81. Engagement Story

“Rose, you look especially pretty today?”

Rose, who usually smiles brightly whenever she sees me, looked particularly unhappy today. Yet it was just like her to still guard the seat next to me.

“I came all this way to see Rose. Since I’ve come so far, let me at least see your face. If you hate it, just refuse, okay?”

Today was the day Rose Temeri’s ‘prospective’ fiancé was visiting Castle Inkheart.

Darius and I decided to attend together because we were worried about Rose.

“Pleased to meet you.”

‘Oh.’

“I am Alexander, heir to the Eastern Count Rusiloff family.”

“Welcome. Was the journey from far away difficult?”

I felt Rose tightly grabbing the hem of my skirt, clearly nervous.

The heir to the Eastern Count family, who was the subject of many rumors, was taller than others his age, and perhaps because of his height, his body appeared somewhat thin. His expression showed signs of tension, just like Rose.

“I’m grateful for the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess’s hospitality.”

‘He doesn’t say much but seems sincere. First impression is good so far.’

“Come on, Rose. You should greet him too.”

“……I’m Rose Temeri.”

‘Oh my, how cute. Look at her avoiding eye contact completely.’

Rose was biting her lip tightly and turning her head sideways as if annoyed, but I knew better. That was the expression she made when she didn’t want to admit she was interested in something new.

“Rose, really. How can you greet someone while hiding behind someone else? Come forward and greet him properly. This gentleman came all this way to see you.”

I couldn’t help but smirk as I could sense Rose’s little head busily processing the new boy’s voice, impression, and appearance.

“I apologize. There are no daughters in Grand Duke Inkheart’s family, so we raised her like a little sister. Please understand if her behavior doesn’t follow proper etiquette.”

At Darius’s words, Alexander nodded without any change in expression, saying, “I see.”

‘No, you should say that’s not the case here. You should compliment her even if you have to force it!’

Though he was here for a marriage meeting, Alexander was still just a fifteen-year-old boy lacking social grace. Not knowing what to say actually made him seem more like a boy his age.

If that was the case, Darius and I would have to help melt the awkward atmosphere between the two.

“I thought you might be tired from your long journey, so I prepared some tea. Let’s have a conversation while we drink.”

Following my suggestion, we moved to another location. Darius didn’t miss that brief moment and lightly kissed the top of my head.

“This reminds me of the day I first met Anette.”

“Oh my, Grand Duke, please.”

A natural display of affection, and me pushing him away shyly. It was all prearranged.

〈We’re showing the image of a good couple in front of Rose.〉

〈Then Rose might think positively about the engagement too.〉

“Ahem, ahem. You two are getting along well today too. Of course that’s to be expected!”

Sure enough, Rose reacted just as we had anticipated.

Good, the response has been positive so far.

‘She wasn’t a child who was negative about marriage from the beginning anyway.’

〈The Temeri family is an important vassal family to Inkheart. That’s why I want to elevate them to a count family, but they need to meet the basic qualifications for that.〉

Darius emphasized that this engagement absolutely had to happen.

If Rose gets engaged, the Temeri family will meet the conditions to become a count family, and if the Temeri family becomes a count family, the Grand Duke’s family also becomes stronger. And the northern unity that comes with it!

As it turned out, Rose’s engagement was such an important matter.

“Before I had a wife, I didn’t know, but living together made me realize how important it is to have a lifelong companion.”

“I understand that too after living together. I can’t even imagine a day without the Grand Duke now.”

Darius sat next to young Alexander, and I sat beside the shy Rose. Sitting across from each other at the table, we held hands tightly as if we couldn’t bear to be apart for even a moment.

“I also went all the way to the South to welcome Anette. And the moment I first saw her, I knew. That I had gained the most valuable treasure in my life.”

“Hohoho, that’s right…… The tingling sensation…… I felt when I first saw the Grand Duke…… still makes my whole body tremble.”

“I tremble every day, Anette.”

The day we first met, Darius wore a mask and even disguised his voice, making it clear he didn’t want to see me.

He refused my invitation for tea, and the first time we had a proper conversation after our official dinner was…

‘When I was generously pulling the hair of my annoying half-sister.’

If he fell for me then, he truly is a combative northern man. I’m at a loss for words.

“Marriage was already decided, and I was only nervous about what kind of lady would end up living with me.”

‘His lies are getting longer.’

“No matter how mild the South is, flowers don’t bloom in the dead of winter. Yet the journey bringing Anette here felt like secretly bringing the only flower that bloomed in the South.”

“I did bring flowers.”

Though I still haven’t managed to grow cotton flowers as promised.

“With Anette, I don’t need any garden.”

“I suppose the Grand Duke likes that I hired a new gardener and overhauled the garden. Is that why you’re complimenting me like this?”

After rehiring the gardener whom Lady Ygret had fired to save on castle expenses, I created a cotton field in one corner of the garden with the gardener’s help.

Unlike the garden that had regained its lush appearance under the gardener’s care, my cotton field was still showing off its bare red soil despite all the fertilizer I had poured on it.

Feeling preemptively guilty about that, I was grumbling that I already knew, when Darius lifted my hand and lightly kissed it.

“Finding a good companion enriches life. The world before knowing that person becomes boring, and you start looking forward to what kind of future you’ll create with this person.”

Feeling uneasy as Darius’s words and actions became increasingly exaggerated, I was about to stop him.

“Grand Duke.”

But Darius paid no attention and continued his act with a bright smile.

“You proposed to me first, didn’t you?”

〈After I’m married, I’ll be your person.〉

〈Do you think I have any reason to be loyal to this family?〉

That declaration about making sure my family would definitely be ruined after I got married?

“It truly was a brave proposal.”

Looking back, it seems more like a declaration of revenge than a proposal.

“I think that’s when I really fell for you.”

Where exactly?

“You remember too, don’t you? Anette.”

Kyaa! Rose let out a small exclamation. Contrary to the increasingly strange atmosphere, Rose spoke to me with sparkling eyes.

“I want to receive a proposal like that too.”

“You haven’t even heard the proposal yet. And I wasn’t the one who received it, I was the one who did it.”

“Whatever it was, I’m sure it was super romantic and cool! If it was Madam Anette, it definitely was!”

At Rose’s reaction, Darius grinned and immediately continued.

“She said she would make sure I wouldn’t regret marrying her.”

〈With this moment alone, I don’t regret becoming the Grand Duchess.〉

〈You will not regret marrying me either, Grand Duke.〉

“I was overwhelmed.”

Darius smiled softly. That smile was so bright and radiant that it was impossible to believe it was just made up.

My face felt like it was burning up.

“You remember the strangest things.”

“I could never forget. Because Anette kept that promise.”

After answering like that, Darius turned his head and spoke to the young couple facing engagement.

“I’ve never regretted marrying her for a single moment. And I have no intention of letting go of the woman who promised to take responsibility for making me her husband.”

The tense Alexander turned his head and was now staring intently at me.

His face showed doubt and expectation, wondering, ‘Can an arranged marriage really lead to such a couple?’

‘It went… according to plan.’

To tell the truth, our first meeting wasn’t like Romeo and Juliet falling into burning love, but closer to thriller and suspense.

If I were to say that marriage contracts have no dreams or hopes and only strangle you with strict conditions, not only Rose but this boy would run away immediately.

So we need to show a good image in front of these two people who are about to be bound in an engagement, to help them relax.

That was the plan we had agreed on beforehand.

But why did I keep feeling like I wanted to stop him?

I kept drinking tea anxiously.

“Anette, drinking too much tea isn’t good either. Have some refreshments too.”

“Ah, so a good husband should also watch what his wife eats.”

“You learn quickly, so I think you’ll make a good fiancé and husband. I can entrust Rose to you with peace of mind.”

Rose pouted at Darius’s boasting response to Alexander’s admiration.

I’m pouting too.

* * *

I stood up from my seat, making the excuse that I would show Alexander around the castle.

Of course, my real purpose was to gauge this serious young man’s feelings.

“We said all sorts of things in front of someone we just met, didn’t we?”

Alexander answered my question as we walked slowly.

“Not at all.”

“So, what do you think of our Rose?”

The boy remained silent. His face showed he was deep in thought. I asked in a voice that tried to sound casual.

“Was my question too early? I suppose you can’t really know a person in just one day.”

“She seemed lively. I heard she was the daughter of a renowned knight family, and she was indeed spirited.”

The assessment wasn’t bad. I secretly rejoiced.

“She seems to have a lot of romantic notions about love, so I was worried whether I would meet her standards.”

“My, you were worried about that?”

The boy is silent, and Rose is prim. If just one person isn’t honest, human relationships are difficult, but if both are like this, it might be hard for them to get to know each other.

“I think it will work out well. If the two of you spend more time together. The Grand Duke and I really didn’t get along at first either.”

Encouraging the boy with a chuckle, I parted ways with him.

Having gauged Alexander’s feelings, it was now time to ask about Rose’s side. Although I was annoyed at Darius for showing off earlier, I quickly returned to him to exchange opinions.

“What did Alexander say?”

“He seems to have a decent liking for her. For a first meeting. What about Rose?”

Darius shrugged.

“Is there anyone in Castle Inkheart who can’t read Rose’s expressions?”

So she doesn’t hate him either, that prim little lady.

Seeing signs that our first matchmaking attempt wouldn’t be bad, I felt relieved. Then another thought occurred to me.

“Earlier.”

I wiggled my fingers and glared at Darius.

“You didn’t need to go that far with what you said.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know, saying you fell for me at first sight, that your heart was racing.”

“I only spoke the truth.”

“And you said taking me felt like bringing a flower from the South…… Ugh, just trying to repeat it gives me goosebumps!”

“It’s true that you proposed to me first, and that you promised to make sure I wouldn’t regret it when you proposed…… When did I ever lie?”

Darius hurriedly walked ahead. Adding one more comment as if he knew I would chase after him to hit him.

“Don’t forget, Anette. We have many eyes on us now, so we need to act like the most affectionate couple in the world.”

“Oh, really! You’d better prepare to get kicked out when everyone leaves!”

Come to think of it, the army gathered for the demonic beast subjugation was about to head to the northern mountains soon. Although I was worried about the arduous journey…

Maybe it was because Rose’s engagement problem showed signs of working out?

Somehow, it felt like everything was going to turn out well.