# 69
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“I will give you all possible support from Brisman...”
Count Prisman said with a hesitant face, and it seemed that he was not ready yet.
Hmm.
She held Sertin's hand tightly.
If I get Count Prisman's support, and can get my hands on Chenchis, it will be very beneficial for the industries I will regain in the future.
Oh, am I acting like she's already mine?
Sertin looked at me for a moment, then turned to Count Brisman and said
“If there is anything you want, we can discuss it later.”
“Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
Count Prisman smiled brightly.
"But you have to remember something. I never do actions that make me lose anything. The debt you owe me, I will keep in my heart. Is that acceptable?"
“Yes, yes, Your Highness!”
Count Prisman nodded enthusiastically, seemingly happy to have the opportunity to establish a relationship with the giant Curtis trading company.
Well, as long as everyone is happy, it's okay.
I also got what I wanted.
While I was eating my food, smiling like a little girl, two people suddenly appeared as the main characters.
“Ah, isn't that…?”
“Oh my God, Count Chinchis...!”
People looked for Count Chinchis, who was eating quietly. Count Chenchis raised his gaze and stared at the two people entering.
"Yes…!"
One of them was the young count, and the other with him looked very much like him, most likely his younger sister.
The young count approached us ostentatiously, and then pushed a nobleman who was sitting on the other side of the two circuses.
“Looks like you've finished eating, will you please make room?”
“What is this impudence?!”
“Haha, don’t make it difficult. I asked you to get up.”
The young count grabbed the man by the lapels and forced him to stand as if he were a gangster.
“I have something I want to talk to His Highness the Crown Prince. I think His Highness would prefer someone young like me rather than an old one like you.”
“You bastard!”
Count Chinchis rose angrily. The dining table that was quiet moments ago turned into a chaotic arena.
This is the first time I've seen someone act so rude in front of two cars.
Do they have no respect or dignity?
"Sit."
Certain said coldly.
Yes, I expected that.
“Don't let my stay in Larousse be an experience I regret.”
The young Count Chinchis bowed apologetically, then hesitated a little before sitting down again.
Sertin looked at him with a look of contempt and asked him
“What is your purpose?”
“Hahaha, I just want to discuss things that young people will understand.”
The young count grabbed his sister's wrist and pulled her into the empty seat. The girl was pale and trembling violently, wearing a dress that revealed a lot of her chest.
“Honestly, I'm not good at indirect hints.”
You're not being honest, you're being stupid and rude. What a shameless bastard you are.
“I am well aware of the importance of securing the line of succession for His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Ah, so that's his goal?
I looked at the girl. She was barely trying to hold back her tears, and when she couldn't, they finally fell.
Tsk, I've been plagued with a bad brother.
Well, I also come from a bad family, so I understand how she feels.
"permission?"
“This is my younger sister. Since her childhood, she has been known as a genius, and she also learned three languages while growing up in Larose. She inherited her beauty from our mother, so she will have no problems accepting her.”
“Aha.”
Cyrtain wiped his mouth calmly, then leaned back in his seat.
He closed his eyes and smiled. He's angry.
Very angry.
But that stupid young man did not understand that, so he continued to smile like a fool. He must have thought that Sertin was happy because he laughed.
There was a tense silence at the table. Count Chenchis's face flushed with anger as he stared forward silently.
This is how one person ruins everything.
“What do you think, Your Highness?”
“Young Count Chinchis...”
“Yes, Your Highness?!”
“You treat me as if I were just an animal. Do I look to you like an animal who sleeps with any woman to produce heirs without thinking?”
I swallowed, and held Sertin's hand with obvious nervousness.
“Your Highness! I didn’t mean that…!”
That bastard turned to me. He looked at me and smiled.
“I was just thinking about the interests of the empire and that you need a perfect empress! How can you misunderstand my sincerity?!”
"Be quiet."
So, he was aiming to insult me from the beginning. Well, there's no need for us to look for Count Chenchess' weak spot now.
Serten slowly stood up, gave a signal to the guards who were waiting outside, and they immediately entered the hall.
“Arrest this bastard immediately. He dared to insult my wife and me. He will be held accountable for his crime.”
Insulting the royal family.
In this era, this was a crime punishable by death.
His sister started crying loudly, sniffling
“P-Please, forgive me, Your Highness!”
Count Chinchis fell to the ground
“Please, just spare my children’s lives, only their lives...”
At that moment, the truce that was supposed to last three days in Larousse collapsed. The gentle wind I felt in the morning has completely disappeared.
I held two cigarettes in my hand and we left the place.
***
Sertin led me to the bedroom. He was sitting on the sofa, his face pale and full of anger.
“You seem very angry, Sirtain.”
“As for you, you don't seem like that.”
“Because I've always gotten used to that kind of look. Lady Rosalina did the same, and so did the others.”
One of the most striking examples of this was sitting next to me right now. Maybe because I was so used to it, I didn't even feel angry.
"Always? Were there idiots who showed it clearly?"
“Of course, they think I'm just a naive girl who doesn't understand anything.”
I shrugged nonchalantly.
“Actually, that's a good thing, Sirten. You've now gained control of Count Chenchess, so take Chenchess for yourf.”
I wanted to ease the tension, even just a little. I honestly didn't want to see Sertin angry. I would rather pretend I didn't know anything.
“Evelyn.”
“Don't be angry, Serten.”
The words came out of my mouth unconsciously.
“Pretend nothing happened, please. I will continue to live the same way, for an unknown period of time. Things like this will happen again and again. Will you be angry every time for me? I don’t want that.”
“The angrier you get, the more I remember my true situation. It’s better for you to ignore it. If you keep getting angry and sad every time, I might not even be able to pretend anymore.”
I muttered these words in a weak voice, and Sertin extended his hand towards me.
She sank into his warm embrace and exhaled deeply.
These were feelings I had never allowed myf to think about before. I was deliberately ignoring her.
It was not just a feeling of shame, but a feeling of humiliation and pent-up anger.
If I allow myf to give in to these feelings, I will eventually be powerless to do anything
If I met Rosalina's gaze directly, I might explode in anger at her, and if I confronted maids who were genuinely making fun of me, I might yell at them and insult them.
Then I will be found out.
All my efforts, everything I tried to build, will be in vain.
So I just put up with it and ignore it.
“It's not that I'm not angry.”
I muttered in a low voice.
“Sirtain, I… I’m not a fool who knows nothing.”
“Ha.”
Sertin hugged me tightly. I didn't know what he was thinking, or how he saw me.
I just wanted to stay in his arms like this.
I felt as if this strong hug could protect me from all the injustice in this world.
Sertin placed a light kiss on my forehead.
“I won't get angry.”
said Certain in a low voice.
“I won't do anything you don't want.”
He kissed me on the temple tenderly.
“I will not let your efforts be in vain.”
Then he bent down and kissed me. I closed my eyes as he gave me a captivating kiss.
At that moment, I felt like I had forgotten everything I had heard today.