… … ?
Cynthia shouted in excitement, but I was embarrassed. Me? Why? Why me?
“In fact, <Terran Ladies> was a monthly magazine that used to advocate for conservative and traditional values.”
Eventually, Cynthia put down the letter and started talking seriously.
“Starting with Her Highness the Princess, there are countless great women in Terran. Female knights, teachers, and accountants. And although women have been making a mark in the commercial sector….”
“Hmm?”
“Most of those working are commoners. Unless you have a very special talent, like my aunt or Lady Crisiona, noble families do not encourage their daughters to work.”
Indeed, Cynthia’s family was like that too.
What I really dislike is the hypocrisy prevalent among the Terran noble families. On the surface, they claim gender equality. So at first, I believed that to some extent. However, as time passed and I met many nobles, it became clear that this was not the case. In fact, there were even some who said that it was better to be a woman who only needed to enjoy and decorate herself.
“But the content of <Terran Ladies> has changed since a couple of months ago. Suddenly, they started featuring women who had accomplished great things. They got rid of the ‘fictional love affairs’ section!”
Well, it would have been difficult to use Lacius anymore. Idols are dreamed of as stars belonging only to their fans, but suddenly they announced they have a lover? Then they quickly get engaged, and soon they will be married. Public opinion would have turned cold, and the editor-in-chief must have come up with a new plan.
‘Well, that’s a good idea for a story.’
Knock knock. As I was tapping lightly on the letter, I nodded cheerfully.
It meant I would meet them.
“So, when is the interview scheduled?”
“Today.”
“… … pardon?”
“They want to interview you right now!”
What should I do? Actually, I was planning to meet Ziontin tomorrow, so today would be a good day. Although it was completely unintentional, I was now a hot topic. They must want to interview me before the interest fades. Count Sofeil was clearly a person with a great sense of trends.
‘My refusal to accept the guildmaster’s position was never going to work.’
I wasn’t about to let that outrageous declaration go unchallenged. My sweet vacation with Lacius was about to be interrupted, so I did everything in my power to make my intentions known to princess-unnie.
Only to have it all ignored. She was trying to get me to work for the imperial palace at all costs, which in fact was a very good and considerate way for me, being the head of the painting wizard guild.
“Ha.”
I sighed and fiddled with the end of the letter. However, I didn’t dwell on it for long. What was done was done.
“Good. Please reply and tell them to come right away.”
I’m also curious about the person who adapted so quickly to the trends.
* * *
Count Sofeil was an elderly woman with ash-colored hair and ash-colored eyes. This was a bit of a surprise to me, as I vaguely pictured her as a carefree person who loved romance. The questions were simple, quick, and to the point. It was also strange that she was not wearing a fake smile, as is common among the nobility.
As I watched the setting sun softly color the sky outside, I thought about something else for a moment. The interview was nothing more than I expected, so I felt relaxed. Naturally, Lacius’s face began to emerge in my mind.
‘Ah, it’s been so long since I’ve seen Lacius.’
Even if we shared the same bed, if we didn’t spend much time talking to each other, it was as if we hadn’t seen each other at all. In particular, Lacius and I like to cuddle and talk before going to sleep, but we’ve been busy these days, so we haven’t been able to do that. We both passed out once we laid down.
“You’re about to get married, first of all, congratulations.”
I almost missed what the countess was saying, lost in the nostalgic thoughts of Lacius’s face. I managed to answer without missing the timing.
“Yes, thank you.”
“But I have a question. Does Her Highness, the future Archduchess, also have a conservative stance that it is better for noble ladies to get married?”
The way she looks at me is quite scary. Suddenly, a chill runs down my spine as I realize that this is the crux of today’s interview. The conclusion of this interview will vary depending on how I answer.
‘No, isn’t this the real question she wanted to ask, with all the preceding questions being just a prelude?’
I didn’t know much about Count Sofeil. I’m not close to her, and she’s not the kind of person I’d want to get close with.
But during the interview, I had to admit one thing. The countess has a keen sense of financial acumen. She was a person who would put anything that made money in a magazine and sell it as the new fad. I took a deep breath and opened my mouth, my tone more confident than ever.
“I can’t say that marriage itself is good or bad because each person has their own circumstances.”
“I see.”
“But I do think it’s best to marry someone you love, and especially in this day and age, it’s best to avoid arranged marriages.”
A life of marrying someone you don’t even know for the sake of your family is fine if you take pride in it, but if you hate it and it’s forced upon you, you should resist. Like the brave Raziana.
“I’m getting married because I love him, but I have no intention of giving up my life because of marriage. If necessary, I will postpone my marriage.”
I stared into the countess’s eyes, which were looking at me calmly.
If she had been married, she would have a daughter my age. But Cynthia said that Count Sofeil was also unmarried. She hadn’t married any men because she wanted to keep the family name for herself. If she got married, her title would immediately go to her husband, and she didn’t like that, so she resisted.
“I am who I am. If you don’t forget who you are, you can enjoy double the joy of marriage.”
The countess was silent. She just listened. I expressed my thoughts out loud little by little.
“Even if marriage means losing myself, if it’s something I deem important, it’s fine.”
“… … .”
“However, if that’s not the case, then it shouldn’t be done.”
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