I had to use both hands to push my gaping mouth shut. At this point, I couldn’t help but think that Edin and Lena were in on it together. I looked at him with suspicion.
“For the record, I had no idea Lady Lena would act this way.”
“Are you serious?”
“Shouldn’t I be the one to be suspicious of you, Lady Daphne?”
He subtly took my hand and tilted his head.
“I’ve investigated everything, including the fact that Lady Lena was at the Algerf Barony before she ran away. You can’t imagine how much trouble I went through to calm down Count Protard, who was insisting on running straight to you…”
“…”
“I don’t want to owe you anything, so you don’t have to look so apologetic.”
What is he talking about? I was looking at him with a look of disbelief. Edin shrugged and led me further inside. I glanced at the sword he had on his waist.
‘He’s not going to quietly get rid of me, is he?’
Fortunately, it seemed he wasn’t. He took out a piece of paper and held it out to me.
“There’s something I need to show you.”
“May I ask what it is?”
“It’s Lady Daphne’s feelings for me.”
Why would I send my feelings to Edin? My expression naturally hardened. Edin nodded with a fond expression. It was his way of telling me to hurry and check it out. As soon as I read the words on the paper, I couldn’t help but stand up.
[Marriage Proposal Document]
I sent this to you?
A marriage proposal document was a legal document that carried the same weight as a formal marriage proposal, sent when families were discussing a marriage. Although it wasn’t notarized by the head of the family, the document itself contained a promise to ‘risk my life for you and give up all the benefits my family provided.’ It was a document whose validity was only recognized once in a lifetime… and was only sent in the most earnest of cases.
But I swore that I had never sent such a thing to Edin. I held out my hand, determined to see it with my own eyes. He silently handed me the marriage proposal document. At the end of the document, my signature and fingerprint were stamped. The date the document was created was this morning. That means…
‘Lena Protard!!!’
There was no doubt that Lena had forged this document and sent it while I was asleep.
“…I swear, I didn’t write this. I never signed it, and I never put my fingerprint on it.”
All I wanted to do was finish making Lena’s dress, proudly congratulate my friend at her wedding, and then go on a wonderful vacation to a resort. I had no other life goals. My head was spinning.
“Such an earnest marriage proposal document. No more exemplary content will ever come out in the Fanatic Empire.”
“…”
“How can my heart not be moved?”
I took a deep breath, fighting the urge to crumple the document and throw it away. I didn’t know much about this man named Edin, but I could tell he knew I hadn’t written this marriage proposal document.
“As I told you earlier, I’m in a hurry to get married. So, perhaps… pursuing Lena Protard…”
“Wait a minute. I’m sorry, but I need some time to clear my head.”
I recalled Lena’s confession in the article I had read this morning. How her parents had abused her. How much she didn’t want to marry into the Richevard ducal family. The courage it must have taken for her to send her story to a newspaper. The days I had spent dropping out of the academy and learning to sew at my relative’s dress shop. Lena was the only noble who came to see me when I stayed up all night sewing clothes to earn even a little money and save my family. She was the one person who held my hand and told me I was cool for doing what I was doing.
‘I’m afraid of that affection, which is why I want to ask Edin not to pursue her.’
The human heart is so complex. Edin had seen right through me. I was a person who fiercely protected Lena and treasured our friendship. In the end, I humbly bowed my head to Edin.
“Please don’t pursue Lady Lena. I beg you. I’ll come up with a sharp solution, so please don’t sign your consent on the marriage proposal document either.”
My throat was choked up, and I wondered if I was even speaking properly. Even when I was suffering from all kinds of noble customers’ complaints at my dress shop, I would bow with an “I don’t care” attitude, but I had never pleaded so earnestly with all my heart to a person to postpone a decision.
Edin stared at me intently, then took my hand and placed it on his forehead. My shoulders involuntarily flinched at his unexpected action. Edin asked in a solemn tone, as if he were making a vow,
“Eleven o’clock this evening. If it’s not too much trouble, could you come out? I’ll come pick you up.”
“…Will you postpone your signature?”
“I need time to think as well.”
We’re in the middle of a scandal. Is he really going to come to my house to pick me up? How much more of a commotion was he planning to cause in the empire tomorrow? But Edin’s words about postponing his decision were a very sweet offer to me.
In the end, I agreed.
Lena Protard.
I chewed on the name of the friend who had made my heart ache the most and whom I had cared for so deeply.
…I’m not going to refund you for the dress. Even though it’s the best dress I’ve ever made. And even though no one will ever wear it. I’ll just leave it in the shop without taking it apart and wait for you to come back after you’ve achieved your goal.
That was the least I could do for revenge.
Edin wasn’t lying when he said he would see me at eleven in the evening. He didn’t come in a carriage used by the ducal family but in a carriage that commoners would use. I told the servants to keep quiet, put on a cape that Emma had prepared for me, and got into the carriage.
“…You’re not taking me to some strange place, are you?”
To be honest, I was scared. I just babbled. Edin chuckled, as if my words were absurd.
“I’m taking you to a place because I trust your word, Lady Daphne.”
“That makes it even scarier. I trust you, Grand Duke.”
The carriage drove for a long time and began to head toward the outskirts of the capital. Eventually, it burrowed deep into a pitch-black forest.
“Don’t monsters come out at this time of night?!”
“Monsters don’t care about the time. They’re always roaming around.”
“That’s not the problem. I’m asking if it’s dangerous right now.”
“I’ve been in and out of here hundreds of times. Nothing has ever happened, so don’t worry.”
Ugh, that’s so mean. I’m a lady who values safety, so how am I not supposed to be scared? I covered my face with both hands, respecting the coachman who was driving with only the moonlight to guide him.
‘Sigh.’
Three days ago. If I had just rejected Lena’s request for a ladies’ night. I would be finishing up her dress right now.
‘That was a truly beautiful dress.’
It was a wedding dress made of luxurious mikado silk that naturally complemented Lena’s silver hair. The jewels and lace on the dress were all the most precious in the empire, and the dress was worth as much as a small townhouse. All I had to do was make the back bow and attach it, and it would be finished.
‘Forget it. Even if she comes back, there’s no refund.’
I had been pouting and hoping for the end of this long forest for about an hour when a small village appeared. The carriage stopped in front of a house. I got out of the carriage, following Edin.
“The road is dark, so follow me carefully.”
It was only ten steps to the front gate, but Edin still insisted on giving me his hand as an escort. I couldn’t push his hand away, so I had no choice but to be guided to the house. The tension eased slightly because the lights inside the house were dimly lit.
‘It doesn’t seem like a strange place.’
The Duke took out a key and opened the front gate. Then he naturally walked inside the house. A broker? A guild? No. It looks like a regular house. I followed Edin and obediently walked up the stairs. Edin stopped in front of the innermost room.
“I’m here.”
His voice was gentle, unlike his usual self. I was a little surprised and followed Edin into the room. On the bed were two figures who seemed to be asleep.
‘Who are they?’
I took a step back after getting a closer look at them. They were a young man and woman who looked to be in their early to mid-thirties. Seeing the woman with black hair, which was uncommon in the empire, I knew who they were. The former Duke and Duchess, who were officially declared dead.
Edin lowered his voice and revealed the reason he had brought me here.
“Daphne, I brought you here to ask for your help while also showing you that I trust you.”
“How are these people here?”
“…Because they’re not dead. They’re just under a magical spell.”
Edin looked at a distant place with a bitter expression. I was also shocked to see the former Duke and Duchess like this. At the same time, I couldn’t help but think.
How did they fall under a magical spell? There must be a reason why Edin is hiding his parents like this.
My head throbbed. I almost lost my balance and fell, and Edin quickly held me.
“You must be surprised. I’ll explain.”
“Yes, I think I need your explanation, Grand Duke.”
The great Richevard family is being precariously protected by such a big secret? I was well aware of the special abilities passed down in the Richevard ducal family. If Edin was indeed a descendant of ‘that’ family, he wouldn’t be famous just for his ‘swordsmanship.’
