When Pride Fell at my Toes

George, who had been arrogantly babbling about cutting off the sponsorship, fell to his knees as if collapsing and trembled all over.

 

‘I-I apologize. I think there was a misunderstanding, but I didn’t mean it!’

 

Although pests sometimes came and went, they were not that difficult to manage. All he had to do was lock them in a jar and watch them until they died. However, if they kept escaping from the jar and annoyingly flying around him, he had no choice but to reduce their lifespan, even if they had some value.

 

‘Then tell me.’

 

‘Uh, yes?’

 

‘Tell me exactly why you’re trying to eat the money then wipe your mouth clean.’

 

TL/N: He meant that he would take the money then run away with it.

 

‘I’m not trying to wipe my mouth clean, I can return the compensation if that’s what you’re asking! I just thought it would be better for the girl to get married quickly and have a stable life.’

 

‘Look.’

 

‘……Yes?’

 

‘No one can take what’s in my hands without my permission. Did you think I would let you take what’s mine?’

 

‘I-I apologize…’

 

‘But were you in a position to pay compensation? That must have been a sum of money that no one in this country could afford.’

 

‘What are you talking about? Compensation is usually-’

 

‘Haven’t you even read the contract?’

 

‘I read it, but…’

 

‘Go back and read it carefully. That money you won’t be able to pay back even if you work for hundreds of years. Are you going to give up all that fertile land, manpower, and huge investments? Since you gambled away all that money that you shouldn’t have spent personally, are you going to continue to live as a slave for the rest of your life because of that short-lived pleasure?’

 

‘…… I-I apologize! I deserve to die, please spare my life just this once!’

 

‘It seems you don’t want to die, even in words. Then tell me who put that useless wind in your head.’

 

‘Oh, no. I really, I thought it would be better to send Emilia to marriage at a young age… Aak-!’

 

How could there not be a single corner that resembled Emilia? Enrico was truly disgusted by Giorgio’s miserable face.

 

Wondering if he had ever been so irritated in his entire life, Enrico stretched out his leg and trampled Giorgio’s thick thigh with his heel.

 

‘Huck, please…’

 

‘Sigh… Go back and read the contract again. And don’t do anything to Emilia from now on.’

 

‘Ak- Yes, yes! I will definitely do that! Please…’

 

‘I’ll be watching. Keep that in mind.’

 

‘Yes! Ugh……!’

 

Enrico lifted his foot and kicked the man in the chest. Leaving Giorgio falling backwards ungracefully, he ordered Fabio, who was bringing new shoes, to put the pest under surveillance as well, but his unpleasant feelings did not go away.

 

Whether it was because Giorgio dared to think of his possession as his own and try to make a profit, or because of the complicated feeling that continued until the evening he met Emilia, he couldn’t tell. He quickly forgot about Giorgio when he saw Emilia crying while talking about her family, but what was newly created there was Emilia’s attachment to her family.

 

He couldn’t understand why someone who couldn’t even take care of themselves would make such a contract, like a moth to a flame, for the sake of their family. It was an emotion that he, who had never had anyone by his side, couldn’t understand. He initially found it pathetic because it seemed like a natural contract for her, even though it was a contract she had made because of her family.

 

TL/N: moths tend to be attracted to lights so a moth can be attracted to fire even though it’ll burn it.

 

‘I’m just a little feverish. It won’t affect my dancing.’

 

But why did this make him feel so irritated? Actually, if she said she was fine, as long as she performed well on stage, he shouldn’t care whether she was in pain or not. Yet, her words bothered him so much—it was strange.

 

Enrico crossed his legs and leaned his head back. He leaned comfortably against the backrest, but the chandelier was so bright that he felt like his eyes would go blind.

 

In the end, he closed his eyes. He thought of Emilia, who was moving beautifully on the stage right in front of him. Her face, smiling happily under the bright lights as she danced, and her light movements as if she would fly away at any moment were so vivid that they seemed to be pressed into his retinas.

 

As the applause died down, Emilia, her large eyes brimming with tears that she was holding back, stared blankly as if to hide her hurt, her breath catching in her chest. And Emilia, whose cheeks flushed pink like peaches, tears streaming down her face as she looked up at him.

 

My beautiful Emilia.

 

‘……I’m not tired of you yet.’

 

That must be why. It was because he couldn’t let his possessions, which he wasn’t tired of yet, be ruined. She had to exist flawlessly in front of him until he threw her away first.

 

TL/N: MAN IS SO AMBIVALENT…CHOOSE A SIDE, DUDE.

 

After a while, Enrico reached for the table next to him, but felt it was empty and called for Fabio.

 

“Here it is.”

 

Fabio came in and saw Enrico’s outstretched hand, and he took out a cigarette and hooked it between his fingers. Fabio elegantly put the cigarette in his mouth, lit it, and took a step back after checking the burning ember.

 

Enrico lazily lowered his eyes and exhaled a long, hazy smoke.

 

“Speak if you have something to say.”

 

“……Miss Emilia has been taken to the guest room on the second floor. The doctor examined her and said she has a slight fever, but she’ll be fine if she takes her medicine and gets a good night’s sleep.”

 

“Have her whole body examined.”

 

“Got it.”

 

“And bring Zaveta.”

 

“Zaveta? Ah! indeed, it’s better to have someone familiar for nursing. I’ll bring her right away.”

 

Fabio felt that Enrico’s heavy mood was slightly lifted at the mention of Emilia just having a slight fever, and he carefully took out the invitation that had been in his pocket.

 

“By the way, an invitation to the masquerade ball came from the palace.”

 

“A masquerade ball… It seems that the esteemed guest enjoys something stimulating. She’ll get along well with the crown prince.”

 

Enrico smiled obliquely without looking at the invitation. Seeing that he still didn’t show any interest, Fabio carefully spoke up.

 

“Pardon me, but His Highness the Crown Prince requested your attendance.”

 

Only then did Enrico’s eyes turn to the invitation.

 

“Hmm-. Didn’t our nephew like it when I didn’t go to the balls?”

 

Alessandro, who was secretly wary of Enrico, who was not much younger than him despite not having much interaction, came to mind.

 

How similar he was to him, always smiling leisurely but sometimes showing a hidden thorn when he looked at him.

 

The king, who had been at ease with Enrico’s position as a duke and his accumulation of wealth, had belatedly become concerned about the situation, but he had decided that it would only be counterproductive to provoke him now, so he was just watching.

 

But Alessandro couldn’t possibly not know about the situation, so it seemed that his older brother’s son had a lot of anxiety about the throne.

 

“It might not be just a ball for the second prince after all. What do you think?”

 

“I will thoroughly investigate the participants and the preparations for the ball.”

 

“Good idea.”

 

Enrico placed his half-smoked cigarette on the invitation Fabio held, using the paper as an ashtray to extinguish the ember.

 

“……What would you like to have for dinner? Shall I have a meal prepared?”

 

Initially, he had intended to enjoy Emilia’s performance and have dinner with her, but the lingering taste of the cigarette left him with a bitter mouth, suppressing his appetite.

 

Enrico rose from his seat and ran his fingers through his disheveled hair.

 

“No. Have my horse prepared.”

 

It’s been a while since he had a good ride.

 

* * *

 

A golden music box played a melancholy melody. The doll standing in the center of the music box stretched its fingertips towards the sky, gracefully crossed its legs, and spun in place, its head tilted wistfully.

 

The doll turned endlessly like the key that the owner of the music box wound. Then, the smooth movement began to stutter, and eventually became stiff, so the hand that wound the key dropped the music box into the air.

 

Bang- The impact of hitting the ground broke the doll’s ankle, which had been separated from the music box. Miserably, to the point where it could never stand up again.

 

And that doll was me.

 

“Huck-!”

 

Emilia took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. Her enlarged eyes were filled with fear and tears. Her chest was heaving, and for a moment she was so dazed that she didn’t even blink, her eyes wide open as if she didn’t understand the situation. Then, belatedly, the unfamiliar ceiling came into her view.

 

‘This place… oh, right. I got examined and fell asleep.’

 

Belatedly remembering that she was in the duke’s mansion, Emilia slowly raised her upper body. Her body felt much lighter, perhaps because she had taken medicine and slept.

 

‘Must be because I’m tired. Even my dreams are confusing.’

 

Frowning, Emilia flicked her sweat-soaked nightgown and lowered her feet to the floor under the bed. She wanted to drink a glass of water and wash up, so she reached for the water glass on the bedside table, but the door carefully opened.

 

“Ah… you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

 

Zaveta, who should have been home, came into the room.

 

“Lady? Why are you here? Did you return to the duchy?”

 

“No. The Duke called me here to nurse you for a while. I thought you would sleep until morning, but you woke up so early.”

 

Enrico? The cold look he gave me earlier came back to mind. Was it because he thought it would be difficult to continue the contract if I was not in good health?

 

Emilia blinked and turned her head towards the window. The doctor’s words about giving me a full physical exam were on her mind.

 

‘…I guess I should keep the ankle thing hidden for now.’

 

TL/N: GIRL, JUST DON’T.

 

* * * *

 

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