Fazel’s eyes wavered. Suran also looked at me with surprise.

“And it’s not a loss for our side either—Fazel is already smart, so I think he’ll help the territory a lot.”

Fazel made an awkward expression before smiling gently.

“I see. And if my studies are guaranteed, I think I can be at ease too.”

Fazel wore a more comfortable expression than before. Seeing that attitude, I smiled with satisfaction.

“Then if I break off the engagement, please continue supporting me. That’s my compensation clause.”

Fazel simply stated his position. As someone receiving education, he’d naturally want that support.

“Alright.”

I didn’t want to cut off his support either. And breaking the engagement—if Fazel wanted it, he’d want it, but me?

Would I really do that?

“Then that’s everything. Support items are Academy tuition, living expenses, swordsmanship support as is. This should work.”

My father smiled with satisfaction.

“Fazel doesn’t desire more than what he wants.”

“Even this is huge.”

Fazel shook his head. Then my father nodded and signed at the bottom of the contract.

Since I was still a minor, parental consent was needed to make a contract. Suran also signed the contract, and finally Fazel and I stamped our seals.

Having divided the contracts and taken one each, I wore a satisfied expression. Though it was a contract, the mastermind was now mine.

The term was until adulthood for now—we’d discuss what came after that later.

Even after becoming an adult, Fazel would naturally have to remain my fiancé. To make that happen, I’d seduce him.

“But won’t you date other men, my lady?”

Fazel asked what he was curious about. At his words, I tilted my head slightly.

“I have no such plans.”

When I have Fazel, why would I?

“I see.”

“If I take another lover, Fazel’s position weakens. Then Nertian would gleefully approach again—why would I do that?”

I spoke matter-of-factly and tilted my head slightly.

“Were you worried?”

Then Fazel pressed his lips tightly shut.

He seemed reluctant to admit he’d been worried.

Either way, we’d concluded the contract well like this.

“My daughter, you worked hard.”

My father looked at me warmly. Suran looked at me with a subtle gaze.

However, I didn’t notice Suran’s gaze and was just satisfied that things had ended well.

“When will you hold the engagement ceremony?”

“It’s better to do it quickly, right?”

“Of course.”

I spoke matter-of-factly. Since rumors had already spread widely, I should nail down that Fazel is my fiancé while I’m at it! That way, other women won’t approach Fazel.

With wicked thoughts, I spoke to Fazel with a serious expression.

“Since we’re doing it simply, we can do it quickly.”

Fazel narrowed his eyes.

“But is ‘simple’ about the level of a birthday party?”

“Mm, more modest than that. We’re still young.”

“I see.”

Seeing his relieved expression, I asked what I was curious about.

“Why, do you dislike fancy things?”

“Big occasions make me nervous. I might make mistakes.”

“You’ll learn proper etiquette now, so it’ll be fine. Relax. And no one there will criticize your etiquette.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. You’re now a man with status equivalent to the imperial family.”

Fazel picked up the teacup a servant had left. After drinking the tea, he sighed.

“That makes me even more nervous.”

Ah, was that it? I wanted to stroke his head but held back firmly. We weren’t officially engaged yet, so I should restrain such actions.

But then my father stroked Fazel’s head.

“How admirable. You understand your duty well.”

At my father’s words, Fazel’s eyes widened.

“I’m counting on you to take care of my daughter for the time being.”

At my father’s words, Fazel made a stiff expression before nodding.

“Understood.”

I showed him the ring. Then I told Fazel I’d keep the rings and give them on the engagement ceremony day, finishing up the contract writing.

* * *

After Fazel and Suran left, my father and I naturally headed to the study.

“Things are going according to your intentions.”

At my father’s words, my eyes widened.

Tch, he caught on.

“You guessed?”

“Of course.”

The ultimate purpose of this engagement ceremony was to keep Fazel by my side. Even if he wanted to break the engagement, buying time for him to stay by my side and claiming him was what I ultimately desired.

Though Fazel probably didn’t know.

“You’re truly clever.”

“Am I?”

“Of course. You pretend to be considerate of the other person while securing what you want.”

That’s true.

If Fazel had known my intentions, would he have readily signed the contract?

Probably not.

I smiled brightly and said to my father.

“Originally, if you want to get what you want, you shouldn’t be honest.”

I raised my second finger and placed it on my lips.

“Isn’t that right, Father?”

I smiled with my eyes.

Having bound Fazel so he couldn’t escape my domain, now I should do the next thing too.

Suppose Fazel breaks the engagement and works on the territory. With me as the lord’s successor and him having been my fiancé, who would approach? It would be hard to get close easily.

Though I’d have my iron defense too.

“Then I should think about how to hold the engagement ceremony.”

“You said you’d do it simply?”

“Isn’t the standard for ‘simple’ subjective?”

So even though it’s simple, it’s fine if it’s a bit fancy.

Reading my intentions, my father widened his eyes like he’d been had, then soon smiled.

“Fazel will be troubled.”

“Fazel doesn’t know noble parties well. So if I say it’s modest, he’ll think so. As long as I say it’s modest by my standards.”

It’s an engagement ceremony with my man.

Naturally, he and I had to be dazzling.

“My godfathers said they really want to attend this engagement ceremony.”

“That’s right. But if they attend, things get too big, so I’m wondering whether to send invitations or not.”

“We should naturally send them.”

my father narrowed his eyes.

“Do you think Fazel will really think an engagement ceremony is modest when the empire’s Commander-in-Chief, Prime Minister, and even His Highness the Grand Duke, the Emperor’s brother, are coming?”

“I just invited people I know.”

I played innocent.

Sorry Fazel, the engagement ceremony is simple, but there are many distinguished guests attending.

This was a secret until the engagement party started.

“I’ll see them after a long time.”

My father smiled and stroked my head.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Like this, Fazel had no idea about my wicked ambitions.

* * *

Suran slowly fell into thought before looking at Fazel. He looked at the contract and clenched his fist tightly.

“Now I don’t have to worry about studying.”

Fazel rejoiced and showed no particular interest in the engagement ceremony coming up soon. Suran quietly watched him like that before asking Fazel.

“Fazel, weren’t you wary of the young lady?”

“I was, though?”

“Is it okay now?”

At Suran’s words, Fazel pondered slightly before nodding.

“It’s better than before.”

Even to Suran’s eyes, she could see Fazel gradually lowering his guard toward Louelle.

And somehow, even to an engagement ceremony.

‘Surely not.’

Suran wanted to deny her own thoughts.

‘There’s no way Lady Louelle has ulterior motives toward Fazel.’

What could she gain from Fazel? Of course, her son was handsome, but Louelle was too smart to be swayed by that. And she didn’t treat people based on good looks.

So her thoughts must be mistaken.

Suran thought that and stroked her son’s head.

“Since you said the engagement ceremony will be simple, we won’t need to tailor new clothes. You can wear something from what Lady Louelle gave you.”

“Is tailoring clothes burdensome?”

“Wouldn’t it be a waste of budget to tailor clothes so frequently?”

Saying that, Fazel stood up from his seat. After he left, Suran fell into thought. Would the young lady really not tailor clothes?

As Suran expected, the next day Louelle sent Fazel a letter saying they needed to go tailor clothes and asking when would be good.

Like that, Fazel had to get clothes tailored again.

Time flowed quickly, and the day the engagement ceremony party would be held was approaching.

* * *

A woman stood where sunlight shone. She stroked her protruding belly and sat in a chair by the window, staring out. Through the window, beautiful flowers blooming in the garden were visible.

Shortly after, the door opened and someone entered. A person with red hair perfectly symmetrically arranged, wearing glasses.

“You called for me, Your Majesty the Empress?”

The woman sitting in the chair, Sezanne Ruran Karna, smiled toward the person who entered.

“I’m sorry for asking for time from someone who serves His Majesty the Emperor.”

The Empress smiled and turned her body. Her swollen belly indicated she was pregnant.

The Empress’s position, pregnant with the Emperor’s heir, was rising day by day. Especially since the Emperor cherished the still-young Empress, she’d become an even more special person.

“I heard Saila is going to Asnel territory on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor this time.”

This time, Louelle Asnel, the only young imperial family member, was having an engagement ceremony. 

So they’d sent an invitation to the imperial family too, but since the Emperor couldn’t go himself, he ordered a close aide to go. The person who received this order was Marquis Saila Turecien.

She was the Emperor’s aide. And she was also the Empress’s Academy classmate. The Empress, who’d entered the Academy at a young age, met Kaisiel, the Emperor, there and became his lover, rising to the Empress’s position like this.

The person who introduced Saila to the Emperor was also the Empress. So strictly speaking, the person Saila followed was the Empress.

“That’s right. I’m going.”

Then Sezanne made a worried expression.

“It’s been a while since an imperial family member got a fiancé, and I don’t know if that fiancé suits Lady Asnel.”

“That’s why I’m going to check directly.”

“His Majesty would naturally do that.”

The Empress smiled.

“So I have a request.”

“What is it?”

“Please find out that boy’s heart.”

Sezanne always gave difficult orders like this. Saila sighed and bowed her head.

“I’ll do my best.”

Though she didn’t yet know how to find out the fiancé’s heart.

“I’ll trust only you, Saila.”

Sezanne narrowed her eyes. Looking at her smiling like a cat, Saila came out with her head bowed.

Staring at the window again, Sezanne muttered alone after Saila left.

“I hope Lady Louelle didn’t bring a strange man.”

She hoped it was someone who wouldn’t be a burden to the child to be born.

Sezanne thought that.

* * *

I took Fazel around several places to look at clothes. Fazel sat listlessly in the carriage, seemingly tired.

“Who exactly is coming that you’re paying so much attention to clothes?”

Originally, childhood engagement ceremonies were done simply by inviting only acquaintances. Fazel knew that too.

“Just my godfathers and relatives or so?”

“Godfathers?”

“Yeah.”

Fazel’s eyes wavered.

“I’ve heard rumors about your godfathers, my lady. Surely they’re not really those people?”

Sorry Fazel, they are those people.

When I smiled, he narrowed his eyes.

“Didn’t you say it would be modest?”

“I did.”

“This is modest?”

He spoke incredulously.

“But those people are also people around me and close to me.”

“That’s true, but!”

Fazel wanted to say no, but when I kept saying they were people around me, his words were blocked. It wasn’t wrong.

“No, to what noble lady’s engagement party do the Commander-in-Chief, the Prime Minister, and His Highness the Grand Duke come? Surely all three aren’t coming?”

Fazel asked nervously. I nodded matter-of-factly.

“Good heavens.”

“So we need to pay attention to clothes.”

Absolutely.

“Those people will ask you many things and watch you. But there’s no need to lose points from the start with strange clothes. And if you dress strangely, I’ll be in trouble too.”

“I see.”

Fazel sighed deeply. He swept back his bangs with his fingers. Then his forehead was revealed.

‘Handsome.’

As I stared entranced, Fazel opened his eyes drowsily and asked, “If all those people come, what will they say about me?”

“I’ll say I liked you so I made you my fiancé.”

This was also the most honest answer.

Fazel was silent for a moment.

“Well then.”

He laughed helplessly.