Chapter 39

Setting aside the slap from the Baron’s daughter during the maid interviews, my father’s fist was quite powerful.

Lord Nazel was capable of many things, but it seemed he excelled at martial arts as well.

With his fist caught, Father—his face still flushed red—snapped at Lord Nazel.

“Lord Nazelbert, I would appreciate it if you didn’t interfere. This is a matter for the House of Eventail!”

Father was offering his complaints with an air of self-importance.

No, no… shouldn’t you apologize to the person you just tried to hit—Lord Nazel—first?

Attempting to strike another lord at a party hosted by the Second Prince is a massive scandal, you know?

However, Lord Nazel remained calm. He dealt with Father in a gentlemanly manner, using a soft tone.

“In that case, Agnes has nothing to do with it, does she? Since she has already been disowned by her family and is now my wife. She has the right to live freely and happily away from that house.”

I was moved by Lord Nazel’s words. But Father didn’t back down; he continued to argue stubbornly.

“Even so, I was the guardian of this thing. I cannot allow her to pile more shame upon us. This thing has an obligation to obey my orders!”

…So now I’m being referred to as “this thing,” am I? Well, whatever.

Both Father and Mother dote on my brother, the heir, but they’ve never seen me as anything more than a tool for political marriage.

While I was feeling a cloud of gloom settle over me, Lord Nazel spoke to Father in a voice that was quiet yet freezing.

“You people abandoned Agnes in the past, did you not?”

“So what if we did?”

Lord Nazel’s eyebrows twitched slightly. He threw Father’s hand aside and continued in a flat, cold voice.

“Agnes was wandering the streets in a tattered state, still wearing her party clothes. If she had been left like that, she undoubtedly would have met with danger. It is unacceptable for someone like you, who kicked his daughter out in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothes on her back, to shamelessly act like a guardian now.”

Having been called out on the truth repeatedly, Father found himself unable to retreat and finally began to lash out in a fit of reverse-rage.

“Shut up! A common sinner like you has no business lecturing me! Don’t you dare show your face in public!”

I really don’t think you should be shouting things like that at a party hosted by the Second Prince, you know?

After all, Lord Nazel is only participating because Prince Leonard invited him.

Despite the irrational vitriol being hurled at him, Lord Nazel didn’t flinch at all. He continued to advocate for the truth.

“I’ll ask you not to insult my precious wife, either.”

“What I do with my house’s defective product is my business!”

As he watched my father rant and rave, the light vanished from Lord Nazel’s eyes.

—Eh? …Huh?

Wait, is Lord Nazel… extremely angry?

When a man that handsome snaps, the “do not approach” aura he gives off is off the charts.

“Hiee…” I let out a tiny whimper and retreated, only to find Prince Leonard standing right nearby. It seemed he had come over to see what the commotion was about.

“So, as you were about to do just now, you beat Agnes without mercy?”

“It is part of her discipline!”

“I was debating whether or not to bring this up, but… something has been bothering me for a while. When I took Agnes in, she had two large bruises on her cheeks. You have been physically abusive toward her for a long time, haven’t you?”

Upon hearing Lord Nazel’s words, spoken with such resolute firmess, a wave of shock rippled through the crowd.

“I told you, it’s discipline! Don’t stick your nose into my family’s policies, you brat!”

Beside him, Mother was turning pale, sensing things were going south, but Father ignored her and continued to blurt out the truth.

He often lost himself in his own rage.

“At that time, I only struck her because she was ordered to get engaged to a sinner!”

“It wasn’t just the bruises on her cheeks. Because she had been forced to wear second-hand shoes that didn’t fit, Agnes’s feet were rubbed raw and covered in blood. And the corsets—it seems you’ve forced her to use models that were banned for being hazardous to one’s health since she was a child. I don’t believe the House of Eventail’s finances are so dire as to justify that. Agnes was wearing nothing but ancient, poorly maintained items.”

This time, Mother raised her voice.

“Our family’s finances are perfectly sound! We are not penny-pinching! The things Agnes wore were not cheap garments from just anywhere; they were time-honored, traditional vestments!”

“…This is getting us nowhere.”

The nobles listening to the exchange began to whisper even more fervently.

“He struck an unmarried lady’s face hard enough to leave bruises? Of all the things to do…”

“Well, he was just about to hit her again, so it must be true. That goes far beyond the realm of ‘discipline.’”

“I always assumed those outdated dresses of the Eventails were because they were stingy with clothing expenses. If they aren’t struggling for money, the least they could do is buy the girl some shoes.”

“This is abuse, isn’t it? Not just the violence, but refusing to provide proper clothing.”

“The banned corsets… weren’t those the ones that caused permanent damage to the bones? The royal physicians must have made an announcement about that over ten years ago.”

“And to try and force that Eventail style on a daughter he’s already disowned at this late stage… how pitiful. She’s so beautiful now that she’s wiped off that thick makeup.”

…I seem to be receiving an immense amount of sympathy.

Realizing the tide had turned against him, Father barked at the other nobles to “Stop staring!” before attempting to lunge at Lord Nazel, whom he had branded an enemy.

However, he was effortlessly dodged and, carried by his own momentum, he dived straight toward the ground.

Unluckily, several tea tables were situated right there. Not only did he collide with the tables and chairs, but a deluge of cream-heavy cakes and drinks in glasses rained down upon his entire body.

His pure white leggings were instantly stained with the colors of assorted fruit juices.

And there, standing in silence, the Second Prince looked down upon my fallen father.