Chapter 4
“Ill say it again, I have a promised marriage partner. Its just that Your Majesty isnt aware because shes not an ordinary noblewoman.”
“Not an ordinary noblewoman? Surely you dont mean to say shes a commoner, Duke?”
A broad smile remained on the kings face. The Duke raised one eyebrow.
“Why do you ask? It seems as if Your Majesty hopes she is a commoner.”
“Hahaha!”
The king finally burst into laughter, though it wasnt out of genuine amusement. He slapped his knee and spoke loudly, pretending to be a good-natured person.
“Of course not. I just wanted to remind you of the laws governing Ivannes. Surely you havent forgotten that a marriage between a noble and a commoner leads to the loss of noble status in Ivannes?”
A marriage between different social classes. The Duke replied in a detached tone.
“I thought it was an obsolete law.”
“But its still in the law books. And the marriage of a royal must adhere strictly to these laws.”
The king remained in his confrontational stance, but his words flowed out as if he were a kind and understanding person.
“Of course, even if your beloved is a commoner, I will respect that. Whoever she is, Ill ensure the wedding is grand.”
Of course, no one present believed that his kind words were genuine. By now, even Chloe, a mere lower noble, had clearly grasped the kings true intentions behind this marriage talk.
‘He wants to strip Duke Burke of his royal succession rights.’
As the kings half-brother and second son, Duke Burke had always followed a path based on common sense, showing no interest in the throne and choosing a military career instead.
However, Duke Burke happened to possess an innate talent for being a soldier, much like the most praised historical kings of Ivannes.
The current king, on the other hand, was far from a conqueror. He had never even had a speck of dirt on his shoes, let alone worn military boots. His son and the first in line to the throne, Crown Prince Frederick, was popular due to his kind nature, but he wasnt the type to excel on the battlefield either.
Naturally, the public’s favor leaned towards Duke Burke, the war hero. His tumultuous childhood added to his appeal. A handsome man with a tragic past! People naturally gravitate towards those with compelling stories.
The kings jealousy of Duke Burke was well-known. Rumor had it that every time Duke Burke was hailed as a hero, the palace staff suffered.
Thus, the kings reference to a marriage between different social classes was understandable. In old Ivannes, such marriages were strictly regulated. If a member of a ruling family married a commoner, it could lead to the loss of their noble title.
However, these days, everyone whispered that such laws were outdated and hardly enforced anymore.
‘Oh dear. Looks like youre going to have to go through with this matchmaking today.…’
Chloe quickly did the math. Even though the Duke claimed to have a fiancée, the duty logs record of late-night work disproved that. The kings relentless push showed that this wasnt something that could be smoothed over with a simple mention of an existing partner.
‘Whoever the woman is marrying that man, good luck….’
Just then,
“Did you hear that, Second Lieutenant Ambroise?”
Chloe flinched and looked up. Her beautiful and irritating superior was smiling down at her.
Why did the old Royal Guard folklore suddenly come to mind?
And now, Duke Burke was smiling at her.
Cold sweat broke out.
Whats this? Why do I suddenly feel like I’m screwed?
Chloe clasped her sweaty hands tightly and asked cautiously.
“I… didn’t hear well?”
Roughly translated, it meant, ‘Is there a reason why a minor character like me should suddenly be screwed in this context?’
However, Chloe had forgotten that her superior, Duke Burke, was the kind of person who could screw someone over without a good reason.
Curtis smiled gently. Then, he reached out and tenderly stroked her cheek.
Chloes eyes widened like saucers at the sudden and unexpected touch from her superior. But Curtis, unbothered, turned to the king and spoke.
“Chloe Ambroise. Shes been my lover for some time now. Specifically, for three months.”
What is he talking about? Chloe involuntarily asked.
“…Me?”
Without even glancing at her, Curtis continued.
“Her slight foolishness is part of her charm.”
Amid her bewilderment, Chloe had a thought.
‘Should I kill him?’
Of course, Chloe wasnt the only one taken aback.
“What?”
The kings eyes widened in shock as he repeated the question, looking utterly flabbergasted.
“What are you talking about? That…”
“If you didnt understand what I just said, Ill explain again.”
Most people could never relate to or understand the mind of a king in their lifetime. But at this moment, Chloe completely empathized with the kings stuttering. She was equally stunned and speechless.
However, the reverse didnt hold true. The king had no idea just how shocked Chloe was right now.
After all, a king is the highest authority. He doesnt have a superior he wants to kill. Moreover, has a king ever experienced a situation where a superior suddenly claims someone is his fiancée?
‘The king has no superior… Wait, thats not the point!’
Regardless, the Duke continued nonchalantly.
“I was indeed aware of the marriage proposal from Glintland. So I brought her along. I asked my aide, Chloe Ambroise, to become the master of my soul.”
For reference, “master of my soul”is an old Ivannes phrase men use to refer to their wives.
“…Brigadier General, sir.”
Chloe called out to her superior with a trembling voice. Is this some new form of punishment? Her question was loaded with hope that her meaning would be fully understood.
Curtis glanced down at her again. Unlike the panicked Chloe, his cold violet eyes remained as calm as ever.
“Second Lieutenant Ambroise, I apologize. I didnt intend to reveal this so suddenly in front of so many people.”
“What is this…?”
What do you mean, you didnt? If youre not confusing your aide with your fiancée, then explain this situation properly right now! Dont ruin my marriage prospects! …That was her intent, ready to grab him by the collar if necessary. But just as she was about to speak, Chloe froze upon seeing the look in his violet eyes.
In Curtis Sean Burkes eyes, there was a turmoil she had never seen in the three months since she had known him.
To an ordinary person, it might have seemed like he was just indifferent. But Chloe was his aide. Some might think three months is a short time, but she had spent nearly every waking moment by his side during those three months.
Therefore, she couldn’t help but notice it.
Thanks to that, the panic that had enveloped Chloe’s mind quickly began to fade.
So, now…
Just as she was starting to gather her thoughts, Curtis whispered.
“I’ll explain everything later. Just go along with it for now.”
It was a very soft whisper, almost ventriloquism, the kind of low, non-moving lip speech characteristic of battle-hardened soldiers.
Chloe flinched and slightly parted her lips. But there was a problem. Chloe, having never experienced war as a navy member, didn’t know how to do ventriloquism.
With the king glaring at them, Chloe couldnt just whisper back. So, she spoke slowly and clearly.
“…Im very confused right now, Your Majesty. Marriage, you say?”
Her words were loud enough for the king and the surrounding nobles to hear clearly. Her tone conveyed, ‘Why me?’
And surprisingly, Curtis Sean Burke immediately understood her meaning.
“Its understandable, Chloe.”
He gently took Chloe’s sweaty hand, causing her to internally scream.
‘Did he just hold my hand?!’
Anyone who has ever had a superior they wanted to punch would understand Chloes horrible feeling.
‘Hes holding my hand! And he called me by my first name! Not my rank!’
But instead of considering murdering her superior as a reason for discharge, Chloe managed to pull herself together and assess the situation.
The only reason Chloe had managed to work as Curtis Sean Burke’s aide for three months was not just because of the 400% incentive but also her excellent judgment skills.
So, Chloe quickly realized that her superior had chosen her to avoid the king’s relentless matchmaking.
However, playing along with her superior was another matter.
Suddenly, marriage? What are you talking about?
With her hand still held by Curtis, Chloe squinted at him. Curtis narrowed his eyes, then gently kissed the back of her hand and whispered again.
“I’ll give you anything you want.”
Chloe’s fingers twitched. Naturally, the young war hero didn’t miss this and continued in a low, quick murmur.
“Promotion, incentives, transfer.”
“Brigadier General Burke, I-”
But Curtis didn’t wait for Chloe to finish. He turned back to the king and spoke loudly.
“Please understand my fiancée’s confusion, Your Majesty. She is a timid and delicate woman.”
Even amidst her astonishment, Chloe thought, ‘Liar.’
But Curtis continued, louder, for everyone to hear.
“When I confessed my love, she was conflicted for days due to our status difference, so todays situation must be even more bewildering.”
Oh, so that’s the story…
Of course, the king was no fool. Although visibly shocked by the unexpected situation, he quickly retorted with a fierce look.
“Dont lie, Duke. I can see youre using your female aide as an excuse to get out of this.”
Anyone with half a brain would notice that. But Curtis shamelessly responded to the king.
“Why do you think that?
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