MPGF 12

Episode 12: Called a Womanizer by Someone Who Has No Sexual DesireFor the past ten minutes, I quietly reflected on what had just happened to me.

I had gone in to receive the wedding date, only to be met with sudden opposition.

“What’s this all of a sudden…?”

There was no way they changed their mind so quickly.

Someone must have said something to them.

“I have to find out.”

I didn’t have the luxury to wait for my mother to explain. I immediately went to find the butler.

“Butler, was there anyone who visited the mansion today besides His Grace, the Duke?”

The butler nodded.

“As usual, there were many. Shall I show you the visitor log?”

“Yes, please.”

He gladly showed me the visitor log.

• Blandice Hertian

• Milino Trading Company

• Haul Beyor

• Melson Borman
  …
  Besides the Duke, there were merchants and even some patronized painters — easily over twenty people.

“Why did Mr. Melson leave without seeing me?”

It had been a while since I last heard Mr. Melson’s name.

“The Baron said he had to go to the herbalist in the capital and asked to deliver medicine while passing by.”

The butler handed me a bottle of medicine that had been kept safely, saying it was convenient timing. I took the bottle full of new pills and asked again.

“Then, who met with Father or Mother before leaving?”

“Almost everyone. Most matters require the Count’s approval, after all.”

More than ten people.

The most likely was the Milino Trading Company.

They traveled across kingdoms and had excellent intelligence, so passing along some rumors wouldn’t be surprising. Maybe they gave Father some information about Hertian. If Father changed his mind so quickly, it must have been something huge.

“Alright, I understand.”

“Yes, Miss. You don’t look well — did something happen?”

I shook my head at the worried question.

“It’s nothing. Good night, Butler.”

“Good dreams, Miss Anette.”

The butler looked exhausted, probably from dealing with sudden visitors. I didn’t have time to complain. I had no choice but to investigate myself.

Late at night, after my mother left with a sigh watching me sleep soundly.

Click I opened the bottom drawer of my father’s study.

“This is all for Father.”

I wasn’t one to back down just because Father opposed me. Now, I had to check what the evidence actually was.

Father had a habit.

He kept the most important documents in the bottom drawer.

“As expected.”

As soon as I opened it, I saw a crumpled envelope. It was so badly wrinkled that I could tell how angry Father must have been.

I crouched under the desk, took out the envelope, and opened it. I was even curious about the contents. But when I read it, my face flushed with anger.

“Did you really believe such nonsense?”

It was a medical record filled with unbelievable diseases.

Something about the Duke this and that?

Father had a reason for not telling me. He couldn’t possibly tell his daughter such embarrassing things.

I scanned through the record and sighed shortly.

“I knew Father was gullible, but enough to believe this?”

I was so dumbfounded I couldn’t even laugh. To misunderstand Hertian based on this ridiculous record? Besides, the name didn’t even match. No, if it was Father, I could believe it. He never looked at the whole picture when something happened.

“But a medical record…”

Even if this was real, it was a problem. It meant the Duke’s health status was spreading carelessly.

And neither merchants nor nobles would know such details. So who would?

“Mr. Melson.”

Between the teacher’s words and this record, Father had a reason to believe it. But it was hard to understand why Mr. Melson said the record was the Duke’s.

“If Father is that gullible, I’ll just return the favor in the same way.”

The next morning dawned.

At the dining room, as Father and I finished our silent meal, I was the first to break the silence.

“Father. I’ve waited long enough. Please tell me now.”

I urged him to answer, pretending I hadn’t seen the medical records in his study.

“You’re impatient.”

He scolded me while wiping his mouth. His complexion was dark, perhaps from a sleepless night.

“Did you hear anything while you were with His Grace, the Duke, yesterday?”

“Yes. I did.”

His emerald eyes stared at me just like mine.

“What kind of story?”

He took a sip of coffee brought by the servant and said,

“I heard rumors that His Grace has a complicated relationship with women. I can’t give my only daughter to such a Casanova.”

I see.

That was why such diseases were written on the medical record—someone made baseless rumors tying the Duke to women.

“Who spread such rumors?”

“They’re not rumors. I saw the evidence myself.”

“What kind of evidence?”

“That I cannot tell you. There are problems not just with women but elsewhere as well. So just give up.”

Hearing this from Father, it was clear that the rumors were malicious.

If Father worried just from seeing the medical record, it would be one thing. But to mix women into it?

That proved they were baseless rumors spread without knowing the Duke at all.

“Father, I think you’re misunderstanding something. The Duke is innocent.”

“Are you doubting your father’s words and defending a Duke you barely know?”

Well, that’s because I read the original story.

There, Hertian was a man completely devoid of sexual desire!

Words I couldn’t bring myself to say lingered in my mouth.

Seeing me hesitate, Father shook his head, saying I was blinded by infatuation.

“The rumors will spread soon enough. It’s better not to marry than regret it later.”

Convincing Father through conversation was hopeless.

I stood up.

“Then I’ll find out for myself. Whether the Duke really has another woman, whether these rumors are true. If his relationships are complicated, maybe he has an STD—I’ll even ask him to get tested.”

“Anette! Even if that’s not true, there’s nothing good about marrying the Duke. He’s powerful enough to keep mistresses in line.”

Father looked at me with a stern expression, signaling the end of discussion.

“That applies to everyone. Even commoners can cheat. If I give up just because of fear, I’ll never marry anyone in my life.”

“You just throw those men away. But the Duke is different. You can’t just leave him as you please. Thinking of the wounds you might suffer with your weak body, I already get chills.”

A faint sigh escaped.

‘I knew Father would react this way.’

Though I knew Father worried about me, this was not something I could concede.

Without a word, I took out what I had prepared—something I had worked on all night after leaving Father’s study.

“What is this?”

“Articles related to His Grace, the Duke.”

“Why bother collecting such things?”

Father’s response was indifferent.

“The Duke has never had a single scandal, even minor ones common among young nobles.”

“He must have stopped them.”

“Even His Majesty the Emperor can’t avoid scandals, but do you think the Duke could?”

I calmly spread the newspapers, but Father barely showed interest. It didn’t matter. My real goal wasn’t to convince Father here.

“I don’t want to hear about this anymore.”

Father hammered down his authority and showed me a marriage proposal beside the table.

It wasn’t from Hertian, but from someone else.

“I’ve arranged a meeting with the young noble of the Bairn family at noon today. Don’t be late. Easy love is often forgotten just as easily.”

“Father!”

I blurted out at Father’s unusual decisiveness.

“I already sent a letter to the Duke to cancel the marriage. He must have accepted it by now.”

“What? You sent a letter to His Grace?”

Why so aggressive all of a sudden?

Only a few hours had passed since the proposal.

I was stunned.

“If you don’t go to the meeting today, I’ll impose a ban on going out. Understand?”

A strong blow.

I barely held back my anger.

If I fought with Father here, I would lose. If I was banned from going out, everything would end.

I took a few deep breaths to calm myself.

“If that’s what Father says… I have no choice. I’ll go.”

If I couldn’t avoid it, I’d comply.

Then Father might at least listen to me a little.

See? Just saying I’ll go immediately brightened his face.

“Really?”

“I’m only going to meet him.”

“Of course. Just meet, just meet.”

I nodded, resigned, and gathered the newspapers—except one.

“Then I’ll go.”

“All right. Be careful. And dress nicely.”

The remaining newspaper was for Father. Whether he would continue to oppose the marriage after reading it was something only a date would reveal.

Thanks to Betty’s exquisite skills, I was dressed to the nines as I boarded the carriage late.

Leaving the long forest path of the county, the bustling capital came into view.

At the center of the wide square, the statue of the court sculptor Fabian sparkled under the blazing sun.

Looking at the lively scene through the carriage window, my stifled heart seemed to open.

The carriage soon stopped on Olivia Street, the noble’s district.

“We have arrived, Miss.”

Getting off, I handed the driver the letter I had clenched in my hand when he asked when I’d return.

“What is this?”

“Driver, please deliver this letter to His Grace, Duke Blandice, as urgent dispatch before returning to the mansion.”

The reason I came on this forced date chosen by Father was to meet Hertian. He might have changed his mind after receiving the letter. I handed the driver two gold coins as a tip.

“Please deliver it as soon as possible.”

The driver’s eyes widened at the gold and quickly hid the letter deep inside his clothes, then hurried off.

I watched the carriage disappear and caught my hat that almost flew away in the wind.

“Miss Leangberia.”

Turning around, a bouquet of fully bloomed flowers caught my eye.

“Nice to meet you, Miss.”

Behind the flowers appeared a man with a smile brighter than the blossoms.

“Edward Young Noble?”

“Yes. I am Edward Bairn, Miss.”