Chapter 29
The Count, who had paused for a moment, once again flashed a charming smile.
“Surely… you’re not saying that Selinia isn’t a member of the High-Learn Count’s family?”
Unable to refute his own words, he instead attempted to threaten Aeon by shifting the direction of the conversation.
His words implied that if he wasn’t her father, then she was just an orphan and not of noble blood.
“A family without any burdens is one of Selinia’s charms, after all.”
“A family without burdens? Are you speaking of the High-Learn Count’s family?”
“The place that offered my daughter as a sacrifice, so I could hardly call it a family.”
“Grand Duke and Marquis! Watch your tongue!”
The Count, unable to take it any longer, raised his voice.
“Why are you so angry? If you knew that the High-Learn Count was indicted in the Supreme Court, you might just collapse.”
Aeon responded with a relaxed smile.
“Indicted?”
The word shocked both of us.
‘Wasn’t everything supposed to be over when I came to the Mage Tower regarding the illegal potions?’
The Count, seemingly under the impression that this was the case, blurted out, his face turning red.
“Who… who filed the indictment against me?”
“I filed it, with the authority of the Mage Tower Lord, regarding the illegal potion distribution.”
“That… that’s what Selinia did…”
“Miss Selinia didn’t know anything. She just made the potions. But it has been revealed that you, Count, were the one who distributed them and took the profits.”
“How would outsiders know where the profits went? And even if I didn’t participate in the sales, wouldn’t the creator also bear some guilt?”
The Count looked at me. He seemed to want to confirm that if he was held accountable, I would be affected too, as he mistakenly believed that Aeon cared for me.
Aeon seemed to have noticed the look in the Count’s eyes and nodded before replying.
“Yes, Miss Selinia will also be held accountable.”
‘Does this mean the court will arrest me?’
Mary quietly murmured “miss” as she tightly held my hand, but I almost wanted to dance with her, despite the situation. Going to prison… that was something I had hoped for since I met Aeon.
“So… you are certainly…”
“That’s why Miss Selinia is at the Mage Tower.”
Aeon paused for a moment before continuing.
“I’m personally supervising her. The punishment she receives from the court will likely be similar.”
The Count stared at Aeon with a blank expression. I imagined my expression was just as confused as his.
“When did I ever say I would ignore your sins in exchange for taking Selinia with me?”
Aeon’s voice was light, but his gaze at the High-Learn Count was far from kind. It was as though he was looking at someone who deserved to die.
I almost wondered if there was some kind of hidden grudge he held.
Aeon leaned closer to the Count’s ear and whispered something. Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear his voice.
Watching the Count’s face grow pale, I could only guess that he was saying something unfit for others to hear.
“Selinia.”
The Count stood there in a daze, as if lost, and weakly called my name.
“What I said earlier wasn’t meant… I’m sorry. That was a slip of the tongue. So, you… you’re actually a very good person. Your background doesn’t matter at all.”
It seemed incredibly difficult for the Count to praise a lowly orphan like me, even if it was reluctantly forced out.
After speaking, the Count looked at me as if waiting for a response.
I didn’t answer him. Expecting forgiveness with a simple apology was something only children could believe in.
When Aeon coughed softly, the Count reacted exaggeratedly and opened his mouth again.
“From now on, I don’t care what you do. There won’t be any more sudden appearances or things that cause you trouble.”
“Count?”
His words were unexpected.
“From now on, your guardian will be the Grand Duke, not me.”
I had never considered the Count as my guardian, but legally, I was a part of the High-Learn Count’s family.
No matter how much the head of the family tried to get rid of me, he couldn’t just erase me from the family records with one word.
“But my last name is still High-Learn. Are you saying you want to disown me?”
“I… I never adopted you. I just bought you for a few gold coins.”
The Count answered hesitantly, glancing at Aeon.
When Aeon nodded slightly, the Count had nothing else to say and left the room.
“What did you say to him?”
I figured it would be better to ask Aeon than try to catch the person who left.
“He seemed deeply moved by my sincere advice.”
Aeon’s response was playful, and it seemed clear that he had no intention of revealing the truth.
“Miss… what is going on here?”
Mary muttered, unsure if it was a question or just a murmur.
Today, I learned the truth.
The Count never adopted me from an orphanage.
He had bought me like a slave.
He had told me that I had become his daughter, but it was all a lie.
“So, you’re saying I was never a part of the High-Learn family?”
“That can’t be true. I remember the day you arrived at the mansion clearly.”
“Then why did he lie?”
Did he realize that I was starving for affection and decided to use that to manipulate me?
Whatever his intentions, it left me with a horrible feeling.
At least I found out the truth after leaving the mansion.
Had I known this before, I might have been in a panic.
“I guess, Mary, you’ve been suffering for nothing.”
“What are you saying?”
I thought of the Count’s wife, whom I had never shared a meal with.
I remembered the scornful looks from those who had never dared to call me “sister” or “brother,” and the mocking whispers of the servants.
At one point, I had resented them. But now, looking back, their attitude seemed natural.
It was my fault for expecting too much as someone who had been bought like merchandise.
“In both past lives and this one… yes, this has always been my fate.”
I barely managed to compose myself and spoke to Jant, who was showing a rather unseemly expression.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have worn the clothes you worked so hard on.”
“That’s nonsense.”
Before Jant could speak further, Aeon spoke first.
“What do you mean Miss Selinia isn’t worthy?”
He grabbed my shoulder gently.
His purple eyes looked at me with an expression that was almost reproachful.
His intense reaction almost made me think I had insulted him instead.
“I’m just a worthless orphan.”
“A worthless orphan, you say?”
“You heard everything, didn’t you?”
“I say this because I’ve heard it all.”
I wasn’t in the mood to argue with him now.
I tried to look away, but this time, he carefully turned my face to face him directly.
I couldn’t move, and I had to look into Aeon’s eyes.
They were darker than before.
“This is not the time for such judgments. Miss Selinia doesn’t yet know her true worth.
You are a person of utmost nobility.”
These were words I had never heard in either my past life or this one.
They felt too sweet to be true, and I couldn’t help but feel awkward hearing them.
Hearing words like these from him felt like something a parent would say to a child.
“Why is he saying such things? What does he know about me? What makes me noble—my brown hair, my green eyes?”
These questions filled my mind, but for some reason, I couldn’t voice them.
The words “noble person” sounded so sweet that I didn’t want to confirm if they were just sweet lies.
“From now on, please don’t speak so humbly. Understand?”
I couldn’t take my eyes off his face and nodded.
Apparently, this wasn’t enough for him, as he made the same request again.
“Your answer?”
“I’ll try.”
A heavy silence filled the room. It was a silence no one could easily break.
“They say a lady’s true value lies in her cultured speech, her beautiful heart, and her dignified attire. And with the Marquis looking after you, you should have confidence.”
Finally, Jant intervened to break the tension.
Aeon then looked around the room and spoke again.
“What happened today…”
“Of course, I didn’t see or hear anything.”
“I, I won’t say anything either. Not here, nor anywhere else.”
Both of them seemed to be satisfied with their responses, and Aeon nodded without saying a word.
And thus, the most spectacular shopping experience of my life came to an end.
“Miss, I’ll see you again soon.”
I waved goodbye to Mary as she walked away.
She had no idea what had just happened.
She had only come with good intentions, but she had learned something she didn’t need to know.
“It’ll be fine.”
“Don’t worry. If it’s not, I’ll bring her here.”
Aeon’s possessiveness over Mary became evident once again as he muttered under his breath.
