He can't help but turn away. She can't close her eyes for even one night without his embrace, so how dare he let a dog lie down where a tiger once lay? How dare she become someone's wife, a man without even a modest title? To protect a mere territory like this...
'Have you seen my treasure chest? I'm going to give the best of it to you and Ivana.'
It was a whisper that would not leave his mind. The moment he heard it, Sybil felt anger surge from head to toe at the sight of Else frozen in place. For the first time, he put his hand on her neck and Else shook him off and twitched hysterically.
Even as dawn came and he felt the scars and bruises that had appeared here and there around her neck, he could not forgive Else. The cowardice of that woman who wanted him and yet was determined to cut him off so easily... It tormented him endlessly.
With a face that said it was really nothing... The time limit and expiration date that she had drawn for him were funny. Else said that when that time passed, he would be cut out and pushed out of the world. So endure her... Sybil didn’t know where to start and where to stop correcting that shallow error.
But one thing was clear. Else would not die, and she would not marry. She was the King's woman, and there was only one man she had to be faithful to until the day she died. There was no other choice.
Her nape was a mess. The basic attire of the noble women of Travasta was a dress with deep curves that revealed their puffy chests. Even women with small breasts would tighten their corsets to make their chests look as puffy as possible, and they would expose their shoulders to look as elegant and alluring as possible. Therefore, keeping their napes clean was a basic quality for noble women. However, Else was not a typical noble maiden of Travasta. Else’s neck and chest were always dirty with traces of men, and she heard gossip that her private life was also a mess because of the men who would dirty her neck every night.
Even though Lugdun was a rural area, there couldn't be no exchange with the neighboring territories formed around the Tridene River. In addition, Else was a very beautiful noblewoman. It was impossible for the lord's daughter, who had inherited her mother's delicate beauty and delicate charm, not to be talked about in the neighboring territories.
She was a young lady of overwhelming beauty in the humble Lugdun, which had no special products or famous places, and her beauty was the only pride of the small and barren territory. In other words, Else was a famous person in Lugdun who made a fuss in the area with her captivating beauty alone.
If her father had been a little more ambitious, he would have certainly wanted to take the great lord's son-in-law, who would inherit the great farm and the title of Viscount, as his son-in-law. Of course, courtship and engagement are separate matters, and there are many hurdles to overcome before marriage can take place. In any case, Else was clearly the most beautiful maiden in the kingdom.
“...I guess a necklace won’t be enough?”
The maid who was tidying up the dressing table glanced at Else and hurriedly looked away. Else looked at the flustered maid and then stared at the man who was wrapping a long towel around her and drying her wet hair. After mixing her body in a sticky manner, Ian put her in the wooden bathtub and poured hot water on her. His long fingers were affectionate and soft.
Else lowered her head and smelled the rose oil on her skin. The fresh and elegant scent was due to the rose oil that Ian had personally mixed into the bath water. She looked at the hand running through her long hair. The fresh rose scent was also coming from his hand.
Roses are beautiful, but she doesn't like their scent very much. If she had to choose a scent for her bath, she would rather have the scent of moonflower than rose. However, Ian said that roses suited her well. Else obediently followed his advice, but sometimes she felt that he was dressing her up as a woman of his taste.
“Just go out there.”
She muttered without looking at him. Ian didn't listen to her words telling him to just leave. He just kept his wet hair fluttering. He looked up at him because he felt uncomfortable with the maid unilaterally teasing him.
"Why?"
“Get out of here...”
Else bit my lips at the cold air in his blue-gray eyes. The maid who was organizing the dressing table froze and clasped her hands together.
“Can’t you hear what the young lady is saying?”
At Ian's words, the maid ran out of the bedroom as if she was being chased. Else glared at him with hostile eyes. Ian was not respectful to the servants in the castle. If we were to distinguish between their social statuses, Ian was a slave and the servants were commoners. However, Else did not want Ian to be looked down upon by anyone in the castle. She wanted to be the only one who beat and tormented him, even though he was constantly tormenting her.
“You go out too.”
Else got up, pushed his hand away, and started walking. Her shoulder was immediately grabbed.
“Isn’t there anyone else who can take care of you?”
“I'll call you again.”
“There’s no need to call me again. Men know what men like best.”
He pulled her lips gently. Else glared at him, trembling. Ian didn't even glance at her and walked over to the vanity.
“Your skin is clear and smooth, so anything would suit you. Ruby is too shallow.”
Ian glanced at the ruby the maid had chosen, then threw away the stone as if throwing it away and picked up the emerald. Else shook her head.
“I won’t do that.”
After picking up the ruby he had thrown, she pushed his chest. The necklace with the oval-shaped ruby was the one Millium had given to her when she was engaged. Naturally, it was a set with the engagement ring, and it was an expensive luxury item that Else also considered precious because it had been brought in from the royal capital at a considerable price.
Since Lugdun was located on the eastern border, her father always managed the estate frugally. However, he did not spare anything for Else's food and clothing, and he also told her to be diligent in her appearance. He thought that was the only way to preserve the image of the lord's family.
Else, who had never set foot in the royal capital, knew how extravagantly the women of the royal capital dressed. A few years ago, a girl of her age who was a distant relative of her maternal side had visited the castle. Her mother and Else's mother were second cousins, making Else and her second cousin.
The first time she met the girl who was her cousin, she looked very much like Else. But what was more impressive was her gorgeous dress. The puffed sleeves and bell-shaped crinoline. The multiple pearl necklaces that adorned her neck and the rose corsage on her chest were very extravagant.
She must have been fifteen years old. It was amazing that a girl of Else's age could dress up so extravagantly. When Else openly praised her dress for being extravagant, the girl snickered and said that in the royal capital, such things were not considered adornment. The fact that she had kept her adornment simple because of the long journey by carriage strangely grated on her nerves.
It didn't seem to be a show-off, as the dress she wore at the banquet the next day was even more extravagant and luxurious. If a girl of only fifteen was more extravagant than her mother, who was the wife of a lord, it was obvious how delicately the noble maidens of the royal capital would adorn and decorate themselves. Else didn't have the confidence to win against such women. Even if she lived in a remote rural estate, if she was the daughter of a noble, she would have been able to debut in the royal capital and find a decent groom at least once, but Else...
Else was too much of a woman to do something like that. To be honest, she knew nothing about Travasta's social circle. Even when she was young, and even now... She was a woman with many flaws. Still, she knew how beautiful the maidens of the royal capital were adorned with jewels.
She could guess how much Millim's father had paid for the engagement gift. It was a whopping 5,000 Rotels. It was said to be similar to the price of the mansion he was staying in in the capital. So it was something to be treated with care.
“This is a worthless fake. How dare you hang something like this around your neck.”
He snatched the necklace back from her hands and snapped at her coldly. Else glared at him in anger.
“It’s not fake. You don’t even know me... Get out!”
Ian's face hardened as Else reacted sharply and reached out to retrieve the necklace.
“Do you like it?”
The hand that held the necklace tightly as if it were going to crush it was firm. She reached out to grab it, but her fingers that couldn’t reach it twitched shallowly. As Else tried to raise her heel and stretch it high, Ian’s hand grabbed her shoulder.
“Give it here.”
She twisted her caught shoulder and groaned. Her sunken face was cold.
“I asked if you liked it.”
“Sir Roxanne gave it to me. Give it to me.”
Else bit her dry lips and hardened her face. The engagement gifts were all precious. Her father had given them to her, telling her to keep them safe, and Else, knowing the weight of the gifts, had kept them carefully since she was a slacker. Unlike other noble families, the Roate family rarely held banquets or evening parties. Milium, the son of Sir Roxanne, also rarely visited Lugdun, so she rarely adorned herself with the precious metals she had received as gifts, but today was a special day, two months before the wedding.
“You like this kind of fake?”
“It’s not fake. Don’t say that.”
“Else.”
Ian called out to her softly as if warning her. Else glared at him with seething eyes and screamed.
“Don’t call my name when you’re my servant!”
'Have you seen my treasure chest? I'm going to give the best of it to you and Ivana.'
It was a whisper that would not leave his mind. The moment he heard it, Sybil felt anger surge from head to toe at the sight of Else frozen in place. For the first time, he put his hand on her neck and Else shook him off and twitched hysterically.
Even as dawn came and he felt the scars and bruises that had appeared here and there around her neck, he could not forgive Else. The cowardice of that woman who wanted him and yet was determined to cut him off so easily... It tormented him endlessly.
With a face that said it was really nothing... The time limit and expiration date that she had drawn for him were funny. Else said that when that time passed, he would be cut out and pushed out of the world. So endure her... Sybil didn’t know where to start and where to stop correcting that shallow error.
But one thing was clear. Else would not die, and she would not marry. She was the King's woman, and there was only one man she had to be faithful to until the day she died. There was no other choice.
***
Her nape was a mess. The basic attire of the noble women of Travasta was a dress with deep curves that revealed their puffy chests. Even women with small breasts would tighten their corsets to make their chests look as puffy as possible, and they would expose their shoulders to look as elegant and alluring as possible. Therefore, keeping their napes clean was a basic quality for noble women. However, Else was not a typical noble maiden of Travasta. Else’s neck and chest were always dirty with traces of men, and she heard gossip that her private life was also a mess because of the men who would dirty her neck every night.
Even though Lugdun was a rural area, there couldn't be no exchange with the neighboring territories formed around the Tridene River. In addition, Else was a very beautiful noblewoman. It was impossible for the lord's daughter, who had inherited her mother's delicate beauty and delicate charm, not to be talked about in the neighboring territories.
She was a young lady of overwhelming beauty in the humble Lugdun, which had no special products or famous places, and her beauty was the only pride of the small and barren territory. In other words, Else was a famous person in Lugdun who made a fuss in the area with her captivating beauty alone.
If her father had been a little more ambitious, he would have certainly wanted to take the great lord's son-in-law, who would inherit the great farm and the title of Viscount, as his son-in-law. Of course, courtship and engagement are separate matters, and there are many hurdles to overcome before marriage can take place. In any case, Else was clearly the most beautiful maiden in the kingdom.
“...I guess a necklace won’t be enough?”
The maid who was tidying up the dressing table glanced at Else and hurriedly looked away. Else looked at the flustered maid and then stared at the man who was wrapping a long towel around her and drying her wet hair. After mixing her body in a sticky manner, Ian put her in the wooden bathtub and poured hot water on her. His long fingers were affectionate and soft.
Else lowered her head and smelled the rose oil on her skin. The fresh and elegant scent was due to the rose oil that Ian had personally mixed into the bath water. She looked at the hand running through her long hair. The fresh rose scent was also coming from his hand.
Roses are beautiful, but she doesn't like their scent very much. If she had to choose a scent for her bath, she would rather have the scent of moonflower than rose. However, Ian said that roses suited her well. Else obediently followed his advice, but sometimes she felt that he was dressing her up as a woman of his taste.
“Just go out there.”
She muttered without looking at him. Ian didn't listen to her words telling him to just leave. He just kept his wet hair fluttering. He looked up at him because he felt uncomfortable with the maid unilaterally teasing him.
"Why?"
“Get out of here...”
Else bit my lips at the cold air in his blue-gray eyes. The maid who was organizing the dressing table froze and clasped her hands together.
“Can’t you hear what the young lady is saying?”
At Ian's words, the maid ran out of the bedroom as if she was being chased. Else glared at him with hostile eyes. Ian was not respectful to the servants in the castle. If we were to distinguish between their social statuses, Ian was a slave and the servants were commoners. However, Else did not want Ian to be looked down upon by anyone in the castle. She wanted to be the only one who beat and tormented him, even though he was constantly tormenting her.
“You go out too.”
Else got up, pushed his hand away, and started walking. Her shoulder was immediately grabbed.
“Isn’t there anyone else who can take care of you?”
“I'll call you again.”
“There’s no need to call me again. Men know what men like best.”
He pulled her lips gently. Else glared at him, trembling. Ian didn't even glance at her and walked over to the vanity.
“Your skin is clear and smooth, so anything would suit you. Ruby is too shallow.”
Ian glanced at the ruby the maid had chosen, then threw away the stone as if throwing it away and picked up the emerald. Else shook her head.
“I won’t do that.”
After picking up the ruby he had thrown, she pushed his chest. The necklace with the oval-shaped ruby was the one Millium had given to her when she was engaged. Naturally, it was a set with the engagement ring, and it was an expensive luxury item that Else also considered precious because it had been brought in from the royal capital at a considerable price.
Since Lugdun was located on the eastern border, her father always managed the estate frugally. However, he did not spare anything for Else's food and clothing, and he also told her to be diligent in her appearance. He thought that was the only way to preserve the image of the lord's family.
Else, who had never set foot in the royal capital, knew how extravagantly the women of the royal capital dressed. A few years ago, a girl of her age who was a distant relative of her maternal side had visited the castle. Her mother and Else's mother were second cousins, making Else and her second cousin.
The first time she met the girl who was her cousin, she looked very much like Else. But what was more impressive was her gorgeous dress. The puffed sleeves and bell-shaped crinoline. The multiple pearl necklaces that adorned her neck and the rose corsage on her chest were very extravagant.
She must have been fifteen years old. It was amazing that a girl of Else's age could dress up so extravagantly. When Else openly praised her dress for being extravagant, the girl snickered and said that in the royal capital, such things were not considered adornment. The fact that she had kept her adornment simple because of the long journey by carriage strangely grated on her nerves.
It didn't seem to be a show-off, as the dress she wore at the banquet the next day was even more extravagant and luxurious. If a girl of only fifteen was more extravagant than her mother, who was the wife of a lord, it was obvious how delicately the noble maidens of the royal capital would adorn and decorate themselves. Else didn't have the confidence to win against such women. Even if she lived in a remote rural estate, if she was the daughter of a noble, she would have been able to debut in the royal capital and find a decent groom at least once, but Else...
Else was too much of a woman to do something like that. To be honest, she knew nothing about Travasta's social circle. Even when she was young, and even now... She was a woman with many flaws. Still, she knew how beautiful the maidens of the royal capital were adorned with jewels.
She could guess how much Millim's father had paid for the engagement gift. It was a whopping 5,000 Rotels. It was said to be similar to the price of the mansion he was staying in in the capital. So it was something to be treated with care.
“This is a worthless fake. How dare you hang something like this around your neck.”
He snatched the necklace back from her hands and snapped at her coldly. Else glared at him in anger.
“It’s not fake. You don’t even know me... Get out!”
Ian's face hardened as Else reacted sharply and reached out to retrieve the necklace.
“Do you like it?”
The hand that held the necklace tightly as if it were going to crush it was firm. She reached out to grab it, but her fingers that couldn’t reach it twitched shallowly. As Else tried to raise her heel and stretch it high, Ian’s hand grabbed her shoulder.
“Give it here.”
She twisted her caught shoulder and groaned. Her sunken face was cold.
“I asked if you liked it.”
“Sir Roxanne gave it to me. Give it to me.”
Else bit her dry lips and hardened her face. The engagement gifts were all precious. Her father had given them to her, telling her to keep them safe, and Else, knowing the weight of the gifts, had kept them carefully since she was a slacker. Unlike other noble families, the Roate family rarely held banquets or evening parties. Milium, the son of Sir Roxanne, also rarely visited Lugdun, so she rarely adorned herself with the precious metals she had received as gifts, but today was a special day, two months before the wedding.
“You like this kind of fake?”
“It’s not fake. Don’t say that.”
“Else.”
Ian called out to her softly as if warning her. Else glared at him with seething eyes and screamed.
“Don’t call my name when you’re my servant!”
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