Spring in My Grasp - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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(11) He, Too, Has His Circumstances!

‘If I’ve done this much, the situation should improve somewhat.’
Alexis’s face twisted into a desolate grimace as he departed the Countess’s Chamber. In truth, he harbored no particular feelings toward Rowan—neither affection nor disdain.
Yet his aunt Ureia, who had been confined to the East Annex like a phantom, now dwelt there with such vitality. He could not bear to see her fall into greater misfortune.
One phantom haunting the East Annex was quite enough—Ureia herself. To him, his aunt represented a terrible trauma inextricably bound to that place. That Rowan could dwell there with such cheerfulness was, in his estimation, nothing short of remarkable.
‘From now on, I must refrain from stumbling through there in a drunken stupor.’
The East Annex was now, undeniably, inhabited. He had never imagined anyone would actually reside there after Aunt Ureia. A marriage of convenience, they called it—yet his own wife would dwell in that forsaken place. The absurdity of it all left Alexis utterly astounded.
“Young Master.”
As I made to leave the mansion, I suddenly encountered the Butler. Alexis fixed him with a sharp, piercing gaze as he bowed respectfully.
“Butler.”
Alexis opened his mouth to speak.
“Yes, Young Master.”
The Butler bowed even more deeply. Unlike his eldest brother Francis, whose temperament was calm and gentle, Alexis possessed a volatile nature—unpredictable and fierce. Though his standing within the Glister Household was tenuous, it remained incomparably superior to that of a mere servant. There was nothing to gain from falling out of his favor.
“If I hear that you have shown my wife anything less than respect, you would do well to contemplate what I might do.”
The Butler trembled, a chill running through his entire frame. As Alexis stepped closer, a sinister smile spread across his lips.
“Treat her with utmost deference. Do you understand?”
“Y-yes, Young Master! There is no question… I shall comply…”
The Butler, frozen with terror, stammered out his response. Alexis then gave his shoulder a couple of sharp pats, his mouth curling into a crooked smirk.
“See that you do.”
Leaving the Butler rigid as ice in his wake, Alexis turned and departed the mansion once more.
The crimson sunset had surrendered entirely to the darkness of night, and the haze of alcohol had long since dissipated from his mind. Alexis’s gaze drifted naturally toward the East Annex. Whatever the circumstances, he could not bear to witness the person dwelling there suffer any further.
***
After that, Rowan’s life underwent subtle but meaningful changes. The most immediate shifts were evident in the Butler’s demeanor and the allowance she received.
“From now on, please feel free to request anything you need without hesitation.”
Such courtesy? One of Rowan’s eyebrows arched skeptically. What scheme was this man plotting?
From the moment the Glister Estate had dismissed her, the Butler had shown her no kindness. Yet suddenly he treated her with deference—no, with outright servility.
As Rowan stared at him in silence, attempting to discern his true intentions, the Butler shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. If she were to speak ill of him to Alexis, if that ruthless man were to take offense… the very thought made his blood run cold.
‘This cannot happen.’
Cold sweat beaded on the Butler’s brow. He knew better than anyone how merciless Alexis could be when provoked.
“Why would you say such a thing? You are Alexis’s wife, after all. It is only natural that I serve you faithfully.”
Faithfully? Rowan’s lips twisted into a wry smile. Now he was using such words?
‘There’s definitely something going on here.’
Observing the servile smile playing at the Butler’s lips as he gazed at her earnestly, Rowan simply shrugged.
‘Whatever is happening, it matters little to me. More money is always welcome.’
In any case, the situation was not unfavorable to her. She carefully secured the substantially increased allowance.
She then made various requests to the Butler for ingredients and supplies. He merely nodded and provided everything she asked for. Of course, Rowan was reasonable in her demands, never pushing beyond what was necessary.
Thus, Rowan and Lea’s lives became considerably more comfortable. They could now prepare meals with ingredients far fresher and of superior quality than what they had previously purchased themselves from the Town.
Moreover, they obtained fine fabrics and commissioned a seamstress to craft several new garments that were more comfortable and vibrant than their previous attire.
Lea was deeply moved by how Rowan shared all of these things with her equally, without the slightest discrimination. When she asked why her mistress would share such luxuries with a mere Maid, Rowan answered simply.
“We are comrades.”
Comrades? Was this a battlefield? Lea did not fully understand Rowan’s response, but she could certainly perceive that her mistress held her in genuine respect.
From that moment forward, Lea came to regard Rowan not merely as her mistress, but as someone for whom she harbored deep affection and loyalty.
Meanwhile, Alexis’s notorious reputation remained unchanged. Though Rowan could have leveraged her status as his wife to enjoy greater privileges in the Town, she deliberately refrained from doing so. Instead, she and Lea concealed their master-and-servant relationship, moving about like sisters, purchasing various goods and visiting Tea Houses.
Through these outings, Rowan naturally encountered tales of Alexis’s infamy. The consensus was that the second son of the Glister Household was utterly dissolute.
There were whispers of his brawl with the notorious Nathan Brothers in the Lower District, rumors of his dalliances with Tatiana, the most beautiful of the high-class courtesans—all sordid tales of debauchery and excess.
“Sigh.”
Upon returning to the Glister Estate Annex from the Tea House, Rowan exhaled deeply.
“He truly is more of a libertine than I imagined.”
“That… may not be entirely true….”
Lea protested weakly, her voice barely above a whisper, lacking any real conviction.
“You’re defending him.”
At Rowan’s reproach, Lea’s cheeks puffed out indignantly.
“No, it’s not that everything is like that, and….”
Rowan’s gaze sharpened with curiosity. Lea poked absently at her blueberry cheesecake with her fork, her voice uncertain.
“The truth is, when I worked at the Main Residence, I encountered Alexis a few times.”
Lea too had feared him then, recalling his dark reputation. Those unfamiliar with him avoided him out of dread. Even his own mother, the Countess, treated her second son with such disdain that one could only imagine how thoroughly wretched he must be to warrant such treatment from his own parent.
Yet the Head Maid’s words had been different. When Alexis occasionally returned to the Mansion, the Head Maid, finding no dedicated Maid assigned to him, had attempted to assign one. All the Maids refused. With a heavy sigh, the Head Maid had gathered the senior Maids and offered a brief explanation, swearing them to absolute secrecy.
-Alexis is not what you believe him to be. Though he wanders now, he is not a bad man.
One of the Maids raised her hand at this.
-Then why does the Countess despise her own son so? Why would his own mother treat him with such contempt?
The Head Maid, who had served the Glister Household her entire life, offered no answer. Instead, she sighed heavily and disciplined the Maids with stern severity.
The Maids did not believe her words. Lea had been among them then. But now….
“When I saw Alexis at the East Annex this time, he seemed like a completely different person.”
Lea spoke.
“How should I put it… he was somewhat different from how he appears at the Main Residence.”
At the Main Residence, Alexis was an utterly unapproachable man, radiating an oppressive aura. With a chill so sharp it bordered on menace, not a single maid dared draw near to attend to him.
Alexis seemed like someone who rejected all contact with others entirely. With such a beautiful face yet eyes that gleamed with barely concealed killing intent, there was scarcely a servant in the Main Residence who did not fear him.
“Tsk.”
Yet Rowan’s reaction was utterly dismissive.
“What a waste of a face, truly. Why must he carry himself so grimly with features like those?”
“Rowan, are you even listening to what I’m saying?”
Lea spoke to Rowan with an exasperated expression. Rowan, her eyes half-lidded, scratched at her ear absently.
“Yes, yes, I heard everything.”
“But that’s precisely my point… Alexis must have some reason, some circumstances that explain…”
“What sort of reason?”
“Well, for instance, perhaps he was rejected by a woman he loved…”
Despite Lea’s words, Rowan’s indifferent gaze remained unchanged.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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