Chapter 94

“That Chase has come to love someone is, of course, a joyful and celebratory thing. But, as his mother, I can’t help but worry. Loving someone also means you might get hurt by that person.”

She paused for a moment. Her blue eyes clouded with emotion, as though she was lost in deep thought.

Judith could somewhat guess what kind of life she had lived, having heard bits and pieces about the family situation from Chase.

“To be honest, I don’t believe you truly love Chase. I’ve heard that you’ve received the Fedelian family’s support for a long time. So, I can fully understand why you couldn’t refuse Madame Fedelian’s request.”

Annette, who spoke these words, gently stroked the letter Chase had sent her as if it were precious.

“But Chase, though he seems strong on the outside, is actually a very sensitive child. That’s why, when he was forced into this engagement, I repeatedly told him not to give his heart away first. And yet, things have turned out like this…”

At that point, Chase’s mother looked up and stared directly at Judith.

“I’ve rambled on too long. What I’m trying to say is, it’s fine if you don’t love Chase. But please, don’t hurt him. And if there’s even the slightest impure intention behind this engagement, I ask you to step away now, for his sake.”

After finishing her words, she let out a deep sigh and added.

“…The reason I wanted to speak with you alone, without Chase, was to make sure I said this to you.”

“I see.”

After hearing everything, Judith nodded with a bitter smile.

She could feel the deep love of a mother who was worried about her son in every word Annette had spoken.

Judith could fully understand and empathize with the concerns Chase’s mother had.

However, she was unsure how to respond in a way that would convey her sincerity to Annette.

Just as Annette had said, Judith had no intention of disappointing or hurting Chase.

After some thought, Judith carefully opened her mouth to speak.

“As you said, my decision to get engaged to Chase wasn’t because I was deeply in love with him. I couldn’t refuse Madame Fedelian’s request, and for a while, I thought the same way you did.”

“…”

“But while that may have been how it started, things are very different now. Spending time with Chase, I’ve come to realize how warm and thoughtful he is.”

Judith paused to catch her breath before continuing, speaking clearly and deliberately.

“Chase helped me a lot during difficult times. Thanks to him, I was able to decide to end my ties with the Fedelian family on good terms. So what I want to say is…”

As Judith continued speaking, Annette’s eyes wavered.

“I don’t have any impure intentions regarding this engagement, as you fear. It’s entirely my own decision to spend my future with Chase. So, just as you’ve said, I will do my best to never hurt Chase. As someone who cherishes him deeply.”

After finishing her words, Judith took a sip of tea, feeling a bit awkward. Annette, who had listened to everything, seemed to be deep in thought.

But soon, she smiled warmly.

“Well, this was an answer I didn’t expect at all. But… thanks to you, I feel a little more at ease now.”

She stood up, approached Judith, and gently embraced her as she spoke.

“Thank you for saying that. You’ll keep your promise, won’t you?”

“Of course.”

Judith nodded as she accepted the embrace without hesitation.

Chase is lucky to have such a caring mother.

She finally understood why Chase’s expression softened whenever he spoke about his mother, even though his face would harden when talking about other family members.

After peacefully concluding their conversation, the two left the room together and headed toward the drawing room. Two maids were already waiting there, as if anticipating them.

“His father won’t return until late in the evening, so please rest in the prepared room until it’s time for dinner. But, one thing I should warn you about…”

Annette trailed off for a moment.

“He might not be very welcoming toward you, Judith. Don’t misunderstand—it’s not because he dislikes you. He’s just naturally a very rigid man…”

“It’s alright. I was prepared for this.”

Judith didn’t expect the family to immediately support her decision to become a professor.

She thought it would be fortunate if she wasn’t outright ignored or looked down upon.

But Judith had always had to endure the cold gazes of others throughout her life.

She clenched her fists, thinking that she could easily overcome this challenge as well.

***

Before dinner, Judith quickly changed into formal attire.

She could hear the loud clatter of horses’ hooves outside, signaling that Chase’s father had returned to the estate just in time.

When she stepped out of her room after getting ready, she found Chase already waiting for her.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s go.”

Together, they left the annex and headed to the main building with Annette.

Chase’s father, the Earl of Cardandy, had just arrived and was handing his coat to the butler as he entered.

Spotting Chase, the Earl immediately approached him.

“Chase.”

After calling his son’s name and pausing for a moment, the Earl raised his hand and patted Chase’s shoulder.

“I heard you passed the Imperial Knight Order’s exam. Well done.”

The atmosphere between the two seemed warmer than Judith had expected, and she found herself watching them intently. Noticing this, the Earl turned his gaze toward her.

“And this must be…”

“This is my fiancée, Judith. I mentioned her in the letter I sent earlier…”

“Ah.”

The Earl nodded and smiled as he spoke.

“So, you’re the young lady who was supported by the Fedelian Duke’s household. Welcome. Make yourself comfortable while you’re here.”

“Thank you, Earl.”

Judith quickly bent her knees in a polite bow.

Without much further conversation, they moved straight to the dining room.

Perhaps because it was a rare visit from Chase, the table was lavishly decorated with fine tableware and ornaments.

Soon, a man who appeared to be Chase’s elder brother joined them, sitting next to the Countess. The Earl looked around the table with satisfaction and began to speak.

“It’s nice to have the family gathered together after so long. Especially with such celebratory news.”

As he spoke, the Earl looked at Chase with pride. At that moment, the Countess turned her gaze toward Judith.

“So, you’re Chase’s fiancée?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Judith replied nervously.

“I heard you’re a commoner, but you seem to carry yourself quite properly. The Duchess must have taken great care in guiding you.”

“Thank you.”

“Please continue to support Chase well in the future.”

“…Yes.”

Judith hesitated briefly before responding to her request.

Meanwhile, the servants continued to bring out luxurious and delicious-looking dishes.

But Judith, too tense, found it difficult to eat properly.

Noticing this, Chase attentively helped her with her meal.

The Countess, observing this, spoke in surprise.

“You two seem very close, Chase. I thought you’d only recently gotten engaged.”

“…We’ve been classmates for a long time.”

“When do you plan to marry? If you’d like, I could help with the preparations.”

At that moment, the Earl cleared his throat and interrupted the Countess.

“Chase will be busy for a while after joining the Imperial Knight Order. It would be better to wait for the right time.”

Just then, Chase, who had been waiting for the opportunity to speak, naturally joined the conversation.

“…That’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about, Father.”

The Earl turned his attention to his son.

“Is it about your marriage?”

“Yes.”

Finally, the time had come to address the purpose of their visit.

Judith nervously observed the interaction between Chase and his father. She hoped Chase would remain calm and express himself well.

“As you said, I’ll be busy for a while, and there’s also Judith’s career to consider. So, it seems difficult to hold the wedding right away.”

“…I understand that, but what do you mean by her career?”

The Earl looked at Judith with a puzzled expression.

Chase calmly took her hand and continued.

“Judith is very talented and has been offered a position as an assistant professor in accounting. She’s decided to work at the Prussian Academy starting next year.”