Tak! The moment she came to her senses, Kisa fiercely slapped Daniel’s hand away.

“You crazy bastard.”

“Oh my, does the young lady know how to use such vulgar language? Won’t you get scolded by your father?”

Daniel took a step back and whistled.

“You… What do you take me for? Just because I look stupid in your eyes, you think I can’t feel emotions?”

Kisa’s voice trembled with contempt, but her counterpart remained calm.

“Why exaggerate so much? Producing an heir is a noble’s duty. Is it such a bad thing to ask you to do that?”

“How dare you say-”

“Kisa, did I ask you to love me sincerely? Or did I ask you to get along well with Hazel?”

While Kisa was speechless with disbelief, Daniel continued shamelessly.

“Anyway, since both you and I were born as nobles, we have to marry and have children for the sake of our families. If that’s the case, isn’t it better to choose each other, whom we’ve known for a long time?”

“…Is that why you insist on marrying me?”

“Yes, with other women, we’d need time to get to know each other. There’s also a risk of hidden unsavory pasts. But not with you. Besides, I quite like you.”

This was absurd. Is this how one treats someone they claim to like?

“Remember? When we were little, we even made a grave for Mustache Jack here.”

Mustache Jack was the nickname Kisa had given to a stray cat that often begged for food from the servants of the Vanspelt Count’s household. The black fur under its nose looked like a mustache.

“We have many such fond memories, don’t we? Our relationship goes way back. Even if we can’t be a loving couple, don’t you think we could live decently together?”

“…Cut it out. How could it be decent when you look down on me so much?”

“Is it because I called you stupid? I apologized for that last time. If you hadn’t brought up Hazel first this time, I wouldn’t have said such things.”

It was a ridiculous excuse. Even without calling her stupid, Daniel consistently treated Kisa as if she were beneath him.

“The tattletale young lady of the Vanspelt family.”

“What, are you going to run to your father and tattle again?”

His attitude was clearly that of someone teasing someone they considered inferior and naive. Even considering his bad mood from being summoned by Count Vanspelt, this was not a proper treatment for a fiancée.

In fact, he had always been like this. Back then, Kisa, who liked Daniel too much, simply thought it was playful banter because they were childhood friends.

“So, Kisa. Stop your pointless resistance and marry me as promised. If you fulfill your role as a wife well, I won’t meddle unnecessarily in your life.”

“You mean you’ll live as you please.”

“As long as I fulfill my role as a husband, that’s enough, right? As I said before, marrying doesn’t mean I become yours. Don’t think about interfering with my friendships or hobbies.”

“So while I bear and raise your children, you’ll be meeting that woman.”

“I won’t deny it. We swore eternal friendship, after all.”

“You crazy bastard.”

“After you have my child, you can meet other men too if you want. That’s not my concern. How about it? Isn’t it a good proposal?”

Daniel smiled benevolently as if he were offering a very generous arrangement, then turned away.

“I’ll be going now. I need to discuss with Father when to set our wedding date. I’ll ask your father’s opinion too.”

There was no room for Kisa’s opinion in this matter.

“Marriage…”

After Daniel left, Kisa sat down on a chair under the gazebo as if collapsing, muttering blankly.

If the three people, excluding Kisa, reached an agreement, she would have no choice but to marry. The only way she could resist was to run away before the wedding day arrived.

But where could she go? Kisa knew nothing of the world outside the fence her father had built around her.

“Do I really have to get married?”

The late winter wind, carrying a lonely scent, brushed against her skin.

“Marriage, you say?”

In response to Seyad’s question, the woman smiled brightly.

“Yes, marriage. Duke Hillan.”

The youngest daughter of the king and princess of the Kingdom of Sorbi, Arta Debon Sorbi, expressed her intention without hesitation.

“Of course, we can’t talk about this officially since it hasn’t been long since the late Duke passed away, but shouldn’t we discuss it among ourselves in advance?”

“I see.”

“You look somewhat reluctant. Why don’t you like the idea of inheriting your brother’s fiancée?”

It was a question that struck right at the center without beating around the bush. Seyad looked into the teacup in his hand before speaking.

“Princess, do you want to marry me?”

The answer came swiftly.

“Of course. Who would pass up the opportunity to become the mistress of the Hillan duchy?”

“It’s not such a great place when you see it up close.”

“It might not be for you, but it’s more than appealing to me. That’s why your father also made a promise with the Minister of Personnel, to match their daughter and son.”

“Princess, I am not the son who was supposed to be matched with you. Now that my brother is dead, there’s no need to be bound by that old promise anymore.”

“…Are you serious?”

“I am.”

After a brief silence, Arta frowned her perfectly groomed eyebrows and grumbled.

“Suddenly, I think your father should have added one condition back then. For example, if something happened to the engaged parties and they couldn’t maintain their engagement, another sibling should succeed it, something like that.”

When Seyad responded with a faint smile, the princess spoke dejectedly.

“I know. Usually, on such a good day when promising children’s futures, people don’t make such ominous assumptions. But Duke Hillan, marrying me would be beneficial for you too. You know that, right?”

“It would be an unparalleled honor. However, I… am not my dead brother, nor can I replace him.”

“I’m not asking you to replace your brother either.”

Putting down his teacup on the table, Seyad opened his mouth. “Princess,” he said.

“If I may say so, I believe what you need most right now is rest and time.”

His gaze swept over her pale, lifeless cheeks and thin wrists.

“I heard you’ve been having a hard time since losing your fiancé. So, I think discussing marriage with me might be premature-”

Hahaha. Suddenly, a hearty laugh erupted, cutting off Seyad’s words.

“Duke, you don’t really think I’m truly immersed in tragic love, do you?”

The princess laughed loudly as if genuinely amused.

“If so, you have quite an innocent side. It’s obvious that this is just for show, to put on for the outside world. Of course, it hasn’t even been two months since my fiancé, whom I’ve known since childhood, died.”

Her pale pink nails brushed through her side hair.

“Well, if it looked that genuine, I guess my efforts to abstain from food and drink were worth it.”

“…I see. I didn’t know. I had only heard that your relationship with my brother was excellent.”

“He was an exemplary fiancé. As you know, Bisherk Hillan was a very noble and rational person, right? But a man whose thoughts are hard to read is not my type.”

Looking directly at Seyad, Arta continued, “Compared to him,”

“I quite like you. You have the same face as your brother, but this aspect is different. I understand too well why you’re hesitant about my proposal.”

“…”

“You don’t want to inherit even your future spouse from your brother, right? I understand. If my sister died and I had to take over her fiancé, my pride would be hurt too. As if I were just a substitute.”

“I don’t particularly think that way.”

“Liar. In fact, you really hate your brother.”

Even the heavy silence that settled in the reception room couldn’t stop the princess’s unrestrained words.

“It’s okay to be honest, Seyad. You were sent to a monastery just because you were born as the younger of twins. Is there a more outdated superstition than twins bringing misfortune?”

“That was my parents’ decision.”

“Still, it must be hard to like your brother. He had everything you couldn’t have. Until he died in that unfortunate accident.”

For a while after that, the two just stared at each other silently. The one who broke the silence first was, naturally, the noble royal who had the right to do so, Arta Debon Sorbi.

“I think I’ve shown enough of myself now. You understand, right? Your brother and I weren’t as close as you might think.”

So you can take my hand. Her tone seemed to imply as much. Yet when Seyad didn’t show any clear intention, the princess sighed faintly and spoke more directly.

“Duke, don’t you want to surpass your brother? Then marry me, strengthen the ties with the royal family, and achieve what your brother couldn’t.”

“Welcome, Your Grace.”

Seyad nodded lightly at the words of his secretary, Gilliam, and boarded the carriage through the door he opened. Gilliam naturally followed, sitting opposite Seyad in the carriage, and asked.

“How was the audience?”

Seyad, who roughly loosened his cravat and threw it on the seat beside him, answered gruffly.

“It was tough.”

“The Princess is not an easy person, is she?”

“Unlike the countless people I’ve met here, she doesn’t beat around the bush. She has very clear goals and the insight to help her reach them. However…”

Looking out the window of the carriage as it departed from the palace, he muttered.

“Even someone like her has one thing wrong about me.”

“What’s that?”

“That I’m not particularly interested in surpassing Bisherk.”

Moreover, Seyad had no intention of moving according to her wishes.

“I need to find a suitable marriage partner soon.”