Chapter 74 : Similar but Different

“..so why do you keep coming to me for reports?”

Rembrandt returned to the Strydom residence after finishing his duties at the royal palace, and was greeted not only by his usual butlers and attendants, his mother and sister Beatrice, but also by Leopold, a son of another family.

“This is not your home.”

“No, but..”

Leopoldo is not put off by such a rejection.

“Because Rembrandt always gives me sound advice.”

“..I told you before, I can’t help you with your love life. Unlike you, I don’t have a potential fiancée, nor have I ever had a girlfriend.”

It’s probably not something to be proud of, but he proclaims it so proudly and exuberantly that everyone present is almost convinced by the seriousness of his face.

Beatrice, who in a sense is invincible because of her pure culture upbringing, is the one who can speak up at a time like this without a care in the world.

“I am sure that my brother can answer any question. Perhaps you secretly have some experience in love that you can’t tell anyone about..”

“..and again, this mouth is always saying unnecessary things.”

“Nyohhh..”

Beatrice is beginning to regain her strength, and Rembrandt, who is now able to care for his sister with ease, has become familiar with this sight lately.

“Hi-t ohkay, dyon’t you think? Even if chuu dyon’t have any, you dyon’t nyeed to be afraid, nyoo.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Speak a human language. So that I can understand.”

These days, Rembrandt has no mercy.

He pulled his sister’s cheeks without hesitation.

Their mother happily watched this happy scene and quickly told the butler to lead Leopoldo to the parlor.

“..so?　What the h**l did you come here today to say?”

And somehow, the kind Rembrandt listens to him in this way after all, so Leopoldo reports the truth honestly about what happened today.

The bouquet of flowers he gave to Melanie today was originally inspired by Rembrandt’s advice to give gifts frequently.

Even so, it was Leopold’s wise decision to choose lilac autumn chrysanthemums.

“Isn’t that good?”

Rembrandt responded disinterestedly, with his hand on his cheek.

“I’m sure Lady Melanie smiled when she got the bouquet, right? Then there’s nothing to worry about. There’s no need to come all the way back to me for a report.”

Rembrandt sips his tea and stares at Leopold.

“You’ve had a girlfriend for almost two years, so why are you always so insecure when asking me?”

“But it’s only recently that I’ve discovered I’m a man who can’t be bothered with a lot of things, so I worry about that.

I know you’ve been counseling Edgar on his love life, so why not mine, too?”

Rembrandt rubs his temples as if he had a headache.

“..in edgar;s case, it’s mostly about how he was feeling. So I was able to talk to him.

But with you, it’s different. You’re more concerned about Lady Melanie’s feelings than your own. I can’t have you asking me what a woman thinks.”

“..I see. Indeed.”

“If you’re looking for that kind of advice..”

Having said that much, Rembrandt sends a meaningful glance to his sister, who is sitting right next to him.

“..?”

Leopold caught it and also turned his attention to Beatrice.

They both stare at her at the same time, and Beatrice fumbles to put her cup down on the table.

“Wah, me?”

“Well, Trice, you’re a woman, too, you know what it’s like to be a woman. You know what it’s like to be a woman.”

“Surely..you have to ask a woman to know what women are thinking.”

Leopold, who was basically obedient, turned to Beatrice, taking advantage of Rembrandt’s words, who probably just wanted to throw the whole thing at Beatrice.

“Please, Beatrice. I want you to enlighten me on the woman’s heart. I want to make the woman who will become my wife happy, even though I am marrying for my family. How can I help her?”

“Uh..”

Beatrice tilts her head and ponders. She is also basically quite straightforward.

“Why is Leopold so worried in the first place?　Is there something wrong with Melanie-sama?”

“It’s not like that, but I originally..”

Just as he was about to mention the name of his former lover, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

He thought that now that he knew about the regression, Natalia was, in a way, Beatrice’s karmic counterpart.

Rembrandt, who was quick to notice this, interjects, “Don’t worry about that.”

“This girl went to see that girl last weekend.”

“Eh.”

“She was worried about her body, so she went to get some hand cream and relaxing herbal tea.”

To Leopold’s surprise, Rembrandt further adds, “You’re an idiot.”

“So you don’t have to avoid talking about her in front of this girl. Even if she killed her, she really can’t hate her. I’ll never understand it, though.”

“..I see.”

Leopold muttered distractedly.

Rembrandt clearly seemed to dislike Natalia, so naturally Beatrice did, too,?Leopold thought.

After all, Beatrice was the victim.

Facing Leopold who was muttering, Rembrandt shrugged his shoulders.

“Emotions can’t be so easily explained by logic. If she feels that way, then so be it. It’s not something you can change.”

“Yes.. that’s right. That’s right, but..”

Leopold’s eyebrows dropped pitifully.

“I..can’t be like that. Even if I can’t hate Natalia..I can’t love her.

If I’m going to remain celibate, but still have to take another woman to be my wife, my heart must be with her.”

He held his clasped hands tightly.

“I know it’s a political marriage and that Lady Melanie doesn’t really care about me, but that doesn’t mean that I’m being unfaithful by taking Lady Melanie as my wife and having feelings for Natalia at heart.”

“..”

This reminds Beatrice of Leopold on one occasion.

This is what Leopold looked like when he once, as a contract, made a white marriage with herself.

— “Beatrice. You knew about my feelings for Natalia and offered me this contract so that I could make her my wife later on.”

He is no longer the Leopold of those days, he has changed a lot. She knows that very well.

The expressions he had now, whether good or bad, were similar to those of that time.

At that time, too, Leopold lowered his eyebrows as if he was troubled, but he did not avert his gaze and spun his words as if he were chewing each word.

Beatrice misses that clumsy straightforwardness, even though it’s still there.

I wonder how Melanie, who would truly be his wife, would feel if she knew that Leopold was so worried about her.

— “Now that I have you, I don;t think I should continue be Natalia’ lover while we are married. Because that would be very disrespectful to you.”

At that time, he broke up his relationship with Natalia, but his heart was still for her. That was the way it was.

I didn’t even think it was unfaithful, since I had initiated the white wedding. I was even surprised that he had not gone that far in declaring that they would no longer be lovers.

But now.

Now it is different. He looks like Leopold at that time, but he is completely different.

Leopold truly wants to cut off his feelings for Natalia sincerely and wholeheartedly, and focus all of his heart on Melanie.

That is what he is saying.