Kisa absently pondered the Count’s words. Seyard would be attending the Habertz family’s charity event?
Thinking about it, it wasn’t particularly strange. The new Duke of Hillan was the talk of the kingdom these days, so much that hosts of various events were desperate to invite him.
Though Kisa was also the subject of gossip due to her broken engagement, she couldn’t compare to Seyard’s prominence.
‘Right, it’s not strange. Countess Habertz would have wanted to invite him too.’
By the time Seyard had begun his formal social activities, invitations had already been distributed to attendees long ago, but there was nothing preventing a few additional ones from being sent.
But…
“He’s attending as the Princess’s partner?”
When Kisa asked numbly, Count Vansfelt simply nodded silently. She unconsciously gulped.
The Habertz family’s charity event required partners. And when an unmarried man and woman who weren’t relatives attended such an event together, it usually meant they were in a relationship.
Of course, she wasn’t doubting Seyard. Kisa knew better than most how trustworthy he was.
Although theirs was a contract marriage, he wasn’t the type to create a romantic relationship without telling Kisa, whom he had agreed to marry. After all, he had proposed their contract marriage to escape the pressure to marry the Princess. Such a person wouldn’t date the Princess.
‘If they’re really attending the charity event together, Seyard must have had some unavoidable reason.’
As if confirming her faith in him, the Count spoke with a somewhat awkward expression.
“In fact, the Duke probably had no choice. Refusing the Princess’s request in front of everyone would be improper for a subject.”
“The Princess asked him directly?”
“Yes, do you know about the reception at the palace the day before yesterday?”
“Yes, I heard about it. It was a reception celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Northern Main Railway’s opening, right?”
“That’s right. The Princess met the Duke there and made the request first. She asked him to take her as his partner to the Habertz charity event.”
Kisa inadvertently let out a gasp of “My goodness,” unable to find other words to express her surprise.
“…She’s very bold.”
While it wasn’t common for a woman to ask a man to be her partner, what was more surprising was that she had made this request in public, with many people watching. And she was a member of the royal family, no less.
“If she were rejected, it would be terribly humiliating. But that’s precisely why she won’t be rejected.”
How many people in this country would dare embarrass the youngest princess, who monopolized the affection of the King and Queen?
‘Princess…’
Kisa recalled the image of the Princess she had observed as a friend. Arta Derbon Sorbi. Though people didn’t show it, many secretly disapproved of her excessive free-spiritedness.
But Kisa never disliked Arta, even if she had been taken aback by her unexpected actions at times. To Kisa, who had grown up under her father’s suffocating discipline, Arta’s freedom appeared beautiful.
‘Even after Daniel’s affair was exposed, I didn’t come to dislike that aspect of her, but…’
She was now struck with the premonition that Arta’s freedom would become an obstacle to her marriage with Seyard.
Having lost her fiancé, Vischer Hillan, and having been in grief for a while, it seemed highly likely that she wouldn’t want to lose Seyard, who was said to look exactly like his brother.
“Have you met with Duke Hillan in the meantime? What did he say?”
“I haven’t met him, but yesterday the Duke sent a letter through a messenger. He must have been concerned about my reaction to the news.”
The Count leaned back loosely against the chair and continued.
“The letter said not to worry as it was nothing significant. The Princess’s request was unexpected, but his feelings remain unchanged from before.”
Though she had expected as much, hearing it brought a sense of relief.
“That’s good to hear. But, when you told me earlier to attend the charity event, what did you mean…?”
If Seyard had confirmed it, wasn’t the matter settled? No matter how unpredictable Arta was, she couldn’t secure a marriage proposal that way. There seemed to be no reason for the Count to worry.
“I meant exactly what I said. Attend the event and observe the two of them.”
However, the Count seemed to think differently. Detecting his subtle tone, Kisa carefully asked.
“Father, are you suspicious of the Duke?”
“You mean do I suspect he might back out now and abandon you to marry the Princess? Well. While I don’t completely trust him, I wouldn’t say I harbor enough doubt to call it suspicion.”
He explained his reasoning in a surprisingly calm voice, showing unexpected kindness.
“Actually, the Duke and I exchanged a written agreement regarding this marriage arrangement.”
Though this was new information, it wasn’t particularly surprising. There was no way the meticulous Count Vansfelt would have broken his daughter’s engagement without any guarantee.
“It’s legally perfect, and if he overturns the engagement with you without consent, he would have to pay enormous compensation to our side.”
In other words, if there was consent from this side, or rather Kisa’s side, terminating the marriage would be possible.
If not, the marriage contract between Kisa and Seyard wouldn’t have been established. But this was a secret agreement that the Count mustn’t discover.
“Duke Hillan will keep his promise. This incident is likely, as he said, the Princess acting on her own.”
“Then why do you want to send me there?”
“Kisa, are you satisfied with this?”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, are you content to simply not worry as the Duke instructed, obediently staying in place and waiting for him?”
He gave his daughter a meaningful look as she remained silent, unable to grasp the intention behind his question.
“Well, I’m not blaming you. I raised you that way, after all.”
“……”
“But now that you’re about to form your own family through marriage, you can’t persist in such an attitude. You’re going to become the mistress of the Hillan ducal house soon, aren’t you?”
“So you’re saying I need to adopt a more proactive attitude, is that it?”
“You could say that. Why that expression?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just that your words are a bit sudden for me…”
There had never been such advice before. The Count merely shrugged.
“Well, if your marriage partner had remained Daniel, I wouldn’t have bothered saying this. He’s quite strong-willed. Your marriage would have been smooth only if you had remained submissive.”
Kisa agreed with that opinion.
“But Duke Hillan is different. I felt it when I first met him here—he seems quite willing to respect your opinions.”
The Count’s eyes narrowed as he stroked his chin.
“He doesn’t particularly seem like someone with a weak will… Anyway, as long as he’s that kind of person, you need to adapt accordingly. He will probably leave the household management to your discretion.”
He looked at his daughter with a furrowed brow.
“Above all, the eyes on you, who pushed aside Princess Arta to take the place beside Duke Hillan, will not be kind.”
Kisa unconsciously bit her lip.
“Of course, they can’t openly attack you once you properly marry the Duke and become the mistress of the ducal house. But conflicts, big and small, with the Princess and her close associates will be difficult to avoid. The Duke won’t always be able to shield you.”
She had anticipated this to some extent, but hearing it from the Count made it more real—the hardships that lay on the path she had chosen to break off her engagement with Daniel.
The thought of standing against the confident and uninhibited Arta made her tremble. But she had no intention of backing down.
“Yes, I understand. I’ll try to change as you suggested, Father.”
Melissa had told Kisa she had changed beyond recognition, but she still had a long way to go.
“I’m not entirely sure, but is your instruction for me to attend the charity event also for this purpose?”
“Yes, since the Duke said he would handle it, there probably won’t be any issues, but Princess Arta is not to be taken lightly. There’s a good chance she’ll use this opportunity to advance her relationship with the Duke, or at least make it appear that way to others.”
In Kisa’s opinion, Arta was more than capable of such a thing. While she didn’t distrust Seyard, if the Princess took a forceful approach, it would be difficult for him to avoid an awkward situation.
“Father, please tell me.”
For some reason feeling urgent, she leaned toward her father with her hands on the desk.
“What should I do at the event? I’m sorry for asking so many questions. But this is my first time dealing with such matters, and I don’t know what to do…”
Honestly, she couldn’t imagine herself standing against the formidable Princess.
The Count opened his mouth without showing any displeasure at his daughter’s question.
“Kisa, what you need to do is simple. Though it might be a difficult task for you.”
“What is it? If you tell me, I’ll do my best!”
What could it be? Kisa waited for his next words, feeling her heart pounding with mild anxiety and tension.
“In the worst case, that is, if you feel you absolutely cannot stop the Princess…”
“Yes.”
“It would be good to go to Duke Hillan and the Princess and firmly imprint your presence.”
Imprint? That was a somewhat unclear term. What exactly did he mean?
“What do you mean by that, for example?”
“Well, if I had to give an example, why not try clinging to Duke Hillan first?”
“Cling to him? And then…?”
“Kiss him.”
Ah, a kiss. So that was a possible solution.
For a moment, Kisa accepted her father’s words without question, but in the next instant, her eyes widened.
“What?”
