The person who relentlessly tormented him in the past is coming, so I’m not sure if Fazel will even attend my party. Hah, he might refuse to be my partner. Worry overtook me.

Then, seemingly reading my mind, Father patted my shoulder reassuringly.

“If you want him, take him.”

“Father?”

“Get engaged to him if you have to.”

Ah, wait a minute! I suddenly snapped to attention.

“If things go well, I’ll tell you about it, Father.”

“I’ll follow your wishes.”

In other words, no matter what I said, Father would support me.

“Thank you.”

Father’s love, believing in me and cheering me on, was so sweet. When I looked at Father with a bright smile, he pulled me into a tight embrace.

“My daughter, Duke Zieten is a persistent man. He won’t let you go easily.”

I already know that.

“Yes.”

I hugged my worried father back and took a moment to settle myself. However, I couldn’t stay like that forever. The matter was urgent, so I had to go to Fazel right away.

After parting from Father, I called for a carriage and headed to Fazel’s house. Inside the carriage, I wore a determined expression.

I have to say this well.

That was the only way I wouldn’t destroy the bond I’d built with him so far.

* * *

Arriving at Fazel’s house, I took a deep breath. I knew this was against etiquette, so I had to explain it to him properly.

It was already past 7 o’clock. It was an awkward time to visit without notice.

When I knocked, Fazel opened the door. He must have been in the living room.

“Lady Asnel?”

“Fazel, I came because I have something to tell you.”

When I made a serious expression, he quickly let me inside the house.

“This must be a big deal. You wouldn’t come at this hour without an appointment unless it was something serious.”

“That’s right.”

I nodded and sat down on the sofa.

“Shall I get you some tea?”

“That would be nice.”

I sat quietly and waited for Fazel to prepare the tea.

“Whew.”

He quietly set down a teacup in front of me. I took a sip of tea and stared at Fazel.

“This might take a while. Do you have time?”

Fazel nodded and spoke. “I’m fine.”

I’d come all this way, but now that I was about to bring it up, I hesitated.

“The thing is, someone I shouldn’t meet is coming on my birthday.”

“Someone you shouldn’t meet, or someone I shouldn’t meet?”

“Both.”

Fazel’s eyes widened.

“Who is it?”

Fazel asked in a trembling voice.

“Young Duke Zieten.”

Fazel’s eyes went round, then he looked me over with cold eyes. He seemed to have realized that I knew about his birth and was bringing this up.

I wanted to talk about it after we became closer, when I could naturally discuss an engagement with him. But I can’t do that. That was unfortunate.

What would Fazel do if he knew I’d investigated him? Would he stop giving me even fake smiles?

“……”

His silence continued.

“Ah, I see.”

Fazel stroked his chin with his hand. He nodded in understanding.

“You know a lot about me.”

“I only know about your birth.”

“Well, I understand. You can’t let just anyone into your territory.”

No, that’s not it.

It’s because I’m interested in you, Fazel. However, this was something I absolutely couldn’t say, so I remained silent.

“I understand that it’s difficult for me if he comes, but why is it difficult for you? Wouldn’t it be better for Young Duke Zieten to come?”

Fazel questioned me point by point.

“I don’t want to become Nertian Zieten’s fiancée.”

“Fiancée?”

“He wants to make me his fiancée.”

Fazel frowned.

“How many women would want to marry a man with that kind of personality!”

When I spoke bluntly, Fazel didn’t say anything in response either.

“Anyway, he wants me. But I don’t like him.”

Fazel looked at me with slightly anxious eyes.

“So what’s the conclusion?”

“I want to stop him from approaching me.”

“What do I need to do? You must have thought that far ahead.”

Fazel asked for the main point.

I’d been waiting for this. What he needed to do was already decided. I didn’t know if it would work out or not, but I had to say it first.

“Become my contract fiancé.”

Fazel’s eyes widened, seemingly not expecting my words at all. He inhaled briefly, exhaled, then lowered his head.

“Contract fiancé?”

“Yes.”

“That’s ridiculous!”

Just like I expected, he jumped up.

“Do you think that makes sense!”

He continued speaking firmly without a moment’s hesitation.

“No. Even if I’m ignored by him, I won’t do something like an engagement. An engagement is something you should do with someone you love.”

Fazel bit his lip.

“……”

I looked at him wordlessly.

“I don’t want to do this with someone who’s like… a friend.”

At least he’s calling me a friend.

“Fazel, I’m sorry.”

“I’ll attend the party, but I absolutely cannot get engaged.”

Fazel wore a firm expression.

“Alright. I’ll do that.”

At his firm words, I didn’t force him any further. Like he said, engagement wasn’t something that could be decided easily. Considering his personality, it was probably natural.

I finished my tea and stood up.

“Thank you for listening to me so late.”

“It’s nothing.”

Fazel leaned against the front door until I got into the carriage. I waved at him, then returned to the castle.

Without succeeding in getting engaged to Fazel.

“That’s too bad.”

If he’d agreed, we could have been engaged, even if it was formal, even if it was fake.

“It can’t be helped.”

I have no intention of pushing when Fazel says no. Of course, if I brought up the flower bouquet incident, he’d have no choice, but that would be coercion. I didn’t want to get engaged to him that way.

I shook my head and went to find Father for now. Father, who had been waiting for me to return, welcomed me.

“Did things go well?”

I smiled brightly at Father, who was sitting on the office sofa drinking tea.

“No.”

“So he refused after all.”

“I can’t force him.”

I spoke matter-of-factly, then sat in the seat across from Father.

“I’ll have to clearly reject Nertian in a public setting. That way his pride will be hurt and he won’t want me anymore.”

I spoke calmly. Father seemed to understand and agreed. I smiled at Father, who nodded lightly.

I shouldn’t worry Father too much.

* * *

Suran turned her head and expressed her gratitude to Trean, who had brought her home.

“Thanks for walking me back.”

“Of course.”

Trean scratched his head and turned his head slightly. Her smile was so dazzling he couldn’t look at her directly.

“Well, I’ll go in now. Take care.”

“Yeah, I’ll be going too. Tell Fazel to come early tomorrow.”

“Alright.”

Trean turned and left Suran’s side. Suran watched him leave, then leaned against the door for a moment and exhaled.

She’d gone to find Trean to ask about Fazel’s swordsmanship skills, and he’d told her that Fazel had natural talent. The Duke was exceptional at swordsmanship too.

“Blood doesn’t lie.”

Suran muttered that and opened the door to go inside. When she opened the front door and entered, Fazel was sitting alone in the living room.

“Fazel, what are you doing here?”

“I was waiting for Mother.”

“I see.”

Suran quickly approached and sat next to Fazel. She stared at him quietly.

“Your expression is dark. Did something happen?”

“On Lady Asnel’s birthday, Young Duke Zieten is coming.”

Hearing Fazel’s words, Suran’s expression hardened. Soon she sighed with a furrowed brow.

She would meet the Young Duke again.

“He’s coming.”

At Suran’s words, worry appeared on Fazel’s face.

“I thought I’d meet him at some point.”

I just didn’t expect to run into him this soon.

“That may be true, but… That boy probably hasn’t changed much from when he tormented you.”

“…I think so too.”

Fazel just laughed. It wasn’t a pleasant laugh, but the laugh of someone resigned.

“But how did you find out?”

“Lady Asnel came and told me. She said she also dislikes that man, and asked me to become her temporary fiancé.”

Hearing his words, Suran was even more surprised. It was more heart-pounding than when she heard the Young Duke was coming.

“Fiancé?”

“Yes.”

“Good heavens!”

Suran looked at her son calmly. Louelle was royalty, and the Asnel family was wealthy. They owned several trading companies and their territory was fertile. 

Even if Louelle weren’t royalty, she was by no means a suitable match for Fazel, who was merely the son of an honorary Baron.

Yet she chose Fazel as her temporary fiancé. Suran thought about something, then looked at her son.

“But is it okay not to accept the Lady’s request?”

At Suran’s words, Fazel’s expression hardened.

“It’s an absurd request.”

An engagement, that’s something you should do with someone you care about.

“It’s not that I dislike her, I wouldn’t accept it no matter who asked.”

“Still, she’s helped you a lot.”

“The Lady also had ulterior motives.”

Suran cut off her son’s words mid-sentence.

“But the fact is you received help.”

Whatever the reason, Suran told Fazel only the facts.

“Think about it carefully. And the Lady doesn’t seem like that kind of person. Not everyone in the world is like the people from the Zieten ducal family.”

Suran spoke gently, but there was still an edge in Fazel’s voice.

“That may be so.”

Fazel was thinking a little that Louelle might be different from the people he’d met at the ducal family. However, whenever he remembered what he’d suffered at the ducal family, anxiety raised its head in his heart.

Even when he tried not to, that feeling wouldn’t leave Fazel’s mind.

“That doesn’t mean it’s been clearly proven that the Lady isn’t that kind of person.”

Fazel added that he couldn’t conclude Louelle’s heart was pure. No matter how kindly she treated him, he couldn’t stop analyzing and doubting her intentions.

“Fazel, doesn’t it tire you out to think so complicatedly?”

Suran asked out of genuine concern. Fazel’s eyes widened.

“Mom, you look exhausted.”

Fazel bit his lip.

“I am exhausted.”

Fazel lowered his head.

“That’s why I… I wish Lady Asnel wouldn’t touch the things I’m anxious about.”

If she did, he wouldn’t be able to study by her side no matter how well she treated him, because he’d be too anxious.

“At least she didn’t force you.”

At Suran’s words, Fazel lowered his eyes briefly.

“So I said I’d be her partner.”

“You did well.”

Suran held Fazel’s hand and praised him.

* * *

The sound of hair being styled could be heard. I looked in the mirror and watched Marlene dress me up.

I wore a dress and a gold hair ornament. The hair ornament had a rose-shaped pattern intricately carved into it. She didn’t forget to apply moisturizer to make my lips look slightly dewy.

Looking in the mirror, I was fairly satisfied. But I wonder if Fazel is doing well?

“Miss, focus on the mirror.”

“I am looking.”

“Your mind is elsewhere.”

That’s true.

I felt somewhat wronged and grumbled to Marlene.

“It’s my first time seeing Fazel dressed up. So I can’t help but keep worrying about it.”

“I understand. What woman wouldn’t be excited when the man she likes is getting dressed up?”

“Fazel has seen me dressed up often so he already knows, but I don’t.”

“Still, focus! Today’s protagonist is you, Miss!”

Marlene’s words made perfect sense, so I stared at the mirror with a sullen expression. The girl in the mirror had pretty earrings on too.

Finally, she applied oil to the ends of my hair.

“Now, you should go meet Sir Fazel.”

So now you’re telling me to go meet him. Well, that makes sense. Today is my birthday party. It would be ridiculous for me, the protagonist, to go find Fazel before I’m even fully dressed.

“I wonder if Sir Fazel’s jaw will drop at your beauty, Miss.”

“I wonder if that will really happen.”

I shook my head and walked slowly. If Fazel does that, I’d be happy, but, ahem.

I opened the door.

“You’re finally done.”

But Fazel, who I thought would still be getting ready, was already fully dressed and waiting in front of my bedroom door. I held my breath at the sight of him leaning against the wall, looking at me with a languid gaze.

His silver hair, bathed in pouring sunlight, shone brilliantly. His golden eyes flaunted their undeniable presence, and below them his features formed perfect harmony. Of course, it goes without saying that the clothes we’d bought together looked dazzlingly good on him.

When I admired him, Fazel shrugged his shoulders.

“It really suits you. Fazel, you look great.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re today’s protagonist.”

He’ll stand out more than me.

“Today’s protagonist is Lady Asnel.”

Fazel denied my words and approached me. Though he didn’t say it, he seemed to know he was handsome, and there seemed to be a hint of arrogance in his bearing. Well, rather than seeming cocky, it was more like cute charm, I suppose?

Everyone must be waiting for us at the party hall.