Chapter 49
Is there such a thing as being naturally drawn to something without even trying?
Just then, Joanna arrived and greeted Dedrick.
“Lord Dedrick, it’s been a while.”
My eyes briefly met Dedrick’s in midair.
We had already decided what to do if Joanna spoke to him.
Our plan was…
“…Please don’t talk to me. I don’t want to be scolded by my brother, Somerset.”
How pathetic!
Unlike his usual stiff way of speaking, he mumbled and looked around nervously, making Joanna a little flustered.
“…Pardon?”
“Then, excuse me.”
Dedrick slightly bowed his head and tried to walk past her, but Joanna quickly blocked his way.
“Lord Dedrick, I’m truly sorry. It seems you got in trouble because of me… But that day, what you said to me—”
“If my brother Somerset sees me with Lady Primrose, he’ll hit me again, just like that day.”
“Ah…”
Joanna’s eyes filled with tears, her pupils trembling non-stop. She looked so pitiful that I almost felt like comforting her.
A dazzling beauty in distress is truly dangerous.
However, Dedrick didn’t seem moved at all and simply walked past her.
Just then, Ebony appeared and patted Joanna’s shoulder.
“Looks like he was bullied pretty badly. He seems so defeated.”
“…Go away.”
“I just want to comfort you…”
“Ebony!”
Did the story change because Joanna took an interest in Dedrick first?
“It almost feels like Joanna is trying to stop Ebony.”
At that moment, Dedrick glanced back at me and gave me a signal.
Ebony misunderstood the gesture and murmured with a relaxed expression.
“He probably wants us to recognize how pitiful he is. Poor thing…”
That’s not it…
Before the misunderstanding could grow any worse, I quickly followed Dedrick and explained what had just happened.
He only moved his lips slightly but didn’t respond.
Because he couldn’t answer here.
For now, we entered the banquet hall.
Dedrick immediately searched for a quiet corner, while I marveled at my surroundings.
“Wow… It’s so shiny.”
It was as if they wanted to flaunt their wealth—gold glittered everywhere.
“So the ‘sea’ theme is a golden sea…?”
The dazzling golden waves almost hurt my eyes.
Expensive flowers and artworks decorated the walls, the columns and ceiling were made of golden stonework, and divine figures were painted across the ceiling.
“This is incredible…”
It was an extravagant banquet.
It could have looked tacky if done wrong, but Delani balanced it well.
That’s nobles for you.
A short while later, whispers from some nobles who spotted Dedrick reached my ears.
“That black hair… Is he the youngest son of the Blackwood family?”
“He does look exactly like the Grand Duke.”
“But why does he always hide his face so gloomily…?”
“What’s the point of looking like him? The successor is already decided—it’s Lord Somerset.”
“Oh my, don’t you know about the recent scandal? Lord Somerset caused a huge incident.”
“After that, both Lord Somerset and the Grand Duchess went quiet.”
“That means the Grand Duke is keeping an eye on Lord Dedrick, doesn’t it?”
“I heard he only got involved because there was undeniable evidence.”
The nobles were gossiping, but in the end, their loyalty still leaned toward Delani and Somerset.
After all, no matter what, Somerset was the Grand Duchess’s son, while Dedrick had no real support behind him.
“Are they speaking loudly on purpose?”
Dedrick, seemingly aware of my irritation, subtly covered his smirking lips with his hand.
Just then, Ebony and Joanna, still bickering, entered the banquet hall.
Ebony immediately spotted Dedrick. When their eyes met, she smiled brightly, while Joanna looked baffled.
Dedrick muttered with a displeased expression.
“What’s wrong with her…?”
“…Hold it in, Didi.”
For some reason, this first meeting wasn’t going very well…
How interesting!
Would this lead somewhere, or was this the end? I was curious, but there was something more important than this love story.
Where was he?
“…Found him!”
After scanning the room, I finally spotted the boy I was looking for.
A red-haired boy sat in a quiet corner, just like Dedrick, his head lowered.
I pointed at him and spoke.
“Didi, do you see that red-haired boy?”
Dedrick gave a slight nod.
“You should get close to him! I have a strong feeling that he’s a really good person!”
That boy was Eugene Tusnella, the second son of the Marquis of Tusnella.
However, he was known for being timid and had no friends.
More importantly, the Tusnella family was a marquisate in name only—they had lost all real power.
Delani openly disregarded them, but that would soon change.
“Because in six years, that boy will discover an enormous amount of mana stones on the land he purchased!”
Not just any mana stones—top-grade ones!
In my old world, electricity was essential, but in this world, mana stones were the vital energy source.
They were necessary for day-to-day living.
Thanks to this discovery, the Tusnella family would become incredibly wealthy.
Their title would no longer be just for show. They would rise as one of the most influential noble houses.
‘But Eugene is the illegitimate son of a concubine.’
Just like Dedrick, he was looked down upon.
The only difference was that Eugene’s mother was still alive and had some influence.
It was a strange situation—she should have been the legal wife since she and the Marquis had been deeply in love.
But the current Marchioness had schemed against her, making her a concubine and treating her cruelly.
And soon, she would die.
At the hands of the Marchioness.
‘Maybe we can stop that from happening.’
At the very least, I could warn Eugene through Dedrick.
‘In the original story, Eugene is sent away to Herba Academy after his mother dies, because of his stepmother.’
That’s where he and Dedrick were supposed to meet and become close friends.
But what if they met earlier?
Eugene eventually removed his half-siblings and became the head of his family.
At the same time, he stood by Dedrick’s side, helping him take down Somerset and the Grand Duchess.
‘We should form a bond now!’
“You should go talk to him first.”
Right now, the Tusnella family was insignificant, so Delani wouldn’t pay them any attention.
People would just assume two outcasts were naturally drawn to each other.
“……”
Dedrick remained silent.
I turned to look at him in confusion, only to find him sulking.
Why is he upset?
“Didi?”
“……”
“This is all for you! It’d be great if you became friends early! I have a really good feeling about this. It’s my ‘monster in the closet’ instinct!”
“……”
Finally, Dedrick moved slowly.
I followed him and whispered.
“I’ll stay back for now. If I wander around too much, I might bump into someone.”
As Dedrick approached Eugene, I pressed myself against the wall.
“Didi, you got this!”
I cheered loudly, but no one really paid attention.
Eugene, sensing someone approaching, lifted his head slightly.
When he saw Dedrick’s face, his eyes widened in shock.
“O-Oh… L-Lord Dedrick…?”
“…Nice to meet you, Eugene Tusnella.”
“Y-You know my name…?!”
Somerset and Axel always mocked him, calling him a bastard instead of his real name.
Despite the humiliation, Eugene still attended banquets because his mother wanted him to build connections.
Hearing his name spoken properly for the first time in a long while, Eugene looked deeply moved.
“I-It’s an honor…!”
“…We’re in the same situation, so there’s no need to call it an honor.”
But before Dedrick could finish speaking, Somerset interrupted him with a mocking tone.
“Oh dear, I was wondering where that musty underground smell was coming from. Turns out, it’s from you two!”
