The Broken Ring: This Marriage Will Fail Anyway — Chapter 26

JOSÉ ALMENARA

FOR THE THIRD SON OF COUNT ALMENARA, HE WAS A SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE MAN...

...WHO WAS NATURALLY TIMID AND HUMBLE.

AT THE SAME TIME...

YOU NOT ONLY RAN AWAY BEFORE YOUR MARRIAGE TO THE CROWN PRINCE,

BUT YOU ALSO RETURNED WITH A COMMONER'S CHILD.

BUT ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE BECOME DAMAGED GOODS,

YOU'RE STILL THE NOBLE DAUGHTER OF HOUSE VALEZTENA.

IF YOU ADMIT TO YOUR SHORTCOMINGS AND BECOME A FAITHFUL WIFE TO A MORE EXPERIENCED MAN,

I BELIEVE IT WILL BRING YOU HAPPINESS.

THE ROLE OF COUNT ALMENARA'S SECOND WIFE...

...WOULD SUIT YOU VERY WELL.

HE ALMOST BECAME MY STEPSON BACK IN MY SECOND LIFE.

ANYWAY, THE MILITARY ACADEMY HAS RUINED SO MANY PEOPLE...

DOES CÁRCEL BULLY YOU OFTEN, SECOND LIEUTENANT?

PARDON? NOT AT ALL...!

JUST WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THIS MAN THAT HE'S DENYING IT SO VEHEMENTLY?

Damn It,-you Have It All Wrong.

THIS BASTARD HAS NO IDEA WHAT A COMFORTABLE LIFE HE HAS IN THE NAVY.

CÁRCEL, DID YOU JUST SWEAR AT MY GUEST?

SEÑORA ESCALANTE, I MISSPOKE.

EXPLAIN IT TO HER CLEARLY, ALMENARA. WE BOTH KNOW THAT YOU WERE NEVER BULLIED.

I THINK YOU SHOULD RECEIVE AN APOLOGY FROM CÁRCEL BEFORE EXPLAINING ANYTHING, SECOND LIEUTENANT.

ER... PLEASE DON'T FIGHT BECAUSE OF ME...

IF OBEYING YOUR COMMANDING OFFICER IS CONSIDERED BULLYING, THEN I KNOW PLENTY OF MEN WILLING TO JUMP FROM THEIR SHIPS AND END IT ALL RIGHT NOW.

REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY'RE ON GOOD TERMS OR NOT, THIS IS CERTAINLY AN ODD DYNAMIC FOR A NEWLYWED COUPLE...

IT FEELS LIKE AN ADULT...

...TEACHING A CHILD.

THE SECOND LIEUTENANT MAY BE YOUR SUBORDINATE, BUT YOU STILL SHOULDN'T FORGET TO SHOW REVERENCE TO COUNT ALMENARA,

ANOTHER FELLOW MEMBER OF THE GREAT GRANDES DE ORTEGA, CÁRCEL.

HAA...

...PERHAPS I WAS SLIGHTLY OUT OF LINE.

I BEG YOUR PARDON?

OUT OF LINE HOW?

YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID WRONG.

DAMN IT... I'M SORRY... I INVITED YOU HERE, YET I SWORE AT YOU.

CÁRCEL.

...I'M SORRY I CURSED AGAIN. HAPPY NOW?

CÁRCEL.

FINE, FINE...

SHE'S MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THE RUMORS...

SHE ISN'T AT ALL GLOOMY LIKE A CROW.

IN FACT, SHE IS AN INCREDIBLE BEAUTY WHO SPEAKS WITH KINDNESS.

OF COURSE, I WAS FORCED TO USE ALL OF MY VACATION DAYS THIS YEAR, BUT...

...WHEN ELSE WILL I EVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE AN APOLOGY FROM THE LIEUTENANT?

AH, ONE MORE THING.

NOT TO MENTION, SEÑORA IS SUCH A NICE WOMAN.

I CAN CALL YOU JOSÉ FROM NOW ON, RIGHT?

AFTER ALL, WE'RE ALREADY FRIENDS.

SO ALL IN ALL, THIS PROVED TO BE A VERY FRUITFUL DAY.

MY AUNT, EMPRESS CAYETANA,

WAS THE INCARNATION OF PURE AMBITION.

MY FATHER, WHO HAD SEVERAL LARGE GOALS HE WAS WORKING TOWARD THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE,

COULD BARELY MANAGE TO KEEP UP WITH HIS SISTER.

IT APPEARED THAT THE EMPRESS WAS AFRAID THAT SEÑORITA INÉS, WHO HAD BEEN BORN INTO AN EQUALLY NOBLE BLOODLINE,

MIGHT SUDDENLY OUTSHINE HER IN THE WORLD JUST AS SHE HAD EVERYONE ELSE.

THAT IS WHY EVEN THOUGH SHE WASN'T FOND OF THE WAY THE CROWN PRINCE FOLLOWED INÉS AROUND,

THE EMPRESS COULDN'T LET HER BECOME A MEMBER OF ANOTHER FAMILY.

EVEN IF IT MEANT HAVING TO MAKE THAT UNPLEASANT “CROW”...

...OSCAR'S WIFE.

BUT IN THE END,

THE GIRL WHO WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR HER SON BUT WAS TOO GOOD TO GIVE AWAY...

...BECAME HER NEPHEW'S FIANCÉE INSTEAD, WHICH WORKED OUT PERFECTLY.

INÉS WAS NO LONGER IN THE WAY, AND ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS TO USE HER ACCORDINGLY.

THE EMPRESS MADE A HOBBY OF SENDING US LISTS OF EVENTS WE WERE MEANT TO ATTEND.

INÉS REJECTED MOST INVITATIONS, SAVE FOR THOSE SENT BY THE EMPRESS HERSELF,

BUT I STILL ATTENDED ALL THE EVENTS, IF ONLY TO HIGHLIGHT INÉS' ABSENCE THROUGH THE EMPTY SEAT BESIDE ME.

ACCORDING TO THE EMPRESS, THESE THINGS SHOWED...

...DUKE VALEZTENA'S SUPPORT OF THE CROWN PRINCE...

...AND SERVED AS A DISPLAY FOR THE GREATEST MARITAL UNION.

IT WAS A MEANS TO REMIND THE DUKE THAT THERE WAS NO GOING BACK.

THE EMPRESS KNEW THAT THE DUKE PLANNED TO TAKE HIS DAUGHTER BACK THE MOMENT HE HAD THE CHANCE.

THAT'S WHY SHE WAS SO ADAMANT ABOUT IMPRINTING THE ESCALANTE NAME ON INÉS IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.

THINKING ABOUT IT AGAIN NOW, IT MUST'VE BEEN SUCH A TIRING LIFE BEING CONTROLLED BY SO MANY PEOPLE.

I ALMOST FORGOT. THIS FENCE WAS JUST RECENTLY PAINTED. WHAT DO YOU THINK, JOSÉ?

AH, I SEE. IT'S VERY BEAUTIFUL.

HAVE YOU EVEN HAD A MOMENT TO REST SINCE YOU ARRIVED IN CALZTELA?

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'VE MANAGED TO DO IT ALL ON YOUR OWN.

I'M ALRIGHT.

GETTING TO HAVE A HAND IN THINGS MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE, WHICH MAKES IT FUN AS WELL.

...ANYWAY, WHY ISN'T THAT JERK LEAVING?

IT LOOKS SO DIFFICULT TO ME.

MY FIANCÉE WILL BE DOING SOME REPAIRS ON OUR RESIDENCE AS WELL, BUT I'M QUITE WORRIED ABOUT IT...

I'LL HELP HER. IT WOULD BE NICE FOR US WIVES TO BECOME FRIENDS.

WOULD YOU? SHE ALREADY HAS SO MANY COMPLAINTS...

SHE'LL FEEL DIFFERENT ONCE SHE ARRIVES IN CALZTELA.

THIS PLACE VERY MUCH HAS ITS OWN CHARM.

LATELY, THE OFFICERS ARE SAYING THAT MARRIAGE MUST NOT BE ALL THAT BAD.

SEEING AS THE LIEUTENANT ALWAYS LOOKS SO HAPPY IN THE MORNINGS LATELY...

IS THAT SO?

INDEED. AND THANKS TO IT, HE LOOKS EVEN MORE HANDSOME NOW.

IT WILL BE QUITE PROBLEMATIC IF HE GETS ANY MORE ATTRACTIVE.

HE'S BUTTERING HER UP NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN?

I'M CERTAIN HE'S CHANGED SINCE GETTING MARRIED.

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT YOU ARE THE ONE BOOSTING THE LIEUTENANT'S ATTRACTIVENESS, SEÑORA.

YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO FLATTER ME WITH EMPTY WORDS, SECOND LIEUTENANT.

NOT AT ALL, SEÑORA. THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT EMPTY.

ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT. WELL, MARRIAGE IS A GOOD THING, AFTER ALL, SO I'M SURE YOU WILL MAKE YOUR OWN SEÑORITA VERY HAPPY, JOSÉ.

AH, DID I TELL YOU EARLIER? WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A GLASS CONSERVATORY OVER THERE AND PLACE A GAME TABLE INSIDE.

THAT WAY, EVERYONE CAN VISIT AND HAVE FUN TOGETHER. DO YOU LIKE PLAYING POOL?

...OF COURSE, BUT WOULD THE LIEUTENANT LIKE THAT?

WELL, IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE BETTER THAN HIM PLAYING BY HIMSELF WHILE STARING AT THE WALL.

IT LOOKS LIKE HE NEVER BECAME CLOSELY ACQUAINTED WITH ANYONE, PROBABLY BECAUSE HE ALREADY KNOWS HE'S GREAT ON HIS OWN.

I'M SURE IT'S BEEN FRUSTRATING FOR YOU TO PUT UP WITH, BUT PLEASE TRY TO BE UNDERSTANDING. CÁRCEL IS INDEED VERY GREAT.

YES, I KNOW. THERE IS NO DOUBT HE LIVES IN A WORLD OF HIS OWN GREATNESS...

THEY'RE TREATING ME AS IF I HAVE NO SOCIAL SKILLS.

...THIS IS INCREDIBLY DEGRADING, BUT...

AS SOON AS THE REPAIRS ARE FINISHED, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE OFFICERS AND THEIR FAMILIES OVER.

WE'LL HAVE A SMALL PARTY WITH FOOD AND WINE.

FOR SOME REASON,

HER ASKING OTHERS TO BE UNDERSTANDING OF ME...

...FEELS LIKE SHE'S TAKING CARE OF ME AS "HER MAN."

I LIKE IT.

SECOND LIEUTENANT, PLEASE HELP ME SEE TO IT THAT THE GATHERING IS A SUCCESS. I WANT AS MANY PEOPLE TO ATTEND AS POSSIBLE.

AND IF IT ISN'T TOO LATE TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION, I'D LIKE TO GET TO KNOW THE OTHER OFFICERS AS WELL.

DON'T WORRY! I WILL BRING EVERY SINGLE ONE.

THAT...

...IDIOT...

WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF HIS CLOSEST ACQUAINTANCE,

IT WAS CONFIRMED, TO MY REGRET, THAT THE PROMISCUOUS LIFESTYLE CÁRCEL LED IN MENDOZA HAD STAYED THERE.

JOSÉ ALMENARA WAS NOT SOMEONE WHO COULD LIE...

...TO HIS SUPERIOR'S WIFE.

I DIDN'T FIND OUT MUCH FROM TONIGHT'S DINNER.

MAYBE THE PROBLEM IS THAT CÁRCEL HASN'T BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH ANY OTHER WOMEN.

HE USED TO ATTEND ALL THE SOCIAL EVENTS IN MENDOZA,

SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE HASN'T PARTAKEN THE SAME WAY HERE.

BESIDES, DOESN'T HE ENJOY THOSE PARTIES?

...NO, I SHOULDN'T BE DISAPPOINTED JUST YET.

IF IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY HE'S LACKING, I'LL JUST MAKE ONE FOR HIM MYSELF.

...YOU LOOK AWFULLY RELAXED.

YOU'RE EVEN ZONING OUT NOW WHILE YOU'RE BEING PLEASURED.

To Be Continued