I Give Up on the BL Novel's Male Leads - Chapter 57
“How about this instead?”
Illein looked at the bright blue dress Mellias was holding.
“That looks nice.”
She smiled warmly and took the dress from his hands.
“I’ll help you try it on, miss.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Illein then discreetly slipped off her ring and tucked it into her pocket before following the maids into the adjacent room to change.
She took off her academy uniform and began to don the dress the maids had prepared for her. The dress was a bit tricky to put on, but eventually, she managed it.
After she was dressed, the maid seemed deliberately to avoid showing her a mirror, turning it away instead.
Confused, Illein followed the maid back to Mellias’s room. When she opened the door to Mellias’s room, she found herself alone.
Where did Mellias go?
“Illein.”
“Mother? Weren’t you talking with the Marquis?”
“Illein. How can you be so selfish?”
Her mother didn’t hold back as she did with the Marquis.
“Everyone leave. I need to speak with my daughter.”
“Yes.”
As the maids and servants exited,
“It’s a relief that the Marquis was pleased with you. What would you have done if he had rejected you!”
“Mother…”
“A girl should just marry well and bear children! What’s this about becoming an imperial official? Do you only think of yourself? Why are you so terrible?”
Suddenly, the door opened.
“That’s enough.”
“Ah…Young Marquis?”
“Do you always speak to her this way?”
She was taken aback as Mellias seemed strangely angry.
Illein was embarrassed by the scene. She didn’t like displaying such disgraceful behavior in front of Mellias, especially when it happened all too often unintentionally.
Her mother scolded her every time.
“Mellias, this is…”
“Baroness, I am asking you a question.”
Illein watched as Mellias firmly removed her mother’s hand from her. He then took her hand himself.
She was startled by his grip and hesitated whether to pull away. But he seemed so angered that she didn’t dare.
To Illein, Mellias usually seemed to control his emotions well and rarely showed disturbance to his emotions.
The only thing showing that he was angry was the firm set to his mouth.
It was quite stiff, but his eyes were almost the same as usual, only with a slight upward curl at the corners.
“Young Marquis, are you trying to interfere in a conversation with my daughter?”
Baroness Thierry was flustered but felt relieved seeing Mellias holding Illein’s hand firmly.
Yet, she was angered that Illein had put herself in such an embarrassing situation.
“There should be boundaries even between parents and children, Baroness. Have you always dismissed Illein’s opinions like this?”
“When have I ever done that? I only guided her because she’s young and doesn’t know much! She’s always making strange choices, so I helped her make better ones!”
“Is that truly your intention?”
“Of course! Lord Mellias has only just come to know our daughter! I am Illein’s mother! And it wasn’t Lord Mellias who fed and raised her, it was me!”
Mellias felt a disgust toward the Baroness’s words.
Even the usually calm and unemotional Mellias could hardly conceal his contempt. What angered him most was the Baroness’s attitude.
The Baroness was treating Illein as if she was an object.
Logically, it wasn’t Mellias’s place to intervene in this situation. They weren’t even engaged yet, nor could they be considered lovers.
Speaking up for Illein might have been overstepping his bounds. He should have stopped there.
“Are you saying just because you gave birth to her, you know everything?”
“Of course! And I have cherished and raised Illein for twenty years! I raised her since she couldn’t walk or talk, as if she were gold or jewels!”
“Then show some respect.”
“…What?”
“Respect Illein’s opinions instead of dismissing them.”
Mellias said this, unintentionally tightening his grip on her hand.
Illein didn’t mind the pressure from his firm hold. It was unfamiliar but appreciated.
“Al…right… I am respecting her. But since Lord Mellias says so, I’ll try harder.”
“Yes.”
Mellias realized he had gripped Illein’s hand too tightly and quickly released it.
Illein noticed him averting his gaze in embarrassment as their eyes met, which made her think he might be a better person than he appeared.
“Illein, I’m sorry if I upset you. But truly, my words were not meant to dismiss your opinion. They were all said out of concern and care for you.”
“…Yes, I understand.”
Even as Illein responded that way, her heart felt as cold as if ice was forming inside. She felt she knew what her mother was truly thinking, which is why she couldn’t respond sincerely.
“By the way, Lord Mellias! Could you please take a look at Illein in her dress?”
Baroness Thierry deftly shifted the conversation. Having worked as a lady-in-waiting to a Duchess, she was quite skilled at navigating through such situations.
