A Desirable Attitude to Live as an Heiress of a Chaebol Family

Episode 22: What Fate Is (VIII)

“…Since when have you been there?”

“From the beginning. Isn’t that too much?”

“So why are you there?”

Excuse me, Duke.

Teriot tried to reply but simply shut his mouth.

He lived like air, but he never expected to be treated as such. I wonder if this is karma.

As if it didn’t want its butler to mess with someone else’s hair—his hair was already messy anyway—Ruby began to cry loudly and hit the floor with its front paws.

Mew mew, Butler, don’t cheat on me! You shouldn’t cheat!

“Mister. I’m sorry, but could you hold Ruby?”

“…Yes?”

Teriot unknowingly used honorifics and asked back, then looked down at Ruby with a disgusted expression on his face.

You want me to hold that?

At the same time, Ruby looked up at Teriot in the same manner.

You want that to hold me?

Ronell looked at Ruby, upset, not realizing that the cat and human shared the same aversion.

“Ruby, you promised not to cause any trouble.”

Shortly after fleeing from Lloyd, Ronell held the cat’s front paws tightly and quietly nagged.

‘People can be cruel, Ruby. They can really hurt you. Be careful. Okay?’

Whether or not she was aware that the heart of Teriot, who was watching from the sidelines, was becoming complicated, she worked long and hard to persuade the cat.

And less than a day later, Ruby had committed the unspeakable act of slapping the Duke in the face with its tail.

When the cat realized its transgression, it gazed at Teriot as if it had just lost its salmon. Much like the depressed cat, who was the source of this punishment, Teriot had to hold Ruby in a condescending attitude.

It was completely unstable because neither party cooperated.

Ronell smiled beautifully at the well-behaved—sulky—Ruby, then she hastened her efforts to clear the boy’s hair of cat fur. When Bertrand heard that it was finished, he slowly rose from his position.

The bad cat’s good butler faithfully cleaned up the mess.

“I-it’s all set. As Ruby’s butler, I apologize once again. I’ll be careful not to let it do that next time.”

“My condol—.”

Goodness. That cat’s next butler.

Bertrand bit his tongue as he almost reflexively expressed his condolences. Well, that cat seemed to listen to its butler relatively well.

“It’s all right, Ronell.”

Teriot nearly clicked his tongue as he observed.

He’s using honorifics. Is he aware that he’s using honorifics?

Holding the equally stiff Ruby, Teriot pondered whether this was foolishness or a wolf’s ploy—he seriously considered this.

Yet, it did not change the reality that he now has an air-level presence.

Right. Why am I here now?

“And thank you again for your help.”

“I just did what I had to do.”

“Do you want to eat breakfast together?”

Teriot interrupted the seemingly never-ending conversation to emphasize that he was not air.

“No, I have to go back to the Duke’s manor first.”

He only stopped by the House of Duncan because Aicila had asked him to.

“Right, of course. Let’s have dinner tomorrow or the day after. It looks like my daughter is indebted to you after all.”

“I’ll be back the day after tomorrow.”

Bertrand replied serenely as he watched Ronell take Ruby from Teriot and embrace it. Once the rigid cat was safely in the arms of its butler, it started to purr and exhibit signs of love. Its tail started waving, and its ears pricked up.

Fear gripped him as it was the first time he’d ever seen that naughty cat act cute.

Mew mew. What are you doing, Human, get out of here!

The fear subsided only after Ruby’s sky-blue eyes glared at him and showed its temper. Turning away from the cat, which was spitting obscenities with its eyes, Bertrand questioned sheepishly.

“Erm, can I ask you one last favor?”

“Yes yes, what is it?”

It was a bit shameful, but he has to live with it for the time being.

“Erm… how do I get out of here?”

It’s a little too spacious here.

Ronell spoke kindly and led him to the front door. Teriot didn’t say much, Ruby just jeered at him, and Aicila, whom they met at the front door, sighed after hearing the entire story.

It was humiliating.

Even after hundreds of visits to Duncan Mansion, he couldn’t get used to it. Moreover, his normally reliable sense of direction would fail him entirely inside the confines of the mansion.

Bertrand, grumbling inwardly and making evasive excuses, handed the horse to the servant, who bolted as soon as he saw him.

“Welcome back, Your Highness the Duke.”

“Welcome, Your Highness.”

“Welcome, Your Highness the Duke.”

People stood in an orderly line on the porch to welcome the young lord’s return. Showing their respect for their master, they all bowed in unison.

There were maids in charge of the kitchen, gatekeepers, escorts…

Bertrand kindly responded to the people he hadn’t seen in a long time. As he stepped inside the wide porch, the chandelier on the ceiling scattered rainbows around, making him press hard around his tired eyes.

A man stood solemnly amid the magnificent swirling staircase. After seeing Bertrand, his worried, old eyes were tinged with joy.

“Your Highness the Duke.”

He was the butler who served the House of Duke Richard, Jeron. Bertrand opened his arms to Jeron, who had been the head butler since the days of Bertrand’s father, the former duke.

He leaned down gently, and the Young Duke fell into his arms.

“Have you been well?”

“Yes, thank you.”

And the silence returned for a long time. Their surroundings were shrouded in a gloomy blue-gray stillness. Bertrand sighed briefly, noticing the peculiar atmosphere, and Jeron’s lips twitched as he looked into the young lord’s eyes.

“Is it Auntie?”

“It’s Her Excellency, Marquis Winter.”

Marquis Elaine Winter was originally supposed to live in the Marquis’s manor near the Duke’s, but after the sudden death of the former duke and his wife in a carriage accident, she moved to the Duke’s manor for her young nephew.

“She has just returned from her morning service.”

She was a vulnerable person.

A person who was always anxious about losing so many loved ones, including her last nephew. Her blind love became entwined with her depression and manifested itself as excessive concern for her nephew.

Jeron reported as calmly as he could.

“And now she’s in the presence of a distinguished guest.”

“Marquis Winter’s distinguished guest?”

“Yes.”

I’m going crazy. Bertrand swore inwardly, holding back his desire to roll his eyes. He tried to turn around as quickly as he could to avoid his aunt’s distinguished guest.

“Oh my goodness, Bertrand—!”

A delighted voice rang out across the great Duke’s manor. The voice’s owner was so overjoyed for her nephew, who had finally returned, that she didn’t know what to do.

Elaine dashed down the stairs and tightly hugged Bertrand, her distinct, lonely citrus scent wrapping around the boy.

He could feel the warmth of her embrace on his skin. At the comfort that whispered that he was alive, Bertrand couldn’t help but smile and raise his hands. He wrapped his arms around his aunt’s back and hugged her.

“You’re in high spirits, Auntie.”

“For you to be so mature. How have you been? How did your land inspection go? I was so worried.”

“Everything was fine… Thank you.”

Her white hand caressed the boy’s cheek. Elaine hugged her lovely nephew again after a couple of kisses on his forehead.

And Bertrand glared over his aunt’s shoulder with a boiling heart.

A hooded figure stood firm on the stairway where Elaine descended. She began to walk down slowly as soon as their gazes met.

One step. Another step.

There was no noise as if she were walking on the water’s surface. The figure appeared sublime at dawn, like a silver mist silently spreading across the surface of the lake.

Her white hand had removed her hood by the time she arrived at the bottom of the stairs. A beautiful golden color poured down.

The woman who showed her face was smiling, her eyes curled beautifully, lovingly, and dangerously.

…F*ck.

Ferocious flames flashed in Bertrand’s purple eyes.

The young beast’s gaze was filled with hostility. He knew exactly who was stressing her, and he felt compelled to twist her neck right away.

The hatred in the boy’s eyes was cold and hot, but Wirea just twisted the corners of her lips and smiled. Bertrand was obviously a dangerous enemy for her to not be deceived at the Duke’s young age…

“Long time no see, Your Highness the Duke.”

Not being an adult at the same time will limit him in many ways.

Even now. Would Elaine have been as concerned if Bertrand had been an adult rather than a child? Would he have left Elaine Winter’s inane worries alone?

Wirea looked down at him teasingly and took on a theatrical attitude. It was possible because Elaine’s back was facing her as she was hugging Bertrand.

At that gesture, Jeron, who was standing beside him, tried to move, but Bertrand’s gaze was faster. With a single glance, the boy dissuaded the butler, and he then patted his aunt’s shoulder to pull himself away.

“It’s been a long time, Saintess.”

“It’s been a long time, Your Highness the Duke. How is your health?”

“I’m all right.”

“Your face seems slightly pale.”

It can’t be helped, since I had to run all ni— but Elaine cut off Bertrand’s thoughts and began making a scene.

“My goodness. Jeron, Jeron. Does Bertrand’s face look pale to you?”

“No, Auntie. I just—”

“Did you not sleep at night? Is it insomnia?”

“……”

“How do you feel? A fever? Does your throat hurt? You look so pale even to me. What should I do?”

The person who made the remarks that triggered everything was laughing at him.

Bertrand stared intently at the sneering Wirea, pondering over the imagination of biting that long, white neck. He didn’t seem to be able to conceal his creeping murderous intent completely. This time, Wirea raised the corners of her lips even more.

“Ah, Bertrand. If you can’t sleep, I have good medicine for that.”

“I’m all ri—”

“I’ll bring it quickly since it’s usually a good medicine for the body. I eat it often.”

I’ll be back!

Elaine ignored Bertrand’s dehortation and ran to her room. She disregarded etiquette when it came to her beloved nephew’s health.

As soon as she noticed that Marquis Elaine Winter’s brown hair had disappeared through the crack in the door, Wirea slowly took a step forward…

Bertrand stood straight and watched her approach.