Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 168
Cecilia composed herself, her focus returning as her widened view took in her surroundings. She tightened her grip, still held firmly in his grasp.
‘Why should I have to dine at the same table as this lowborn woman?’
It was the same hand that used to mock her during meals.
‘Hey, you. Go eat downstairs.’
The same hand that pointed beneath the dark table.
‘If you’re a street-born mutt, go eat with the other trash.’
The same cruel hand that would pour leftover food onto her plate.
“…”
The once soft and smooth hand had now become rough, hardened like aged wood with calluses. But it was still the same hand. The hand that was always eager to pull her down.
Now, that hand was holding her again.
It wrapped around her palm and fingers, demanding her submission. Without any specific purpose, it was trying to dominate her, purely out of habit.
‘Of course… If I had expected anything to change in just half a year, that would have been nothing more than a luxurious fantasy.’
Humans remain remarkably consistent.
His hand was still cruel, reckless, and ignorant of decency.
If she let herself be played by that hand again, it would make her look utterly foolish.
Cecilia composed her expression. The dizziness caused by his overwhelming strength was replaced by an icy clarity, like cold water splashed on her face. Her pounding heart calmed.
‘Yes, this is who you are.’
This is the kind of person you’ve always been.
She now felt that she had let him off too easily during their last encounter at the Coffret Manor. At the very least, she should have taken one of his legs.
She had spared him out of a sense of pity, thinking he might be useful in some way.
“Sir Nigel.”
Cecilia spoke up while still lying down. The brief look of amusement on his face hardened.
“What?”
“Do you really hate me that much?”
“Ha, of course I—”
“If you hate me so much, why are you holding onto me like this?”
“…?”
“If you really despised me, how could you not let go?”
“…”
Nigel, as if entranced, loosened his grip. Then, slowly, he raised his hand and moved it away from her head.
“Have you lost your mind? Do you even realize how far you’ve overstepped?”
“I’m fully aware and remember everything well. This is the Duke’s mansion, where no matter what you do to me, you won’t be able to escape the consequences. And I know you wouldn’t recklessly assault me.”
“…”
“Seeing Ulysses become the Marquis of Rosencrantz would probably make you want to hang yourself in a prison cell, so why risk it? You’ve always been rational when it comes to that.”
“…”
“And.”
Cecilia looked up at Nigel, who seemed caught off guard, and asked,
“Why can’t I cross the line?”
“…What?”
“Why is it that you can cross the line over and over, but I can’t?”
“Ha, are you seriously… Do you seriously think we’re the same? Is that what you believe?”
“Are we not?”
Cecilia sat up, pushing him away as she did, and dusted off her hands. Nigel stared at her blankly before letting out a laugh.
“Ha, haha! You’ve become even more ridiculous since the last time!”
“Sir Nigel, have you ever thought about your family?”
“Now you’re just spouting nonsense.”
Cecilia pressed on, undeterred by his cold criticism.
“Your family, the Rosencrantz Marquisate, was once a distinguished family that earned its title centuries ago through great service.”
Before coming to the capital, Cecilia had poured over countless noble almanacs and history books. Among them was the history of the Rosencrantz family.
“Your ancestor was a foot soldier taken in and raised by a commanding officer.”
“…”
He likely knew this well. No heir would be ignorant of their own family’s history.
“A commoner without even a surname.”
She had no real intention of insulting his ancestor. When a commoner donned the king’s garb and charged into enemy lines, his resolve must have been stronger and more admirable than anyone’s.
But.
“You and I were both simply born into the Rosencrantz and Lasphilla families, respectively. Both families are self-made, having built themselves up from nothing. So why am I different from you? Because I’m illegitimate? If you want to go that route, isn’t your maternal family similar? Should I bring up your great-grandfather’s lineage?”
Primogeniture is just an old principle. In the long run, there isn’t a single family without skeletons in their closet.
Nigel, who had remained silent while she spoke of the Marquisate of Rosencrantz, suddenly flared up when she mentioned his mother’s family.
“You… do you think just because something comes out of your mouth, it counts as words? You…”
“If you’re just going to resort to cursing, step aside and let’s talk.”
Cecilia pulled her skirt free from where it was pinned under Nigel’s knee and stood up. She took a step back and spoke again, politely this time.
“I understand that you’re angry. I apologize for acting without warning. But I didn’t think you’d come otherwise.”
“That’s your reason? I’m so stunned I don’t even know what to say.”
Nigel muttered curses to himself, ruffling his hair as he slumped back onto the sofa. Cecilia quickly took the opportunity to speak while he was calming down.
“You can’t have taken what Miss Casey said seriously, and I’m sure you guessed there was something behind it. But the fact that you came here without asking for an explanation first means you were more curious about my true intentions.”
“…”
“I’ll get straight to the point. I want to propose a strategic alliance with you. I know the way I approached this wasn’t pleasant, but… it’s not a bad offer.”
“…”
Nigel glared at her with a sharp intensity. When he didn’t respond, Cecilia looked down at him.
“You’re listening, right? I don’t want to repeat myself…”
He remained silent.
“Sir.”
Cecilia called out to him.
“Sir Nigel.”
Ignoring his stubborn set jaw and fierce gaze, she snapped her fingers together.
“Stop acting like a child.”
Unable to bear the silence any longer, she finally said the words she had been holding back.
“Get a grip, half-breed.”
