The Refusal of Marriage
The next day, it was nearly noon by the time Theodore opened his eyes.
He thought he had experienced a dream for the first time in a long while. It was a terrible, lewd, and persistent dream that refused to fade.
It was because he had encountered Olivia. She had grown up exactly as he had imagined—no, she had grown into someone far more beautiful than he could have ever envisioned.
Knowing that it was cowardly to blame her, Theodore looked up while drowning in self-loathing, only to be struck by confusion.
This was not his bedroom, decorated with luxurious dark-brown furniture. The room was as simple as a monk’s cell, and the bed was small. A tiny window was set high up in the wall, suggesting that this was not a mansion, but a tower.
He frowned for a moment before bolting upright.
'It wasn't a dream?'
Because he had collapsed onto the bed with the same body that had been rolling on the garden floor, the dirt from his skin was still scattered across the sheets.
Even after waking up completely, he shuddered at the vivid memories that he could never mistake for a dream.
He had held Olivia until dawn. It had been a mad, frenzied act of passion; he couldn't even remember how many times he had ejaculated inside her.
He sat up on the bed, his naked body exposed. Between his legs, his own semen was tangled and mixed with Olivia’s fluids.
"Ugh."
He let out a short groan. Red scratches from the previous night remained on his back and shoulders.
Besides, where had Olivia gone? She shouldn't have been in any condition to move.
He rose with a feeling of irritation. He opened the wardrobe, hoping to find a robe to wear in place of his ruined clothes, but inside, there were only a few simple women's dresses hanging.
That, too, annoyed him. This was clearly Olivia’s room, yet was this all the clothing she possessed? It looked more like the room of a governess or a secretary—and a mistreated one at that—rather than the beloved daughter of a Count.
It was when Theodore was unfolding the ruined clothes to see if he could somehow salvage them that he heard a sound.
Knock, knock.
There was a cautious knock at the door. He spoke as if spitting out the words.
"Come in."
The door opened a crack, and the maid who peeked inside was so startled that she immediately lowered her head.
Theodore saw no reason to care about showing his naked body to a mere servant, so he asked coldly.
"Where is Olivia?"
"Ah, the young lady has gone to the main building to attend to the guests. She told me to bring you some new clothes..."
"Leave them there and go."
"Yes."
The maid, keeping her gaze lowered, hesitantly reached her hand inside the door to set down the neatly folded clothes.
Theodore called out to her just as she was about to leave.
"Wait. Olivia is attending to guests?"
"Yes. There is breakfast and lunch, and she must ensure that the guests had no discomfort during the night..."
"Doesn't the butler do that?"
He couldn't see her expression because her head was bowed, but the maid spoke in a voice full of resentment.
"When the relatives ask for her, if the young lady isn't there, it causes a lot of talk."
"Hah."
Theodore let out a short, incredulous breath.
After a night like that, she had snuck out of bed to prepare for the morning? And all because she was worried about what others might say?
He had thought he had left her unable to move, but it seemed he had been too soft.
Gritting his teeth, he threw on the clothes and roughly swept back his disheveled hair. Then, he walked with long strides back to the main building.
***
Crash!
The brandy bottle thrown to the floor shattered, sending shards of glass scattering in every direction. Helena, Dennis's wife, quickly shielded her youngest son, while the other two children turned their heads away in shame. Several relatives who had been drinking tea with them frowned.
"Please stop, Sir Dennis."
Andrei Knox spoke as if to stop him, but he could not bring himself to intervene actively. Although they were relatives, they had had no interaction, and since he was not one of Pavel’s heirs, he was not in a position to interfere recklessly.
Dennis, who had been drunk since morning, ignored Andrei's worried gaze and shouted fiercely at Olivia.
"What kind of scheme did you pull on my brother?"
Olivia did not bother to answer. She knew exactly what kind of person Dennis was. Whenever he needed money, he would come to Lutgarth to find Pavel, and if Pavel refused, he would throw a tantrum before leaving.
He had often told her that Lutgarth's wealth was being wasted because of the child-rearing expenses for "someone like her."
Pavel had banned Dennis from the premises when she was about sixteen. Dennis's verbal abuse had been a wound, but it was a joy covered over by the realization of how much heart Pavel poured into her.
Above all, it was too long ago now.
Olivia stood blankly, letting the criticism go in one ear and out the other. Compared to the things that truly caused her heart pain, these words were nothing, and in truth, she did not feel distressed by them.
Dennis was just a drunkard. It was a matter that would end if she just listened to him appropriately.
More than that, she was extremely exhausted. She had come out because she wanted to do her best for Pavel until the very end, but in reality, even standing was not easy.
When she remained silent, Dennis shouted even more aggressively.
"Ha! You young thing, you're quite talented! Did you spread your legs for him? And my brother, having no shame..."
"Sir Dennis, you must not do this!"
The young assistant butler, who had entered the living room to serve, could not hold back and intervened. Dennis threw a punch.
Thwack!
The assistant butler couldn't even block it and fell to the floor.
"Eek!"
Andrei and several other men stood up abruptly. The women and children, including Helena, fled the living room all at once.
"Sir Dennis!"
Dennis, in a menacing mood, ignored Andrei's call and approached Olivia with a threatening gait.
"Did I say something wrong? 'Think of her as a daughter,' my ass. Who in the world gives such a huge sum of money to a girl who doesn't share a single drop of blood?"
He poked Olivia's chest repeatedly with his finger.
The room went quiet at that moment, but the drunken Dennis didn't notice. Just as he was about to insultingly poke Olivia's chest once more, a large hand gripped his wrist.
"What are you doing, Uncle?"
A voice as cold as ice fell over Dennis's head.
Instinctively, Dennis flinched. But he refused to admit his fear and looked up with a fierce face, only to shrink back even further when he met Theodore's cold gaze.
"No, that is... Ack!"
Theodore twisted his wrist hard and pulled it away from Olivia as if discarding it. Dennis stumbled backward, reeling as if he had been thrown.
Everything went quiet.
Theodore was not his usual self. He was not in his usual flawless attire, but in a rough state with disheveled hair and clothes barely thrown on. He didn't even have a tie, and his chest muscles were exposed between his open collar.
That appearance made his rage look even more prominent. A terrified Dennis stammered, desperately trying to scrape together words.
"I, I was... as an adult, giving you the proper instruction that I should have given in your place..."
"Is poking a woman's chest with your finger while shouting at her 'proper instruction'?"
Theodore spat out coldly. Dennis visibly flinched.
He turned his gaze. A servant who had followed him quickly entered the living room.
"Escort my uncle to his room."
"Yes."
"Theo, Theo, why are you doing this! What did I do wrong!"
"Lock the door from the outside and don't let him out until he's sober."
"Theo!"
Dennis shouted again. Soon, servants who had been waiting nearby rushed in and dragged him away.
Next, Theodore spoke to the assistant butler, whose cheek was beginning to swell.
"I'm sorry. Go and tend to your wound."
"It is nothing."
The assistant butler said so politely and withdrew. Seeing him clutching his cheek as he left, the pain must have been significant.
"Theo, where were you last night? Are you alright?"
Andrei approached Theodore, speaking in a worried voice.