Betrayal of Dignity

Episode 4

TL: Jasmine

“…Lady Chloe.”

Gray moved his lips behind Chloe, who opened the fence and walked slowly. Chloe turned around and looked at him with a cane on the ground.

“Yes, what?”

“Mr. Chester bought me a horse. It’s in the stable right now. I’ve been to the forest with it several times.”

The reason why Chester, famous for being stingy, bought Gray a horse was probably to make him work more, but it was a good thing for him anyway. It was nice to see Gray, who was less talkative, talking a lot, so Chloe smiled brightly.

“That’s great. Alice learned horseback riding, so you both can ride horses together later. I think she’ll be relieved if you’re next to her because she’s clumsy.”

“Excuse me……”

“Yes?”

“Nothing, have a safe trip.”

Gray hesitated as if he had something to say but she headed to the forest, leaving Gray shaking his head behind. It was something to celebrate that Gray had a horse, but she couldn’t help but be envious.

It was not easy for her to go outside, let alone horseback riding, because her leg was uncomfortable. The servants weren’t pleased to see her stumble and walk dangerously. She didn’t want to bother servants who were noticeably nervous in case of an accident. It was the same for her father, Viscount Verdier, to worry about her. Alice, an active tomboy, has expanded her horizons by visiting relatives’ houses from place to place since she was young, but all Chloe could do was stay quiet in the castle and concentrate on embroidery or piano.

….she wanted to be a person of any use.

Since her mother passed away last year, Chloe’s desire has grown a little. In fact, the biggest thing she could do for her family as the eldest daughter of the family was to take the bride’s class and marry a well-to-do aristocrat but for her who was incapacitated, she gave up on it early.

Crunch. Ssk. Crunch.

Sweat began to form on Chloe’s forehead, who was moving forward with a cane. Just because her leg was uncomfortable didn’t mean she couldn’t do anything as people thought. Chloe learned a lot about first aid from her tutor, Wharton because he was a doctor.

Of course, it was for her mother, who had been lying in bed for a long time, but she was happy to think that this time it was of some help to the soldiers as well. In the end, she couldn’t help them because of her father’s concerns, but she wanted to give a small gift to the soldiers who will set out tomorrow.

“Oh, there it is.”

Chloe took the morning dew and carefully picked out the shiny leaves and put them in the basket. It is an herb used medicinally because it has the effect of relieving inflammation when chewed and swallowed. While looking for herbs for the soldiers, she also picked wild flowers that she could see occasionally, When the gardener was sent out after her mother passed away last year, the flower decorations in the castle were completely reduced, making it seem that there were no more. So she felt better just by putting a fresh wild flower on the table that she picked up while taking a walk out secretly.

“Haa…”

She was a little thirsty when the basket was half full. Just in time, a small stream hidden in the forest appeared. It was always a place where Chloe rested when taking a walk without her servants knowing.

This mountain was a private property of Verdier, so no one could enter, especially this stream, which was a secret place only she knew.

The small stream of water flowing cold throughout the four seasons shone under the starlight at night and the sun during the day. When she sat quietly and looked at the water flowing on the rock, she even felt like her mind and heart was being purified. The problem was that an unexpected guest, who she had never expected, took the place first.

He stood in a spring so cold that hands would freeze even in summer. It was not deep, so the water reached only till the calves, But no one in their right mind would stand there in the current weather

What on earth is he doing?

Even if she turned around, she had no choice but to notice at once who he was. It’s because of his perfectly organized outfit. Chloe carefully left without being caught by the commander. She was much lower than him, so she could not pretend to know him in the first place, the time and place were also not suitable for self-introduction. Besides…Intuitively, she had a strong feeling that he shouldn’t be disturbed.

Let’s go back quietly. Chloe concluded and decided to disappear as soon as possible, but she tripped, perhaps because she was in a hurry. She managed to avoid falling, but the rustle of fallen leaves bearing the chill of early winter, and the sound of crumbling under her cane was unavoidable

“What?”

A sharp voice caught her in the back of the head. Chloe closed and opened her eyes and slowly turned around with her cane. Last night, the commander, Duke Tisse, whom she saw from her window looked so gorgeous that she could not easily take her eyes off. But what made her feel more overwhelming than that is the cold and chilly energy emitting from his whole body.

“I asked you what.”

Walking out of the water, he asked. Chloe, who was staring blankly at the water flowing down from his boots soaking the dry leaves, belatedly came to her senses and gave her greetings.

“The introduction is late. I’m Chloe, Viscount Verdie’s eldest daughter. Duke.”

The moment she bowed politely, the strength in her legs was released because of her tightened body. She thought she was going to fall, but the duke was right in front of her. He held her tight and kept her from

falling, but the problem was that he grabbed her so tightly that her arms felt numb.

“Ah…!” Fortunately, he let go of her arm, and Chloe stepped back a little, giving strength to the hand holding the cane.

“Does Verdier’s eldest daughter has a hobby of peeping at people like a rat?”

Chloe’s eyes widened a little wide. His eyes were unshakable when he faced her, who couldn’t hide her unfair expression.

“Last night and now.” Chloe’s lips trembled silently, trying to protest.

“I sincerely apologize if you’re offended, but I swear didn’t peek at the Duke or anything today.”

“Then it was yesterday.”

Chloe’s neat eyebrows gathered in the middle of her forehead as she lowered her gaze when the duke snorted lightly. She didn’t run, but her heart beat hard, as if she had run. She never had a chance to meet another nobleman because she did not leave outside the castle.

Do dukes usually use such rude speech to everyone?

“What are you doing here at this hour?”

Finally, a question that can be answered properly came up. Chloe opened her mouth as calmly as possible, putting her other hand holding the basket forward a little.

“I was picking some herbs when I heard that you all were leaving tomorrow.”

“For me?”

Chloe blinked a couple of times and then answered,

“For all the soldiers participating in the war.”

The duke snorted a little and came closer. His eyes narrowed as he glanced inside the basket.

“Your effort is imaginary. Seeing you shoot yourself through a dangerous forest at dawn like this.”

Chloe felt more and more strange. No. To be exact, it was right to say that she felt bad. The Duke once again threw unexpected words at Chloe, who said nothing.

“The immature Viscount seems to be infested with ambition. Did your father give you an order to seduce me by throwing yourself?”

“…I can’t stand it.”

Chloe raised her face and raised her voice as she looked at him with trembling eyes. Last night’s admiration for him disappeared like smoke, and only displeasure with the young and arrogant commander soared.

“Isn’t that why you took care of the injured, whose flesh was rotten and dirty pus was flowing? No matter how small a family is, it is too much for a noble lady to do. Furthermore, with that body.”

She couldn’t stand what he said at the end, while looking up and down at her, but it was his fundamental misunderstanding that made Chloe even more unbearable. “I didn’t know that the status would be an obstacle to helping soldiers who went out to protect their families in the wartime. My late mother stressed that no matter how small a noble family we are, it is natural to help those in need as long as we are aristocrats. That’s the demeanor of an aristocrat….I learned”

The Duke’s blue eyes resembled the cold dawn light just before dawn. Chloe thought she could no longer like the early morning sky in the future. His perfectly symmetrical lips slowly moved upward in an arc.

“You mean it.”

Chloe opened her eyes wide and looked at him. Her heart pounded like it was going to explode, but she hated it even more when he had a strange misunderstanding.

“Of course.”

“I believe in Young lady’s belief that she wants to protect the pride of her noble family.”

Chloe barely endured the urge to shoot at him, saying she didn’t want much of his faith. Maybe Alice would have spit it out at him. However, the opponent was the successor for the Duchy of Tisse, no- he is the Duke of Tisse.

“Thank you for the trust.”

When she bowed her head and greeted, the duke looked at her and slowly moved his lips.

“By the way.”

“Don’t you think it’s greedy and a nuisance to do something beyond your ability?”

“Why would you say that?”

No matter how much Chloe thought about it, she had never been greedy. She had tried so hard not to cause, inconvenience to others. Her lips trembled in resentment.

“For example, when Young lady was limping between them while treating the injured, could she talk about the demeanor of an aristocrat in front of me even if you know what kind of low-quality joke went on some soldiers’ beds that night?”