MLIIWTFL Chapter 161

 

 

 

“Ah, Lord Jarvis. It’s been a while.”

 

Letticia smiled, but her tone was cold.

 

Ezkhiel, slightly out of sync with the atmosphere, thought to himself that she really must have meant it when she said she disliked men like Jarvis.

 

Yet Jarvis, unfazed by the chilly reception, kept the conversation going with a shameless smile.

 

“I sent several letters requesting a meeting, but all I received in return was that the timing didn’t work out. I was quite disheartened, you know. I even began to wonder if my letters had ever reached you properly.”

 

“I would never be so rude, I simply couldn’t make time. You might not be aware, but I’m currently preparing a charity concert with Lady Eskis. I’ve been declining most visits and social gatherings to focus entirely on that.”

 

“Then the heavens must have granted me great fortune—to meet you when your schedule finally clears.”

 

Jarvis blatantly ignored Ezkhiel’s presence. Letticia’s expression turned grim, but Ezkhiel was used to it.

 

Jarvis despised Ezkhiel.

 

More precisely, he looked down on him because of his humble origins and his status as a second son.

 

That may seem like a petty reason to hold such contempt, but to Jarvis, a second son was nothing more than a parasite—feeding off the family’s wealth and the heir’s achievements.

 

So he had no interest in Ezkhiel’s personality, mannerisms, or preferences. To Jarvis, Ezkhiel Bright was simply the second son of the Baron Bright household—a leech, nothing more.

 

Things were better when they were children. The Brights only stayed in the eastern social circle during the summers, and the gap between them was so wide that they rarely met or spoke.

 

But once they became adults and entered the capital’s social scene, their relationship turned into a disaster.

 

It greatly irritated Jarvis that the second son of a low-ranking noble family—whom he had always dismissed—had not only become the crown prince’s chief aide, but was now also considered a promising marriage prospect, equal to himself.

 

So Jarvis made Ezkhiel a target of ridicule every time they met, stealing away the women near him and turning him into a laughingstock to assert his superiority.

 

But this time, things were different.

 

With that in mind, Ezkhiel narrowed his eyes at Jarvis and spoke up.

 

“I think you’re misunderstanding something. Letticia and I are currently taking a morning walk together.”

 

Jarvis, who had deliberately ignored Ezkhiel the entire time, glanced at him for the first time.

 

But, as always, instead of offering a greeting, he replied with a dismissive insult.

 

“Calling her ‘Letticia’ so casually—don’t you think that’s quite rude, Sir Bright? Especially considering how kind the lady is to everyone.”

 

“You’re saying that while watching us take a morning stroll together in the Grand Park? I don’t understand why you feel the need to comment on how I address her, Lord Jarvis.”

 

Ezkhiel responded calmly, and Jarvis’s expression twisted slightly.

 

It clearly annoyed him that the man he had always deemed beneath him dared to talk back.

 

However, the irritation was brief. Jarvis soon returned to his usual composed expression, curling his lips into a stronger smirk as he continued mocking Ezkhiel.

 

“I’m sure you’re thrilled to have bumped into the lady on her walk and managed to accompany her. But trying to make others misunderstand the situation? Even if you lack charm and accomplishments, isn’t that just plain petty?”

 

“Lord Jarvis!”

 

Letticia stepped forward, bristling at the blatant insult toward Ezkhiel, but he gently caught her arm.

 

Jarvis was his to deal with.

 

If Letticia were to intervene, Ezkhiel would be reduced to a pitiful man who needed a woman to defend him.

 

This time, it had to be him.

 

Resolving himself, Ezkhiel locked eyes with the orange gaze full of scorn and ridicule, and responded.

 

“I understand it’s difficult to accept not being chosen. But denying reality doesn’t change it.”

 

“Now that’s what I call wishful thinking. Can you even imagine the disgrace of the Queen of Flowers keeping a common weed by her side? A lowly Baron’s second son who lives off his family’s scraps has no business approaching someone like her.”

 

“Then who exactly do you think is suited to stand beside her?”

 

Ezkhiel’s voice was calm, but firm. Jarvis replied without hesitation.

 

“Only a man who surpasses all other suitors in family background, appearance, reputation, eloquence—every aspect. If he’s anything less, how would anyone accept him beside a queen?”

 

As he said this, Jarvis turned to glance at the onlookers gathering nearby, a confident smile on his face.

 

Some among the crowd nodded in agreement.

 

“Well, Lady Sharon was mentioned alongside His Highness the Crown Prince, after all. And the other suitors are all so distinguished…”

 

“Now that you mention it, don’t you think Lord Jarvis suits Lady Sharon better? They look so radiant standing together—like two brilliant roses.”

 

“Sure, Sir Bright is handsome, but next to the glamorous Lady Sharon… he seems rather dull.”

 

“And honestly, even if Sir Bright is decent, the Bright family itself may have a long history, but there’s not much substance there. It’s hardly a comparison to the prestigious Marquess Jarvis’ household.”

 

Their hushed murmurs somehow carried clearly to the very people they were talking about.

 

Noticing the shadow that had crossed Ezkhiel’s face, Jarvis looked down at him, his expression full of triumphant glee.

 

That all-too-familiar look made Ezkhiel’s hand start to tremble again.

 

Jarvis would set his sights on the woman by Ezkhiel’s side. The woman would respond, abandoning Ezkhiel and walking away with Jarvis.

 

It had happened every time Jarvis approached him.

 

Eventually, Ezkhiel had come to associate that look in Jarvis’s eyes with humiliation. He would resign himself to being the butt of the joke once again.

 

But what truly terrified him wasn’t the idea of losing a potential match.

 

What followed next was always the same, his father’s or mother’s one-sided scolding and fury.

 

Even if he was technically independent now, a noble’s marriage still required parental persuasion by tradition.

 

Suitors who were interested in Ezkhiel didn’t approach him directly but went to Baron and Baroness Bright instead. His parents would then choose the ones they liked and force Ezkhiel to meet them.

 

Even David couldn’t shield him from that. So Ezkhiel had no choice but to comply with their demands. If he didn’t uphold the family’s image, his mother would storm into his place and throw a hysterical fit—there was no way out.

 

Yet, after just a few conversations or a single dance, Jarvis would show up, steal the other’s attention, and begin mocking Ezkhiel to tear him down.

 

The women, hoping to stay on Jarvis’s good side, would side with him. Jarvis’s entourage would stir the crowd, making Ezkhiel the laughingstock.

 

The others? They were passive spectators, watching as if it were entertainment or whispering careless, irresponsible remarks while chuckling to themselves.

 

Thankfully, someone like Lenard—who was just as popular as Jarvis—would often step in to support Ezkhiel, shortening those torturous moments. But Ezkhiel was no fool. After what he saw, there was no way he’d ever actually marry someone from those arranged meetings.

 

And in the end, it always ended the same way—with his father’s backhand or his mother’s hysterics, accusing him of disgracing the family.

 

Honestly, the massive pile of work Matthias threw at him became a convenient excuse. Escaping to his job was the only way he could breathe.

 

That’s why, whenever Ezkhiel saw that look in Jarvis’s eyes, he felt like he was suffocating.

 

So many broken engagement talks and parental abuse—all of it always started from that look.

 

‘…No. Not this time.’

 

Ezkhiel clenched his trembling hand into a fist and took a deep breath. Then he turned to Letticia—and was stunned.

 

Her face, as she listened to the crowd’s comments, looked like she was about to kill someone.

 

“L-Letty?”

 

Ezkhiel called out her nickname cautiously, surprised.

 

Letticia wiped off her fierce expression and smiled sweetly.

 

As the crowd began murmuring again in reaction to her smile, Letticia returned to her intense expression and locked eyes with Jarvis. Her voice was sharp and accusing.

 

“…There are always people who lack manners, aren’t there? Telling me, who just publicly announced her relationship, that I’d look better with another man… Are you suggesting I cheat on my lover?”

 

The people who had been carelessly gossiping about her relationship suddenly fell silent, flustered by her direct confrontation.

 

Even Jarvis seemed caught off guard by her unexpected response, stammering slightly.