When Pride Fell At My Toes - Chapter 36



Only Noblemtl

#36. Warning
2024.02.05.

“I wanted to help you, so I told you… … . I’m worried that I might have taken up your time, or that I might have meddled.”

“Oh, no. I was helpful.”

She didn’t know that Giorgio had been meeting with Count Vallemont separately. Emilia quickly shook her head.

Alessandro smiled kindly, as if she was glad. Emilia looked at that smile and wondered if there was anything else she could ask him. She came out because he said he had something to tell her, but she didn’t know how much he knew because all she wanted to know was about her parents.

Just as she was about to lose her mind, there was a knock at the door. As the food she had ordered quickly filled the table, Alessandro made a polite gesture, as if to suggest that they eat first.

The meal was quiet. Her mind was so complicated that she couldn’t tell if the food was going into her mouth or her nose, but it was nice to have time to think for a moment.

‘I think I should explain why I seemed more interested in Count Vallemont at the party…’ I

guess it was because I found the talk about car investment rights interesting. Enrico told me that a large number of investors had been made anonymous, so I wondered if he had decided to find and receive the shares.

But was it right to ask Alessandro about that?

I wasn’t sure. But it seemed stranger to just send away the person who showed up to tell me first, rather than doing nothing.

Emilia took a spoonful of the last fruit ice cream that came out and looked at Alessandro. She thought he wouldn’t be interested in desserts like Enrico, but he was surprisingly eating well.

“Excuse me, can I ask you something?”

“I’d be happy to.”

“I hesitate because it seems like I’m asking about someone’s personal details, but if it’s difficult, please let me know.”

“Haha, I understand.”

“During the party, Count Vallemont said he would receive the bonds. Do you know who he agreed to transfer them to? I heard that car investment rights are a promising business and are not easily transferred, so I was a bit curious.”

“In that case… … I don’t know because we haven’t talked about it specifically. Oh, is there a problem with the car investment rights? I think the count has quite a few.”

Hmm, Alessandro doesn’t seem to know much about car investment rights. Emilia tilted her head slightly and slowly opened her mouth.

“I wasn’t able to confirm that much, so I was just curious and asked. After all, Uncle Giorgio manages all the assets.”

“Aren’t you an adult now? Some rights should be transferred.”

“Yes, I didn’t think about it at first, but after hearing it at the party, I think I can now claim my rights to the assets.”

“It’s a good decision. If you need my help, please let me know anytime.”

“Thank you for just saying that.”

Alessandro smiled, slightly raising his glass of pink drink. Emilia followed suit, slightly raising her glass and swallowing a little of the drink.

“… … And there’s another reason why I asked to see you today.”

“Oh, please tell me.”

Emilia nodded, putting down her glass.

“May I ask what kind of relationship you have with Duke Michele?”

The two of them seemed suspicious because they were hanging out together at the party, but was this why he called me? I had been frustrated and had accepted Alessandro’s proposal, but I felt like I was being held back because of it.

Emilia opened her lips and closed them again. What on earth was she going to say? We just happened to go to the party together? Or was it honestly a sponsorship relationship? Would it be okay to tell Alessandro the truth? Was he trustworthy? In that short time, questions followed.

What on earth did she believe in that she came to meet Alessandro all of a sudden? She knew it was an offer she couldn’t refuse, but she was surprised at herself for not hesitating at all when she didn’t even know the purpose of the meeting.

“Emilia, I didn’t mean to pry. I didn’t investigate you separately. I just wanted to tell you in advance so you wouldn’t get hurt.”

“… … What?”

Emilia looked at him with a puzzled look. This time, Alessandro hesitated. As if he was a little worried, but as if he felt he had to say something. Finally, his eyes shined with determination as he looked at her again with a determined face.

“Don’t trust Duke Michele too much.”

“… … .”

“Although he is my uncle, Duke Michele is an enigmatic person. He hides many things even though he knows them, and he is also surprisingly possessive.”

“Ah… … .”

Recently, I thought that I knew better than anyone else that he was an enigmatic person. But since he hides so many things, did something happen between the two of them?

Alessandro lowered the ends of his eyebrows and carefully added.

“I sincerely hope you are not hurt.”

Her pale purple eyes shone transparently. She met his eyes and slowly nodded. She had

not completely opened her heart to Enrico in the first place, and his worries seemed excessive, but Alessandro did not mean anything bad, so she accepted it. As she moved her head, her hair naturally fell forward.

‘Are we done with this business?’

She had finished eating dessert, and she thought it was time to get up. Emilia looked at him, pushing her hair back.

‘What are you looking at? Hair?’

Alessandro was looking at her with a blank expression. Following his gaze, she saw the platinum hair hanging over her hand, and looked at him again just in case.

Her lavender eyes returned to focus, perhaps sensing Emilia’s suspicious gaze.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“No. I just thought you might have gotten something on you.”

Emilia swept her hair back and pushed it back. Alessandro’s gaze touched her hand and then moved to her face.

“No, I thought it was beautiful hair.”

“Ah… thank you.”

“And I was also looking at it because something strange has been happening recently.”

“Something strange?”

“Yes. It may be a coincidence, but I’m worried because there have been a lot of disappearances of blonde-haired women.”

I think I’ve heard that somewhere before, but I couldn’t remember the details. Emilia just nodded and listened to him.

“I guess you’re strikingly beautiful. I hope you don’t go out alone as much as possible, and don’t go out too late at night. The world is so turbulent.”

Alessandro spoke seriously, almost as if he was asking her a favor. She couldn’t help but nod quietly at his expression, which seemed even more worried than when he had spoken to Enrico earlier.

Soon, a sigh of relief burst from his simple agreement, and a pleasant smile appeared on his lips. His face was so bright compared to the cloudy weather outside.

***

It felt like a meeting that only made her more curious. Emilia got out of the carriage and thought back to what Alessandro had said earlier.

‘Beware of Duke Michele… ‘

But now there were too many things involved to not trust the Duke. The truth about his parents’ deaths and even his support. Did Alessandro know anything about his parents’ deaths? No, if he did, he would have told him. Emilia shook her head from side to side as if shaking off her thoughts and opened the front door.

The house was quiet. She couldn’t hear Zaveta’s voice, as if he was resting in his room. Urrrrrr- The sound of the sky crying could be heard, as if the rain that had been expected in the evening was about to fall. She

was passing through the hallway toward the living room, thinking that it was fortunate that she got home before the rain. Suddenly- Enrico Michele, sitting on the sofa, appeared in the light.

“Huh… …!”

She was so surprised that she couldn’t even scream. Emilia clutched her heart and collapsed. A belated bang- thunder ripped through the sky.

“Why are you so surprised?”

Enrico slowly got up from his seat and approached her. Emilia didn’t even think about getting up right away and just watched him get closer.

He held out his hand as if to grab her. Normally, she would have gotten up on her own and told Enrico that she was surprised, but perhaps because of the backlight flashing outside the window, his mood seemed unusual.

Emilia hesitantly reached out her hand. Enrico grabbed her wrist at an ambiguous distance, just barely touching. Emilia’s body jerked up with an incredible force, as if he were just picking up a child.

“… … Thank you. It was so quiet that I didn’t know who was there.”

“Ah- Javeta gave me some time to go outside and come back.”

Enrico didn’t let go of her wrist and led her to the sofa.

“But what’s wrong, you didn’t call me?”

“I think you came without calling me last time.”

“That’s why you should call me. I was flustered last time.”

“Of course I thought you’d be home.”

“It’s my day off, so I can go out.”

“Yeah. “It’s strange that there isn’t one.”

Is there any reason to be strange? Emilia muttered to herself as she sat down on the sofa. Enrico, sitting next to her, only then let go of her wrist.