MFCPCR Chapter 1.2 - The Man in the Terrace

 Translator: Silvia

Editor: Sarcasm

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“So, did you agree?”

Alaina’s voice wavered. Her fist trembled with rage.

No, this isn’t anger. It’s resentment, sorrow, unfairness, betrayal, and a bunch of other feelings that drives you crazy all at once.

But, after this, something even funnier happened.

Idrian, who was still down on one knee, took her hand. As he pressed his lips to her hand, he whispered.

“No matter what, my heart will always beat for you.”

What kind of bullsh*t is this!

Alaina looked in astonishment at the golden haired man that was kissing her hand. Was he originally this shameless? What did he just say to me? It’s appalling, isn’t it?

But Idrian must have considered her sitting still as her acceptance of his declaration, so he rested his face between her knees.

“Alaina….”

He seemed to be acting in a romance film by himself, seeing as his eyes were wet with tears streaming down the sides of his face.

His hand slowly and gently crept up and held Alaina’s cheek. At this, she closed her eyes and pressed her lips.

“This crazy guy!!”

Alaina immediately hit his forehead. No matter how promising he was as a knight, he still looked like an idiot when he closed his eyes, stuck out his lips, and tried to kiss her.

“You disgusting man! Don’t ever come looking for me!”

“Ari….”

Even though she had agreed to the nickname he chose for her, he didn’t call her by that name to be polite. A baffled Alaina screamed with all her might to the point where even her chin was shaking.

“We awfully met, and let’s never break up again! No, it was terrible meeting you and I’ll never break -, ugh I mean meet…. Anyway, if you ever show your face to me again, I will rip away what makes you a man!”

The words come out in vain. However, maybe because of her soprano-tone or ghost-like voice, he was dazed seeing her screaming at him. Idrian didn’t understand a thing anyway.

No, I’ve told him clearly that I’ll take away his manhood. That was the point, yes that was enough.

Alaina jumped up from her seat and shouted at the corner of the garden.

“Ella! Get rid of this unscrupulous thing right now!”

“Yes, my Lady!”

Alaina, who saw Ella running towards her, left the garden while stomping her feet. A bird sitting on top of the flower tree flew away in surprise. Alaina looked up to the sky, unconsciously following the bird’s movement.

The weather was damn good.

Alaina returned to the mansion with balled fists. Ella came running after her, perhaps on a new mission.

Alaina closed her eyes tightly. No matter how much Ella means to her, she still feels ashamed in front of her at the moment. Being reminded that Ella had seen the whole freak show, it made her so dizzy that she was shaking.

“Lady….”

Ella called out to her in an anxious voice, but she didn’t want to face anyone right now. Alaina shook her hand with a composed face.

“I’m tired, so I’ll retire for the day. You should get some rest too.”

After returning to her room, Alaina fell directly on her bed. She still didn’t cry.

However, she murmured curses. The feeling of betrayal even made her teeth shake. It really didn’t matter whether Riley was the one who made the suggestion to him. He still accepted it.

The two of them were really getting engaged!

It was clearly an excuse, as if someone suddenly jumped through the window and threatened them with a knife and said that he would completely destroy the whole house if they didn’t get engaged. They both betrayed Alaina.

All of a sudden, everything felt meaningless. She started to question the relationships between humans.

Riley, who she considered her best friend ended up betraying her friendship, and Idrian, who she believed would be her soulmate, kicked away her trust. What is life even about?

Can I ever love again? Can I sincerely make friends?

Regardless of men or women, a sudden hatred for everyone in the world rose inside of her.

As expected, only family matters. And including the employees who took care of her, talked to her, and made her laugh. That was it.

It was time to try and heal her broken heart with another kind of love. Just in time, her lovely younger brother opened the door and entered her room.

“Ari! You stole my diary again, right!”

“This cute and arrogant little man. Who are you to call your older sister as ‘you’!”

Demian strode inside her room with gallant steps. He was dressed in a full-dress uniform, unlike his usual attire. He was a 10-year-old boy, but he had long arms and legs so he looked quite mature.

Of course, his face was still filled with baby fat. Although his face was chubby, his face looked like an angel, and one couldn’t resist kissing his cheeks when he wasn’t angry.

Nevertheless, now that he was here to pick something up, his face looked like he was poisoned.

Ah, he was looking for his diary. It didn’t bother her much.

“....what? Why is your face so ugly?”

“In this case, you should have said ‘why do you look down?’ or ‘why do you look unwell?’”

“.......You look ugly right now.”

“…”

What was the point of arguing with this kid? Alaina ignored Demian and buried her face in the pillow.

“What is it?”

Demian approached her and pushed his face near the pillow. Alaina turned her head the other way without a sound.

The bed shook due to Demian coming onto the bed. He jumped and pushed his face against his sister who was lying on her stomach. Alaina murmured helplessly.

“Ah, why.”

“To observe how ugly you are.”

“Am I an insect?”

“I’m not just looking at insects.”

“I suppose so.”

“Don’t grumble and tell me what’s going on.”

Alaina thought she would say, ‘Ha. Please just leave me alone’, instead her mouth was already spewing out the series of humiliating events that had happened today.

At some point, Demian’s face became crumpled. He gradually frowned to the point where she wondered if he could see through the gap of his closed eyes.

Alaina grinned at the face of a strict, solemn, and serious young master.

“Who’s the ugly one now?”

“Are you kidding me?”

“No, I’m not kidding.”

“What kind of bastard would do that?”

If Demian had called Idrian a ‘bastard’ before this morning, I would have given him a good night’s sleep right away. She would have pinched the cheek of this snarky little boy, asking how he dare insult her beloved.

However, now Alaina was in desperate need of her brother’s brazenness.

“Keep swearing. More! More! More!”

“Why don’t you just do it yourself?”

Alaina hugged him with a deflated look. Demian struggled as he became her stuffed doll. But he couldn’t beat his sister’s strength just yet.

After she tickled Demian’s side a few times, he surrendered and stayed still. She gave her brother a big and wide hug.

“As expected, only family is always there for you.”

“Did you realize that now?”

“My precious little brother.”

She gifted his forehead with kisses, while he thrashed wildly with disgust.

“Let go of me! Don’t cling to me like that!”

“Ugh, just let me hug you.”

“No! I can’t breathe! Let go of me!”

“I’m sad.”

Alaina’s voice sank mournfully. Demian sighed and stopped resisting. Although he didn’t hug her back, he didn’t get out of her embrace.

After staying still for a while, Alaina suddenly spoke.

“Demi.”

“What?”

“Will you let me stay in this house even if I don’t get married?”

“That’s up to you.”

“What if your wife doesn’t like it? What if your sons and daughters hate it?”

“You know how old I am, so why are you talking about that already? Also, I’m not going to marry that kind of person.”

Tears welled up in Alaina’s eyes, she was so angry that she couldn’t cry before. She stuck out her lips and started sobbing. Once she started bawling, she hugged Demian even tighter.

“I knew it, only family cares………..”

***

That’s how Demian suffered from Alaina for a while. Every time he did something, she came chasing him saying ‘my brother’ ’my brother’, and he was getting tired from it.

“Ella, Libby! Can’t you get this human away from me right now?”

He saw his sister’s maids as frequently as his own maid. Finally, the day when he could get out of Alaina’s arms came. It was the prince’s birthday party.

Before then, Alaina spent more than two months inside the Count’s residence. There weren't even any common tea parties.

She didn’t invite anyone over nor did she go out. It was because she knew very well that curious eyes would follow her movements at every social gathering.

Although she was not a princess, there was no one in the social circle of nobles who didn’t know her. There was no way that they didn’t know Alaina, whose beauty was like a sculpture. And about Idrian who was dating her.

Since Bielvardo’s esteemed son and Pemollo’s esteemed daughter were engaged, naturally attention was drawn to Alaina.

She hated it all, whether it was their mocking smiles, their sympathy-filled glances, or the eyes of the men who wanted to court her.

If she could’ve missed the prince’s party, she obviously wouldn’t have attended today. Alaina sighed, wishing the ground would swallow her up.

Once she stopped coming to the gatherings, she became more than reluctant to attend them again. It felt like something was poking at her.

But she had to attend today.

Even in the royal family, where there was a precious late-born son, a grand banquet would always be held on his birthday. Furthermore, Demian was one of the prince’s companions, and he was also the little prince whom she had seen many times before. That was why she couldn’t miss it.

Yes, let’s go confidently despite what happened. She had to show them that she didn’t care at all what they were complaining or gossiping around.

She sat in front of the mirror like that. However, her resolution itself felt full of vanity, and the feeling of emptiness struck her again.

Alaina faced her haggard reflection in the mirror. It was as if she was looking at her inner self. Said the woman in the mirror.

“Right, I’m a vain person. I’m a snob. I don’t want to look shabby. I can’t show anyone that I got my heart broken and my friendship betrayed!”

“Mi, miss…”

“That ******* man. I will make him regret his actions!”

Libby, who was standing behind Alaina with a comb, quietly backed away from the young miss at her vulgar words. However, Alaina called her.

“Libby!”

“Yes.”

“Please do me a favor again!”

Hearing her determined voice, Libby gave a solemn nod.

“Yes!”

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