I Was Happy to Be Dumped by My Fiancé, But Something Seems Off - Episode 43

Argent and the butler waited with me in the entrance hall for the carriage carrying Bianco and Clarissa, who were being discharged from the hospital. Thanks to the rapid self-healing abilities characteristic of youth, they were able to be discharged earlier than planned. Fortunately, neither had any scars or lasting effects from their injuries.

“I hope Brother has cooled his head a bit by now.” “Let us pray that is the case.”

Though I wanted to believe in Bianco, I noted the slight resignation in the butler’s tone just as the large doors swung open. There stood Bianco and Clarissa, freshly discharged. Gone were the painful bandages and injuries visible right after their hospitalization. As servants brought in their luggage from the hospital stay, the butler stepped forward.

“Welcome home, Lord Bianco. And welcome to you as well, Lady Clarissa.”

“Ah. Where is Father?”

“The master is—”

“I am right here.”

Though arrangements had been made to bring them to the study upon their return, Father had somehow made his way right beside us. After a month, he could walk without the butler’s support. His complexion had improved considerably, and the beauty that once captivated noble ladies was beginning to return.

Mother, however, would still take much longer to recover. Though not formally divorced, given that the Anna Lolo ducal estate held nothing but trauma for her, Father and her family had discussed it and decided it would be better for her to return to her maiden home. Accompanied by a maid from her family, Mother left the Anna Lolo estate and is now recuperating in her homeland.

I hear she still weaves curses against Father and remains in a state of madness. Father insists that no expense or time will be spared for her treatment, no matter how long it takes.

It was also decided that Bertina would avoid seeing Mother until she recovers. Once, when Bertina visited to check on her, Mother went mad upon seeing Bertina, who resembles Father so much. When Mother called for Bianco and was told he wasn’t present, she mistook Bertina for Agnes and attacked. Fortunately, Argent and other servants restrained her, and no one was hurt.

“Where on earth would you have to look to mistake Bertina for Lady Moldio?” Argent had remarked in disbelief, but the vision of someone driven mad must be a world beyond ordinary imagination.

“Bianco, Clarissa. I’m glad you could be discharged.”

“We’ve returned, Father.”

“L-Long-time no see, Uncle.”

As Father approached where Bertina and the others stood, Bianco stepped forward with a triumphant expression.

“Father, now that I’m back, you can rest assured and recuperate in the territory. I, as the next duke, will handle everything from here.”

“Oh?”

“But there’s a condition. Please allow me to take Clarissa as my wife.”

…Even after being discharged, Bianco hadn’t changed.

Bertina and the butler slumped their shoulders in dismay. Argent stifled a laugh.

“Father, you opposed my engagement with Clarissa before because she was the only daughter of the Moldio family, correct?”

“Indeed.”

“The Moldio family no longer exists. I want to protect Clarissa, who has nowhere to go. Father, please grant me permission to marry Clarissa.”

“Are you saying that marrying Clarissa is a condition for you becoming the next duke?”

“Yes. But you’d be in trouble if I were gone, wouldn’t you? If I, raised to be the next duke, were to disappear, all that would remain is Bertina, who arbitrarily broke off her engagement with the Crown Prince. But Bertina hasn’t received heir education, and she previously said she would leave the house. I would be the only child of the Anna Lolo family left.”

“…That is true.”

Watching Father grow more dejected as Bianco spoke further, I felt an indescribable emotion, though not quite pity. As a child, it might have been different, but he’s an adult now, capable of making his own judgments. He’s not a child who doesn’t know right from wrong. His insistence on having his way reminded me of Agnes.

Beside me, Clarissa, who had shrunk into herself, also pleaded with Father.

“Uncle, please. Please allow Brother Bianco and me to marry. Sister Bertina—”

Then she turned her attention to Bertina.

“Sister Bertina, please leave the ducal house without Argent!”

I’m sure Bertina wasn’t the only one dizzy from Clarissa’s utterly unexpected statement. Before an utterly exasperated Argent could speak, Bertina voiced her thoughts.

“If you’re marrying Brother Bianco, you don’t need Argent, do you?”

“Argent is so capable! Brother Bianco said that even if he becomes my lover, as long as he continues working for the ducal house, it’s fine to keep him! Argent surely wants to stay with the ducal house too!”

“…I see. How wonderful for you, to be the officially recognized lover of the next lord.”

“It’s not wonderful.”

His mind seemed worse than before he was hospitalized or maybe not entirely.

Before the hospitalization, I hadn’t completely thought of him as someone impossible to reason with. Him imposing conditions for inheriting the dukedom was unexpected in itself. The butler was right; it was correct that Brother had no fiancée. If he did, not only the young lady in question but her family would be utterly disgraced.

It was perfectly clear that Bianco, still clinging to a past first love, thought now was the only chance to marry Clarissa. But to lead with that statement right off the bat, disappointment and exasperation washed over me simultaneously. I had foolishly believed that, regardless of personality or sibling relations, he was certainly fit to be the next duke.

After all, Mother isn’t here. Even with Father present, he won’t scold or hit me for making Brother cry like he used to. I even had a mischievous thought—I wanted to see how Father, having regained his own will, would react upon seeing a brother who tattles to his parents after making his sister cry.

Bertina asked Bianco, who was puffing out his chest proudly, a certain pointed question.

“By the way, Brother, why did you and Clarissa go to the lake without any guards? Given the current situation, I wouldn’t say anything, even conceding a hundred steps, about you two going to the lake. But going without guards is a different story. May I ask the reason?”

“Th-that is—”

Bianco’s expression clearly changed.

“Because no one would come with us!”

Clarissa explained, as if speaking for a silenced Bianco.

“When Brother Bianco and I said we were going to the lake and asked for guards to accompany us, not a single guard from the mansion would come!”

“I shall explain. At that time, both Her Ladyship and the Master had collapsed, and the mansion was in chaos. Under those circumstances, I stopped them, as it was no time for the eldest son, Lord Bianco, to be going to the lake with Lady Clarissa. Naturally, I also instructed the guards to refuse, meaning they were not to take the two outside.”

The butler’s assumption that they wouldn’t travel far without guards was completely off the mark; the two had forced a coachman to prepare a carriage and set off. As the two turned their verbal attacks on the butler, Father now spoke in a low voice, “Bianco.”

“Regarding your earlier wish to marry Clarissa, I will allow it.”

“Eh!? Really, Father!?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you! Bertina! Now if you just leave that attendant behind and get out, everything will be settled nicely! If you understand, then quickly abandon your attendant and leave!”

“The ones leaving will be you and Clarissa.”

“Huh?”

It turned out just as Father and I had discussed the previous day. I felt like putting a hand to my forehead, but now was the time to endure, so I remained still. Bianco, overjoyed at having his marriage to Clarissa approved, was stunned by the sudden declaration. Clarissa was the same. She had genuinely believed that if their marriage was approved, Argent would inevitably come along with them.

“F-Father?”

“Once you submit the marriage registration, I will send you two to the territory where the previous couple resides. Do not return to the royal capital ever again.”

“Why!? If you’re allowing me to marry Clarissa, then I should be the one to succeed you…!”

“The Annaloro family will be inherited by Bertina. I have already discussed this with Bertina.”

“Ha…?”

This time, it was Bianco who was stunned, staring at Bertina.

Bertina let out a sigh and explained that depending on their initial response upon returning, it had been decided whether Bianco would inherit the dukedom or be exiled to the territory. If he had sincerely apologized from the very first words, even if marriage to Clarissa was impossible, he could have still inherited the dukedom. But the moment Bianco declared he would only inherit on the condition of marrying Clarissa, the decision was made.

“Wh… Why, why you!? You, who never received heir education until now, are going to become the duke!?”

“While you two were hospitalized, I was assisting Father. The amount to learn and memorize wasn’t much different from queen consort education. I am confident I can accomplish it, even starting now.”

“I am the next duke!”

“You are the one who destroyed that future yourself.”

I inwardly smiled wryly; it had turned out just as Argent said. Initially, I hadn’t even considered such a foolish possibility.

“Father, please reconsider. There’s no way Bertina can become a duke. If such an un-cute woman becomes duke…!”

“Cutness is unnecessary for someone inheriting a title. All that’s needed is whether they have the aptitude and qualifications. Bertina has them in full. From now on, she will learn by assisting me alongside the butler.”

“Th… then… I…”

“After marrying Clarissa, you will go to the territory. You may take your vows at the grand cathedral. I will cover that expense. If you wish, I will also prepare bride and groom attire. Do you need anything else? Wedding rings, perhaps?”

Bianco now stared blankly at Father, who had no intention of listening further. Clarissa remained frozen.

“Hey, Argent,” Bertina whispered.

“Aren’t you surprised?”

“About what?”

“That I, who said I would leave the house, am now inheriting it.”

“No? It’s very like you. Seeing the duke regain his original rationality and seeing you, I kinda thought it might turn out this way.”

“I’m a person with wavering resolve, aren’t I?”

Bertina laughed self-deprecatingly. “Not at all,” he laughed back.

“I like that human quality about you. Not many people can stick to one thing through to the end. Especially in your case, given the circumstances. Rather than leaving the house and forever feeling troubled about it, you might as well become the head and make decisions true to yourself.”