Episode 6
Forte vehemently objected, his eyes blazing, but he couldn’t break my strong will. The aftermath of Sonode had a significant effect.
‘I’m afraid of meeting a man like Sonode, who is different inside and out.’
It seemed that my family didn’t want me to get involved with Sonode again, as their stern expressions remained unchanged. So, I firmly asserted my decision.
‘I’d rather meet a steadfast man like the Duke of Theabrite than be deceived by men who seem charming but are shallow inside.’
Of course, the three of them had no idea that Apollion was a steadfast person. But to them, Sonode was like a mine.
A dangerous mine that could explode anytime, anywhere.
Rather than getting involved with Sonode, meeting the Duke seemed like a better choice to me.
There was nothing for me to do outside, and the brave Duke, who skillfully dealt with enemies and monsters, seemed to instill in me an infinite sense of trust that he could protect me safely.
So, there were several consultations for the marriage.
As it was a strategic marriage among nobles, there was no need to get to know each other like in a regular relationship, and all relevant matters were swiftly resolved by the elders of the families.
Finally, the wedding date was set…
‘Why is this so fast?!’
I exclaimed in shock as I looked at the red circle marked on the calendar.
Even though it was supposed to be a day when we promised to spend the rest of our lives together, how could they set a date without even seeing each other’s faces or having a conversation?
The remarkable efficiency of both families left me speechless. Isn’t it supposed to take about six months to prepare for a wedding?
Even if we removed all the options that couldn’t be done in this world, such as wedding photoshoots, venue reservations, and invitation printing, it should have taken two to three months. Even in the original work, it took several months for the two protagonists to prepare for their wedding.
Originally, my goal was to have a romantic relationship with the handsome and rich male lead. But why marriage instead of romance…?
In an instant, my sense of reality returned.
Just because this is a world from a book doesn’t mean it’s not real. It meant that I shouldn’t act recklessly without thinking.
In South Korea, and here too, it remained an undeniable fact that marriage was not a decision to be made lightly.
Even with just a little thought, it was clear that courtship and marriage were entirely different things. But I was solely focused on dreaming of romance with the male lead.
And so, the arrow I thoughtlessly shot was flying towards the target of marriage at a terrifying speed.
In the end, I was overturning everything even before the original story began…
‘Can I really be this ignorant…’
I pounded my forehead against the pillar next to the dressing table, making a thumping sound. Selena, who was brushing my hair, was startled.
“Oh, Miss, are you okay?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah…”
“Your forehead looks really red… Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, don’t worry.”
Selena’s face reflected in the mirror seemed to be saying, ‘You don’t look okay at all.’ Even though she was completely pale, the reddish mark on her forehead looked somewhat eerie. Before Selena could say anything, I spoke up first.
“Do other nobles get married as quickly as I did?”
“What?”
“It hasn’t even been a month since I received the marriage proposal. But the fact that they’re already setting the date… it’s kind of… strange.”
“The Duke seems to be in a hurry. He urged us to proceed quickly and skip unnecessary procedures.”
“Why is he in such a hurry?”
I was only twenty, not exactly at an age where I should be worried about getting married. As I muttered to myself, Selena looked embarrassed.
“Why? Do you know something?”
“Well, you see…”
“It’s okay, just tell me without hesitating.”
At my urging, she stopped brushing my hair. Then, leaning slightly towards me as if to make sure no one else could hear, she spoke.
“Well, um, there have already been two people who… ran away. That’s why…”
“I’m worried you might run away too, is that it?”
As I raised my voice, Selena covered my mouth with both hands. It wasn’t like I said something that she shouldn’t hear. Her reaction was excessive, as if she had heard classified information.
“But it’s understandable.”
“…What?”
The first fiancé fainted, and the second one ran away. By now, it was understandable that there might be trauma.
“I’m not going to run away, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
I murmured as I looked at the dress I had laid out in advance for tomorrow.
When you’re in a hurry, it’s common to miss one or two important things. But Apollion had meticulously prepared everything without making any mistakes. Truth be told, once my wedding dress was ready, we could proceed with the ceremony immediately.
Even without such meticulous preparations, just the name of Duke Theabrite would be enough to swiftly handle everything. That’s what it means to be a meticulous and delicate man.
Just five minutes ago, I was pounding my forehead against the pillar, but now I was activating the positive loop again.
Thinking about him preparing everything diligently, I burst into laughter.
Selena, whose words had suddenly decreased, quickly changed into the dress and scarf she had laid out, then swiftly left the room.
I must have looked insane.
I couldn’t decide whether to be angry at her for her lack of respect for the owner or to apologize for my outburst, so I just lay down on the bed.
Tomorrow was the day I would go to the boutique to check if the wedding dress had been altered properly. With the name of Duke Theabrite, everyone had already shown me the finest dresses and jewelry.
Truly the best of the best…
I realized after coming to this world that when things are chaotic, it’s best to just activate the positive loop vigorously. So, I forced an end to all my worries and focused only on spinning the positive loop.
* * *
“Ugh, what is this?”
I felt something slippery and bulky under my feet.
“Why is there animal feces here…”
“I’ll immediately hold the gardener accountable for this!”
As soon as I opened my eyes, warmth emitted from what seemed like morning dung.
“It’s okay.”
After calming down the startled servants, I instructed Selena to fetch another pair of shoes.
I took off the white shoes, which appeared to be solidly smeared with what seemed to be dog dung, and put on a new pair adorned with black pearls. They weren’t particularly cherished shoes, but stepping on dog dung in the morning was beyond unpleasant.
It would take a few steps to reach where the carriage was.
“Am I just unlucky…?”
I glanced up at the sky with unnecessary worry. It was a clear day without a single cloud.
“Just in case, could you bring an umbrella? And if you have boots, please bring those too.”
“Yes, miss.”
And my sense of impending misfortune, which made me feel unlucky, was triggered not by the weather, but from a strange place.
Words indeed have consequences. This was why adults always warned to be careful of what you say.
Sure enough, as soon as we left the estate, a carriage blocked our path. I was about to question who would drive so recklessly, but then I noticed the familiar tulip pattern.
“Miss, I think you should take a look at this.”
At the coachman’s call, I clenched my teeth and got off the carriage.
“Petunia.”
“…Sonode.”
As I suspected. The culprit blocking my carriage was none other than the despicable face of Sonode.
Approaching Sonode, who stood awkwardly with his hands in his pockets, I asked, “What kind of reckless behavior is this?”
“You weren’t meeting me enough. So, I had to come to you like this.”
Sonode shrugged, his voice full of arrogance.
“I might have mentioned that I don’t want anything to do with the Quentin family. Didn’t the servants relay the message?”
“Oh, if you’re referring to that nonsense, I heard it loud and clear.”
…Nonsense?
I doubted my ears. Which part of that sentence sounded like nonsense? Clearly, there was a significant issue with communication skills.
“If it was a provocation to turn my heart, it was successful. Admit it.”
“…Are you crazy?”
Ah, just like being stoned to death when in Korea.
Despite my clear communication of accepting ‘yes’ as ‘yes’ and ‘no’ as ‘no,’ I faced someone before me who couldn’t grasp even the simplest things. Even the dog next door understood when I said I didn’t like it. Why can’t you understand something even animals can do?
“Sonode, have you been under stress lately? Or having trouble sleeping…”
“Why are you suddenly asking about that? Do I look like a weakling who can’t sleep because of stress?”
“That’s strange… If not, there’s no way your comprehension would be this lacking…”
“What?!”
Sonode snapped. But I was serious. Even in the original work, he was described as a smart villain.
What on earth happened that turned him into a fool overnight? Or was he just naturally stupid? But if he’s going to clash with the male lead, their levels should be somewhat similar, right? Does that mean the male lead, Apollion, is also this lacking?
“Petunia, I really can’t understand you.”
That’s what I wanted to say.
“I’ve done all this. Wasn’t it time for you to accept it?”
“…What have you done?”
“Sending letters, sending people, and eventually coming here in person.”
Oh wow, what an accomplishment.
“But what now? I have no affection left for you. So could you please move aside?”
“You’re really stubborn.”
“Yes, yes. I’m the stubborn one~ Please step aside and let me pass~”
“…Petunia, you’re insane.”
“Before you go more insane, you should hurry to the hospital. So that emergency patients can pass through.”
“Even if you hate me so much, how could you think about marrying Apollion Theabrite because of me…”
“Yes~ I have to go to get married. … what?”
I looked at Sonode with a facial expression I had never made before. There was no mirror, but it must have been a face like I just chewed on a bug.
“W-What did you just say…”
“Are you marrying the Duke to get revenge on me?”
“…?”
“I came to stop you from ruining your life because of me.”
…What is this lunatic saying!
T/N: Hey guys my coffee page is no longer working and I won’t be able to use it. Until I find a solution I’ll keep posting new chapters on Moonligh novels.
