Chapter 1

"Haa..."

I, Mimosa Norton, stepped down from the carriage in front of the iron gate of a grand white mansion, visible from the large garden surrounded by well-trimmed shrubs, and sighed.

My hair, a milky tea color, loosely curled, and my face, for better or worse, lacked distinctive features. My blue eyes are sometimes praised as beautiful, but I know that’s only because there’s nothing else to compliment.

I have come to this mansion for the first time, and to my surprise, I have been married without ever meeting my husband.

Of course, I have seen his portrait. It was an image from eight years ago, and while most people would have the artist make the subject look as good as possible, the portrait showed a boy who was clearly overweight, round, and had no neck, with a bow tie tied around it, looking solemn.

It seems there were no portraits from after he joined the knight’s order. He is now twenty years old, and has recently returned, making it not unusual for him to marry a seventeen-year-old like me.

The problem is that the nomination from the Chaldei family, to whom I am to be married, was originally for my sister, Casablanca, not me.

I might have been turned away at the gate, but my father wrote a false letter saying, "My sister is frail, so how about my younger sister?" and it seems they reluctantly agreed.

My sister, Casablanca, resembles our mother, with striking blonde hair and eyes like green jewels, truly a picture of beauty.

Moreover, I am a homebody who prefers to stay indoors and read books, and I am shy around people, while Casablanca is sociable. Where is the frailty, where is it?

Anyway, I don’t know whether to pray that I am turned away at the gate or that the man has slimmed down since joining the knight’s order, but I informed the gatekeeper of my arrival.

The gate was quickly opened, and I walked the path that I should have taken by carriage. The garden is very large.

The garden is filled with various plants, and as I walked, looking far and near, I tripped... or rather, I thought I tripped, but someone helped me.

"Ah, thank you, sir..."

When I looked up at the person, I saw a tall, handsome man with long, flowing golden hair that shimmered even in the backlit sun, and slanted blue eyes that I had never seen at any ball.

He wasn’t wearing armor, but the arm that supported me with one hand (I am not fat, I am of medium build and height) was strong and unyielding, suggesting he might be a knight of this mansion.

Still, how many men can look this good in a casual shirt, pants, and leather shoes? I have never seen anyone like him.

"Where’s your carriage?"

"I was let off at the gate..."

"I see. ...There’s still a little way to the mansion, hold on to me."

"Yes, sir...!"

As I walked, holding the arm offered to escort me, my interest was completely drawn to the person next to me.

"What’s your name?"

"Excuse me. I am Mimosa Norton. I have come to marry into this family."

The young man, who had stopped to listen to me as I stood with my trunk and gave a brief bow, looked surprised and then smiled happily.

"I see, you’ve come a long way. I should have introduced myself, but I am Percival Chaldei, your future husband, and the next earl."

When he said, "Nice to meet you," I couldn’t connect the boy in the portrait with the person in front of me, and I just stood there, tilting my head in confusion.