Banished Villainess

79 : Darck Sereknight Part 5 - Her Actual Appearance

“Would you like me to refill your tea, sir?”

Shiela leisurely refills the tea container with a pot of hot water. Watching her lengthy side profile could be describe as soothing. Although, I do not specifically think of Shiela as anything other than being my fiancée but, I’m always reminded by Chloe’s severe remarks which makes me feel shameful to her.

“I apologize, Shiela, for going through all of this because of my family’s selfishness…, You do not really need to sacrifice your own life and happiness just to abide by their arrangements. There’s no merit whatsoever in marrying me. Not only do I have the blood of such a troublesome man flowing in my veins, but I’m also a mere mistress’ child; And more than anything, I’m also that Chloe’s older brother. I’m sure you have been also hurt by her plenty.”

Shiela has always made sure to match my preference. Whether her hobbies, her preference for tea, and everything else. This personality of hers, along with her thoughtfulness, manifests themselves even in our letter correspondence. I thought that we could’ve been good friends; which is exactly why I didn’t want to hurt her.

“I do not mind them, sir.”

“….huh?”

“I do look like this after all, so did I expect Lady Chloe to treat me in that manner. I was merely told things I expected to hear so they do not bother me in the least, sir. Rather, wasn’t it Sir Darck who felt hurt by them, instead?”

“….”

Shiela drank the tea without sugar or any sort of condiment. The smile on her face remained still. She then took a single cookie out of the two pieces in her cake platter. We have been in this room for quite some time now, which made me wonder whether that would be enough for her. In comparison, I have as many as ten of them in my platter–No, this is not the time to look away from reality.

“That may have been true. I’m just way too tired of having Chloe hurt the people I cared about. I’d rather stay alone than cause those ladies sorrow. It’s just Momo who I…”

“You said ‘those’, sir. Does this mean there are others than your mother?”

Shiela interrupted me right after I mentioned Momo’s name and put her attention to other things instead. I felt my old wounds reopening. It was the bitter memories that solidified my antagonism towards Chloe.

“Y-Yeah… although she is no longer with the ducal house, when I was ten years old, Viscountess Majenta was hired as my tutor. Chloe who didn’t like the idea of that drove her away.”

“Sir Darck, were you not aware of what became of the Viscountess?”

After I talked about the person who could be said to be my first love, Shiela profoundly replied instead. What became of her? Does she know something about her too?

“….No, I figured that she returned to the House Majenta.”

“…She had been divorced right after she was fired from your house, sir. As of this moment, she is still spending her days in the Nansonia Convent.”

“Huh…What!?”

My blood rose to my head and I reflexively stood up. That Chloe; she event went that far!? Although being sent to the same place was her just desserts, Chloe’s severe cruelty made my blood boil.

“Why is she in that place!? Just what was the viscountess sent there for?”

“Her ladyship has tutored more prior to her commitment to the House Sereknight. It is said that she had forced obscene conducts to the youths previously under her tutelage.”