Bardu’s expression at that moment seemed to transcend respect—rather, he appeared overcome with adoration. There also seemed to be an air of relief about him; rather than a heavy burden, he seemed free of an evil spirit. He had the relaxed look of someone who now had something to rely on.
It had been a long time since Arnald last set foot on the Swangan country estate. When he’d alighted the carriage and gazed at the servants lined up in front of the manor house, he’d seen a few familiar faces—albeit more lined and wrinkled than before. Arnald had grown from a child into a man long ago, so it was only natural for those around him to have aged, too, but the sight had underscored the passage of time for him all the same.
Even the manor house, which had once looked enormous to him, now appeared smaller. It had been a strange feeling. But Bardu was just as hale and hearty as he remembered.
Arnald had found it hard to believe that Bardu, a man who loved the Swangan estate and manor house more than anyone, could be capable of embezzlement. He was sure there had been some kind of mistake. That’s why he’d taken it upon himself to ask the servants about his wife and Bardu’s recent behavior, but no one had had a bad word to say about either of them. Bardu had been described the exact same way that Arnald remembered him, and Byletta had appeared well liked, too. He’d been surprised by how friendly she was with them all. After reading the estate reports, he knew that his father had brought her here on several occasions, but he’d had no idea that she was on such good terms with the staff.
Arnald couldn’t help but smile to himself when he remembered the reports he’d received about her “devotees.”
“Were they precise instructions?”
“Yes. Originally, I believed she was consulting with experts before replying to my letters, but from what I just saw, many of the ideas were probably her own. If so, she has a very open mind and is well versed in many subjects. She’s well suited to managing these lands. She also has a strong sense of justice, is quite straightforward, and is a very caring person. Even though it’s not her job to manage the estate of the family she married into, she couldn’t ignore the suffering of the tenants. Her efforts are the only reason that these lands have managed to hold on for the past few years.”
“I see. It appears my wife knows exactly how to handle you,” Arnald commented to his father.
“A good-for-nothing son whose bride keeps trying to run away from him has no room to criticize me.”
The count snorted, then frowned. Whenever he was losing a battle of words, he always tried to shut down the conversation. It seemed that over the years, he’d remained just as shallow a person as he’d been before.
“She’s like the guardian spirit of my kingdom. Beautiful, graceful, and wise beyond belief. I’m envious that you are able to call her your wife.”
Gail, who had remained silent, sounded overcome with emotion. Arnald could see both adoration and zeal in his eyes.
So this is how men come to worship her. Arnald was both exasperated and impressed. It was obvious now that the whispers about his wife entrapping men and dominating them like a siren were nothing more than rumors. In fact, it seemed they were chasing after her without any encouragement at all.
Byletta had a strong sense of justice. She did all she could to help those in need, never spoke as if the achievements of others were her own, and worked hard to support the estate with her business skills. Men might worship her, but it was because of her accomplishments.
He had an impressive wife indeed. It seemed he’d made some mistakes in how he’d chosen to initiate their relationship.
“That girl is such a hassle,” said the count. “She knows that she’s beautiful and she’s confident in both her brains and strength. Although I will say, I think she has one weakness.”
“A weakness? Even though she’s in possession of so many talents?”
“It’s strange, but she seems indifferent to her own worth. Terrifyingly so. Take her appearance, for instance. She must have had a falling-out with the idiots spreading rumors about her, because she loathes that her appearance entices men. It’s as if she believes that her face is only a source of trouble. Not only is she unused to men—she hates them. She seems to believe that any man who is attracted to her or tries to get closer to her is only doing so because they’ve swallowed the rumors. That’s why she leans into them instead of bothering to correct them.”
“She leans into them…?”
“Yes, she’s misled many among our social circle. Believe it or not, she even uses our bickering to lower other people’s opinions of her. And once sentiment has built up against her, she uses that to intensify the rumors. She goes around saying things like ‘Father, you must be so happy that people think a lovely young girl such as myself is your lover.’ It’s truly wretched. I implore you, rectify this slander against me at your next soiree.”
“She had me fooled as well…”
Arnald wanted to sigh in regret.
It was those rumors that had made her the target of his irrational anger.
“She may be your wife, but you foisted her on me. Now you need to take responsibility. Then you’ll see what a nuisance she really is! She never stops talking, and then when she finally backs off, it’s just a ruse to get you to agree to do whatever she wants! Every other word is some snide comment. She’s always scheming to get me right where she wants, that impudent brat! It’s been years and years, and her attitude has never wavered. Teach her to respect her elders. Tell her to treat her father-in-law with the respect he deserves! That girl is—!”
Even though it was Arnald who should have been angry, at some point, his father had usurped him.
The count had been in such a good mood talking about Byletta until now, so Arnald couldn’t understand the sudden change. Perhaps the count had held on to a lot of frustration concerning his daughter-in-law’s behavior and had simply snapped. He seemed to grow more and more enraged, ranting and raving about one thing after the other. Are these really things I need to hear right now? Arnald wondered.
Despite the early hour, it seemed he’d found himself at the mercy of his father’s endless lecturing. Even as a child, he had never suffered anything like this.