TCBCVF 82

~Chapter 82~

So then… all I have to do is marry her?

After several failed attempts to stand, Gregory finally rose.
His head throbbed as if shards of glass were shredding his brain.

“Ugh, damn…”

Still swaying with drink, he stumbled out of the room where he’d been holed up for days.
On his lips was a sly smile, one impossible to read.

My peaceful days were shattered by a single letter.

“Young Lady, a letter from the Marriage Bureau.”

One lazy afternoon, as I was crunching away at biscuits, Amy handed me the envelope.

“Huh? The Marriage Bureau?”

The Marriage Bureau—
a government office managing the Empire’s marriages and divorces.
It handled not only commoners’ unions but also those of nobles and even royals.

Of course, the procedures differed depending on one’s status.

But that wasn’t the point.

Why would they be contacting me?
I wasn’t married. I wasn’t even engaged anymore.

Maybe it was sent to the wrong person?

I was still relaxed—until I opened it.

[Congratulations on the union of House Gusto and House Ansie.
As Lady Ansie currently holds the title of Acting Viscount,
we wish to inquire whether the title shall remain with her after marriage
or be passed to her husband.
Please reply once a decision has been made.]

My heart sank.

What on earth…?

I stared at the letter, stunned.

Union of Gusto and Ansie?

I had sent the annulment long ago!
So why was the Marriage Bureau congratulating me now?

And that phrase—“congratulations on the union”…

No. Don’t tell me—Gregory filed a marriage registration with my name?!

My eyes flew wide.

Could that even be possible?!
I had never given my consent!

Just then—

Huh?

I pricked my ears.
Music floated in from outside—
an old-fashioned serenade, long fallen out of fashion.

“Young Lady!”

Another maid rushed in, breathless.

I leapt to my feet.
“What is it?”

“Lord Gregory is here! He’s out front right now and… and he brought an orchestra to play a serenade!”

“….”

I was speechless.

A serenade?!

A song to confess one’s love.
In the old days, nobles considered it a required step for a proposal.
But that custom had all but vanished.

Even my late grandfather used to scoff:

“Serenade, my foot. Even my father never bothered with that nonsense.”

And now Gregory was staging one?!

No—wait. That’s exactly his intention, isn’t it? To spread the news he’s proposing!

My temples throbbed as I marched outside.

What I saw was absurd.

At the entrance to the Ansie townhouse stood heaps of gifts.
A small orchestra filled the garden with a flowing serenade.

Our house was on Liddell Street, where many middle-ranked noble families lived.
Which meant—
our neighbors, all nobles, had spilled out to gawk at the spectacle.

“What on earth is happening?”

“Is Lord Gregory proposing to Lady Ansie?”

“My goodness, I never thought I’d hear a serenade in this day and age.”

Meanwhile, Gregory was bossing around the workers unloading gifts.
When he noticed me, his face lit up.

“No, not there—over here. Ah, Lari!”

Lari? Lari?!

Since when did he have the right to use such a nickname?!

I almost clutched the back of my neck in disbelief.

“Just what do you think you’re doing, Lord Gregory?”

I made sure to use formal speech and his full title, to keep distance.

“Oh, Lari.”

Gregory widened his eyes as though I’d wounded him deeply.

“What’s with the formality between us? ‘Lord Gregory’? Please—call me Gregory. Hmm?”

That nickname—
wasn’t that one he used to reserve for Seraphina?!

I was about to snap back, but froze.
Because an ominous smile curled on his lips.

“After all, we’ve already registered our marriage.”

“….”

I was too shocked to speak.
Words tangled uselessly in my head.

Get a grip, Lari.

I clenched my teeth. I couldn’t let myself get swept into his pace.

“That marriage registration—who authorized it?”

I shot back coldly.

“I wasn’t even aware it had been filed.”

Gregory only looked at me with an indulgent smile, as if I were a sulking pet.

Is he insane?!

My skin prickled.

Why was he looking at me like that?!

Shaking his head, Gregory spoke in a patronizing tone.

“Lari, I know I’ve let you down many times.”

“What did you say?”

“But no matter how upset you are, you shouldn’t deny a sacred marriage registration.”

What the hell is he babbling about?!

My vision swam.

Then—he knelt in front of me.

“To show I’ll devote myself to you from now on, I prepared all this.”

His eyes glistened unnervingly.

No… don’t tell me—

“Will you marry me, Lari?”

He seized my hand and pressed his lips against it.

Smack.

The moment his damp lips touched my skin,

“….”

goosebumps erupted all over me.

Whack!

I yanked my hand away and stepped back.

“I believe there’s been some mistake.”

Gregory clicked his tongue, scolding me.

“Lari, how long will you be so difficult?”

Difficult?!

I nearly exploded, but forced myself to stay calm.
Losing control would only give him more advantage.

The letter from the Marriage Bureau, his smug confidence—
everything told me I had to assess the situation carefully.

So I chose the official route.

“Lord Gregory, this is the private estate of House Ansie.
Occupying it in this manner is illegal.”

“Lari, how hurtful. We’ve already filed the registration.
We’re husband and wife, only missing the ceremony—”

“Remove the gifts and the orchestra. Now.”

I cut him off sharply, glaring.

Taking a deep breath, I continued in my most businesslike tone:

“If you don’t, I’ll report this to the city guards.”

With that, I turned on my heel and went back inside.