Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Translator: Effe

Editor: Yonnee

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The signet ring proving that he was the master of the Klausener family is placed on Claire’s ring finger.

“Woooww!”

Whoever started it, cheers rang out.

“Congratulations!”

“Say yes! Say yes!”

“My God, what is all this about?”

“For us to witness a moment like this…!”

The lounge was covered with screams of joy as if it had become a wedding hall in an instant.

Reporters rushed out like a gust of wind in order to send an extra scoop faster than anyone else.

“Congratulations, Baron Delford!”

It was a voice she recognized for sure. It was the hotel manager.

Claire was dizzy and shook her head. Yes, the marriage proposal itself was up to the man’s intention. It’s not an era where it’s more common to set a date and then propose at an event.

“I’m spinning, really.”

Claire stumbled. Erich stood up and looped one arm around her waist and said.

“If we’re going to get married, it’s better to spread the rumor that I’m the one clinging on to you.”

“It is true that you’re the one hanging on. For you to propose with a signet ring— Senior, are you crazy? You know everyone is staring, right?”

“What are you talking about? I’ve just driven myself into a wedge that you did first. It doesn’t mean there will be less rumors with me not proposing, or there will be no way it will go in a better direction?”

It was true.

Erich whispered in her ear.

“Even if I made a mistake five years ago… I’m not doing this without thinking. I’m giving this to you sincerely.”

He kissed the back of her hand as he slipped the ring back from Claire’s ring finger as her grip loosened.

“Take the whole Klausener Duchy. I will gladly give it to you.”

“What if I get pissed off and sell the family in pieces?”

“You won’t. It’s not in your personality to do that to what you have in your hands.”

Erich smiled brightly. Claire almost lost her mind for a moment at the rare, tender smile.

His lips came closer without missing the chance. Claire took a deep breath. 

Unfortunately for her, Erich was a very good kisser.

.

.

.

The Klausener mansion was quiet at first glance. But of course, this was only on the surface.

Rumors came home before the master of the mansion. For the people of the ducal household, the news of the marriage proposal was more shocking than the news of the child.

Erich was a man who would soon turn thirty years old. It wasn’t all that surprising to hear that a child of his was conceived accidentally or had emerged from nowhere.

However, the fact that he knelt down on one knee and took off his signet ring to propose to a Baron of Arren—in a hotel lounge frequented by commoners to boot—was certainly an astonishing story.

The signet ring was the official seal of the family.

In an era when errand boys rode horses to send letters, it was a powerful means of proving the sender’s identity.

Now that workmanship technology has developed, it is less important because it can be duplicated. However, it was still possible to use the ring as a substitute for the household head’s signature on all family documents.

Only the household head could use the complete family crest on the signet ring. It was customary to create a new one when the previous family head would die.

Erich’s signet ring was made seven years ago, when he succeeded to the title of Duke Klausener. Since then, it has never been removed from his little finger.

The Duchess that was wearing it would enter the household. That was bigger than the fact that the incoming bride in question was from a Barony.

For the employees, that fact itself was not a big deal. That wasn’t something for them to think about.

Erich wasn’t the type to tolerate his employees arguing about his decisions.

All they could recommend was whether to have new meat or beef for lunch that day.

The problem was the Elder Madam.

“Maria! MARIA!”

Louisa let out a high-pitched scream that cut through the air of the boudoir that was gripped by fear.

Her handmaid Maria ran out.

“Elder Madam, today’s outing… Kyah!”

Louisa threw her hat at her, followed by her shoes and her bracelet. She then tossed a vase that had been placed on a side table in the hallway as a decoration.

Maria crouched down and assumed a submissive posture. The maids who surrounded her at a distance either ran away or knelt together like Maria.

“You! I told you to find out about that illegitimate child, didn’t I?!”

“Forgive me!”

Maria found out all the seemingly obvious stories, and she had already told Louisa.

That the child was the son of the Delford family.

The fact that Claire was favored by the same professor as Erich during the academy days and went to the same laboratory, and that she directly inherited the title of Baron Delford.

Both were rare for a woman.

It took more time to find out about any more personal relationships.

It was Louisa who did not listen to Maria’s request to wait a little longer and ran out in a rage after reading the newspaper.

“That woman, Delford’s daughter— What the hell is she doing? How does she know how much money I spend? Did you leak the ledgers?”

“No, Elder Madam! How dare I!”

“Or was it you?”

Louisa glared with blazing eyes at the maid who stood behind her. The maid frantically shook her head and bowed.

“How could someone like me know the financial statements of the Elder Madam? Madam, Madam! Please forgive me!”

“Then who was it!”

She was so ashamed and so resentful and could not stand it.

She was ridiculed as if she was the one who would ruin the Klausener Duchy with a few pennies. Besides that, the pouch full of money she had brought for that wench, which Louisa had prepared with a magnanimous heart, was said to be a mere down payment.

And Erich had ordered her naturally without even trying to listen to her words.

That cheeky wench who dares to level her eyes to her!

As Louisa burst into tears in anger, a soft voice called to her.

“Looks like things didn’t work out well, Lady Louisa.”

“Ah.”

Coming out of the hallway was a beautiful young man with auburn curls.

He was Johann Krozik and was the third son of Count Krozik.

House Krozik was a relative of House Ernst, a ducal household that was one of the ruling families of the Empire, and although he was from a branch family, they had enough dignity.

Louisa was sharing a kind of a friendship with this beautiful young man that would be difficult to tell her husband. He was always Louisa’s best advisor, and apart from that, he was affectionate, kind, and noble.

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