Episode 17
I stared at Alexis with a perplexed expression before quickly averting my gaze.
“I’m sorry, Father.”
The duke looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Sorry? For what…? Ah…”
Then, after a moment’s pause, his face hardened.
“Evgenia, if you had foolishly stood there silently without saying a word, I would have been angrier. You did well!”
I had expected him to scold me for rashly laying hands on a member of the imperial family, no matter how much the crown prince provoked me.
But instead of a reprimand, I was being praised. I was taken aback, realizing that Evgenia’s seemingly reckless actions weren’t entirely unjustified.
“Are you sure it’s okay to say that? I mean, I laid hands on a member of the imperial family. What if His Highness the Crown Prince takes issue with it later? If His Majesty the Emperor finds out, it could cause trouble for the family…”
“How much damage could a frail young lady like you cause by hitting someone? Especially someone like the Swordmaster, a war hero. To him, it must have felt like a fly brushing against him!”
“…”
“In any case, if he has any sense of honor, he won’t dare make an issue of it. Besides, something so trivial isn’t going to shake the Basilian ducal family. His Majesty the Emperor knows well what our family represents to the Elios Empire.”
As a pillar of the empire and a prominent supporter of the emperor, the duke spoke confidently.
Yet, recalling how the Basilian family ultimately fell because of Evgenia in the novel made me feel bittersweet.
‘Well, I guess that won’t happen now,’ I thought resolutely.
Still, a nagging feeling lingered. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the unease.
“That’s a relief, but I still didn’t do anything commendable. I’d rather let this pass quietly.”
At my words, Sionel clicked his tongue in apparent annoyance, as if ready to send a formal complaint to the imperial family. Feeling self-conscious, I avoided his gaze and brought up the real reason I had sought out the duke today.
“I just wanted to say that, as I mentioned before, I wish to proceed with the marriage as soon as possible.”
“Are you certain your resolve hasn’t wavered?”
“Not at all. In fact, meeting His Highness today has only strengthened my determination.”
The duke gazed at me intently, as if trying to gauge my sincerity. Surprisingly, Sionell, who usually doubted my words, nodded in agreement, seemingly still angry at the crown prince’s behavior.
The duke sighed lightly as he read the resolute look in my eyes.
“Good, then. It so happens that what I wanted to discuss with you was about that very matter.”
“That matter…?”
“A reply to the proposal has arrived.”
“…!”
Finally!
Had I been holding my breath without realizing it? I suppressed the surge of excitement, clenching my fists tightly.
Though I wanted to cheer and throw my hands up in celebration, I couldn’t let my emotions show here.
“Did… they accept it?”
I was almost certain they had, considering the storyline and circumstances, but I needed to hear the confirmation to feel reassured. The duke let out a derisive laugh.
“Of course. What man wouldn’t welcome you as his bride with open arms?”
“…”
Scratch that remark about him being a shrewd businessman.
When it came to family, his judgment seemed to falter, I thought, shaking my head inwardly as I tried to calm my racing heart.
The thought that all that was left now was to marry Euclid left my lips feeling dry.
Just then, the duke frowned.
“I was annoyed at how long the reply took to arrive, but looking at the date on the signature, it seems they responded the day the proposal was delivered.”
A signature? Did that mean there was a document in this mansion bearing Euclid’s personal signature?
The unexpected revelation made my heart race. Gripping the hem of my dress tightly, I listened as the duke continued with a slight pout.
“Apparently, they sent the reply by regular carriage, so it took over three days to reach the capital. Tsk, for a family that has produced generations of mages, they don’t even own a single magic-powered carriage. Not that it matters much—given how the Magic Tower has recently hiked the price of mana stones, they probably can’t afford one anyway.”
My racing heart momentarily stilled as I swallowed hard.
I, too, had been anxiously awaiting the reply to the proposal, only to learn there was such a reason behind the delay.
I knew they were struggling financially, but imagining Euclid living under such harsh conditions filled me with sorrow.
Perhaps my feelings showed on my face. The duke hesitated before speaking.
“Evgenia, don’t worry. When you go there, I’ll make sure you have plenty of magic carriages for your convenience.”
“…Just carriages?”
“Of course not! I’ll send plenty of mana stones as well.”
There was no reason to refuse, so I smiled brightly and asked cautiously,
“Could you send one to the Rudion Ducal House in advance? It seems they’ll need one for their journey to the capital.”
Two days was too long, and I couldn’t bear the thought of Euclid enduring the hardship of traveling by carriage. The duke, realizing he hadn’t thought of that, nodded.
“Evgenia, I didn’t know you were so thoughtful. I was already considering selecting knights for you to take after marriage. I’ve looked into it, and the reviews from the knightly order are excellent.”
“…Pardon?”
“Ahem. It’s the knight who was guarding the door when I told you to reflect last time. Is he the one you had in mind?”
“Uh… yes.”
Although I had no idea what he was talking about, I nodded instead of showing confusion.
The duke, smiling contentedly, suddenly let out a sigh.
“I thought we could just hold the engagement ceremony for now and postpone the wedding for a year… but judging by how determined you are, I suppose I have to yield.”
His murmured words sent a chill down my spine, but his following statement brought me relief.
“My resolve hasn’t changed; I wish to proceed as quickly as possible. There’s no need for a grand event; a simple ceremony with just family will suffice.”
“But this is the marriage of the Basilian family’s young lady…”
“That doesn’t matter to me. Besides, with His Highness the Crown Prince leaving for the frontlines, I’d like to leave the capital before his return.”
I poured all my desire into avoiding the crown prince and firmly reiterated my stance. The duke, reluctantly concealing his disappointment, finally relented.
“If that’s your wish, then so be it. I’ll contact the temple immediately. A temple ceremony is the quickest option…”
I recalled from the novel that Evgenia and Euclid had held a modest temple ceremony. I nodded in agreement, only for someone to exclaim,
“Wait! A wedding?!”
Alexis suddenly interrupted the flowing conversation, which had been progressing smoothly like a stream of water.
His question left me and the rest of the family blinking in surprise.
Frustrated, Alexis shouted at the top of his lungs.
“What the hell is all this about?!”
“Where do you think you’re raising your voice? If you’ve been listening until now, you’d already know.”
“No, I mean! Melissa clearly said she declined. So what’s this about a wedding?!”
Ah, so Alexis even snaps at Sionel like this.
For some reason, I found myself in a good mood and simply observed the scene like a bystander, watching Alexis lose his temper and Sionel shake his head lightly.
Sionel let out a sigh and spoke.
“Evgenia is getting married.”
“To who, exactly?”
“Duke Rudion.”
“Ha!”
Alexis let out a scoff, utterly dumbfounded, and slowly scanned the dining room.
Unlike himself, who seemed visibly shaken, the family members’ faces, one by one, showed no sign of surprise. Alexis, realizing this, muttered in a low voice.
“Was I the only one left in the dark?”
“…….”
“Melissa, you knew too?”
Sensing the serious atmosphere, Melissa hesitantly nodded at Alexis’s persistent questioning.
It dawned on Alexis that even Melissa, who had only recently joined the duke’s household, knew about my marriage. His face flushed with a mix of red and pale hues in an instant.
“How… how could this…”
Panting heavily, Alexis, overwhelmed with betrayal, turned to me and yelled,
“Even if you hate me, how could you do this?!”
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
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