Chapter 15
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Viscount Derise, who had passed out dead drunk, didn’t wake until well past noon, almost three o’clock.
Until then, Evina had to go without a single meal.
He must have been hungry, because the moment he sat down, he piled meat onto bread and started wolfing it down.
He’d always loved food.
But he strictly forbade Evina from eating desserts or cookies, claiming that a woman who enjoyed food was sinning against God.
She knew it was really about money.
Sugar was expensive in the Empire. Desserts that needed plenty of it cost a fortune.
So the Viscount always claimed that enjoying food went against a woman’s virtue and kept her on a strict diet.
“Um… my lord. What should we do about the New Year’s dress?”
“Handle it yourself. Why ask me?”
Thin sauce dribbled down his chin.
Evina spotted it and quickly turned away, afraid she might lose what little appetite she had.
She stirred her watery soup.
“…Would you maybe attend alone this time?”
A thick steak sat in front of the Viscount, but just looking at it disgusted her. She’d rather get through a meal with watery soup than sit face to face with him for long.
A few spoonfuls and it would be over.
“What?”
He paused mid-bite and looked up.
“Leave you behind?”
“You always complain about the cost of my dresses. I checked with Therese, and apparently prices have gone up even more this year. The money you give me just isn’t enough to buy one…”
The Viscount shoved more steak into his mouth and chewed noisily.
“I also feel bad wasting so much of your money on dresses, my lord. From now on…”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Why do you think I bought you? Leave you behind? Then what exactly are you good for?”
“But the dress…”
“You and your damn dress, dress!”
He slammed his fist on the table.
A glass tipped over and the plates rattled.
“…”
Evina shut her mouth.
“Then what do you expect me to do? If I go to a salon, I could buy a dress another lady wore before, something a little cheaper. If I wear that, your reputation…”
“Is that true?”
The Derise family butler, standing behind the Viscount, nodded.
“It is. The lady has managed until now by altering dresses without much expense, but this time it will be difficult.”
“Hm…”
He nodded.
“Fine.”
He finished his meal, wiped his hands on a napkin, and picked up his wine glass. He gulped down the red wine and set the glass down with a thunk.
Bwarp. He let out a long belch.
“I know you’ve been careful to stay in your place. If you hadn’t, I would’ve thrown you out long ago.”
“…”
“That damned dress. It just comes off anyway… Women and their vanity.”
He clicked his tongue, completely oblivious to the fact that his own clothes cost more than what most counts wore.
“Alright.”
After another long belch, he stared at Evina with the air of someone granting a great favor.
“Evina.”
“Yes… my lord.”
“I’ll give you a bit more for the dress this time.”
Her eyes widened.
“…Really?”
“Yes. I hate you putting on airs, but I can’t stand you damaging my reputation by wearing rags. I’ll tell the butler. Draw a little more money.”
“Then how much…”
He rubbed his food-stained chin, then wiped it with the napkin again.
“How much does Evina get now?”
“Five hundred eron.”
“Then add two hundred more.”
Evina’s face fell miserably.
“What. Not enough?”
The butler leaned in and whispered something to the Viscount.
“What? It’s that expensive?”
He tapped the table with his knuckles and nodded with a displeased look.
“Fine, then. Five hundred more. You can buy something with a thousand eron, can’t you?”
At least it was enough to recycle some noble lady’s old dress like before.
Evina nodded.
“…Yes.”
“Good. Then we’re done here.”
He emptied his plate and stood up.
Evina couldn’t even finish her watery soup and rose to follow him.
She was in a hurry. If she wanted to find anything of decent quality, she had to leave for the salon right away.
The Viscount was probably off to fetch some cheap courtesan again. She gauged the time as she saw him off.
“Therese, call the carriage. Let’s go to the Kepine Salon right now.”
She had to move fast if she wanted to avoid looking utterly pathetic at the New Year’s gathering.
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