Chapter 34

"Wait! Please wait a moment!"

I plead desperately.

"It's just a misunderstanding! I believe that you, my lord, would never do such a disloyal thing in just two months!"

"Do you believe that, yet still think this way?"

"W-well, that's, um—just a little joke—right?"

I laugh awkwardly, and my lord lets out a heavy sigh.

"Hey, the one who should be sighing is me!"

"Really, that's not funny at all. In fact, it's giving me goosebumps."

"Huh?"

"Really?"

"But your face is seriously twisted. Even I can tell you really don't like it."

"But Michelle is very beautiful. It's not like it's something you should dislike so much."

"Or maybe it's just not your type? Well, people's tastes vary, but for Michelle to give you goosebumps, that's just not normal."

"Did something happen between you and Miss Michelle?"

In the past that I don't know about.

"Who knows."

It seems he has no intention of telling me. He gives me a short answer and helps me stand up.

I don't quite understand, but it seems he's distracted.

He then lightly embraces me and releases me just as easily.

Hmm, that's not like my lord at all.

Usually, this would lead to something suspicious, and he would at least give me a light kiss on the face.

Of course, only on the lips that one day.

But I'm not asking for that. I'm actually glad to be released so easily.

"By the way, Reisha, how much do you know about the princess?"

Oh, you're giving me some background information? How kind of you.

He places me in his desk chair and puts his hands on the desk, enclosing me.

But this is too close, I want a bit of distance.

"She's beautiful and has a fierce personality, and she was after the position of my lord's wife. After all, our family doesn't have the qualifications to attend the kind of evening parties the princess participates in. The only chance to meet her would be at a royal ball, but I get overwhelmed by the crowd there."

At the time, I was weak and avoided crowds.

Social events had little to do with managing our territory, so I wasn't very interested and mostly tuned them out.

"Mostly correct. Both the Emperor and Empress dote on her, and her educators have been lenient. The only one who scolds her is her eldest brother, but he's currently abroad, so she does as she pleases. While not everything she does is condoned, he only scolds her a little."

"If the Emperor and Empress condoned everything, the princess would probably already be out of this country."

"You understand well."

My lord's slight smile reveals his seriousness.

Actually, it was just a little joke.

"I have no hesitation in condemning those who cause chaos in the country. It's also the duty of the Lindveldt Dukedom."

I don't know the details, but the Lindveldt Dukedom is loyal to the country.

Not to the Emperor, but to the country itself.

It's an absolute and sacred vow.

I don't understand why I can believe it.

That's why the Lindveldt Dukedom is special among the nobility.

Before our marriage, we were related by marriage, and every few generations, we exchange blood to maintain a close relationship. But from the way my lord speaks, it seems there's more to it.

"Originally, bringing her into the Lindveldt Dukedom was a stretch. My grandmother was a princess, and our blood is too close. You know the dangers of blood being too close, right?"

"Yes, of course."

I see. It wasn't just about her personality. I thought it was the main reason, but it was also about the blood being too close.

While not too close, the princess's hair color might have been a concern.

Her hair is a deep red—though not quite that deep, it's red.

The royal family and the Lindveldt Dukedom have married every few generations, but this is the first time a child with hair so close to the Lindveldt Dukedom's color has been born in the royal family.

There's a possibility of a throwback.

If that's the case, it means the blood is very close.

"When I explained this, the Emperor understood. However, the Empress and the princess were not convinced. They said that the possibility of a throwback wasn't a valid reason to refuse."

She's the best match for the princess's husband.

I can understand why they don't want to let her go.

My lord is eight years older than the princess, so if he had married before her debut in society, the princess wouldn't be in this predicament.

In that case, I would probably still be with the Verdigo family.

"Did you face any interference?"

"I've been approached before, even when she was just a child. While I am older, it's not to the point where it's a problem. If you think about it, the age difference between us is greater."

Ten years.

In a noble strategic marriage, it's still a manageable age difference.

"So, there was some restraint, but not to the point where it was a problem."

Ah, so you really weren't interested in the marriage.

I understand that you had other things on your mind.

Besides, you're handling the work now, and a regular noble lady wouldn't be able to manage it. Without the necessary skills, there are many things she wouldn't understand. It's not just about managing the household.

Usually, there would be a lady of the house to teach you gradually, but since my lord couldn't do that, he was looking for a woman who could step in immediately.

And that happened to be me.

I've been thinking for a while that if you were having trouble, you could have told me. I'm not a demon.

I would have helped a bit.

Well, if I had known the current situation, I might have thought about it a bit more.

I'm not saying I wanted to be protected, but it would have been nice to have some communication.

"But by not marrying her, I gave her false hope. I was surprised that she didn't give up even after I clearly refused."

I was surprised too.

Maybe you have some thoughts about the princess's actions?

Do you feel some responsibility?

No way.

"I'm not asking you to do anything about the princess. After all, she can't do anything. She knows what would happen if she made the Lindveldt Dukedom her enemy."

He's not asking.

I thought he would have wanted me to do something about the princess.

"It's a standing reception in a large hall, so after greeting her initially, you can spend some time there and leave without any problems—what's wrong?"

"Nothing, really."

Don't mind that I've become suspicious.

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