The Villainess was Loved

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Viscount’s Tastes

Étienne Norvig

“Wait, my sister?”

“Yes, I invited her. Is there a problem?”

“But-but this is our date, on our anniversary?”

“Well, yes, but think about it this way, we can show more people how in love we are, you know, for this to work.”

He said to the crestfallen face.

The green eyes before him told of fatigue that gave his anxiety a reason to strike, and before he could help himself, he cupped her chin then stroked the softness of her cheek.

It took only a second for the crimson to paint her cheeks.

Gods, but how could anyone love this openly?

He could feel her swallow nervously under his fingertips, and though he wished to kiss her, he had promised another he wouldn’t.

She was supposed to be a backup.

Isn't it only fitting for her to be this awed by him, and he immune to her?

“Étienne?”

She called sweetly, and for reasons forgotten, he gripped her waist tightly and pressed his lips against the softness of hers.

She yielded to him, and as though compelled, he forgot the chatter in his mind.

“Étienne?”

“Étienne?”

*

Étienne’s eyes opened at the annoying insistence.

Before he could threaten his aide, the curtains were drawn wide to expose the burning glow of the morning sun.

“What the hell, Bryce? Do I need to replace you for-,”

“The Queen has passed on your schedule for the day.”

“Mother? Wait, my schedule? I am to return to school today.”

To where he could confront Arusei.

But the words went unspoken.

“Your return date has been set for tomorrow.”

“I have an exam tomorrow.”

“You will arrive before your afternoon paper.”

He nearly groaned aloud.

Who the hell shared his timetable with his mother?

“You have an interview with ‘The Daily Norvig’ in an hour; they will most probably ask questions pertaining to your loss of title, give only general answers. In the afternoon, you have a meeting with Wine Esmeral, the daughter of the Eastern duke.”

“A meeting ‘meeting’ or a matchmaking meeting?”

“The latter,”

“The latter? I am still…I can still get the Alpensa Lady on my-,”

“Your mother says, and I quote, ‘There is no longer a need for that, I did not like the thought of you marrying a lesser anyway.’”

Neither did he wish to marry someone of…her background.

But…

It felt like unfinished business to let things end as they did.

“I would still like to talk to Lady Alpensa.”

“From the rumours in court, she is set to marry from the lower nobility. Such marriage candidates like Viscount Foyle and Baron Vernon have applied to-,”

The rest of his aide’s words sounded irritatingly similar to the ringing of faulty equipment as Arusei’s words from her meeting with the Emperor grew clear.

‘…my heart is set on a simpler life.’

Is this what she meant?

A simpler life where she did not have to test the contents of her food or watch her words in front of braying hyenas.

Why? Why does she get her dreams fulfilled while he is left picking up the pieces of her disobedience?

In what world was such an arrangement fair?

“Is the lady in school or their estate?”

“Last I checked, their estate.”

“I see.”

At Étienne’s silence, his Aide continued to read his schedule.

“Your mother requests your presence in the evening. There will be a dinner held so that the members of your faction grow familiar with each other.”

“Have they already begun pairing off?”

“They have.”

“I wish to visit the Alpensa manor; where can we squeeze that in according to the agenda?”

“For what reason?”

“Private reasons.”

“Your mother-,”

“The Queen doesn’t need to know what I do during my free time.”

“With your recent loss of title, I’d wager she does.”

Étienne stood from his bed lazily, grabbed the nearest lamp post and threw it to his aide, who, rather than let it hit him as per usual, caught it mid-air.

“I am empowered by your mother until you can regain the reputation she spent her life building.”

“Tch-,”

*

*

*

Arusei E. Alpensa.

“Peonies are a much preferable choice to Roses or carnations.”

The fat viscount drawled as he downed the fourth slice of chocolate cake.

He was old, but I doubt that will claim his life.

“I was under the impression that flowers are a personal preference?”

I added so that it seemed as though we actually exchanged words rather than him talking through our entire meeting.

“You are welcome to hold your own opinion; however, I was talking about my home. When you garden, I expect only peonies. Not that I expect you to do the gardening, but if perchance you do pick it up-.” He paused to gulp down half of an entire slice, “you know what I want.”

“As for the matter of heirs, I don’t think your children will inherit anything. As I am sure you know, I have a wife….”

He continued.

Holy hell, I should have just accepted Etienne’s proposal then ran away later, even if I would have been treated like a criminal!

For the past half hour, the man before spoke only of flowers, expectations and his neighbour's wife with the ample breasts.

I was in a wheelchair; no surprise there, I couldn't walk.

Still, that seemed to lower the Marquis’s guard because I had one rather than the initial three agreed upon knights to ensure minimal socialisation with the outside world due to my ‘devious’ ways.

The maids dressed me in a gown so long that my feet were not visible, and whenever one asked about the chair, the knight always answered for me.

‘She had an accident during training.’

I gazed outside the large window and let my mind wander.

I need to escape, that is for sure, but the documents granting me land had yet to arrive.

I know this only because imperial documents are not passed on to anyone but their intended sendee. If they were here, the messenger would have been in the manor.

Still, I can't risk it landing in the Marquis’s hands.

He will probably offer it to the Viscount to increase the dowery.

“Oh for f***s sake….”

“Excuse me?”

I turned my attention to the chocolate covered Viscount.

“Oh, no, I did not mean you-, my mind, It was very far away!”

I clamoured for an excuse, but his disapproval had already set in.

“You mean to say that your offence was not only foul language but that you were also daydreaming while I explain my family tree to you? A family you will be a part of!”

He stood from his seat and let out an exasperated sigh.

But…it could also be that he was out of breath for simply standing up.

“I ignored your background and came to this meeting even though I have a mountain of other arrangements to fulfil!”

He grabbed the remaining tray of cake and walked towards the door.

“Common courtesy is clearly a foreign concept to the lowly.”

He grumbled then slammed the door behind him.

“At least we know of moderation!”

I sneered, but he clearly missed that.

After about five minutes of complete golden silence, I turned to face my knight.

“Aren’t you going to wheel me to my room?”

The parlour room doors flew open, startling both my knight and me when a soft angelic voice spoke.

“Oh, thank the heavens I am not late!”

The golden-haired girl was bent over, trying to catch her breath.

“Arusei, I presume?”

She said softly, then rose to regain a more natural posture.

The Aqua shade of her eyes burned brightly, showcasing the innocence that once led me astray.

“Yes, you are?”

I hadn't anticipated meeting her now; perhaps that is why the lie came off unnaturally.

“I greet her ladyship.” My knight parroted.

“At ease, good sir!”

She responded breezily.

“I am Regina Lione Alpensa, Daughter of the marquis of Central Norvig and your sister.”

Stunning.

Regina, then and now, none could hold a candle to her beauty; much so that I near stood and bowed to her.

Thank goodness my legs ached.

“Greetings, I am Arusei Alpensa.”

Her lengthy and title stressed greeting did its job of reminding me of my place, no doubt intentionally.

“Wonderful.” She smiled, “I wish to talk to you; will you permit it?”

The question was not directed to me but to my knight.

“Yes, my lady.”

“Are you not going to seek my permission?”

“Oh…”

She finally turned her gaze to me.

“That’s right! Don’t worry, I will push the chair for you.”

'Son of a…'

*

“How hard must you have trained to be in the chair.”

Regina asked as soon as we reached the greenhouse route leading to the gardens.

“How hard were you informed I trained?”

“I was told, by my maids, not father, that, since you entered the academy, you have not partaken in any rigorous training. They said that you were punished for disrespect.”

“Do you believe that?”

I questioned.

“I confess that at first, I was unsure of what opinion to formulate, but after seeing the Viscount storm off, I am left with little choice.”

The afternoon sun burned brightly. It was the kind of sun that always hinted at rain later in the day.

I only had a sun hat on my head. The long dress was now not only bulkily uncomfortable, but it was also searing my skin.

“Oh, thank you.”

Regina said to my assigned knight as he opened up his parasol to her.

He could stand in the middle and perhaps cover both of us, but that was clearly not going to happen.

“You must have heard about my kafuffle with the former crown prince. I understand how you could see me in such a light.”

“Well, I do not exactly blame you for rejecting him. I agree with you; your blood should not enter imperial grounds.”

'Okay, I guess I will unpack that with my therapist later.'

“I- I mean no offence intended.” She added quickly.

“Mhhn, I don’t see how anyone can take offence from such a statement.”

“No, wait! If you retort like that, it makes me feel like the wicked person here.”

“There is no need to quantify moral qualities.”

“No, but you do understand what I mean, do you not? The imperial family is where most nobles idolise; some may be off-put by you. I mean-,”

“Right… well,” I stressed to drown out her mindless babbling.

She is right; my joining the imperial family could lead to coups, but with her current level of thinking, she merely imagines that I will off-put some nobles.

She was innocent in that way.

In a way that made my questioning her intentions with Étienne, my then fiancé, led her to believe that I was jealous of her.

Rather than disappointed that she, that they, could do that to me.

That I meant that little to them

“Anyway, I was thinking of starting a small clinic in the middle side of central.”

Best to change the topic.

“Why a clinic?”

“Because a clinic is smaller than a hospital, it would be more of an intimate touch for the middle-class. It would be dedicated to Étienne to help his campaign since I feel responsible for his predicament.”

“But-,” she began, then frowned.

She turned my chair to the path leading to the garden flowers in full bloom, and though the occasional bee made me uncomfortable, I loved the fragrance of the floras.

The plants played an odd melody, one that I hadn't heard in this life.

As though they were happy to see me.

The back of my left hand hummed, where the Yggdrasil birthmark lay dormant, and as inconspicuously as possible, I covered it in case it decided to glow without my permission.

“I see how that is helpful. Do you wish me to run it by father?”

“You are free to, but you’d have to tell him it is your idea. He is not too happy with me at the moment.”

“Oh- but will that not be stealing?”

“I am grounded so, you'd have to oversee the project if it does pull through. I don’t know if it can be deemed as stealing if you do all the work? Just think about it. It might help f..father.”

Wow, the title ‘father’ grew surprisingly hard to enunciate.

“It might help f-father get back on the imperial family’s good side.”

And keep them off my back as you become their new target, but…baby steps.

“Hmm, I guess it wou-,”

The sound of galloping horses drew our attention.

A maid, perhaps new, dashed in our direction.

“The fourth prince is here!! We must get you girls ready.”

Étienne?

Why?