Pa! The moment Kisa came to her senses, she sharply slapped Daniel’s hand away.
“Madman.”
“Oh my, does the young lady know how to use such vulgar language? You’ll get scolded by your father.”
Daniel took a step back and whistled.
“You…what do you think I am? Do you think I’m stupid and incapable of feeling emotions because I look foolish in your eyes?”
Kisa’s voice trembled with humiliation, but Daniel remained calm.
“Why the exaggeration? Producing an heir is a noble’s duty. Is asking you to do that such a bad thing?”
“Is that even what you call an explanation-?”
“Kisa, did I tell you to truly love me? Or did I ask you to be friendly with Hazel?”
While Kisa was speechless with disbelief, Daniel shamelessly continued.
“Anyway, as both of us were born noble, we have to marry for the sake of our families and have children. Wouldn’t it be better to choose someone we’ve known for a long time?”
“…Is that why you insist on marrying me?”
“Yes, with other women, I’d need time to get to know them. There’s also the risk of hidden dark pasts. But you’re different. Besides, I quite like you.”
This is absurd. Is this how someone who likes another person behaves?
“Remember? When we were kids, we made a grave for Whisker Jack here.”
Whisker Jack was the nickname Kisa gave to a stray cat who often received food from the servants of the Count Vansfelt’s household. The black fur under its nose looked like a mustache.
“We’ve known each other long enough to have many such cherished memories. Even if we can’t be a loving couple, we could probably live well enough, right?”
“…Forget it. I’d be far from okay with you looking down on me like that.”
“Is it because of what I said about you being stupid? I apologized last time. And this time, if you hadn’t brought up Hazel first, I wouldn’t have said it.”
It was a ridiculous excuse. Even without the insult of calling her stupid, Daniel consistently didn’t treat Kisa as an equal.
“The Vansfelt family’s little tattletale.”
“What, are you going to run to your father and tell on me?”
A clearly condescending attitude towards someone he considered inferior. Even considering his bad mood from being summoned by Count Vansfelt, it wasn’t appropriate treatment for a fiancée.
In fact, he had always been like this. Back then, Kisa, who liked Daniel very much, simply attributed it to the playful banter of childhood friends.
“So, Kisa. Stop your pointless rebellion and marry me as promised. If you just fulfill your role as a wife, I won’t interfere with your life.”
“So you’ll live as you please, then.”
“As long as I fulfill my role as a husband. As I said before, just because we’re married doesn’t mean you own me. Don’t even think about interfering with my social life or hobbies.”
“While I bear and raise your child, you’ll be seeing that woman.”
“I won’t deny it. We’re close friends who swore eternal friendship.”
“Madman.”
“After you give birth to my child, you can meet other men as you please. That’s not my concern. How about it? It’s not a bad offer, is it?”
Daniel smiled condescendingly, as if he was granting her a great favor, then turned to leave.
“I’ll go now. I need to discuss with my father when we should set the date for our wedding. And I’ll ask your father’s opinion too.”
There was no room for Kisa’s opinion.
“Marriage…”
After Daniel left, Kisa sat down on a chair under the gazebo, muttering blankly.
If the three of them—excluding Kisa—agreed, she would have no choice but to marry. The only way she could defy this was to run away before the wedding day.
But where could she go? Kisa didn’t know the world outside the fence her father had built.
“Marriage, do I have to?”
The late winter wind, carrying a lonely scent, brushed against her skin.
****
“Marriage, you say?”
At Seyard’s question, the woman smiled brightly.
“Yes, marriage. Duke Hillan.”
Arta Derbon Sorbi, the youngest daughter of the king and princess of the Sorbi kingdom, clearly stated her intentions.
“Of course, it’s not been long since the previous Duke passed away, so we can’t officially discuss this, but we should talk about it privately, shouldn’t we?”
“I see.”
“You seem hesitant. Why don’t you want to take over your brother’s fiancée?”
It was a question that went straight to the point, without any circumlocution. Seyard looked into his teacup before speaking.
“Princess, do you wish to marry me?”
The answer came immediately.
“Of course. Who would refuse the chance to become the mistress of the Hillan duchy?”
“Up close, it’s not such a good place.”
“That may be true for you, Duke, but it’s quite tempting to me. That’s why your father made a promise with the Chunbujang, didn’t he? To unite our families through marriage.”
“The son who was to marry you wasn’t me. Now that my brother is dead, you don’t need to be bound by that old promise anymore.”
“…Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
After a short silence, Arta arched her perfectly groomed eyebrows and grumbled.
“Suddenly, I think my father should have added a condition. For example, if something happened to the engaged parties, preventing them from maintaining the engagement, then another sibling should take over.”
When Seyard replied with a faint smile, the princess said listlessly.
“I know. You don’t usually make such ominous assumptions on a happy day when you’re promising the future of your children. But Duke Hillan, marrying me is also beneficial to you. Don’t you know?”
“It would be an immense honor. However, I… I cannot replace my deceased brother.”
“I don’t want you to replace your brother.”
Setting down her teacup, Seyard spoke. “Princess,” he said.
“With all due respect, I believe what you need most right now is rest and time.”
His gaze swept over her pale cheeks and thin wrists.
“I heard you’ve been having a difficult time after losing your fiancé. Therefore, discussing marriage with me might be premature…”
Hahaha. Suddenly, a hearty laugh erupted, causing Seyard to stop.
“Duke, you don’t think I’m truly consumed by grief, do you?”
The princess laughed loudly, as if she found it extremely funny.
“If you do, you’re quite naive. It’s clearly a facade for public consumption. It’s only been less than two months since my fiancé, whom I’ve known since childhood, died.”
A pale pink fingernail swept back her hair.
“Well, it’s rewarding to see that it looked so convincing. I worked hard to abstain from food and drink.”
“…I see. I didn’t know. I only heard that the relationship between you and my brother was extremely good.”
“He was an excellent fiancé. Vischer Hillan, as you know, was a very noble and rational man. But a man whose thoughts are difficult to understand is not my type.”
Looking directly at Seyard, Arta continued, “Compared to him…”
“…”
“You’re quite appealing to me. You have the same face as your brother, but you’re different in this way. I understand why you’re hesitant about my proposal.”
“…”
“You don’t want to inherit your brother’s future spouse, do you? I understand. I’d also be offended if I had to take over my sister’s fiancé just because she died. I’m not a substitute.”
“I don’t necessarily think that way.”
“Lies. You actually dislike your brother…”
The heavy silence that settled in the drawing-room couldn’t stop the princess’s blunt words.
“It’s okay to be honest, Seyard. You’re the younger twin who was banished to a monastery simply because you were born a twin. Is there any more old-fashioned superstition than that twins bring misfortune?”
“That was my parents’ decision.”
“Still, it must be hard to like your brother. He had everything you couldn’t have… until his unfortunate accident.”
For a while, the two simply stared at each other in silence. The one who broke the silence was Arta Derbon Sorbi, the noble royalty who had the right to do so.
“I think I’ve revealed enough. You understand? Your brother and I weren’t as close as you think.”
It was as if she was saying, “So you can take my hand.” However, when Seyard didn’t express a clear opinion, the princess sighed slightly and spoke even more directly.
“Duke, don’t you want to surpass your brother? Then marry me, strengthen the bond with the royal family, and achieve what your brother couldn’t.”
****
“Welcome, Duke.”
Seyard nodded slightly at his secretary, Gilliam’s words, and boarded the carriage he opened. Gilliam naturally followed and sat opposite Seyard in the carriage, asking,
“How was the audience?”
Seyard roughly loosened his cravat and threw it next to him, replying gruffly.
“It was exhausting.”
“She’s not an easy person, the princess.”
“Unlike the many people I’ve met here, she doesn’t beat around the bush. She has a very clear goal and the insight to achieve it. But…”
Looking out the window of the carriage leaving the palace, he muttered.
“Even she misunderstood one thing about me.”
“What is that?”
“It’s that I’m not particularly interested in surpassing Vischer.”
Furthermore, Seyard had absolutely no intention of doing as she wished.
“I need to find a suitable marriage partner quickly.”
