Chapter 7 – Resolve
“Are you treating me like a lunatic right now?”
The woman trembled as if she was about to lunge at Aracila.
The butler looked flustered, and Audrey appeared uneasy, but Aracila simply gazed down at the woman with an indifferent expression.
“Well, you are the one who started picking a fight out of nowhere.”
“You provoked me first, Lady Hugo!”
“And why would I do that when I don’t even know who you are?”
Her face was vaguely familiar, but Aracila couldn’t quite place her. Judging by her speech, she was clearly a noble, but beyond that, nothing came to mind.
When the woman realized that Aracila
didn’t recognize her, her eyes wavered in disbelief.
Her face flushed red as she stammered.
“Y-You don’t know me?!”
“Why should I?”
“I-I-I…! I am Nora White!”
“Oh.”
Aracila finally recognized her—well, at least her last name.
Years ago, there had been a fierce competition between two noble families over a sapphire mine.
The Hugo Marquisate and the White Marquisate.
Before that incident, the two families had been on relatively friendly terms, but the dispute over the mine had turned them into bitter rivals.
As tensions rose among the adults, even the children who used to play together were forced apart.
In the end, the mine was awarded to the Hugo family, and the competitive spirit between the two houses only intensified over generations.
Recently, however, the Hugo family had achieved total dominance over the White family, securing victories in every domain for three consecutive generations.
As a result, the White family had become a permanent runner-up, constantly overshadowed.
Though Aracila had little interest in these aristocratic feuds, she had heard enough about them to remember the general history.
The face of the White family’s young lady, however? That, she did not remember.
“Ah, so you’re Lady White. My apologies—I tend to forget people I have no reason to remember.”
“What did you just say?”
Nora bit her lower lip so hard it nearly bled.
Her glare toward Aracila was positively murderous.
If looks could kill, she would have torn her to shreds on the spot.
“Be honest, Lady Hugo! You approached Sir Vandermir on purpose just to spite me, didn’t you?!”
Nora jabbed a finger at her accusingly.
But no matter how fiercely she pressed, she was a full half a head shorter than Aracila and couldn’t make her budge an inch.
“Otherwise, there’s no way a mage would marry a knight! How did you even seduce him? Did you throw yourself at him like some desperate temptress? How utterly disgusting and shameless!”
Nora continued shouting, her voice rising hysterically, though Aracila had yet to say a single word.
Audrey frowned, deeply offended by the excessive insults.
Aracila, on the other hand, remained utterly unbothered.
Instead, she gasped dramatically, covering her mouth with both hands in mock shock.
“Oh my! Does this mean you’ve seduced men with your body before, Lady White?”
“W-What?! Where did that even come from?!”
“Well, how else would that be the first thing to pop into your head? People’s thoughts are usually shaped by personal experience. You must have done it yourself to assume that I would, right?”
Lowering her hands, she revealed a radiant smile.
Nora, whose face was now an alarming shade of red, let out a strangled cry and lunged.
“I won’t stand for this! Ah—!”
Before she could even touch Aracila, she was repelled and sent stumbling backward, landing squarely on her backside.
Aracila had effortlessly activated a defensive spell.
Then, in an unfazed voice, she turned to the butler.
“Butler, it seems Lady White is unwell. Perhaps you should call a doctor?”
“Uh…?”
The butler hesitated momentarily, but then quickly bowed and left.
A few moments later, he returned.
Instead of a doctor, however, he had wisely brought Damian Vandermir himself.
“Lady White, why are you still here?”
“Sir Vandermir!”
Nora, eyes brimming with tears, rushed toward him.
Aracila narrowed her gaze as she watched.
Wait. Is this woman… Damian Vandermir’s secret lover?
But then—
“Do not touch me.”
Damian recoiled, avoiding her as if she were filthy.
His golden eyes burned with open disdain.
Nora’s tearful face contorted in shock.
“You’re being so cruel, Sir! Why must it be Aracila Hugo?! What’s so great about her?!”
“Well, clearly, I’m great, Lady White.”
At that, Nora snapped her head toward Aracila and glared daggers at her.
“Other than your face, what do you even have going for you?!”
“Why exclude my face? It’s a gift from the gods.”
Aracila smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
With sunlight streaming in through the ornate glass windows, she looked positively angelic.
There was not a single person present who could deny it.
“…….”
Nora, on the other hand, was filled with nothing but inferiority.
Her lips quivered as she bit down hard, then turned to Damian with a desperate plea.
“Sir Vandermir, please reconsider! Lady Hugo will never be a wise and supportive wife. You can’t just fall for her face! Tell me—what else about her is worth marrying?!”
At this, Damian briefly glanced at Aracila before answering.
“If I had to choose… I’d say her confidence.”
“That’s arrogance!”
“No, it’s humility.”
Placing a hand over her chest, Aracila lifted her chin, exuding self-assurance and dignity.
“Honestly, I should be advertised in continental newspapers as Setron’s greatest national treasure. Just look at me—this face, my unparalleled magical talent, my prestigious lineage… I have everything.”
“Ugh…!”
Nora found her unbearably shameless.
Yet, she had no valid counterargument.
Which only made her even more frustrated.
“That’s exactly why Sir Vandermir chose to marry me.”
At that moment, Aracila recalled something.
Iris had once mentioned that Lady White had been pursuing Damian for years.
It was clear now—Nora White was that woman.
“If you’re so upset about it, maybe you should have been born as me.”
Her mischievous smile sparkled like a fairy’s.
Damian, heaving a long sigh, stepped forward and blocked Nora’s view of Aracila.
“Go home, Lady White. And do not come back.”
“Sir…!”
Nora looked utterly devastated, but Damian remained resolute.
“Albert, escort Lady White out.”
“Yes, young master.”
As she was practically thrown out of the mansion, Nora glared at Aracila and issued a warning.
“Just you wait, Lady Hugo.”
“Sure. Look all you want—at my face.”
Peeking out from behind Damian’s back, Aracila grinned sweetly and even rested her chin in her hands for dramatic effect.
With a shriek, Nora White stormed off, leaving only Aracila and Damian behind.
“Sir, have you ever been involved with Lady White?”
“Are you insane? She’s been obsessing over me all on her own.”
Damian’s immediate look of disgust made it clear there was no need to ask further.
“I just wanted to make sure.”
“Absolutely not. Now stop wasting your curiosity and follow me.”
They moved to Damian’s study, where a servant soon brought tea and dessert.
“Your announcement caused quite the uproar in the Vandermir household. They’re coming to the capital immediately.”
“Oh, they weren’t in the capital?”
“My family resides in the duchy unless there’s urgent business here.”
Unlike most nobles who lived in the capital and only visited their territories when necessary, the Vandermir Dukedom, located in the southern part of the empire, was their primary residence.
With an estate nearly as vast as the imperial capital itself and a firm standing in high society, there was no real need for them to stay in the city.
“Then why do you live here, Sir? Because of the knight order?”
“That’s part of it. Also, because my family disowned me.”
His tone was so casual that it caught Aracila off guard.
It had already felt obvious that Damian was somewhat estranged from his family, but hearing him say it so plainly made it even clearer.
‘Should I even ask about this? Probably not…’
Being at least somewhat considerate, Aracila smoothly changed the subject.
“If they’re coming up to the capital now, I should prepare to greet them.”
She took a sip of tea before lifting her gaze.
From beneath her long, lush lashes, her glassy eyes met Damian’s.
“When will your family arrive?”
“As early as the day after tomorrow.”
“Then you should visit my house tomorrow.”
Only after announcing their engagement did they even think about properly introducing themselves to each other’s families.
The order of things felt odd, but there was no helping it.
Damian nodded.
“Is there anything I should be mindful of when visiting the Hugo household?”
“Hmm.”
Resting a hand on her cheek, Aracila pondered for a moment before smiling brightly.
“Be prepared to take away their beloved second daughter.”
The Next Day – Hugo Marquisate
“Sir Vandermir is coming to visit tomorrow.”
Aracila’s casual announcement at dinner had only worsened the chaos in the Hugo household, which was already in turmoil over the newspaper headlines.
While the Marquis and Marchioness were in an uproar over why she had waited until now to inform them, Adrian, her younger brother, was diligently preparing to meet his sister’s fiancé.
“I have to look as charismatic and impressive as possible!”
“Yes, young master.”
His attendant barely held back a laugh as he adjusted Adrian’s formal attire.
The boy, barely in his early teens, had even slicked his hair back with pomade.
His sole goal was to appear more dignified and imposing than today’s guest.
‘As the heir to the Hugo family, I’ll show him my authority and stop him from taking my sister away!’
With this noble mission in mind, Adrian joined his family to await Damian’s arrival.
Soon, a carriage adorned with the red falcon emblem entered the marquisate’s estate.
Adrian’s eyes widened as he intently watched the man stepping out of it.
‘…Gasp!’
The face was unbelievably regal and handsome.
Until now, Adrian had firmly believed the most handsome person in the world was his father, followed closely by himself.
But the moment he saw Damian, that belief shattered.
‘No, wait! Maybe he’s tiny like a dwarf…!’
However, as Damian approached, that last hope was utterly crushed.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Marquis Hugo. And Marchioness.”
“Welcome, Sir Vandermir.”
Damian was taller than his father.
Adrian was in shock.
Until now, the tallest person in the world had also been his father.
‘N-No…! Maybe he’s not strong enough to protect my sister!’
Clinging to this last shred of hope, Adrian’s ears perked up at his eldest sister’s next words.
“I heard you’re the youngest Sword Master in the empire. You certainly radiate strength.”
“You flatter me, my lady.”
Among all his studies as an heir, Adrian’s favorite subject was swordsmanship.
He much preferred wielding a blade over sitting at a desk.
Of course, he had never dared to say this aloud since his sister was a mage, but…
He knew just how formidable a Sword Master was.
A Sword Master was stronger than his father.
“This is my younger brother, Adrian.”
Aracila placed a hand on her dumbfounded brother’s shoulder.
“A pleasure to meet you, young master.”
“Adrian, greet Sir Vandermir properly.”
Even as his sister nudged him forward, Adrian couldn’t get a single word out.
Head lowered, frozen in place, the boy suddenly squeezed his eyes shut and shouted—
“I object to this marriage!”
Spreading his arms wide, he blocked Aracila from Damian.
“Please don’t take my sister away!”
The Hugo family turned to Adrian, stunned.
Meanwhile, Damian observed the small boy for a moment before crouching down to his level.
Then, in a serious voice, he declared:
“Even if a sword is held to my throat, I will still marry your sister. Don’t waste your life in vain—accept it, young master. Lady Hugo is mine.”
“…H-Hic… Hiccup… Sniff.”
Damian was handsome up close, but his sharp golden eyes were terrifying.
Faced with overwhelming fear and crushing despair, Adrian’s eyes welled with tears, and he ran straight to his mother.
As his quiet sobs filled the air, Aracila and Damian’s eyes met.
“…I told you to be prepared.”
“I never said to traumatize an eleven-year-old boy.”
─── ･ ｡ﾟ✧: *. ꕥ .* :✧ﾟ. ───
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