Chapter 037. An Apology to the Count
It was horrific.
Of all times, to be seen in such a state.
Even when I was brutally assaulted by a noblewoman in front of everyone’s eyes,
Even in the moment when, despite throwing away my pride, I had to cling to him after repeated dismissal notices,
None of it could compare to the desolation I felt in this moment.
The curious gazes watching me were hard to bear, but more than that—
“That hand.”
At the voice that fell colder than midwinter frost, my entire body froze.
I couldn’t possibly meet those blue eyes that were surely witnessing this sordid scene right in front of me.
And yet—
“You’d better let go, Count Leicester.”
At those words that followed immediately, a hot lump surged up in my throat.
It wasn’t exactly a statement made in my defense.
He was merely standing here to address the commotion that had erupted in the mansion late at night.
I knew… I knew it all, yet like a fool, my throat tightened with sorrow all on its own.
The sight of myself sitting on the floor in such a pitiful state was so heartbreaking…
Why did such harsh trials always come to me? I resented the heavens…
Meanwhile, the hand that had been gripping Deborah’s hair like a demon finally let go.
Even though the restraint binding my body was gone, Deborah remained motionless in that spot for a long while.
Her disheveled hair, her hand clutching the torn front of her dress.
Only the occasional faint tremble could be felt; otherwise, she stood so still, holding her breath, that she seemed almost petrified.
How long did that suffocating silence linger?
At last, a low voice broke through the quiet stillness, resonating down the corridor.
“Help her up.”
It was a command without a subject, but there was no need to ask who it was directed to.
Lady Charlotte, who had been standing nearby with a stern expression, quickly approached Deborah’s side.
As she supported her arm to help her stand, Deborah’s staggering body limply followed.
“Fix her hair.”
At the subsequent command, Deborah’s body momentarily convulsed.
But Lady Charlotte moved swiftly this time as well.
Standing behind Deborah, she roughly smoothed out the tangled hair and draped it over her shoulder.
“……”
“……”
Finally, the bare face revealed before him; a faint gasp could be heard from someone’s lips.
Her appearance was that wretched.
A swollen cheek, blood smeared at the corner of her lips—whether from a split or a tear.
Once again, sharp glares were directed at the count who had committed such an outrageous act against a defenseless woman.
Anyone with eyes would have cast a sympathetic glance at her pitiful state.
But the tragic truth was that, despite this situation, no responsibility could be held against the count.
Even though the clear marks of violence were evident for all to see.
This was because the victim, Deborah, was of the lower class and a maid employed by the Chester family.
In truth, such uncomfortable incidents were not exactly rare.
Even if it felt unjust and unreasonable, this was the inescapable, chronic corruption of a class-based society.
But still, for such a commotion to unfold right in front of the duke.
And in his very own mansion, no less.
Though no one could hold him accountable, surely some form of reprimand would follow—or so everyone watching thought.
Until, moments later, words that overturned everyone’s expectations flowed from the duke’s mouth.
“Apologize to the count.”
The moment that chillingly cold voice dropped from above— Deborah’s golden eyes wavered greatly.
At the same time, her gaze, which had been averted until now, locked directly onto the face of the man standing before her.
‘What… did he just say…?’
As if witnessing something unbelievable, her trembling gaze revealed emotions impossible to comprehend.
Deborah wondered if she had misheard something.
She was barely holding on, but in truth, she was in such a fragile state that it wouldn’t be surprising if she collapsed right then and there.
Yes… that must be it. I must have heard wrong…
She tried to console herself, to organize her thoughts, but the expression on the man’s face was too cold and resolute.
And the emotions creeping across the faces of those watching told her that her thoughts were not mistaken.
At that moment—
“It seems the management of servants in the duke’s household is quite lax. To think a lowly maid would so brazenly defy the orders of the head of the house!”
Count Leicester, who had been cautiously observing the situation, suddenly interjected with a pompous voice.
Truthfully, he had been prepared to endure some criticism for his actions.
But what was this turn of events?
The duke, who had been creating an odd atmosphere, suddenly demanded that the maid apologize to him.
Surely he didn’t believe his obvious lies outright…
The count shook his head.
Even if it were someone else, a man as shrewd as the duke wouldn’t fall for such a flimsy trick.
If not that, then what could it be?
After mulling it over briefly, the count arrived at the most plausible conclusion.
As the saying goes, “birds of a feather flock together”—
The duke was protecting the dignity of a noble like him in front of a lowly maid.
Of course, that must be it. Why would he take the side of a base creature worth less than a bottle of claret he drank today?
Though not on par with the Chester family, the Leicester family was also one of the longstanding noble houses in the Kingdom of Ruvake.
The very idea of weighing a lowly maid against the Leicester family on a scale was absurd.
Thus, he saw no further need to tread carefully and adopted a bold demeanor.
Of course, the faces of those watching his shameless behavior turned sour.
Regardless.
At this moment, the strangest thing was not the count, but the two people.
Deborah and the Duke of Chester.
The two standing face-to-face seemed almost as if they were glaring at each other.
It was as if, in this long corridor, no one else existed but them, trapped in their own moment in time.
The silence that seemed endless was finally broken by the count’s voice ringing out again.
“How impudent! Still showing no sign of remorse!”
Count Leicester’s furious voice echoed loudly through the corridor.
“Your Grace, how can you just stand by and watch such a wench? If you don’t properly discipline her insolence, I worry what the other servants might learn from this.”
The count’s venomous tongue suddenly shifted its target toward Raymond.
The reason was obvious.
Since giving the order to apologize, Raymond had taken no further action, and the count was trying to provoke his pride to bring this matter to a close.
Though the duke’s appearance had disrupted things, the count still harbored lingering anger over being kicked in the groin and the maid’s escape.
Whether his shallow ploy worked or for some other reason—
Moments later, Raymond’s firmly closed lips finally parted again.
“My order to apologize—”
“……”
“—must not sound like an order to you.”
“……”
“You’re still holding your head so stiffly, as the count says.”
“……”
With each venomous word piercing like a dagger, Deborah bit her already split lip once more.
What had she even been expecting?
He was merely the Duke of Chester…
To the master of this grand family, her existence was no more than the dust floating around her.
A fact as natural as breathing.
Something she had never once forgotten, so why had she momentarily lost sight of that obvious truth…?
A bitter, self-deprecating laugh slipped out unknowingly.
It was a change so subtle no one else would notice, but one person—Raymond’s eyebrow twitched briefly in that moment.
His body slowly turned toward Count Leicester standing behind him.
The count, who had been frowning arrogantly, flinched momentarily but quickly cleared his throat and composed his expression.
Deborah bowed deeply before him.
“…I’m sorry.”
Swallowing the heat tightening her throat, Deborah apologized in a trembling voice.
To the beast who tried to violate her, to the brute who didn’t even see her as human.
At her clear apology, the count coughed awkwardly again, as if embarrassed.
“Ahem! It’s not like I was demanding an apology…”
At his outrageous claim that he was letting this slide out of respect for the duke, Deborah’s jaw trembled.
But no matter how humiliating and degrading this moment was, there was only one thing Deborah could say.
“Thank you…”
That was it.
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By Anna 💓
