The Obsessive Maniac Is Trying To Confine Me - Chapter 135
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 135
For a while, I couldn’t take my eyes off Rihardt, who was standing beside Countess Millard.
The Head of the Holy Knights, who had been dispatched to catch the Demon Worshippers, suddenly attending a party.
It wasn’t just me who was surprised; other nobles were also sending curious glances.
Countess Millard seemed quite satisfied with those gazes, opening her mouth with a pleased expression.
“There’s something I’d like to show everyone who attended today’s party.”
Countess Millard didn’t explain what she was going to show.
She only wore a meaningful smile as if it were a secret.
Still, there was one thing I could deduce from this. It was definitely related to that Head of the Holy Knights over there.
“So please, I hope you all enjoy the party.”
As if the story had ended, applause spread throughout the banquet hall.
I felt uneasy since I hadn’t received advance notice that she was preparing something.
【Be careful of Countess Millard.】
Suddenly, the warning Arzen had given me came to mind.
But then I felt a persistent gaze looking at me.
Cold blue eyes.
My eyes met with Rihardt’s, but I pretended to be calm and turned my head away.
He was someone I didn’t want to face right now.
* * *
“It seems the world has really changed a lot these days.”
A woman with red hair looked at me with a sidelong glance.
“People who wouldn’t have had a chance in the old days are now succeeding and entering high society.”
“….”
“There are so many more people buying noble status these days. As if that would change their blood. Don’t you think so, Camilla?”
The gaze that had been looking at me coldly changed to an innocent one as if nothing had happened.
Those around us held their breath at the red-haired Young Lady’s question.
“I don’t know what blood you’re referring to, but it is an era that values ability more than before. In times like these, how important could blood really be?”
High society is a place where there are more nobles with conservative attitudes than those with progressive tendencies.
The younger generation tends to be more progressive, but….
“Oh, I should clarify in case you misunderstand my meaning. Camilla is different from those people.”
The woman clasped her hands together as if worried I might misunderstand.
“Unlike them, Camilla didn’t buy her noble status, did she?”
“….”
“Unlike those commoners who boldly enter high society just because times have changed a bit, people like Camilla have been around for a long time. Who could blame that?”
The woman was speaking to me in a roundabout way.
Whether it’s commoners who buy their status to enter high society, or me who entered high society as the Count’s mistress.
Both are disgusting.
It seemed she was quite displeased with non-nobles running wild in aristocratic society.
At her foolish attitude of openly displaying her emotions, I smiled and was about to kindly respond to her.
“Princess Clete really resembles her father a lot.”
At that moment, a young man nearby joined the conversation.
As if he knew the red-haired Young Lady, a strange light flickered in the woman’s eyes.
“It’s been a while, Paelo Yungsik. But what do you mean by suddenly saying I resemble my father?”
“Princess Clete’s father says similar things, you see. I thought you must have learned a lot from his teachings.”
“…Father does say such things often.”
“He must be very proud. I recently heard about your father’s story in a newspaper.”
At that moment, all color drained from the red-haired woman’s face.
“…That’s not a newspaper, it’s cheap gossip! Don’t believe the nonsense they ramble on about.”
The woman suddenly left some incomprehensible words and departed.
The back of her neck as she turned away was somehow red.
Combining her expression and the way things went, she seemed to be feeling ashamed.
When I looked at the young man called Paelo with curiosity, the man smiled at me.
“It’s a newspaper that many nobles pass around to dismiss as cheap gossip.”
“What kind of newspaper is it that Princess Clete reacted like that?”
“Recently, a business run by the Clete Family completely failed. And that gossip paper published an article criticizing that one of the causes of the business failure was conservative thinking.”
“Ah.”
“It became quite a laughingstock in high society for a while.”
The man shrugged as if it were regrettable.
He had suddenly appeared to help me, but his goodwill wasn’t particularly surprising.
There are two types in high society: one is like Princess Clete, who considers mistresses lowly and dislikes them unconditionally.
The other is like this young man, who tries to curry favor with me for the future.
Such things had happened frequently since I became Arzen’s mistress, so it wasn’t new.
‘Status is really nice.’
It was a thought I’d been having continuously lately.
Paelo Yungsik, who had helped me, left with a wink.
‘It’s pointless since I’ll be parting with Arzen in a year anyway.’
I was thinking it was futile when I felt a sharp gaze from somewhere. When I turned around, Rihardt was staring at me.
‘Could he have noticed?’
The fact that I’m Roji.
However, as if our eyes had met by chance, Rihardt smiled slightly and turned his head away.
I kept watch on Countess Millard.
Rihardt was still by her side.
‘I need to approach her….’
It’s not easy with Rihardt there.
‘It seems like they’ll be together until the banquet ends.’
I have no choice. I’ll have to give up and just approach anyway.
Fortunately or unfortunately, there were many people approaching to curry favor with Rihardt, so my presence would likely be hidden.
I crossed the banquet hall to approach Countess Millard.
“Oh my, over there….”
“Ah, that woman is the one who….”
I had forgotten for a moment.
That I’m quite famous myself.
As soon as I moved, attention was immediately focused on me.
Now that it’s come to this, it would be difficult to either disperse the attention or retreat.
I didn’t mind and approached Countess Millard, intending to at least try to speak with her once.
And then.
“Kyah!”
“Ugh!”
A Young Lady holding a wine glass suddenly twisted her body and collided with me.
My shoulder hurt from the collision. But the problem was….
“Gasp! Your dress… Are you alright?”
The Young Lady turned pale looking at my chest soaked with wine.
I was also troubled.
‘This was expensive….’
No, that’s not the problem here.
Far from enjoying the party in this state, it became even harder to approach Countess Millard.
“I’m sorry. I should have watched for the person behind me….”
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
The problem is what to do now….
But then, Countess Millard, who had heard the small commotion, approached us.
“Oh my, your dress is soaked.”
“…Countess Millard.”
“It would be difficult to enjoy the party like this, so if it’s alright with you, shall I lend you one of my dresses?”
Countess Millard subtly suggested to me.
This was truly an unexpected situation.
* * *
“I’m not sure if the size will fit. I can’t give you an outdated dress, so I’m trying to give you my current one… After having children and gaining weight, I have to wear sizes a few measurements larger than the young ladies of high society, you know?”
Countess Millard laughed as if embarrassed.
“Still, if we adjust it with strings and take it in, I think you’ll be able to wear it prettily.”
Since I’m not nobility, I’m far from the term “young lady,” but she maintained a respectful attitude toward me throughout.
“Young Lady has such a beautiful figure. I was exactly like that in those days too.”
Saying so, she personally handed me the dress that her maid had brought.
“You’re still beautiful now.”
“Oh my, you speak as prettily as your face.”
On the surface, she really seems like a good person.
However, Arzen was wary of Countess Millard. For someone with Arzen’s personality to even try to avoid her, there must definitely be something about Countess Millard.
Nevertheless.
‘This is a good opportunity right now.’
How often would there be a chance to be alone with the Countess?
Just as I opened my mouth to strike up a conversation with her.
“Madam, it seems you need to come out urgently.”
With bad timing, a servant called for her from outside.
“What’s the matter?”
“…It’s urgent business.”
Perhaps being mindful of me, the servant didn’t provide detailed information about the situation.
“Young Lady, just a moment. Please change into that dress I just gave you.”
The Countess asked for my understanding and briefly left the room.
Left alone in the room, I changed into the dress she had given me and waited quietly in the room.
After quite some time.
When the Countess didn’t appear for a while, I cautiously left the room.
But there was no one outside the room.
Standing alone in the corridor consumed by darkness gave me a chilling feeling.
‘Why is no one here?’
Even when I entered the room with the Countess, servants had been waiting.
Then some sound came from around the corner at the end of the corridor.
“Ughhhh….”
What kind of sound is this?
It seems like someone is over there….
It felt ominous, as if something was happening. I slowly moved my steps toward the direction of the sound.
Just before turning that corner.
“Ahhhhh!”
“Huk!”
A man, presumably the one who had screamed, burst out.
We couldn’t avoid each other and collided. The man’s body tilted forward, and unable to bear that weight, my body went backward.
“Ugh.”
I fell hard on my bottom, bringing tears to my eyes.
“Excuse me….”
As I pressed on his shoulder to push the man away, something damp got on my hand.
I reflexively pulled my hand away and checked what was on it….
“…Blood?”
I looked at the man in shock.
“…Save me, please.”
The man muttered frantically with confused eyes as if he had lost his reason.
It was a familiar face.
The man who had helped me in the banquet hall.
Why is this man….
“I told you not to run away.”
Then the tip of a shoe appeared from around the corner.
As I blankly raised my head….
My eyes met with Rihardt, who was holding a blood-stained sword.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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