~Chapter 20~
âWhere are the Viscount and Madam now?â
Surely they hadnât gone out for work already?
I never expected to meet the Garnet couple like this, but this was the best chance to see what kind of people they were.
âTheyâre both in their offices.â
âOh, theyâre both here? Perfect. Help me get ready to visit them.â
âWhat? No, milady, you canât. The doctor said you must rest in bed today.â
Sophia stopped me and pushed me back onto the mattress.
But I was worried they might leave the mansion, so I sat up again.
âThey need to know what happened to their daughter, right? I faintedâbecause of them!â
It seemed my guess was right about Amelieâs relationship with the Viscount couple. Even though their daughter fainted, they didnât stay by her side.
But more important than that was whether these two had the potential to be the hidden villains.
âTheyâre staying away for your sake. But they said to tell them the moment you woke up, so Iâll bring them here.â
âAlright, please do.â
When Sophia left, I braced myself.
If those scary faces from last night really belonged to them, meeting them now was terrifying.
Donât panic. They wonât cut off my head today⊠probably.
I tried to calm my pounding heart with nonsense rationalizations.
Knock, knock, knockâ
The door opened slowly.
âGasp.â
The Viscount and Madam entered, and I froze.
âSo it wasnât because it was darkâŠ?â
Even in the light, their faces were just as stern as last night.
And tall, with a heavy, intimidating presence.
âHrmm.â
The Viscount coughed once and sat. His wife sat beside him near my bed.
Sophia quietly slipped away.
âSophia, where are you going?â
She avoided my eyes.
âIâll bring the tea the Viscount ordered.â
And she left meâalone with them.
âSophia, how could youâŠâ
Now I had to face the Garnet couple by myself.
âWhat kind of daughter faints when she sees her parents?!â
The Viscountâs booming voice broke the silence.
âS-sorry. Last night it was dark, and I only had a candle, soâŠâ
I quickly apologized with a pitiful look.
âDidnât I tell you to keep the corridor lights on, even at night?!â
ââŠRight. Sorry.â
I had never heard that before, but somehow it made me apologize anyway.
âWhy are you saying sorry when you did nothing wrong?!â
ââŠHuh?â
âI told you to stop bowing your head for nothing! Whatâs so lacking in you that you keep shrinking? How will you survive this world if youâre so timid?!â
Wait⊠what was this?
It sounded like scolding, but the meaning was basically: stop apologizing when itâs not your fault, and be stronger. Almost like⊠encouragement?
âAnd what were you doing up so late at night? Do you want to get sick again and make everyone suffer, like last time?â
Once the Viscount started, he wouldnât stop. His thundering voice felt oddly familiar.
What do they call this kind of person again? Someone who pretends to be harsh but actually caresâŠ
âOh. I remember.â
He was a tsundere, wasnât he?
âSo⊠you were worried about me, right?â
ââŠDonât ask obvious things.â
He turned his head away. That sealed itâthis man was a hardcore tsundere who doted on his daughter.
âDoes your head still hurt?â
The Madam spoke softly.
âNo, Iâm fine. Just a bump. Nothing serious, they said.â
ââŠIâmâŠâ
ââŠSorry?â
Her voice was so tiny I couldnât hear. I leaned closer.
âI couldnât catch that, Madam. Please say it again.â
ââŠIâm so glad youâre safe.â
âAh⊠you must have been very worried. Sorry about that.â
âDidnât I tell you not to apologize!â
The Viscount roared again.
The two of themâone thundering at volume 100, the other whispering at volume 1âwere so extreme it almost made me laugh.
How could these two be married? And how did this family produce Amelieâs face? Truly a mystery.
âWhy did you reduce your guards to only one?â
âBecause itâs uncomfortable having too many follow me. I only go to the training grounds or the market. Eric is enough.â
Thanks to my odd thoughts, I felt less nervous now. I could answer him without flinching.
âEnough? I heard a filthy brat threatened you at the training grounds. And you still say one guard is enough?â
He even called the dukeâs son âfilthy brat.â Bold.
âEven with more guards, it wouldnât change. Eric handled it quickly.â
âFine, this time Iâll let it go since he was punished. But if anyone dares be rude again, tell me. I wonât let it pass.â
He clenched his fist tightly, his voice heavy with menace.
âLysa already gave him a lesson, so I doubt itâll happen again.â
âStill, increase your guards! Who knows what kind of scum could appear?â
âAlright, alright.â
âAnd⊠do you still chase after that princeâhm, I mean, His Highness?â
Did he just call Richard âthat prince bratâ?!
He looked at me carefully. He already knew Amelie used to like Richard.
âNo, I donât like Richard anymore.â
ââŠYou really mean that?â
âYes, I mean it.â
âThen why do you keep going to the imperial knightsâ training ground?â
âTo cheer for Lysa. And I made some friends there too.â
His face brightened instantly.
Of course. What father would like his daughter chasing a prince out of her league? His relief showed how much he cared for her.
âIn that case, Iâll allow it. And since you prepare things whenever you visit, tell the butler to assign servants. Use them.â
âThank you, I will.â
âBut never give your heart to the prince again!â
âYes, yes, donât worry.â
âBe carefulâhis face is dangerous! Donât get fooled by that handsome look again!â
He scolded me louder and louder, repeating the warning.
I could imagine exactly how much Amelie must have gushed about Richard at home before.
âReally, Iâm used to him now. His face doesnât bother me anymore.â
âUsed to it? As if you could ever get tired of such a face! Donât trust yourself. Keep your guard up!â
His words slammed into me like thunder.
It felt⊠ominous.
The more he warned me, the more uneasy I became.
lmao they’re making him out to be some great temptation