The Substitute Bride Is Adored by the Clumsy Margrave

by Usui Takumii

not mine, wuxia world. Waiting for the translater to update.

3. 21 to 30

Jean asked a maid to lead him to Clarisse's room, and as they passed through the hallway, he heard Mary's sobs from inside. He thought Mary was at his aunt's house. For that strong maid to be crying? It must be an emergency.

Jean knocked on the door, wondering as to what was wrong, and to his surprise, it was Sid who opened the door. He immediately put the puzzle pieces together and realized Mary had come with Sid.

"Jean, look, just calm down, okay? … Don't lose your temper, alright?"

"What?"

"Just promise me you won't lose your temper, no matter what you see."

Hearing those words, he knew his intuition was correct. He pushed Sid aside and entered the room, where Clarisse was sitting on the floor with a bright crimson-stained cloth on her forehead, desperately trying to comfort Mary, who was crying hysterically.

In a low voice, he asked Sid, "What happened here?"

Sid could tell that Jean, who still remained expressionless, was truly furious.

"I'm not sure… we only heard the sound, but it seems that Miss Farenheit pushed Clarisse towards the bookshelf…"

"I'm killing that woman."

Even though "kill" was a figure of speech, he had to say something to calm his nerves. He turned around and was about to leave the room when Clarisse's voice reached his ears.

"Jean-sama! You came!"

The relief in her tone indicated that Clarisse was really pleased with Jean's arrival, and he immediately turned his full attention to Clarisse and nothing else. He made his way to her side in a few steps, avoiding the books scattered about, and kneeled down in front of her.

"Are you okay? Let me see your wound."

He gently squeezed her hand and softly removed the cloth, letting out a little exhale as the wound appeared smaller than he had expected. The bleeding had stopped now, and the wound didn't look to be very deep to an inexperienced eye. But a wound is a wound, and the thought of possibly having a scar left on her forehead made his insides boil. As soon as they get back to his aunt's house, he'll summon a doctor to examine it.

"I think a book fell on me from above and hit my forehead. It doesn't hurt that much. In the meantime, I'll make some medicine for the wound… I'd like you to pick some herbs from the garden, Mary."

With those words, Mary finally stopped crying and left the room to get the herbs and materials Clarisse had instructed her to get. Having been with Clarisse for so long, Mary was able to recognize some of the herbs and knew how to use them. Sid also tactfully left the room to leave Jean and Clarisse alone.

As soon as Sid stepped out, Jean didn't hesitate to hug Clarisse.

"You poor thing. You must have been scared."

"Rather than being scared, I was startled… I'm sorry, Jean-sama, the dress is probably stained with blood, and you went out of your way to buy it for me."

"I don't care about the dress."

Jean's body was much larger and muscular than her, and when she was wrapped in his, she let out a sigh of relief and gently rested her cheek against his shoulder. It was a childish gesture, but her body relaxed when she felt his heat. As he sensed the change in Clarisse, his arms tightened even more.

"My sister… is a pitiful person who needs to destroy the happiness of others to be satisfied."

"She is a stupid, a person who doesn't even deserve to be called pitiful."

Jean, still quietly furious, cut her off in one swift breath.

"…But if she stays like that, no one will take care of her, and one day she'll be all alone."

"Even though she…"

"But I shall turn a blind eye to it. Jean-sama, in some way, this is the punishment for sister Matilda."

Clarisse said in a firm tone. To Jean, this wasn't even close to punishment, but it was a matter for Clarisse to decide, and he had no right to say anything about it. He silently rubbed the purplish bruise on Clarisse's left wrist. The bruise must have been from when that woman took her ring. How could she be so kind to her sister when she had been mentally abused ever since she was a child, and even today, hurt physically?

At that moment, a hesitant knock came from outside, and while supporting Clarisse, who was struggling to stand up, Jean opened the door.

"You are…"

There stood the Viscountess Farenheit with a pale face.

"The maids were talking about Clarisse's injuries, and then I realized you two were here, so…"

Jean carefully checked Clarisse for any signs of concussion, then sat her down on the couch across from the Viscountess, and cross-legged he sat next to Clarisse. When her mother saw the scar on Clarisse's forehead, tears welled up in her eyes. Her mother was a person who always cried silently in these situations.

She wiped away the tears with a handkerchief, and then, as if she had made up her mind, the Viscountess opened her mouth.

"Margrave Gutenberg, you've known everything about our family, haven't you?"

Jean didn't answer the question but just shrugged his shoulders.

He didn't have good feelings towards this mother – he was angry and resentful of her for not protecting Clarisse enough – but the reason for her coming here was obvious, so he asked bluntly.

"If you're here, I assume that means you are going to talk about it with me?"

"Yes, Clarisse, if you want to hear it too, I will tell you everything."

Clarisse's violet eyes sparkled with intense light.

"Mother, please tell me everything about the Farenheit family."

Chapter 21, part 2

TW: Toxic relationship, mention of abortion, mention of abuse

Clarisse's violet eyes sparkled with intense light.

"Mother, please tell me everything about the Farenheit family."

For a brief moment, the Viscountess remained silent, as if she was unsure how to speak.

Jean suddenly realized that Clarisse had the same hair color as her mother, and her face was also somewhat similar to hers, except for the color of her eyes.

"Clarisse, you're probably aware that my father is a fallen viscount. Before our downfall, I had a fiancé who had pledged his future to me; we were childhood friends, and I always thought I would end up marrying him."

Clarisse was surprised. She knew, of course, that her mother came from a fallen viscount family, but she had no idea that her mother had previously had a fiancé.

The couple's families had known each other for a long time, and the original fiancé was the second son. The young couple had a perfect relationship in which they cared for each other, and although his family was not wealthy, they believed that together, they could build a loving and peaceful home for the rest of their lives.

The Viscountess's mother, Clarisse's grandmother, had died a long time ago, but she was reassured by the fact her daughter would have a happy marriage to her childhood friend.

"It's just that… My father, deceived by the sweet words of his relatives and impatient to grow his business which ended up failing…by then his family's finances were in ruins, so he selfishly broke off my engagement and decided to marry me to Viscount Farenheit, who offered to financially support my family… so he and I eloped with the intent of never returning to the capital.

"Eh…?"

'Father… tried to marry my mother using money…?'

"Of course, my father and Viscount Farenheit immediately sent out their chasers, and we were brought back three weeks later. I heard that he was sent straight to a neighboring country. I told my father I would never marry anyone; it had to be him. But he locked me up in a room and wouldn't let me out until my wedding day, six months later."

"Oh no…"

Clarisse had never thought that her mother, who had been hiding in the shadow of her father, would have such a memory, and the story broke her heart.

"And then, in the days leading up to the wedding, I found out that I was carrying his child in my stomach."

Clarisse gasped.

'It's sister Matilda.'

"I couldn't tell my father because I knew that if he were to found out, he would probably try to beat me into abortion. I really wanted to have his child… but of course… my husband found out."

The Viscountess pleaded to the Viscount, "As you see, I am a bad woman; please break off our engagement."

To which, the Viscount said, "I will not play into your hands. You are going to chase after that man if I let you go, aren't you? I will not allow that."

Despite her older age, her mother is still a beautiful woman, so Clarisse can only imagine what she must have looked like in her youth. Her father was probably sickly obsessed with her for that reason.

And the Viscount still stood by his words, "You will still be punished for your actions, so be prepared for that."

Even after her mother was sacrificed and married off to the Viscount to save her family's finances, her family still went bankrupt and lost their title. By the time Clarisse was born, her grandfather, the source of all this, had died in disappointment.

"I didn't understand at first… whatever my husband meant by what he said. After Matilda was born, he loved her very much and cared for her as if she was his own, but after you were born, Clarisse, I understood what my husband meant."

Of course, Clarisse was the offspring of the Viscount, but to the Viscountess, It was nothing but suffering to share a bed with a spouse who was not in love with her, but when the Viscount told her that it was her duty to birth an heir, she could not refuse. Her family had already fallen, and she had nowhere to go, so she had no choice but to do as the Viscount said; however, when the child was born, it was a girl, and the Viscount was quite disappointed.

As soon as he found out that the eyes of the newborn Clarisse were violet, he began to treat his second daughter coldly, even though she was his own child.

Instead, he spoiled and adored the child she had with her former fiancée even more, as though she were not. Matilda was a very beautiful child, but her appearance resembled her ex-fiancé, so one would expect him to hate the child.

"There were times along the way… when I was wary… that he was actually thinking of getting his hands on Matilda himself…"

They weren't related by blood, so she wondered if that was the case, but as expected, it didn't seem to be.

"One day he told me this, fortunately, Matilda had a beautiful face so he would use her as much as he could. From the start, he made it clear that he saw my daughter with that man as an asset to sell. He said that he would spoil her and make sure that she would not have the intelligence to think for herself, and turn her into someone who would never think about eloping like me…. He pretends to be a good-natured viscount on the outside, but on the inside, he's really a cunning man."

Clarisse was deeply frightened when she learned of her father's true nature. It was not that he adored Matilda because she was cute, but that he had hidden such twisted thoughts in his mind.

Jean interrupted coldly.

"You say he's cunning, but he seems to be lacking in various areas. Well, I suppose he is the worst, the kind of person who gets tough with the weak, and in fact, Miss Farenheit grew up just as the Viscount had planned. As her mother, you could have stopped him, and yet you did nothing but watch."

"…I know you might think this is an excuse, but I did try to stop him in the beginning… Matilda is his child, and I wanted to take good care of her…. But every time I stood up against him, the Viscount would abuse me physically.. and in the worst cases, he would lock me up inside the mansion… and before I knew it, every time I wanted to stand up against him, my body would tremble and lose the ability to say anything. Besides, I felt that whatever I do will upset my husband, and I didn't want any harm to come to our children."

'It's true… mother never objected to anything father did… but to know that she went through such a thing…'

Clarisse recalled her childhood.

Come to think of it; her mother was more kind than usual when her father was not around. When her father was around, she would become awkward and uncomfortable. She never imagined that the reason for this was because her father had been violent to her behind closed doors.

Tears began to spill from her mother's blue eyes. Still, she continued to speak.

"Around the time I got pregnant with Clarisse, there was a servant in the Farenheit household who had violet eyes… and the Viscount suspected I was involved with him for that reason… even though Clarisse really is the Viscount's child… and even though I told him many times that children with violet eyes are occasionally born in my family, he didn't believe me."

The Viscount thought that it might not be the boy he had been waiting for, but for it to be a child born of his wife's infidelity with the servant! That thought alone made him begin to see his second daughter as the enemy.

He was not afraid to state that he did not have any children of his own and that his daughters were merely tools to expand his power. Her mother was frightened that she would be forced to sleep with him in order to produce an heir, but the Viscount said that he had no intention of having anything to do with an adulterous woman and although he had had several mistresses, he had never had a child with any of them.

"I'm sure you've done your research, Margrave Gutenberg. Our family's finances are on the verge of bankruptcy."

"Yeah."

Jean simply nodded.

"It was during this time that he decided to marry Clarisse off. In fact, he wanted to marry her off to the Marquis Günther, but I guess he couldn't disobey a royal order."

"Marquis Günther's… to the second son? That loose-head? Well, indeed that family is financially well off, but…"

Jean gritted his teeth. Thank God Clarisse was not offered to Günther as a bride. She was mistreated and had a hard life, and if she were to be sent to that family, it would only worsen.

"My husband was willing to marry Clarisse off to anyone as long as he could make money. I think he carefully looked into which house would pay the highest amount of money, and when he realized that Clarisse wouldn't bring him anything, he rushed to use Matilda…"

"I see, so that explains the current situation with Marquis McCain's son?"

longer release as promised╰(*°▽°*)╯

How do you feel after knowing the truth behind Clarisse's family ? Her father is disgusting

Also, I'm thinking of picking up a new Japanese novel, do you have any request or recommendation? I have tons of books in my amazon basket but no idea which one to go for o(*￣▽￣*)ブ yes I choose novels with beautiful covers then move to read the

Chapter 22, part 1

"Did you know about Marquis McCain's heir?"

"Even though it's been a while since I've been to the royal capital, it doesn't mean that I haven't been receiving information… and since I arrived here, well…"

Clarisse blinked because, during the strategy meeting, Jean and Sid had told her that they had been working on gathering information since they had arrived in the royal capital. But they hadn't said anything about her sister's fiancé.

"Why do you think the heir to a great nobleman like the Marquis of McCain is still unmarried despite being over the age of 30?" Jean asked Clarisse.

"Is it because of a certain circumstance?"

"That's right."

Because of his origins, Gregory McCain had never struggled for money once. It seemed that he was incapable of committing himself to anything because he knew that he would be able to live lavishly off his inheritance in the future.

Even as an adult, he was flirtatious and careless with women, and already had several children out of wedlock. His mental capabilities are so bad that he can't even conduct political affairs properly. However, he manages to keep up appearances as an heir to the family due to the excellence of his attendants.

Since he was young, his parents have been trying to arrange marriages for him, but every time he got himself involved in a scandal, the first time with fraud, the second time with a woman, and the third time with money.

"The fact that he is the only child of the family with no one else to inherit the family is probably fortunate for Gregory, but unfortunate for the house of Marquis McCain."

Then, an unexpected marriage proposal came from the "Jewel of Farenheit".

Viscount Farenheit, knowing that if he offered Matilda, the "Jewel of Farenheit," the McCains would accept the marriage with open arms because of her excellent reputation, on the condition that they would provide considerable financial support to the Viscount's family.

"My husband was pleased, saying that Matilda was sold at such a high price. Either way, rumors were circulating among the servants that our family was on the decline, so he thought it was time to marry off the money-consuming Matilda…"

Although the family was struggling financially, he bought her dresses and jewels as much as he could, perhaps thinking that it was his way of preparing to sell Matilda at a high price…

He didn't care about the personality or family background of the person he was marrying her to; he didn't care if Matilda was going to be happy or not; he just wanted to make money.

I'm sure that my sister will have a very hard time in the future at her new home… and since it's in exchange for money, she won't be able to come back… Father's revenge will be complete by giving her the same situation as mother… Well, revenge wouldn't be necessary if father hadn't been so obsessed with mother in the first place…

As Clarisse clutched her fist in her lap, Jean's large right hand gently wrapped around hers.

"If you don't mind me asking, you mentioned earlier that you received a letter from my husband, Margrave Gutenberg. If you don't mind, could you tell me what it said?"

Jean's gaze went to Clarisse as her mother made a desperate plea.

"Would you mind if I tell you here, and now, what I said I would tell you after we visited your parents' house?"

"Yes, of course, Jean-sama."

Looking up at him, Jean's gaze was fixed on her with those calm golden eyes.

"Clarisse, first of all, let me make it clear that I asked the king for you, Clarisse Farenheit, to be my wife from the very beginning."

"What?"

"This is all I have to say, for now; I'll tell you the rest later."

Jean added in an expressionless but gentle tone, giving Clarisse the sort of smile he occasionally showed her and then turned to the Viscountess.

"How much do you know about my proposal?"

Her mother, who had been watching the exchange between Jean and Clarisse with tears welling up in her eyes, answered with a faint smile.

"I've heard that the Margrave Gutenberg wants my daughter as a reward for his achievements in the recent war, that the King has consented to it, and that he has imposed some minor conditions. However, my husband told me that he wanted Matilda instead, and I believed him, but it wasn't true. I'm sure of it, otherwise, that child's self-esteem wouldn't have been satisfied. "

'…That's right…'

Dumbfounded, Clarisse listened to the conversation.

It was all her father's plan for her sister. The only thing on his mind must have been how to make her sister happy and agree to marry the Marquis of McCain.

The conditions of the marriage were probably that she had to travel to the remote area alone, and the number of maids she had to bring with her.

"You didn't know, did you, that I wanted Clarisse? I made my proposal last year, but when the royal family contacted Viscount Fahrenheit, his response was prolonged?"

"I didn't know that either… my husband didn't mention anything about that…"

Jean nodded as if to say, "I thought it would be something like that."

"I think he was just starting to contact Gunter's residence to finalize Clarisse's engagement at the time. He must have been annoyed by the fact that I was interfering and that things might not go according to his plan."

"…That may be the case…"

The Viscountess, who knew her husband's personality well, admitted this.

"I'm sure the royal family contacted you many times… Well, after waiting for a while, I finally received a letter from the Viscount saying that he accepted my marriage proposal…"

"I'm sure the royal family contacted you many times… Well, after waiting for a while, I finally received a letter from the Viscount saying that he accepted my marriage proposal…"

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

I'm pleased that you are interested in taking my daughter, Clarisse Farenheit, as your fiancé.

Although I'm unable to offer you the Jewel of Farenheit, if your desire is to have Clarrise, she would be delighted to accept.

I am ashamed to admit that my family is struggling financially and will not be able to send you anything for a dowry.

Please forgive me for sending her literally by herself.

She will only be taking one servant along with her.

I hope for your understanding.

I would also appreciate it if you would consider providing financial support to my family once the marriage between my daughter and you takes place.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

In short, the letter clearly stated that there was no money to be spent and that Clarisse would be the only person to be sent, and that if he wanted to marry her, he was to pay compensation. It also stated that only one servant would be allowed to accompany Clarisse.

'So it wasn't Jean who decided the number of servants… it was father who decided that I should have one servant…'

He had no idea what the name "Farenheit's Jewel" meant; when he asked, he was told that it was the name of what the eldest daughter of Farenheit was known for.

"I have never expressed to the King that I wanted the Farenheit Jewel. I clearly told him that I wanted the violet-eyed daughter of House Farenheit. So it was very strange to see those words written in the letter, and the night Clarisse arrived, I even asked her what the 'Farenheit Jewel' was."

Although I'm unable to offer you the Jewel of Fahrenheit, if your desire is to have Clarrise, she would be delighted to accept your proposal.

The sentence that was suddenly thrown in without any context certainly gave a strange impression.

However, Clarisse's reaction afterwards made him realize that she was under a lot of pressure, to the point of fainting, and he decided not to ask her anymore for a while until she calmed down.

The first time they took a walk in the garden together, the day after she collapsed, Clarisse said that they didn't have to have a wedding, and she looked so sad that he suspected it had something to do with it.

He couldn't help but feel that he might hurt Clarisse if he questioned her, as she didn't trust him yet. Immediately after that, he asked Sid and Marius to go to the royal capital and make arrangements to have the surroundings of Viscount Fahrenheit investigated.

And when Mary summoned up her courage and asked, "Did the Margrave want the Jewel of Farenheit?" The question convinced him that Clarisse had not been properly informed. In addition, soon after, there was a word from the royal capital, reporting on the shady relationships and finances involving the Viscount, and Jean guessed to some extent what was going on behind the scenes.

Clarisse listened to the story absentmindedly.

"I'm sorry, Clarisse."

Clarisse looked up into his now most reliable golden eyes.

He was always exploring her expressions, trying to figure out what she was thinking and how she was feeling.

"I kept quiet about it. I should have asked you; I should have told you sooner… I thought it might have been less of a shock to you if the truth had come out after our visit to your parents' place, but I may have been wrong."

He thought it was for Clarisse's sake that he had kept quiet. He was afraid that he would unnecessarily hurt her by telling her about the dark side of her family. Clarisse squeezed his hand that was resting on hers again.

"No, Jean-sama, please don't apologize…"

"Yes, you have done nothing wrong, Margrave Gutenberg. It's all my husband's fault and mine for not being able to stop him."

"Viscountess, why do you think the Viscount suddenly wrote to me about the Jewel of Fahrenheit?"

The Viscountess thought about it for a moment.

"Perhaps he wanted to bring more value to Matilda… He probably started thinking about giving up on Clarisse and marrying Matilda off to some nobleman at that time… I think that's all."

He wanted to say something along the lines that he couldn't offer the "Jewel of Farenheit" even for a marriage that the King blessed. He must have said that to the house of McCain.

Jean's contempt was apparent on his face.

"He's so vulgar that it's a waste of time to even despise him."

"Clarisse, I can hardly ask you to forgive me."

The maid came into the room moments later, happy to see her again after all that time. Mary had brought some medicinal herbs with her, so she decided to take them to Ainsworth Manor as well. Just as Mary had expected, the head chef had baked many of Clarisse's favorite pastries and prepared them so she could take them with her. The servants were all surprised at the large, expressionless Jean, but they were happy to see Clarisse so happy with her partner.

Of course, her father and sister did not come out of the house, but today her mother saw them off.

Jean rode ahead after the luggage was loaded while Clarisse's mother held her hand.

"In the end, I was too selfish to protect you, my child. So I can't really ask you to forgive me, but I felt relieved when I saw you with Margrave Gutenberg. I don't know if I can be one to say this, but you are a strong girl. I've always seen how you are adored by the servants. So I'm sure you'll be fine."

'I'm sure you'll be fine..'

The words that Clarisse muttered in her heart to herself when she became a substitute bride in front of the Margrave residence, she was suddenly reminded of the words that her mother used to say to her when she was a child to comfort her. Her mother must have told herself the same words many times by now.

"Mother…"

"I have no choice but to stay in this house, but the memory of my beloved is what keeps me alive. So don't come back no matter what."

"But, Mother…"

'Wouldn't the Farenheit family be in chaos from now on?'

Her mother interrupted before she can continue and shook her head firmly. She had always lived in the shadow of father, but now she looked clear and radiant.

"Margrave Gutenberg cares for you very much, so don't dwell on the past anymore, and live for the future."

So… how does everyone feel after knowing the full truth (～￣▽￣)～ her father is a piece of sh*t and I'll leave it at that.. don't feel so good about her mother either.. although I agree, she wasn't in a good position either, but at least she could've tried to salvage the relationship between her two daughters even if her husband was trash! idk but I'm sure she could've done more if she put up more effort ?

After getting into the carriage, Clarisse sat there absentmindedly for a while. Jean, who sat beside her, remained silent, letting her immerse in her thoughts.

'There's just so much that I didn't know before… so many things to think about…'

Clarisse shook her head lightly.

All Jean had told her beforehand was that the Viscount Farenheit family's financial situation was not so good and that Matilda's engagement was probably in exchange for financial support, so to be honest, what she heard from her mother was too shocking, something she had never even imagined, including the part about her past…

"You are injured; try not to move your head as much as possible."

She couldn't help but laugh a bit when Jean warned her in such a calm manner, it was very much like him.

Frankly, the cut didn't hurt that much anymore, and she had forgotten all about the incident with Matilda because of the shocking story she had just heard.

"Jean-sama… are you sure you'll be okay with someone like me? You saw how my family is… doesn't it worry you to have a bride from a house like that?"

"It doesn't."

He gently patted Clarisse's head.

"You see, I saw you for the first time over a year ago when I came to the royal capital to report upon the successful end of the war."

"What?"

"It was at a royal banquet. I wanted to go back to my territory as soon as possible, but I was forced to attend at the king's request. There, I saw you and your sister from a distance."

Last year's banquet at the royal palace…

Indeed, she could easily remember, as she had attended only one evening party at the royal palace. It was a large-scale banquet, and most of the prominent nobles must have been there. At that time, Matilda wanted to leave Clarisse at home, like always, but their father insisted on taking her that time and wouldn't listen to Matilda's pleas.

Looking back, her father must have wanted to show her off to Marquis Günter.

"Even from a distance, your beauty was evident; your sister was completely out of the picture. Your violet eyes left a great impression on me… then I worried over how lonely you looked."

When Jean unconsciously asked the nobleman next to him about Clarisse's identity, the man casually replied.

"Oh, she's the young lady of the Farenheit family."

"Later, I don't know if you recall, but a certain young lady suddenly collapsed, and while none of the people around her did anything, you were the only one who looked worried and quickly lent a hand to the servants. I was too far away to help her, but I would have done the same thing if I had been closer, so I was even more impressed."

She remembers.

Matilda later scolded her a lot for acting like a servant and bringing shame to the Farenheit family. Still, Clarisse couldn't just leave someone who collapsed right in front of her eyes without doing anything, especially since the person in front of her was still a young lady.

"You really…were there?"

He really was at the same banquet from what he said, but she had no recollection of him. It would have been hard to forget such an overwhelmingly beautiful man once she saw him. But, when she attended the banquet, Matilda kept telling her to not attempt seducing men with her vulgar gaze, so she didn't even try to look around.

"Yeah. I left shortly after that, though."

He gently stroked Clarisse's hair again.

"I couldn't take my eyes off you until I left the banquet… and when the king asked me what I wanted, I couldn't help but say I wanted the violet-eyed daughter of the House of Farenheit. I've never had these feelings for anyone before, that it came as a surprise, even to me."

"Jean-sama…"

"And when I saw you up close for the first time back at the residence, I was struck by how lovely you are. You are truly beautiful, Clarisse, but your magnificence is not limited to your appearance. You know that, right?"

She nodded unintentionally in embarrassment and heard him let out a soft chuckle. The sincere smile that she rarely saw from him was so sweet that it almost made her heart melt and want to scream aloud.

"And after I told you not to move your head carelessly… In any case, you are wonderful because of your inner beauty and intelligence. Even with a house like that, you grew up upright and never decayed. You have a heart willing to help others. You have the strength to grasp the better things in your given environment. You even learned about plants. Mary told me how many times the servants who couldn't easily afford to go to the doctor were saved by the medicines you made."

Jean gently caressed her cheek and softly took Clarisse's left hand in his.

"I'm afraid you're the one who's going to deal with a rugged man like me.. nevertheless, I want you by my side and always will."

Jean fumbled through his jacket's breast pocket with his free hand and pulled something out.

"Clarisse, a romantic man would not offer you something like this in a carriage, but you know me, I am such a man, so please forgive me."

With that, he began slowly slipping a ring through the ring finger of her left hand and then nodded his head in satisfaction.

"I had it resized at the jeweler's the other day…it fits perfectly."

Looking at the simple silver ring that slipped through her promised ring finger, Clarisse was mesmerized as she stared at it with her big violet eyes.

"I don't want the "Jewel of Farenheit" or any grand name; I want you and only you, Clarisse Farenheit, as my bride if you would have me. My dear Clarisse, will you marry me?"

Tears began to well up in Clarisse's beautiful violet eyes, and Jean was secretly impatient, wondering if his actions had made her sad.

'Did I say something wrong? Did I speak in the wrong order? Did I carelessly presume Clarisse's feelings…? Was it a bad idea to mention 'The Jewel of Fahrenheit' here…'

"Clarisse, I'm sorry, I didn't even consider your feelings.. again…"

She smiled as she cried.

"No, no, Jean-sama… I am just so happy."

Clarisse looked down at the ring, almost as if she were looking at a treasure.

"It's a lovely ring…"

"Don't worry about it. You can buy a proper ring later. Unfortunately, this is not a very expensive item as my father gave it to my mother when they got married… As I told you before, my father was just a small local aristocrat-…"

"Jean-sama."

Tears rolled from her eyes more and more, and Jean didn't know what to do anymore.

"I don't need any other ring…I will treasure this ring forever and ever."

In his eyes, she was so dazzling that Jean reached out with both hands, pulled her close, and hugged her tightly and firmly, trying not to brush against the injury on her forehead.

Chapter 23, part 2

Jean stood in front of Clarisse's door for a while, wondering if it was okay to come and see her this late at night…

When they returned home, Jean called for a doctor to examine Clarisse's wound. He was informed that it was a minor wound just like she had told him it was, and after he cleaned up the wound, the doctor told them that it would heal nicely.

They had dinner together and exchanged good night wishes before heading back to their room. Later in the night, while Jean was in his room, he received a letter from Viscountess Farenheit.

'Should I just wait to tell her tomorrow morning?'

But he didn't want to hide anything from Clarisse anymore if possible, so Jean knocked on the door with a light tap.

A few moments later, the faint sound of someone approaching echoed, and Clarisse, who had opened the door slightly, looked up at Jean with a surprised look on her face.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

"Ah… the Viscountess contacted me."

Upon hearing this, Clarisse opened the door wide and invited Jean to come inside.

Clarisse was dressed in a thin, white nightgown, and although she had already removed her makeup, she still looked beyond beautiful, and Jean found it somewhat hard to look at her as he was distracted by her beauty.

She sat there looking up at him with a concerned look on her face, probably not even imagining what thoughts were going on in his mind. As they sat down next to each other on the sofa, he was now ashamed of his sinister thoughts and started to speak, trying to avoid looking at her as much as possible.

"It seems that after an argument, Miss Farenheit hit the Viscount with tableware."

A gasp escaped Clarisse's throat.

"Sister Matilda?! With tableware! And how is father now?"

"Well..he was definitely hurt, but it doesn't seem to be serious."

If anything, the problem is more about what happened afterwards.

Jean continued.

"After that, the Viscount apparently hit Miss Farenheit…"

After the Viscountess saw them off, she returned to the mansion, and the butler immediately rushed up to her, informing her of the emergency.

When the Viscountess hurried back to the tea room, she found an enraged Viscount, bleeding from the head, mounted on Matilda and beating her senselessly.

The Viscountess shuddered at the sight of her husband, who had once been violent toward her, but she gathered herself up to protect her daughter and asked the butler and other male servants to seize the Viscount at once and free Matilda from his grip.

However, by the time they managed to do that, Matilda was unable to move and her face was swollen horribly, according to the letter.

Clarisse covered her face with her hands.

"-…How…how could he…do such a terrible thing?"

Jean was about to reach out to her, but stopped midway and tightened his fist.

"Perhaps it's my fault. The two of them might have gotten into an argument because I mentioned earlier that Miss Farenheit was not the daughter of the Viscount…"

He was angry at Clarisse's father and sister, so he ruthlessly lashed out with words, but it seems that this wasn't the best move, as it might have ended up making Clarisse sad in the end. However, Clarisse looked up at him and spoke in a firm tone.

"No…it's not your fault, Jean-sama. It's just that…it's a torn family to begin with. And regardless of what happened, there is no reason for a man to be violent toward a woman. Of course, it's not okay for Sister to throw something at Father either… In any case, maybe both of them are just getting what they deserve for their own actions."

Clarisse started with a sigh and continued, "What else did my mother say?"

Jean had felt some sympathy for Clarisse's mother's situation as he listened to her story earlier, and was deeply convinced that the reason Clarisse had grown up so pure despite being mistreated by the Viscount and Matilda might have been because her mother had protected her behind the scenes. Still, when he received this message from her, this feeling became stronger.

"Don't worry about our house anymore. Do not come back. "

Tears welled up in her violet eyes, as she dropped back in her chair and squeezed her knees together. It was a rude gesture, but Jean knew exactly how she felt, so he just held her tightly as if trying to comfort her.

"Mother… she is going to fight this on her own…"

"I suppose so."

Clarisse's tiny body was trembling, and Jean wished very much that he could take over all of her sorrow; if that was not possible, he wanted to carry it with her. Clarisse cried for a while, but eventually she raised herself up slowly, wiping away her tears, and Jean released her body a bit to check her expression. The initial shock that was evident on her face seemed to have eased, and Clarisse appeared to have calmed down.

"Thank you, Jean-sama, for trying to comfort me."

"No, I'm sorry for telling you this late at night, but I thought you'd want to know as soon as possible."

Clarisse smiled slightly and nodded.

"Yes, I'm glad you told me."

The atmosphere between them was more intimate than ever before, and when Jean began to feel slightly awkward and tried to stand up, she grabbed the hem of his nightgown.

"Oh…I'm sorry."

She was so sad to see Jean go that she grabbed him unconsciously, and she couldn't help but blush and quickly remove her hand.

"I won't do anything … so, can I stay with you tonight?"

When Jean asked her this, she looked like a blooming flower as she smiled beautifully.

Chapter 24, part 1

Clarisse awoke startled on her final morning in the Royal Capital to discover Jean resting on one elbow, peering down at her face. He had just awoken with a beard that had grown overnight, adding to his manliness, and in any event, he is just as beautiful.

'What? Jean-sama..! How did he get here…?'

The surprise only lasted for a moment before she remembered that she didn't let go of Jean's nightgown last night, and he had slept next to her. It was the first time she had ever slept with someone in her bed; in a normal situation, she wouldn't be able to sleep due to her nervousness, but having lived an overly intense day with too many different things happening, she fell asleep as soon as she laid down on her bed. Jean could have gone back to his room afterward, but instead, he stayed and slept with her in the same bed.

"Did you sleep well?"

His voice was hoarser than normal; perhaps it was because he had just awoken from sleep. Seeing his face and hearing his voice just as he woke up first thing in the morning warmed her heart; it was as if she was sharing this special moment with him.

"Yes… I must've been exhausted; I slept like a baby."

"I'm glad. You were tossing and turning during the night; you didn't have any nightmares, did you?"

'He's worried about me…'

The kindness he showed her was heartwarming. Clarisse smiled at him, and he smiled back, the corners of his lips lifting in relief.

"Good morning, my lady!"

At that moment, Mary knocked and came into the room without waiting for an answer, just as usual, and froze when she saw Jean on the bed.

"Eh..! eh..! Margrave…! I beg your pardon; I'm leaving now!"

'Oh my, Mary!'

In a slightly amused tone, Jean spoke, stopping Mary from leaving.

"Mary, it's okay, I'll leave now. Help Clarisse get ready." Then he turned to Clarisse and said, "I'll see you later at breakfast."

He dropped a kiss on her forehead, just like the first time he had ever met her, carefully avoiding the injured area, and then left the room.

"I'll be a little more careful when I come to greet you in the morning from now on, hehe. By the way, when did the Margrave come to your room, My lady?"

As Mary prepared a bowl of water and a cloth for Clarisse, she asked this. She assumed that the Margrave had come to check on Clarisse because he was concerned about what had happened at Clarisse's parents' house the day before, but she couldn't hide her embarrassment at the realisation that this situation would almost certainly happen again in the future.

"Last night…before I went to bed…Mary, did you hear? About what father did to sister Matilda…"

Of course, Mary, who had not yet heard the story, rolled her eyes but nearly dropped the bowl in surprise when she heard what happened.

"Oh my god! At last… the Viscount has gone mad!"

"I don't know if that's madness, but it most definitely looks like it."

"So, what are you going to do about it? Do you want to extend your stay in the Capital?"

"No, we will leave the royal capital tomorrow as planned."

Her mother would be upset if they decided to stay longer, which is probably why she wrote such a letter and had it delivered to the mansion so late at night, so she could return to her home with Jean as planned.

Clarisse muttered this in her mind and began to wipe her face with the cloth Mary had prepared for her.

Chapter 24, part 2

After breakfast, Sid visited the Ainsworth mansion to make the final preparations for their departure, and while he was in Jean's room, his eyes widened in amazement by what he heard.

"So, you didn't lay a hand on the miss and just slept together? Seriously? Are you telling me that you're a saint, Jean?"

"Sid."

"You slept in the same bed with each other, right? Wow… a woman you love is by your side all night, and you don't even touch her… Are you into those kinds of things?"

Of course, he was joking, and Jean knew it.

Sid didn't think that Jean would touch Clarisse on the same day that she was injured by her sister.

He's just making fun of him because he's excited that they're getting so close. So, after saying that much and laughing in amusement, Sid suddenly thought of something and asked Jean.

"Didn't I forcibly drag you to the whorehouse with me a long time ago?"

That uptight breast-brother looked extremely uncomfortable and nodded.

"Then you left in a great hurry…you didn't sleep with a woman then, did you?"

It must have been about ten years ago.

At the time, Jean was still aspiring to be a knight, and despite his obviously attractive appearance, he was overwhelmingly shy and still a virgin, so Sid, out of amusement, took him to a whorehouse. He was pretty reluctant, but he followed him to the room where they drank, and after Sid went to his favorite whore's room, he apparently left the whorehouse as fast as he could. The whore who wanted to be Jean's partner said this, so there was no doubt about it.

"You used to work hard to become a knight, and then you became a Margrave…did you ever even have a lover? Is it possible..that you haven't been to a whorehouse since then either?"

He knew Jean had never had a lover before.

So it was inevitable that he would end up talking to Clarisse about things that ordinary aristocratic men would not say to a lady…

However,

He thought that Jean would at least have experience in this area.

Is it possible that Jean, a man with such a great physique, would be able to spend all this time alone?

"I didn't go."

Wait a minute.

Then there is only one possible answer.

"You're lying. Please tell me you're lying."

"What?"

"You… you've never slept with a woman?"

Jean looked at Sid with a casual look on his face.

"Of course not. I've decided I'm not going to sleep with anyone until I find a woman I want to marry."

'This guy, wow…'

In a way, it was impressive that the stiff, uptight ideals have come this far.

"Can you do it? When it comes time to be with Clarisse, will you be able to handle it as a virgin?"

"I don't need practice. I'll be fine."

'I wonder where his confidence is coming from… a mystery…'

"But, you know, if you hesitate on her first day, don't you think she'll be disappointed?"

"Why not? Everyone has their first time, and Clarisse is not the kind of person who would be taken aback by something like that. Animals don't need anyone to teach them how to mate. Why can't humans do it?"

Jean turned around and asked Sid, trying to change the subject.

"You like Mary, don't you?"

"Wh-…"

"You've never been that obvious before. Well, I don't think she's taking you seriously, though."

"I know."

To Mary, this is probably the most ridiculous thing she has ever faced in her life.

"What is it about Mary that makes you want her so badly?"

"I don't know… She's different, not to mention she's fun to watch."

"I agree that she's unconventional, but she's not a noblewoman; she's just a maid, you know?"

"Maid or not, Mary is Mary, and it doesn't matter."

After confirming Sid's intentions, Jean crossed his arms.

"Think about it; what if Mary was more experienced? Plus, how would you feel if she was sleeping with another guy, saying she was getting ready for you? Or would you say it's no big deal, it couldn't be helped?"

"J-…"

That is indeed not true. He is not demanding for his partner to be a virgin since he is not one himself and doesn't really care about the whole 'A lady must be a virgin' whole thing, but he certainly cares for her so much that he doesn't feel too good when he thinks that Mary has already been with another man.

In this country's aristocratic society, there is a tendency to expect women, in particular, to remain virgins until marriage. For men, however, it is not to that extent. On the contrary, it even seems that noblemen who play around to a certain extent are considered more elegant, so, Sid, without thinking too much about it, had been moderately going to brothels frequented by noblemen and playing with young noblewomen who had the same mindset. But now, after Jean pointed this out to him, he realized that he had never liked anyone before in earnest, which was probably why he didn't think much of it.

"Don't you think it's strange that a woman is expected to remain virgins until marriage, but men are allowed to play around? Don't you think that any woman in her right mind would be happy if her man remained virgin just like her? Women get jealous, too, if the guy they fell in love with had a partner before, let alone if the partner in question was their first time."

Sid admitted his defeat quickly.

"Okay, my bad, I didn't think it through… Well, as much as it's your first time, please take care of Clarisse's first time; she's been through enough pain already. Well, you don't need me to tell you that… it's all right."

Sid was always somewhat worried about him, who was terrible with words, but Jean is a very nice guy, faithful and loyal, and Clarisse couldn't be nicer, so they will live happily together for years to come.

He envied Jean for having such a unique partner like her. And they would share each other's first time together? When he thought about it, perhaps, being a stiff stoic… is not so bad after all.

On their final day in the royal capital, Clarisse was directed to a bookstore by Jean, who had asked her where she wanted to go. They also stopped by a nearby drugstore. The owner of the drugstore was knowledgeable about medicinal herbs that could be found in the area, so she spent lots of time discussing herbs with them, oblivious to the passing of time. Of course, after returning to Jean's mansion, she hoped to continue her studies on this subject.

After dinner, she wrote a letter to her mother and sealed it, hoping that her feelings would be conveyed to her. She felt closer to her mother than she had ever felt before. It was all thanks to Jean, and Clarisse was honestly grateful to him.

She thought they would sleep in separate rooms tonight, but Jean came to Clarisse's room and asked if it would be okay to stay the night with her, which she accepted, and they laid down on the bed together. Clarisse wasn't as tired as she had been the day before, and although she had anticipated being too anxious to sleep, his reassuring presence allowed her to do so without any trouble. Perhaps some invisible fatigue had built up. She fell asleep quickly, unaware that Jean was looking at her sleeping face, smiling and gently patting her head.

The next morning, Mary again popped into the room as usual and blushed at the sight of them, as she had done the day before.

They were supposed to leave first thing in the morning, and even though she didn't have to, Lotte kindly came out of the mansion to see them off.

Lotte was an ideal hostess until the end. As for Clarisse, she was very sad to leave her, but Jean reminded her that he had called his aunt to come from her home, the Marquis of Ainsworth's estate, so they could meet here, and as soon as they left, Lotte would also return to her family.

"I would very much like you to come to the Ainsworth estate next time. I want to introduce you to my husband and son." She giggled and continued, "I wouldn't mind if Jean couldn't make it to our estate."

Lotte, who was probably aware of the incident at the Farenheit house, didn't talk about the matter, and just spoke to Clarisse with a broad smile.

"Thank you, Lotte-sama…it's my pleasure."

"You can come when you and Jean have a fight."

Lotte said mischievously, but Jean was astonished and muttered with a blank face, "This would never happen."

Lotte looked at her nephew happily and then smiled at Clarisse, telling her to take good care of Jean.

Mary seemed to have gotten somewhat used to being with Sid, but was still fed up with the thought of spending another three days in the same space.

After seeing her off to the carriage, Jean escorted her into their carriage and followed her inside. Naturally, he sat next to Clarisse. His presence, which she now felt completely at ease in, allowed her to take in the passing royal city as she looked out the carriage window at him.

She never imagined that her feelings would change so much before and after coming to the capital.

At least she no longer had any regrets about her parents' house, and although she did not know when she would be able to come back to the capital again, she had a feeling that if she did, she would be able to treat her mother with much more affection than before.

Although their relationship has always been one of indifference and a lack of communication, she has very conflicted feelings toward her father because he used violence against her mother and sister. She may never speak to him again.

Her sister…

Clarisse could not help feeling sorry for her sister as she was a pitiful person.

She is aware that she had been treated poorly enough from Jean's and the servants' perspectives, and that part should never be tolerated, but she can't stop thinking about her sister. All her life, Clarisse wanted someone to love her just the way she is, and perhaps, it was the same for her sister or even more so.

'But…I shouldn't be on your side, sister Matilda, I must not do that.'

If she was around her, Matilda would try to relieve her own anxiety by continuing to assault Clarisse, and Clarisse would spoil her sister by continuing to indulge and accept the abuse.

She ought to stay away from her sister and turn a blind eye to whatever is about to happen in her sister's life.

Clarisse felt that this was the last act of devotion to her sister that she could do…

Matilda needs to be able to stand alone without taking advantage of her, and she should look at herself and live a strong life. Not to mention that their mother will be able to be close to Matilda from now on, just as Clarisse has Jean next to her side.

"Jean-sama, may I plant a field of medicinal herbs in the garden when we return to our residence?"

"Of course. You can do whatever pleases you."

Clarisse was so delighted with this that she leaned her head softly on his shoulder, looking at the ring as Jean silently took her hand in his.

"Thank you, Jean-sama."

Thank you for finding me.

"It's been a hectic stay, but I'm glad things got sorted out as a result."

"Yes…I think you're right."

Mary was grateful that Sid had taken her to the Farenheit mansion the day before yesterday at that time. Thanks to him, she was able to be there for Clarisse. Sid was a troublesome man to deal with, but he was not a bad person, or at least that's what she had come to think of him.

"You really like Clarisse, don't you?"

"Yes, I love her!"

Mary's immediate response made Sid, sitting across from her, pause, then burst out laughing.

'His laughing face is kind of cute…huh, I shouldn't let him get into my head.'

"What do you like about Clarisse?"

"What? If I start talking about what I like about our perfect young lady, we'll stay here all day."

"That's okay, we have plenty of time, so tell me, what do you like about Clarisse?"

Sid continued to listen with narrowed eyes as Mary happily talked about how wonderful a master Clarisse was.

Chapter 26

After three days on the road, they returned safely to the borderland.

This time, time seemed to fly by as Jean and Clarisse naturally engaged in conversation during the carriage ride, and when she got tired, she would rest her head against Jean's shoulder.

During their journey, an accident occurred in which the carriage wheel fell off. It took so long to repair it that they didn't make it to the inn until late at night, but the most significant change was that Jean and Clarisse would sleep together in the same room at the inn, as if it were a matter of fact.

In the morning, Sid grinned the whole time at the breakfast table but never made fun of Clarisse in any way, and Mary began to be more careful in the mornings, no longer popping into their room. Jean was still concerned about the injury on Clarisse's forehead, and he didn't do anything beyond hugging her and falling asleep – not that Mary had any concerns about that :)).

Over the past few days, Clarisse had become quite accustomed to feeling his body temperature while sleeping.

Compared to the lavish royal capital, the borderlands offered more nature and a more relaxed atmosphere, yet Clarisse was genuinely thrilled to be back here. Compared to the royal capital, where she had lived with her family her entire life and felt neglected, this place already felt like her hometown, which made her happy.

Just as they were about to arrive at the Margrave mansion, Jean nervously said,

"Clarisse, would it be okay if we shared a bedroom from today onward…?"

While she was at a loss for an answer for a moment, Jean added hurriedly, perhaps thinking he needed to say more.

"I know it is the custom for nobles in the Royal Capital to have separate bedrooms, but I want to be with you all the time."

It is not customary for couples in noble families to share a bedroom; this was also the same for Clarisse's parents. Generally, husbands visit their wives when the need arises, but in some cases, it is the other way around. In either case, they usually sleep in separate rooms. This custom has contributed to their promiscuous sexual life, and there is no shortage of scandalous stories about husbands visiting their wives' rooms to find their lovers and vice versa. Of course, that didn't mean Jean suspected that Clarisse would be unfaithful or anything of the sort.

"Of course not, Jean. I hope you don't feel uncomfortable with us sharing the same room. "

When she replied, he raised his eyebrows as if to say, "No way," and Clarisse laughed.

To others, he still appears to be the stern, scary-looking Margrave, but in her eyes, he has become much more expressive. This is partly due to the fact that Clarisse has become more comfortable with Jean, but it is also because Jean has opened up his heart to Clarisse. Being with Jean, who is always thinking of her happiness, fills her heart with joy. He is her new, forever family with whom she will spend the rest of her life.

'Mother was right when she said that…'

"-..don't dwell on the past anymore, and live in the future."

There is no need to look into the past when there is a bright future out there.

After some time away, the mansion was truly beautiful in Clarisse's eyes.

Jean took her hand as they slowly climbed the front staircase, which she had climbed with much anxiety a few months ago. The butler opened the door respectfully, and they were greeted by the servants with their heads bowed down.

"Welcome home."

'Welcome home…'

'This is my home and always will be.'

Clarisse thought this with a trembling heart, looking up at the beautiful nobleman standing next to her, her husband-to-be.

Jean looked at her, too, as they shared the same feeling for a moment.

"We're back home."

Clarisse smiled as the Margrave's dignified voice echoed through the mansion.

Chapter 27

She woke up in Jean's arms.

Having gotten used to it by now, Clarisse gazed at her fiancé's face as he lay there, his eyes still closed. He had been working late last night in his office and had not returned by the time she went to bed. He must have entered the room in the middle of the night and hugged her, as he usually does.

It had been three weeks since their return from the royal capital, and Jean had been busy trying to make up for the time he had been gone and finishing any delayed work. In the midst of all this, he felt bad that he couldn't spend time with Clarisse as much as he used to, though he tried to squeeze in as much time as possible to be with her. She did tell him once that he could focus on his work and not bother, but Jean sulked with those words and said, "Don't you know? I just want to be with you," and hugged her, making Clarisse's face turn bright red.

'Ah, but it's so comfortable in Jean-sama's arms…'

Growing up in an aristocratic society, children were rarely hugged by their parents. However, because Clarisse had a strained relationship with her parents, she had little experience being hugged by an adult man since she was a child. She couldn't imagine a more secure place to be than when Jean's large body hugged her. The amber perfume he wore, as well as his naturally masculine, clean scent, were now a source of comfort for her.

And before she knew it, she was dozing off again.

It's hard to believe, but lying in bed with him, she can sleep for as long as she wants, a good, pleasant, uninterrupted sleep she's never had before.

Mary, who knows Clarisse's living situation at her parents' house, speculated that this could be a reaction to her past. In other words, she was relaxing after everything she had been through.

When she awoke a short time later, Jean was awake as well, and he was gently stroking her forehead.

"The wound is healing well, just as the doctor said."

He said quietly and gently kissed Clarisse; she reached out her hands, placed her hand on his cheek, and closed her eyes. She could feel Jean's beard beginning to grow, and it felt itchy. Nevertheless, she liked the feeling of being close to him.

Jean had told Clarisse the night they shared the bed that he wanted to take things slowly as he was new to this kind of experience. She was surprised that he had no experience of being intimate with women, but regardless, she felt delighted over his honesty and the fact that Jean hadn't held anyone in his arms before.

He could feel his growing member against her thigh; then, he quickly pulled away from Clarisse after he broke the kiss. He had decided that when his work was finished, he would take her to the lake he had enjoyed since childhood on the outskirts of the region and spend their first night together there. She simply laughed it off and told him with a lovely smile on her lips that it would be the same even if they waited until then.

As he got out of bed, Jean said to Clarisse,

"I need to do some office work this morning, but I'm free this afternoon."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we can spend the day at home, or we can go to town. Think about it, okay?"

"Alright."

Jean got out of bed and walked away, but he returned and pressed his lips against hers again, as if he couldn't resist. It took all of his willpower to stop kissing her, but he dropped a light peck on her cheek as if to say goodbye.

"Oh, your lips are so sweet, I can't get enough of them. It drives me crazy."

"Jean-sama."

After looking affectionately into Clarisse's round violet eyes, Jean walked up to the closet to get ready for the morning meetings. Even now, he does all his preparations by himself.

"I'll get my work done as soon as possible."

"Around what time will you finish?"

"No, I'm not talking about today; I mean, I want to go to the lake with you as soon as possible."

'Is that…?'

Realizing what Jean's reply meant made Clarisse's face turn bright red.

"So, where are you going today?"

"I was thinking of going to the bookstore and the pharmacist in town…"

"It seems to be the perfect outing for you, Miss."

Mary laughed as she helped her get ready for the morning. She brushed her glossy brown hair and arranged it neatly, put on light makeup, and then slipped on an elegant day dress she had bought in the royal capital. Mary was struck by how beautiful Clarisse had become. Not just her outward beauty, but her internal brilliance, has added to her beauty, making her a beautiful woman of incomparable charm.

"If you are going to the town, I think it would be a good idea to buy a winter coat or dress."

"Indeed, yes…"

It is the end of autumn now, and winter, which is rumored to be harsh, will soon be upon them. Mary has asked the head maid at the Margrave mansion for some preparations, but Clarisse, who doesn't go out much, might not even need it as far as outdoor wear is concerned. However, if she was going to go to the city, it might be a good idea to buy some anyway. Although Clarisse, as always, is not that interested in clothing, winter clothes are a necessity.

"Mary, why don't you come with me? I have no taste in fashion, so I doubt I can choose a good one myself."

"I'm kind of worried about your sense of fashion, to be honest, but I think you could talk to the madam at the store, and I don't want to bother you two in the first place…"

Clarisse suddenly remembered that Sid was coming to see Jean this morning.

"Then shall we ask Sid-sama to take you in his carriage?"

Mary's face flushed red.

"W-w-w-why is that man's name coming up now? No, thank you, I won't."

The maid noticed Clarisse's eyes fluttering as she looked at her and hurriedly amended.

"Oh! I'm done! Miss! Enjoy your breakfast!"

In the carriage to the Margrave's estate, Mary went on and on for a while about Clarisse's charms, and Sid seemed to enjoy listening to her very much, but suddenly she stopped talking.

"What's wrong? Why did you stop?"

Sid asked in surprise, and Mary felt embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, that was…rude of me; I…kept talking on and on by myself."

He burst out laughing again.

"Did you just realize that now?"

"I mean…Well, I had a vague idea…"

"I see… it's almost as if you were doing whatever you wanted because you didn't care if I hated you, am I right?"

Even Mary felt a little sorry when he pointed out the obvious. He may seem flirtatious by nature, but he is loyal to Jean, and he is also fond of Clarisse and takes very good care of her. He is also someone who takes the time to care for her, although she was just a maid.

While Mary had shoved the memory of her being born a noble to the back of her mind by now, there were moments when the memory would suddenly sprout.

Frankly, part of the reason she didn't like Sid much was that he reminded her of her past because of his resemblance to someone she once knew when she was a baron's daughter. But that was her problem, not Sid's; perhaps it's time for her to change her attitude towards him.

"Yeah, but I'm sorry to be rude anyway– um, as we speak of this, thank you for taking me to the Farenheit residence yesterday; thanks to you, I was able to be close by when the young lady was in trouble…well…although I couldn't have been of much help."

Sid looked surprised when Mary thanked him properly, then giggled.

"That's not true at all; I'm pretty sure Clarisse was reassured by your presence."

Mary blinked at the sight of Sid's smile, which reminded her of her old friend's.

"Thank you, Lord Hansen."

She hesitantly called him by his family name because she didn't know anything about his position. (Tl note: like if he were a knight, she would call him Sir, etc.)

"Just Sid is fine."

On second thought, she said she would change her attitude towards him, but as expected, she doesn't really like how familiar he acts towards her. The person in her memory, though, didn't have such traits, making her not think too much about him. In a way, it is thanks to Sid that she didn't turn too sentimental.

"That's, um… I think it's unacceptable for someone in my position to do that, so…"

Sid looked at Mary in frustration.

"I don't mind, so what's the problem with that?"

"Huh?"

'I don't think it's something that can be done just because you don't mind … I'd probably be killed if the other maids heard this…'

Sid is very popular among the servants because of his easygoing manner and casual attitude. His cousin Marius is too serious, and the servants feel uneasy interacting with him, but Sid is just the right person for them to chat and giggle with behind the scenes. According to the servants' network, Sid enjoys womanizing in his own way, but he had never touched a servant before, so if the other maids were to find out that he gives special treatment to Mary…

'Wow…I can already imagine being mercilessly shoved down into a frozen river.'

"I wish you would call me by my name, Mary."

'He's still going on about it!'

"This is not appropriate; I'm a servant…"

"Okay, then how about you call me by my name when it's just the two of us? That's fine, right?"

'It's a pain in the ass…'

"Well, I guess so…"

When they return to the Margrave mansion, Sid will go back to his residence, and he will only visit the Margrave's mansion occasionally when he has something to do with Lord Jean, so they won't have to see each other so much.

"Really? Then try to call me by my name now. "

"Okay, … What is it, Sid-sama?"

Sid looked at Mary as if he was gritting his teeth.

"Mary! You finally called my name…!"

She is completely dazzled by his unexpected reaction; he seems to be deeply moved by something that is very irrelevant to her.

'Did he eat something weird…?'

"Mary, I like you, so please take good care of me."

・

・

・

・

・

"―――――What!?"

Suddenly, Mary snapped out of her reverie.

However, despite what he had to say the last time she saw him, Sid had not come to the Margrave's mansion for three weeks after he went back home, leaving Mary to wonder if the conversation they had before he left was a mere hallucination.

But when she learned that Sid was returning to see Jean after a long absence, she began to wonder if there was somewhere she could hide…

"Ahh, you mean that lake?"

Sid, meeting Jean for the first time in a long time, smiled as he brought a cup of tea to his lips. Inside the office, Jean, Sid, and Marius were talking while taking a break from work.

"Jean, you used to love going to that lake when we were younger, right?"

Though Marius is known as the Margrave's aide publicly, when they are out of the public eye, Marius refers to him by his name comfortably, and the two are actually close friends.

"Yeah, since it's so close to my father's hometown."

"Oh yes… it brings back memories."

Jean and Sid were breast brothers, but that didn't mean that only Jean's parents and Sid's were close friends; the same was true for Marius's parents as well. Their parents were all close friends, which resulted in them growing up as friends as well.

"The lake is so beautiful. I'm sure Clarisse will be thrilled when she sees it, and Jean, I suppose you know, but that place is the perfect spot to enjoy some romantic outing with her. Don't speak about things that might ruin the mood xDDDD."

In response to Sid's smirking and teasing, Marius offered a more practical piece of advice.

"It might be a bit cold this time of year, so make sure to take warm clothes for Clarisse-sama,"

"I'll do that. I'm going to be gone for a few days, and I need you guys to take care of the place if anything happens."

Neither Sid nor Marius had any reason to refuse, both of them having witnessed Jean's long and strenuous efforts to serve as a Margrave for the borders, both physically and mentally, and now they had no intention of stopping him from going on a prewedding trip with his beloved fiancée.

"Speaking of which, are you taking Mary along to the lake?"

Sid asks Jean in a casual tone.

"Mary? No… Maybe?… Are we taking her with us? I guess we'll have to ask Clarisse about that if you want to know…"

Marius had no idea why Sid was suddenly talking about Mary, but Jean seemed to understand what this was all about.

"Hmmmm, if we took her to the lake with us, you wouldn't be able to ask her out on a date. Is this what that's all about?" Jean teased.

Marius then witnessed his cousin, who had always made fun of Jean's stiff and aloof nature, turn red at Jean's words, which was the first time he had ever seen him blush.

Later that afternoon, Clarisse went into town with Jean, and after stopping at a bookstore and a pharmacist, she bought some much-needed winter garments. She bought a simple brown warm leather coat and several dresses made of the warm, thick material recommended by the madame. Not being confident in her own taste, she left it to the madame and Jean, who were surprisingly good advisors with good fashion sense. When the madame heard that they were going on a trip near the water, she decided to recommend warm underwear that she could wear underneath; she brought a few options from the back of the store and had them choose from the selection available.

Jean suggested that they contact the dress store in the capital to see if they could find some winter dresses, but Clarisse said that what they had here was enough and he didn't have to worry about it.

She did not bring Mary with her, so she didn't know if Mary had spent time with Sid or not, but when they returned home that evening, both Sid and Marius were already back at their mansion, and Mary did not say anything, so she didn't ask any questions. After Clarisse and Jean had retired to their bedroom, it was already time to go to bed, and as Clarisse sat on her bed, she muttered,

"Sid-sama looks a lot like Cedric-sama…"

"Cedric? Who is that?"

"Mary's childhood friend from the Viscount's family. If the baron's house had not been ruined as it was, he would probably have been engaged to Mary. I think Cedric-sama probably had a fondness for Mary and not just in the way you would feel toward a childhood friend."

Mary's image is frequently portrayed as harsh, owing to her harsh demeanor. Her actual appearance, on the other hand, was quite appealing to the point where she could easily compete with Clarisse; if ten people were asked what they thought of her appearance, all ten of them would probably consider her a beauty.

She has beautiful dark hair, calm gray eyes, and a slender physique, which is not bad in any way, but – because of the way she speaks and acts – Jean thought that Sid's preferences might be a little different from others. It was a surprise to learn that there was another man who wanted Mary as a wife.

"What do you mean by resemblance? Face?"

"Well, if we're talking about facial features alone, I think Sid-sama is more handsome…but his smile reminds me of Cedric-sama's."

Jean sat down on the sofa and thought about it.

"Where is this Cedric man now?"

"Only to the extent that I met him when he was with Mary at the time…I didn't know him that well. As you know, I rarely went to soirées… I just remember he was four years older than Mary, so he may have already gotten married by now. "

Indeed, when the barony was demolished, Clarisse mentioned that she was only eight years old, making Mary only 12 at the time, which was a long time ago, and Clarisse herself was also a child, so it's no wonder she didn't know what happened to Cedric afterward. The baron's family had separated, apparently, but Cedric must have known that Mary had joined the Farenheit household in the royal capital as a servant. Hence, the fact that he had not shown his face since then means that he abandoned her.

"Do you think Mary liked Cedric?"

Clarisse pondered.

"This is just my guess, but I think she probably did love him. But since Mary has such a personality, I have a feeling that she cut off her past once and for all when the barony was ruined, and I don't think I ever saw her display any emotions regarding Cedric sama after that."

'That's certainly… very Mary-like.'

"Why did you suddenly remember Cedric?"

Was there any sign that made Mary think of Cedric?

Clarisse smiled bashfully when he asked that, and Jean couldn't care less about Mary's story at that moment; he just wanted to hug her and love her, but he managed to contain himself with rationality.

"That was this morning when I told Mary about Sid-sama… Mary's face turned bright red, and she was so flustered… I wondered if she liked Sid-sama. And when I thought of that, I realized that Sid-sama looked like someone else…and I remembered Cedric-sama."

'I see…it's worth checking out…'

Clarisse must have just remembered it somehow, but now with the mess of the Farenheit family being cleared up, Cedric might be worried about Mary and investigate her whereabouts, and since Mary is now in a different position from when she was a maid in the Farenheit household, he might think that he could meet with her if he wanted to.

Since Jean felt happier and more contented than he had ever been in his life with his companion, Clarisse, he thought it would not be a bad idea to look into the background of the woman his breast brother was interested in. He asked Clarisse for Cedric's full name and made a note in his head to have Marius look into it secretly tomorrow.

Then he lay back on his bed, pulling his beloved fiancée to his side, and thought about suggesting to Clarisse that it might be a good idea to not take Mary to the lake.

Several days later, Jean and Clarisse departed for the lake on the outskirts of the remote region.

Jean told Marius about the situation and instructed him to find out about Mary's family and Cedric. Clarisse also decided not to take Mary on this trip, as Jean had suggested. Clarisse was fine with it either way because she had already planned to give Mary some time off.

Mary only had dresses for Clarisse that she could put on and take off herself; thus, Clarisse, who could basically do everything by herself, would be fine without her. Her only concern was how Clarisse would arrange her hair. Still, she won't be meeting any other nobles on the trip, so she doesn't need to worry about doing complicated hairstyles; as long as Clarisse can tie it up without difficulty, she'll be fine.

Jean, who was sitting next to Clarisse in the carriage, took her left hand and began twirling her ring around and around.

"I've been thinking about something; when I asked you about it before, you said we didn't need a wedding ceremony… but it just doesn't sit right with me… we don't need a grand ceremony in the royal capital, but why don't we do it here in the borders? Sid, Marius, and the servants can celebrate with us."

"Here, on the borders?"

"Yes, here. Well, at any rate, the winter has already started… how about we hold it in the spring when the flowers start to bloom? The king has already given his blessing for the marriage, so if we just were to inform him of the date and time in advance, it should go off without a hitch."

"Is it really okay?"

Clarisse asked Jean, her violet eyes glowing with joy, and he was confident that he was right to ask this question.

"Of course. I want to see you in your bridal dress."

"I am so happy! Jean-sama … Actually, at the time, I thought you wanted my sister and not me…I just couldn't say anything."

"Ah, I see."

Both Jean and Clarisse have come a long way to reach this point, just because of the selfish lies sown by her father.

"I'd like to see you dressed as a bridegroom, too, Jean-sama. I'm sure you'll look very splendid…"

Clarisse's rosy cheeks and smile were so cute that Jean couldn't help but steal her lips into a kiss. With their tongues entwined, they indulged in the sweet kiss for a while before Jean reluctantly pulled away. Jean was in the most flirtatious mood he had ever been in, so if she were to give him a chance, he might just go the way while in the carriage.

"I can't… We've waited all this time…"

As soon as she was released from the kiss, Clarisse leaned her head on his shoulder. Jean initially mistook Clarisse for shy and reserved, but she actually preferred to be spoiled more than he expected, and the fact that he was the only one who knew her in this way satisfied his possessive desires and brought him enormous joy.

"Let's contact that dressmaker in the royal capital to have the wedding dress made; they have a rough idea of the size, so it would be easy to make without us going there personally."

Jean said, and just as he thought, Clarisse refrained.

"That….I don't want anything too extravagant, Jean-sama."

"Just…you'll only wear a wedding gown once in your life, and I want to see you, the most beautiful of all, in a beautiful gown; let me spoil my wife."

Jean is the one who spoils her so much, so when he puts it like that, she can't say no, and it appears that he is looking forward to seeing her in her wedding dress. She smiled and nodded slightly as she leaned back against him.

'I've got four days off…what should I do?'

On the other hand, Mary was in her room at the Margrave's mansion, enjoying her first vacation in a while but worrying about what in the world she was going to do. Since joining the Farenheit household, she had almost never taken a day off because she had never wanted to leave Clarisse with Matilda, who was constantly being mean to her.

'Let's go to town today …'

The Margrave told her that if she needed to go to town, she could request that the butler prepare the carriage, which she gratefully agreed to use. A short while later, the butler called her to get into the carriage, which was waiting at the mansion's entrance…

'What the ..? '

When she went to get into the carriage, she found Sid, whom she had not seen for three weeks, standing there.

"Mary, long time no see. Have you been well?"

"Y-Yes."

"Do you have someplace you want to go to?"

"No, well…"

'What does this mean? Does the Margrave also know about this? Of course he does'

Mary was perplexed, but she reminded herself that, while she was embarrassed to meet him, she already knew what he was like, so there was no need to be nervous now. It's not that she is particularly uncomfortable being with him. Unlike aristocratic daughters, who are considered indecent to walk around with a nobleman, she, as a servant, has no reputation to worry about. She considers this quick turnaround to be one of her strengths.

"I've never been to the town, so I'd like to go there."

Sid, who probably did not expect a serious reply, blinked his eyes and then smiled.

'His smile though~~ it's simply beautiful..'

"Well then, I'll show you around the town today…although it's not as grand as the royal capital."

"No, I'm sorry to inconvenience you, but I'd appreciate it if you would accompany me around."

Of course, Sid is familiar with the town, so she decided to be honest and ask him for a tour. And with that, the two of them got into the carriage and headed towards the town.