CH 18

A cool breeze blew over the two of them on the balcony.

Isabelle looked at Riggs. She could tell by his face that he was serious. He really seems to be thinking about getting married.

“You gave me this, too. You can’t say no.” 

Riggs lifted the necklace that was hanging around his neck. Isabelle handed it over, as if she were shackling him, in the name of a dowry for marriage. 

“I wrote this to give to you.”

Riggs held out a few sheets of paper like a show-off. They were all under a delicate preservation spell, so they were not wrinkled at all.

[The Clauses for Isabelle and Riggs’ Contractual Marriage]

“Isabelle, what made you propose to me?”

His face showed he sincerely wanted to hear the reason, but his voice was lower than before.

Isabelle recalled how she felt at the time.

Her eyes darkened, thinking that Priest Matteo was selling her. St. Maria went on a business trip to a distant place, and the other Saints had also visited the neighboring village for a while, so there was nothing she could do.

“I just remembered that that day was the day you were coming. I was thinking about getting married with other boys, but…”

“Did you think I was a better marriage partner?”

As Isabelle nodded her head, Riggs felt his blood rushing. He felt like something hot was about to burst out, so he had to hold back.

“How am I better than them?”

“That’s because Riggs is my best friend. You know me very well too.”

“What else?”

“Because Riggs is safe unlike other boys who don’t know how to change.”

“….Safe?”

Dark clouds fell over his face, which had been bright until just now. He didn’t even want a reason like love. He still had the patience to wait a little longer, so it was okay.

But for him to be safe…

Riggs was deeply resentful, but in this situation, he couldn’t appeal to her by conveying the thoughts he had during the day and night, saying that he was such an unsafe man, that he was extremely dangerous.

‘…Should I use that strategy again?’

Riggs swallowed a sigh.

He hated himself for being a player and stimulated Isabelle’s morality and sympathy like he’s doing now. But then again he thought, ‘That’s right. I’m safe.’

As if to persuade her, he looked weak and friendly.

“Isabelle, our wedding ceremony will be in two weeks. You said you wanted it first. You told me to hurry up and get ready.” 

“Really?”

“Of course I thought you made that offer because you wanted to marry me. Don’t tell me you’re going to take advantage of the proposal…”

Isabelle’s eyes, which had been hit by a direct blow to her conscience, slipped sideways. She must be begging the goddess Isis for forgiveness.

Riggs put a more pitiful look on his face.

“I don’t mean to force you if you don’t want to. I’ll call the butler right away and have him cancel it.”

He hated himself for saying this. Nothing has changed since he was deliberately beaten and ran to her crying. Begging for attention and affection using the so-called Crying Baby Deer Strategy…

“No, Riggs. You don’t have to. A wedding in two weeks will be tight.”

It worked well.

Riggs kept a sad look on his face, feeling furious at his own patheticness. Felix Cardiago was just as good at pretending to cry as he was at swordsmanship.

“Isabelle, then are we really getting married?”

“Well, come here, Riggs. What if the Duke of Cardiago keeps crying?”

The kind hearted Isabelle patted Riggs the same as she did before.

Riggs buried his face in her shoulder and inhaled the sweet scent of her body. His eyes darkened as he resisted the desire to kiss the flesh that was exposed.

“······.”

The reapers were astonished to see the master extorting attention and marriage through crying.

‘Gee, is Felix Cardiago weeping now? He who didn’t even bat an eye when purging the opposition forces?’

‘What the hell did that three-letter girl say to the Lord causing him to throw away all his pride…’

‘There will be upheaval in the ranks of the Duchy of Cardiago.’

The reapers gulped.

***

After the ball, the castle of Cardiago became lively.

This was because Felix Cardiago’s wedding preparation, which seemed to last forever, was in full swing.

It’s only been a few days, but Riggs’ proposal that the Reapers witnessed at the ball, spread to every corner of the Duke’s Castle. The problem was it was inflated little by little each time it was passed on.

“I heard that the Duke was stuck on the three-letter lady. They say he’s at her mercy.”

“You know what? His Highness the Duke shed tears in front of the lady. He must have been seriously swayed.”

“The Lady wields the Duke and even makes him cry. No wonder His Highness was missing.”

“There’s a rumor going around in the main palace that the Duke has begged the three-letter lady while crying.”

So in a matter of days, Isabelle won the love and respect of Cardiago employees. It had nothing to do with her presence countering the rumors of Riggs’ lower body.

“Lady Isabelle doesn’t pour hot tea water on your face or yell?”

“How sweet of her….”

Rosa and the maids, who were vaguely worried about Cardiago’s lover, gradually sided with her when none of the expected violent events took place.

Isabelle was no longer nervous at the sight of the Reapers. Now, she was the kind of woman who talked with them in a friendly way.

“Rosa. Who is Count Gray that is going to be teaching me today?”

“The Count Gray family has been in the Duchy of Cardiago for generations. That’s how well he knows the surrounding geography and the aristocrats around these parts.”

“I must have a lot to learn.”

“If you learn well this time, you won’t be embarrassed not only at the wedding, but also at imperial meetings afterwards.”

Isabelle was going to take some sort of lesson today from the tutoring teacher that Riggs had attached to her.

Because it was necessary for her to learn about Cardiago and the aristocrats nearby. Of course, it was something she gave her consent for.

It started off as a fake marriage to a childhood friend of hers, but in the end, she ended up being Cardiago’s fiancée. Jealousy, envy, and slander would surely be directed at her.

‘I don’t want to look flattering.’

To others, a woman named Isabelle would be a favorite lover of the next emperor, so she had to be more careful about her attitude. Being easy going wouldn’t do Riggs much good.

Fortunately, Count Gray, whom she met in the glass greenhouse in the garden, was a kind person.

“Nice to meet you, Lady. My name is Count Gray. I’m an aide in the affairs of the Duchy of Cardiago.”

“Nice to meet you. My name is Isabelle. I don’t have any socializing experience, so I want to learn a lot.”

Count Gray and Isabelle, who faced each other in a glass greenhouse in the middle of the garden, greeted each other politely. 

As Isabelle replied to the old Count’s greeting, she was appalled.

‘Every time I introduce myself, I stop.’

The fact that she was not a noble was not easy, as Isabelle did not know her last name. She didn’t know which family she was from, so it was normal for her to pause whenever she introduced herself to strangers.

‘St. Maria – please give me a proper last name.’

She’s like her mom, so she’d ask her the next time they meet. Isabelle, displaying her signature positive thinking, sat across the table from Count Gray. 

A teacup set decorated with gold frames and dreamlike paintings was placed, and the tray was filled with sweet tea food. Isabelle and Count Gray enjoyed the refreshment for a while.

“Your ladyship is the fiancée of Cardiago, so you should keep your words lower for me.”

“But….”

“Knowing your status and being treated properly as you deserve is fundamental to socializing.”

How could Riggs treat the Count, who is so much older than him, as an aide. Isabelle respected Riggs in many ways.

“Then… Count Gray. What are we going to learn today?”

“The wedding attendees will not ask deep questions about history or even geography, so it would be best to study that part later…”

Count Grey smiled brightly and pulled a thick briefcase to his knees.

There were countless profiles of people in it.

“Your Highness the Duke is going to be the next Emperor! The wedding will be full of people who want to have their eyes on you. You have to memorize the names, titles, blood ties and duties of all the attendees.”

There must be not only one or two aristocrats in this vast duchy. She had to study all their faces, names, and blood ties between the families.

“Lady Isabelle, please focus only on learning the major nobles.”

“How does Lord Gray know so much about the nobles?”

“Hm um. I attended an Imperial Conference as a representative of Cardiago previously. Since it was a large-scale event held in the capital, I was scared and did everything I could to prepare for social gatherings.”

“Isn’t it amazing that you still remember what you studied back then? I’ll try my best.”

Isabelle cherished the papers that Count Gray had pulled out. But then Count Gray’s eyes widened as he watched her cautious gestures and blue eyes.

‘Imperial Conference… Yes. I thought you looked familiar.’

One day, long ago, in a ball he attended as part of the Imperial Conference schedule. There, he remembered one woman who was admired by everyone.

“Excuse me, but where did you spend her childhood…?”

“I grew up in the temple at the border of the Cardiago’s Duchy.”

Count Gray nodded his head with a smile on his face, but couldn’t calm his heart. Why did she remind him of the woman from the imperial family that he saw at the Imperial Conference?

‘Surely. It can’t be… but they look alike.’

In the eyes of Count Gray, Isabelle and someone else’s face overlapped.