What is with that woman?! Bernard thought as he stalked toward his room. All he could think about lately was his new wife. I heard that both she and her mother were wicked women, so I was convinced it wouldn’t cause me pain to take her on as my wife in name only. Never did I imagine she’d point out my flaws to me like this!
Bernard had treated Ariel strictly in order to ensure she wouldn’t disgrace House Balladur. But she hadn’t responded to that in any way, and according to her lady attendants, she was living leisurely without a care in the world. Bernard had agonized over whether she was hiding something behind her newfound freedom, when one of the maids had tipped him off that Ariel had a secret child.
He’d swallowed the story and intended to reproach Ariel...only to receive an unbelievable retaliation from her.
“Damn it. I was a fool for blindly believing the maids,” Bernard murmured to himself. “Wait... Was it wrong of me to have instilled in the servants’ minds from the start that Ariel was a wicked woman? I suppose it made everyone prejudiced against her... But I was sure she was a wicked woman!” In a fit of anger, he slammed his fist into his desk.
When he realized what he’d done, he let out a sigh. At the same time, the words of a certain someone rang in his mind. “But take heed, Marquis Balladur. Just because she’s a wicked woman doesn’t mean you can treat her however you want.”
Bernard ran his fingers through his bangs. Count Guivarch was the one who said that to me, he thought, and recalled the event...
After Bernard had first agreed to take Ariel as his wife, Count Claus Guivarch visited his manor. Due to high society’s small social circles, the two had already been acquainted, though they weren’t particularly close.
When Claus first arrived, he smiled so beautifully that even men would find themselves gasping, and asserted curtly, “The lady of House Roussel, Leila, borrowed money from your father, didn’t she? If she tries to offer you a red-haired girl as collateral, do not accept no matter what. She’s my fiancée.”
Staring at Claus’s lovely smile, Bernard frowned. “And here I thought something major had come up, since you showed up out of nowhere. I don’t think you have a reason to interfere in this matter. Or do you want to shoulder the debt yourself?”
“That’d be no problem for me, but my mother-in-law incurred that debt. My angel—in other words, my fiancée—has nothing to do with it, so I don’t want her getting wrapped up in it. Not to mention, I despise my mother-in-law, so I have no desire to repay her debt.”
Upon hearing that, Bernard grasped the situation. “I see... I suppose there’s a troublesome parent in every house.” He himself had gone through a lot because of his father, who had been dubbed “the lecherous marquis.” As someone who had to bear responsibility in his father’s stead, he could sympathize with Claus. However, he was curious about one thing. “But you only mentioned the red-haired girl. If House Roussel offers me a different girl, will that be a problem for you?”
“Not at all. I won’t mind, since it won’t be my fiancée,” Claus replied without any hesitation and smiled. He sounded so nonchalant that it was as if they weren’t discussing an actual person’s life.
Bernard’s eyes widened. “That’s a surprise. You’re known as a bit of a philanthropist, and they say you’re kind to everyone. Yet right now, you’re being shockingly heartless.”
Claus laughed, his eyes shining with an icy glint. “A lot of people have the wrong idea about me. I’m not a philanthropist by any means. If anything, I might be the very opposite.”
“So you’re able to act kindly to everyone because you have no interest in them, huh?” Bernard said.
Claus only smiled in response.
Bernard took that reaction as an affirmation. I see. I thought he was a goody-goody and a model student type, but in reality he’s a blackhearted man who only wears the mask of a gentleman. However, Bernard smirked at the thought. He didn’t find Claus detestable for that. It’s a lot more interesting this way.
“All right,” he told Claus. “If they try to offer me your fiancée, I’ll refuse. I’m bad at remembering women’s faces or names, but you mentioned she has red hair?”
“Yeah, thanks. I appreciate it. By the way, based on the things you said, are you thinking of taking a wife instead of a repayment of the debt? It’s unexpected, since you’re known to be a misogynist.”
Bernard nodded. “It was originally my father’s idea, but I found it surprisingly useful. It’s not a huge amount of money for us. And as you know, I’m a marquis.”
“Of course I do. Everyone knows you’re a misogynist, and yet you still get countless women trying to seduce you. Ah... I see now. You’re looking for a woman repellent, aren’t you?”
“I’m glad you understand.” Indeed, Bernard was relieved that Claus was clever enough to pick up on what he was trying to say. “I want a wife who can act as a woman repellent for me. But if I marry a normal noblewoman, she’ll start asking me to love her or have children with her, and all that couple-y nonsense. But a wife I get as collateral for debt wouldn’t make such demands of me, would she?”
“You have a point.”
“Also...have you heard the rumors going around recently?”
Claus jolted at Bernard’s question. “Rumors...? To be honest, I’ve been so busy with work recently that I haven’t been paying much attention.”
“They say that House Roussel’s Ariel stole all of her stepsister’s belongings, tried to steal her fiancé, and spread all kinds of lies about her to ruin her reputation. You must be the fiancé in question, Claus. Isn’t that right?”
“My, so they dug up that much...” Claus murmured, looking startled.
“What are you talking about?” Bernard asked with a laugh. “Aren’t you the one who spread those rumors?”
“Sadly, I’m innocent. Rather than spread rumors in social circles I have no control over, I prefer to tattle to the person who can actually do some damage,” Claus explained with a composed smile.