TDWO Chapter 15
by xxsienna‘Can’t I be the Perseus for Miss Anri?’
The words he had spoken in the exhibition hall continued to linger in Anri’s mind.
To offer to be her Perseus because she envied Andromeda. Weren’t those two married?
Furthermore, why would he wait until it was her turn to get married?
“…Are you proposing to me, by any chance?”
Anri couldn’t tolerate the ambiguity and frustration.
Yet even as she asked, she couldn’t comprehend or make sense of it.
Why her?
“You’re asking with a face as if you’re certain I’m not proposing.”
He leaned toward her, gripping the seat with one hand.
His expression toward Anri was indifferent yet serene and cool.
But his dark eyes were somewhere deep and intense. They were also chilling.
If she lowered her gaze slightly, the distance would be close enough to see the texture of his lips.
Close enough to recognize how red his lips were and how fine the lines were.
“Well, there’s no reason for Kristan’s father to propose to me.”
Anri kept her tone gentle.
Edwin hadn’t expected her poised and composed attitude to persist even in such close contact.
How much, he wondered, would it take to make Anri nervous?
Or was she merely wearing a mask of composure to hide her vulnerability?
‘But still, Andromeda must be happy.’
His slightly powerless gaze from inside the exhibition hall struck a chord in her heart.
It appeared briefly before disappearing, as if by chance.
“I also need an Andromeda. I wish it could be Miss Anri.”
“…….”
In the end, Anri’s pupils trembled ever so slightly.
But he hadn’t shown any sign of hesitation from the beginning.
He was still looking at her seriously and deeply.
“If that’s the case, there should be many other women for you.”
Anri faltered briefly, but then she pulled the corners of her mouth up and narrowed her eyes. Dignified and relaxed.
He was an unmarried nobleman—the head of a household, not just an heir.
Under those conditions, like anyone else, marriage would be necessary.
He would soon need to produce a son to inherit the estate, mansion, and wealth.
Seeing him propose to her, it seemed he had no one in mind.
If there were, perhaps there were circumstances preventing marriage?
Or perhaps there were objections from the household due to differences in status or family background?
No, then wouldn’t Anri herself naturally face opposition?
“No. This is the first time I’m saying this, Anri.”
Edwin’s pronunciation was as firm as ever.
He leaned in a bit more, his tone cooler and more insistent.
“You’ll also be using me, Miss Anri. I’ll be your Perseus. Do you want to leave that house? I can give you everything you want.”
While Anri didn’t express it directly to him, after experiencing it for a few days, he found her household to be tiresome.
Her father brought home an unwelcome stepmother and stepsisters and didn’t even show his face.
Her stepmother lacked subtlety and dignity, her eldest sister lacked shame, and her second sister… seemed to just exist.
Anri’s efforts to find some happiness amidst the chaos in that household didn’t escape his notice.
Having seen it firsthand, it would be difficult to marry off her sisters in a way that would satisfy everyone.
It seemed that unless the stepmother truly gave birth to a son, as promised to the Viscount of Wentworth, it wouldn’t be easy for Anri to inherit the mansion.
How could she have a son when her father was not at home?
So, undoubtedly, Anri would accept his proposal.
He would not only provide for Anri but also for the Wentworth family, who would become his in-laws.
“…….”
He spoke in a monotonous tone, but it sounded so sickly sweet that it seemed like a temptation from the devil.
Anri gazed at him quietly, then smiled with her eyes, a smile that hinted at her determination not to be easily swayed by such a dark proposal.
“What do I have to do for you, then? Should I bear you a child?”
Surely, he wouldn’t make such a proposal without wanting anything in return.
Marriage without conditions only exists in love.
No; sometimes even love comes with conditions.
“A child.”
This time, the man’s face froze slightly, and his pupils trembled a bit.
“That’s not my intention, so rest assured.”
“Then I really don’t understand why you want to marry me. I’m not foolish enough to follow a man whose name I don’t even know.”
“Is a name really that important?”
The man’s gaze softened slightly.
“It’s so important that I can’t even put it into words.”
Anri’s eyes remained bright and lively, while his dark pupils gleamed with interest.
“My name and surname are filled with all sorts of speculation and prejudice. I don’t want you to misunderstand me, Miss Anri.”
“I’m misunderstanding you right now.”
“Well, if we get married, you’ll find out eventually. After all, you’ll have the same surname as me, Miss Anri.”
‘So how can I marry you if I don’t even know your name?’
He stepped slightly back from Anri, straightening his posture.
“I’m one of the dukes of the kingdom. With demands for marriage proposals coming from all directions, including my mother, I have to endure them. Refusing is one thing, but being without an heir, anyone kept intruding. So, I would like to grant Anri any wish she has, and in return, could you save me?”
“…….”
He looked at Anri again.
It doesn’t seem like he’s making a half-hearted offer.
Apparently, he had a reputation among the nobility for being a good match, but the man didn’t seem to have any particular desire to marry.
Moreover, he was a duke. He was indeed a noble with a very high rank.
“So, you’re looking for a fake duchess, then?”
“Hmm…”
He let out a subtle sigh, lost in thought.
Gazing at him from a side angle, Anri noticed his handsome forehead contrasting with his chiseled nose, akin to a cliff.
It was the first time she had ever thought of natural landscapes while looking at a person’s face or body.
Wait, this description seems familiar.
…Did I write this in a fanfic?
He took a breath and then leaned towards Anri again, grasping the seat.
“I’m also a bit curious to try it once.”
“……?”
“Miss Anri.”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
‘I’m sorry, Your Grace. I don’t want to marry just anyone. Isn’t that something that goes on the family registry?’
Anri’s words, accompanied by a cheerful laugh, still lingered in Edwin’s mind, leaving him somewhat flustered.
Even as they finally arrived at Wentworth Manor and it was time to get out, his head felt a bit foggy, as if submerged in water.
Despite trying to appear nonchalant, he still felt a bit off…
It’s hard to put into words.
Edwin tried to tempt Anri with money, power, fame, sumptuous food, luxurious mansions, her own Roses and Hounds, and so on, but she didn’t bat an eye.
In fact, he hadn’t expected to be rejected.
However, seeing her reaction left him feeling indescribable, and without realizing it, he continued to try to persuade her with more specific conditions.
Ultimately, it was a failure.
“Thank you for the ride.”
Anri, gracefully descending from the carriage, smiled brightly as she took his hand.
Edwin reached into the carriage and pulled out one of the wrapped paintings.
It was the Andromeda painting.
“This one was originally meant for you, Miss Anri.”
“Oh my.”
Anri, surprised by the unexpected gift, pressed her hands to her lips.
His expression looked noticeably pained, yet he was giving her such an expensive painting! How generous of him!
“Is it okay for me to accept this?”
Anri’s eyes widened. She felt guilty receiving it, especially considering that she couldn’t even marry him.
In truth, Anri is currently very angry with him. She wanted to punch him.
‘I’m also a bit curious to try it once.’
To think that such a short phrase could upset someone like this. Perhaps it was because he was a duke, but his influence was truly remarkable.
Are all high and mighty people like this?
If you want something, just say you want it. What does it mean to want to “try” at it? And what’s with the “once”?
She was neither an object nor someone he could just try out and discard if he didn’t like it.
‘I will never give myself to people like you.’
“This is a token of appreciation for choosing the painting in my place.”
Anri ground her teeth internally but smiled brightly on the outside. She accepted the painting he handed over.
“Then I’ll accept it gratefully, since you’re giving it to me.”
“I’m not sure if Anri likes Andromeda.”
“I don’t particularly like Andromeda, but I like paintings in general.”
Anri smiled gently as she hugged the heavy frame with both arms.
Her eyes, with their slightly folded lids, sparkled with an especially enchanting light. Perhaps it was due to the darkening sky, which resembled a pink sunset.
“Oh, then perhaps another painting…”
“It’s fine, Your Grace.”
Anri stopped the man, who seemed about to rummage through the carriage again.
He met Anri’s gaze again with his usual cool demeanor.
“I thought you were looking at it for a long time because you liked it.”
When did he see her looking at this painting for a long time?
“Femme fragile, like Andromeda, isn’t really my taste.”
“Then are femme fatales your preference?”
“I wouldn’t say that. I just like femmes in general. However, I don’t like those who try to seduce on purpose or are too fragile.”
“I see.”
Edwin nodded thoughtfully, feeling more convinced that the Lady of Wentworth was someone who seemed ordinary yet extraordinary.
Her frankness about her tastes and preferences set her apart from the women he had encountered so far.
Every time he looked at her, he felt something distinctly different about her.
There was an alien quality that subtly set her apart from other women of this era.
Femme fragile was the epitome of a delicate and submissive female figure—the complete opposite of femme fatale.
Femme fatale was the type of woman discouraged in society, while femme fragile was the preferred feminine ideal.
Anri seemed to want to live freely without conforming to anyone.
“If you ever want to see Kristan, please come again.”
“Yes. Take care of Kristan and Jeffrey.”
Anri and Edwin exchanged a final wave.
Anri purposely added one more remark.
“I hope you meet a good wife.”
“…….”
Her laughter seemed to mock him.
Come to think of it, would she really attend the ball at his mansion?
Was it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow?
Hmmm.
No. The proposal had already been declined.
She had rejected his offer like a lemon**, and she wouldn’t look back on her decision any longer.
(TL/N: It means her rejection was clear and firm. Just as a lemon is unmistakably sour, her refusal was straightforward and unambiguous.)
But why did this empty and bitter feeling linger so much?
“Well then, take care on your way back.”
Anri gracefully bent her knees in a gesture of farewell. A woman who had lightly rejected him.
Edwin was about to turn away silently. However, for some reason,
“Oh.”
He turned back.
“We’ll see each other again soon.”
With a fleeting smirk, he left a vague and ambiguous remark behind.
