Chapter 48

“I object.”

Callisten knew Briseyes’s intentions well, so he said this.

He deliberately drew attention by keeping servants around.

“Your Highness?”

“Cal?”

Strangely, Briseyes seemed to understand his intention. She called out to him, but she wasn’t actually surprised.

“Does it make sense to compensate with money? People can die from allergies.”

“That’s why I’m offering three years’ worth…!”

“That’s what’s strange. It’s not worth buying at three times the price. And if you really wanted to apologize properly, you shouldn’t act like this.”

Briseyes thought he was truly remarkable. She now knew very well that the careless appearance Callisten showed her was fake.

He showed her that side of himself because she was weak to it. Briseyes was vulnerable to people who had pure goodwill without wanting anything from her.

So it was obvious that he was acting as if he purely wanted only her.

Of course, that was just her thinking.

“Apologies should be made in other ways, right? There’s no greater insult than apologizing to Bri with money.”

Briseyes felt strange that he seemed to understand her and was playing along.

She wondered if someone could really act this way just out of possessiveness. The Mays Grand Duke family was important to Callisten.

The Grand Duke family had accumulated considerable wealth thanks to Briseyes and had built up military achievements recognized by the Emperor. Although Demian had no talent for business, he was excellent as a warrior.

It was just that he couldn’t shine properly because he couldn’t compare to Callisten.

“I-I’ll apologize properly and compensate properly!”

“You’ll compensate with money?”

“Yes!”

“It’s ridiculous to compensate with such a small amount. Then at least apologize properly.”

Callisten said this and leaned sideways against Briseyes, pressing his shoulder against hers. When their eyes met, Briseyes shrank away from his shoulder as if she had the illusion that he had read her thoughts.

“You’re heavy. Move away a bit.”

Callisten ignored her words and crossed his legs, sitting close to Briseyes. Demian then wrapped his arm around Briseyes’s waist, making her lean toward him.

“That incident bothers me too. Mother, you should apologize properly.”

“…Demi.”

Abenr sighed when Demian said this.

“I apologized before in front of Your Highness.”

“Should that count as an apology? Then can I make a mistake and apologize the same way?”

Callisten glared at Abenr Di Mays mockingly. At his predatory behavior, Abenr Di Mays unconsciously lowered her gaze.

“I-I made a mistake then. I will apologize properly.”

“Yes, do it. You’ll need to make an apology that satisfies me.”

“I’m the one receiving the apology. Who are you to tell me what to do?”

“I’m your family. And the child you’ll bear will continue my line?”

Demian smirked at those words. He believed the rumors about Callisten were true, and that was why he was so obsessed with Briseyes.

Come to think of it, that made sense.

What member of the imperial family, those exalted people to whom women offer their bodies,

Would wear a chastity belt to maintain purity?

Although Callisten was a fearsome figure, to women he was still a member of the imperial family who could change their status, even if just for one night of grace.

There was no way such a person would wear a chastity belt just to avoid women.

Of course.

He must be homosexual, hating women to the point of disgust.

Moreover, he had never been involved in the usual scandals. There were no rumors about him being with some noble lady or appearing affectionate.

There was nothing like that at all, and he had always been on battlefields surrounded by men, rolling in pools of blood with men, working with men, and spending time only with men.

The only rumors about him regarding women were about how cruelly and simply he had ended the lives of women who had sneaked into his bedroom.

Demian unconsciously raised the corner of his mouth, intoxicated with a sense of victory as if he had Callisten on a leash.

Then everything really made sense.

For someone who cared for Briseyes and Gael, it was entirely possible that he would make a child born from Demian and Briseyes his heir.

To think that the offer he said couldn’t be refused was something like this.

Demian now found it more important to turn Briseyes’s heart back to him and consummate their marriage. After all, they needed to consummate the marriage to have a child.

“Forgive me, my dear.”

Abenr Di Mays bowed her head.

“Are you joking?”

Callisten thundered, as if enraged by her attitude.

“Don’t make me repeat myself. Should I kill you here and apologize the same way?”

“N-no!”

Abenr Di Mays hurriedly sat on the floor. She looked around as she did so. The servants pretended to bow their heads, but they were actually focused on Abenr Di Mays. The matriarch realized this and her face burned.

“I-I was wrong, my dear! I was ignorant! I shouldn’t have done that to you…!”

Then she prostrated herself with her forehead to the ground and continued.

“Forgive this old woman! I will never let this happen again! You can beat me until your anger subsides!”

“Really? Then I could beat you instead?”

“Cal, stop.”

Callisten was sneering but leaned back against the sofa with his arms crossed at Briseyes’s words.

“Please get up, Mother.”

“My daughter-in-law……”

“Don’t do this again. I really could have died.”

“Yes, I was thoughtless. I’m sorry.”

Although Abenr Di Mays found this humiliating and infuriating, it was bearable.

If only the ruby mine in Endar came into her possession, she would never have to bow her head to this pretentious woman again.

She hated Briseyes.

She hated how Briseyes made her son look shabby just because she was good at making money, and she hated how Demian’s military achievements were overshadowed by the great things Briseyes had done.

Clearly, the marriage between a Grand Duke and a Marquis’s daughter was disadvantageous for the Grand Duke.

Yet everyone valued Briseyes more.

What was so great about this impudent woman who lacked feminine virtues and even entered Wilhelm Academy, who refused to consummate her marriage and couldn’t bear children?

She hated how Briseyes talked back to her.

And she hated her face.

The striking red hair, the pure sky-blue eyes, and even the way men’s faces flushed as if their hearts were racing when Briseyes casually glanced at them.

She hated her like a vixen who bewitched all kinds of men.

Although she was far from good enough for her son, the public opinion was the opposite, which she found utterly hateful.

“I will transfer the mine in Endar to you at market price, Mother.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes, but please donate the difference to the poorhouse.”

“Yes, I will!”

Briseyes sighed and signed the document she was holding.

“Give it to me.”

Callisten took the document after seeing Briseyes’s signature, looking annoyed, and glared at Abenr Di Mays.

Then he added his own signature next to hers.

“Grand Duke, you sign too. As a witness.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Demian took the document and signed it as well.

With that, Callisten and Demian had signed the document as witnesses for Briseyes.

“Thank you, my dear! For forgiving me!”

“It’s nothing. Please be careful from now on.”

“Yes, I will! I will absolutely never feed you crustaceans again!”

After Abenr Di Mays disappeared quickly from the room with a happy, flushed face, Briseyes sighed as if dizzy.

“Mother has gone through a lot, so that’s why. Bri understands, right?”

“I will.”

“Understand? Can you understand something that was life-threatening? I still can’t understand it.”

Callisten angrily responded to Demian’s words, and strangely, Briseyes didn’t mind Callisten getting angry on her behalf.

“Cal, thank you for helping me.”

“Huh? Oh.”

He became docile at her words.

“I’m going to sleep soon. You should go too.”

“I’ll go after I see you fall asleep.”

He said this, then made sure Briseyes was settled in bed and confirmed that she was sleeping separately from Demian before returning to the imperial palace.

⁕⁕⁕

“Bri!”

“Welcome, Bri!”

“Bri, are you alright?”

“I heard it was allergies.”

Surprisingly many classmates gathered around Briseyes as soon as she arrived at school, showing their concern.

“Thanks for your concern. I’m fine now.”

She said this while conversing with the people around her.

“We need to have roll call, please take your seats.”

Those who had been chatting without realizing the time had to go to their seats when the professor in charge entered.

Briseyes tried to sit with Demian, but he was already sitting with Delilah, so she sat with Callisten.

“Have you all been studying hard?”

The professor smiled and began writing something on the blackboard.

At that moment, Briseyes felt her body grow cold.

“Midterm exams will begin next week. From today, the Academy will be open until late in the evening, so students who want to study can use the library.”

Briseyes became anxious about the exam period when she hadn’t properly studied yet.

She unconsciously looked at Delilah, who was looking at Briseyes as if completely at ease.

“Will you be first again this time, student Briseyes?”

The professor asked this seemingly without any particular thought.

“I’ll be first this time, Professor.”

Delilah said with a bright smile.