Chapter 84

Livia let out a small breath that she had endured and made a sad face.

As Azela stepped again, she grabbed her arm and started walking with her. Livia was not looking in front. Instead, she bowed her head and looked at the floor, staring at her new shoes as she walked.

“But, remember I told you to do whatever you want?”

“….?”

As they reached the parlor, Azela lowered her arms briefly and rearranged her dress. Seeing Livia looking up at her with a tearful face, Azela burst into laughter at the sight of her, that was like a younger sister.

“I think it’s cool to see you do your best.”

Then, she opened the door of the parlor that had been tightly shut.

When the door opened, Zagnac, who was enjoying the tea inside, turned his gaze. Seeing Livia standing in a different dress, he smiled and got up.

“…Does it suit me?”

As Livia looked at the new carpet, she asked with a blushing face as she bowed her head, ashamed of what she had done earlier. Zagnac nodded his head with a smile as he walked up to Livia.

“It’s beautiful.”

With that praise, Livia smiled brightly as she lifted her bowed head. However, his gaze was not on her. She followed Zagnac’s gaze and turned her head.

“The dress.”

His gaze turned to Azela, who was standing by the parlor door. Livia’s brightened face turned dark as if dark clouds had gathered.

With a bright sunny smile looking at Azela, he eventually turned his head back to look at Livia.

As he stretched out his arms lightly towards her, Livia wanted to ask what she looked like, not the dress. However, she was afraid of the answer that would come out of his mouth, so she eventually closed her lips and placed her hand on his outstretched arm.

Zagnac served Livia with respect.

He, who escorted her to the sofa, sat on the sofa opposite her. A new dessert was already sitting on the table. Livia swallowed a gulp as Zagnac asked.

“Now, I will ask.”

“….”

“Why did you come all the way here?”

The saliva that had accumulated in her mouth completely disappeared at the question. Even looking at the dessert in front of her, she didn’t want to eat it. Livia turned her head and glanced at Azela as she was walking after closing the parlor door.

“The reason is simple.”

“Yes.”

“I came here to pro…”

Livia, who was about to say, ‘propose you to marry me,’ closed her lips automatically as Azela stood behind Zagnac. She had now erased the kind expression she had just had a moment ago as she stood there with a dignified expression and posture.

As Livia stared into her face, Azela eventually turned her head slightly away from her gaze.

Seeing that, Livia’s face was full of anxiety. She had definitely gathered her determination before, but when she saw Azela’s face, that courage was gone. In her head, the little girl didn’t want to be hated by the first person who showed her a favor.

The words ‘marry me’ that she was going to give to Zagnac never came out… Still, she had no choice but to say it.

Livia took a deep breath.

“Pro…? What is after that, Princess?”

Seeing that Livia’s gaze was not on him, but on Azela behind him, Zagnac looked at the two of them in turn before smiling amusedly. When he asked again, Livia put on a determined look.

Then, looking at Azela, she opened her mouth with a grim face.

“I came here to propose for you to marry me.”

As she finished her words, Zagnac smiled. The next moment, he asked, waving his hands in front of Livia’s eyes.

“Are you making that proposal to me or to my escort knight Azela Vellista?”

“Wh, what…?”

“You said to get married and you were looking at my escort knight, not me.”

“Ah…”

Livia hurriedly lowered her red face in embarrassment, and in a small whisper, she said, ‘Duke Ferial, it’s you.’

Hearing that, he turned his head to see Azela standing behind him. There didn’t seem to be any change in her expression. Zagnac, with his long legs crossed, leaned deep into the back of his chair and clasped his fingers.

“Oh, my. Then…”

“….”

“It will be the third rejection already.”

While he looked amused, Azela frowned at Zagnac’s attitude as if this was all just a joke. Perhaps, in the future, when she brought out these feelings to him, would he have the same attitude? Just imagining it made her heart flutter…

Azela turned her gaze to look at Livia, but she looked aloof as if she had already expected it.

“…You said you weren’t interested in women.”

Livia muttered in a low voice. She knew that she had heard it before, but even hearing it again made her heartbroken. It must be because he wasn’t not interested in women, but in her…

Her chest tingled.

“Yes.”

When Zagnac gave a light reply, Livia raised her head and spread her shoulders proudly. It was an elegant figure.

“Then, marrying me would be more irrelevant to you, Duke Ferial. After all, I’m not asking for your attention.”

“Just because I’m not interested in women…”

Saying so, he reached out and picked up the teacup on the table. A sweet scent spread over Azela, who was standing behind him.

“I am not a scoundrel who seizes and marries any woman.”

“Not just any woman, I am the Eighth Princess of this Empire.”

As if she would not back down easily this time, Livia countered his words.

Zagnac put the teacup that he was drinking on the table and smiled crookedly. He then tilted his back, leaning his torso forward, and clasped his hands. His sluggish figure even looked dangerous, like a beast that somehow raised its body.

“I think our Princess…”

His voice got low. The amused voices that feel fun have long since disappeared. Zagnac’s purple eyes shone dangerously. It seemed that he didn’t like this situation.

Livia, who was facing that figure, swallowed a gulp without realizing it.

“You don’t seem to understand what I’m saying.”

Danger lurked in the eyes beyond the long eyelashes. Livia’s fingertips trembled against her will. Even though she clasped her trembling hands, the tremors did not subside easily. She let out a small breath of her that she had been holding back.

“I have no intention of marrying you, Princess.”

It was a firm fourth rejection. It was so adamant that even Azela, who was listening, felt hurt at the same time.

“I understand that the Princess’ situation is very miserable and pitiful…”

Azela, who was standing behind Zagnac, hurriedly reached out her hand and grabbed his shoulder lightly as he spoke, as this was not typical of him. Awakened by her touch, he stopped and turned her head to look at her.

At the same time, the dangerous atmosphere that seemed to eat Livia disappeared quickly.

“She is the Princess. You have to be polite.”

So, leave that.

Zagnac, who read the words from her eyes, curled up the corners of his hardened lips. Nodding his head in agreement with her, he continued his words with a languid expression again.

“…If you need help, it’s best to find someone else. This is the best consideration and courtesy I can give to the Princess.”

“…There is no one else.”

Livia, who faced the dangerous face head-on, had a white face. She was breathing heavily as if she couldn’t breathe properly. Nevertheless, she did not give up on her opinion.

A longing for freedom lingered in her red eyes.

“Of course, any other person would agree to marry me at once. Duke Ferial, I could marry simpler than to propose to you like this.”

“Then, you better choose that way.”

“…The person who wanted to marry me like that wouldn’t let me go. I need someone to let me go in the future.”

Livia, who had not yet calmed down, took a deep breath again. As she closed her lips and caught her breath, she swallowed her saliva and continued her words again.

“In that sense… you, Duke Ferial, who rejects me like this, is the perfect match for me.”

“Oh, my.”

Zagnac, who clasped his chin with his arm tilted at the armrest, glanced at her. Perhaps, she had finished her words, Livia lifted the teacup with trembling hands. She forced herself to drink the sweet tea, trying to calm herself.

Staring at her, Zagnac shook his head.

“I didn’t want to say this, but…”

“Yes?”

“There is another reason.”