The Broken Ring: This Marriage Will Fail Anyway Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Unlike the other servants, Valeztena and her people were served directly by Raul, who welcomed and escorted the distinguished nobles, and whispered to her the deep stories of the interior of Pérez Castle and the stories of the nobles that she did not know.

Until then, it was a role not much different from before, but it was clear that the life of the benefactor, who seemed to live poorly, was probably an eyesore to the promising young man. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Judging by the fact that he had become a loyal meddler at a young age.

He forced, demanded, and interrogated other employees for every treat that Inés missed, trying to make up for her somehow. He even interfered with her own loyalty.

From the age of sixteen to twenty, while Inés was quietly devastated by the memory of Emiliano, she sometimes depended on Juana to feed her. Knowing something good, he moved back and forth between Mendoza and Pérez...

Only until she finally became the woman of the Escalante family.

“How do you live in such a place….”

Raul looked at the official residence again as if it were a rat hole.

“It's a good place. Some people dream of living in a place like this all their lives.”

“That may be true for someone like me, but not for you, Inés.”

Even after he had made a name for himself in Perez Castle, he knew his place well, but he was never satisfied when he compared himself to his master. If she was the yardstick, she was as arrogant as she was not.

Raul looked at his master again with regret, as if to say, 'How can such a precious person live in such a miserable place....'

She sighed and ruffled his hair. Raul's eyes, which had seemed slightly fierce, softened noticeably.

“I'm doing well, Raul.”

“I can't believe it.”

“Can't you see that I'm eating well and sleeping well?”

“Perhaps it's stress from your unfamiliar life.”

“...You're not denying that i've gained weight?”

“Either way, you're beautiful, so it doesn't matter. But for someone who has to wear different clothes every day....”

Raul muttered as if he couldn't help but feel sorry for her, looking at her once, at the small official residence once, and then at her again.

“…I bet you had to wear the same few clothes over and over.”

“To others, it may seem like I’m wearing the same clothes over and over again, but in the end, they’re all the same.”

“You said the colors are different.”

“That’s true.”

“I only brought a few of your favorite clothes and books, but I can’t even bring them in....”

For the time being, I brought the basic necessities with me when I came to Calstera, and since I don’t care much about my appearance, a few dresses were enough to wear, and there were plenty of books on Cárcel’s bookshelf. There were a few things I sometimes wanted to bring from Perez Castle or the Duke’s residence in Mendoza, but I spend half a day eating and sleeping anyway....

“I didn’t realize how little I needed until I actually lived here.”

“You’re just trying to think that way. When are you planning to leave for Esposa Castle?”

“I don’t have any plans yet.”

“…Didn’t you say you’d take me with you when you got married?”

It seemed like she had made such a promise in passing a few years ago. Inés shrugged her shoulders.

“This is not a place where I can increase the number of attendants.”

“What attendants? There’s only one maid, one butler, one groom, one gardener, two cooks, three maids, and three servants....”

“…Oh there are a lot of people?”

Of course, that was in comparison to the size of the official residence. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Somehow, Inés wondered if the scale of employment did not match the scale of the mansion. Some of them didn't even sleep in the official residence and seemed to go to some kind of lodging and show up in the morning.

In the previous official residence, it was a number that was even too small for the size of the official residence, but since she didn't know that, it was a strange picture that seemed to be using people extravagantly as well as filling a small house with all sorts of things.

She wondered if she was not interested in housework enough to get the hang of it even after living for several years.... Inés asked Raul, wondering a little about Cárcel's vitality.

“Normally, I think they would use three or four people for this much?”

“Perhaps... But is three or four enough? With three or four, they wouldn't even be able to clean Captain Escalante's boots.”

“Cárcel is already cleaning them himself.”

Raul looked at the official residence with an expression that said, 'Well, of course, since he lives in such a nice little mouse hole,' and said indifferently.

“Doesn’t Captain Escalante have any plans to move the official residence? Even though he brought Lady Inés here?”

“I think this is probably the best house in Lagornio. There aren’t many houses bigger than this....”

“There seem to be many near the headquarters.”

“That’s where people of much higher rank live. Wouldn’t that be disrespectful?”

“What do you mean? Lady Inés’s husband is the heir to the Escalante family.”

Since they didn’t know Cárcel Escalante, who was already living alone in the huge official residence where the colonel had lived, like a disrespectful and arrogant heir to the Escalante family, the unnecessary discussion continued until they sat down in the garden.

“The official residences were built in bulk by the royal family in the first place. It’s great for officers to stay when they’re on duty.”

“Lady Inés is not an officer.”

“But I married an officer.”

“Just leave the act of a poor civil servant to the captain, and go to Esposa Castle right now.”

“Do I have to go and call you?”

“Yes.”

Raul nodded as if it were obvious. Inés let out a soft laugh.

“Where is your hometown?”

“What does hometown mean to an orphan?”

“Even though everyone you know is in Perez?”

“But Lady Inés is not there.”

In the first life, she used him until he was dry and worn out. In the second life, she couldn't even remember what happened to him. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] In the third life, she just left him alone....

In the end, she was sick of the way he just waited for her to call his name like a loyal dog.

"...You never change, Raul."

"Sometimes you say that I get worse every time you see me."

Raul himself would not have guessed the meaning of the unfamiliarity, the unfathomable depth.

Raul, who was only two years younger than her, had learned the ways of the world much earlier than she had—in some ways, he had learned them too well, and he was good at dealing with people, but he was also pure enough to endlessly savor the favor she had briefly shown him in his childhood.

"Make a career for yourself in Perez."

"Without you there, what good would it do for me to make a career for myself?"

"How do you plan to cope with Esposa’s territoriality? There are families there, just like in Perez, who have served the Escalante family for generations."

"It's fine, since I have connections."

"I guess I'm quite the connection for you."

"You don't know how to take care of yourself at all, so you definitely need me or Juana, Lady Inés.”

Raul answered firmly. Inés stroked his head as if she found him amusing.

“I appreciate the thought, but Juana should get married in Perez. And so should you.”

“I'm sorry, Lady Inés, but I've already made plans to find a wife in Esposa.”

“I wouldn’t want you to leave your hometown because of me.”

“Whether you would or not, Juana would come if you just said the word.”

“You're stubborn... Well, if I go to Esposa, I'll make sure it happens.”

“I have to send all of this luggage to Esposa Castle anyway. I'll go to Esposa as is, observe the situation there, and investigate the Escalante dukedom in more detail.”

“Do as you like. But stay here for one night. It will take more than half a day to get from here to Esposa.... You must have been up since dawn preparing to leave.”

“...I wonder if there are any rooms left in the servants' quarters....”

“I’ll tell Arondra.”

“It would be better to follow her suggestion, since it wouldn’t be right to leave Lady Inés’s luggage unattended at the inn. I’ll tell the housekeeper. Don’t bother yourself with such a trivial matter. If there’s no room, I can look for an inn near the naval headquarters.”

“Don’t do that. It’s not that I think anyone would steal anything, but I know your personality, and you’d probably stay up all night guarding it….”

“That’s only natural.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t let you know in advance that you wouldn’t need much. It was a waste of your effort.”

“I know you need everything. It’s just that there’s nowhere to put it.”

That was true. Even so, these were days when she never felt like she was lacking anything. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Days when she didn’t think about anything, just like a pig that was full and content....

Inés smiled faintly and said,

“I like it here, Raul. The scenery is beautiful here.”

“Since you’ve only ever lived in places like palaces, it must be a bit of a novelty to live in a place like this.”

“Maybe so.”

“Would you like to look through your luggage and choose a few things to take with you? Juana has already carefully selected some things that she thinks you’ll need right away.... If you send everything to Esposa, you might find yourself inconvenienced later on.”

“Okay. Let’s do that.”

She simply accepted and was about to get up when Raul hastily rose to his feet as well, bowing to someone. Although she was the first to get up, he was actually the first to stand.

It was the extreme courtesy she had only seen when he treated her father in Perez Castle.

As if it were the natural order of things, Raul’s extreme courtesy led Inés’s gaze towards the official residence.

“You have a guest.”

Cárcel, who had already returned, was leaning against the first-floor terrace, watching them.

His face was subtly displeased, for some reason.