Chapter 59

"Nadia Vine! Are you going to keep me standing here like this?!"

Even as I stood there in shock, Melissa continued to call out to me with her loud voice. I wasn’t sure if it was because of my mood or the structure of the castle, but her voice sounded so clear. I thought her voice would even reach the guests in the annex, and the embarrassment was unbearable.

"Ugh, I need to go out and greet her first. Otherwise, she won’t shut up."

"Yes, my lady."

Marie seemed displeased with Melissa’s rudeness, but she agreed that I needed to get her to stop talking.

"First, I need to change... my clothes!"

Unfortunately, due to my morning "couple’s business" with Altear, I was in a complete mess. I wanted to wash up and get dressed properly before going out, but Melissa’s constant shouting left me no time for that. Thanks to Marie’s skilled hands, I was able to quickly get ready and leave the room. As I walked towards the entrance with hurried steps, my heart pounded. Melissa. Melissa Vine. I thought I would never see her again after leaving the Vine Marquess family. I didn’t think I would seek her out, nor did I think she would seek me out... I thought our relationship was over forever... The jumbled thoughts in my head finally came to a halt when I reached the main gate. I saw Melissa standing there, her face full of irritation, facing off against Pavel.

'But why does she look...'

Melissa, who always wore a gorgeous dress and was perfectly made up, looked quite disheveled. Her dress, though still as beautiful as before, was heavily wrinkled and dirty from the long journey, and her hair and makeup were a mess. Of course, her attitude was as domineering as I remembered.

"There is a distinguished guest at Eilsford right now. It would be troublesome if you cause a disturbance."

It seemed that Pavel had come out to handle the situation before I did, as Melissa’s loud voice had suddenly stopped. Melissa looked at Pavel with a scowl, clearly upset by his firm attitude.

"Are you, a butler, lecturing a lady of the Marquess family?"

"At the moment, Lady, you are behaving in a way that lacks dignity, to the point where you are being lectured by a butler. This is Eilsford. Please maintain the dignity of a visitor."

"What, dignity?"

Melissa let out a hollow laugh, as if she found it absurd, and raised her hand, ready to slap Pavel. Pavel stood his ground, even though he could see the attack coming. He knew it was inappropriate to lecture a noble, but he must have been prepared to take a hit from the start.

'No, I can’t let this happen!'

Melissa’s hand was so harsh! Several servants in the Vine Marquess family had been dismissed due to her violent behavior. She often lashed out at me too... The bad memories made my face pale. I closed my eyes tightly and quickly stepped in front of Pavel.

"Stop it!"

Melissa narrowed her eyes, still holding her hand up, as she saw me intervene.

"Nadia, Nadia. You finally show up? I even sent you a letter, but you weren’t prepared to greet me at all."

"That letter was one-sided. I didn’t even reply, and you came here on your own..."

"On my own? You’re my cousin. Do you need permission to visit your cousin?"

The tone of her voice seemed to imply, "Just to see you?" I shuddered. Seeing her fierce glare, I couldn’t find the words. Melissa smirked, as if to say, "Of course," and pointed at Pavel with her chin.

"And you, step aside for a moment. I haven’t scolded that arrogant brat yet."

Her words made me snap to attention. I might be used to such treatment, but I couldn’t let the people of Eilsford be at her mercy.

'I am the Lady of Eilsford. I am their mistress.'

I can’t act foolishly like I did in the Vine Marquess family. I need to pull myself together and protect the people of Eilsford.

"Don’t. This isn’t the Vine Marquess family, so you don’t have the right to lecture the servants. I’ll handle it."

"You don’t have the right? You’ll handle it?"

"Yes."

Instead of stepping aside, I spread my arms to protect Pavel. I heard Pavel call out "My lady" cautiously from behind me, but I ignored him, glaring. Melissa’s eyes sparkled with interest.

"Wow. You’ve really gotten a big head, becoming a lady, haven’t you?"

Melissa laughed and lowered her raised hand. I straightened up, relieved that the situation was under control, but her eyes flashed dangerously.

"Then I’ll have to teach the owner who can’t properly discipline their subordinates a lesson."

Before I could react, Melissa swung her hand quickly. I didn’t have time to dodge. Memories of the Vine Marquess family flashed through my mind. I remembered her fiercely grabbing my hair, and my body stiffened. I couldn’t even close my eyes. Just as I braced for the pain, a large wall appeared in front of me. It wasn’t a wall, but a person’s back.

'Altear?'

"Ouch!"

At the same time, I heard Melissa’s scream. I stepped out from behind the wall and saw Altear, with his usual expressionless face, firmly holding Melissa’s wrist.

"What are you doing!"

Melissa’s head snapped up, her face full of anger, but she froze when she saw Altear’s cold expression.

"You, of all people..."

Altear’s voice was chilling as he tightened his grip on her hand.

"Ouch!"

"What are you doing, daring to do this in Eilsford?"

"Aah! It hurts! Let go... Ah!"

Altear pushed Melissa away as she struggled to free herself. The force sent her stumbling backward, and she fell on her bottom. She glared at Altear, grinding her teeth.

"For a knight to treat a lady like this, you’re truly a country knight, ignorant and rude. Call the lord! I demand an apology for this rude treatment!"

"There’s no need for that. I am the lord."

"…What?"

"I am the Lord of Eilsford."

"Lord... So, you are Nadia’s husband, the Lord of Eilsford?"

Melissa stared at Altear, her face full of disbelief. She finally stood up, pointing at Altear’s face and blinking.

"That’s impossible. I was told the Lord of Eilsford was a cripple and an ugly man. There’s no way he could be... a handsome man like you..."

Altear, standing there, was a proud and handsome lord. The people of Eilsford, who had been standing by, grimaced at her comments. But Melissa, facing an unexpected situation, didn’t seem to notice their gazes. Even if she did, she wouldn’t have cared.

"Those nasty rumors spread by Balhail must have reached the capital from the eastern region."

Altear stroked his face and leaned to one side.

"Unfortunately, I am not a cripple. I’ve never been called ugly either."

Altear’s handsome appearance was an objective fact that no one could deny. Melissa’s mouth dropped open as she looked at me.

"You, you, you...! How did you marry such a handsome man...? It’s impossible!"

Before I came to Eilsford, Melissa had been excitedly spreading rumors about my future husband. She seemed delighted that I was marrying a cripple and an ugly man. I only found out the rumors were false after coming to Eilsford, so Melissa must have still believed them.

"It’s impossible..."

Melissa kept muttering, "It’s impossible," as she alternated her gaze between me and Altear. Altear, watching her, snorted and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, then turned and walked into the castle.

"Hey!"

Melissa, left behind, shouted in surprise.

"What are you doing? Hey! Hey!"

Altear stopped and turned his head to look at her. Their eyes met, and she flinched, stopping her shouting.

"So, what do you want?"

"W-What do I want? When a guest arrives, you should welcome them politely..."

"Do you consider someone who barges in uninvited a guest? Such a person is called an unwelcome visitor."

"But I am Nadia’s cousin! I even sent a letter!"

"Did my wife give you permission to visit?"

"W-Well, no..."

Altear’s sharp gaze made Melissa shrink. She turned her gaze to me, and her earlier meekness turned to confidence.

"If you treat me like this, do you know what rumors will spread in the capital? That Nadia Vine married into wealth and became ungrateful, such stories will spread far and wide."

"Is that all you have to offer? Pitiful."

Altear clicked his tongue and instructed Pavel.

"Give her a room in the annex. She’s noisy and annoying, so it’s better to keep her away."

"Annoying...!"

Melissa protested the harsh words, but both Altear and Pavel ignored her completely.

"But there’s still someone in the annex... Is it okay?"

"It might be for the best. If someone keeps making noise, they might get so annoyed that they leave early."

Altear glared at Melissa, and she flinched, her shoulders hunching.

"You."

"Yes, yes?"

Altear, who had been fierce with Melissa, suddenly smiled at her. It was a very chilling smile.

"Keep making noise in your room. That’s the price for an unwelcome visitor barging in without notice. Understand?"

***

Melissa was soon led to a guest room in the annex. As soon as she was left alone, she followed Altear’s instructions.

"Aaaah! I’m so frustrated!"

Of course, it wasn’t out of a desire to follow Altear’s instructions.

"What is this? This is... completely different!"

Melissa, trembling with anger, started throwing things around the room. The frustration was overwhelming, and she couldn’t control it.

'Where is the cripple and ugly man? Where is the poor and miserable Nadia Vine?'