Duke, Please Fail! - Chapter 99

Episode 99

“At the reception, you couldn’t even move.”

“That’s because of Archduke Landers. If I appear arrogant in front of such a high-ranking person, I’ll be in trouble!”

Leonel burst into laughter. He leaned in to give me a short kiss on my head and then took a step back.

“I’ll be back.”

“Have the butler outside, and if anything happens, scream.”

“Yes!”

I answered confidently and looked at the butler. After nodding, he said he would bring Viscountess Morgane downstairs to the first-floor parlor.

I went ahead and waited. It didn’t take long for Viscountess Morgane to enter the room.

“Please have a seat.”

Viscountess Morgane looked at me with a face that seemed to have a lot to say, and then she looked around to see if there was anyone else present.

She appeared to be explicitly searching for Leonel with a disappointed expression on her face.

“The Duke is busy.”

“I see. Is Nelly doing well?”

“Yes.”

I answered briefly and turned my head.

“Mary, please prepare some tea.”

“Yes, Miss Nelly.”

When Mary left the room, leaving only the two of us, Viscountess Morgane spoke again.

“You seem familiar with dealing with servants.”

There wasn’t much to respond to. I briefly raised the corner of my mouth and remained silent.

Not long after, Mary returned with tea. I asked her to stand to one side and wait, then turned to face Viscountess Morgane.

“What brings you here?”

“Just curious about how you’re doing.”

“Suddenly?”

I was genuinely surprised. After more than a decade of no contact, someone who knew about my well-being through rumors was suddenly concerned about my welfare.

“That’s quite a coincidence.”

Viscountess Morgane’s face contorted. Whether it was guilt or annoyance on her wrinkled face, it was hard to tell.

“Since you’ve seen that I’m doing well, please leave.”

As soon as I got up from my seat, Viscountess Morgane grabbed my arm.

“Nelly! Please, look at this.”

When I turned my head, she rolled up her sleeve, revealing a bruise on her arm that looked like it had been grabbed. There were also older, discolored bruises in the surrounding area.

“Help me. Help this mom.”

“How do you want me to help you?”

“Please help me. Huh? Can’t the Altwood family at least silence Morgane a little?”

“….”

“Ever since my husband died, my son has been threatening me. It seems he’s not pleased that I have half of the estate.”

It seemed money was also a problem on that side. I sat back down, and Viscountess Morgane’s face brightened.

“If he knows that I’m on good terms with the Duke, he won’t dare to treat me disrespectfully.”

“So, you’ve come here to establish a connection with the Duke.”

“That’s right. Please help, Nelly. Huh? If I don’t want to be treated worse, I have to give him money, but then what will I have to live on?”

She reached out as if to grab my hand. I avoided her touch and took a sip of my tea. The two hands that had been clenched in front of me now shook as they withdrew.

“Viscountess Morgane.”

“Nelly, you’re not being too cold to your mother, are you?”

I couldn’t even muster a smile.

“Actually, I still resent you.”

“I understand. I did everything wrong.”

“But that’s just how people are, right? I’ve experienced it in my uncle’s house, so I know.”

“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry, Nelly. My baby.”

This time, a bitter laugh escaped me. Baby, she said.

The word “baby” coming from the mouth of someone who had abandoned me without looking back was quite unexpected.

“I left because they told me to give up and go. I did struggle, but I managed to survive somehow because I wanted to live.”

I had indeed started from scratch, but Viscountess Morgane’s circumstances were different. Even taking a few pieces of jewelry from her house would allow her to live like a wealthy commoner. 

However, when I suggested giving up the money, her expression changed. Her resolute lips and venomous eyes were directed at me.

I looked down at her bruised wrist, knowing full well how painful it must be, so I momentarily held back any resentment and offered advice, showing as much empathy as a human could.

“Viscountess, you should file a lawsuit. If it becomes known that a viscountess was assaulted, Viscount Morgane will lose his status.”

“What about the family? The fine will ultimately come from the family’s money, right? And what if the next heir is an even worse person?”

“Viscountess, you should leave the mansion.”

“Then where should I turn to?”

She, who had been trembling, suddenly lifted her head and smiled brightly.

“Nelly. You want to take care of your mother, don’t you? Let me stay in the Duke’s residence. Then I’ll file a lawsuit. I heard that the Duke can’t even move a muscle in front of you…”

It was a story I didn’t need to listen to. I interrupted her by getting up from my seat.

“My favor extends only to offering advice. Please leave now. Don’t come back. It’s time for you to go.”

With that, I left the parlor. Mary was standing by the door. She didn’t make a loud noise, but it seemed that she had heard parts of the conversation, and her expression was not a pleasant one.

“Are you okay?”

I nodded and greeted the knights who were standing a little further away. As I walked away, the knights entered the room.

Soon, Viscountess Morgane, surrounded by the knights, came out of the room. She glanced at me briefly and then disappeared beyond the hallway with the knights.

* * *

Viscountess Morgane returned to the inn she had been staying in after leaving the mansion. 

A maid, who was packing her belongings, noticed her presence and politely curtsied, ceasing her work.

“Lady, shall we move your luggage to Altwood Castle?” 

The maid had heard that Viscountess Morgane would be staying at the castle’s reception room, so she had been instructed to return to the inn first and pack the luggage there. She had been dismissed.

In an instant, Viscountess Morgane’s face turned from anger to shame. She gritted her teeth and gave the order.

“Load it onto the carriage.”

Viscountess Morgane slammed the door shut and stormed out of the inn. As she climbed onto the carriage, she briefly stopped when she saw someone already inside.

The man lowered his book and pushed up his glasses. 

“Greetings, madam.”

“Marquis Gardner. How did you…?”

“I happened to visit the neighboring city and heard that the carriage from Morgane House was heading to Altwood Manor.”

“I see. So, are you following me?”

“Yes. I thought I might have the honor of meeting the estate manager mentioned in the rumors…”

Viscountess Morgane concealed her frustration with an affected expression. 

In society, rumors were a measure of one’s influence. Even someone as high-ranking as Prince Adelhardt might be rumored to have eaten something for lunch, even if he was absent from social gatherings. 

However, Viscountess Morgane, who had recently lost her husband, needed a significant scandal to gain any traction in noble circles.

‘Until I met Nelly, it was like that.’

Just a few years ago, when they had met by chance, the daughter who had been unremarkable had become a celebrity. Interest in Nelly had grown even more after Archduke Landers invested in the fatigue recovery potion business.

‘They say she has about half of the shares in that business, don’t they?’

‘Indeed, capable people are different.’

‘This time, even the Queen herself came down to see her.’

‘I’ve heard that even the Duke of Altwood would listen to the manager without hesitation.’

‘I heard she’s getting married soon.’

The whirlwind of rumors turned Viscountess Morgane into the center of attention. 

Many people wanted to introduce Nelly or invite her to events. She remembered the tea party Archduke Landers had thrown and approached Viscountess Morgane. 

Overwhelmed by the influx of interest and favor, she basked in the limelight.

‘Nelly is a child who was once entrusted to my brother. She follows me just like a mother. We have a very special relationship.’

Dozens of invitations arrived for her, most of them requesting that Nelly attend an event with her. Some invitations even expressed the honor it would be if Leonel would accompany her. People who wouldn’t dare to send an invitation to the Duke of Altwood sent their requests to Viscountess Morgane.

However, she declined every single one.

‘Could it be that she’s lying about having a special relationship with the estate manager?’

‘Surely not. Why would she lie and risk getting caught so easily?’

‘I don’t know. Isn’t there anything she wouldn’t do to get attention?’

As time passed, disdainful glances increased. The only way for her to handle this situation was to show off her friendship with Leonel and Nelly.

She didn’t hesitate to reveal her flaws to elicit sympathy, but Nelly’s response remained cold. Viscountess Morgane gritted her teeth and fanned herself.

“And how did you end up in a carriage without an owner, Marquis Gardner?”

“Haha. I lost my way, and I had a purse with money hanging on the saddle. I was in a difficult situation, so I sat down shamelessly.”

Gardner laughed awkwardly as he spoke. It was quite illogical to leave a purse hanging on the saddle while taking a book to read.

Before Viscountess Morgane could bring up this point, Gardner preemptively continued.

“I also have some important matters to discuss with Viscountess Morgane.”

She closed her mouth and rolled her eyes. Gardner is Devondus Alterwood’s man. He didn’t hold a prominent position, but the name “Altwood” had an undeniable influence.

Furthermore, if anything happened to Leonel, all decision-making authority within the Altwood family’s decisions would fall to Devondus. So there was no need to show respect to one of his subordinates who had boarded the carriage to discuss something important.

“What would you like to talk to me about?”

“I heard you’ve been kicked out of the door a few times.”

Viscountess Morgane clenched the hem of her dress. 

“Please don’t spread rumors.”

Gardner raised both his hands in surrender. 

“Why would I do such a thing? I simply thought you might be deeply upset.”

“Upset? About what?”

“I’m just concerned. Still, she’s such a bad daughter that she pretends not to know her mother so many times.”

Viscountess Morgane’s fan fell from her hand. 

This was a secret that no one had ever revealed, and it should never be disclosed. If it was revealed that she had been married once, her second marriage would be considered void, and she would lose her name, her inheritance, and everything that came with it.

She would be labeled a vulgar fraudster, and ridiculed in social circles for years to come.

“Wh-what are you talking about?”

“You said Nelly Pepper was entrusted to your brother.”

“Is it a problem? We just took care of a child with nowhere else to go.”