Chapter 6

After the dance ended and they exchanged drinks, Elena learned many things about the man. The man’s name was Maxim. Maxim Adeloff. He said it had been nearly five years since he came to Levonto.

Elena was curious why Maxim—someone like Maxim—would speak to her. Maxim was someone with luxurious clothes and elegant mannerisms.

No, he was someone who looked elegant even without doing anything special. In other words, he was on a completely different level from those who crudely begged her to bear children or raise their children.

[‘I haven’t received my thanks yet.’]

[‘Ah, that day… I was truly grateful that day.’]

When Elena offered an awkward greeting, the man told her his name.

[‘Why are you having such a conversation with me?’]

[‘There’s no reason why I shouldn’t.’]

[‘But I’m… I’m only wearing such clothes…’]

Elena protested with a reddened face. If she could, she would have wanted to take even the tablecloth from the banquet hall to cover herself. If it weren’t for Cecilia constantly pinching her arms while mentioning Leana, she would never have come outside the house looking like this.

[‘You undervalue yourself too much. Do you think your worth can be determined by clothes?’]

[‘Then what?’]

For some reason, she felt like crying. All the men who danced with Elena looked at her exposed chest with the same gaze.

[‘One’s own worth isn’t determined by such things. I think you know better than I do.’]

His calm tone and indifferent face struck Elena’s heart with a thud.

My worth is determined by myself.

By me, Elena Joseph.

It wasn’t wrong. Elena clenched her fists. It was just that no one had ever said such words to her before. Cecilia was someone who judged worth by outward appearances. Moreover, Cecilia’s standard was always money.

To the extent of putting price tags on even her own daughters. It was still a mystery how a person like her father had married someone like her mother. Fayto Joseph was a gentle and honorable person. Even his death was honorable.

All the values and sense of responsibility that made up Elena were inherited from Fayto. Until the moment he closed his eyes, Fayto had asked her to take care of Leana.

Most memories from the banquet had faded, but the conversation she had with Maxim remained vivid in her mind.

[‘Why are you being kind to me?’]

[‘Well, I seem to be the young lady’s savior. Seeing how I keep saving you like this. This will raise the young lady’s value by another level.’]

And Maxim was right. After dancing with Maxim, no man approached Elena.

[‘Males instinctively recognize the strong. And they never touch a woman that a strong one has claimed.’]

She felt like she understood what he meant, yet also didn’t. Elena was mulling over that day’s conversation when her room door opened.

“Elena!”

Elena sighed deeply and returned to reality. Cecilia, her face flushed red from drinking, staggered toward her. Reeking of disgusting alcohol, Cecilia sat next to Elena.

“No one will open their mouths about who that man is. Really, didn’t he tell you anything?”

“No.”

“You stupid thing. Didn’t that guy look the most expensive among the men who danced with you? Then you should have caught him even if you had to knock him down in bed, but you just let him go?”

Cecilia hit the back of Elena’s head. Elena sighed with her head bowed forward. She spoke such vulgar words to her daughter without any hesitation.

“Ugh, those stuck-up women won’t open their mouths either.”

She had been nowhere to be seen all day, so she must have gone to hover around the salon. She must have pushed her way into where idle noble ladies played poker. It was obvious she had crawled back only after squandering all her meager wealth.

Elena clenched her fists.

“But seeing how those women let me join them, that man must be quite something. Those women were asking what kind of relationship you have with that man.”

“I told you we have no relationship?”

“But he danced with you and talked with you for so long? You stupid girl! Men don’t show kindness to women they’re not interested in!”

Thwack.

Elena’s hair spilled forward again. Cecilia, seeming irritated, staggered up from her seat.

“Hmph, if that doesn’t work out, do you think there are no other marriage prospects? Several of the men who danced with you subtly brought up marriage. If you’re going to act this stupid, there’s no choice.”

Elena stared at Cecilia with empty eyes. Cecilia already had the face of someone who had tasted money. Come to think of it, the dress Cecilia was wearing and the shoes she had on were new.

Someone had definitely slipped Cecilia money while talking about marriage. Cecilia had already sold Elena.

Cecilia left Elena’s room. Elena buried her face in her palms. Her delicate shoulders trembled. No matter what, Elena didn’t want to sell her life into such a quagmire.

[‘Our Elena. You are this father’s daughter, so you will be happy. This father promises.’]

The moment she recalled her father’s words, Maxim’s face came to mind too. A person the nobles kept their mouths shut to protect.

It wasn’t desirable to hope that someone would rescue her from this hell. Elena slowly blinked. Elena, who took a breath, whispered.

“I am the one who saves my life.”

---

Elena took a deep breath and looked up at the huge mansion.

It was Countess Presto’s mansion. Though no one would speak about that man, Elena knew where he was staying. Maxim had told her himself.

Elena pressed the doorbell with trembling hands.

Ding-dong.

At the small ripple in the huge mansion, the small birds in the garden all flew up into the sky at once.

Elena twisted her skirt. The kind head butler immediately guided her to the reception room. Elena somehow felt as embarrassed as when she had stood barefoot on Cress Bridge and fidgeted with her feet.

The carpet on the floor, the table placed in front of her, the chair she sat on, all the elements that made up this room made Elena’s breath catch.

Even when her father was alive, she had never seen such precious things. Somehow feeling like she had become dirt tracked into this room, Elena’s white cheeks flushed peach-colored.

Meanwhile, a small commotion arose outside the reception room.

“Who came to find whom in the reception room right now?”

Countess Presto, who had been lazily lying down reading a romance novel, shot up. The sofa bed shook from the motion.

“A lady named Elena Joseph came looking for Young Master Maxim, my lady!”

The head maid repeated the same words with a slightly flushed face. Countess Presto and other noble people had deep interest in Maxim’s marriage. Among them, Countess Presto was the most passionate.

“My goodness! That child who was the only one to dance with Maxim?”

“Yes!”

“My goodness!”

Countess Presto hurriedly adjusted her appearance. Her heart was pounding. Since that incident, Maxim hadn’t been involved with women at all.

He rarely went to places with many women and was disgusted by women who approached him. There were countless women who had been hurt by Maxim’s barbed words and fallen away.

Thanks to that, no young lady had approached Maxim even at that day’s banquet. But Maxim had personally asked for a dance and danced.

‘Was that fortune teller right after all?’

Color returned to Countess Presto’s face. Slipping on the slippers she had thrown off, the Countess opened the door.

“Where is she now? Did you tell Maxim? She came to meet that child, so I should receive her personally!”

She didn’t know what kind of child it was, but Maxim had high aesthetic sense. He surely wouldn’t have chosen just anyone. Countess Presto walked quickly then paused.

‘If that child could forget that incident and become happy.’

It didn’t matter if the woman who came was a beggar. Truly! Anyone in the family would have the same opinion.

Countess Presto vigorously opened the reception room door. There was a woman with neatly combed pale golden hair and contrasting seductive blue eyes.

With a face like a frightened deer.

“Oh my.”