Chapter 2 – The Swapped Groom (Part 2)

With the immediate crisis averted, she was about to find her close lady friends to chat with when they approached her first.

“I heard you’re marrying into the Loden family? Why didn’t you tell us? Do you know how shocked we were to hear it so late?”

Knowing Sophia’s circumstances, their eyes were filled with sympathy.

“It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have the chance.”

“I understand. Suddenly marrying someone from the Loden family. It’s the second son, right? The one who rarely attends banquets? Is he not here today either?”

“No.”

“Oh my goodness. What should we do?”

“I’m fine.”

The looks her family and close lady friends gave Sophia were the same. Eyes filled with pity, unsure of what to do.

She appreciated their concern, but it felt as if they were telling her that her future wouldn’t be happy. Receiving such looks continuously made Sophia feel suffocated.

“What’s the use of getting married? It’s obvious how married life will be.”

“But it’s for the peace of the Kingdom, so there’s no choice. It’s fortunate for us.”

She even overheard people mocking her, and the problem was that it was true. Hearing words she couldn’t express herself from others’ mouths made her even more upset.

Fearing she might cry if she stayed in the banquet hall any longer, Sophia slipped out to the garden when the attention on her had lessened.

Perhaps cooling her head in the cold night air would ease her suffocating heart a bit.

Feeling the refreshing breeze on her cheeks, Sophia looked up at the moon. It was unusually bright and round tonight, drawing her gaze.

She was lost, staring vacantly at the moon when it happened.

“Sophia.”

She turned her head towards the familiar voice and saw the young master of Valkeres approaching her closely.

Unable to talk to her in the banquet hall, he must have approached her away from prying eyes.

“I haven’t seen you in a while. How have you been?”

Forcing a smile, Sophia spoke first.

“How could I be well? Do you know how shocked I was to hear about your engagement?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. The engagement happened so suddenly that I didn’t have time to tell you.”

She had been avoiding him because she didn’t have the courage to face him due to her guilt. That’s why the conversation felt awkward to Sophia.

“How could His Majesty do such a thing? It’s too much.”

However, the young master of Valkeres continued the conversation comfortably, as if he wasn’t bothered.

“You don’t have to say it. Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.”

She appreciated his anger on her behalf, but his attitude felt burdensome, so Sophia drew a line. Seeing this, the young master of Valkeres scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.

“Sorry, I got too agitated, didn’t I?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Not wanting to prolong the conversation, Sophia nodded and tried to leave first. But at that moment, the young master of Valkeres called out to her.

“I have something to tell you.”

“What?”

His expression was quite serious as he held onto Sophia.

“Actually, I have a gift I want to give you.”

He fished out a small box from his pocket, and inside was a necklace with a blue gemstone that matched Sophia’s eyes.

“I can’t accept your gift anymore.”

The young master of Valkeres had often given Sophia various gifts. They were usually not burdensome, like desserts or hairpins, so she had gratefully accepted them.

But not anymore. She couldn’t accept them now, especially not a necklace. So Sophia gestured to refuse.

“I want to give you this necklace as my last gift and let go of my feelings for you. Please let me put this necklace on you and end our relationship completely.”

Sophia had thought of the young master of Valkeres as a close friend, but he had always liked her and had been openly expressing his feelings.

So the young master of Valkeres wanted to put the necklace on Sophia’s neck and rid himself of his feelings.

“Even so…”

“Please, just grant me this last request. I feel like I can truly move on if I do this. You can take it off right after, but do it when I’m not around.”

Sophia didn’t want to fulfill the young master of Valkeres’ request, but at that moment, the image of Clive flirting with other women came to her mind. 

Even on the day of their engagement, there was a man who couldn’t take his eyes off the women around him, so what problem could there be in just wearing a necklace?

Besides, if he wanted to move on, it would be better to grant his request than leave him with regrets.

“Alright.”

After hesitating, Sophia finally nodded and agreed to the young master of Valkeres’ request.

“Thank you.”

When Sophia removed the necklace she was wearing, the young master of Valkeres took out the necklace from the box. He then placed the prepared necklace around her neck.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you so much. I’ll be going now.”

“What?”

At that moment, tears began to flow from the young master of Valkeres’ eyes, and as if trying to hide them, he quickly turned and ran towards a secluded spot where no one was around.

Seeing a man’s tears made a part of her chest ache. Unable to call him back, Sophia’s hand remained suspended in midair, directionless.

“Thank you and I’m sorry.”

Muttering the words she couldn’t convey, Sophia fiddled with the necklace gifted by the young master of Valkeres. 

Having granted his request, there was no need to keep wearing the necklace. She could take it off immediately, but recalling the tears he shed moments ago, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

“What should I do…”

Staring at the small box containing the necklace she had originally worn, Sophia let out a deep sigh.

Maybe I should wear it a bit longer.

After some thought, Sophia decided not to take off the necklace given by the young master of Valkeres for just today. After all, she felt it might be okay to carry the feelings of someone who had liked her for so long, just for today.

After collecting her complicated emotions, Sophia headed back to the banquet hall. Spending too much time outside could lead to unfavorable rumors, so she needed to be cautious.

As she walked down the corridor leading to the banquet hall, she saw Killian walking alone from the opposite direction.

Although she didn’t know why the protagonist of the banquet was outside, she had to greet him despite the awkwardness of meeting him. Sophia gave a light nod.

“I heard you got engaged to my brother.”

At that moment, the man who had never spoken to her before stopped and addressed Sophia first. She stopped as well and replied.

“Ah, yes.”

With nothing else to say, her response was naturally brief.

What is he up to? Did he speak to me just because I’m engaged to the young master of Loden? Why? It’s not like he would congratulate me.

“How do you feel?”

While she was lost in thought, Killian spoke words that were more like provocation than congratulations.

Why is he asking about my feelings…

Sophia raised her eyes to meet his gaze. Today, too, just meeting his eyes sent chills down her spine, so she had no choice but to avoid his gaze.

With her head lowered, she spoke.

“What does my feeling matter? I’m just following His Majesty’s command.”

“It doesn’t seem to please you.”

As Killian’s voice grew colder, Sophia gave him a questioning look.

What exactly is he trying to say? Is he suggesting I break off the engagement because I’m not pleased?

It’s astonishing how even the captain of the Imperial Knights, being a member of the Loden family, would pick on someone as powerless as herself.

“If you’re unhappy with the marriage between the families, don’t take it up with me; take it up with His Majesty.”

Thus, Sophia couldn’t help but look at him with disapproval as he smiled widely.

“Wait.”

“What?”

As Sophia’s gaze on Killian gradually narrowed, it happened. Suddenly, with the sound of a sword slicing through the air, she felt a chilling sensation on her neck in the blink of an eye.

Eek!

Did he really swing a sword?

The sword’s movement was so fast that it was almost invisible to the eyes. By the time Sophia belatedly realized it, his sword was aimed at her.

Judging by the speed at which he swung it, he could have already sheathed the sword, but he hadn’t, which meant he had deliberately pointed it at her to intimidate her.

No way… my neck!

Thinking he might have struck her neck, Sophia belatedly touched her neck to ensure it was intact. Fortunately, it wasn’t her neck that had been cut, but the necklace hanging around it.

She should have been relieved that there were no injuries, but she couldn’t be. Something else had been cut besides the necklace.