“I would like to proceed with the marriage to Lady Riley.”

Everyone doubted their ears at this shocking statement.

Claire was stunned in disbelief, the baroness who had brought Claire turned pale, and Ryan froze like a statue. Even Riley, the person in question, raised her head in surprise.

As soon as she lifted her head, their eyes met. Calm eyes with unreadable thoughts connected. It was a composed gaze devoid of even a hint of affection, hardly befitting someone proposing marriage.

That made it even more incomprehensible. Why on earth did he come all the way here to mention “marriage”?

‘Could it be because we spent the night together yesterday?’

As everyone was lost in their own complex thoughts, Ryan uncharacteristically stammered.

“W-why on earth…?”

Ryan’s question was filled with bewilderment. He genuinely seemed unable to understand.

The young tower master with a bright future ahead!

Why on earth would he, who had been embroiled in scandals with countless high-class daughters, including the imperial princess…?

“Does marriage need a reason?”

Well, doesn’t it need a reason? Marriage isn’t child’s play.

“I just want to.”

Ryan barely managed to control his facial muscles from contorting at the simple and straightforward answer.

“Um, I apologize, but Riley already has a fiancé…”

“I’m well aware that she’s engaged to Count Ermeints.”

“Then why…”

“It doesn’t seem like a marriage she wants, from what I can see. Besides, I hear there’s talk of breaking off the engagement.”

“N-no! How could that…”

“What are your thoughts on this?”

Givnen passed the right to speak to Riley.

Riley set aside her desire to understand his intentions for a moment and fell into contemplation.

Givnen Lianster and Count Ermeints. If she had to marry one of the two, this was actually not an issue that required contemplation. No, even contemplating it would be disrespectful to the man before her.

If marriage was like a fated destiny with a predetermined person… If no matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t escape the confines of Ryan Eadalin…

“I don’t want to marry Count Ermeints. It’s just an engagement my uncle unilaterally arranged.”

“Riley!”

“She says so herself. What do you think?”

“B-but it’s already been decided… Besides, even if I wanted to call off the engagement, how could someone like me dare to…”

“Then I have a proposal.”

“…?”

“If you give Lady Riley to me, I’ll offer twice the dowry Count Ermeints proposed, and additionally provide residences for the entire family to live in my territory.”

Ryan’s eyes widened at the shocking proposal.

“Are you saying… you’ll accept our family as residents of the Lianster duchy?”

“I can also promise Horizon’s support for future business ventures.”

Ryan quickly did some mental calculations.

Becoming in-laws with the Lianster family meant that the honor he so desperately craved would come rolling in on its own.

Moreover, offering residences in the duchy meant accepting them as residents of the duke’s territory, which also meant gaining the qualifications to reside in the capital.

Plus twice the dowry Count Ermeints offered! And ongoing support on top of that?

“Don’t worry about retaliation from Count Ermeints. You’ll be safely protected within the Lianster family’s boundaries.”

Ryan swallowed hard, seemingly tempted. Then he looked at him with suspicious eyes and asked.

“But why do you want to marry my daughter so badly… Besides, we’re not in a position to repay what we receive.”

“Does a man and woman need some grand reason to get married? It’s because I like her, that’s all.”

“W-well, that may be, but your proposal seems too generous…”

“So you don’t like it?”

“Ahem, it’s not that I don’t like it… Shouldn’t we hear the opinion of the person involved first?”

Riley barely held back a laugh at Ryan’s words.

He wants to hear her opinion? It was absurd. Hadn’t he always silenced and crushed her opinions until now?

“Lady Riley.”

“…Yes, Duke Lianster.”

“Will you marry me?”

Riley slowly looked around.

She could feel everyone’s eyes on her. The various expressions of people waiting for her answer. It was fascinating.

Claire and the baroness, trying hard to compose their distorted faces while looking anxious, Ryan wearing an awkward expression and pretending to be nonchalant, and even the servants watching with eyes full of curiosity as if enjoying a spectacle.

As she observed the various emotions blooming on the faces of those who had always looked down on her with contemptuous gazes, she realized how unbelievable this situation was.

Riley met Givnen’s eyes and nodded.

“Of course, I accept Duke Lianster’s proposal.”

“It’s an honor, my lady.”

Givnen gently kissed the back of Riley’s hand.

Claire trembled with clenched fists, while the baroness put an arm around her daughter to calm her. The servants also seemed to be trying to make sense of this absurd situation, exchanging glances with each other.

“Hmm, very well. Since Riley agrees… Shall we discuss this matter further?”

“Certainly.”

“Everyone out, including you, Riley.”

Everyone hurriedly left the hotel room.

As soon as Riley closed the door behind her, she was blocked by something. It was Claire, who had been waiting for Riley to come out.

“You, come with me for a moment.”

“No.”

“Are you crazy? There’s no point in making a scene here, so just come with me.”

“I have no intention of making a scene here. You’re the one who wants to make a scene. So I have nothing to lose. And why should I follow you? It’s obvious I have nothing to gain by following you, so why bother?”

“…Were you always this articulate? Is the image I’ve seen of you all this time not your true self? You sly fox.”

“I’m tired, so I’m going up.”

“Wait, I said!”

As Riley ignored her and walked past, Claire followed, spewing words.

“You’re quite something. You cunning wench. Where did you learn such wicked tricks?”

“…”

“The woman the tower master took away yesterday was you, wasn’t it? I saw everything. Did you think I wouldn’t know? So, did you sleep with him? Someone like you? Well, what did you do? What on earth did you do to make the tower master come here himself and cause a commotion saying he wants to marry you?”

“Commotion? The only one causing a commotion here is you.”

“Hey!”

Claire followed Riley all the way to the door of her room. She even blocked Riley from entering when she tried to ignore her and go in.

Glaring at Riley while panting heavily, Claire was so transparent. Riley stared at her for a moment before sighing.

“Why did I… struggle so hard?”

“What?”

How pathetic these people are. What was I so afraid of, what was I so desperate for that I longed so earnestly to become a real family with Claire, uncle, and aunt…

“Ha! Hey, why are you looking at me like I’m so pathetic?”

“I have nothing to say to you, so go back.”

“Go right now and say you won’t marry him.”

“Why should I?”

“How can you say that? Know your place. Do you think you’re worthy of being the mistress of the Lianster family? You, with no culture or dignity? Besides, you’re an adopted daughter, aren’t you? Do you think the elders of the Lianster family will approve of you? You’ll be lucky if you don’t get kicked out.”

“Even if I get kicked out, I’ll deal with that when the time comes.”

“Hey!”

“Stop making unreasonable demands. Did you think I would always meekly follow your words? Please stop making ridiculous requests as if it’s natural. It’s annoying.”

Riley pushed Claire aside, went inside, and locked the door.

“You detestable thing! That’s right! That’s your true self! All this time you’ve been pretending to be nice in front of me, it was all a lie! You hypocrite!”

Claire’s shouting voice could be heard from outside, but only for a moment. When there was no response, Claire returned to her own room.

Riley, who had been leaning against the door, sat down weakly while rubbing her forehead.

“What on earth is going on…”

Although she had played along, she wasn’t sure if this was right, if this was the right thing to do, or how things were unfolding.

“But… isn’t this actually a good thing? I don’t know what the Duke wants or what he’ll demand, but still… it’s better than marrying Count Ermeints.”

There’s no disagreement that it’s a much better choice.

With the tension released, Riley relaxed her body and closed her eyes. Then she thought,

When she opened her eyes, she hoped that this whole situation wasn’t just a dream.

***

The discussion about the marriage proceeded smoothly.

Sack, who was guarding Givnen’s side, was on edge trying to suppress the endless questions that kept arising. Even to an unrelated outsider, this deal was clearly a loss for Givnen.

Moreover, he hadn’t consulted with the family elders about this marriage. He wondered if such a decision, made arbitrarily while his father was still very much alive, could really proceed smoothly.

Besides… it was laughable that the baron’s side was dragging out a marriage that had no downsides for them.

‘Unlike the soon-to-die Count Ermeints… this guy is too young and green.’

Ryan was lost in thought.

Count Ermeints and Givnen Lianster. If one were to simply compare the conditions, the latter was flawlessly perfect, but that very perfection… the fact that he was so young and green was concerning.

Count Ermeints didn’t have long to live anyway. Moreover, his reason for wanting to marry Riley was simple and straightforward – to satisfy his sexual desires. But Givnen Lianster?

In a situation where the intentions behind this marriage were unpredictable, he couldn’t help but be more wary.

Furthermore, to Count Ermeints, Riley was just a consumable to be discarded, but to this man?

What if they truly understood each other’s hearts? If that were the case, Riley wouldn’t be a consumable to this man, but… a lifelong companion.

If that happened, Riley would gain enormous power. And it was all too obvious where Riley would point that sword once she got her hands on it.

‘This is too dangerous a gamble.’

“No matter how I think about it, Riley lacks the qualities to be the mistress of the Lianster family.”

“So, are you going to oppose my proposal, which the person involved has already accepted?”

“It’s not that… I just hope you would reconsider carefully. Marriage isn’t something you can just do or not do on a whim, is it?”

“I have carefully considered and decided on this matter. Why do you think I invited your family to the reception?”

Seeing Givnen’s firm resolve, Ryan broke out in a cold sweat, looking perplexed.

Givnen looked at him with an incomprehensible expression and asked.

“The Lianster family’s status is far superior to the Ermeints family, and I should be better than an old man on his deathbed. Are you saying you’d welcome marrying your daughter off to an old man with open arms, but you don’t like sending her to me?”

“That’s not what I mean!”

Givnen spoke, openly showing his displeasure.

“Or is it because she’s an adopted daughter?”

“…”

“If not that, then are you afraid of what she might do the moment she escapes your control, having been treated like an outcast?”

Ryan turned pale. Regardless, Givnen continued speaking without any change in expression.

“You’re not in a position to be picky about marriage partners in the first place.”

Givnen threw a newspaper in front of Ryan. It was today’s fresh newspaper with a three-dimensional photo of him entering the hotel with Riley.

“It seems that old man didn’t tell you it was me who eloped with Lady Riley, you scoundrel.”

Ryan anxiously unfolded the newspaper. He saw the image of a man and woman entering the hotel.

The man was the one standing before him. And… although only her back was visible, he could clearly tell it was Riley.

‘So that’s why he suddenly flew into a rage and decided to break off the engagement…’

He had thought Count Ermeints decided to break off the engagement because Riley had been rude to him and run away.

Furious, he had come and announced the cancellation of the engagement without any explanation of the circumstances, then left after kicking things around. Although he hadn’t explained the reason, it was generally assumed that Riley, who was not present, was the problem.

How could he have known that Riley had eloped with a man, that the man was the tower master of Horizon, and that their scandal had prominently decorated the front page of the gossip papers?

‘Then… did he decide to marry her after spending just one night together?’

“Lady Riley’s identity will be revealed anyway.”

“…”

“I wonder if Count Ermeints would accept her after she’s spent the night with me.”

Ryan massaged his throbbing forehead.

‘This is a disaster.’

“Please give me one day. I need to discuss this with my daughter… with the family.”

“Very well.”

Givnen stood up with a pleased smile.

“Then give me your answer tomorrow. I hope for a good result.”

***

“You go back first, Sack. I have someone to meet.”

At Givnen’s words, Sack hesitated before carefully asking.

“Is this really alright?”

“What?”

“…The marriage, I mean. Won’t you regret deciding and proceeding so hastily without careful consideration? Besides, if you proceed so unilaterally without consulting the elders… they might become very angry.”

“Well, I think my father will welcome it with open arms.”

“…Pardon?”

“If you think about who’s losing out in this deal, it’s certainly not me.”

“It seems to anyone that you’re the one losing out in this marriage, Master.”

“If it appears that way, then all the better.”

“Are you going to see Lady Riley?”

“That’s right. She’s my future wife, so shouldn’t we have an in-depth conversation before the marriage?”

He waved his hand while even humming a tune. It was a clear sign for Sack to disappear from sight as he was being a nuisance.

‘I don’t understand why he’s humming so happily when he used to cringe at just the sight of marriage proposals… She seems to be from an ordinary family and just an ordinary woman. Ugh, this is strange. He’s not in his right mind. I should earn money quickly and quit this job.’

Putting up with that unpredictable whim can only last for so long. Who could understand that deranged mind? It’s easier to give up on understanding.

Sack turned away with heavy sighs, trying and trying again not to understand that man who defied common sense from a common-sense perspective.

***

Knock, knock-

Riley, who had dozed off, rose at the sound of the rather polite knocking. Whether she was too tired or drowsiness had overcome her as the tension eased, she seemed to have fallen asleep while sitting against the door.

At this late hour, thinking the unexpected visitor might be her uncle, aunt, or Claire, Riley hesitated for a moment before opening the door.

As the door opened, Riley froze in place, eyes wide open at the unexpected figure.

“Hello.”

As Givnen casually greeted her, Riley was so surprised that she couldn’t think to open the door further and just stood there blankly. He reached out and gently grasped the door.

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

In a completely contrasting atmosphere to what she had seen earlier, making her wonder if this was really the same person, he slowly opened the door and abruptly entered. Then, smiling at Riley, he said,

“Let me in, sister.”