CH 17

As Adeline expected, Enoch invited Kael to their home before the ball ended.

“Dear heavens, is this all…”

Adeline, who was the first to greet him, was dismayed by the endless procession of gifts.

“There are also some items that have not yet entered the Empire. They will probably arrive at the mansion in two days.”

As if trying to match the taste of each of her three brothers, there were various antique books for Enoch, various weapons for Leo, and precious sacred objects for Simeon coming inside the house.

“Welcome, Your Grace. But why are you bringing this many presents…”

“It’s a token of my family name. Adeline’s brothers are like my own brothers.”

Enoch, who held out his hand to shake hands, frowned slightly.

He noticed that he didn’t seem to like him talking about Adeline intimately and showing his friendliness to Enoch and his brothers because of her.

However, Kael smiled without minding it.

“… Come inside. Adeline, guide him.”

Enoch called to Adeline in a voice that couldn’t hide all his bitter feelings and headed to the dining room where the meal was being prepared.

Confirming that her brothers had entered first, Adeline hurriedly approached Kael.

“What is all this?”

“A bribe to make me look good?”

“It’s too much.”

“But I only brought a tenth of the amount I originally intended to bring.”

“If you intend to do this again next time, bring only one hundredth.”

Kael grinned, but did not respond.

Adeline glared at him as if to answer, but still, Kael only shrugged.

“Your Grace. Young Lady. Please come inside. They are waiting.”

The moment she was about to say something, the butler, Noma, came to call the two of them.

Kael nodded his head slightly towards the dining room as if there was no time for this, and Adeline sighed softly and walked first.

She had been anxious since Kael told her to ‘look forward to it’, and from the beginning, Adeline’s soul was completely taken out.

***

“Let’s have a serious conversation now.”

The meal continued for a long time in a suffocating silence.

The three brothers seemed unwilling to share the slightest word with Kael to build their friendship, and Kael did not make any effort to adjust to them, so that was the following result.

Thinking that, at this rate, they wouldn’t exchange any words until the desserts came, Enoch finally opened his mouth.

“Are you really thinking of marrying Adeline?”

“Yes.”

It was a very short answer, but Kael’s will was perfectly conveyed.

He was not in any doubt that this marriage would be achieved, and his conviction was evident.

“If you get married, where and how do you plan to have the wedding?”

“After your marriage, do you intend to take Adeline to the cold north?”

“You’re not hiding any women, are you? Please be honest.”

The three brothers poured out their questions at the same time.

Even Adeline’s eyes widened as they were mixed with somewhat rude questions, but the three brothers and Kael were acting as if it was nothing.

“The Priest seems to want me to set up a harem or something. There is nothing like that.”

“…”

“If you’re uneasy, you can send a few people to check it out. The only woman I care about in my life is Adeline.”

Kael responded to Simeon’s question by casually adding words that could feel quite sweet.

Then, he immediately looked at Enoch and Leo.

“I intend to do whatever Adeline wants.”

“…”

“If Adeline wants to get married in the capital, we will go straight to the Great Temple, if she wants to do it in the north, we will go to the north, and if she wants to go back to Marquis Tien’s estate, we will hold the ceremony in the east.”

“…”

“It’s the same for where she wants to stay after the wedding. Adeline can stay wherever she wants. I should return to the north, but Adeline doesn’t need to follow me there at all. I don’t want to force her either. As the Commander of the Knights said, the north is a fierce place.”

Adeline quietly observed Kael, who talked naturally and smoothly, and her brothers, who were staring at him.

“It doesn’t matter if she wants to stay in the Marquis’ estate.”

The three brothers’ expressions changed for the first time when they were told that she could remain in the Tien family’s land even after marriage.

“If you don’t have to be together, why do you want to marry our sister? Is there any meaning to a marriage where you’re not together? Are there really no other hidden intentions?”

Simeon asked sharply.

“Because marriage in itself is meaningful. I want to spend the rest of my days with Adeline, as a couple.”

“…”

“I also want to ask her to stay with me. But as you know, the north is a tough place, and outsiders can’t endure it easily. I don’t want Adeline to fight such a difficult environment due to our marriage.”

“…”

“Adeline’s happiness and peace are of the utmost importance to me, too. Like the three of you.”

The three brothers’ eyes waved at the same time as the wedge-like words were added.

She could see both small and large cracks in their opposing minds.

Adeline looked at Kael with admiration.

‘‘How can he be so good at acting like that? He’s much better than me.’

If she didn’t know the truth, Adeline could mistake Kael for being in love with her.

It was an incredibly natural and plausible acting.

“Ahem.”

As the atmosphere in the dining room was slightly changing, Simeon cleared his throat and stirred up the surroundings.

“Your Grace can cherish my sister with all your heart.”

“…”

“But I, and my brothers, know her well.”

“…”

“I don’t think her feelings and attitude towards this marriage are the same as Your Grace’s. As Brother Leo said before, there is no way to clear the doubt that a deal was done behind the scenes. Though my sister will definitely insist that it wasn’t.”

Enoch and Leo’s eyes returned to how they were before when they heard the youngest’s decisive remarks.

“We have no intention of accepting this marriage, Your Grace.”

Kael’s eloquent reply clearly shook the three brothers, but that was it.

Their answer was still the same.

***

“It was a wonderful meal.”

“I’m glad you’re satisfied.”

Kael and Enoch shook hands and talked.

The three brothers and Adeline came out to send off Kael, and Kael was about to board the carriage.

“I want to talk to Adeline alone. I believe you will allow her to see me off this much.”

“… Of course. We will take our leave then.”

Enoch could not hide his displeasure. However, he had to allow this much out of courtesy.

In the end, the three brothers went inside first. Although their pace when turning around and walking was noticeably slower.

“The way you think of the Knight Commander, and the way your brothers care about you. You must have a good relationship.”

“Because we have no one but us. It won’t be easy.”

Adeline calmly added that it would not be as easy as talking about someone else.

“I think you’re too passive.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your attitude towards securing the marriage.”

“No way. I even told you that if you want to marry me, you have to make them believe that I love you.”

“That’s not enough. Wouldn’t it work if you and I worked together?”

Kael slightly raised the corners of his mouth and came closer to Adeline.

Adeline tried to step back right away, but Kael was faster.

He grabbed Adeline’s hand, pulled her slightly, narrowed the distance, and whispered in her ear.

“Your brothers are all watching right now.”

“… What? They didn’t go inside?”

“They did. Instead, they’re hiding and watching.”

“… Dear heavens.”

Adeline spat out an exclamation that seemed to be unstoppable.

“What are you going to do? I think this is our chance.”

His words were quite perverse, not matching his low tone of voice.

As Kael had done in the dining room a while ago, she had to ‘pretend to love’ him even more plausibly than that to get away from him.

To do so, she couldn’t thoughtlessly obstruct their marriage.

She had to create the image of herself falling in love with Kael little by little, so she couldn’t keep pushing him away.

‘And now I just want to give him a blow.’

Above all, she wanted to take away the perverse look with which he was looking at her and disconcert him.

“Please lower your head a little more.”

After telling Kael to lower his head a little, Adeline got on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.

“Have a safe trip, Kael.”

Kael looked at her quite surprised, not expecting Adeline to kiss him.

Adeline looked at his slightly shaking blue-gray eyes with satisfaction and turned to go inside.

“Adeline.”

However, Kael’s voice stopped Adeline.

“Is there anything else you want to say? I think I cooperated quite well and took advantage of the opportunity.”

“Who would believe that much?”

She tried to add that her brothers would believe that much, but Adeline’s words were swallowed without being completed.

Kael’s lips stopped those words.

He kissed Adeline.

A light yet soft kiss.

His lips took away the coldness of the night wind that had formed over Adeline’s lips.

“Send me off like this the next time. Adeline.”

Kael whispered quietly, then climbed onto the carriage with a relaxed smile.

Only Adeline, who wanted to give him a blow, was stiff and looking at him blankly.

Just before the end of the match, the winner changed.

It was Kael’s victory. And a perfect victory, too.