Chapter 10

 

Due to an unprecedented incident, the Duke gathered everyone from the Valentine family in his office.

David, after hearing everything from start to finish, lashed out at Eleanor.

“Why are you telling us this only now?!”

He jumped up from his seat, fuming with anger.

Eleanor’s cold gaze locked onto him.

“Since when did you care so much about me? Act like you usually do. It doesn’t suit you.”

David’s face turned bright red.

“W-what? Hey!”

He was so shocked that he couldn’t even form a proper sentence.

Meanwhile, Catherine pulled her hair forward to hide the bruise on her face from where Iris had hit her. 

She didn’t do it because she was worried about others seeing it—she did it because of Rachel.

She glanced at Rachel cautiously.

If Rachel saw her injury, especially one on her face…

“Tsk. You can’t even take care of your face… I told you, your face is the only thing useful about you, so make sure you take care of it. 

Don’t come out of your room for a while.”

Rachel would say something like that.

Just then, the Duke turned to his butler with a cold stare.

“Ron, I ordered you to investigate Iris Nancy thoroughly, did I not?”

The butler wiped the sweat from his forehead and stammered, “W-well, that is…”

Before he could finish, Rachel suddenly cut in, her voice trembling.

“I’m so sorry, Your Grace. I was the one who invited her as a tutor. 

I should have checked more carefully… Hic!”

Tears streamed down her face as she glanced at Eleanor with an apologetic look.

The Duke watched her quietly before speaking slowly.

“…Since you invited her, you must take responsibility. Don’t you agree?”

Rachel’s eyes widened. “W-what…?”

“I will grant Eleanor one of the internal rights of the household. Eleanor, choose what authority you want.”

Internal rights were traditionally reserved for the Duchess of the Valentine family. 

They allowed decisions to be made without the Duke’s approval in certain matters. 

Hearing that she had to share this power, Rachel was so shocked that she stopped crying.

“What do you mean by that—?!”

But the Duke didn’t even glance at her. He only looked at Eleanor, waiting for her answer.

“If you don’t want that, is there something else you desire?” he asked.

Eleanor thought for a moment before responding.

“In that case, please send me to a boarding academy.”

“What?”

“I don’t need internal authority. What I want is to attend an academy.”

The room fell into silence at her words.

She continued, “I want to enroll in Hereis Academy in the first winter after I turn seventeen.”

Hereis Academy—a prestigious school founded by the Theos Temple, the largest religious institution in the empire. 

Every year, many students go there to study.

It accepted students at the age of seventeen, and while both boys and girls could attend if they passed the entrance exam, the academy had far more male students. 

Most noblewomen didn’t pursue education seriously since they were expected to marry well.

“What?! Not! I refuse!”

David shouted in protest.

“I agree, Father. The academy would be too difficult for Eleanor,” Killian added.

Catherine sighed. She could tell they were worried that Eleanor would go far away to a place they couldn’t reach—but their harsh words only made Eleanor misunderstand.

Thinking they saw her as a disgrace to the family, Eleanor’s face turned colder. 

She ignored her brothers and looked straight at the Duke.

“Please allow me to go to the academy.”

She needed his permission for one reason—nobles required an official document with their family’s seal to enroll.

Even though the academy promoted equality, it couldn’t ignore the reality of noble influence. Nobles provided financial support, and in return, they gained education, knowledge, and connections. 

Even the imperial family recognized its value and funded it generously.

Because of this, the academy required proof of noble lineage through a signed document.

In the original story, Eleanor eventually got permission to enroll a year later, where she met the male leads, marking the true start of the reverse harem plot.

‘But it wasn’t easy getting approval.’

Sure enough, the Duke’s face hardened.

“No.”

“But you said you would grant my request.”

“Ask for something else.”

“I don’t need anything else. I only want to attend the academy.”

Hereis Academy required all students to live in dormitories, meaning Eleanor would rarely return home. 

The Duke probably opposed this because he didn’t want her to leave.

‘Seriously? He’s acting like a child.’

Catherine shook her head at his stubbornness.

After repeatedly hearing “no,” Eleanor let out a sigh and brushed her bangs back.

“…Eventually, you’ll have to say yes.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’ll make sure you do.”

With a cold smile, she turned and walked out, ending the conversation.

Everyone stared at the closed door in silence.

Then, Alex leaned toward Catherine and whispered,

“…Don’t you think she’s different?”

“W-what?” Catherine flinched and looked at him in shock.

Alex blinked in surprise at her reaction.

“You don’t notice? Her personality is completely different.”

Catherine quickly denied it, feeling flustered.

“No way! She’s the same as always!”

“Huh? How can you not tell? She’s changed.”

Surprisingly, Alex was the first to notice something off about Eleanor. But Catherine kept denying it.

After all, she couldn’t exactly tell him the truth.

Later, Rachel requested a private conversation with the Duke.

Everyone except Rachel, the Duke, and the butler was asked to leave the office.

David left first, saying he was going to check on Iris Nancy, who was imprisoned in the basement. Alex soon returned to his room.

Catherine left alone in the hallway, also turned to go back to her room—

But suddenly, someone grabbed her arm.

“Ah…?”

The force made her light body stumble.

A sharp, salty scent mixed with a hint of blackcurrant filled her nose.

Before she realized it, her face was pressed against someone’s chest.

“W-what the—!”

She struggled to pull away, but a strong hand held her waist firmly.

When she finally looked up, she met piercing violet eyes.

It was Killian.

“You knew, didn’t you?” he growled, lowering his head toward her.

His purple eyes reflected her startled expression.

“T-that…”

Catherine stammered, unsure what to say.

Killian’s eyebrows twitched.

“You’re not going to pretend you didn’t know, are you? Your mother invited that teacher. 

You must have known what would happen to Eleanor.”

“……”

Catherine couldn’t answer.

Killian pulled her even closer, tightening his grip on her waist.

His voice was dangerously low as he whispered in her ear,

“You’ll have to pay for what you did.”

“…What?”

“Your mother’s sins affect you too. Remember that.”

With that, he finally let go.

He brushed off his clothes, as if disgusted, before walking away.

Catherine was left alone in the hallway.

She clutched her aching waist.

The same spot where Iris used to hit her.

“…This is so annoying.”

None of them knew. No—none of them cared.

Just like Eleanor, she had also suffered abuse.

But no one paid attention.

Because Catherine wasn’t the main character of this story.