Chapter 25

Lauren had always wanted to catch the Baron’s attention, and now she had succeeded. At least among the young ladies, the Baron was clearly most satisfied with her, even Lilyanna had been outmatched. She had thoroughly researched the Baron’s preferences but, unlike Lilyanna, didn’t take an unfamiliar path. Instead, she started with things close to everyday life.

Knowing the Baron had a strained relationship with his mother, she presented herself as gentle and maternal, delicate yet resilient. This made her appear utterly genuine, without a hint of affectation, as if she were naturally a kind and innocent girl. I understood the Baron—he admired these qualities in women, which was why he took a liking to her.

I used almost all my strength to suppress the rage in my heart. Only when the masters retired to their rooms at night did I seize the chance to speak my mind while helping the Baron change: “Miss Lauren Lloyd is not as she appears—she’s utterly hypocritical…”

In the dim candlelight, the Baron paused while loosening his tie, looking at me strangely as if puzzled by my sudden remark. “Please believe me, Miss Lauren Lloyd is not a suitable marriage partner. If you intend to marry a noble lady, I beg you not to choose her.” Perhaps I was too frantic—I blurted it out without any preamble.

The Baron’s expression gradually darkened. He coldly uttered my surname, his voice carrying a chill that made my blood run cold.

“Mr. Brant,” he said, “I don’t know when a manservant gained the right to meddle in his master’s marriage. Perhaps I’ve been too indulgent with you, making you forget your place. I don’t understand why you’d suddenly slander a noble lady’s reputation. Even if I temporarily believe you have your reasons, this is no excuse to casually discuss an unmarried woman’s honor. Whether true or false, a woman’s reputation affects her lifelong happiness. As men, we shouldn’t spread rumors behind their backs.”

The Baron hesitated, then added, “Even if my relationship with the Viscount’s family isn’t close, she is still my cousin. I expect you to be more cautious with your words in the future, especially since she was once your mistress.”

My face instantly paled. I thought the Baron must now see me as a scheming, despicable villain. Moreover, Lauren had always behaved impeccably in front of him. Even if her character was vile, I shouldn’t have spoken ill of my former mistress in front of others—especially when she appeared so fragile.

What should I do? Tell the Baron I’ve been reborn, so I know Lauren is a shameless woman? But he wouldn’t believe me—I hardly believe it myself. The events of my past life? It sounds more like madness.

In my past life, the Baron had intended to marry Lauren because he would inherit the Viscount’s title. By noble custom, if he remained unmarried then, he was expected to wed one of the Viscount’s daughters—or else be seen as lacking compassion.

I couldn’t let this happen again, so I spoke once more: “My lord, can you promise me? Promise never to marry Miss Lauren Lloyd.”

The Baron frowned, clearly displeased, and said coldly, “Every man will marry, and so will I. As for whom I wed, that is my decision alone—outsiders have no say.”

I desperately grabbed the Baron’s arm: “My lord, no matter what, do not marry Miss Lauren Lloyd—I beg you.”

The baron grew even angrier, glaring at me and saying, “Do you like Miss Lauren Lloyd? Is that why you’re asking me not to marry her?”

I was taken aback and hurriedly denied, “No, how could you think that?”

“Because I can’t imagine why a man would suddenly belittle an elegant and beautiful lady, even going so far as to ask another man not to marry her. If I recall correctly, this lady once funded your mother and even made your sister her personal maid. She has done nothing wrong to you; on the contrary, she has shown you much kindness. Am I wrong?”

“She made my sister her personal maid just to spy on you!” I said urgently.

“So what? You grew jealous and decided to slander this lady’s character in front of me.” The baron pressed aggressively, even somewhat unreasonably. Cornered, I finally raised two fingers: “I swear to God, I do not love Miss Lauren Lloyd. Every word I’ve said tonight is for your sake.”

The baron seemed surprised by my oath. He looked at me in astonishment: “There was no need for you to swear over such a matter.”

But I felt drained. The baron’s relentless questioning made me feel as if I were being judged by the baron from my past life. Cold sweat had soaked through my clothes in no time.

“I’ll take my leave, my lord,” I said weakly, trying to exit the baron’s bedroom.

“Wait a moment.” The baron grabbed me, hesitating as if struggling to find the right words.

“I never doubted your words, Toker. I believe you. You are a brave and selfless man who has always treated me well. Twice when I was in danger, you risked your life to protect me. I am grateful to you and trust you even more.”

“I never risked my life for you. I knew we would be fine…” I explained urgently.

“No, Toker, you did protect me. In my entire life, no one has ever protected me the way you have—not even my parents. Only you.” The baron said softly, “My tone earlier was terrible. I don’t know what came over me.”

“You weren’t wrong. I shouldn’t have spoken ill of a lady behind her back. I’m sorry, and it won’t happen again.” I said remorsefully, regretting my rash behavior even more. Rebirth is an inexplicable thing; I must be more careful with my words and actions. Anyone who heard my request would likely question my motives, and the baron’s reaction wasn’t unjustified.

“But… are you really not in love with that lady?” the baron asked hesitantly. “I heard from the servants at Baker Manor that you’ve been very attentive to her.”

I looked up in surprise. Had the baron been investigating me? He knew Lauren had funded my mother and even heard about my attentiveness to her at Baker Manor.

The baron averted his gaze, staring out the dark window, and said, “If this is your request, then I grant it. But if you’re asking me not to marry her because you love her, then as your master, I must remind you: she is a noble lady. Even if you love her, there can be no future between you. That lady would never love you, much less marry you.”

“I… I don’t love Miss Lauren Lloyd…” I explained weakly. “I already swore to God earlier…”

The baron suddenly flushed and turned away. “I’m not saying you can’t love Lauren. Of course, you may admire any lady. But admiration must come with self-awareness—you must know your place. When you were courting that Berry before, I already told you: any feelings must first respect morality. We must always uphold our integrity and avoid shameful, despicable behavior.”

Why did he bring up Berry again? I was stunned, unsure how to respond.

“Mr. Toker Brant, what do you think of what I just said?” The baron seemed intent on pressing me further.

“You are absolutely right.” I nodded, “I never thought of getting involved with any noble lady. That’s simply a fantasy.”

“Then you never thought of becoming some rich woman’s lover either? As for your past attempts to seduce Berry, I know all about it.”

Of course I had thought about becoming Berry’s lover, but that was just one of the plans. Now that I’m by the baron’s side, it seems more conducive to my revenge, so the lover plan was shelved for the time being.

Perhaps due to my brief hesitation, the baron’s attitude became aggressive: “It seems you haven’t given up on becoming a rich widow’s lover. I thought after these days of guidance, you’d have acquired basic morals and a gentleman’s ethical standards, but you’ve disappointed me.”

I was utterly speechless. Originally, I was asking him not to marry Lauren, so how did the topic shift to me wanting to be a kept man? The Berry incident was half a year ago, yet the baron kept bringing up my past, as if he truly despised my actions.

“I never thought of becoming Berry’s lover. I’m just a lowly manservant—how could such a noble lady stoop to an affair with someone of my status?” I struggled to say.

“So you mean if she willingly accepted you, you couldn’t refuse?”

“No, of course not. I would firmly reject her…”

At this point, the baron finally seemed satisfied. He nodded and said, “That’s for the best. As a servant of Miles Manor, especially my personal attendant, your conduct and morals are crucial. I don’t want you doing anything that would disgrace my name. Do you understand? Even if you’ve done me favors, I will punish you for wrongdoing.”

“…Yes, my lord.”

“Good. The education you’ve received these days has borne some fruit, and I’m very pleased. You must understand that in this world, morals and conduct are above all else,” the baron concluded sternly.

“As you command,” I replied with my head bowed. The earlier argument felt bizarre, and even the baron seemed awkward. He coughed and said, “Very well, you may leave now.”

I hastily retreated from the baron’s bedroom. Though scolded, I had at least gotten his affirmative answer. His promise not to marry Lauren was all I wanted.

“In this lifetime, no matter what tricks Viscount Lloyd’s family pulls, I won’t let them succeed.”