Chapter: 58
Seraphina, sitting alone inside the carriage, trembled with rage.
‘How could Gregory do this to me?!’
She understood why he was on edge because of Larit.
After all, it was practically as though everything had been taken from him—the title of Viscount Ansi, as well as the Ansi Viscounty itself.
Seraphina herself had experienced all sorts of difficulties in high society after her falling-out with Larit, hadn’t she?
Gregory had suffered an even greater blow than she had, so she had thought she could understand if he became a little neglectful toward her.
But still.
‘Even so, how could he treat me like this?!’
An icy voice fell from Seraphina’s lips.
“Let’s go to the Gusto County family’s townhouse.”
And so, she arrived at the Gusto County family’s townhouse.
Seeing Seraphina suddenly show up, the servants couldn’t hide their troubled expressions.
“Lady Lopez?”
“What brings you here…?”
And Seraphina noticed the subtle change in the servants’ attitudes.
Normally, they would have fawned over her as though they would gladly give her the liver out of their own bodies.
Now, although they maintained polite expressions on the surface, they were unmistakably keeping their distance from Seraphina.
Seraphina deliberately drew a smile across her lips.
“Where’s Gregor?”
She deliberately used Gregory’s pet name, trying to show off her close relationship with the owner of the townhouse, Gregory, but—
The servants still couldn’t hide their awkward expressions.
“Th-He’s gone out.”
“Gregor… went out?”
He should know that I’m attending the Piony social gathering today.
If this had been before, he obviously would have come to pick me up…
‘Does this mean he’s started putting other appointments before me?’
A tiny crack appeared in Seraphina’s picture-perfect smile.
“He said he would be a little late today.”
“Then I’ll wait inside.”
“Pardon?”
Without waiting for an answer, Seraphina strode into the townhouse.
She had come and gone from this place almost as though it were her own home, so she knew the layout of the mansion as well as the palm of her hand.
“L-Lady Lopez!”
A flustered servant called out to Seraphina.
Ignoring them, Seraphina slipped into the drawing room.
She leaned back comfortably against the sofa, then tilted her head and looked up at the servant.
“Why?”
Seraphina’s smile deepened slightly.
It was clearly her characteristic gentle smile.
And yet, somehow, it sent a chill through the air.
“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of throwing me out?”
“……”
The servant stared at Seraphina with a complicated look before eventually shaking their head and stepping back.
“…How could we possibly do that?”
Seraphina spoke arrogantly, almost as if she were the owner of the house herself.
“I’d like some warm tea. Would that be possible?”
“Yes, of course.”
A little while later.
Refreshments and black tea were laid out on the table.
It was the brand of tea Seraphina usually enjoyed.
“……”
Only then did Seraphina’s mood ease a little.
At least Gregory had still kept refreshments and tea for Seraphina stocked in the townhouse.
That fact was a great comfort to her.
‘Still.’
As Seraphina enjoyed the fragrance of the steaming black tea, her eyes sharpened.
‘I can’t just let this go.’
She couldn’t afford to lose Gregory as well.
Absolutely not.
That evening.
When Gregory finally returned home late, his eyes widened in surprise.
“Serra, what brings you here?”
“Nothing much. I just realized that we haven’t really spent any time together lately.”
Seraphina smiled sweetly with her eyes.
“I stopped by since it’s been a while since I’ve seen your face. What do you think? Aren’t you happy to see me?”
She had expected Gregory to welcome her warmly and be delighted to see her.
But Gregory’s reaction was utterly lukewarm.
“Why are you making such a fuss?”
“…What?”
At the unexpected response, Seraphina blinked blankly.
“We saw each other in the Gusto County as well, didn’t we?”
Gregory dropped heavily onto the sofa and rubbed his face with an irritable hand.
“Since we’ve met like this anyway, let me ask you one thing.”
“Ask me what?”
“How do you see it?”
Gregory hesitated for a moment before continuing with a sigh.
“…About Larit.”
Larit again?
Deep wrinkles formed between Seraphina’s brows.
“I thought Larit declared our engagement broken off in the heat of the moment, but surprisingly, she seems to be holding onto it for quite a while.”
Gregory glanced at Seraphina.
“But… there’s no way Larit could have forgotten me.”
“That…”
“She’s just sulking a little, right? She’ll come back to me eventually, won’t she?”
Despite his desperate questions, Seraphina didn’t answer.
No, she couldn’t answer.
She merely stared at Gregory with a face as cold as ice.
“Serra?”
Gregory called her name suspiciously.
“Ah.”
Only then did Seraphina suddenly come to her senses and give Gregory a playful glare.
“Gregor, I’m a little hurt.”
Once again, Seraphina playfully scolded Gregory in a coquettish voice.
“We haven’t seen each other in so long, and all you’re going to do is talk about Larit?”
“……”
Gregory looked at Seraphina with a thoroughly calculating gaze.
There had been a time when he would have fallen head over heels for even one of Seraphina’s sweet words or affectionate glances.
But now…
‘Serra… is of absolutely no use to me.’
Of course, it was true that he had secretly felt proud while going around with Seraphina.
Along with Lady Claudius, Seraphina was one of the most noticeable ladies in high society at present.
She was beautiful, her mannerisms were charming, and her way of speaking was soft and gentle.
One could say she was naturally someone who attracted the favor of the opposite sex.
But that was all.
‘If things continue like this… I’ll really end up completely penniless.’
Unable to overcome his anxiety, Gregory clenched his molars.
Although the Gusto County family ranked higher than the Viscounty of Ansi, Gregory was, strictly speaking, the second son.
He couldn’t inherit the title.
For Gregory to survive somehow…
‘No matter what it takes, I have to hold onto Larit.’
But what was the reality?
The small yet valuable Ansi Viscounty.
The title of Viscount Ansi.
…And Larit herself.
While he had been distracted by Seraphina, wasn’t he on the verge of losing all of it?
Moreover, Larit had recently become dazzlingly beautiful, unlike how she had been before.
Beautiful enough that several young noblemen had begun taking notice of her.
His insides twisting with jealousy, Gregory suddenly shot to his feet.
“It’s getting late, Serra.”
Seraphina looked up at Gregory with a bewildered expression.
“Gregor?”
“Go home now. I’m tired and need to rest.”
Leaving Seraphina alone in the drawing room, Gregory strode out without another word.
“Gregor!”
Seraphina jumped to her feet and hurriedly called after him.
But Gregory didn’t even turn around.
“You really…!”
Left alone, Seraphina’s face twisted viciously.
It was nearly midnight when Seraphina finally arrived in front of the shared townhouse where she was staying.
“……”
Seraphina stared at the building with sunken eyes.
In truth, simply being able to own and live in an independent townhouse in the capital was itself a kind of privilege.
One had to be wealthy enough to afford the capital’s exorbitant land prices, and the cost was so astronomical that most nobles couldn’t even dream of it.
So when impoverished nobles had no choice but to stay in the capital for an extended period, they generally used townhouses shared among several families.
‘I’m sick of this.’
Seraphina was one of them.
Still, because it was a building where nobles lived together, it was kept clean and well maintained.
But after being in the luxurious townhouse of the Gusto County family just moments ago, there was no way she could be satisfied with this place.
This was a place that took quite a long carriage ride to reach from the center of the capital, where most of the nobles’ townhouses were concentrated.
‘When will I finally be able to escape this cheap shared townhouse?’
Seraphina’s eyes sharpened.
Larit.
Gregory.
Until now, with the help of those two people, she had managed to act as one of the most prominent ladies in high society.
But every time she stepped into this place, she couldn’t help but feel it.
The difference between a lady of the Lopez Barony, which didn’t even possess a tiny fief of its own and had nothing but an empty title…
…and the only daughter of House Claudius.
‘I hate it so much.’
Seraphina ground her teeth as she entered the townhouse.
Her deep green eyes, which young noblemen in high society had endlessly admired, calling them “like the finest emeralds,” were now sharply narrowed, radiating a vicious murderous intent.
Bang!
The door slammed shut violently under her rough hand.
The surroundings fell silent.
