Chapter 3

When Gilbert finished his meeting with the king and returned to his mansion, the butler, Ort, greeted him.

"Welcome back, Master Gilbert."

"Ort, any news on the man's whereabouts?"

"I've instructed the guards to inform us immediately if they catch him, but not yet."

"I see."

Gilbert removed his cravat and handed it to Ort, then unbuttoned his shirt and sat down on the sofa.

"Master Gilbert, regarding the person who interfered, it wasn't a girl. She is twenty-four years old and the only daughter of a baron's family."

"Twenty-four? You must be joking. She was so small?"

Gilbert placed his palm at the height of his chest as he sat.

"Master Gilbert, at that height, she would be five or six years old."

"Her face didn't look like that of a twenty-four-year-old either."

"She must have a childlike face. She is definitely twenty-four years old. Her name is Abigail Hays, the only daughter of a baron's family."

"Twenty-four... I see."

"Regarding this Abigail, according to the neighbors, she hardly ever leaves the house. She doesn't attend any noble gatherings. I think it would be sufficient to give her a consolation payment. Honestly, I don't think it's even necessary."

Gilbert was deep in thought.

He was thoroughly frustrated with the king, who kept proposing marriage to him. The king was persistent because the queen, Patricia, was originally supposed to marry Gilbert.

"It's been three years. Moreover, Patricia and I had a relationship based on mutual convenience. Yet, His Majesty still feels guilty about Patricia."

"Did he propose marriage to you again?"

"Yes. I no longer care, but no matter how many times I tell him, he doesn't believe me."

"Perhaps he feels guilty towards you because you have a happy marriage, while he is single?"

"Maybe. It's a nuisance."

The reason Gilbert thought about marrying Patricia was his stepfather.

After Gilbert achieved great success in the war and was granted the title of earl, along with land and gold coins, his stepfather repeatedly pressured him to leave a formal will so that his sister could inherit all the assets if anything happened to him.

Since Gilbert's family consisted of only three people from his real home, he would normally inherit everything without a will.

However, his father seemed worried that Gilbert might donate his assets or leave them to someone outside the family.

Tired of his stepfather's greed, Gilbert considered marriage as a way to keep his assets out of his stepfather's hands. The person didn't matter, but he chose Patricia, who had been persistently pursuing him at the time.

Patricia was overjoyed when Gilbert proposed to her.

However, just as they were about to finalize their engagement, Patricia's name was proposed as a candidate for queen.

Considering the various power dynamics in the noble society after the civil war, the king chose Patricia.

Since then, the king has continued to misunderstand that Gilbert remains single because he can't forget Patricia.

But he can't tell the king, who loves Patricia, that he didn't particularly care who his marriage partner was and wasn't in love with her.

Gilbert moved to the dining room, drank some wine, and ate his meal.

In this country, twenty-four is an age when a woman might be considered a late bloomer. Given her reclusive lifestyle and the large scar on her face, it would be difficult for the girl to find a husband.

He recalled the girl with her forehead wrapped in bandages.

(If no one else will have her, perhaps she could become my nominal wife?)

Recently, his stepfather had again pressured him to write a will. "If you care about your sister, leave all your assets to her in your will."

"Hmph. So you want my will that badly?"

※...※...※

A few days later, a messenger visited the Hays baron's house and delivered a letter to Abigail's father. Her parents, who received it respectfully, were speechless with shock after reading it.

The high-quality letter contained a beautifully written note:

"I would like to propose marriage to Miss Abigail and visit your residence at ten o'clock tomorrow morning.

I look forward to a favorable response. Gilbert Egan, Earl of Egan."

"Abbie! Abbie! Something's happened!"

"What is it? Why are you shouting so loudly?"

"Read this."

After reading the letter, Abigail was bewildered. "What is he thinking?" Of course, she wanted to refuse, but it was difficult to do so directly. The other party was an earl, and she was a baron's daughter.

However, Abigail had no intention of getting married.

"I'll do my best to refuse him politely. Earl Egan may feel responsible for the scar on my face, but I have already decided not to marry, so I must decline his offer."

"Abbie, this is a great opportunity. Are you really going to refuse, Abbie?"

"Yes, Father. If you insist on forcing me to marry, I have my own resolve."

Her parents sighed upon hearing this.

Abigail's resolve was to leave home and spend her life in a convent, dedicated to faith.

This had been a topic of heated arguments a few years ago but had eventually been dropped.

Abigail's marriage had always been a headache for the family.

Until she was seventeen or eighteen, her father had been angry, demanding, "Why do you insist on not getting married?" Her mother had cried, asking, "Why are you so stubborn?"

But recently, they had finally started to accept that Abigail wouldn't marry.

Then came this letter.

(I must take control of the conversation and refuse him skillfully), Abigail thought that night, continuing to think of reasons to refuse the marriage.

She had a compelling reason to do so.