TDWO Chapter 6

Her unusual pink hair and eyes caught his attention at first sight.

She was a soft and lovely woman, like a romantic pink rose in a greenhouse.

In a good way, she was ethereal and transparent, and in another way, she was boring and tiresome.

Certainly, she seemed to be the type of woman he wouldn’t pay much attention to, but somehow she stood out with her refreshing gaze.

If an arrogant cat were to become human, perhaps it would feel like her?

 

‘No matter what, you can’t let just any male in. That horse could be a flirt or an opium addict. Alternatively, he could have serious flaws from the start.’

 

The woman’s gentle words were irritating but somehow amusing.

Even the distinctive scent and air of the suburbs felt particularly refreshing.

Her lively retorts—not yielding even a little—and her impressive ability to dispense sweet sarcasm without hesitation were striking.

He felt a twinge of regret at the thought of never seeing her again.

That day, Edwin was on his way to visit his mother at the spring cottage, where she was staying for the spring season.

It was because of the preparations for the upcoming ball.

It was a ‘Finding a Wife’ ball to search for the woman who would soon be his bride.

His mother, the Dowager Duchess Elizabeth, had summoned him to discuss preparations for the ball, and on the way, he happened to encounter Wentworth’s carriage.

It was truly a journey he didn’t want to take. However, it was also something he couldn’t avoid any longer.

Elizabeth attributed all tragedies to her son’s bachelorhood.

Whether it rained heavily or didn’t rain at all, whether the chickens laid a few eggs, whether her hat flew off in the wind, or whether mud stained her shoes,.

 

‘All this is because you have no mistress.’

 

She would habitually say that all these things happened because her son didn’t have a wife or heir.

It was as if she were trying to drive a stake through his eardrums and into his cochlea.

In the end, Edwin, feeling completely overwhelmed, decided to hold the ball that his mother had tearfully desired.

The last thing he wanted to do was throw a ball, but he had no choice.

He hadn’t wanted to get married, even as he went as far as holding the ball.

He wasn’t a king or a prince of a country to rush into marriage?

But since he hadn’t found a suitable bride so far, there was no way to stop his mother anymore.

More than a fortnight had passed since the incident with the woman.

However, after that incident, Kristan began to show different symptoms than usual.

 

‘It seems he’s been stimulated by Marilyn, the muscular mare.’

 

Edwin found it hard to believe Jeffrey’s words.

At their first meeting, Kristan had cowered in fear.

Since he had never faced such a fierce female before, it was natural for him to be shocked.

Despite his strong appearance, Kristan was truly timid and modest for a male.

How strong was the impression after being pursued by a female while running safely?

 

‘The same was true for the owner.’

 

Hitting on someone was the same, whether it was a horse or a woman.

But as the days passed, Kristan seemed to pine for Marilyn more and more.

Certain parts of his body swelled; he couldn’t sleep, and he didn’t even touch the grass he usually ate.

 

‘This must be a sign of a heat cycle…?’

 

Just in case, Edwin tried introducing other females several times, but Kristan showed no interest.

Thus, for nearly a fortnight, the legendary stallion felt lonely.

In the end, Edwin sent a letter, along with Albert, to Wentworth Manor.

He needed to confirm if it was really because of Marilyn.

Bringing Marilyn to Kristan’s side would be the only way to find out.

But borrowing it would complicate things, so he opted to keep it simple and buy it.

But it didn’t work out the way he wanted.

 

“Did you also tell them how much you’re going to pay for it?”

“I did, Your Grace. However, Lady Wentworth was quite adamant…”

“What about the Viscountess?”

“She welcomed Your Grace’s proposal warmly, but again, Lady Wentworth was very firm…”

“When is Viscount Wentworth expected to return?”

“It seems he has many duties in the capital.”

 

Courtney, where Viscount Wentworth’s estate was located, was more than a half-day’s journey from the capital.

If it weren’t for this occasion, they would have never encountered the noble family of the southwestern countryside in their lifetime.

 

‘No, wait. Haven’t we been involved once before?’

 

It was a memory from long ago, nearly forgotten.

But he was certainly connected to Viscount Wentworth through some past dealings, although he had never seen him in person.

He never imagined he would come across that family name again like this.

Upon further investigation, it seems that Viscount Wentworth made it a point to socialize with powerful people.

Such a person wouldn’t remain in a rural ancestral home.

With a father who dabbled in politics, a lavish stepmother, twin sisters lacking in character, and only two horses, their family composition seemed to drain their modest wealth.

Most people would have taken him up on his offer and easily sold one of their horses.

 

‘They’d have enough money to buy a dozen horses and wouldn’t it be better to hire one more servant and use them to clean and maintain the mansion?’

 

It seemed he had inadvertently learned too much about the Viscount of Wentworth due to Kristan.

 

“What will you do, Your Grace?”

Albert inquired while still slightly bending his waist.

“Hmm.”

 

Edwin pondered deeply.

In any case, it was unthinkable to let Kristan, the kingdom’s finest stallion, die of loneliness.

 

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

 

Thud! Thud!

The sound of footsteps echoed through the mansion as if thunder had struck.

Anri rolled over in her quilt.

Those nimble, fast, quick footsteps must be Candice’s.

What in the world is she doing, running around the mansion so early in the morning?

It was probably trivial and not worth bothering about.

Anri tried to go back to sleep, but once awakened, sleep eluded her.

 

“Ugh!”

 

Finally, she threw off the blanket and got up.

Her thin muslin nightgown in a light beige color slipped down below her knees.

Anri, rubbing his stiff shoulders, tied his slightly disheveled hair into a loose bun.

 

‘When is my father coming back?’

 

She yawned as she stretched up high.

These days, she felt like the head of a family with three daughters, all of whom were unremarkable.

 

‘I wish my sisters would get married soon.’

 

In this world, marriage was not something one could do at any time.

If you missed the right age, you might never get the chance.

And the older you got, the more problematic it became to find a suitable match.

Marriage at the right age and having children to build a family were considered the only paths to a happy woman’s life in this world.

During the “employment age,” before he was born as Anri, he struggled to secure a stable job, and here, marriage presented yet another challenge.

 

“…….”

 

And if Candice and Eunice don’t find a suitable mate and miss the age of marriage…

 

‘Oh, my goodness. How dreadful.’

 

They’ll be trapped in this house.

But finding marriages for her sisters proved to be an arduous task, with Catherine’s desires and practical issues constantly clashing.

Catherine aimed to elevate her status by marrying off her daughters to wealthy noble families.

But what kind of well-to-do family would take sisters who could barely afford a dowry?

Furthermore, another male relative would inherit this mansion if Catherine and her father were unable to have a son.

 

‘In the end, do I have to marry and live as someone’s wife before I get kicked out?’

 

Of course, Anri never entertained such thoughts.

She’d rather have the Duke of Briston take a sudden liking to her sisters and stepmother and whisk them away.

 

‘As long as Edwin doesn’t meet Queen Erze, he won’t kill the Viscount Wentworth family and other noble families for being politically opposed, will he?’

 

But somehow, it seemed unlikely that such a thing would ever happen, even if the world turned upside down.

The Duke of Briston’s ball was just ten days away.

Anri, a reader who had also written fanfiction, couldn’t help but be curious about the real-life Edwin.

Moreover, she was a somewhat daring reader who indulged in imagining Edwin’s nights.

 

‘No, no, that’s too daring.’

 

It was natural for a reader to be fascinated by the charm of the male lead.

Anyway, whether in the world of books or outside, the male lead was never something anyone could have.

Except for the female protagonist.

Anri twisted her upper and lower bodies to loosen up. With her right hand, she grabbed her head and stretched her arm.

She had just stepped onto the stairs to the first floor when she heard a voice.

 

“……?”

 

Anri’s movement suddenly froze.

She stood there, holding her hands behind her neck, still in the middle of stretching.

A person who definitely shouldn’t be here.

The man standing in the doorway slowly raised his gaze.

His reaction was so natural, as if he knew Anri was on the stairs from the beginning and wasn’t surprised at all.

Anri also stared blankly at the man.

A figure, even more refined than a sculpture.

Hair, meticulously groomed to reveal his forehead.

A much smoother and sleeker appearance than a well-polished carriage

A lingering sneer at the corners of his mouth.

 

“……!”

 

That cold and handsome man.

Anri’s eyes widened in surprise.

 

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

 

“My goodness, I can’t begin to tell you how happy and surprised I am to see you again.”

 

Catherine sat close to the man on the opposite sofa, with Candice by her side, and chattered away.

It was as if a statue of the most handsome man had come to life, sitting in the Wentworth Manor’s drawing room. This felt like a miracle, almost unbelievable.

Even the house’s atmosphere seemed strangely stirred by the presence of the man exuding the scent of wealth and fame from his attire.

Catherine and Candice couldn’t contain their excitement, as if a god from Greece had descended.

 

‘Is he really that good-looking?’

 

Anri shook her head inwardly.

Candice, fully dressed from head to toe, exuded excitement. Since when did she become shy, gathering her knees neatly and clasping both hands tightly?

Candice appeared to have caught a glimpse of the Rose and Hound’s carriage outside the window.

It was a carriage she had seen once before, and since Anri had told them to bring the stallion, she had been fully anticipating the man’s visit.

 

‘But if they’re going to bring Kristan, isn’t it enough to just send the coachman?’

 

Why would such a distinguished individual travel here personally?

 

‘Ah, is it because of the famous legendary stallion?’

 

Anri hid her surprise and sat upright.

Edwin glanced briefly at Anri, who was sitting on the other single sofa.

She had changed out of her light nightgown and was now wearing a frilled blouse and a long skirt with button decorations in the center, fitting snugly to her body.

Her appearance was quite different from the fresh dress she had worn when they first met; she was now more neat and tidy.

The brooch hanging below her neck was a subtle shade of pink, matching her eye color.

 

“…….”

 

At that moment, Anri, who had accidentally raised her eyes, met Edwin’s gaze unabashedly.

Edwin didn’t bother to avert his gaze.