Chapter 11
In the Libre Empire, it was uncommon—but not unheard of—for a woman rather than a man to inherit a noble house.
If there were no sons among the direct descendants, if a daughter was judged to be more capable than her brothers, or if the son had serious disqualifying issues such as poor health or mental instability, then the daughter could become the heir.
Of course, achieving that was no simple matter.
She had to overcome the outdated mindset of the older generation, prove herself both in managing the family and in high society, and earn recognition from those inside and outside the household.
Even so, it wasn’t impossible.
From time to time, there had even been female heads of noble houses who restored their families to prosperity.
And yet…
Aunt had once been chosen as the next head of House Mason.
I already knew she was extraordinary.
But she was even more exceptional than I had imagined.
I stared at her with wide eyes.
“So… did you give up becoming the head of House Mason in order to marry Uncle?”
If what Aunt said was true, then she should have been the current Marchioness of Mason.
…
But the title of Marchioness Mason belonged to my father.
And Aunt had remained in the capital as the Marchioness Wellington.
Knowing her fearless and level-headed personality, I couldn’t imagine Father forcing her aside.
Yet I also couldn’t picture her as someone romantic enough to abandon the position of family head for love alone.
When I asked in confusion, a crooked smile appeared on Aunt’s lips.
“Yes… that’s right.”
“People all believe I came to the capital because I got married.”
She spoke meaningfully as her gaze drifted into the distance.
Could it be…
She hadn’t come to the capital for love.
Had she come because her position as heir had been taken from her?
And if that were true…
How had Father become the head of the family?
As I stared at her, silently demanding an answer, she turned back toward me and chuckled.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“Even though I saw through my brother’s intentions long ago, the reason I never told you anything was partly your own fault.”
“…My fault?”
What kind of nonsense was that?
Seeing my bewildered expression, Aunt nodded with a smile.
“Yes.”
“When you first came here, all you ever did was watch your father’s every reaction.”
“It was obvious you desperately wanted his attention.”
“So tell me…”
“How was I supposed to tell you that your father had ulterior motives and warn you not to be manipulated by him?”
“…Was I really like that?”
The moment she said it…
My thoughts abruptly came to a halt.
Then…
Was that why Aunt had remained silent in my previous life as well?
“Yes.”
“Anyone could see it.”
“If I’d said anything back then, you would’ve only avoided me and listened to your father instead.”
“So I decided to say nothing.”
“But yesterday…”
“I heard you finally stood up to him.”
“That made me think you might actually listen now instead of simply avoiding me.”
She shrugged lightly.
“Young people always want to do exactly what they’re told not to do.”
The smile on her lips was different from before.
It wasn’t the distant smile she’d always worn when looking at me.
As I quietly watched her expression, she reached out and gently patted my shoulder.
“This isn’t the place for a conversation this long.”
“Let’s go join the men first.”
“Who knows what your father will do next.”
“You’re going to need connections of your own.”
“And in that regard… Duke Fontaine would be the perfect ally.”
She added the last part casually before walking ahead.
Although Aunt spoke as if it were no big deal…
My head was beginning to ache.
Father had stolen Aunt’s rightful position.
He had never intended to pass the title to me, even if I refused to marry the Crown Prince.
And now she was saying I would need powerful allies.
I had only made up a small excuse to avoid seeing Asierad.
Instead…
I felt as though I’d learned far more than I was prepared to hear.
“Are you coming?”
While I stood there lost in thought, Aunt called out to me once more.
I blankly looked at her waiting figure.
Then I suddenly came to my senses.
‘The important thing is… Aunt has finally decided to help me.’
She had once been acknowledged as worthy of becoming the next head of House Mason.
Surely…
I could learn far more from her than from the father who had neglected me.
Thinking that, I finally forced my frozen feet to move.
“I’m coming, Aunt.”
“Good.”
“You made the right decision.”
Seeing me slowly approach, Aunt flashed a satisfied smile.
Then the two of us walked side by side toward our destination.
* * *
“You said you only remembered the basic rules!”
“Haha, you’re giving me too much credit.”
“I was simply more nervous than usual because I was facing a true master.”
“I was just lucky.”
“Duke.”
“Games are much like life.”
“You must carefully calculate every move, stay completely focused, and yet smile as though nothing is wrong.”
“It seems you’ve already mastered that.”
“I’ve been thoroughly outplayed.”
“Haha…”
Despite the smile on his face…
Asierad was steadily growing more anxious.
He had gone to considerable lengths to learn Othello after hearing it was Marquis Wellington’s only hobby.
But the limits of his rushed practice were beginning to show.
More importantly…
Eloise still hadn’t appeared.
He had accepted the invitation because he’d heard the Marquis and Marchioness usually welcomed guests together.
Naturally…
He had assumed Eloise, who adored her uncle, would also be there.
Had he miscalculated?
Maintaining the faint smile he’d worn while conversing with the Marquis, Asierad glanced toward the door once again.
‘Please…’
‘Just let her walk through that door.’
‘Then perhaps I’ll finally be able to sleep peacefully tonight.’
“It seems you’re worried about Eloise.”
“Pardon?”
“You’ve been looking at the door this whole time.”
“Haha.”
“Ah…”
“Was I?”
“My apologies.”
“How rude of me.”
“Not at all.”
“It’s only natural for a young man to look toward a flower like my niece instead of an old man like me.”
“I understand completely.”
The Marquis laughed warmly.
No matter when he met him…
He was always such an easygoing and gentle man.
Watching the cheerful middle-aged noble, Asierad smiled.
He had wanted to meet this man again.
The man who had always comforted and encouraged Eloise whenever she struggled to fit into noble society.
A man forever described as kind.
The very image of a devoted husband…
And an honorable gentleman.
Having grown up under the strict care of his grandfather without a father…
There was no one Asierad admired more.
Yet the Marquis’s eyes changed in an instant.
“But, Duke.”
“Winning that child’s heart won’t be easy…”
“But persuading her father will be even harder.”
Eloise’s father…
Meeting the Marquis’s sharp gaze without flinching, Asierad smiled faintly.
“…That sounds less like advice…”
“And more like a warning.”
“Am I mistaken?”
“Perhaps.”
“Call it an old man’s needless worry.”
“I have no children.”
“So after seeing my niece again for the first time in so long…”
“I couldn’t help but feel as though she were my own daughter.”
The Marquis laughed warmly once again, the sharpness already gone.
It wasn’t normal for someone to warn another person about a child’s own father.
But Asierad had already considered countless possibilities.
So instead of asking further questions, he simply nodded.
“I’ll remember your words.”
“Thank you.”
“I have a feeling we’ll be seeing each other far more often than either of us expected.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll remember your sincere advice.”
“Haha.”
“You flatter me.”
Though he said so…
The Marquis’s gaze drifted toward the door again.
Just like Asierad’s.
Was he waiting for his wife?
There was something nostalgic about that look.
Watching him…
Asierad found himself thinking how much Marquis Wellington resembled Eloise.
She, too, occasionally wore that same wistful expression.
Even during brief conversations…
That lingering sense of longing had always appeared in her eyes.
Who had she been missing?
It was a question he had buried deep inside himself without ever asking.
Now…
There was no one left who could answer it.
A dull ache spread through his chest.
Once again, he forced his emotions back down.
After watching the Marquis for a long moment, Asierad spoke.
“This may be somewhat presumptuous, Marquis.”
“Please, go ahead.”
It was merely a passing thought.
But…
What if…
What if Eloise had never been born into House Mason?
What if her parents had been someone as endlessly gentle as Marquis Wellington…
And a Marchioness who was stern, yet an unwavering pillar of support?
Smiling softly, Asierad continued.
“Lady Eloise…”
“Reminds me very much of you.”
“…Eloise?”
“You think she resembles me?”
The Marquis’s eyes widened.
He looked genuinely astonished.
Instead…
It was Asierad who found himself surprised.
Among all the people around her…
Only Marquis Wellington possessed the same gentle warmth that Eloise did.
They hadn’t spent much time together.
They couldn’t possibly have influenced one another that deeply.
And yet…
She resembled him astonishingly well.
Seeing how dearly he cherished his only niece…
Asierad had naturally assumed the Marquis had noticed the resemblance too.
Instead…
The Marquis froze for a moment before bursting into hearty laughter.
It was laughter filled with joy…
And lingering surprise.
“You’ve never thought about it before?”
“Hmm…”
“It’s true that I treasure her like my own daughter.”
“But after I married…”
“I only saw her once or twice.”
“So, truthfully…”
“I don’t know as much about her as I’d like.”
Embarrassed, the Marquis rubbed the back of his neck.
“I see.”
“At the very least…”
“I’ve done everything I could to make her comfortable while she’s staying here.”
“But I never expected to hear something like that.”
The Marquis laughed again, clearly pleased.
“My, my.”
“I thought Your Grace was only talented at games.”
“But it seems you’re quite skilled at sweet words as well.”
“Sweet words?”
“I only spoke honestly.”
“Haha.”
“I warned you to be careful of Count Mason…”
“But now it feels as though you’re trying to win me over instead.”
“You’re mistaken, Marquis.”
Laughter echoed throughout the room once more.
If nothing else…
It was obvious that Marquis Wellington genuinely liked him.
The warmth in his eyes made that much clear.
From the beginning…
Count Bern Mason had never mattered to Asierad.
The Count belonged to the Crown Prince.
And the people who truly mattered to Eloise…
Were not Bern Mason.
Among all the adults in her life…
The only ones she had ever truly cared for were her late mother…
Her late nanny…
And Marquis Wellington.
So…
All he needed to do was earn the trust of the people important to her.
As for everyone else…
‘They’re none of my concern.’
A satisfied smile spread across Asierad’s lips.
And just as he was quietly congratulating himself—
“Is the game still not over?”
The door opened.
At last…
The face he had been waiting for appeared.
* * *
“I feel like we might be interrupting something.”
“I was thinking the same.”
“It almost feels as though we’re intruding on the younger generation.”
Aunt and Uncle exchanged playful whispers while deliberately glancing between Asierad and me.
Honestly…
They were making this unbearably awkward.
Pretending not to notice, I looked down at the finished Othello board.
“Uncle, how do you play this?”
I tried to change the subject.
But—
“Ask Duke Fontaine.”
“He’s better than I am.”
“Ah, but Uncle…”
“Hasn’t he been staring at you this whole time?”
Uncle winked before subtly gesturing toward Asierad beside me.
Toward the man who had been looking at me with unmistakable longing ever since I arrived.
‘Seriously…’
‘Why would he act like this in front of everyone?’
Suppressing the urge to snap at him, I forced an awkward smile toward Uncle.
At this rate…
Even the densest person would notice.
Anyone could tell…
Exactly how Asierad felt about me.
“Ah…”
“My apologies, My Lady.”
“I was distracted for a moment…”
Even his response came a beat too late.
As though I was the only thing occupying his mind.
‘…He’s never been someone who wore his feelings so openly.’
Embarrassed, I quickly turned my burning face away, trying to escape his gaze.
But it was useless.
Even after turning away…
I could still feel his persistent eyes following me.
Seeing my discomfort, Uncle tried steering the conversation toward Othello.
Yet even while replying…
Asierad never once looked away from me.
It was almost as if…
He wanted Aunt and Uncle to know beyond any doubt—
That he was interested in me.
Honestly…
He was making this unbearably embarrassing.
