Pride and Sanctimony

Chapter 64 | Did You Ever Love Her?

The Baroness was so angry, her anger was exploding from the top of her head.

Despite all the news that was coming out, she managed to endure because each time, the Prince was also being mentioned, but then it all just turned out to be a lie. How dare she pretend to be close to the Prince like that when nothing special was going on at all?

[Lady] ‘Oh dear, Madam Baroness, you must be so disappointed.’

Attending the meeting, she felt an ominous feeling crawl down her spine as one of the ladies mused out loud with a fan covering her mouth.

But beyond that fan, she just knew that noblewoman was smirking, speaking with a voice like she was pitying her. It was obvious with her eyes slanted in an arch.

[Baroness] ‘Whatever do you mean?’

[Lady] ‘You haven’t read the news?’

In truth, the Baroness did not know how to read very well. Her family was poor when she was a child, and so she couldn’t study well as a result.

But even so, it was easy enough to have a servant read things for her or write letters on her behalf, but the newspaper was not a fun thing to listen to, and so she never asked the butler to read the articles for her if she had no reason to.

[Lady] ‘I hear they don’t meet often these days.’

[Baroness] ‘Relationship or not, it doesn’t matter. In the end, the best marriage would be one with a historic family.’

[Lady] ‘Like Count Reston? I heard he presented a rather large dowry.’

A farmland massive in size in comparison to a granary, and a ruby mine. Even if the barony were to sell all their assets, including the mansion, they would never be able to scrape together even a fraction of what Count Reston offered as a dowry.

She heard the Prince and that former wife’s daughter were close, but she was just pretending while flirting with him, and now there was this sudden change in attitude—it was disgusting and vile.

[Baroness] “I heard there were marriage talks happening between the Imperial family and Count Reston. You tricked me this entire time with your lies!”

[Valentia] “What do you mean, marriage talks?”

[Baroness] “Don’t play dumb!”

Slap—

Echoing out into the air was a ringing sound of her hand slapping against Valentia’s cheek. Rubbing her hand against her aching cheek, she looked up at the Baroness.

Though it may sound strange to hear, in the ten years she’d spent living in the same mansion as the Baroness, only recently did she start personally laying a hand against her. Even when she started those ‘lessons’, she was the type of woman who preferred to elegantly brandish a whip than her hand.

[Baroness] “I can’t let this pass. Bring it.”

Valentia flinched.

Obviously she knew what those words meant.

Then—

[Goldie] “Bark!”

With a loud and ferocious bark, Goldie rushed towards the Baroness.

[Baroness] “Oh!”

The Baroness fell backwards, pushed over by the power of Goldie, who by now was closer to the size of any adult dog.

[Valentia] “No, Goldie!”

When Valentia called out to him, he didn’t bite the Baroness, but he still stood with his paws on her, barking fiercely. It was such a scary sounding bark, so different from the noises he would make when he jumped playfully on Valentia with a look of pure joy on his face.

[Maid] “Oh, Madam!”

[Baroness] “What are you doing! Hurry and get rid of that little brat!”

But none of the servants or maids tried to approach Goldie, nor could they try even if they wanted to. He turned his head towards him, growling and snarling as he did.

[Baron] “What’s all this fuss about?”

It was right then that the Baron was returning to the mansion. He looked at both Valentia and the Baroness as he asked.

[Baroness] “Oh, honey.”

[Valentia] “Goldie, come here!”

Valentia ushered Goldie to her side, quickly pushing his body behind her. As the Baron walked into the drawing room, some of the servants clamored to help the Baroness to her feet.

[Baroness] “Oh, honey, I’m so upset. I can’t live like this.”

[Baron] “What on earth happened?”

[Baroness] “You have no idea just how unruly that child has been, talking about how she’s such good friends with the Prince, but they were all just lies. They’re not close at all, and he even has a fiancée. She’s so terrifying, lying and tricking other people so easily like that.”

The Baroness lowered her head with tears in her eyes.

[Baroness] “I tried to scold her, but then she ordered her dog to attack me.”

Even if Valentia wanted to argue and say that wasn’t true, there was no time for that, nor would anyone have listened to her even if she managed to get a word in. The Baron, who heard this story with blinking eyes, raised up the cane he was holding high up into the air.

[Baron] “You crazy woman! How dare you pick up some mutt off the street and order it to attack my wife!”

He was going to hit Goldie with his cane.

And that sight made a confusing rush of emotions fill her. Was she relieved that the cane wasn’t about to descend upon her? Or perhaps stronger than that relief was anger that such vitriol was being directed towards her dog.

Before she could even decide, Valentia wrapped her arms around Goldie as a loud cracking noise smashed down against her shoulders and back. Her mind was stunned, dazed by the dizzying pain, and noticing that Goldie growled again, trying to rush out.

[Baron] “Oh, you vile little shit! It can’t even recognize humans!”

[Valentia] “Stop it!”

Valentia turned to Goldie, patting his back and whispering her comforts into his ear. It’s okay, Goldie. It’s okay, she murmured, over and over.

[Baron] “Hah, I see that both owner and dog are no different from one another. They both fail to show any kind of respect towards their betters.”

[Baroness] “She’s always been like that, you’ve just never known. You never knew how much she’s been trying to go against me. I tried to welcome her because she’s your daughter and discipline her well, but now she’s…..”

The Baroness leaned against Valentia’s father’s arms, crying even harder. Though in truth, she was not crying at all and her face was entirely dry, but the act was good enough.

And calling what she did ‘discipline’ was a cruel understatement. It was nothing but neglect turned to cruelty and humiliation, whipping her in a way that never once left a mark.

[Baron] “Is that true?”

[Baroness] “I would never lie to you. Ask the servants!”

The Baron looked around at the servants, but regardless of the truth, there was only one acceptable way to respond.

When choosing a side, their decision was obvious, especially when it came to the daughter of the former madam who had been abandoned by her father, and the Baroness, one of the most influential figures in this family.

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[Servant] “That’s right. The Madam has been crying every night about how cruel she’s been to her.”

[Servant] “I could scarcely watch it with my own eyes. The Madam has been suffering terribly.”

[Baron] “Oh, goodness! I’ve been too indifferent and ended up putting a heavy burden on you. What can we do if her wretched personality is so similar to that of her dead mother?”

Hearing him curse her deceased mother like that, Valentia’s face unconsciously twisted into a bitter smile.

[Baron] “Not only can you not be bothered to reflect on your own actions, but now you’re smiling? You truly are a twisted and vile child. I’ve done enough to raise you, so just leave. You’ve already graduated from the Academy, so you can live on your own now.”

That was when Valentia saw it. As she leaned helplessly against the Baron, the Baroness’ lips curved into a cunning smile.

Oh, so this is how she planned on ousting me.

Although she was not a noblewoman from the very beginning, seeing Valentia get shoved out like this was a good enough result for her, knowing that she had not lived as the Baroness for the last ten years in vain.

But that was fine. Valentia did not intend to continue living in the Baron’s mansion anyway. That simply became all the more true now that she was pregnant.

However, before she left, there was one thing she was curious about.

[Valentia] “Baron.”

[Baron] “Baron? Who dares to call their father that?”

[Valentia] “I don’t recall you ever being my father.”

He was only ever a man who would easily take the side of his new wife over his biological daughter, the moment he shunts her from his home being no different.

[Valentia] “I will go. I never intended to live in this house after I graduated anyway. But before that, there is something I want to ask you.”

[Baron] “You wronged me beyond belief, so you needn’t brazenly ask. Of course there’s no inheritance for you!”

And after all this, all he wanted to talk about was an inheritance.

[Valentia] “Did you ever love my mother?”

They got married because they were in love, once upon a time. They said it was a marriage fueled by that innocent feeling of love, a rarity among noble families.

Even if that love were to cool or be forgotten over time, was it possible for it to turn this cruel?

The Baroness felt the man holding her flinch and tense at the question. She lifted up her bowed head fast enough it could rival lightning, her eyes shining brighter than ever.

[Baron] “W, what sort of question is that!”

[Valentia] “So that’s your answer.”

[Baron] “Can’t you just disappear already?”

[Valentia] “Please give me some time to get my things together.”

* * *

With her hand on Goldie’s head, Valentia turned and left for her room. Even now, Goldie was looking at her stomach, and just like she thought, he was the only one who kept showing so much love and concern for this baby.

Valentia held a hand to her belly.

Meanwhile, she was in such a hurry to save Goldie that she ended up shielding him with her body without realizing it.

She took out a small carrier bag and started packing away her things, one by one. In all honesty, she didn’t have much to take in the first place.

Anything her mother might’ve left behind was all disposed of while Valentia was too young to save them, so not even things like that remained, and all her money was being held by the bank. All she needed to do was bring the few clothes she had.

This was a place she had lived her entire life, but looking at how little she had to take with her, it was almost pitiful.

As Valentia slowly got together her things, she glanced to the side, unable to take her eyes off of what earned her stare.

She would be traveling for a long time, and the journey would be difficult. This was something that carried no utilitarian value and it would only get in the way. If she packed it with the rest of her things, she wouldn’t be able to take anything else with her.

So it would be right if she left it behind.

…….She knew that.

But Valentia sighed, quietly taking it and carefully placing it in her bag. When she left the mansion, holding Goldie’s leash in one hand, no one saw her off. (1)

The graduation ceremony would be in a few days, and it was on that occasion that she agreed to be his partner once more. If it were possible, she would’ve wanted to stay in the capital and see him one last time. If she left like this, this farewell would be everlasting.

Valentia shook her head.

This was just the lingering effects of her emotion. Indulging them would only fill her with regret and slow her down.

If Valentia was capable of persuading herself to take a break or to rest, giving in to her weaker sides like that, she wouldn’t have been able to take the top seat at the Academy for so long. That was a feat that was only possible because Valentia knew how to be hard on herself.

And being cruel to herself was what Valentia did best.

Before she left, she stopped by the post office. She still had some things she needed to send off.

[Post] “State your business.”

[Valentia] “I’d like to send off a package and a letter.”

[Post] “Parcels and letters must be sent separately.”

[Valentia] “Very well.”

She would’ve liked it if she could hand these to him directly, but that wasn’t possible. Sending them off in the mail would be faster. Once they were gone, everything would be neatly cleaned up, completely out of her hands, and there would be nothing left for her to do.

She didn’t know where she would go, but she couldn’t stay here.

[Valentia] “Let’s go, Goldie.”

[Goldie] “Bark!”

With a tail wagging with excitement, Goldie took the lead, and as she gripped his leash in her hand, Valentia suddenly looked back.

Really, this was the last time. This was really going to be her last time looking back. So it would be okay if she looked for just a little bit longer.

The memories she held with him were too brief, and yet they burned so brightly. The warmth melted her heart too quickly, and ended up shattering it, but even the broken pieces she held in her hands were so lovely.

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And though she knew that holding onto the shards of her memory was hurting her, she couldn’t let go.

Even if she got cut and bloodied by them, these memories were so precious, they were the only good thing that she had left.

* * *

T/N: (1) The raws are being purposefully ambiguous. You’re not supposed to know what she took.

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