“Please, marr-“

But just as he was about to bring up this serious matter, an uninvited guest barged in.

“Good morning!”

“……”

It was Assistant Lucas.

The eyes that alternately looked at the two people with puzzlement didn’t have even a speck of awareness.

“Oh? Are you two sharing some kind of secret conversation?”

“No! Of course not!”

“Haha! I was just joking, Your Grace?”

“Now you’re entering without even knocking.”

“…!”

The assistant visibly flinched.

It was because his master’s fierce demeanor took his breath away.

‘Why on earth is he acting like this? Did I do something wrong?’

That was almost like the look one would give when encountering an intruder.

For Lucas, who had been sharing the office for the past two years, it was utterly bewildering.

“That’s enough. Just get to work.”

“…Yes!”

Derek, who had been looking at Lucas with displeasure for quite some time, turned his back.

In that brief moment, he didn’t forget to exchange affectionate glances with Dodori, hidden from the assistant’s eyes.

To anyone watching, it would have looked like a thrilling secret romance.

‘I temporarily lost my mind.’

Derek belatedly clutched his chest.

He had almost been swept away by the mood and made a trivial proposal to Dodori!

He hadn’t even prepared a proper ring.

‘…I almost became the worst man.’

No matter the situation, he couldn’t rush through a once-in-a-lifetime proposal like popping beans on lightning.

How would he explain it to their children later?

‘How did Mother and Father get married?’

‘Father proposed.’

‘Proposed? How?’

‘He recited legal clauses and offered to pay off my gambling debts.’

‘Uwaaah!’

Derek unconsciously stiffened his face as he imagined the distant future.

‘That was a close call.’

He wasn’t particularly good with words, nor was he a gentle or affectionate person.

He didn’t have the ability to make things look fancy either.

But for the moment of the proposal, he wanted to be the most wonderful man in the world.

For that, he would need preparation.

‘I hope it’s not too late.’

Derek anxiously tapped his foot as he looked at Dodori, who somehow seemed to be suffering.

At the same time, his anger rose toward the loan shark he had never even seen.

‘You dare to not only deceive innocent Dodori but also make her tremble in fear?’

They must have eyes to see how delicate, cute, and tender Dodori is.

Is there any reason to torment her like that?

Besides, why is Dodori’s desk so empty today?

The ribbons and mirrors that were like part of her body until yesterday had all disappeared.

It was obvious what had happened.

‘They’ve squeezed her dry!’

How mercilessly must those villains have pressured her…

It was truly unbearable to think about.

“Lucas.”

“Yes!”

“We need to call a merchant.”

“Do you mean a weapons merchant?”

“…A general goods merchant. Along with a jeweler.”

“Ah. Then I’ll tell them to visit in the afternoon-“

“No, no. It would be better to call a trading company.”

“……”

That afternoon. Several large cargo wagons entered the duke’s castle in a row.

It was the “Malta Trading Company,” known as the wealthiest and most luxurious in the Kriant Empire.

“It’s an honor to be invited directly to the castle that will be remembered in our company’s history. As instructed, we’ve prepared mainly pretty ribbons and mirrors. Please feel free to look around.”

Dodori’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s. She seemed touched by the unexpected consideration.

‘It was worth calling the trading company.’

Derek secretly swallowed a pleased smile.

Then he subtly gestured toward Dodori. It meant she should choose whatever she wanted.

“……”

But Audrey hesitated to choose readily.

Those burning red eyes seemed to say, ‘If you pick that up, we’re getting married.’

What if she coveted a now-useless mirror and found herself in another predicament?

But Derek, misunderstanding her hesitation, made a swift decision.

“I’ll take everything.”

“What? All of this…!”

“Indeed, what excellent taste you have! A true owner knows how to recognize the value of things.”

His Dodori didn’t need to worry.

If she wanted something, she would rightfully have it, and even if she didn’t want it, she would have it.

This was the life Derek wanted to promise to Dodori.

“Everything is yours.”

“…!”

Including myself.

Derek’s ears reddened as he swallowed the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.

Ah, isn’t that just the perfect thing to whisper while watching the sunset?

‘I should write this down somewhere before I forget.’

Imagining the romantic scene the two would create someday, Derek slightly curved the corner of his mouth.

***

Lunchtime. An emergency meeting was held in the underground conference room of the duke’s castle.

The closest aides were forcibly mobilized for the success of Duke Frith’s proposal.

“I’ll trust you just this once.”

Their eyes moved faster than usual.

‘His Grace is going to propose? What does all this mean?’

‘Did he catch that blackmailer from before?’

‘Could it be that it was actually a love letter?’

‘Oh my! I almost lost my head!’

‘Wait. Does anyone know who this woman is?’

‘He doesn’t even go outside the castle, could it be an imaginary woman…?’

Derek looked around at his unresponsive closest aides and urged them once more.

“You can freely express your opinions.”

“……”

“Surely you must have proposed at least once.”

“……”

But the atmosphere was solemn.

To the point where one might wonder how they ever got married or had children.

“I’m telling you to share your own experiences.”

“Ah! I sent a marriage proposal through my parents. Because they said such matters should be left to the elders.”

“……”

Is he in his right mind?

A pair of burning blood-red eyes glared at the aide as if to kill him.

“That would be difficult. The ones in the grave cannot walk out, you know.”

“…!”

Oops.

The aide’s face turned deathly pale.

The late Duke and Duchess Frith had already passed away.

He had inadvertently rubbed it in by mentioning that he had parents.

“T-that’s not what I meant…!”

“To rely on your parents’ hands even for a proposal, impressive in a way.”

“I’m sorry!”

“That’s enough. Any other opinions?”

“Ahem. Shouldn’t a proposal have a strong event-like character?”

“Event?”

The second aide who stepped forward smiled triumphantly.

“This is from when I was dating, but in my case, I utilized rumors. First, you spread rumors around without the person knowing.”

“Rumors? What kind?”

“That I might confess soon, that I like that person a lot, things like that.”

“……”

“You let it circulate until it reaches them. In the process, other competitors will tactfully withdraw. Isn’t that quite ingenious?”

“That’s the worst.”

Derek openly frowned.

He had no desire to convey his feelings through others in such a petty way.

What’s the point of having a mouth then?

“Are there no other opinions?”

“I was drunk at the time, so I don’t remember well…”

“You don’t even remember the one-in-a-lifetime proposal? That’s serious.”

“……”

The atmosphere sank instantly.

Only Lucas among them had a meaningful gleam in his eyes.

‘It seems like they need me?’

He sensed it was his turn to step up. Like a hero in troubled times.

Although still unmarried, wasn’t Lucas someone who had already planned a proposal for his future wife?

“I have a good idea.”

“……”

Duke Frith nodded roughly as if to say, let’s hear it.

“After years of devouring romance novels, I believe the essence of a proposal is ‘scale’.”

“…So you’ve been reading such things.”

“For research purposes, no, that’s not the important part! A male protagonist should at least lend an island when proposing.”

“And?”

“I suggest a public proposal.”

“…!”

The aides began to murmur busily.

Opinions were evenly divided between those saying it would compromise His Grace’s dignity and those saying it would be the best proposal.

“What if the result isn’t good? What kind of embarrassment would that be?”

“My friend, don’t you understand crowd psychology? Just plant plenty of supporters!”

“Right. How could anyone refuse when everyone around is cheering for acceptance?”

“A couple promising marriage amid the crowd’s blessings… A beautiful story is already complete.”

“But if one can’t refuse, isn’t that coercion rather than a proposal?”

“Oh, come on. Where else would you find such romantic coercion?”

“Exactly. Rather, she would be moved by Your Grace’s courage and sincerity in confessing so boldly.”

“……”

Derek also sank into thought with a serious face.

‘Public proposal? The crowd’s blessing?’

It was somewhat appealing. Wasn’t it already sweet just to imagine?

How touched Dodori would be, and how thrilled he would be watching her!

“For once, you’re useful.”

Derek, who smiled with satisfaction, stood up abruptly.

Then he quickly wrapped up the meeting and headed to the office.

‘There’s no time. I need to hurry.’

He had just come up with a very good idea.

Dodori probably doesn’t have much time either, so there’s no need to hesitate about marriage.

Bang.

Derek, who urgently flung open the office door, blurted out his business.

“From tomorrow, we will go out to inspect the territory.”

“…!”

There was no room to consider the startled Dodori. His mind had already gone blank long ago.

“I will show you everything without hiding anything.”

“W-what’s this all of a sudden, no, why would I go to the territory?”

“…You’ll understand when we get there.”

Derek subtly averted his eyes. It was a suspicious appearance to anyone watching.

Just like that day when he took Audrey to the memorial room of the duke’s castle.