Chapter 24
The butler’s demeanor suggested he had more to say, making Charlotte tilt her head curiously.
“Is something the matter?”
The butler hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“The previous Duke and his wife are here.”
“What? Are you saying they arrived today, suddenly, without any notice?”
“They did not arrive today… They have been staying here for the past four days.”
“Four days? That was before I left for Bateville. Why are you only telling me now…….”
Charlotte’s expression darkened.
“My husband told you not to inform me, didn’t he?”
“The Master surely did not have any ill intentions. He merely wished for you to rest in peace……”
Charlotte raised a hand, cutting off the butler as if she had heard enough.
“No need for excuses. Inform my husband that I will prepare briefly and come down to the dining room right away.”
“As you wish, Madam.”
Charlotte was seized by a complicated mix of emotions.
‘Why have they both come so suddenly?’
The former Duke and Duchess Valentin were far from being warm, parental figures. Having been bound by an engagement since childhood, which led to frequent interactions between the families, Charlotte was well aware of the harsh discrimination and indifference Lucius had suffered at their hands. Since Lucius had inherited the title, their visits had become almost non-existent, so she couldn’t guess the reason for their sudden appearance at the estate.
These were her in-laws, whom she was meeting for the first time since her marriage. Charlotte headed towards the dining room, mentally bracing for the inevitably uncomfortable situation.
Her expectations were not wrong.
“I heard you left for a rest cure because you were unwell, but you’ve returned earlier than expected,” said Diana Valentin, the former Duchess, with a displeased look as Charlotte entered the dining room. “I heard you were staying for a long time, so I thought it must be a serious illness, but it seems that’s not the case?”
Her tone was a subtle reprimand for Charlotte’s absence on the day of their arrival. While Charlotte could understand their displeasure, as someone who had been completely unaware of their visit beforehand, she found herself in a rather unfair position.
After shooting a brief glance towards Lucius, she formally paid her respects to the former Duke and Duchess Valentin.
“I apologize for not being present to greet you upon your arrival. I have been unwell for the past few days… I tried to return as quickly as possible, but my greetings are late.”
“It’s fine.”
It was Kassel Valentin, the former Duke. Aside from looking older and more stern, Kassel’s appearance was strikingly similar to Lucius, almost to the point of being indistinguishable.
“You must not have eaten yet. Come, sit down.”
“Yes, Father.”
Charlotte sat down with a demure smile.
The meal proceeded in a quiet atmosphere until Diana, as if remembering something belatedly, looked at Lucius.
“Ah, I almost forgot to tell you this. It’s about that servant who used to attend to Linert. His name was… Ben, I believe?”
Lucius, who had remained silent and uninvolved in the conversation, abruptly stopped moving his hand. The name ‘Ben’ was also quite familiar to Charlotte, who had often visited the Valentin estate in her childhood.
“A few days ago, he showed up dead drunk, spouting nonsense about knowing something regarding Linert’s accident and demanding money right off the bat.”
“……”
“We didn’t listen and had the servants throw him out immediately. Just thinking about how that wretch is the reason my son died so meaninglessly makes my blood boil; tearing him apart wouldn’t be enough. The audacity of him.”
Diana shuddered, her shoulders trembling as if she were still furious.
“I was too angry to think straight at the time, but later, when I thought about it, it really bothered me. It left a bad feeling.”
“……The words of someone not in their right mind. You need not concern yourself with it.”
“But what if that wretch comes here looking for you?”
“Please do not worry.”
Lucius set down the knife he was holding and calmly added.
“Such a thing will not happen.”
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