Chapter 4: Reincarnated as a Supporting Character in a Tragic Novel (3)
The piercing gazes of Count Museau and Marquis Valkyrie were responsible for Eliana’s shock.
She sat beside Count Museau with a disgusted expression.
She was disturbed by the probing stare that immediately pricked her skin.
For a brief moment, she recalled how she felt when she was openly mocked and harassed by her classmates during class.
But Eliana tried to suppress her discomfort.
Her eyes instinctively found those of Marquis Valkyrie, who sat across from her.
He looked older than she had imagined.
The gray-haired old man smiled at her. Then his eyes blatantly scanned her up and down.
She quickly turned her head to avoid the creepy feeling crawling up her spine.
‘Be patient. Patience is key. We can’t go to Hera now.’
She couldn’t cause trouble. It would be easier to escape this if she stayed as silent as possible.
Eliana tried to rationalize this uncomfortable situation.
“And yet, she’ll be your wife soon, so I invited you here to see her.”
The Count said, pretending to be friendly as he grabbed Eliana’s hand.
Eliana coldly stared at the despicable, unethical Count.
After reading the novel, Eliana wasn’t surprised by his behavior.
‘Since when were you ever kind to Eliana?’
Eliana discreetly slapped the Count’s hand away in rejection.
In that moment, the Count flinched for just a second.
Although he still maintained a soft demeanor on the outside, his eyes told a different story, filled with ferocity.
Marquis Valkyrie continued to silently scan Eliana while she and the Count stared at each other. Then he finally spoke.
“Her hips are quite wide, but I doubt we’ll have trouble producing an heir, Count Museau.”
“Huh?”
Eliana looked at him in bewilderment.
His eyes were glued to Eliana’s backside, his tongue brushing against his lips.
‘So it’s strange to have wide hips in this world?’
Eliana was overwhelmed by the sudden comment.
His blatant gaze also carried something sinister beneath it.
“Despite her appearance, she’s a healthy girl.”
Count Museau replied with a dazzling smile.
It was Count Museau who made Eliana feel even more miserable.
He was talking about his daughter as if she were beef being traded at the market.
Count Museau studied Marquis Valkyrie’s face with humiliation.
Would you marry her off to a man who discusses your daughter’s backside the first time he meets her?
It was absurd.
And a father who pretended he hadn’t assaulted his daughter? This kind of treatment would make anyone want to escape.
Both men were trash. Count Museau was trying to sell his daughter, and Marquis Valkyrie wanted to buy a young woman with his money.
‘I can’t do this.’
Eliana changed her strategy.
How could she endure this?
If she had the strength to fight, she wouldn’t have been afraid to take a leave of absence when that senpai kept harassing her.
Eliana asked the Marquis in a sharp tone.
“Marquis, how do you view women? Judging by how you treat me like an object, I doubt your sincerity.”
“Oh, my dear. You must have felt insulted by my words.”
“Eliana, apologize.”
Count Museau was taken aback and scolded Eliana, but Marquis Valkyrie raised one corner of his mouth and let out a laugh.
Eliana had no intention of backing down.
She wasn’t foolish enough to sit quietly after being insulted.
Eliana kept her mouth shut, reminding herself that she had the right to remain silent.
And she was determined not to apologize.
Marquis Valkyrie should apologize first, not her.
Count Museau grabbed Eliana and urged her to apologize quickly.
But she sat upright without batting an eye.
Marquis Valkyrie stared at Eliana with an intrigued expression.
“Yes, I suppose I’ll enjoy taming this one.”
“…”
Eliana was rendered speechless and couldn’t think of anything to say.
She glared back at him, fire in her eyes.
Their eyes locked. Marquis Valkyrie’s gaze was sharp and cold.
A person who acted in their own interests while pretending otherwise.
And a family that could destroy each other if they didn’t like one another.
For just a fraction of a second, Eliana felt older than Marquis Valkyrie.
It was like an illusion where her eyes and his overlapped.
What did he mean by ‘taming’? That wasn’t something you should say to another person.
Marquis Valkyrie was already treating her as if she were beneath him.
Those who don’t consider the relationship between a man and a woman as equal use evil as a metaphor.
A father who treated her like a commodity, and a man she refused to acknowledge as her fiancé who treated her like an animal.
Eliana pursed her lips to stay silent.
She knew this was better than arguing with a fool. Her mental health would remain intact this way.
It made her want to escape now.
But there was nowhere to go.
Not much time had passed since she took over Eliana’s body, and she still lacked an understanding of this world.
As Eliana continued to remain silent, the Count and the Marquis began exchanging stories among themselves.
Their conversation took longer than she thought.
Eliana prayed for time to pass quickly.
Then the two suddenly began exchanging their political views.
Apparently, Marquis Demeter would return soon, and the mine along the outskirts of the empire was doing well.
At the end of their conversation, Count Museau rose from his seat and said.
“I’ve put off my work…”
‘Finally!’
Eliana was about to stand up when Count Museau gently pressed on her shoulder.
His unspoken words were clear. Stay here.
She turned to the Count curiously, wondering why he stopped her.
“I invited you here, but it’s not my place to leave you like this. I’ll return again later.”
“But…!”
“Then we can talk more.”
“Very well.”
Count Museau didn’t even spare a glance at Eliana as he quickly bid farewell to the Marquis before leaving the room.
Now, only the Marquis and Eliana remained.
The maids had also fled immediately after Count Museau.
And their hidden intentions were all too clear.
Her heart pounded violently in her chest as a warning sign.
It unnerved her that she knew what this meant.
Eliana jumped from her seat, realizing she had to get out of there quickly.
“Excuse me, but I’m not feeling well…”
“Where do you think you’re going?”
But the moment she turned to leave, the Marquis grabbed her arm forcefully.
Then he pulled her back to her seat and leaned closer to her.
Eliana’s eyes shook violently at the sudden contact.
She swallowed the string of curses she nearly let out.
The atmosphere was unnatural.
Count Museau had avoided staying in the same room with Eliana and the Marquis.
The maids, too.
And it wasn’t proper for the Marquis to leave his guest alone inside his home.
But… what if this was planned?
“These are your wages. Is this enough?”
“My goodness, give me that, and I’ll do it too.”
The sudden words invaded her mind, though she didn’t want to think about them.
Her mind was filled with memories of being sexually harassed by that arrogant senpai.
What he did to her.
The things he said hurt her pride and made her avoid sitting in class.
It made her tremble with fear, afraid that he would pursue and threaten her.
And yet, he still praised himself for the things he said.
And so, she died at his hands.
As she was about to delve into memories of her past life, she felt something unfamiliar touch her thigh.
Eliana slapped his hand away on impulse.
Slap—
That short sound of friction made the smile vanish from Marquis Valkyrie’s face.
He looked at Eliana’s hand and raised his own mockingly.
Then…
Slap!
There was a sharp noise followed by silence.
Eliana’s cheek throbbed, and something fell into her mouth.
She must have bitten her tongue by accident.
Eliana laughed involuntarily.
She had been slapped. Her parents had never raised their hands against her.
Was this what it felt like when your blood surged within you?
As Eliana stiffened like a stone, Valkyrie grabbed her waist forcefully.
“I was going to be gentle, but I’ve been generous enough already. Considering I’m pulling you out of the market.”
Her hands trembled.
The coldness of his fingertips. His smile, his eyes, and the tone of his voice.
Suddenly, a memory resurfaced. Someone had approached her with the intention of revealing the truth and wanted to help her.
Thanks to that person, she found the motivation to say what needed to be said.
And though she was afraid, she refused to show it and instead raised her head high in the face of her adversary.
The Marquis looked at Eliana, who remained silent.
“What? Was I too blunt? Your father has already received my mine, and you’ve been sold to me, whether you like it or not.”
Eliana felt as if her head had been struck with a hammer when she heard the word ‘me.’
So the ‘possession’ they discussed was actually about their deal?
It was unthinkable that a father would discuss selling his daughter with said daughter sitting beside him.
Eliana’s hand trembled faster.
‘Poor Eliana. Foolish Eliana… Eliana, let me help you. I’ll save you.’
Eliana’s face took on a sudden look of determination.
This marriage must not happen.
She didn’t want it to happen.
She no longer wanted to easily submit to those who crushed and hurt her.
A cold sensation spread between Eliana’s hands.
By pure instinct, she raised her hand to slap Valkyrie.
Another sharp sound echoed throughout the room.
And then, Marquis Valkyrie fell to the ground, howling in pain.
“Argh!”
Eliana looked at him in shock. His reaction was more intense than she expected.
She had only slapped him, but Marquis Valkyrie’s cheek was frozen.
Only then did she look at her hand and saw what she thought was white smoke swirling around it.
