The Black-haired Noblewoman, Who Disguised Herself, Seems To Have Been Doted On While Serving As The Caretaker For The Duke Who Dislikes Women - Episode 63

At my words, the drawing room fell silent as if struck by water. The Earl of Everly in front of me stared at me with his mouth agape, as if his soul had been taken out. It was an unsightly sight.

At that moment, Countess Everly appeared with great elegance.

“Excuse me. Good day, Duke Harrington. Welcome! I must sincerely apologize for the other day… Our incompetent relative has caused you great trouble, and I deeply apologize for that.”

As soon as the Countess entered, she proclaimed loudly and came over to us with a dance-like step. What is she so excited about? The strong smell of her tasteless perfume is overwhelming.

“Colleen”

“Please don’t believe a word that little liar says. Her health issues are all part of her own act. She probably stopped eating on purpose to gain the Duke’s sympathy. She came up with all sorts of clever excuses, but… that girl is really just full of herself.”

“Colleen, shut up.”

Sweating at his temples, Count Everly quietly scolds his wife who has naturally taken a seat next to him. However, the lady completely ignores him and continues speaking.

“As she grew up, her bad behavior only got worse. She constantly rebelled against us and repeatedly bullied her sister Padma… She really was an impossible little girl.”

“Colleen!!”

“Please, Your Excellency, abandon that spoiled and reckless girl who is like a con artist. We have no idea what she might do if she stays by your side.”

Countess Everly continued to disparage the future duchess relentlessly. Her husband, who was sitting next to her, was pale as a ghost.

“Enough already! Shut up, Colleen!”

“Your Excellency, I must insist. If we leave that wicked girl unchecked, she will surely steal the Duke of Harrington’s property and run away soon. She is truly a filthy girl. Or… there is even the possibility that she might dare to sneak into your bedroom. After all, she has even tried to seduce our Padma’s fiancé…”

“The Duke has said he will take Michelle as his wife!!”

Finally, the count stood up, raised his voice, and yelled at his wife.

“Huh…?”

The countess froze for a moment, then slowly looked up at her husband’s face a few seconds later. And then she froze again.

“Michelle… the Duke of Harrington has graciously agreed to take you in… He has said so himself.”

“N-no way… This can’t be… W-why…?”

The Countess trembled her lips and spoke with a quivering voice. I told the two people in front of me once again.

“It seems that for you, my Michelle was not someone worthy of affection. Listening to your current conversation and hearing Michelle’s words, it is clear that she has been treated very cruelly in this Count Avery’s mansion. You seem to underestimate me, thinking you can easily deceive me, but I believe I have an eye for people.”

“N…no, th-that kind of……”

The countess turned as pale as her husband and uttered an excuse in a groaning voice. Ignoring that, I continued.

“Since we took her in at the Harrington Duke’s residence, she has been working diligently and sincerely every day until today. If you consider her to be a ‘sly and cheeky’ and a ‘selfish and unruly’ ‘wicked girl’ like a con artist, then you should never interfere with my Michelle again… I intend to cherish her as my wife.”

“Y-Your Excellency…… We would never, um, that……”

The Earl of Everly, who has just been declared a severance of relations by me, the head of the Harington Duke family with the greatest wealth and power in the kingdom, is panting heavily, his eyes darting around as if searching for some words to cover up. Well, even though it’s called a severance of relations, we haven’t had a particularly deep relationship despite being neighboring territories.

The Countess of Harrington, who had been relentlessly bullied and oppressed by the Count Everly family, will likely be distanced from other noble families from now on.

“W-we never treated Michelle poorly, I assure you. Truly, during the time Michelle was with us, there was a period when, well, her attitude wasn’t very good, you see…”

“Y-Yes! Indeed, Your Excellency! I may have said something that could be misunderstood, but both my master and I truly find that child adorable…”

“That’s enough. The reason I visited today is different. I came to collect Michelle’s belongings. I would like you to guide me to the place that used to be her room.”