# 24
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She looked for Eric because she thought she would have to greet the Duchess alongside him. It would have been better if she and Eric had gone together since she knew the Duchess personally.
And I found him, tipping a glass of champagne while talking to Theo. Chloe approached behind them, but the moment she tried to reach Eric...
“I am so sick and tired.”
“A terrible woman.”
She heard something she couldn't understand. Without realizing it, Chloe stumbled.
She listened some more, thinking the next words would make it clear.
“She's been driving me crazy ever since I saw her at the academy.”
Chloe ran away as soon as she heard this. If she had listened more, her heart would have been completely broken.
She already knew that Eric didn't love her.
But she didn't know that he hated her.
She just felt like she was being treated like she didn't exist.
“I am so sick and tired.”
She couldn't believe he thought of her that way.
'terrible'
She couldn't believe he considered her such a terrible woman.
Chloe's heart was so broken that she couldn't even shed tears. Instead, I laughed in vain. What sin have you committed to hear these words?
She wished she could love someone.
So she loved him.
Was this love so wrong?
“Why...”
So why did he embrace her?
Why was he so considerate of her?
He shouldn't have done anything at all.
Chloe bent down and put her face between her knees. She didn't want to think about anything.
Forever.
* * *
People gathered in the long hallway. This was to see the paintings of the world-famous painter Monti, which Duke Aintri had bought some time ago.
As a surrealist painter, Monti enjoyed painting subjects that could not be seen in this world.
This was also something he had in common with Eric, who was constantly creating things that never existed before in the world. For this reason, Eric, in his own way, loved Monty's paintings.
He was not interested in art itf, but it was necessary to be familiar with arts and culture in order to be able to converse with people of the upper class, so he made sure to cultivate himf. Of course, Chloe must know more than him. He thought it would be good if Chloe could talk to the Duke, so he looked for her.
“You are here.”
After Eric finally found Chloe, he naturally stood by her side. Then he whispered in her ear.
“Please say hello to the Duke soon.”
Since it was Chloe, she would have understood what he was saying even if he only said as much. Because she is a smart woman.
But today… she was acting strange.
Chloe kept staring at the painting, not paying attention to Eric.
"renal?"
Eric put his hand on Chloe's shoulder, but she quickly moved it away and stood upright. The lace swayed at her waist.
“…this painting.”
She slowly opened her lips.
“It's nice.”
In the painting, a man with a rose-like face was standing on top of a pile of machinery and stomping on it.
Chloe looked like the rose was crying. No, was the rose crying and laughing at the same time? I thought about it carefully.
“Yes, of course. Any Monty painting would cost the same as a medium-sized mansion.”
“…Money back.”
Yes. Eric closed his mouth.
It was best not to bring up the topic of money in front of Chloe. It was clear that this would put him in an embarrassing situation.
He was ashamed of himf. He must look mean.
“Why, is this too vulgar for you?”
He replied sarcastically because he felt defensive.
“No, that's not what I think.”
Chloe calmly crossed her fingers and answered. But Eric didn't believe her words. He looked at Chloe with a look of suspicion.
If she had met his eyes, Chloe would have remained silent. But she didn't look at him.
“If you pay back all the money my family borrowed, you can buy one of Monty’s paintings, right?”
That's why she was able to say this.
Because she didn't see the frustration and helplessness in Eric's facial expression.
"…female."
With a look distorted by anger, he scowled at Chloe.
“How long will you look at me like I'm a ar?”
But Chloe just stared at him. Eric looked directly into her blue eyes.
"If I talk to you about money, you say I treat you like a rude man. If I don't talk to you about money, you say I treat you like a poor man."
"You're wrong. I never did that."
"So I wonder what you're doing now?"
Eric managed to hold back his voice. There were a lot of people around, so he couldn't make a noise.
Hoo. Exhale forcefully. A feeling of shame overwhelmed him. He wiped his face with his palm.
“What must I do to make you believe me, my wife?”
Chloe stared at Eric, her expression blank.
She didn't think there was such 'trust' between them, and it wasn't an appropriate word to describe their relationship.
Will there ever come a day when they trust each other and believe in each other? She thought about it, but ultimately decided that this day would never come. She lifted her chin and stared at Eric.
“Act like you're trustworthy then.”
Eric's eyes twitched. Despite his obvious emotion, Chloe turned her face away.
“Because I can't believe anything you say or anything about you right now.”
* * *
Eric stared at Chloe's back. She was now talking with the other noble ladies. From the side, it seemed like a slight smile was creeping on her lips.
But Eric noticed that she wasn't concentrating on the conversation. Gossiping was not in keeping with her noble nature.
He reminisced about trying to improve himf culturally in hopes of striking up a conversation with her. But he never got to use that knowledge, never speaking to Chloe.
He didn't want to talk to Chloe. Rather, he didn't want her to talk to him. If they ever talked, he would still think deep inside how inferior he was to her, and this negative feeling was deeply ingrained in him.
It was the same today. They had a very short conversation about art, but his anger flared up twice.
Eric hated himf whenever he was like this. But the person he hated most was Chloe – he hated her nobility. But that's also what made him like her.
Because he hated something, he loved it anyway. This ridiculous result summed up his character.
“My friend.”
Theo approached him drunk.
There were many younger nobles around him, and when he smelled the foul odor of alcohol, Eric frowned.
“If you're that drunk, why don't you go home and sleep?”
"I'm fine. I'll go celebrate later. Would you like to join me?"
"never."
“Do as you please.”
Theo wiped the alcohol from his mouth with the back of his hand, then poured another glass of champagne.
“It sounded like you were having a very serious conversation with your wife.”
The person who said that was Gatsby, the young gentleman of Lyon County. There has been talk about him assuming the peerage soon.
Eric glanced at Gatsby, remembering his friendly relationship with Lyon County.
“So, the young master cares about other people’s marital relations.”
The ridicule directed directly at him made Gatsby's countenance harden. But Eric was really doing his best, and was showing the utmost kindness to these young men.
“What can I do? Since that lady came to the capital, everyone has been interested.”
That lady.
Multiple meanings can be extracted from just one word, but it all comes down to one meaning.
“Isn’t it Chloe Rolfe? That is Chloe Rolfe, the younger daughter of the most venerable Rolf Duce.”
A woman you can't help but look at with admiration.
A woman no one dares touch.
Chloe was that kind of woman.
“It's not Rolf.”
Eric spoke in a somewhat hesitant voice.
“Her family name is Aslan.”
“Oh, yes yes. That's right.”
Gatsby muttered sarcastically, which angered Eric, but he restrained him. What's he doing, arguing with a drunk man? His current behavior must have made others look at him like a docile person.
“I have heard from His Highness the Second Prince, but it seems that you are going to marry the Fourth Princess, Marquis.”
“That's impossible. You shouldn't be so careless about your rumors regarding the royal family.”
“But isn’t this too specific to be just a rumour?”
Gatsby shrugged. The foul smell of alcohol spread again.
“If I had known how to make a set of machines, the Duke would have given me his daughter in marriage, and you could have married Her Highness.”
He continued, picking up a glass of champagne from a tray held by one of the workers.
Eric felt uncomfortable. He gradually began to understand what they were trying to say.
He had to leave.
Eric turned around.
But at that moment.
“I'm curious. How could Her Highness Noble Lady Rolfe be crying while crouching on the ground, screaming wa wa boo hoo?”
crash!
Gatsby's champagne glass shatters on the floor. It was because Eric punched him hard in the face.
“Oof—!”
“Eric!”
Although Theo tries to stop him, Eric continues to grab Gatsby by the collar.
“You talkative! Why don't you just talk more nonsense?”
Gatsby was still dazed, but when he regained consciousness and realized that he had just been beaten, he raised his voice angrily.
“You'll pay for this! As soon as my father finds out—”
“You're the one who's going to pay for this.”
Eric tightened his grip on the other man's collar, gritting his teeth.
“Do you know how cheap I l those pumps that your family needs for your mines? What if I raise the price? I can strangle you by changing it tomorrow.”