Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 257

“Why? Is something wrong?”

“You’re not planning to stay here until the next trial, are you?”

It seemed he had been waiting out of curiosity about Macy’s whereabouts.

“No, Dia said she’d look into it.”

“Stay at the Krygen estate. They have plenty of servants to watch the child and guest rooms to spare.”

“I told Eren not to come to the trial to avoid gossip, and now you’re telling me to stay at the Duke Krygen’s residence?”

Macy’s words slipped out sharper than she intended. Eren’s expression tightened noticeably.

‘I don’t know why I get so sensitive whenever I talk to Eren…’

Still, reminding herself that he was helping her, she suppressed her nerves.

“Anyway, I have somewhere else to go. You don’t have to worry.”

“It’s dangerous for women to stay together in an unfamiliar place.”

“What danger? There are three of us. And Rian is a boy, you know?”

“Rian is, well…”

Eren rubbed his forehead in frustration. He thought it pointless to consider Rian since he was still a baby, but she insisted just to get the better of Eren.

What on earth are they doing…?

“…Thank you for today. You must be tired—go get some rest.”

“Wait.”

As Macy tried to go back inside, Eren grabbed her arm.

She looked at the held arm expressionlessly. Eren quickly withdrew his hand, collecting himself in embarrassment.

“How will the Name treatment go?”

“When I have a place settled, I’ll send the address, so come next week. Twice a week should be enough now.”

“Twice a week is too much, isn’t it?”

“I thought once would suffice but increased it just in case. Are you feeling inadequate, Eren?”

There was no way he was lacking. Macy asked, knowing full well.

If Eren said he was lacking here, it would be a blatant lie—and it would reveal the treatment was mixed with personal feelings.

“I’m doing this thinking about you. You’re not fully recovered yet.”

“But this much is fine. If I say I’m okay, why do you insist?”

“Because it makes me uncomfortable to watch!”

“That’s enough. It’s plenty now. Let’s just meet again in three months.”

“What?”

Eren’s face twisted in surprise.

“I planned to do that after the trial anyway. No need to see each other so often now. You should go.”

Macy said this like a statement of fact and closed the door.

Beyond it came a sigh, and after a while, the sound of carriage wheels rolling away.

Both the irritated Eren, now without any excuse to keep Macy close except the Name treatment, and Macy hearing his departure through the door, were in disarray.

‘So frustrating…’

Even though everything was going according to Macy’s wishes, she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

* * *

“I told you I don’t want Marquis Beyhev!”

Isabella stormed into Count Werfel’s study. The count pressed his throbbing temples and said,

“He’s a good match. You can’t marry outside the Four Great Houses.”

Isabella knew very well—the Four Great Houses were Duchy Krygen, Marquisate Naissen, Marquisate Beyhev, and Count Werfel.

Marquis Naissen was an old widower with messy affairs. Duke Krygen had been broken off from her, so only Marquis Beyhev was left—but Marquis Beyhev was notorious as a philanderer in society.

“He’s too ugly, waah!”

“Stop crying! Your looks don’t put food on the table. Marquis Beyhev has a great character!”

Though Count Werfel rarely raised his voice at Isabella, he found himself unintentionally shouting.

“His affairs are clean enough not to cause you trouble, and his wealth isn’t bad either. So stop whining and accept it!”

“Dad married Mom because she was beautiful! I’d rather marry some other noble family, not one of the Four Great Houses. I really hate Beyhev. I said I hate him, waah!”

“This is…!”

Count Werfel sighed deeply, trying to scold Isabella but realizing she was far more stubborn than expected.

Being his only precious daughter, he never imagined she’d be this willful.

‘It’s all because of that Duke Krygen raising her standards.’

Count Werfel also felt that Marquis Beyhev wasn’t a satisfying match compared to Duke Krygen. He regretted raising the mistress topic at the meeting despite the awkwardness….

But it was too late to turn back now.