Chapter 57 Blind date (2)

“Matchmaking… me?”

Matchmaking? Suddenly? Startled by the mention of matchmaking, Retina widened her eyes and asked the Duchess again.

“The Duke has finally succeeded in persuading the Emperor. The Emperor was contemplating which noble maiden to choose for an engagement. Once the date is set, they’ll inform us promptly; it’s urgent, you know.”

“My father? Who is he that the Emperor himself would consider a dilemma? Why am I suddenly involved in matchmaking?”

Retina questioned in disbelief. While arranged marriages were not uncommon in high society, where families sometimes betrothed their daughters for various reasons, Retina had never considered it for herself. Despite her father’s encouragement to participate in debutante events and meet potential suitors, the idea of her being part of an arranged marriage had never crossed her mind.

“Surely, you haven’t heard? The Northern Envoys, in an effort to reestablish communication with the severed North, extended an invitation from Rudenheim. The Emperor, however, sought to forge a stronger relationship with the North. Your father proposed a marital alliance.”

Duchess Lencia seemed surprised that Retina was unaware of these facts. Retina, feeling the swaying of the carriage, touched the sofa with her hand and closed her eyes tightly. Her father had decided not to tell her anything, knowing she would likely refuse an arranged marriage.

“As for the Northern Envoys…”

“Yes, they’re pushing for a union with Prince Norden Raglaras. Originally, the Empress should have been the first consideration, but since there’s no noble maiden of similar age to Prince Norden apart from the Crown Prince, they had to choose among the high nobility. So, just to be safe, did your father advise you to build a relationship with Prince Norden in advance?”

This was a revelation for Retina. A royal engagement for Norden was being discussed, and she was considered a potential match. Retina’s eyes stared at the Duchess as if frozen. For a moment, her thoughts came to a halt.

“But I… have someone I like…”

“Ah.”

The words slipped out of Retina’s open mouth as she thought of the Crown Prince. She couldn’t confess her feelings for the Prince to an adult in front of her. Their relationship was known only to the two of them, and admitting to it would risk shattering the delicate connection they shared.

Retina hesitated to speak further. She had no valid reason to refuse the adults’ arrangement. If the Crown Prince himself came forward or even expressed an interest in her, things might be different. However, he was in search of a suitable Crown Princess.

“So, you mean, I’m supposed to meet the Prince with the assumption of marriage?”

“Finally catching on, huh? There might be a lot to discuss, but if there are no disqualifying factors, marriage is a possibility. Your father is actively pushing for it.”

As time passed, while love marriages became more prevalent in noble society, strategic marriages for the benefit of families persisted. Marriages were often chosen based on family status or financial stability.

Feeling shocked by the news of her arranged marriage, Retina tried to comprehend the situation.

“I haven’t mentally prepared for this yet…”

“Don’t worry too much. Today’s meeting is just for greetings. Three other noble maidens will also be presented to the Prince.”

Since Retina had met Norden before, there wouldn’t be much awkwardness. The Duchess gazed out of the window, the view transforming into a secluded forest, creating the illusion of being far away from the bustling city.

“If you go with the Prince to the North, wouldn’t it be good for you?”

The Duchess’s words implied something that Retina immediately understood.

With her silver hair, Retina could easily pass as a noble from the North, where silver hair was a symbol of the Raglaras royal family. If she went to the North with Norden, she wouldn’t have to hide her identity anymore. It was an opportunity to achieve the freedom she had always dreamed of.

However, Retina hesitated to respond. Despite the chance to fulfill her dream of a free life, she couldn’t find happiness in it.

“When the Prince goes to the North, wouldn’t it be good for you as well?”

The Duchess suggested, and Retina’s mind was filled with thoughts of Herald. Even if the opportunity for a free life presented itself, Retina couldn’t find joy in it. The prospect of selling herself felt uncomfortable, and the thought of Norden negotiating marriage contracts while Herald was aware of the situation bothered her.

Was that how she felt? When she heard the news about the Crown Prince, she wasn’t surprised, knowing that he would eventually take a Crown Princess. However, the idea of her being part of the selection process was something she hadn’t even imagined until that morning.

If Marie were to marry the Crown Prince and she, in turn, married Norden, they would naturally part ways. Like other lovers in society, they would separate after organizing their youthful and passionate emotions.

Even if the pain of parting from her beloved was like a bone-chilling ache, she had no strength to resist the reality. It was something she had already accepted when she read the news about the approaching engagement of the Crown Prince.

“How many people know about the negotiations between me and Prince Norden?”

Retina asked the Duchess, setting aside her concerns. It wasn’t ideal to hide the truth, but she didn’t want to burden a busy person with unnecessary worries. The Duchess confirmed that the news was not widespread.

“The Emperor is pushing for a marital alliance with the North for quick diplomatic relations. But the competition for the position of Crown Princess is ongoing, and given the sensitivity of the relationship with the North, besides the Emperor and a few nobles, no one knows who the potential candidates for Crown Princess are. It seems like the other nobles are hushing about the Prince being from the North.”

Hearing that her news hadn’t leaked outside reassured Retina. After all, a moment ago, even she didn’t know about it. She decided to keep it hidden until she was sure about the situation. By then, the Crown Prince would probably hear her side of the story.

The carriage reached its destination, stopping in front of a mansion surrounded by trees.

Translators: Stardust. Read on moonlight novels only

“Here is…”

“A place Norden recently moved to. It seems he requested to move to a quiet place away from the hustle of the imperial palace. It’s been a while since he left the North, so it must be tiring.”

The Duchess, well-acquainted with this place, went ahead. Retina followed her, tracing the path the Duchess had taken.

“This must have been quite a journey for you. The Prince is waiting inside.”

A servant at the entrance greeted them, and the Duchess, maintaining her composed demeanor, led Retina into the spacious reception room.

The prince’s chamberlain came to meet him at the entrance of the mansion and bowed in greeting. He walked without shaking while maintaining the correct posture and led the two into a reception room that was spacious compared to the size of the mansion.

“The Lady can follow me, and the Grand Duchess can wait here. In case the time is long, we have prepared simple snacks and refreshments, so if you need them, please let us know at any time and we will provide them to you. “I hope you have a relaxing time.”

From the beginning, the intention was to place only the Grand Duchess in the drawing room, so the tea set was only available for one person. After handing over the care of the Grand Duchess to an attendant, he guided Retina to the garden.

Retina followed the chamberlain and looked around the mansion. She looked small from the outside, but once inside, the garden stretched all the way to the end of the forest. Rather than the garden being a decoration of the mansion, it seemed like a mansion for the garden.

As I entered the center of the garden, passing the neatly trimmed square boxwood, I saw Norden. He was sitting with his back turned, banging on the table, waiting for the woman to meet him.

“Prince. “The Lady has arrived.”

Norden, who turned his head at the chamberlain’s call, stood up to greet the lady. He was greeting in the formal manner of Rudenheim, and his eyes slowly opened and his jaw fell open, as if he were surprised to see the person opposite him.

“you are… … .”

“I meet Prince Norden Raglaras. “This is Retina Cecilia of the Duchy of Deneuve.”

Retina, who received Norden’s greeting, lightly bent and unfolded her knees while holding her dress. She seemed to be embarrassed when she saw herself, as she didn’t know who was coming to face her. Retina, who had already taken that step out of  her carriage, leisurely approached Norden.

“Can I sit across from you?”

“yes yes. of course.”

Norden, who had been frozen in place at Retina’s question, moved behind her with a creaking motion. He pulled out Retina’s chair so she could sit comfortably, then pushed her chair back in at her sitting speed. Then he returned to his seat and sat down with a puzzled expression.

It seemed like I needed to have a thorough conversation with Norden.