Chapter 32: If You Interfere With Me, I’ll Interfere With You Too
“She was all dressed up when she left. I guess that was why.”
“My goodness. Where did she find such a stunningly handsome man? Who is he?”
Karen tried to hide it, but the admiration was clear in her voice.
Merran responded in a lowered tone.
“That’s Sir Kishin.”
“Sir Kishin? Isn’t he that guardsman?”
“That’s right.”
Merran hardly blinked as she watched Classie and Kishin standing in front of the carriage, conversing with cautious expressions.
Karen set her coffee cup down next to the cookie dish and returned to the window.
Merran gripped the curtain and bit her lip. She was too angry to bear it. It was absurd.
“I waited all day, worrying about when Aunt would come. But she ditched me and went off to have fun with a man. Look at that face.”
Merran exhaled sharply through her mouth. Her clever and sharp mind grasped Classie’s scheme at once.
“Sir Dernick was just bait!”
“Bait?”
“Yes. Aunt deliberately invited Sir Dernick here to keep me occupied while she went on a date. She didn’t want me to follow her!”
Karen glanced at the coffee cup she had brought. It seemed she’d better clean it up.
Merran, fuming, paced around the sofa before slamming a cushion down.
“This is just too much. I feel like a fool, worrying about Aunt being late. Has she gone crazy over a man or what? Did she really want to go on a date so badly that she had to ditch her niece in such a low, petty way?”
Merran let out a big sigh, and suddenly, as if she couldn’t take it any longer, she threw open the door and ran out into the hallway.
Karen quickly followed after her.
* * *
Meanwhile, Classie had no idea that Merran was storming toward her in anger. She simply walked into the house in a cheerful mood.
She hadn’t discussed much with Kishin about what would come next. There were no talks about dating properly or going on another date.
They had just shared their long-standing misunderstandings like a joke.
Besides, even after the misunderstanding was cleared, Kishin remained a quiet man. He was nothing like Dernick, who would chatter on endlessly even if left alone.
But Kishin always listened attentively when Classie spoke. When she paused, he would respond with a pleasant, low voice.
Classie, who had completely given up on Kishin, now found her feelings doing a full 180. She thought maybe things could work out with him after all.
The only reason Classie wanted to marry was because of inheritance law. But if she was going to marry anyway, it might as well be someone she liked.
Classie took off her coat, draped it over her arm, and danced up the stairs. But midway, her path was blocked by Merran.
“Merran.”
Seeing the stormy look on Merran’s face, Classie immediately realized that Dernick hadn’t shown up after all.
Well, of course. Dernick had left with a serious face after receiving a summons from his father—there was no way he would suddenly show up here.
‘What now? She looks like she’s not doing well. Should I comfort her?’
But there was no need. Before Classie could say anything, Merran launched the first attack.
“Aunt, you’re so clever. The moment you figured out who I liked, you used it against me. You kept me stuck at home waiting for Sir Dernick, while you went out to have fun alone.”
With that single sentence, Classie realized Merran had seen Kishin through the window. In fact, it seemed she’d already figured out the entire situation.
Merran asked coldly, “Did you even invite Sir Dernick?”
Though Merran was confrontational, Classie—who was in a rather generous mood—chose not to argue. She simply changed the subject.
“You said you never asked which family Sir Dernick is from, right?”
“Look at you, changing the subject.”
“Well, I found out which family he’s from.”
“…Which one?”
Classie patted Merran’s arm and brushed past her.
“You don’t like me changing the subject, so I won’t tell you.”
“Aunt!”
Momentarily pacified by curiosity, Merran grew even angrier when Classie teased her and chased after her.
Classie pretended not to notice and entered her bedroom, hanging her coat on a chair.
Anna, having come to greet Classie, was startled when she heard Merran’s shouting.
“Oh my, Lady Merran waited all day for Lady Classie, and now you’re fighting as soon as she’s home?”
“She’s bullying me!”
Classie snorted.
“When did I ever? And when did you wait for me? You were waiting for Sir Dernick. Now that he didn’t come, you’re taking it out on me.”
Merran, furious, shouted again.
“Aunt!”
As Classie cheerfully hummed while undressing, Anna gave her a look like she was a clueless child. Reluctantly, Classie stopped humming.
Then, as if she had no choice, she began to explain to Merran.
“Honestly, Anna always sides with Merran. Fine, I’ll tell you. But don’t be shocked.”
Anna, who had just entered, blinked in confusion.
“Sorry? Shocked by what?”
But Merran, unable to contain her curiosity, quieted down again. She sealed her lips and waited for Classie to continue.
Classie exclaimed as if she were revealing a tremendous secret.
“Don’t be too shocked, everyone. Sir Dernick is the only son of Grand Duke Siwil!”
Merran’s mouth dropped open in surprise.
But although Anna was impressed, she couldn’t immediately recall who Dernick was. Unlike Merran, Anna didn’t have much interest in him.
In contrast, Merran, excited, grabbed Classie’s arm and shook it.
“Really? Did you ask him directly?”
She asked adorably, then suddenly narrowed her eyes and interrogated her.
“Aunt, don’t tell me you met Sir Dernick today?”
Classie mixed in some truth to make it sound good for Merran.
“Well, things got tangled and it just turned out that way. Sir Dernick happened to be at the place I went to. I was surprised, too. I definitely invited him to our house, remember? So I asked him why he was there, and he said he didn’t want to accept my invitation, so he deliberately didn’t come.”
Hearing that, Merran calmed down and asked again.
“Sir Dernick really said that? That’s so mean of him.”
“Exactly. His personality is terrible. He said it himself. So don’t blame me for running into him outside. How was I supposed to know he’d reject my invitation?”
“That’s true.”
Anna finally remembered who Dernick was and joined in the excitement belatedly.
“Oh my, ladies. Are you talking about that silver-haired young man who looks like a doll? That young lord is the only son of the Grand Duke Siwill? The one His Majesty the Emperor dotes on more than his own children? There were even rumors he might be His Majesty’s real son because of how well he treats him!”
“Anna, that’s just nonsense.”
“Of course, I know that. For that rumor to be true, the Grand Duchess and the Emperor would have to be close, but anyone can see they’re distant.”
Classie was about to tell Anna not to even speak of such rumors, when she noticed Merran unusually quiet and glanced over at her.
Their eyes met, and as if she had been waiting, Merran asked,
“But Aunt, where exactly did you go to meet both Sir Kishin and Sir Dernick?”
Even in her surprise and excitement, Merran didn’t miss the point.
‘So clever.’
Classie clicked her tongue inwardly, lamenting how Merran only used that brain against her.
Classie’s parents were nobles, so she couldn’t become a common official. But she also had no title to inherit, so she couldn’t become a noble official either.
Living far from the capital, she couldn’t become a palace maid, and due to a condition that made her legs stiffen when her health declined, she couldn’t become a soldier.
Classie clung to inheritance because, realistically, she had no other path to maintain her current life.
But what about Merran? As a future marquess, she could become a noble official if she wished. So why did she spend her whole life getting in Classie’s way?
“Aunt. Why aren’t you answering? Where did you go to run into both Sir Kishin and Sir Dernick?”
Classie hesitated. Should she tell her or make something up?
After a short pause, she decided to send Anna away first.
“Anna, I’m hungry. Can you get me something to eat?”
Anna, who had been absorbed in the conversation between Classie and Merran, didn’t want to leave. But she couldn’t refuse an order, so she reluctantly dragged her feet out.
Once they were alone in the room, Classie brought up the matter with a serious tone.
“Merran. You like Sir Dernick, don’t you?”
Merran folded her arms and narrowed her eyes.
“Why are you dodging the question again?”
“No, listen to me. Merran, Sir Dernick is the only son of a Grand Duke, but since you’ll inherit the marquisate one day, you’re still a good match for him. There are many powerful nobles in the capital, but you’re not without a chance. You know that, right?”
“You’re trying to gloss things over with compliments so I’ll forget my question, right? I’m not falling for it, Aunt. You think I’m still a child?”
“No, just hear me out. Merran, you definitely have a chance. But that doesn’t mean you’re the best match for Sir Dernic.”
Though she had said not to sugarcoat things, Merran clearly didn’t like hearing the harsh truth either and immediately bristled.
Before Merran could open her mouth, Classie preemptively clamped her hand over it.
“This is what I’m saying, Merran. Do you want to be with Sir Dernick? Want to become the Grand Duchess? Then stop getting in my way.”
Merran, irritated, shoved Classie’s hand off and protested.
“What does that have to do with anything? There’s no connection at all!”
“There is. A very close one.”
Classie put on an unnecessarily serious face and asked,
“Sir Kishin and Sir Dernick are close friends, right? Then what do you think Sir Dernick would feel if you toyed with Sir Kishin?”
“!”
Did it work? Merran’s mouth dropped open, but no sound came out.
Encouraged, Classie lowered her voice like a strategist revealing an important secret.
“If Sir Dernick were just an ordinary noble, you could continue living the way you are. But he’s the only son of a Grand Duke. If you want to win him over, you need to start managing your social reputation.”
Merran pouted and glared at Classie.
“You’re just beating around the bush. What you’re really saying is this: If I get in the way of you getting close to Sir Kishin, then you’ll use Sir Kishin to get in my way too, right?”
* * *