A man sat in a chair carved from gold. Tall and just over thirty, the man raised his blue eyes to look straight ahead. With his brown hair cut short, he was Kaisiel Ruran Karna, Emperor of the Karna Empire.

Right in front of Kaisiel’s chair stood two men. Even though the meeting had ended, they hadn’t gone home and were still talking in the conference room.

“I heard Louelle got a fiancé—I’m dying of curiosity. Who could it be?”

The man who spoke had dark green hair and yellow eyes. Wearing a military uniform, he was Garen Sharons, the Commander-in-Chief who possessed the empire’s finest swordsmanship and brilliant intellect.

An ornament engraved with a golden eagle pattern proving his status was attached to his chest.

“We’ll find out when we meet him.”

The person who gave this common answer was Prime Minister Solestin Vetine, who had long silver hair and blue eyes. Since both were dukes, they’d been close since their youth. Rivals at the Academy, they’d become the heads of the military and administrative departments respectively as time passed, seeing each other’s faces frequently.

These two were also Roselia’s childhood friends. Now they claimed to be godfathers to Louelle, her only daughter.

“Really, we just have to meet him? It’s suspicious that you’d say that.”

“Is it?”

“If I know you, you would’ve thoroughly investigated this boy named Fazel, right?”

“Shall I give it to you?”

Garen wasn’t surprised by Solestin’s nonchalant words. That meticulous snake wouldn’t have stayed idle.

“I only legally investigated the rumors.”

“You didn’t do anything illegal?”

“Of course not. And since the investigation was already finished, I just reviewed it once more this time.”

“Mm, someone else requested the investigation first?”

“Yes, Count Asnel.”

“Really.”

Someone had already made the first move.

“Count Asnel personally requested it, saying there was a boy Louelle liked and we should be careful. So I know quite well about this boy named Fazel.”

“I want to see it too!”

“Fine. I’ll show you.”

“Good.”

Kaisiel, who’d been listening to the two leaders’ conversation, sighed and stood up from his seat.

“I’ll head in first.”

“Please go ahead, Your Majesty.”

“We’ll go in soon as well.”

Kaisiel, who’d been listening to the two men’s conversation, inwardly scoffed. They were just getting started—going in, my foot.

They’d probably debate here, then go to Solestin’s house where Garen would examine everything investigated about the boy named Fazel.

Then later, his younger brother Taras would also ask Solestin for what he’d investigated.

Their actions were more than predictable.

* * *

After studying ended, I brought Fazel to the drawing room. In the drawing room, Jerins, the owner of an accessory workshop, had arrived a bit earlier than the appointment time. 

She handled making my accessories, and when I requested engagement rings this time, she readily accepted.

“Lady Louelle, it’s been a while.”

Jerins smiled brightly and jingled her earrings. Seeing the earrings, my eyes sparkled.

“What are these?”

“Pretty, right? This is a new design from the workshop.”

“I want to order them too.”

“I brought them in advance.”

Like this, Jerins became a model herself and promoted the workshop’s items. I bought the ones I liked that she was wearing.

Everything I bought became trendy in this area.

‘Hehe.’

We sat in the seats across from Jerins. After measuring Fazel’s and my finger sizes, she carefully asked me.

“For the rings, I’m planning to make them expandable to some degree with magic—would that be okay?”

“Do that.”

Fazel and I would grow quickly soon. So our hand sizes would change too.

Rather than going through the trouble of resizing later, it was better to make the rings with magic from the start and keep wearing them.

When you bought something from Jerins, she made it so you could use it for a long time. That was why I trusted her.

“These are the design drafts.”

Jerins gave Fazel and me a booklet. As we examined the ring designs, both our eyes stopped at one place.

A gem was set in a round ring with patterns. It was so pretty that we stared at it entranced.

“Fazel, do you like it?”

“It’s truly luxurious.”

Fazel also agreed and fell for this design.

“Shall we go with that one?”

“Let’s do this one.”

“Since it’s an engagement ceremony ring, I’ll add patterns to make it a bit more ornate.”

I told Fazel we’d keep the engagement ceremony party modest! But still, I can’t give up on the rings.

“Sounds good.”

“I’ll send you the revised draft once it’s made. By the way, he really is a handsome boy. I’d heard about him and had expectations.”

As expected, I knew it from when Jerins said she’d come here in person. She’d heard rumors about Fazel and came to see him directly.

“You flatter me.”

In front of me, he took his good looks for granted, but in front of others he acted shy. Jerins admired Fazel’s appearance, gave me the earrings, and left.

“Do these suit me well?”

I said to Fazel.

“They seem to suit you just from looking, but I think I could tell better if I saw you actually wearing them.”

“Then could you hold the mirror for me?”

At my request, Fazel readily did so.

Fazel stood holding the mirror where the sunlight came in. I looked at him, smiled brightly, and put on the earrings.

Looking at the sparkling earrings, I asked Fazel.

“How is it?”

“Everything suits you, my lady.”

Fazel spoke matter-of-factly.

“Really?”

“Don’t pretend not to know. You actually know everything, don’t you?”

At Fazel’s grumbling, I smiled. After the Nertian incident, we’d become closer than before.

It truly felt like we’d become friends who’d opened our hearts.

“But when are we writing the contract?”

Fazel asked what he was curious about. Since no one else was around, it was content he could barely bring up.

“We’ll write it soon. The clauses I’m putting in are almost finished.”

“Mine are finished too.”

Fazel straightened his shoulders.

“There aren’t as many things to write as I thought.”

That makes sense. Fazel had a great thirst for learning, so he didn’t desire much else. That’s why my father didn’t say much when I said I wanted to choose Fazel as my fiancé.

“Wait just a bit. I’ll bring it within three days.”

Actually, I couldn’t bring the contract because I was thinking about the last clause.

The most important consideration when making a contract was the risk when the contract engagement wasn’t fulfilled.

If Fazel said he wanted to break off the engagement, what risk would I include?

I closed my eyes thinking about that.

I wanted to keep Fazel by my side even if we broke off the engagement. So I needed to think of a clause that could satisfy that desire.

Fazel looked at the ring drawn in the booklet, unaware of my feelings.

He smiled with satisfaction, seemingly quite pleased. That sight was so pretty I was drawn in without realizing it.

“Let’s go study now.”

If I stayed here together, I’d just stare at Fazel. I quickly took him with me to do homework together.

After he finished studying and went home again, I walked alone in the garden.

“Fazel will put forward a condition asking for educational support.”

Then I can’t make cutting off educational support the risk for breaking the engagement. I don’t want to earn his hatred.

‘Then what should I do?’

As I worried, I suddenly thought of an idea.

“Ah.”

That’s right! There was such a method!

I turned toward my room in a good mood. All the parts I’d been worrying about were resolved. Now I just needed to report to my father, review the contract clauses together, and finalize it.

We decided to spend the next day writing the engagement ceremony contract and comparing them with each other.

And finally, that day came.

I adjusted my sleeves. Looking in the mirror, I curled my hair, put on a hair ornament with flower-shaped carvings, then looked at the prepared ring.

In the center of the ring made of gold, a small diamond was set. The transparent diamond was beautiful, but I gazed at the ring with indifferent eyes.

It’s pretty, but my fiancé’s eyes are prettier. What can I do about the gem not being pretty enough?

I smiled brightly and looked at the engraving carved around the ring.

‘Whatever.’

When we formally get engaged later, I’ll have to do it really grandly then.

Originally, engagements between nobles were done modestly in childhood and grandly upon becoming adults. Since breaking engagements after growing up was frequent when done in childhood, this culture developed.

I put the ring in a ring box and placed it in my bag. Marlene watched me from the side and quickly gave me a glass of water.

After taking a sip of the water she gave me, I took a deep breath and opened the door.

I heard that my father, Fazel, and Suran were waiting in the drawing room. Since we said we’d write the contract right when I arrived, I naturally became nervous.

What conditions will Fazel set?

I have a rough idea, but I headed to the drawing room with my usual smile.

What clauses did Fazel bring?

I opened the drawing room door with a pounding heart. Then I saw my father, Fazel, and Suran who’d arrived early.

“Did you wait long?”

I quickly came in and sat down.

“Not very long.”

Fazel shook his head and looked at me with welcoming eyes. Being with my father, Fazel and Suran seemed tense.

That makes sense.

When my father isn’t with me, his expression is sharp.

They probably weren’t used to it yet.

Now that I’d arrived, it was time to check each other’s contract conditions.

Reading the contract Fazel wrote, I nodded. As expected, he wrote what he wanted within the range I’d predicted.

He only asked to maintain what he was currently learning and for support with tuition and living expenses when entering the Academy.

‘That’s it?’

I thought he’d demand a bit more. For example, living expense support right now, or buying him clothes befitting formality.

“Father. What do you think?”

My father also read the clauses. After reading, he stared at Fazel. Fazel stiffened his body, seemingly nervous under our gazes.

“Is there a problem?”

“No. It’s just too modest.”

Fazel made an expression like he was dumbfounded.

“There’s no need to demand much, is there? I just need to take what I need—there’s no need for other things.”

Fazel said that to me while seeming relieved.

“Were you worried there’d be many conditions?”

Fazel’s cheeks flushed faintly.

So that was it.

Fazel seemed to think he’d demanded a lot even with this. I’d expected this much, so I would’ve been fine even if he wanted more. That way, my power to keep him by my side would be stronger.

Hmm, there were almost no clauses besides learning.

“Did you read my clauses too?”

Not breaking off the engagement was most important to me. Also, I wanted us to appear like lovers as much as possible during the contract period. So I required that he not refuse balls I attended unless there were special circumstances, and said we’d provide the clothes here.

I also specified that we’d continue studying together, but on days when Fazel’s studies took priority, I wouldn’t demand ball attendance either.

Next, if he passed the Academy entrance, I wrote that we should appear as a close engaged couple even inside it.

“Yes, I read them. Since they’re mostly things I just need to do, I think I can keep most of them.”

Fazel seemed surprised that I wasn’t demanding much unexpectedly.

“There are only the clauses I predicted.”

“There’s one thing I didn’t write.”

“What is that?”

Fazel raised his head to look at me. I gave my gaze to Suran and Fazel and revealed what I’d been pondering for several days.

“Actually, from my position, not breaking the engagement is important. But you never know what will happen with people. Fazel might want to break the engagement, or I might want to.”

My words were correct.

Who would have predicted I’d possess this world?

“That’s right.”

Suran also agreed.

“If Fazel wants to break the engagement, in exchange for that, I’d like him to work without pay after becoming an adult, equivalent to the support Fazel received from the count’s family.”

Then Fazel’s eyes widened.

“You won’t cut off the support?”

“I’ll continue the support. That way you can study with peace of mind.”