Chapter 16
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Violet's First Words - Episode 16
* * *
Marin was absorbed in her foundation work when she heard the doorbell ring.
"Ash?"
Marin peered out the window. Ash was ushering someone into the house, carefully wrapped in his coat.
'What has he brought home this time!'
Last time it was a puppy.
"Ash?"
Marin hurried downstairs. Ash removed his coat and looked at Marin.
"Where are the others?"
His other subordinates were at a different "residence." Marin examined the woman Ash had brought more carefully.
'So it's Violet Everdin, after all.'
Marin released her suspicion. She answered Ash's question.
"The others are... well, wherever they need to be. The servants went out to see the Festival."
Violet glanced at Marin's eyes for a moment, then turned away.
That hesitant manner only made Marin dislike her more.
Well, Violet Everdin had a poor reputation, after all.
The rumors said she was inarticulate, gloomy, and her abilities were abysmal.
'I thought he'd gone on a date to find a partner for the ball. What would his mother say if she knew my lord was suited to a girl like that! It's my role to serve him well.'
Marin glared at Violet even more sharply.
"Be respectful to my guest. Such an insolent expression is overstepping your bounds."
Ash spoke with a pointed rebuke.
Only then did Marin soften her expression.
"...Yes."
"Go prepare some tea."
Marin's lips twisted slightly.
She had intended to prepare refreshments anyway, even without being asked.
She had no intention of treating coldly someone who arrived looking so pale.
She simply wanted to be petty and spiteful.
"Ash, tea isn't necessary."
Violet spoke as if flustered.
"Just have some. Your time is far too precious. We humans waste so much time on excuses and delays and hesitation. We'll drink it anyway."
Marin turned away.
"Violet, this way."
Ash naturally placed his hand on Violet's back and guided her to the Dining Room.
'Looking more closely, she does have a pretty face. Hmph, but that's beside the point. Our lord deserves only the finest talent at his side, and we're already stretched thin!'
Marin reaffirmed her resolve.
'I won't let her become Ash's friend or anything else! I'm not someone who yields easily, so be prepared. Do you think I'll waver?'
Marin pondered this while filling her tray with food.
* * *
And thirty minutes later.
"Sob, wail. How could her own father do that? A monster wearing an iron mask? How does that even make sense? A bastard but not a bastard! Poor Violet... this is heartbreaking."
Marin was continuously wiping away tears.
The reason was simple. Ash and Violet sat at the table together.
After barely touching the refreshments and sipping tea, Violet spoke carefully.
She said she had a favor to ask of Ash.
Before even hearing what the favor was, Ash replied that he would consider it if she shared her honest circumstances.
Violet hesitated briefly, then began to reveal her story.
The person most shocked by this sudden revelation of her birth secret was Marin.
"It seems Violet has suddenly captured your heart, Marin."
Ash clicked his tongue as if exasperated.
"Of course it doesn't make sense! A woman from a Distinguished Noble Family suffering like that? Whether it's a man or woman, meeting the wrong person usually leads to a ruined life."
Marin was quite susceptible in this regard. As a result, her heart had already opened wide.
"Now that I think about it, when you brought home that stray dog last time, you threw a fit saying it wouldn't work, but later you ended up keeping it. That was you, Marin."
Ash said, clicking his tongue.
"Really? You two raised a dog together?"
Violet asked in surprise.
"The dog is somewhere else now."
"Oh, did you already have it adopted?"
"No, literally somewhere else."
Ash meant another house, not this one. Ash owned several properties in the Capital.
"I see. But this place seems like a boarding house—can you keep a dog without the owner's permission?"
Violet asked innocently.
Marin paused, unsure what to say.
This was not a boarding house. It was one of Ash's properties.
'But this Miss Violet probably thinks Ash is just an ordinary gifted scholarship student.'
Marin rolled her eyes.
"You can keep one here."
"Who's the owner?"
"Marin. I'm just boarding here."
Ash smiled sweetly and lied without hesitation. Marin quickly nodded in agreement.
"Ah, yes. This is my house!"
"But how do you have a place like this at such a young age? That's impressive."
Violet gazed at Marin with eyes full of innocent admiration.
"Marin majors in costume history at the Academy History Department while working simultaneously."
"That's right, I'm a professional seamstress."
"I see. A seamstress, a student, and a boarding house owner all at once! I can't believe I haven't known someone as remarkable as you until now. Everyone at the Academy should know about you."
Violet spoke without a hint of artifice.
Marin's ears perked up. Her shoulders began to shift subtly. It was difficult to hide the twitching corners of her mouth.
"I'm not that impressive. Hmm, would you like more tea? Anything to eat?"
"This is already plenty. Thank you."
Violet replied.
"In any case, it's pitiful that you have to live in such a place. You need to leave that house as soon as possible."
Marin added a comment.
"One of my relatives said they would let me stay with them."
Violet said.
"Ah, you have a relative who will help you? That's fortunate. Right, Ash?"
"What relative?"
Ash spoke.
"My Uncle. He's quite a bit younger than my Father. He has a reputation for being somewhat eccentric. But he set one condition."
Violet calmly explained the condition her Uncle had set—that she say something to her family.
"That's a bit strange. Do people usually ask for something like that?"
Marin tilted her head in puzzlement.
"If he's someone without ill intent, his meaning is clear. If he lets you stay with him and you end up leaving because you miss your family after all, he'd be the one in trouble. He probably wants to confirm your true feelings through that process."
Ash said.
"How do you know that so well? My Uncle said exactly that."
Violet said with admiration.
"Now that you mention it, that makes sense. If he's not careful, he could end up being someone who corrupted his niece while trying to help her. In the worst case, it could even lead to legal problems."
"...Could my Uncle end up involved in legal trouble because of me?"
"You just turned eighteen, Violet."
"Yes."
"Then you're an adult, so it's enough to prove you left of your own will. There shouldn't be any real problems."
Ash said calmly. Violet felt reassured.
"So, did you say something to them?"
Marin asked.
"I said what I needed to say to my Father, but I haven't properly spoken to Marigold and my Stepmother yet. And honestly, I want to redo what I said to my Father too. I don't think I handled it well."
Violet moistened her lips and opened her mouth with difficulty.
"So, Ash, I have a favor to ask you."
"...Tell me."
Ash straightened his posture. A faint glimmer of interest flickered in his eyes.
"This might sound strange, but could you teach me some harsh and bitter words? The kind that, once heard, no one could ever forget."
"Are you asking me to go to your Father and hurl curses at him on your behalf?"
"No, I want to go there myself and say something to my family. But the moment I think about saying something to them, I get so angry that my mind goes blank. My goal is to deliver a sharp retort they can't dismiss, but all I've managed to do so far is petty nonsense."
"For example, what kind of things?"
Marin asked out of simple curiosity.
"Breaking my Fiancé's nose, securing Father's double ledgers, hurling accusations of hypocrisy at Father and stopping his arm before he could strike me, or sabotaging the proxy assignments my Younger Sister gave me—that sort of thing?"
"...."
"That's all the modest little things I've managed."
Violet spoke as though embarrassed.
'She's doing splendidly.'
In that moment, Marin thought to herself.
More refreshingly than anyone could hope for, striking back like a heroine from a novel.
"I'd say you're handling it quite well, Violet Everdin."
Ash said.
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