Enemies Meet in an Arranged Marriage

After many twists and turns, Alessia’s life in Ferdinand had begun.

Living alone in the domain of a rival family was, as expected, not easy. The people here fundamentally disliked those from Ingelos, and they were equally wary and distant towards Alessia, who hailed from there.

Although the situation was unfavorable, fortunately, Alessia was quick-witted and good at reading the room. Among cousins who disliked her, she had learned to navigate their disdain and avoid harsh words or blows.

Realizing what she needed to do quickly, she cleverly used the unfavorable prejudices the people of Ferdinand held against mages and those from Ingelos to gradually build their favor. Since their expectations were low, they were surprisingly impressed by even small acts of kindness.

As time passed, their perception of her slowly began to change. Alessia, too, started to feel more comfortable in the land of Ferdinand.

“Alessia.”

Everyone except one person, that is.

“Kaon, are you heading out now?”

“Yes. Are you going out as well?”

Alessia, just stepping out of her room, ran into Kaon Ferdinand, who seemed to have just come out of his room as well. She skillfully masked her momentary stiff expression with a clap of her hands.

“What a coincidence. This is perfect timing. How about we go have breakfast together?”

“Let’s do that.”

It was clear he had been waiting and timed his departure to coincide with hers, as she had felt his presence behind the curtains for at least an hour, but Alessia, pretending not to notice, smiled and kept in step.

The beautiful young man, a head taller than her, clearly had a fondness for her. Even if it wasn’t outright admiration, it was evident he harbored significant affection.

How could she be sure? Because everything about Kaon Ferdinand screamed that he liked her.

Alessia was naturally sensitive to others’ feelings, and Kaon Ferdinand was excessively straightforward. Thus, it wasn’t hard for her to discern that he was particularly fond of her face.

This was a great advantage. Kaon Ferdinand, a prince of Ferdinand and her betrothed, was a crucial ally she needed to win over.

And yet, before she had even done anything, his showing of affection, merely for her face, seemed a bit absurd, but nevertheless, it was a fortunate development.

Yet, for some reason, Alessia didn’t feel particularly happy. As everything around her became more familiar, only Kaon Ferdinand remained uncomfortably alien.

“Is there anything uncomfortable about your living situation?”

“…No, Kaon. Thanks to your thoughtfulness, I am managing quite well.”

‘I find you the most uncomfortable.’

Suddenly feeling the urge to blurt out those words, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Alessia paused momentarily, then deliberately met the boy’s gaze and smiled gently.

As expected, his eyes, as blue as the sky, shyly averted her gaze. His cheeks, blushing red, reminded her of the day they had danced at the royal ball.

That image made Alessia uncomfortable once again. She struggled to keep her expression from hardening.

***

Alessia’s cousins accused her of pretending to be nice when she wasn’t, which they found annoying. She behaved compliantly just to get through each day without trouble, but then they would criticize her for being boring.

She had never thought about it that way, but maybe there was some truth to their words.

Otherwise, why would she hate Kaon Ferdinand so much, the person among all she had met who showed her the most affection?

And yet, Alessia did hate Kaon Ferdinand.

Everyone loved him, took his love for granted, and subtly assumed that she would eventually love him back. Every time she faced him, it made her feel uncomfortable and twisted inside.

“It’s too soon, isn’t it? The mage from the Tower will be staying in the domain until the end of the year. Moreover, in Ferdinand, knights must be at least seventeen to participate in patrols.”

This was what she heard the night she volunteered for the forest patrol and met the knights.

The soft voice from behind the curtain was full of concern. His voice became especially gentle when talking to her, and she could feel his caring intentions in his words.

‘It’s easy for you to say since you’re comfortable,’ Alessia sarcastically thought to herself, ‘You wouldn’t have to worry about being kicked out even if you just lazed around.’

Unlike Kaon, Alessia couldn’t afford to spend her time comfortably. She was worried about encountering real monsters, which she had only read about in books, and whether she could effectively use her ring in actual combat.

Did she really want to face these monsters sooner? Not at all. But she wasn’t a real mage, so she wasn’t as adept in the field as other mages. She felt compelled to step up anyway. Underlying this was the calculation that showing through actions might elicit more response than just words.

‘It’s easy for him to say…’

Alessia stopped her bitter thoughts and bit her lip. She felt too petty. Kaon Ferdinand was simply concerned for her. That transparent-minded young man wanted to dissuade her from danger because he liked her.

Alessia knew it. She recognized how unfair and twisted her feelings towards him were.

Yet, every time these situations arose, she couldn’t help but compare her circumstances with Kaon’s.

Both children of noble houses, yet how could their lives be so different? Why did he have everything, and she had nothing?

When Kaon showed concern like this, Alessia felt a surge of anger.

His worry and care felt deceitful. Even though she knew it stemmed from her own distorted feelings of inferiority, she wanted to deny everything about him.

‘He doesn’t even know the real me.’

It was ironic. The lovable and gentle mage Alessia Ingelos that Kaon liked wasn’t real. She was just a facade created to look good. That naive young master seemed completely smitten, but that was only possible because he didn’t know the truth.

‘If he finds out I’m not a mage…’

Would Kaon Ferdinand still like Alessia Ingelos if he knew she was not the precious mage of Ingelos but a worthless fake? It was obvious. He wouldn’t.

Alessia had already been abandoned once by her parents for not meeting their expectations. She had lived a life barely worth living because she hadn’t become the mage they hoped for. It was clear Kaon Ferdinand would turn away just the same once he knew her true self.

That’s why it was laughable. His kind concern and his flustered face when he saw her were just temporary, yet Kaon Ferdinand was trying too hard, as if it would last forever.

‘He knows nothing.’

Alessia clenched her teeth unknowingly, then relaxed and closed her eyes. There was no need to get heated about a predetermined future. It would be more beneficial for her to figure out how to better blend into Ferdinand. Still, Kaon Ferdinand was the problem.

‘Why does he have to be so nice to me?’

The mages of Ingelos called her an idiot because she couldn’t perform the magic everyone else could.

It would have been better if Kaon, like them, just ignored her. There was enough reason since she was the daughter of their rival house. Then, Alessia could have hated him more comfortably. She could have despised that clumsily kind young master to her heart’s content.

But Kaon Ferdinand kept showing her unfamiliar kindness. Even though she always wanted to be seen well by others, she rarely received genuine kindness, making it feel so strange to her, and causing her to look back again and again.

Alessia didn’t have the luxury to waste time on such pointless concerns. Yet, this boy who seemed to have everything kept trying to steal her time.

And so, Alessia found herself hating Kaon Ferdinand again, and just as much, he became more uncomfortable around her.

***

“Alessia?”

Ah, she had made a mistake.

Startled involuntarily, Alessia stepped back sharply and bit the inside of her cheek without anyone noticing.

“I was just trying to remove a leaf from your hair… I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m sorry.”

Her reaction had been too sharp, not just from surprise but from a momentary fear, raising her hands defensively—a habit developed during her time in Ingelos where sudden attacks or flying objects were all too common.

“It’s not you. I just reacted too sensitively. It’s nothing really.”

Alessia forced a slight smile to lighten the mood while carefully observing Kaon’s reaction.

She didn’t want to show how troubled her past had been. Behaving this way was like advertising that something had happened to her. While this alone wouldn’t give away her past, she didn’t want to provide any pretext.

“No, it’s my fault for moving suddenly. But more importantly, are you hurt…?”

Kaon seemed more concerned about whether she was injured, having noticed her stumble as she stepped back.

“Why are you so nice to me?”

The words slipped out before Alessia could stop them.

Kaon looked up, surprised by the unexpected question.

“I’m just really thankful, Kaon. As you know, I came from Ingelos. I was very worried but I am adapting quickly thanks to you. That’s why I’m curious.”

Though the cat was out of the bag, Alessia quickly added in a friendly tone, hoping Kaon would not take the question too seriously.

“Alessia.”

Kaon seemed lost in thought for a moment before he slowly began to speak.

“I just thought, if there’s anything I can do to help, even a little…”

He trailed off, clearly embarrassed by his own words.

Normally, Alessia would have found a way to twist his words, but for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to do it this time.

“Was there no progress today?”

“Yes. It seems I can’t sense any magic at all.”

“So, it just adds to the trouble.”

A memory flashed in her mind. It was when she had desperately tried to harness magic. Young Alessia had strived to death to be recognized, skipping meals and sleep, spending all day trying to feel that elusive magic.

“Why can’t you do even the simplest thing? I’m not even asking for something grand.”

“I can do it, Mother. Just give me one more chance, just a little more time, and I will surely—”

“Don’t you know how to say anything else?”

But she had never felt the magic, and ultimately, she didn’t become a mage. She had failed to do what any mage born from Ingelos should and must do.

Alessia’s efforts were rendered useless. No matter how hard she tried, no one recognized her. Eventually, she became nothing, and so her efforts amounted to nothing.

Her parents, unable to either disown or embrace their publicly second-ranked daughter, simply neglected her. They ignored her as she withered under her cousins’ torment.

“Because you always try so hard…”

Such words had never been said to her. No one thought that way. Kaon Ferdinand could not possibly know how long she had longed to hear those words, how desperately she had tried just to hear them once.

Why did it have to be Kaon Ferdinand who said them? She felt nauseous and dizzy.

Alessia was relieved that he couldn’t see her face. If he had, he might have seen the tears she felt ready to spill at any moment.

 

 

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