Marked as the Tyrant's Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 16

“My lady!”

That clear address… could it be?

“You’ve come out earlier than I expected.”

A dazzlingly smiling young man, Briton Aslet, was standing at the door of the Count’s house.

Actually, I had received a message from Briton today saying he was coming to meet me, but I had declined, saying I had a prior engagement.

So this sudden encounter was somewhat bewildering.

“Today, I really wanted to…”

Briton’s gentle voice, which made my thoughts blur, was heard.

“…meet with you, my lady.”

Unable to escape any longer, I began walking with Briton through the streets as the sun was setting.

Briton Aslet.

Uncle Zimmer’s… that is, Parmes’ son. My fiancé, to whom I’m still not accustomed.

“Are the Marquis’ affairs being sorted out well?”

“Yes. Adam is dedicating himself to it. He’s checked and restored the bank balance and revenue structure, and we’re planning to start new profitable ventures. We’re also waiting for the Mylar Grand Duke’s messenger. Adam is worried it might have been lost in the snowstorm though.”

The Mylar Grand Duchy is located in the northern part of the empire, in the Mylar Principality, which is nominally part of the empire but practically an autonomous region.

It’s said that snow falls there all year round, and there’s an enormously large barrier wall.

“The Grand Duke of Mylar must be a strict person, but you’ll do well, my lady.”

Briton smiled as if to encourage me.

“I’ve heard he likes people with firm resolve. Like how you once won over Lady Alens from Lady Matzert.”

I almost choked at Briton’s following words.

‘Did he hear about what happened at Lady Matzert’s birthday party?’

“Oh! What do you mean by ‘won over’? It just… happened unexpectedly, that’s all.”

I replied composedly, feeling oddly embarrassed, but I couldn’t read Briton’s mind as he smiled gently.

It was true that Briton was showing me favor, but I couldn’t understand the reason for it, which made it even more suspicious.

‘I’m not even sure if this kindness is as fluffy as I think it is.’

“By the way… isn’t Lady Matzert close to His Highness?”

“Ah… We are acquainted.”

Briton paused for a moment at my question.

Lady Matzert might have a nasty personality, but she was pretty, and above all, had a good background.

‘I heard that the Matzert Duchy owns two gem mines, right?’

“But it’s different from how I treat you, my lady. Very different.”

Briton added with a grin.

“So you, my lady, who prefers a modest, sunny hus…band, don’t need to worry.”

I looked at him with a puzzled expression.

What’s different? And what did he just tell me not to worry about?

Sunny…? That’s my preference for male leads in romance novels, isn’t it?

As I was drawing question marks in my head, unable to understand the situation, Briton, who had stopped, spoke.

“My lady…”

I stopped walking and faced him.

The blue eyes of the boy, backlit by the sunset, were rippling gently.

It looked like he wanted to tell me something.

But soon, as if he had given up on that thought, Briton looked at the ground once and then back at me.

“If it’s not too forward, may I ask you for our first official date?”

“…Pardon?”

“Actually, that was the reason I came to see you today.”

I tilted my head at Briton’s words, his cheeks slightly flushed, perhaps due to the sunset.

After a moment, he spoke.

“Tomorrow evening, there will be fireworks to celebrate the first anniversary of the ascension to the throne.”

‘So that’s why he wanted to meet me today no matter what.’

“…”

“…If it’s alright with you, my lady, I’d like to be with you.”

But why does the mention of the square immediately remind me of that day with Mas?

We went around together and had a good time, like in Galnem village.

The Glass Flower Festival that’s happening tomorrow… I had heard that the city festivals were splendid and fun, so I did want to go.

But…

“I’m sorry, but I have a friend I’d like to watch the fireworks with.”

I knew it wasn’t polite to refuse the Crown Prince’s proposal like this.

Briton’s eyes seemed to waver at my words as I clenched my fist.

“It’s not that I dislike Your Highness… It’s just that I made a promise with that friend a while ago. Haha, though I’m not sure if he’ll remember…”

My reflection was visible in Briton’s blue eyes.

A brief silence fell, and then the young man spoke.

“I’m curious and a bit envious. About who… this person is that you want to spend precious time with, my lady.”

A soft voice, seemingly self-deprecating, flowed out.

He looked a bit sad, a bit complicated, and yet with a mix of a smile, he also appeared wistful.

I spoke to Briton with an apologetic expression.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. But if it’s not that day, then on another day…”

As the sun set, the shadows grew longer.

I smiled faintly at Briton.

“I think it would be nice to spend time together someday.”

‘Though I can’t quite read him, Briton doesn’t seem like a bad person…’

It didn’t seem polite to keep refusing outright.

But I thought there was a high chance Briton would refuse this time.

Perhaps my suggestion to postpone to another day, after saying I’d meet someone else on the day he proposed, might hurt his pride.

“That would be lovely, my lady.”

But Briton responded to my suggestion with a faint smile.

“I’m happy to be your second choice.”

***

When I gave Lady Alens some Haerustia pills as she was returning home after her home tutoring session, she jumped for joy.

It was an herb I used to grind for her often in Galnem, as she complained of shoulder and back pain.

I couldn’t guarantee its effectiveness since it wasn’t picked directly but bought from the market by Adam, but it should be better than not taking anything.

“The madam is delighted, saying I have the potential to become the flower of high society… but I don’t want to walk around doing the crane dance all day.”

Of course, contrary to what I’m saying, I seemed to have quite a talent for the crane dance, just as Lady Alens said.

‘She said that even though my steps are small like a child’s, I follow along so well that we’ll move on to the next level soon’

“Sigh…”

The flower of high society, rebuilding the Marquis’ house and business, and Briton’s fiancée.

‘Am I doing well with all of this?’

When my influence as Mylar’s heir grows, will I be able to protect people from the great famine and protect myself?

As I was lost in thought, I heard a knocking sound from outside the window.

And then the window swung open.

I raised my hand to greet the welcome visitor.

“Mas!”

And I hopped down from the bed to stand in front of Mas.

Black robe and white mask, my precious friend.

Behind the mask, Mas’s black eyes were staring intently at me.

“…”

Looking at Mas, I recalled my conversation with Crown Prince Briton earlier.

And the reason I declined the fireworks date.

“Mas, Uncle Amrus told me that there are fireworks in the city. You don’t know how beautiful fireworks are…”

One day, sitting side by side with Mas watching fireflies, I told him about fireworks.

“Actually, before I was born as Arinel, I lived somewhere else, and in that place, we had fireworks at every festival. When the fireworks spread across the sky, it’s so colorful… I was always excited. Hey, what’s with that looks like you’re seeing a con artist? I really have seen them before!”

From behind Mas, who was standing up as if uninterested, I had said.

“Someday when we go to the city, let’s watch them together for sure.”

“Hey. Tomorrow evening.”

At that moment, Mas’s eyes seemed to waver greatly.

“If it’s okay, shall we go see the fireworks in the evening?”

“……”

Mas, who had just arrived and heard the next invitation, stared at me for a long time.

Usually, he might have nodded or shaken his head to answer, but he just stood there motionless as if nailed to the spot.

After about a minute had passed, Mas took a few steps towards me.

And stopping at a distance close enough for our breaths to touch…

“…?”

He lowered his head and gently rested his forehead on my shoulder.

I felt the weight of the boy’s head as if he had been troubled by something.

This… must be a positive answer, right?

‘But what was that look in his eyes just now…?’

Did he look relieved?

I patted Mas’s shoulder as he leaned on me.

“Come pick me up. I’ll be waiting.”

***

Briton, having entered his luxurious room and removed his mask, gazed at his reflection in the mirror.

The corners of his handsome face were slightly turned up, while his blue eyes shone coldly.

“If it’s okay, shall we go see the fireworks in the evening?”

Arinel’s shy voice lingered in his mind.

To be honest, he barely managed to suppress the urge to frown when Arinel mentioned there was someone she wanted to watch the fireworks with.

After all, Arinel was the type to make friends quickly, and she might have made another friend while he wasn’t watching.

‘I’m glad, Arinel.’

Briton’s smile, as he looked at the jar of candies placed neatly, was filled with relief.

The candies with their sweet colors and scents closely resembled Arinel.

‘That I don’t have to eliminate someone who might have been your first.’

The sound of an eagle flapping its wings and soaring into the sky could be heard from outside the window.

Soon after, he thought he heard the scream of a mountain bird.

A cold killing intent swirled in his momentarily wavering eyes.

It was a look very similar to his father, Parmes Aslet.

And the reason he approached her, hiding his true self and acting as the kind Crown Prince Briton.

“Ideal type? Of course, the best male lead in a romance fantasy is the gentle, kind, sunshine type. Always speaking warmly to the female lead, kindly extending his hand, and with his chaste personality, putting up walls against other women…”

‘I’ll grow to be the only man you desire.’

Soon, his hair slowly began to change to silver.

His black eyes had already turned blue.