“This damn bastard!”
Count Ermeints tore apart the tabloid containing gossip about Givnen with all his might.
Even though he had torn up the tabloid, the scene of Givnen and Riley entering the hotel side by side was vividly replaying in his mind.
Enraged by this, Count Ermeints stomped on the torn tabloid with his foot and shouted.
“Get rid of it right now! Remove every single newspaper from my sight. Right now!”
At Count Ermeints’ furious command, the servants who had been cautiously observing quickly gathered up the torn gossip magazines.
Wanting to be alone, Count Ermeints dismissed everyone and began throwing every object within reach while exhaling rough breaths.
It was a humiliation he had never experienced before in his life. The fact that he had suffered it at the hands of those two eyesores was unbearable.
Since the day of the reception when Riley was taken away, Count Ermeints had been unable to sleep. He was too upset! Too angry!
When he tried to lie down to sleep, the faces of those bastards who had made a fool of him would appear.
Meanwhile, the next day, gossip magazines spreading their scandal were distributed on the streets.
Everywhere he went, people were talking about Givnen Lianster’s new love interest.
Who was she, which family did she belong to, how old was she… Since little was known about Riley Eadalyn, interest exploded and stories about the two of them were heard endlessly.
Amidst all this, as soon as he received the gossip magazine with a photo of them entering a hotel side by side, Count Ermeints couldn’t help but explode.
“How dare that upstart steal what’s mine?”
Thinking of them playing in the same bed twisted his guts.
“How could you possibly like a crazy old man who, at that age, is trying to make you his wife when you’re young enough to be his child? How could you like an old man older than your father?”
“It’s horrible, it’s disgusting. I’d rather die than marry someone like you.”
Moreover, what angered him even more was the insult Riley Eadalyn had given him.
He had never been openly disrespected by anyone in his life. Even though he was older and his influence wasn’t what it used to be, no one openly disrespected him. Yet Riley Eadalyn had openly insulted him.
‘Old, ugly, creepy, horrible.’
The words she chose brought out the deep-seated victim mentality within Count Ermeints.
Moreover, the fact that she had humiliated him in front of none other than ‘Givnen Lianster’ fueled his anger.
That he had been bested by a snot-nosed kid!
He couldn’t bear the fact that he had shown such a shameful side to that brat of all people.
In the end, the victim mentality that all women are the same dominated his mind.
So as long as you’re young, handsome, and rich, that’s all that matters, is it? Those materialistic things… Vulgarly dressed up and obsessed with seducing men.
It made his skin crawl to see those who lived comfortably, relying solely on their pretty faces. What makes them so great when they have nothing going for them besides their looks?
Though he may be old and ill, unable to enjoy his prime as before, he was confident that he could buy youth and beautiful women with money.
But that confidence had been completely shattered by a lowly girl from an insignificant baron’s family.
He became rapidly depressed at the thought that now he couldn’t get what he wanted even with money. He was still trapped in his youth.
Back then, I was great. Without much effort, I could embrace any woman I wanted, keep dozens of concubines… I used to be the object of envy of all men.
Now… The fact that he was just a flawed old man in the back room made him endlessly depressed.
“If I leave these two alone, they won’t live out their natural lives. At this rate, I’ll die early from anger.”
Though he had grown old, his belief in returning what he received was still firm.
“Hey! Someone come here right now!”
At Count Ermeints’ resounding call, his butler who had been waiting outside came in.
“What is your command?”
Count Ermeints ordered in a thick, low voice, as if resolved.
“Contact all the reporters. Tell them to gather here immediately.”
[This is the timeline separator]Since returning from Blestige, no, since her marriage to Givnen was arranged, Riley’s life had changed 180 degrees.
There really were many changes.
First of all.
“First young lady, your meal is prepared.”
“…Alright. Should I go down now?”
“Yes, young lady. I will guide you. Please follow me.”
The treatment from the servants had changed.
Especially the change in head maid McDalin was surprising. No longer could the cold and disgusting attitude she always had, speaking rudely without hesitation, be seen. Rather, she blatantly avoided Riley.
The change in McDalin, who was the leader of the servants, naturally brought about changes in those below her as well.
Free outings were allowed and she was given the large room that Claire had used as a dressing room. Not only that, but she was also provided with a new dressing room filled with dresses, outerwear, and casual clothes in the latest fashions.
She also started receiving an allowance she had never received before. Surprisingly, it was about 10% more than what Claire received.
Of course, this was a secret from Claire. She was already furious about losing her dressing room and seemed like a volcano about to erupt at any moment.
Also, she was now allowed to participate in family meals.
“Eat a lot.”
Riley sat down without saying anything to the baroness’s affectionate care. Although she smiled awkwardly, Riley didn’t want to reciprocate and quietly began eating.
The meals of eating hard bread and cold soup alone in her room were no longer provided. It’s nice to be able to enjoy a lavish dinner with many dishes.
However, the reason it doesn’t taste very good despite this might be because her palate was raised too much at Blestige.
The course meals I ate with Givnen were really delicious.
Moreover.
‘It’s disgusting.’
This meal is disgusting in a different sense. It’s not that the food is disgusting, but the people eating together are disgusting. They’re hypocritical. They’re fake.
Being recognized as a member of this family was something I had wanted so badly, but this situation wasn’t pleasing at all. Rather, it made me feel nauseous.
“…Thank you for the meal.”
“Why did you eat so little? Why don’t you eat more?”
“I’m not digesting well. Maybe it’s because it’s not the amount I usually eat.”
At Riley’s words, Claire stood up angrily.
“What? How dare you speak like that? As if we didn’t properly feed you?”
At this, her aunt broke out in a cold sweat and tried to stop her.
“Hey, how can you speak to your elder sister like that?”
“Mother! Look at how she’s talking! Aren’t you angry?”
“Calm down.”
“…Why is everyone like this? Does being nice to her now erase everything you’ve done until now? Why are you all being hypocrites!”
“Sit down.”
Unable to stand it anymore, Ryan narrowed his brows and scolded Claire.
“What kind of disrespectful behavior is this?”
“Father, Riley was the one who was disrespectful first…”
“I said sit down.”
“…Yes.”
“Riley, it’s okay if you stop eating. There’s no need to force yourself to eat. Ignore Claire’s words, as you know, she’s still young and immature.”
Claire clenched her fists and lowered her head.
Her shoulders were visibly trembling. Was she crying, or was she furiously angry?
Riley looked at Ryan.
She thought he was a terrible man. It was clear that he was obsessed with success to the point of coldly treating his own daughter overnight. Can he abandon even his family for the sake of success?
Was that the extent of his paternal love?
Then perhaps the reason I’ve been treated as a nuisance all this time wasn’t simply because I wasn’t his biological daughter, but because he judged me to be even more useless than Claire.
He probably judged that Claire, who had been educated from a young age, was much better than the daughter of a mountain keeper.
She wasn’t happy at all that her circumstances had changed overnight. Rather, her disgust and distrust towards them only grew.
‘To them, I’m just someone they can discard anytime I become useless for life.’
Riley tried to hide her displeasure and stood up from her seat.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
Riley glanced at Claire.
‘…You’re pitiful too.’
Who would have thought there’d come a day when I’d feel sympathy for Claire.
“Wait a moment, Riley.”
“Yes, uncle?”
“Starting tomorrow, a tutor will visit.”
“…A tutor?”
“Yes, I’m not sure if you’ll like it, but… we’ve gone to great lengths to hire this person, so I hope you’ll treat them well. It’s late, but I think you should receive some basic education from now on. After you get married, if there are any flaws noticed in that household… your position might become difficult.”
Well, isn’t it because you don’t want to be embarrassed for marrying off a daughter who didn’t even receive proper home education?
“Time might be tight, but try to learn and absorb as much as you can. You know yourself that you lack the qualities to be the mistress of the Lianster family, right?”
“…”
“If you know that you’re lacking a lot, Lord Lianster might change his mind too. The opposition from that family might grow stronger as well. Given that there’s already a big difference between the families, don’t you think you need to do well to bridge that gap even a little?”
Riley swallowed the words that had risen to her throat and smiled.
“I understand.”
There was a lot she wanted to say, but she decided to hold back as she didn’t want to make unnecessary trouble.
Anyway, she really wanted to receive etiquette education.
Because she was acutely aware of the gap between families and the difference in education levels. Ryan’s words were annoying, but they weren’t wrong when you think about it. Rather, it was close to overly realistic advice.
I know very well that compared to him who lacks nothing, I am lacking in so many ways.
Even if I feel wronged saying it’s not my fault, who would understand?
It was sad that rights that should have been given naturally were only now being given one by one.
Many things have changed, but why am I not happy? All of these were things I had desperately wished for, so why am I not enjoying any of it?
I felt like a buoy drifting aimlessly in the vast sea.
[This is the timeline separator]What is this man all about?
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Just… I’m curious.”
“About what?”
“I thought you’d rush off to see young lady Riley, who you sent away. You seemed so attached.”
He had returned to his usual workaholic self.
He excellently handled the mountain of work that had piled up. Moreover, he even secured a deal with the mining king of Porenco.
Sack, who had been secretly worried about his crazy behavior that went beyond shocking – from a one-night stand to marriage in such a short time – decided to admit that his worries had been unnecessary.
But on the other hand, he was puzzled.
Wasn’t it because you were so desperately in love that you decided to get married?
“Don’t you miss her?”
“Not particularly.”
“…Really?”
“We’re not that desperate of a couple.”
“You’re not that kind of couple, but you’re proceeding with marriage so quickly?”
“Marriage is business.”
At this nonchalant statement, Sack narrowed his brows and said,
“Oh, that’s the trashiest statement I’ve heard so far.”
“It can’t be helped. I’ve only spent 3 days with her. It’s too much to expect love on top of that. I like her, but.”
“Yet you’ve perfectly managed a proposal and marriage in just 3 days. You’re truly a high-speed talent befitting this high-speed era.”
Sack thought that finally, the rational-to-the-bone tower master had returned to his original self.
At the reception, he had gone slightly mad. Yes, this is his true self.
As he thought this, he handed over today’s fresh gossip magazine.
“And here’s a trashy gossip magazine to match that trashy statement.”
“Am I on the front page again today?”
“Yes, you’re even the headline.”
“It’s been a while since I made the headline, I’m excited.”
Givnen briefly paused his work and took today’s gossip magazine.
“Horizon’s Tower Master, Duke Givnen Lianster’s marriage imminent. Shock as it’s revealed the partner was Count Ermeints’ fiancée! Century’s love triangle drama intensifies?”
Despite his name being plastered in large print on the sensational headline, Givnen remained calm.
It wasn’t just a simple rumor. It was implying an adulterous relationship.
At this, Givnen laughed as if amused.
“We’re proceeding with the marriage in utmost secrecy, I wonder where the information leaked from.”
“That’s not the point!”
Sack pointed at the word ‘love triangle drama’ with his hand, as if dumbfounded.
“This is the essence!”
Love triangle drama, a term referring to an unhealthy, immoral, unethical love drama, isn’t it?
In fact, there was no need to read the detailed article. The content was obvious without looking. As per the headline, it would be a critical tone about the ‘shameless person who stole Count Ermeints’ fiancée’.
To begin with, even Count Ermeints and Riley Eadalyn’s engagement was being conducted in secrecy. The fact that this part was exposed made it obvious where this article originated from.
Givnen burst into laughter while reading the article.
“The old man must be very angry.”
“You find this funny? This is a very serious matter. It’s different from the previous rumors, a love triangle drama… This is a record-breaking disgrace!”
“Am I the only one disgraced? The old man is disgraced too.”
It was obvious that Count Ermeints would also take a hit to his reputation from this controversy.
Already for the fifth time, the fact that he was preparing to marry a young woman was not a good issue for him either. However, he went ahead and released this article despite that. That’s how twisted his mind must have been.
To be honest, the content of the article was the truth without a single lie, so there was nothing to say, but
“How did the old man know I was even getting married?”
“Could it be that Baron Eadalyn said something?”
“Why would he? There’s nothing good that would come from saying it.”
“True, it would only provoke Count Ermeints’s anger…”
“And for some reason, they didn’t reveal Riley’s personal information. Why? If they released such an article because they were blinded by rage, there would be no need to hide Riley Eadalyn’s background.”
“Perhaps they focused solely on making you eat crow, Master?”
“If that were the case, they should have revealed more personal information. Given the large difference in family status, it would have been a much more sensational issue.”
Looking at his previous wives’ families, most of them were either severely declining in fortune or were mostly obscure, nameless families from the frontier.
No matter how great Count Ermeints’s power was, normal households had refused to marry off their daughters as his wife, considering their public reputation and children.
So even if it was revealed that the Eadalyn family was an obscure baron’s family, it wouldn’t be a big problem for Count Ermeints.
But why deliberately?
Did he consider Riley’s feelings despite his personality? No, absolutely not.
Then did he make an unintended mistake because he’s grown senile and his mind has dulled? No, he’s sharper than anyone when it comes to tormenting others.
“Indeed, it’s not a typical rumor but a report on a love triangle drama… It could be a bit problematic.”
“Hmm.”
“How should we respond?”
“Leave it for now.”
“Understood.”
“You have people planted in Count Ermeints’s circle, right?”
“Yes.”
“Increase the number and have them stationed 24 hours. Tell them to report immediately if they see any suspicious movements.”
“Understood.”
It’s not like this is the first or second time dealing with dirty media play, so there’s nothing particularly new about it.
Of course, there might be some damage due to it being a love triangle drama, but even so, it won’t be enough to scratch the prestige of Horizon.
After all, this is a world where even someone like Count Ermeints lives well. Honestly, it’ll probably be noisy for about a week and then die down.
However, a slight uneasiness still remains.
A feeling that something has been missed.
Givnen leaned back in his chair and rubbed his forehead, lost in thought.
‘It’s bothering me. What is it?’
What could he have overlooked?
At this moment, Givnen thought of Riley.
It will take some time for today’s rumor to reach where she lives. It’s fortunate that Riley’s personal information wasn’t revealed, but it was unsettling that Count Ermeints showed uncharacteristically sloppy handling of the matter.
Is this really a mistake, or is it intentional?
__________
“Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”