I walked up to Kasion, stopping just below his chin. I was suddenly struck by how tall he was and how large his frame was as well. Compared to him, I was just a handful, and it was natural to feel intimidated by him.
“The position of the mistress of the marquis family has been vacant for six years now,” I spoke more boldly, not wanting to back down.
Kasion looked down at me from above. The shadows in his deep-set eyes seemed even darker today, and there was a hint of irritation. It was a look I had seen often when I was younger.
Whenever I interrupted Kasion and Serhen while they were sparring with swords, he would always look like that. He would wrinkle his nose and hold his breath as if he had seen something smelly, causing the area behind his ears to turn faintly red. That hadn’t changed even as he grew older. He always had that look.
“The Duke’s family is the same, isn’t it?”
I took another step closer. Let’s see how long he can hold his breath.
The wrinkles on Kasion’s nose deepened. Honestly, it felt good to see the usually composed man’s face contorted. The more upright the opponent, the more you want to unsettle them.
“During the two years Kasion was at war, I learned a lot.”
“And what does that have to do with marriage now?” Kasion tilted his head slightly. The wrinkles on his nose disappeared, but his eyes still showed clear disapproval. His crossed arms, with biceps that looked ready to burst, indicated his bad mood.
I swallowed slightly.
The reason Kasion is known for being cold-blooded is because he never forgives those who cross the line. It meant that even if I was his best friend’s sister, he wouldn’t show any leniency. I couldn’t afford to be cast aside just yet, so I need to tread carefully.
“Kasion, you’re the one who’s late in getting married. You don’t even have an heir. Do you know how much I’ve been worried about that?”
Kasion’s eyes twitched again. “You’re worrying about something completely unnecessary.”
“How can the issue of an heir be unnecessary? Honestly, I’d like to demand a nephew as a dowry from Lady Soler. Oh my, that’s actually a great idea!”
“Ariel, cough.” Serhen’s face suddenly turned red.
Kasion just twitched his eyebrows even more.
“A young lady shouldn’t be saying such things.”
“Why not? I’m an adult now. I know everything about how babies are made…”
For a moment, I was a little scared. It felt like Kasion’s eyes were glowing for a moment.
When I closed my mouth for a moment, Kasion sighed. Had I gone too far? But I couldn’t help it.
“So, Kasion, you should hurry up and get married and have an heir first.”
Stop interfering with other people’s marriages.
After finishing my response, I subtly rolled my eyes. I wondered why he was staring at me so persistently.
He let out a small sigh before speaking. “I guarantee that this time, Viscount Kainum will start tarnishing the reputation of Mellin Marquis’ House.”
Ah, I had to agree with that. That wretched uncle wouldn’t miss such an opportunity. He might have given up on taking over the Mellin family, but he wouldn’t have given up on harassing us.
“Moreover, he’ll use the customs of the empire to demand that Ariel be sent out of the Marquis’ house. Are you okay with that?”
When the head of the family gets married, all collateral relatives except for the direct line must leave the main house and become independent. That’s why the young ladies called me Serhen’s leech.
Serhen had been saying he wouldn’t marry until I did. In reality, it’s a custom, not a law, so it didn’t have to be followed.
“But if you break the custom and keep Ariel, rumors will start spreading that there’s something seriously wrong with Ariel. Are you okay with that?”
The consequences of not following the custom were not trivial. If I didn’t become independent in this situation, marriage proposals from decent families would probably stop coming in. This was why Serhen had opposed my suggestion to rush his wedding. But honestly, I didn’t care.
“It’s okay. That’s why I bought the house next to the Marquisate.”
It was the question I had been waiting for. A bright smile spread across my face.
“You bought a house? And Serhen allowed it?” Kasion asked sharply.
“Yes, I’m planning to move out of my brother’s nest and become independent.”
It was a plan that barely found a compromise. Living next door still counts as independence, even if I only sleep there. I intend to keep my clothes at the new house too. We would even make a new door between the two houses. Visiting the main house every day isn’t a problem, right? Especially since it’s so close.
“I see, that’s what you mean.” Kasion’s face turned peculiar. Then, as if it was absurd, he let out a small laugh. “People won’t have anything to say anymore.” He said this while looking at Serhen, not me.
“Of course. I’ve already grown up hearing that I’m a burden to my brother, so I shouldn’t cause any more trouble. I’ll invite Kasion to my house later. Please come visit.” I said with an innocent face, adding a smile full of meaning that implied not to meddle in Serhen’s marriage.
Stop talking and stop interfering!
Kasion, who had been looking at Serhen, slowly turned his gaze to me. It was a face I had never seen before. With a slightly tilted head, eyes narrowed and fixed on me diagonally below, and a smile slowly rising from one side. It couldn’t be described as just handsome. It was a decadent smile, like something out of an R-rated novel illustration.
I swallowed my saliva without realizing it.
“Well, it can’t be helped then.” His declaration of defeat didn’t match the victorious smile on his face.
What was this? Why was he backing off so easily?
I had expected him to come up with all sorts of excuses to delay the marriage. This made me feel even more uneasy and anxious. After all, Kasion wasn’t called a schemer for nothing.
“Are you giving up… this easily?” I asked, stammering in disbelief.
Was it this easy to build a wall? If so, changing the future would be too easy! I felt a bit smug.
“It’s not me, but your brother who seems to be against it. It would be better to discuss it again and talk about the marriage issue.”
At his words, I looked at Serhen. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen Serhen so angry. The document in his hand was completely crumpled.
* * *
The next afternoon, I went to artisan’s street in the bustling city with Lireania. It was to decorate their newlywed room, starting with the bed.
“Wow, this is really big. There’s no way we’ll fall off while sleeping. It’s firm yet soft, which is nice.”
I frowned at the bed Lireania chose. Instead, I pointed to a slightly smaller bed next to it. “It’s better for the bed to be just the right size so you can stay close together.”
“Well, it doesn’t necessarily have to be…” Lireania’s innocent face turned red.
“Or maybe it’s better to have a bigger one if you want to try different things?”
“What? What would we do on the bed?”
“A lot of things… I guess?”
My face turned red too. Images of particularly explicit R-rated novel flooded my mind.
Kasion did all sorts of things that seemed possible only because of his muscular body. His stamina was incredible.
I suddenly worried if Serhen could do well. Apart from sword fighting with Kasion, Serhen always had his nose in books, studying.
“Um, Lady Lireania?”
“Yes?”
“I’m changing my brother’s diet.”
“Oh my, really?”
“And I’m planning to make him exercise too.”
“Exercise?” Lireania just widened her eyes and smiled innocently at my words, not understanding my true intentions.
“Yes, I want to make sure he trains his stamina and body consistently after marriage, so he won’t lose to Kasion at least.”
This was my anxiety as the younger sibling of a second male lead character in an R-rated novel. A second male lead is destined to be kicked out if he can’t satisfy the female lead at night.
“The duke?”
“Yes, after all, he has the best muscles in the Empire…”
“Oh my, Lady Ariel, do you like someone with a build like the duke?”
I immediately put on a serious face at Lireania’s question. It felt like my ears were rotting from hearing such strange words. “Not at all. It’s too much, it’s creepy. When I first saw him, I thought he was a bandit and was so scared.”
“Oh gosh.”
Lireania furrowed her brows slightly, then gave a mysterious smile that was hard to interpret. It was the kind of smile a mother might give when watching her baby play.
“By the way, did you have a fight with Lord Serhen? He didn’t seem to be in a good mood.” Lireania asked.
“I don’t know either. I don’t understand why he suddenly got upset.”
It had been like that ever since Kasion’s visit. Even though Kasion had half-acknowledged the progress of the marriage and things had started to proceed without issues, it was still the same. He wasn’t talking much.
I didn’t mention Kasion’s opposition to the marriage as I recounted the story to Lireania.
“We had a good talk about the independence issue, so I don’t know why he’s acting like this now.”
“Do you really not know? I think I might have an idea.”
“What? Oh my, so that’s why my older brother fell for Lady Lireania. Even as a family, there are times when I don’t understand him.”
At my words, Lireania gave a soft, cotton candy-like smile. I couldn’t tell if she liked my compliment or if she was happy thinking about Serhen.
“I’ll check on him later and scold him.”
“Yes, I’d appreciate that.”
We, who got along well, continued to look around for things to decorate the newlywed room. I chose a red canopy that seemed to exude a sensual atmosphere, and I decided to bring in a sturdy and large sofa in case they wanted to do something outside the bed. I also boldly bought a wolf decoration, a symbol of fertility and marital harmony.
“I think this should be enough.”
“Thank you, Lady Ariel.”
Serhen was too busy interrogating the culprit who touched the wine to make time for Lireania. I was worried that she might feel disappointed by Serhen’s absence.
“Is it okay that it’s just the two of us today?”
“Of course, it’s as enjoyable as a date with Lord Serhen. Besides, he said he’d come to see me tonight.”
“Oh my, a date?”
“Yes. He said he’d come to Veloire.”
“Hmm…It’s okay if you don’t send my brother back home tonight.”
Seeing the innocent young lady’s cheeks turn rosy, I linked arms with her. “Shall we go to the temple now? I’m not sure if we can find a priest since the wedding was arranged in a hurry.”
Most people usually prepare for weddings six months in advance. Unfortunately, my ominous premonition came true at the temple.
“I’m sorry, but we don’t have any priests available to conduct the marriage ceremony on that day.”
“I don’t recall receiving any other noble wedding invitations for that day?”
“That’s… Duke Pertelian reserved all the priests. He said it was for the treatment and blessing of the knights who participated in the war.”
No wonder he backed down so easily.
