I Give Up on the BL Novel's Male Leads - Chapter 58
The Duchess also highly valued Baroness Thierry for her blatant yet subtly witty demeanor.
Indeed, it might have been more the effect of Damon’s incessant praises of Illein to his mother.
“…”
At that moment, Mellias properly noticed the dress Illein was wearing. His eyes widened in surprise the moment he saw her.
Illein, seeing Mellias’s golden eyes widened in surprise, felt embarrassed and looked down.
“Is it awkward?”
Illein tried to smile, but her face felt too hot. She had never worn such an expensive dress before and worried it might be too much.
Moreover, she wanted to see herself in the dress, but the maid had flipped the mirror, preventing her from seeing.
So, she barely knew how she looked now.
She thought it couldn’t be a good look, given how surprised Mellias appeared and how her mother’s eyes gleamed greedily.
She felt even more embarrassed as the low-cut dress revealed too much at the upper chest.
Meanwhile, Mellias felt strange as Illein seemed more feminine to him now.
It wasn’t that he didn’t know she was a woman, but seeing her in such a lavish dress brought back a peculiar tingling he had felt before.
“Does it suit me?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you, Mellias.”
He thought the dress, matching her icy blue eyes, would be perfect for the engagement, and he could picture her standing by his side.
He felt the tingling inside had gone worse. It was almost like he had a parasite.
Or perhaps, it was a tiny creature from the desert that had infiltrated his body.
“Mellias?”
As Mellias unwittingly stepped back, Illein looked at him, puzzled.
“Our family has heirloom jewels. It would be good if you used the jewels that have been passed down to the Marchionesses in our family.”
“Oh, of course! Although I’d love to add some from the Thierry estate, we don’t have much left… And since she’ll be part of the Marquis’ family after marriage, it seems best to adorn her with the Marquisate’s jewels instead!”
Baroness Thierry said this, and Mellias nodded, apparently missing the underlying meaning of her words.
Illein, who knew her mother better than anyone, had long understood her true intent.
She knew there were no jewels left in the Baron’s estate. The family’s repeated business failures and mounting debts had forced them to sell almost all of their heirloom jewels.
The only piece left was the ring her mother wore, which would likely go to whatever woman her younger brother might marry someday.
Illein felt bitter somehow. From the moment her brother was born, it seemed her own value had diminished.
“I think that would be best.”
Illein resignedly agreed.
Mellias seemed to study her expression carefully.
“Perhaps it’s best if the Baroness leaves now.”
“What? But I need to see which jewels Illein chooses! And aren’t you going to try on any other dresses?”
Illein now found her mother embarrassing. There was much hospitality shown by Marquis Wignum’s family today.
The Marquis had overlooked her rudeness and selfish desires without complaint. Her mother still seemed to be grasping for more from the Marquisate.
Unless Mellias was a fool, it seemed inevitable that he would become disillusioned with her and her family.
“It’s difficult to hear Illein’s true thoughts with the Baroness present. It would be better if you leave now.”
Mellias was quite firm, and perhaps because of his tone.
“Mellias.”
Illein felt confused, wondering if marrying Mellias might actually offer a way out of her grim reality, kindling a strange hope.
For a moment, Mellias seemed to sense Illein relying on him.
“Just leave now, Baroness.”
“What?”
He spoke more firmly than intended.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve said that Illein’s opinion is what matters most.”
“No, but… I am her mother. I gave birth to her…”
“Mother, I want to spend some time alone with Mellias.”
“Hmm… Is that so? Well, I suppose there’s nothing I can do about it then.”
Baroness Thierry said this with a forced smile, though clearly displeased.
The Baroness hadn’t always been like this. There had been a time when she was dignified and truly noble.
However, as poverty struck and each business venture failed, the noblewomen she had thought were her friends abandoned her.
Now, all that remained for the Baroness was an enormous debt, a mediocre husband, and her children.
She had become accustomed to mingling with lower-ranked nobles and even common servants, having long forgotten the dignified conduct and propriety that once defined her.
It was as if survival had become her utmost priority.
