~Chapter 4~
“Umm, well, the reason is…”
I was desperately trying to come up with an excuse, but nothing good came to mind.
“No need to explain.”
“B-Brother…”
I was about to panic, thinking I was doomed—but then Forte said something completely unexpected.
“You must have been missing Sonod.”
“…Huh?”
So wrong, and yet… it was going in a surprisingly helpful direction.
“Sonod was skilled in martial arts, too, after all. It makes sense that watching the knights would remind you of him.”
“…”
Forte had completely misunderstood. I swear, not once had I thought of Sonod while watching the knights. I couldn’t even remember what I was thinking—probably just “wow,” completely dazzled.
“I know how you feel. I wouldn’t blame you.”
Well… that’s not quite it.
I knew I should correct the misunderstanding. I really should. But… it was actually helping me right now.
Better to let them think I was thinking about Sonod than to admit, “I just really like muscular guys.”
I felt a little guilty, but I dropped my gaze and pretended to be sad, even adding a slight trembling to my eyes.
“Instead of staying heartbroken over Sonod, wouldn’t it be better to meet someone new?”
“Yeah, it’s no use clinging to something that’s already over.”
That’s true… but I never held on to him in the first place.
“You’re so beautiful and kind. It’s a waste for you to be hung up on someone like Sonod. There are so many suitors interested in you.”
My father tried to comfort me in a gentle, fatherly tone.
Well… this was the Count of Inkledove. A respected noble and a loving father. He would never bring me a weird guy.
Since things had reached this point, I figured… why not try dating a man who’s handsome, kind, strong, and rich?
I nodded quietly.
Immediately, all three of them lit up with joy.
Father stood up and gave me the top seat, ordering Henrik to bring in more documents.
Mother began recommending potential suitors she had her eye on, and Forte started opening letters addressed to me with a paper knife.
It was like some kind of butterfly effect. All I did was nod, and suddenly they were working like a well-oiled machine.
House Incleldove really was something. All the letters were from noble families, full of status and wealth. Some were even from famous families mentioned in the novel.
Each document was clean, detailed, and prepared with care. They were better than the job applications I once spent all night making back in my old world.
And apparently, most of them had arrived just days after the breakup—like they had been waiting for it to happen.
These people were fast, no doubt about it.
“I personally think the Marquess of Yugelid is a good choice. The Count of Rieno’s eldest son seems nice too.”
The Marquess of Yugelid was a big name in the arts—he owned tons of galleries and theaters. But in the book, he was moody and overly sensitive. Honestly, he’d just be exhausting to deal with.
As for the Rieno family… they were barely mentioned, so I passed. I didn’t even know they had a son around my age.
When I didn’t react much, Mother handed me some papers herself.
“Money and fame are important, yes—but I think appearance is equally important. I know this is embarrassing to say, but since you’ll be looking at this face for the rest of your life… it should be handsome, right?”
“…”
“Even food tastes better when shared with a handsome man. And when you’re upset, looking at something beautiful helps you calm down. It’s even good for your future children!”
I looked between Mother and the two men—Father and Forte.
True, their good looks did create a peaceful atmosphere in the room.
One had icy blue eyes and a sharp, noble face. The other had gentle, golden hair and soft features. Despite having quite different vibes, they managed to blend in well. It gave me a sense of balance.
“There’s a saying, ‘A good face holds a good soul,’ you know.”
So wise, Mother.
I nodded in admiration. Just looking at the two of them was enough proof of her amazing taste.
With a graceful smile, she took out three small portrait miniatures.
“How about these? Each one is…”
“Gorgeous…” I muttered, like I was in a trance.
Even in the paintings, their aura was strong. If they looked this good in a portrait, how amazing must they be in person?
All three were stunning, but the one on the far left really caught my eye. His thick eyebrows and the line from his forehead to nose—exactly my type.
“That’s Count Reynold. He’s seven years older than you, which I think is just good. He’s mature and charming.”
‘Too bad.’
Back home, even five years made a big difference. Seven years older was too much, especially from 22-year-old Petunia’s point of view. I didn’t have the strength to fill that gap.
The other two were also very handsome.
But one of them, Viscount Harbour, would be revealed in a few years as gay. His marriage had just been a distraction.
I didn’t want to be part of a fake marriage, so that was a no.
The last one, the Marquess of Hedrick’s son, had no info I remembered—but he was good-looking, so I kept him in mind.
Once Mother finished her explanation, Forte—who had been quietly waiting—leaned over toward me.
It felt ridiculous, picking a boyfriend like this, through documents. But then I saw him holding a letter delicately in his huge hand, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
After clearing his throat, Forte handed me a letter.
Oddly, it didn’t have any noble family crest. That meant it wasn’t from a noble.
“Hailos…?”
I didn’t recognize the name. Then again, I barely remembered anyone who wasn’t a main character.
“He’ll receive a title soon, so no need to worry about status.”
That wasn’t what I was wondering.
“I’ve never heard of him. Who is he?”
“He’s the son of Princess Magnolia, sister to the late Emperor.”
“…Ah.”
Now I remembered. Princess Magnolia was the only imperial sibling who didn’t accept a noble title. She preferred traveling around the world.
While traveling through the northern continent, she met and married a mage, and they had a son and a daughter.
Since mages were rare in the Ignit Empire, the imperial family tried to keep them close—often even granting titles. And I was pretty sure this was that time.
The birth of the Empire’s most powerful mage: Count Péan Danton.
‘So his real name is Hailos…’
I tucked that fact away in my memory and set the letter down.
Forte looked at me, surprised. “You’re not going to read more?”
“I’m not really interested in this one.”
I gave him an awkward smile. I had no interest in the gloomy mage Péan Danton.
Then, both Mother and Father looked at me with glowing eyes. I appreciated the effort, but I wasn’t interested in him either.
I reached toward the stack of letters and pulled out the one I’d been eyeing all along.
It was sealed with deep violet wax, the name written in elegant handwriting. My parents’ faces turned pale.
‘Apollyon Reine Theabrith.’
It was a marriage proposal—from the male lead.
“Wait, why is that here…?”
Mother looked at Father in disbelief.
He seemed just as shocked.
“I told Henrik to gather documents from well-known families… It looks like he included the Theabriths, too.”
“Well, they are a prestigious house, but…”
Mother agreed, though her expression was stiff.
Apollyon Theabrith—the male lead of the novel—was the young Duke of House Theabrith, a house nearly equal in power to the royal family.
But he was also cursed. Half of his face was blackened and scarred.
Because of this, he stayed indoors most of the time and wore a mask whenever he went out.
Like many K-romance male leads, he would one day overcome his curse through the heroine’s love and regain his beauty.
Before meeting the female lead, Shurael, he had tried to marry three times.
Despite his curse, he was still a duke, so many marriage offers came—mostly from people who wanted his power.
His first fiancée fainted during the engagement ceremony after seeing his real face. She ended up hospitalized, and they had to cancel the engagement.
The second ran away with her lover the day before the wedding. Her family had to beg the duke’s forgiveness over and over.
By now, you’d think he’d give up—but Apollyon never stopped searching for a bride.
If he didn’t marry, the position of duchess would go to his stepmother… which he clearly wanted to avoid.
