Chapter 79: 79

TRIGGER WARNING: child abuse, pedophilia

The entirety of the boldface text is a flashback; if it’s uncomfortable to read, the TLDR is that Lily’s dad is a disgusting, sexist, money-grubbing bastard who insistently sells her off in exchange for business favors.

In the past three days, her father had been upset at her more than a dozen times just from the position of her neck.

But Shylock never touched Lily.

When Lily scratched her body, he sent  mercenaries to punish the one who caused it.

It was her fault, but another person got hurt.

Her punishment was always what he said to her.

Shylock stared at the approaching butler. [You cannot fail. Don’t forget that the future of the younger brothers rests on your shoulders today.]

[Yes, Father…]

When all the wagons from the Isles came in, the butler approached Shylock. [Come this way, Mr. Isles.]

As soon as they entered the castle, the smell of dust entered her nose and stuck to the top of her head as if the place hadn’t been cleaned properly.

Lily’s head hurt so much.

Fortunately, their destination, the drawing room, was better maintained and the air was a bit better.

She silently breathed out.

Shylock took off his hat and bowed to the man sitting on the sofa in the center of the drawing room. [Meet Baron Odman Dunst.]

The baron’s curly brown hair was messily attached to his scalp like swarming moss. He was a rotund man, dressed in a dark green suit which seemed to be quite stylish.

He wore the colour often associated with nobles with high ranked positions but didn’t have the means to afford blue cloth. His cravat was voluminous, white stockings dazzling.

Baron Dunst sat on the sofa and raised his arms. [Come here, Mr. Isles. Did you see a bunch of wagons coming in? The garden was noisy!]

Shylock smiled politely at him. [I cannot accept an invitation from a noble person empty-handed. It’s just a small gift.]

[Hahaha! I like you!  But let’s not set up such a formality between us since we are going to become one family soon!]

Shylock’s smile grew bigger.

He looked down eagerly at Lily, who was clinging to him. [Forgive me. My daughter is chaste by nature and cannot easily talk to men.]

[It’s nice not being a commoner. Come and sit down.]

Shylock patted Lily on the back.

Lily cautiously walked towards the baron with the feeling of entering the mouth of a crocodile.

Her young mind couldn’t quite comprehend what was going on.

The look in Baron Dunst’s eyes looking at hsr was the first thing she had ever seen in her life.

It was unfamiliar and disgusting.

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Lily managed to get close to him, and as she was instructed, she grabbed her skirt and bent her knees slightly. [Lily Isles meets Baron Dunst.]

The baron scrutinized Lily and savored her.

[You did a great job educating her. I like her very much. In many ways…]

Lily trembled, unable to meet the eyes looking at her pleasingly.

After Baron Dunst finished his appreciation, he leaned his arms on his back and looked back at Shylock. [I changed my mind. Isles.]

Shylock’s cheeks twitched. [What… are you talking about?]

Baron Dunst answered in a squashed tone, scratching somewhere on his lower teeth with his little finger. [I’m getting engaged to your daughter sooner or later. And I’d rather have her stay in my castle until the official wedding.]

Shylock reflexively resisted frowning. He tapped the wand handle with his fingertips. [My daughter hasn’t started menstruating. Isn’t she supposed to be engaged in advance and to have a ceremony after her menarche?]

[No country does that these days. She’d just be my wife anyway. She needs to adapt and be friendly around me.]

[Hmm…] Shylock let out an awkward sound.

The baron stretched out his back, which had been leaning on the backrest. [A guarantee is, of course, needed… I’ll even give you exclusive distribution rights for copper from my mine. How about that?]

Shylock’s blue eyes lit up.  His daughter’s eyes, as if asking for help, were not his concern. [Baron Dunst… Your bargaining skills are great.]

Baron Dunst burst out a roaring laugh at the words of praise.

After laughing for a long time, his dirty eyes glared at Lily again. [Well then, Lady Isles, no—] He reached out to Lily with his hand. [My fianceè, Lily…]

“Stop.” Vlad’s exasperated voice stopped Lily’s recollection. “Stop… You don’t have to do it, Lily.”

When she came to her senses, he was sitting on one knee in front of her.

She was crying.

Her tearful vision prevented her from seeing the details, but she could tell he was in pain.

“My father taught me what to do with him. Ugh… I hated it so much, I told my mom that I wanted to run away… My sick mother…” As if the dam was broken, tears and words flowed out without stopping. “T-then his business is ruined and my mother is dead… If I had just married…  Sorry for running…  Even if you throw me away, it’s okay… Ah!”

Lily couldn’t finish.

Vlad pulled her to him and Lily collapsed into his arms.

As he embraced her, he could feel every tremble down to her breath. He could feel his own heart nearly jumping out of his chest.

Lily buried her face in his shoulder and he grabbed Lily’s back. “Throw you away… How could I…?”

Perhaps his heart really had escaped him.

“…If I had known that, then you…”

His words eventually fell apart.

Lily sobbed in his arms for a long time.

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