Chapter 14: 14

Episode 14

TL: Jasmine

“Alice is a child who will be loved by everyone.”

“Yes, but marriage with the duke… Of course, it’s an honor….”

Chloe fully understood her father’s mind, who was blurring the end of his words with a confused face. It was clear that he was under greater pressure, compared to Count Cromwell.

“Alice, she is my daughter, but since she was a child, she is so quirky and unusual. To be honest with you, this father is worried about whether she will be able to play the role of a duchess well. Of course, it wouldn’t be a problem if the Duke had Alice in his heart and cared for her, but if it isn’t… I’m afraid she’ll get hurt.”

Is it his intuition as a father? Chloe smiled, trying to reassure the concerned Viscount.

“First, let me talk to Alice for now.”

“Will you do that for me? She doesn’t even want to make eye contact with me these days.”

When she left the study leaving behind her bitter father, she saw dusk sinking through the window outside the dark castle. It was time for people to wrap up a tiring day. It was the usual time for Chloe to sit by the bedroom window and enjoy the sunset but she couldn’t feel at ease these past few days.

How can he propose to Alice? What is the duke thinking?

Chloe looked at the sunset coloring the sky bright red and thought about what the hell was in that man’s head, but could not find a clear answer.

Alice, who was sitting blankly on the long sofa, raised her head at the sound of the door opening. Her sunken eyes were full of anxiety and concern, as if she hadn’t slept. Chloe sat across from her, trying to suppress her tearful heart.

“Alice. Are you okay?”

“No.”

Shaking her head, an immediate answer came back. What Chloe said was true when she said that not every woman in the world would want to marry the Duke. No, it didn’t matter whether the other person was the duke or a count. This was especially true for Alice, who had dreamed of fateful love since she was young.

It was clear that she felt miserable that she had to marry a stranger for the sake of her family. Chloe wanted to ease the burden on her younger sister if she could, but she felt resentful of her situation that she could not.

“I’ll write a letter to Count Cromwell and tell him. If he knows who the other person is, he won’t be able to say anything either, so don’t worry.”

“Sister.”

Chloe forced a smile while biting her lips painfully as she saw Alice looking at her with tears in her eyes.

“My pretty little sister, you’re going to be the Duchess now.”

“You know I’ve never wanted anything like that.”

Long tears eventually flowed from Alice’s eyes, who was whispering softly.

“It’s not that I wasn’t prepared for the future of getting married as if being sold for the sake of my family. I also know that the castle is on the verge of bankruptcy because our good-natured father has ruined the family. But is that my fault?”

Chloe’s heart ached with the bitter words.

“I’m so sorry, Alice.”

“It’s not my sister’s fault, why are you sorry! Why! I’m really upset, why me!”

Alice frowned with her pretty face and eventually burst into tears. Chloe hugged her crying little sister and breathed heavily. The tip of her nose was red and her eyes were itchy.

“Okay. If you don’t want to do it, don’t do it, Alice. I’ll tell father.”

Alice did not know that their father’s hidden debt was so huge that it couldn’t be paid back even if they sold the castle. Chloe also came to know about the situation recently. However, there will be a way to overcome it somehow. Shepatted her younger sister on the back, who was sobbing sadly, struggling to suppress her stuffy heart.

“It’s going to be okay, Alice. So don’t cry. Huh?”

“I want to live with Eddie.”

Chloe closed her eyes tightly and then opened them. She felt that she had to finally say what it must be said.

“You can’t do that, Alice.”

Being angry will not solve this problem. Looking straight at Chloe, who looked genuinely sad, Alice whispered as if begging.

“I love him.”

Chloe forgot for a moment as she watched Alice confess that she loves a gypsy man who has nothing, Alice said bitterly with an expression that she understood Chloe’s feelings.

“I know. He’s a stranger who we don’t even know his lineage or origin. He is a gypsy who only has a charming face, a smooth mouth, and a reckless attitude ready to die while breaking into the Duke’s private residence. But sister”

Alice held Chloe’s hand.

Drip, drip

Tears dropped, and fell on the back of Chloe’s thin hand.

“I love a man like that. He is a man full of shortcomings, but I fell in love with him.”

And that man loves her very much, too.

Chloe was fully able to understand that gypsy’s heart, who came to meet Alice in preparation for death,

Because there is no one in this world who will not love Alice, who is pure and lovely and doesn’t care about differences in status.

“Alice, listen to me. I just… I am not saying this because you are my family.”

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Chloe was heartbroken, but she had no choice but to continue with difficulty. She didn’t want to be a villain, but there is no way.

“Marrying Eddie may make your life unhappy. Even if you can’t see anything now… You might regret it after some time.”

“Even if that’s the case, that’s also my choice.”

Chloe was speechless. Because she couldn’t find anything to say back to Alice. How does it feel to love someone like that? Alice now might be having her fateful love, which she had wanted since her childhood. Deep in her heart, on the one hand, she felt great that Alice was able to throw herself away for the sake of her love. Chloe had never met such a person before, and she couldn’t, so she even felt like cheering for Alice’s love. However, it was a case if Alice was not her younger sister

“Alice.”

“It’s not that I didn’t worry about it. I decided to marry Count, and I even said harsh things to Eddie.”

Alice continued with swollen eyes.

“Because I can’t raise my child as an illegitimate child.”

Chloe’s eyes froze and her lips parted silently.

‘What did I hear now? What did Alice say now?

“Alice…”

“I have Eddie’s child.”

Oh God.

Chloe couldn’t say anything for a while.

“Sister, I’m scared…hik.”

As soon as she saw the fear filled in Alice’s sobbing face, Chloe hugged her strongly. Her heat was transmitted directly to her chest. Alice’s trembling fear was only then fully conveyed. Alice has a child in her womb. A small life is with her.

“Sister, What should I do now?”

“Your sister will take care of it. It’s okay, Alice, Everything will be fine.”

Chloe stroked her back and repeated the words like a spell over and over again. It was the first time that

Alice’s body, which was much taller than her, felt so weak.

“I’m sorry, huu. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s okay, Alice. My little sister. I’ll protect you. I will make sure that you and your child don’t get hurt……”

Even Chloe, who comforts Alice, had no idea how to get through this situation. The important thing was that she couldn’t hurt anyone who was precious to her.

It was dawn when Chloe had put all her thoughts in order. Chloe made up her mind as she listened to the rooster crying and Gray pulling the horse’s trough. She was going to meet her father before breakfast and convince him.

Whether he was a count or duke, Alice will not get married, and Chloe will bring up the idea that it would be better to heal in a quiet countryside. It was true that Alice’s body was noticeably thinner these days (though she never thought it was because of pregnancy), so she was sure to convince her father as well.

Perhaps the problem was that they placed too much burden on Alice from the beginning. So it must have been retribution by God. The price of false selfishness.

Bankruptcy was the most serious problem, but that too will be addressed one after the other. When it comes to money, if she bowed her head to her aunt, who was strict about money, and borrowed some, then put effort into clearing the land and building a waterway, even in the event of a natural disaster, the production of crops could not be lowered to the bottom.

First of all, reasonably persuading her maternal aunt would be the biggest challenge, but Chloe wouldn’t know without talking to her first.

“You woke up early, Chloe.”

Viscount Verdier, who was reading a book, looked up and greeted her. Chloe grabbed the tray and sat down in front of him. If she walked without a cane, her limping would be more noticeable. No matter how many years passed, she couldn’t get rid of her father’s concerns. At one time, she tried not to show her limping, but it was useless.

“The thought of Alice becoming a Tisse made me worried, but also reassured.”

“…..Why?”

“Tisse is a family that values honor. At least I don’t think they’ll pick on Alice’s personality or behavior and send her home. Because he knows how cruel it is to be labeled as a divorcee in the kingdom.”

Her father seemed to have stayed up all night with another concern. Which is less shocking to father, getting a divorcee lable or a single mother label? There was no answer at all, but Chloe decided again to think only about Alice. Chloe clenched her skirt tightly and opened her mouth carefully.

“Father, I have something to tell you.”

“Say it.”

“About Alice…that.”

Viscount blinked slowly. It was heartbreaking to see concern flashing across his face, but it was no longer an unavoidable problem.

Comments from Korean readers:

Later on, I don’t want Gypsy Eddie to be called a prince from a neighboring country or a high quality noble. don’t like the conclusion that a younger sister who lived her life as she wanted was better than Chloe, who cares for her family.

That’s too much of a father. You give all the responsibility to your daughters and you are irresponsible. Chloe must be having a hard time…

No matter how much I think about it, he didn’t propose to the girl he likes.

From a realist’s point of view, Alice might look unhappy, but not only Chloe but also Alice is already making sacrifices. It is not a sin to be born with strong individualistic tendencies but to live in such an environment is already sacrificing from Alice’s point of view. However, the difference is whether the sacrifice is superficially concentrated on more people family) or an individual depending on the propensity, and many readers seem to be on Chloe’s side because Chloe is just apparently taking care of everyone (and being a FL), but in the oppressed environment, everyone lives sacrificing in their own way. Chloe’s sacrifice can seem useful socially. So she gets less cursed at. However, as one commenter said, it is not natural for anyone to sacrifice. And no one forces Chloe to do it. If you don’t want to sacrifice for more people (family), Chloe can work harder for her personal life like Alice. But Chloe can’t ignore that because of her altruistic and realistic tendencies. I think it’s right to admonish Chloe firmly about her sister’s actions and tell her to find a childish way to deal with situations that are not her fault.

(T/N: for readers who are confused about this comment, the reader is saying, that everyone makes sacrifices in their own way and the people who make sacrifices for many people (family) gets little less criticism, but the reader is also telling that Chloe should be taught how to scold her sister and not to find a childish way to get out of the situation. Also English readers, don’t forget to tell your opinions too!),

Alice is so selfish… immature.

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