“That’s enough for me, Ricardo.”

Ricardo bowed his head. He knew it was meaningless, but he couldn’t help but ponder. Whether there were other options back then or whether there was a way to prevent the master from making ‘that choice’.

But no matter how he looked back, the result was the same. Even if there had been other choices, the master’s decision wouldn’t have changed.

“It’s 11 o’clock.”

Marsden checked the wall clock and said, “If we leave now, we should make it just in time, won’t we?”

The room was dark, but the warmth of the sun could be felt in Marsden’s smile.

It was the look of a man about to meet the person he had missed so dearly.