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However, Rubica didn't believe the sound of her heart. She knew well that she was worshipper of beauty whose heart fluttered even at grace of flying bird.
Edgar looked straight into the auburn eyes frozen because of nervousness. Her situation had been much more terrible than what he had expected after reading documents. He was cold man. Even if they were relatives of her future wife, he didn't want to go home with such troublesome burden.
That is why he had revealed their schemes right on the spot, without considering Rubica. However, she was not shocked by the despairing truth. She didn't even cry. She put down her anger and calmly did what had to be done.
Even men couldn't have had gut to demand 100 thousand Gold that had been promised to Mr. and Mrs. Berner as dowry. Even though she had quietly endured pain and unfair treatment, she clearly knew about her rights.
Even though Rubica's cheeks were red, Edgar could see she had no desire toward him. It made him feel comfortable. He had grown up surrounded by people who feared them but wanted to have him under their control at the same time.
'Beauty', 'wealth', 'honor', and 'rank'. Those things were like polluted air.
It surrounded Edgar and polluted the people around him. Most people were not strong to resist it. The polluted air eventually polluted them. They wanted to own him. They believed they could own his beauty, rank, wealth, and honor by owning him.
And when those filthy people were met by one cold word from Edgar and the high walls he had built around him, they spoke so easily.
-So you know how to use that handsome face.
-You think you are the highest man in the world?
-Is this how you pay back my good will?
-Don't you think your beauty and rank will be eternal.
But being kind to them brought even more horrible consequences.
Even those who thought they had gotten somewhat close to Edgar eventually said the same things when blocked by his walls. They pretended to be his friends to say all kinds of things that hurt him and called them 'advices' for him.
They boasted like they could control Edgar with one word. None of them every wondered about Edgar's true feelings. They just wanted to 'own' Edgar who had wealth, honor, and beauty to get rid of the sense of inferiority they had.
Rubica was most certainly different from them. No, she was more a little weird. She was clearly charmed by his beauty, just like everyone else. But strangely, he couldn't feel any desire to own him in her words and actions. There had been so many people who denounced the previous love the moment they so him.
At the same time, he felt that Rubica was studying him closely. He hated it when others looked at him like that, but he really didn't hate it when Rubica looked at him like that.
"This mansion belongs to Rubica now. I will give you a week of time, so leave immediately. Rubica, you should go to my mansion with me."
"But, Your Grace, we cannot leave in a week!"
"You'd better leave on your own before I have my people remove you."
Edgar smiled his unique cold smile and got up from the sofa. Rubica looked at the beautiful line his thin body drew. His each action was as graceful as picture and caught her eyes.
'Why am I so weak to beauty?'
Rubica cursed her habit that even getting old couldn't cure and also stood up.
"Um, may I take time to pack my things?"
"Do not pack anything. There is not a single thing here that is good enough for you."
"But those ruby...."
Edgar realized she was talking about the accessories Stephen had found in her old leather bag and frowned.
"Those are for daughter of baron, at very best. You are now about to become my duchess, and they are too lowly for them. If you want them that much, order new accessories in same design to jeweler. I will have them made with rubies befitting my duchess."
Excitement about beauty almost never left Rubica. When a pretty woman behaved rudely, she liked it because of the unique chic of arrogant woman, and when there was a pretty woman who was also kind, she was impressed to see she was beautiful and kind at the same time.
However, what Edgar said made even that excitement vanish. The duke was surely beautiful, but he was arrogant and cold.
Had he said those accessories were for a daughter of baron knowing her mother had been daughter of count? But she tried to think he couldn't have known those accessories had been left by her late mother and put down her rising anger.
Also, she thought she had no right to accuse him. She had planned to sell them to pawn shop without any remorse to get money enough to run away.
'... I'm glad that I've hidden the ring underneath my dress. '
A ring made of blue stone that wasn't enough sapphire. What would he have said if he saw it? He would have immediately told her to throw it away, that it was shameful for duchess to carry such thing.
Rubica thought it was rather good that he spoke like that. Otherwise she would have stupidly let it taken away from her. She stopped explaining about her ruby accessories.
"There is no need to order new accessories. Angela, those ruby accessories you gave back to me earlier, I will let you keep them."
"But Rubica, those are your...."
Rubica shook her head, asking her cousin to stop. Angela soon realized it and stopped. Angela could understand. She was capable of doing anything to protect her pride.
If Angela revealed that those accessories had belonged to Rubica's mother, she would immediately become a count's daughter who wore accessories only good for a baron's daughter.
Rubica was asking her not to make her even more miserable.
'Although the duke is great man, he doesn't seem to be in love with Rubica. And.... . I think she doesn't love him, either. '
It was strange marriage. The two didn't love each other, but they were rushing their wedding. Angela couldn't even guess what the duke wanted, but she could vaguely see what Rubica was thinking.
'.... . She's trying to escape from this house. '
Damn it! Angela wanted to kick the table and curse Edgar. She could only barely restrain herself.
She wanted Rubica to get happily married. Her cousin had suffered way too much.
She had tried on her own to protect Rubica, but she had nothing as well. She had to depend on her parents' love and mercy. She had blamed Rubica loudly on purpose in front of her mother.
The duke was cold man, but he was more powerful than Angela. He could protect her. He had given back Rubica her lost rights and had given her huge sum of money in less than an hour. Angela couldn't tell Rubica not to get married to someone who she didn't love. Instead, she decided to protect her pride.
"I will cherish them. Rubica, send me a letter anytime if you want to see them."
"Thank you, Angela. You've always been kind to me."
"No. I, I... To you, I...."
Angela couldn't speak more. She threw herself in Rubica's arms. She felt sorrow when there was nothing to be sad about. when Rubica sadly looked at her later mother's picture, Angela would get mad. She hadn't known why she was so mad and would vent her anger on Rubica. She always regretted it as soon as she turned around. However, she never got the courage to apologize to Rubica first.
I should have spoken more warmly to her...
I should have smiled to her more....
Rubica patted Angela. Actually, she hadn't wanted to demand that 100 thousand Gold to Edgar. It really hurt her pride. But she needed money to save Angela. That gave her the courage she needed.
Angela would be able to avoid the war's danger at Aron's Academy. The academy was full of scholars and scientists. It was never attacked, not by dragons or soldiers of many kingdoms.
'But they abducted the scientists instead.... . '
Rubica prayed Angela wouldn't choose major like chemistry, physics, and engineering. She stroked her soft hair.
That hair always felt good. Suddenly she recalled when she had first met Angela. Till then, her hair hadn't been cared properly and was so stiff that it couldn't even be combed.
Would this hair return to that condition after I live....
The times she had worked and tried to make Angela's hair beautiful ran throw her mind. All the other memories were fuzzy, but funnily, she could recall those memories so clearly.
"Angela."
"Yes?"
"When you get up in the morning, wash your hair and add a little rosewater to water when you rinse it. And sprinkle just a little rosewater when you comb it after drying it."
Angela blankly stared at Rubica. What was she talking about at that important moment? However, Rubica was looking at her so earnestly.
"And in the evening, add one or two drops of rosehip oil to olive oil and apply it lightly at the end of your hair. Never use the rosehip oil alone, you must mix it with olive oil. And don't apply it in the morning."
Angela was overwhelmed by her earnest voice and nodded without even realizing it.
"Camelia oil is good for hair, but it makes you get pimples on forehead, so never use it even if someone recommends it to you."
Although now people who saw Angela praised her red and smooth hair, but years ago, even Irene Berner would say,
-Angela, you are so beautiful, but your hair is always in such a mess. Oh, please do something about your hair.
Her maids would use force to comb the thick and stiff hair. It hurt her scalp and made her hair become even worse. There had been even kids who called her Angela the Curly Hair in the village.
Then, Rubica, who had been cleaning the room with gloomy expression just like always, asked.
-May I try combing your hair.... ?
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