Obsessed with Regressors

“Welcome, Count Burns and Lady Biscon.”

The banquet at Duke Germarot was quite large, as expected by Eugenie. Thirty people, including the dukes, were present, all of whom were extremely wealthy or of high status.

“I didn’t know Count Burns was acquainted with Lady Biscon.”

People who saw Elliot and Eugenie threw out one word at a time as if they were curious. Eugenie Biscon was not a very social person. She maintained only a few acquaintances, and the only social people she was active in was the White Rose Society, a service group for unmarried women.

“Ah, I am acquainted with Lady Biscon.”

Elliot responded leisurely to the attitude of people’s surprise. As if that alone could explain everything. And thanks to his laid-back attitude, people were able to draw the most reasonable conclusions for themselves. Oliver asked his sister to accompany Count Burns.

“Is this not your first time at a banquet?”

Eugenie greeted everyone and sat down, asking him in disbelief. Not even Oliver would be able to avoid conversation so skillfully.

Elliot smiled at Eugenie’s question. He said, accepting the teacup that her servant brought for her.

“I never said it was the first time.”

What? Eugenie’s gaze flicked and she turned to Elliot. She looked fooled, but Elliot never said that it was really his first time at a banquet. He just said she wasn’t used to aristocratic manners. Come to think of it, he had the opportunity to attend the banquet. Since he appeared in the capital, he had been staying in the palace thanks to the King’s kindness.

There was no one as fast as the person who stayed in the palace at the king’s invitation to hear the news in the palace. Everyone wants to invite people staying at the palace to hear news about the palace. Especially if it’s Count Elliot Burns, an upstart aristocrat who’s been making waves in the social world lately. However, if Count Burns had attended the banquet, he would have heard the news, and since he had not heard such news, Eugenie just thought he had never attended.

“Come to think of it, where is Count Burns from?”

Naturally, at this banquet, everyone’s attention was directed to Count Burns. Elliot responded leisurely to their attention, which seemed a little rude to them.

“You wouldn’t know. It’s on the northern side.”

“Is it Izu in the north?”

“Yes, that way.”

“I grew up in a pretty cold place.” Seeing the people’s eyes, Elliot smiled and added, “But after I was 12, I came up to the capital while attending Balsian Academy.”

“Oh, so you’ve been living in the capital for quite some time?”

Elliot smiled silently. If you count the length of your life, the capital is the shortest place to live. But he had no intention of fueling their curiosity by saying such things.

“What about your parents? Do they still live in Izu?”

Elliot’s gaze turned to her at the Duchess’s question. He smiled and slowly looked around at the people in the drawing room. They were familiar faces. Among them, there were even more familiar faces. Elliot turned his attention to Marquis Henderson, who was thinking about something, and then she said to the Duchess.

“No. They passed away.”

“Oops.”

Sighs of regret flowed from everywhere. It was the same for Eugenie. She didn’t know. Of course, this man must have parents who brought him into the world. But Elliot’s laid-back attitude somehow made her feel detached from her family and friends.

“I did not know.”

Eugenie whispered, placing her hand lightly on top of Elliot’s. This was a little too much for her to think that she knew nothing about the other’s family ties.

Elliot didn’t care. His mother died when he was twelve. She was the reason Elliot went to Balcian Academy. Disliking people’s sympathy, he deliberately kept quiet about his family relations. But Eugenie’s sympathy felt good. He lightly grabbed Eugenie’s hand that was covering his own and let go, whispering.

“It’s okay. Because I was young.”

Eugenie’s expression deteriorated. Damn it. Elliot laughed at himself because she felt sorry for him and because Eugenie was cute. She died when he was young, which was something he shouldn’t have said.

He added quickly.

“It’s okay. Really. Because it was so long ago.”

It was a long time ago. To be honest, Elliot had a vague memory of her mother’s face. And that made Eugenie even more sad. He lost her mother when she was so young. She caressed Elliot’s hand gently as her heart ached.

“I have a question for you, Burns.”

As Eugenie removed her own hand from Elliot’s, the older man standing by the window opened his mouth. People’s eyes turned to him. It was Viscount Patterson.

It started. Eugenie realized when Viscount Patterson called Elliot ‘Burns’, not ‘Count Burns’. Aristocratic etiquette was, after all, created by the aristocrats. Younger and newer aristocrats were forced to follow manners. In that respect, Elliot was the best prey for the people in this room.

Eugenie regretted that she should have told Elliot she had known about it. An older marquis or duke could be a little rude. However, seeing Viscount Patterson step up, it seems that Duke Germalot had decided to stay back.

“Yes, Viscount Patterson.”

Elliot responded softly to Viscount Patterson’s attempt to overpower him without raising an eyebrow. Then Viscount Patterson took a cigarette from his bosom and said.

“Oops, I made a mistake. It’s because ‘m not used to you being a nobleman yet.”

In an instant, the atmosphere in the living room, which had been soft, changed. Those invited here were familiar with social etiquette and human relations. Everyone noticed that Viscount Patterson was deliberately provoking Count Burns. And that there could be a Duke of Germaroth behind Viscount Patterson.

“It’s okay. Because I’m not used to it either.”

Elliot’s soft reply caused a burst of relaxed laughter in the drawing room. Eugenie also smiled at him when she saw him take a leisurely hit. Viscount Patterson took a cutter from his bosom and cut off the end of his cigarette. Then he put a cigarette in his mouth and said.

“I am very curious how you found the dragon’s nest. Can you tell me?”

It was a slightly provocative request, but people were already excited about the question about Dragon’s Lair. Even if it’s not, it’s a fact that everyone was curious about him and wanted to meet Elliot.

Some really wanted to ask if he had met Daaribhorn, and some wanted to ask how many jewels Elliot brought from the Dragon’s Lair. Viscount Patterson, of course, was the latter.

“I heard that the jewels you brought from the dragon’s nest are substantial. Did you buy the title and still have it?”

At Viscount Patterson’s rude question, the atmosphere in the drawing room stiffened again. He said that taking an interest in other people’s property wasn’t enough, so Elliott bought his title. Everyone was staring at each other with their mouths closed, not knowing what to do with that atmosphere.

“Brandon, you’re so naughty.”

The Duke of Germalot set out to break the frozen atmosphere. Of course, this was what Viscount Patterson and the Duke had agreed on in advance. If the Viscount behaved rudely, the Duke would step in and soften the atmosphere. That made it a little easier to control the target. The Duke gave the Viscount a good job. But then, Elliot opened his mouth.

“No, it’s not naughty. Everyone is curious.”

When Elliot responded that he wasn’t offended, the people in the drawing room began to sympathize with Elliot, feeling fortunate. Everyone was curious. How many jewels did Count Burns come out of the dragon’s nest? And did His Highness really receive a jewel from Count Burns and give him a title? Duke Germalot also smiled like saying ‘so?’. He would probably be meaner now. That was when he looked up at Viscount Patterson, thinking that way.

There was a ‘click’ and Elliot set his own teacup down on the table. It was a bit loud, so the Duke and viscount tried to mock Elliot with it. Didn’t he learn to put the teacup down quietly? But first, Elliot spoke to them.

“What do you think, Duke?”

“A teacup, what?”

The Duke, who reflexively opened his mouth, hesitated at Elliot’s question. What do you think? What? He was taken aback, but soon recovered. Anyway, he was a country boy who was lucky enough to become a nobleman. If it wasn’t for the Duchess, he wouldn’t have spoken to him first.

To be honest, the Duke was amazed that Count Burns got his word right. Most of the commoners he knew couldn’t get his words right. That’s because he’s a Duke. Few people could confidently demand what they want in front of the current King’s uncle and Duke.

If that’s the case with nobles, it’s even worse for commoners who rarely meet nobles. However, Ronald Germarot thought that all common people did not speak well and stuttered or slurred.

“It is a title. The Viscount here said that His Highness the King would give you a title in exchange for money.”

Having said that, Elliot looked at Viscount Patterson and confirmed it.

“Right?”

Only then did Viscount Patterson and the Duke of Germarot realized that something was wrong. They did not dare to fight back against those words. The people who had been chatting in the drawing room while waiting for the food to be prepared began looking at Count Burns and Duke Germarot, half with interest and half nervously.

Did Count Burns fight back against Duke Germalot and Viscount Patterson? Not everyone in the parlor knew that the Duke of Germalot and Viscount Patterson were on the same side. But they knew that Viscount Patterson liked to ridicule less influential nobles. And the fact that the Duke of Gumarot condoned it.

However, that was the first time the target has openly counterattacked.

“Uh, that…”

“Wasn’t it? He asked if I could afford the title.”

—————————————————————

Translator Note:

Want to read more?