Chapter 68 - 22. By Personality (4)

Naverius Demangdwi! Just the mere mention of his name made Fanora’s fists clench in anger. No wonder she had heard strange gossip about herself in society these days.

“Yes, that’s right. I met him at the ball the other day, and Naverius said it in front of his friends.”

“…”

The testimony of Amore, which filled the carriage, was really amazing.

“Be-Besides, he said that… you weren’t well-behaved, you were a woman who didn’t think of noble honor, and you were the one who one-sided wanted to break up…”

“…”

“How could I have thought it was a lie when he spoke it so proudly? I just thought that the duke would silence him one day.”

Furthermore, Amore’s testimony was as follows. Bad rumors about Fanora had been circulating in society lately because Naverius and his friends were eager to spread the rumors. And some believed that those rumors were real.

“…”

He was missing the woman who could have been his, so he made the rumors to lower her reputation. How can he… using the same trick as in my past life?

Rattle, rattle. Fanora listened quietly to the sound of the carriage running on a rough road and soon calmed her expression.

“…Thank you for telling me the truth, Lady Amore.”

“I knew I did something wrong, so I just said it to apologize.”

“Still, thank you.”

Glance. When she looked out the window, the carriage was already close to the shopping street. Fanora continued to talk as she prepared to get out of the carriage.

“To be honest, I like you. I want to be close with Lady Amore. So, it would have been sad if you had been turned away without knowing the truth.”

“Oh my, Lady Celsius…”

The naive Amore was delighted as she heard Fanora’s words that had been prepared.

“Anyway, just to be clear here, I’ve never even been on a date with Naverius…”

With that, Fanora spent this meeting time solely explaining the false rumors. Hearing her logical explanation and calm demeanor, Amore seemed convinced.

“Oh my gosh! Then did Naverius spread such bad rumors with resentment, thinking that he was dumped by you even though you had nothing to do with him? There are so many nasty people out here!”

This light-mouthed lady may be able to bring Fanora’s explanation back to society. However, Fanora wasn’t in the mood to care about the flow of rumors right now.

“I enjoyed shopping today. Thank you for taking me there.”

“Don’t mention it. Then, are you really coming to our estate in winter?”

“I’ll see you before then, even if it’s not winter.”

All her schedules were over. Upon arriving near Celsius Mansion, Fanora said they didn’t have to go all the way inside and requested to get off on the right road. As the carriage stopped, she stepped on the ground and said her goodbye.

“Now I understand. The harp sounds so beautiful because a kind person like you plays it. I will visit you soon with a new harp as a present.”

Amore’s cheeks lightly blushed with joy.

* * *

It was a little while later. Fanora arrived on foot at the Celsius Mansion in the capital.

“Lady, you’re here…”

“Cecil, I’m sorry, but could you bring me some fruit from the kitchen right away?”

“Which fruit?”

“Anything is fine.”

Fanora climbed to her room without saying a word, and as soon as she arrived, she sent her servant to the far east building. Then, she slammed the door shut and slowly stood in front of the drawered at the end of her room.

“…”

There were meaningless ornaments in the drawer. A candle holder, an empty vase, and a small frame with a portrait of her when she was young. She looked down at the objects, quickly swept all of them, and threw them to the floor.

“…”

Derereng! Clang, shatter. There was the sound of things breaking for a while, but soon all the noise subsided.

“Ugh… uugh…” In the midst of the silence that soon fell, a woman’s groin came out.

“…”

She reached over the empty drawer and began to vent her pent-up anger. What did I do wrong? This time, I even let you go as you wish!

When she heard that Naverius was spreading rumors about her again, she felt like her intestines were going to turn upside down. He must have known the effect of disgraceful rumors on a noble lady born in the Kasius Kingdom. Due to her rising anger, her eyes were blurred with heat, and her throat was burning hot, so she wanted to scream out and cry to the fullest. Aaaaaaaah…

But since when? Maybe it started from a very young age. Fanora, who repeatedly experienced that her mother would get angry if she cried, lost her voice as her mother repeatedly yelled at her every time, saying that she was a noisy child from crying.

“…”

Fanora always cried silently. Now, even if she wanted to cry, her vocal cords naturally tightened on their own, and there was no sound.

“…”

Even at this moment, Fanora quietly burst into tears, uttering only the sound of the wind. Before she knew it, tears welled up and flowed down to the point where she couldn’t see.

Maybe it was because she couldn’t let out the sound easily. No matter how angry she was, her heart couldn’t be relieved. Rather, only sadness welled up. If I had done something bad to Naverius, I wouldn’t feel unfair being punished like this.

Humans are oblivious. Her vengeance wasn’t infinite, so a year after she regressed, she could forget her anger while doing her daily life. Even though I haven’t really done anything in this life…

But when Naverius began to behave exactly as she remembered in her past life, all her forgotten feelings came back. The first time Naverius had an affair. When Naverius first asked to annul the engagement. The first time he yelled at her, the first time he threw things at her. The whole moment came as if it had just happened.

“…”

So, her legs gave way, and she slumped in front of the drawer. I was going to go to Amore with a harp this weekend.

Tuk, tuk. As time went by, the tears that flowed down her cheeks cooled. It wasn’t until Fanora calmed her rage a little that she came to her senses. Now is not the time for me to target Vasago.

Clatter. She clutched the shard of the picture frame that had been slammed to the floor and shattered in her hand. Fanora’s face was reflected in the shard of the glass.

“Let’s change the plan…”

The sight of her muttering while staring into empty space was somehow terrifying. “It wags its tail gently asking to be killed like now, so I have no choice but to do it.”

* * *

“Lady, there aren’t many types of fruit, so I bring only apples and grapes for now.”

“…”

“L-Lady! Are you okay?”

It was a few minutes later. Cecil brought fruits from the kitchen and was startled to see the mess near the drawer. In response, Fanora didn’t catch her breath and wept again.

“Hiks… I accidentally fell and smashed everything, but my portrait with my mother is ruined.”

“!”

In the end, Cecil didn’t find it strange that she was crying or that things were smashed.

It was that night. Fanora, who fidgeted with anger, fell asleep late at night into a deep nightmare.

* * *

When did I start to hate Naverius? Fanora pondered on the past.

“Who is that person next to you?”

“She… She is my sister.”

“You kissed your sister?”

“She’s a sister I know…”

When he first cheated on her? No.

“We’re breaking up our engagement.”

“Yes? Breaking up our engagement?”

“I finally… found my true love.”

When he fell in love with Vasago and asked to break off the engagement? No.

“What kind of rumors are you spreading to your friends? You know what a scandal means to me!”

When he spread multiple scandals about his fiancee? That was definitely troublesome. It was because Naverius, who had wide social connections, began spreading obscene stories. When the timid Fanora didn’t actively explain, the nobles believed him one by one. However, that wasn’t a decisive reason for her resentment.

“Naverius…”

In the past, Fanora forgave and understood him even after going through this humiliation. Some of what he said is right. He doesn’t want to marry me anymore, but I can’t let him go because of my circumstances.

Naverius only repeatedly insisted on breaking their engagement without harming her. She understood Naverius’s heart and why he acted that way.

Hanar, who tried to kill her, kneeled before Bael, who saw his own daughter as filthy out of wedlock. Naverius must have even begged her to cancel this engagement, and Fanora would soon find a new marriage partner. I’m sure this situation is painful for Naverius too.

However, due to the scandal her fiance spread in a fit of rage, Fanora could no longer maintain a reputation for finding a new marriage partner. That’s why she was even more obsessed with marrying him. If only I had a place to lean on to avoid my family…

Fanora did her best to change his mind. She tried to improve her appearance, which she had never done in her life. When she heard that he liked the balls, she practiced dancing hard. Of course, regardless of her efforts, the situation continued to twist.

It was by the time Fanora was 17-year-old, at the autumn hunt. An incident began to change her mind.

“Naverius?”

In the past, she caused great trouble for her family by pouring wine on the princess. So she locked herself in her room to repent herself. But one day, Naverius came to visit her. The fiancée he had been ignoring until now.

“W-what’s going on?”

Being beaten by her angry father, she lost hearing in her right ear. As she suffered mental trauma, she staggered out and beamed at his visit. Then Naverius said his words.

“Investment?”

He visited after a long time but said something out of the blue. He said he found a very good business and lacked initial investment funds.

“Are you here because you need money?”

“Honestly, I’ve done a lot of sorry things to you all this time.”

“…”

“That’s why I’m just trying to give you a chance to make money. This is really top secret information.”

She sulked at the sound of investment. Naverius persistently persuaded her.

“You won’t do it? Don’t be silly. I’m here to let you in because I’m sure you will win unconditionally as long as you invest.”

“Investment is scary.”

“When did I tell you to touch your family property? You only have to invest in the assets you have.”

“Besides, I don’t have the big money you’re talking about…”

“Huh!”

When Naverius heard it, he slandered her. “How come you don’t have that much money? How lavishly do you usually spend?”

However, when Fanora gave a timid expression, Naverius changed his attitude. “Anyway, just collect whatever you have. Looks like you keep suspecting me of lying…”

“I-it’s not like that.”

“Never mind. Leave your time free on the third day of this week. You can look at the evidence yourself if you don’t believe me.”

“Evidence?”

“You will probably bow your head to thank me for introducing this investment to you later.”

What a good business he’s sure about? In the end, Fanora couldn’t overcome her curiosity and go there.

It was on the appointed day. The place she went to was a huge mansion. There was a familiar face there.

“H-hello.”

“Yes, Lady Celsius.”

Fanora greeted Naverius’s close friend, Haures, who was standing at the entrance. The man, who tied his hair together, smiled and pointed inside.

“Welcome, Nobles.”

Someone was waiting inside. And Fanora finally found out the identity of the ‘good business.’