Chapter 17: It’s Enjoyable When I Do It
The knight’s presence and the atmosphere weren’t bad. But somehow, she felt like she talked more with Dernick than with the knight. Should I be happy about this or not?
Even as Classie returned to her room, she couldn’t find an answer. The only thing she realized as she opened the door was that she had forgotten where she left the ragged bouquet.
But the moment she opened the door, all those thoughts disappeared instantly.
“Merran?”
Merran was sitting on the sofa in the drawing room, arms crossed, snorting.
“Why are you here?”
Classie checked the wall clock and asked with a frown. The maid, Anna, who had followed her in, tattled on her.
“She said she had something to tell you and came by late at night. When she found out you weren’t here, she just sat there like that.”
The drawing room door was never locked, but Classie always kept her bedroom door securely shut. Because of that, Merran hadn’t been able to enter the room and had just been fuming out here.
“It’s late. Why are you here? You should be sleeping.”
Classie spoke in a lecturing tone as she opened the bedroom door and stepped inside.
“Where did you go?”
Merran ignored her words and asked directly.
“Oh dear, Lady Merran. You’re even stricter than Madam!”
Anna joked lightly, but no one laughed.
Classie handed her outerwear to Anna and replied dryly.
“I just went out for some fresh air. I didn’t get to eat properly after arguing with you.”
“So, you ate something.”
“Mhm.”
“With whom?”
Anna, holding both a bathrobe and pajamas in her arms, lifted them slightly toward Classie. Classie pointed at the bathrobe. Anna nodded and quickly slipped into the bathroom, avoiding the tension.
“Why aren’t you answering? Who did you eat with?”
Merran asked again, stepping closer to Classie.
“Just….”
Classie evaded the question.
“Did you have dinner with Sir Kishin?”
Merran asked sharply as she plucked a petal off Classie’s elbow. It had fallen from the ragged bouquet.
You should use that sharp mind for studying instead of focusing on interfering with my marriage!
Classie grumbled inwardly as she took off her gloves—then suddenly, she had a brilliant idea.
“I had dinner with Dernick.”
She twisted the truth just enough.
Merran prioritized obstructing her courtship above all else. Classie intended to use that against her. If she said this, Merran’s attention would shift straight to Dernick. And, technically, what she had just said wasn’t a lie.
“Sir Dernick?”
Maybe because it was such an unexpected answer, Merran’s voice sounded unconvinced.
Classie took the petal from her hand and placed it on her desk.
“Yes. I went to return the bouquet and ran into him.”
‘That’s true too!’
But Merran wasn’t so easily convinced.
“Auntie, you’re lying, aren’t you? Even if you ran into him, why would you have dinner with Sir Dernick?”
“I’ve already had dinner with him twice now.”
“!”
Classie thought she was starting to understand, at least a little, why Merran found so much amusement in interfering with her courtship. Seeing Merran, who was always so irritating, looking genuinely surprised was honestly kind of fun.
“A second time? How did that happen?”
Classie almost spilled everything but bit her tongue just in time.
‘No, I can’t. Merran’s way too sharp. If I tell her everything, she’ll get suspicious. I usually hate it when she interrogates me like this.’
“Do I really have to explain everything to you?”
She deliberately responded in her usual blunt tone. Merran narrowed her eyes.
“Well, not necessarily… but you’re so naïve.”
“And yet, in front of others, you describe me as some kind of romance expert. Why the sudden change? You’re ridiculous.”
“I’m only saying this because I’m worried about you! To me, you’re basically an immature mother!”
From inside the bathroom, Anna banged on the door.
“My lady, should I add the bath salts?”
Perfect timing. Otherwise, Classie would have snapped back, Why the hell am I your mother? and that would’ve started another full-blown argument with Merran.
“Yes!”
Classie called back loudly before pretending to hesitate for a moment. Then, she spoke to Merran.
“Dernick sees my eldest sister as his benefactor. We talked about that.”
‘That should convince her that I really did meet Dernick.’
Merran frowned.
“He told me the same thing.”
“Oh? Then it must be true. I wonder why I never knew. Has my sister ever mentioned Dernick to you?”
“No.”
Merran’s displeased expression almost made Classie hum in satisfaction.
“I see. Oh, by the way, Dernick asked about her keepsakes.”
“Keepsakes?”
“Yes. So, I told him you have most of them.”
Classie continued dropping positive comments about Dernick, making it seem like she was genuinely interested in him.
Initially, this was just a way to divert Merran’s attention. But as time passed, Classie became more and more amused by her reactions, so she kept going.
* * *
Her efforts paid off the next day.
Around 11 a.m., Dernick sent someone to Merran with a message: he had something important to ask and wanted to meet for lunch.
Normally, Merran would have played hard to get. She knew she had the kind of looks that made people fawn over her. She also knew that the colder she acted, the more her suitors pined for her.
But today, Merran accepted immediately.
“Where did he say to meet?”
This was all thanks to Classie’s relentless talk about Dernick yesterday.
After setting the time and place, Merran went straight to Classie’s room just to brag.
“Auntie, Sir Dernick sent someone to me. He wants to have lunch together.”
Classie, who had been lying on the sofa reading a book, covered her face with it—to hide her smile.
“Oh? He must want to talk about the keepsakes.”
She deliberately raised her voice slightly.
“Probably. Looks like I’ll be having lunch separately today.”
Merran cheerfully flaunted the news and left the room.
As soon as the door shut, Classie pushed the book off her face and rolled around on the sofa, laughing.
That was a brilliant move! Merran’s completely lost interest in Kishin! I just have to keep this up!
But as she calmed down and went back to reading, she realized—just letting it end here felt like a waste.
‘How many years have I suffered at Merran’s hands?’
After the terrifying rumor spread that Classie had killed her eldest sister, noble families of similar standing, including the Kalashi count’s house, refused to arrange a political marriage with her.
But that was the sentiment of the parents arranging such marriages. Among the young men, there were a few who ignored the frightening rumors and still approached Classie.
Even if they had continued to pursue her, their courtship would never have led to a marriage approved by both families.
However, Classie never even made it to that stage. The few brave young men who approached her were all intercepted by Merran.
If they were easily swayed by beauty, Merran lured them in with an angelic smile. If they had soft hearts, he played the role of a pitiful victim. For the clever ones, he countered with a bright personality and witty conversation. His arrows never missed their mark.
‘I won’t act like Merran forever… but I should at least interfere a few times!’
Classie checked the clock. Merran’s meeting time was fast approaching.
Excited, she grabbed her hat, gloves, and cloak, then dashed out into the hallway and down the stairs in one breath. When she reached the garden where the carriage was being prepared, she spotted the coachman slowly driving it forward.
“Are you coming along as well, my lady?”
“Yes. I was worried about sending her alone.”
She lied effortlessly and climbed into the carriage before anyone could stop her.
For a brief moment, she wondered if this was really okay. Her act of pretending to be interested in Dernick had only been to divert Merran’s attention—and it had worked.
But now that she had decided to tease Merran one more time, she felt a little uneasy. Winning someone’s favor was Merran’s specialty, after all.
Classie had once been bright, lively, and fond of people. But after the false rumors spread in her hometown, she only kept close to her family and a few trusted friends.
That deepened her friendships but left her lacking the refined social skills naturally learned in high society. Could she really go up against Merran, a master of social maneuvering?
That worry vanished the instant Merran stepped into the carriage and made a face of utter disbelief.
“Why are you here, Auntie?!”
Of course, she could handle her. She had raised her, after all.
“I’m your guardian. I couldn’t let you meet a strange man alone—it worried me. Let’s go together.”
Classie smiled sweetly. Merran recoiled in horror.
“No way!”
Ignoring her, she swung the carriage door wide open and patted the seat beside her.
“Hurry up and get in. It’s cold.”
* * *
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