After Count Kleene took me in when I was suddenly orphaned, I naturally became a housemate with his only son, Emil.
Emil, with his light brown hair and blue eyes, was a handsome man, intelligent and graceful. He was always kind to me, and I naturally followed him around like an older brother.
“It’s a gift, Yvonne. I saw it and thought of you, so I bought it.”
“Thank you, Emil.”
My room was filled with gifts from Emil—teddy bears, bouquets, books, and more.
Since we were the same age, we gradually began to see each other as a man and a woman. He had a gentle, soft impression.
And with my light silver hair and green eyes, we looked quite good together when standing side by side.
But behind my back, people were always whispering and pointing fingers.
“She’s just lucky the Countess of Kleene took a liking to her.”
⟨Isn’t the Countess known for her good character? What was she thinking, bringing in a commoner as her daughter-in-law?⟩
“It’s shameless, honestly. If I were her, I’d lie flat in front of Count Emil out of gratitude.”
It was all because of my unknown identity.
‘Who am I, actually? Am I just a commoner?’
I couldn’t even remember my mother’s face anymore.
The only thing that lingered was the memory of that night—of fleeing on the back of a beautiful green dragon.
‘If a dragon risked its life to protect me… then I couldn’t have been an ordinary person, right?’
But there was no way to prove that now. No evidence, no witnesses.
All I had left from that night was a small, round-headed baby dragon doll, crocheted like my old shawl.
“…Ah, whatever.”
I let out a sigh and stared at the doll for a moment, then pulled out my knitting basket.
‘Knitting is the best cure for a headache.’
And right now, what was making my head pound?
It was Emil’s proposal.
As I rummaged through the basket, fingers brushing over the colorful threads, I thought back to what had happened just recently.
“Yvonne.”
Emil sounded just like he always did—calm, warm. He must’ve come straight from reading, still in his usual vest, the sleeves slightly wrinkled. In one of his large hands was a bright scarlet bouquet.
“You liked this flower, didn’t you?”
Truthfully, I didn’t like red that much. It reminded me too much of that day. The day Pepe, the great dragon, fell.
“Thank you.”
Nevertheless, I smiled and accepted the bouquet. There was no need to say anything awkward to Emil—after all, I owed the Kleene family so much.
‘Ugh.’
But the sight of those red flowers, the same color as blood, made my head spin. A sudden wave of dizziness hit me, and I instinctively frowned.
Then Emil reached out his large hand and asked, in a polite and steady voice,
“Yvonne, will you marry me?”
“Ah…”
I froze in place, my eyes widening in disbelief.
It wasn’t that I disliked Emil—far from it. He was kind, gentle, and familiar. But still, I had never once imagined marrying him.
People around me always said I shouldn’t dream too big.
‘Emil deserves a dignified, noble lady—someone who can support him when he becomes the next Count of Kleene.’
Besides, there were already mountains of noble girls lining up to marry Emil. Among them, surely there was someone refined and well-educated—someone truly fit to stand beside him and lead House Kleene.
I bit my lip.
‘All I can do is knit.’
So, logically, the answer should’ve been no. But before I could even respond, someone else cut in.
It was Emil’s mother, Countess Kleene. Her eyes welled with tears as she clasped her hands together.
“Oh my, I can’t believe you two grew up so well and are talking about marriage! I’m so happy!”
Shouldn’t it be me who feels that kind of joy? But all I could see was the future—the gossip that would spread the moment I said yes.
‘Cinderella of House Kleene.’
A dreamlike story. A nameless girl with no past, no status, becomes the Countess of Kleene.
I bit my lower lip at the Countess’s sudden interruption. Emil quickly stepped in, his voice low but firm.
“Mother, Yvonne hasn’t given her answer yet.”
“Oh my, forgive me. I was just so thrilled I couldn’t help myself.”
Despite her words, the Countess showed no signs of backing down. Instead, she reached for my hand and gripped it tightly.
“But of course, the answer will be yes. If you refuse Emil’s proposal… well, you’ll have to pack your things and leave the Kleene estate immediately, won’t you? How could you live alone in a world so cruel?”
My shoulders flinched involuntarily. She must have seen the fear in my face, because her smile softened—at least, on the surface.
“I wouldn’t just throw a young girl like you into the harsh world, would I? We’ve taken care of you, haven’t we? It’s only right you repay that kindness.
And this is how, by becoming Emil’s wife. You were always meant to be part of this family, from the moment you arrived.”
“….”
She was so enthusiastic, it was suffocating. My fingers, still holding the bright red bouquet, stiffened slightly.
‘Why is the Countess so insistent on this marriage? What does she gain from having me as her daughter-in-law?’
The thoughts tangled in my mind, leaving me confused and uneasy. Just then, Emil’s firm voice cut through the tension.
“Mother.”
“Oh, my. Are you already siding with your future wife?”
“Mother.”
“All right, all right.”
Though she relented in words, the Countess didn’t back down—her presence still loomed heavy in the room. I kept my lips tightly shut. Once the silence returned, Emil turned to me. His gaze was gentle, calm, and expectant.
“Will you answer my proposal?”
Could I choose anything else? In this moment, with the Countess watching and nowhere else to go, I lowered my gaze and nervously played with the petals of the bouquet in my hands.
“…Of course, I accept it.”
At my answer, Emil’s face lit up with a soft, relieved smile. His eyes crinkled warmly.
“Yvonne, I’m glad you accepted my confession.”
His smiling face lingered in my eyes, sharp and uneasy, like the sting of stepping on broken glass. But before I could understand the strange discomfort blooming in my chest, the Countess seized my hand and began to shower me with warm, pressing words.
“Take care of my son, Yvonne! No matter what happens, you must never leave Emil’s side. You’ll always be his strength. And divorce? No—never!”
“…Yes.”
My heart was in turmoil, but my voice stayed calm, obedient. She beamed at my response.
“Then, shall we go ahead and set a date for the wedding?”
There was no mention of an engagement. We had skipped straight to the wedding.
‘It was decided so quickly—Emil and I would get engaged on my next birthday, and the wedding would follow just a month later.’
Fortunately, the ceremony wasn’t held right then and there. Though the Countess was eager to rush the marriage, it was Count Kleene, who only heard the news later, that stepped in and put the brakes on her decision.
⟨Even commoners don’t get married this fast. I know you’re excited, but let’s slow down a little.⟩
‘Phew, that was a relief.’
My mind still felt like a leaf swaying in the wind. If the wedding had been any sooner, I might have completely lost it.
‘It’s not that I don’t like Emil.’
In fact, he was very kind. Emil was a polite and gentle man, like a prince out of a fairy tale.
‘But for some reason… I don’t think I’m meant to marry him.’
What is marriage, anyway? What kind of heart does it take to truly become someone’s wife?
⟨You were meant to be part of our family from the moment you first arrived here.⟩
Was the future fixed, as the Countess said?
‘I really don’t know anything.’
Perhaps because I was so confused, I couldn’t even bring myself to touch the knitting yarn I would normally have chosen so happily. As I rummaged through the thread basket, I pushed it away and pulled a small jade green knitting doll in front of me.
It was the knitting doll that had fallen on the spot where the huge dragon disappeared on the night I met Count Kleene.
As I stared at the knitting doll, I tapped the baby doll’s head with my finger and mumbled,
“Pepe, what should I do?”
It’s not right to have an insincere marriage. However, if I refuse this marriage, I’ll be kicked out of the Kleene estate with nothing—not even clothes on my back. And it would feel like betraying the Countess, who’s so delighted about our marriage.
‘I don’t know.’
I let out a sigh.
Just then, the baby doll that had toppled over when I pushed it suddenly stood upright. And in a small voice, it murmured:
「Ugh, what’s this?」
That’s really what he said.
