To You, So Noble and Vulgar (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13
Rachel’s face turned pale, and Victoria held her breath.
Ariana, seemingly unaware of what was wrong, repeated the same action once more.
Helena frowned and said,
“Why are you drinking your tea like that?”
Victoria wanted to clamp a hand over Helena’s mouth.
Did that foolish older sister have no sense of tact at all?
Victoria desperately hoped Ariana would blush and fluster as she always did. She prayed that from now on, Ariana would act like her usual self—the behavior she’d shown so far was surely just luck.
But Ariana opened her eyes wide and spoke in a clear, bright voice.
“Miss Victoria herself taught me to drink it this way.”
“When did I ever!”
Victoria finally lost her composure and snapped sharply.
Ariana shrank her shoulders as if frightened, but she didn’t close her mouth.
“You called me to your room yourself yesterday and told me so—if I didn’t drink it like this, I’d be embarrassed… Did I make another mistake? Please forgive me, miss.”
“Sister, why are you acting like this? Why are you suddenly calling me ‘miss’? Are you doing this on purpose?”
“I’m sorry, miss. I’m sorry.”
Ariana offered no excuses.
Everyone present couldn’t hide their sympathy and anger at the pitiful sight of the second daughter, curled tightly into herself, begging only for forgiveness.
Even without the bruises on Ariana’s body, the onlookers would have split into two camps—those who believed her and those who didn’t.
But the old bruises etched onto her thin frame, clearly not from just a day or two of hunger, along with the fresh ones, unmistakably revealed the perpetrator of this situation.
The more tender-hearted noblewomen even reddened at the eyes.
Juliana Loventa, the Duchess, who had been narrowing her brows, finally spoke.
“I’d heard the Duchess Bronte cherished her second daughter so dearly she never let anyone see her—but now I see she truly is treasured.”
Rachel’s face flushed crimson at the cutting remark.
“You misunderstand, Duchess Loventa. That child has always been playful…”
“Playful enough to bruise herself? There are marks in places she could never reach on her own. I wonder if His Highness Dongjehu even knows his second daughter lives in such starvation.”
At the mention of Dongjehu’s name, Rachel’s face turned pale again.
Rachel gripped her skirt tightly and said,
“How to educate my child’s manners is my own affair, Duchess Loventa. You seem to be overstepping. Do nobles in the capital always show such interest in others’ family matters?”
Rachel had given up on winning Juliana’s favor.
The capital’s social circles didn’t revolve solely around Juliana’s grasp—though it pained her, she had no intention of acting servilely.
Juliana smiled sweetly and replied,
“Nobles in the capital don’t usually display their household affairs so openly.”
Rachel was left speechless.
She didn’t want to appear servile before Juliana, yet she couldn’t afford to lose her temper and start a fight either.
Helena, seeing her mother flustered for the first time, fidgeted anxiously before speaking.
“Duchess Loventa, please set aside your anger. It’s my fault as an older sister for failing to properly guide Ariana. Mother is blameless.”
“Oh? Then does that mean the bruises on the second daughter’s body were made not by the Duchess, but by you, Miss Helena?”
“Huh? Oh—no. I never hit Ariana.”
“Then who beat the second daughter like that?”
“Well…”
Helena blinked and glanced toward Victoria.
Though Helena meant it as a plea for help, to everyone else it looked as if she were accusing Victoria.
Victoria suppressed the urge to slap Helena’s cheek and spoke.
“As Mother said earlier, Sister Ariana rolled down the stairs due to her carelessness.”
“That’s right. Ariana can be a bit like that.”
Helena quickly backed Victoria’s words, but the noblewomen’s cold expressions didn’t soften.
Rachel and Victoria realized that no excuse they made would change the mood of the situation.
Even if Ariana herself said, “No one has ever mistreated me,” the noblewomen would only see a pitiful Ariana trying to protect her family.
Juliana, who had been staring coldly at the three of them, spoke.
“When we leave, there will surely be more bruises on the second daughter’s body.”
Rachel said coldly,
“That’s a harsh thing to say, Duchess Loventa. I don’t know what misunderstanding you have, but no one beats Ariana.”
“We’ll see about that. Ah, now that I think of it, the second daughter is also of debutante age.”
Rachel, realizing what Juliana was implying, frowned. Ignoring Rachel’s gaze, Juliana fixed her eyes firmly on Ariana and said,
“I’ll be waiting for you in the capital during this year’s social season, Miss Ariana. Be sure to visit the Loventa residence as soon as you arrive.”
+++
The party ended in utter disaster.
As soon as the nobles departed with grim expressions, Rachel unleashed her fury on Ariana. After beating, kicking, pinching, and cursing her, she locked her in the dungeon beneath the eastern tower, telling her not to even think about coming out alive.
Ariana knew she wouldn’t die in that underground cell.
Duchess Juliana Loventa had been far more favorable than she’d anticipated.
Since Juliana had personally invited her to visit during this social season, Rachel would have no choice but to bring Ariana to the imperial capital, no matter how much she disliked it.
‘Of course, I could pretend to be ill and skip this social season—but if I did, even more people would whisper about today’s incident, so I can’t possibly stay away.’
Given that Juliana had mentioned Dongjehu earlier, it was highly likely that news of today’s events would reach his ears.
‘How will Dongjehu react? Does he even know I’m still alive?’
After divorcing Rachel, Dongjehu hadn’t remarried—but neither had he sought out Ariana, his only daughter.
“Your father is a man of ice. He cares only for Dongryeong’s safety; wives and daughters mean nothing to him.”
Rachel had drilled Dongjehu’s coldness into Ariana’s ears endlessly.
Indeed, Dongjehu had never shown Ariana any paternal affection.
‘No—I never expected affection. He didn’t even show interest.’
At the first imperial ball after her marriage to Count Ingou Alprehi, she’d seen Dongjehu. She remembered clearly the expression he wore then.
Cold eyes, brows narrowed in displeasure.
Just as Rachel hated Ariana for resembling Dongjehu, Dongjehu surely despised Ariana for being born of Rachel.
‘But once Dongjehu hears I’m being abused and I bring him what Dongryeong needs, he won’t be able to cast me aside. If I dole out what I possess bit by bit instead of all at once, he’ll treat me at least better than he does now.’
Ariana stared into the darkness, where not a single sliver of light entered.
In the past, this darkness had sometimes frightened her. Every time she was locked away like this, she’d huddle with her knees drawn to her chest, sobbing, convinced something horrifying lurked within the shadows, ready to pounce.
The chill from the cold walls felt like the breath of an invisible monster; she’d been terrified, anxious, and sorrowful, certain she’d die trapped here forever.
But now, darkness no longer frightened her. On the contrary, only in darkness did her mind grow calm. Compared to a family that offered not even a fragment of affection, darkness was a comfort.
Ariana softly smiled, recalling how pale Rachel and Victoria had looked at the party.
‘So their reputation was fragile enough to crumble from just a few words…’
Back then, what had she been so afraid of that she couldn’t speak a word and just stammered helplessly?
‘Yes, I was scared. Scared Mother would hate me, scared my sisters would despise me.’
If only she’d realized sooner that fully accepting their hatred as her own would leave her with nothing to fear or regret.
There was nothing more futile than fretting endlessly to win the affection of someone who despised you.
After all, another’s affection was as fleeting as dust.
It was enough that I loved myself.
“The second daughter doesn’t cry even in the darkness, yet the first daughter faints from crying after hearing just a few words from her own mother.”
Hearing that low, languid voice from the darkness no longer surprised her.
“It seems there’s no place His Highness Bukjehu cannot enter.”
“Who dares block my path?”
Click—the lantern lit with a sound.
Cyrus hung the lantern he’d been holding onto the iron bars. The flickering orange light cast deep shadows across his face.
He looked down at Ariana from outside the cell.
“The Duke and Duchess Bronte’s fury was said to pierce the heavens—aren’t you afraid?”
“What else can happen but death?”
“Are you not even afraid of death?”
“Death won’t step aside just because I fear it. By the way, I’ve heard His Highness Bukjehu is an extremely busy man.”
“Are you asking why a busy man follows you around like someone with nothing better to do?”
“Your Highness has a habit of asking again even after understanding perfectly.”
Cyrus stared silently at Ariana.
The chill emanating from his blood-red eyes felt like it was strangling her throat, yet Ariana didn’t look away.
Gazing intently at each other as if probing one another, Cyrus finally spoke.
“I believed you were Rachel Bronte’s trueborn daughter. Am I mistaken?”
“You know the secret of Helena’s birth yet feign such humility.”
“Then why is Rachel so desperate to devour you whole?”
“There are many kinds of families in this world. My mother and I are merely one of countless mother-daughter pairs.”
“Doesn’t it sadden you that your mother’s affection goes only to your sisters?”
“It was never mine to begin with—why should I feel sorrow for it now?”
Cyrus bent slightly, studying Ariana’s face closely.
Though the iron bars stood between them, his face coming so near stole her breath. He was impossibly beautiful, as if not of this world.
“You speak truly.”
“How could I lie to Your Highness?”
A faint smile flickered at the corner of Cyrus’s lips.
It was so brief that neither Ariana nor Cyrus himself noticed it.
“Do you realize you’re an exceedingly intriguing woman?”
“If I’ve managed to stir even a slight interest in Your Highness, who cares for nothing, that is enough for me.”
“So you’re telling me to stop paying attention now?”
“You’re asking again.”
When they’d first met, Ariana had been terrified of Cyrus.
She’d thought that if she misspoke even slightly, his hand would snap her neck without mercy, and the cruel chill in his red eyes would pierce straight through her heart.
Though she couldn’t claim to fully understand him after only three brief meetings, she knew he wasn’t the reckless killer rumors made him out to be.
His red eyes, gleaming beneath thick gray brows, didn’t appear nearly as cruel as she’d heard.
Yet she still had no desire to become entangled with him.
Ariana had her own plans—and she didn’t want the immense power of Bukjehu interfering.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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I finally found the chapter corresponding to chapter 42 of the manhwa!
Here’s a mother who refutes the “instinctive motherhood” notion.