Chapter 43

Even the strongest-hearted can be crushed by sexual assault. As distorted rumors spread from all directions, people often claimed the victim was somehow to blame.

This time, such rumors spread like wildfire.

“They should have just given him summary punishment instead of a trial.”

If he had been alone, he might have quietly resolved the matter and moved on. But since so many people witnessed the incident, a trial was held. As a result, Jansen was sent to labor camp, and suspicious rumors swirled around him.

“Isn’t that because Ramona was spreading rumors herself?”

“Ramona’s pretty. She probably smiled and gave him the wrong impression. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have tried to assault her.”

Ramona, who had come to the market, watched in disbelief as the gossips spun their absurd tales.

“Isn’t Ms. Ramona’s outfit a bit thin? Men drool over women who dress like that…”

“I’m wearing a high-necked shirt. What more do you want me to cover up?”

Unable to bear it any longer, Ramona stormed into the group of rumor-mongers.

“R-Ramona, that’s not what we meant…”

“Even I, who’m fully covered, get harassed. And you, with your bare necks and arms, walk around like that? Of course men will stare at you like drooling dogs. If something happens to you later, it’ll be your own fault for dressing so provocatively.”

“…”

“But if that’s the logic, then there should be no sexual assault in the dead of winter when everyone’s bundled up. Were the women who were attacked in winter just putting on an act?”

When Ramona smiled and spoke, the group that had been chattering in small groups fell silent. Then, they suddenly claimed to have urgent matters and began to leave one by one.

“Ugh, I can’t believe it! It’s no wonder victims suffer secondary harm and have to move because of people like them. They should be punished for running their mouths if they want to shut up. Tsk.”

Ramona clicked her tongue and shook her head. She quickly finished her errands and hurried home.

While she was putting away the groceries, someone knocked.

“Sister, are you home?”

She opened the door at the sound of Anna’s voice. Anna, who usually had a bright smile, looked furious. Huffing and puffing, she stormed in, sat down, and immediately poured out everything that had just happened.

“At first, I couldn’t understand why women who were victims would keep it quiet and sweep it under the rug. But now I get it. It wasn’t about lacking courage; it was because the gazes and words of others turned into blades that would tear them apart. Even after enduring such a terrible ordeal, they deliberately hid it.”

Anna, who had been shopping at the market earlier, accidentally overheard rumors about Ramona. Disgusted by the people spreading such absurd gossip, she caused a scene before storming over here to unleash a torrent of angry words.

“You did nothing wrong, Sister. Don’t let those words get you down.”

“Do you think I’d let myself be brought down by something like that?”

“No. I think you’ll make those people shrink back in fear instead. Ugh, I’m starving after all that.”

Having sent Anna home after she’d taken her anger for her, Ramona decided to rest early, having prepared a simple meal for her.

As she lay down for a nap after lunch, someone knocked on the door, and she sat up.

“Ms. Ramona! Raon’s Mother!”

Recognizing the voice, Ramona opened the door, wondering what could be the matter. Seeing Adrian standing there, neatly dressed and sitting demurely with his legs crossed, she opened the door wider to let him in.

“What brings you here?”

Ramona placed a cup of barley tea in front of Adrian, who had settled into a chair. He drained it in one gulp, ignored Toto, who was snorting and sniffing at him, and swallowed hard before saying, “How about we move in together?”

“…What?”

Adrian’s blunt words nearly made Ramona stumble, but she caught herself by gripping the table.

‘Does this man even realize what he’s saying?’ she wondered.

“Ah, well… Ahem… Since you might face such dangerous situations again, my father asked me to bring you here. He thinks it would be best if we lived together.”

At Adrian’s explanation, Ramona realized her initial interpretation was wrong and shook her head.

“If that’s the case, I’ll pass. I can protect myself just fine.”

She protected herself a little too well. Even if half the men in this village were rendered eunuchs, Ramona would probably still walk away unscathed.

“I understand that, but since my father has shown such kindness, why not pretend to go along with it?”

“I appreciate the offer, but I must decline. Raon’s father will surely marry, and I would only be an obstacle.”

Even if he were permanently unable to have another heir, it was unlikely that the heir of the Duke’s Household would live his entire life alone, focused solely on his son. He would surely take a wife from a noble family that suited him, and in such a case, it was highly probable that the new wife would dislike Ramona.

Ramona, having firmly cut him off, shook her head. Adrian, who had anticipated this, let out a deep sigh.

“This might sound petty, but I have one more thing to say. This is an order from the Lord of this region. Please accompany me. I can’t promise you’ll be able to live your life without lifting a finger, Ms. Ramona, but…”

“……”

“I will grant you full access to the Cassius Ducal Estate, except for my father’s room and the warehouse. For your information, my room will always be open to you, Ms. Ramona, so feel free to come and go as you please.”

“……”

Ramona blinked, her eyes wide at Adrian’s words, which sounded less like he was offering to share a room and more like he was offering to merge their living spaces.

“Isn’t this an extraordinary offer? So, come with me.”

“It’s not extraordinary at all. What if I accidentally walk into the room while Raon’s father is bathing? Why do you insist it’s always open?”

“Th-ahem… It’s, it’s fine. For you, Ms. Ramona, who raised our Raon, I can even show you my body. Would you like to see it now?”

Adrian loosened his tie and touched the collar of his shirt, his eyes, like a seductive moon, fixed on Ramona. As if daring her not to fall for his charms, he used a suggestive hand to undo the buttons of his shirt.

Click, click- click-

When he reached the third button, Ramona, unable to bear it any longer, reached out and rebuttoned it.

“You’ve never done this before, have you? You’re as stiff as a wooden log. Don’t try to seduce anyone like this again. It won’t work.”

Adrian had wondered if the seduction techniques his father, Adolf, had personally taught him would be effective, but they had utterly failed in front of Ramona.

‘Of course.’ His father’s methods were always so clumsy. ‘How on earth did he manage to seduce Mother with this?’ Adrian sighed inwardly and lowered his head.

You can’t have it all on your first try. If his father found out what he had been up to, he would surely laugh his head off. Adrian’s face flushed slightly with embarrassment.

Seeing Adrian’s reaction, Toto climbed onto the table and twitched his mouth. It looked like an obvious smirk.

“You’ve probably looked into my background, but after my divorce, I’ve had to work so many different jobs that my personality has become a bit rough around the edges.”

“I see.”

“Sometimes I might slip into a harsh tone.”

“That’s fine.”

Working in various places had rubbed off on her. If you spoke too softly, people tended to ignore you. So she sometimes deliberately put on a tough, assertive demeanor, and that habit wouldn’t change overnight.

Ramona explained why she shouldn’t go there, but Adrian simply said it was fine. He then began to gently coax her, still reluctant to go to the Cassius Ducal Estate.

“Ms. Ramona, Raon’s Mother… Raon is actually very worried.”

—about the men who might approach Ramona and get their manhood broken—

“He always looks in the direction of this house and prays to Lord Jue.”

Adrian sincerely mourned the men whose manhood had already been broken after approaching Ramona.

—because his beautiful mother might make the all the villagers’ seed pouches burst—

“Ms. Ramona, Raon’s Mother? Please come with me. Let’s go see Raon grow up and live a prosperous life. When Raon comes of age, gets married, and has grandchildren, you’ll want to hold them, won’t you?”

Ramona was halfway convinced by Adrian’s gentle persuasion, her legs neatly crossed.

“Raon sometimes turns over in his sleep and secretly cries for his mother. He bravely endures it, saying he doesn’t want his mother to be sad if she knew.”

“Let’s go! Quickly. Phew, but we won’t stay long. We’ll come back here once Raon is settled.”

Adrian, who had inwardly resolved that this would never happen, smiled warmly. He was inwardly relieved that he wouldn’t have to test the effectiveness of the chastity belt he was wearing.

He quickly packed only the essentials and crammed them into the carriage Adrian had arrived in. As Ramona was about to grab Toto and pack the hay into a bundle, Anna from next door slipped out.

“Are you really taking my sister away?”

“Yes, but if you want to hear about Ramona and Raon, you can ask Brown.”

Anna, who had been neighbors with Ramona for a short time and had exchanged many favors, felt an unexpected pang of sadness when she heard Ramona was moving away.

“Please take good care of my sister. She’s been through hardships raising Raon that words can’t describe.”

“I’ll treat her well, no matter what.”

Anna, noticing Ramona’s apprehension about being sent to the Cassius Ducal Estate as compensation for her unnecessary suffering, tiptoed and whispered to Adrian.

“Never pick a fight with my sister.”

“What do you mean…?”

“If you’re lucky, you’ll just end up hanging on the clothesline. If you’re really unlucky, you might meet Lord Jue a little sooner than expected.”

After uttering these cryptic words, Anna turned away, made the sign of the cross, and murmured,

“Oh, Lord Jue! I have protected the soul of a grown lamb who almost met you a little too soon.”