Chapter 2

After changing clothes and loosely tying up my hair in my room, I headed to the dining room. My parents and brother were already seated and waiting there. The long table was lit with several candles, illuminating the red flowers that adorned it.

"I'm home. Did I keep you waiting?"

"No, we just sat down ourselves. Welcome back, Alicia."

My brother, who always seems to be smiling with his thin, thread-like eyes, replied with a cheerful smile. His eyes are the same golden color as mine, but I rarely get to see them.

"Let's eat. It must have been cold, right? Today we have Alicia's favorite—"

"Beef stew, right? Marc told me about it."

"Damn... Should I have been the one to greet you?"

"Really, if you wait outside, your back pain will come back again."

My father, who looked regretful, and my mother, who laughed at him, set the tone for a peaceful dinner.

Today's menu included octopus and tomato marinated salad, baguette with rillettes, and beef stew. For dessert, there was pumpkin pudding. Instead of being served one by one, all the dishes were laid out on the table, and the servants withdrew. This was our usual dinner scene.

"By the way... The Tostman family seems to be spending quite extravagantly."

My brother spoke as I was savoring the beef stew, where the meat melted in my mouth. The aroma of red wine filled my nose. As always, our dinner was delicious.

"They must be counting on Alicia's dowry... Alicia, are you really going to marry into the Tostman family?"

"Of course, I am Felix's fiancée. If nothing changes, I will marry into the Tostman family."

I smiled at my worried father while biting into a baguette loaded with rillettes.

"Perhaps it was a mistake to arrange the engagement. Is there any way to have it annulled?"

"Father, it's not like a commoner can propose such a thing to a noble."

"Then, if the other party causes a scandal, it would be possible, right?"

My brother, smiling but not really, said something ominous. I felt a chill run down my spine and dipped my spoon into the beef stew again.

"Even if we become related to the Tostman family, it won't benefit us. They will benefit from our support. The Bloom Trading Company can manage without the Tostman family's backing."

My brother's words were reasonable.

Having a noble family as a backer is beneficial for running a trading company. However, my mother is from a count's family, and my sister is married into a viscount's family. So, why did we arrange the engagement? The Tostman family has territory on the border with a neighboring country. The Bloom Trading Company, which wanted to deepen trade with the neighboring country, consulted with the Tostman family about opening a branch in their territory. They suggested an engagement between their heir, Felix, and me.

My father intended to refuse, but the Tostman viscount insisted. Felix, who seemed sincere at the time, apparently asked for my hand with a smile... My father agreed, thinking that I would be happy if I married into a family that wanted me.

Of course, I was fully informed before the engagement was finalized. I accepted everything and decided to get engaged, and I don't blame my father. He probably wanted to ensure that I wouldn't struggle financially as a noble's wife.

As I reminisced about the past, I put a piece of octopus, well-soaked in the marinated liquid, into my mouth. The chewy texture and the savory, tangy flavors were delightful. My mouth felt refreshed, and it was delicious. I decided to add some tomatoes to my mouth. The skin had been peeled, making them easy to eat, and they had a sweet and sour taste. Yes, combining them made it even more delicious.

After moistening my mouth with white wine, I turned my eyes to my brother.

"Speaking of Felix, do you know that he has recently become infatuated with a certain baron's daughter? ...Brother, you're not setting this up, are you?"

"No, I'm not. I didn't think he was that stupid."

"Tomorrow, I will meet Felix and ask about the baron's daughter. If the rumors are true... then it would be grounds for annulment, right?"

I asked my father for confirmation, and he nodded vigorously.

"Of course. The conditions for the engagement and marriage are clearly stated."

"I never thought these conditions would be overturned so soon."

My mother laughed, but her eyes did not smile.

When the engagement was arranged, several conditions were set to benefit both parties— one of them being:

"Do not treat Alicia with disrespect and cherish her for life. Treat Alicia, who will be your fiancée and wife, as the only one, respect her, and be honest with her."

If this condition is violated, the engagement will be annulled.

The trading company will not be able to open a branch in the Tostman territory, but the Tostman family will also lose the benefits, so the damage will be mutual.

Annulment might lead to rumors, but it can't be helped.

"I'll be waiting for the annulment procedures to be completed tomorrow."

"Brother, it's not decided yet."

"No, that fool will definitely do something. Maybe we should send one of our young guards with you."

"Everyone is busy, so we can't use people for such things."

I scolded him, but I knew he was serious. He would likely send someone from the trading company to watch over me.

I pretended to sigh but felt a bit... no, quite relieved inside. There was a chance the engagement could be annulled.

I don't want to marry someone who can't be honest with me. Of course, it all depends on Felix tomorrow...

"Alicia, I never thought it would come to this. I'm sorry."

"Father, you have nothing to apologize for. I thought we could get along well at first. If Felix is the one who betrayed that, and there were no signs of it when the engagement was proposed..."

I smiled at my father, who looked apologetic. It's not his fault.

Moreover, I am grateful to my father for including the condition of "being honest with Alicia" in the engagement.

I pulled the dessert plate closer, trying to suppress my complex feelings. The pumpkin pudding was topped with whipped cream and a small chocolate pumpkin. It was a shame to break such a cute creation, but I scooped up the cream, chocolate, and pudding with a spoon and ate it in one big bite.

The perfect sweetness made my face break into a smile. The smooth, delicious pudding was so good that I wanted to have it made again.

Yes, I've enjoyed the delicious food, and I'm sure everything will be fine tomorrow.