Track 03. A Ruined Matchmaking Meeting (Part 4)

As she sat absentmindedly, Raphael, who seemed just as awkward as her, let out a hollow laugh.  

“Haha.”  

“?”  

Why was he suddenly laughing? 

Startled, she looked at him, and he wiped his face with his hands and answered,  

“Sorry, I’m just really nervous.”  

“It’s fine.”  

She was just as nervous. Knowing the other person was nervous too brought a strange sense of relief.  

‘Right. It’s only natural to be nervous like this.’  

The maids had described matchmaking as something terrifying! And this was a matchmaking arranged by none other than her grandfather! It was natural to feel pressured.  

‘He’s probably struggling to act like he likes me even if he doesn’t.’  

Thinking that way, she glanced at the man across from her. He had slightly tanned, healthy-looking skin and large eyes. His bangs covered his entire forehead, connecting with his eyebrows, and his hair color was exactly like Ain’s.  

‘Yes. With someone you don’t know, you should find a common topic.’  

She started the conversation with something safe, talking about Ain.  

“You look a lot like Ain.”  

Honestly, they didn’t look much alike. Aside from the hair color, it was hard to find similar features.  

But his response was even more surprising.  

“Who’s Ain? Oh, my sister.”  

“Puhaha.”  

How nervous was he to not recognize his own sister’s name? 

Vivian couldn’t help but burst into laughter. She waved her hand and said,  

“Don’t be nervous.”  

“……Yes.”  

At her words, Raphael nodded vigorously. Then, suddenly, he bowed his head and said,  

“Please marry me.”  

“What?”  

She told him not to be nervous, and he suddenly proposed!  

‘He skipped so many steps. Not just a few, but an entire floor!’  

She screamed internally. Raphael, seemingly oblivious to her discomfort, continued his confession even more passionately.  

“I fell in love at first sight. I was going to give up because I heard you weren’t interested in marriage, but I couldn’t forget you……”  

“Um, um, Young Master Brille.”  

If she listened any longer, she felt she wouldn’t be able to have a proper conversation with him. She hurriedly interrupted him. Then, with a face as red as a tomato, he looked up at her with teary eyes.  

“Do I seem foolish?”  

She didn’t mean to hurt him. She shook her head.  

“That’s not it. I’m much more clumsy and lacking.”  

“Lacking? Not at all. Lady Vivian, you’re the most beautiful, cute, and lovely person in the world.”  

And so began the second verse. If the first verse was a proposal, the second was praise for her. She watched Raphael, who was speaking quickly with an awkward smile.  

At some point, Raphael’s lips snapped shut. It took him about 30 seconds to realize how foolish he must have sounded. With a grim expression, Raphael continued.

“……It was an honor to meet you today. The temperature of the River Thames is warm, so I might as well jump in.”  

“Young Master Brille!”  

Jumping into the river? That was not something to say, even as a joke. She called his name loudly. He covered his mouth with both hands.  

“I’m really sorry. This is the first time I’ve felt this way.”  

He closed his eyes tightly. A genuine statement slipped out.  

“My heart is overflowing, and I don’t know what to say.”  

“…….”  

She pressed her lips together. He didn’t seem pathetic to her, as he thought. She was just curious.  

‘How did this person fall for me?’  

She had never experienced such intense feelings of love and the urge to act on them.  

In her life, emotions had never been pleasant. Only pain, suffering, and the training to suppress emotions intentionally.  

‘What about me was so attractive to him?’  

No matter how much she thought, she couldn’t understand.  

‘Well, Kanin has a girlfriend too.’  

Watching Raphael, overwhelmed by his feelings of love, she naturally thought of Kanin. To her, Kanin was always cold and rational.  

‘Does Kanin act like this in front of her too?’  

Thinking that way, her curiosity about Kanin grew even more. She extended her hand to him.  

“Let’s start as friends first.”  

“Pardon?”

Raphael, who had been withdrawn and lost in his thoughts, looked up at her. She gave him a bright smile.  

“Let’s start as friends and get to know each other slowly. You and I don’t know each other yet.”  

“Miss.”  

He grabbed her hand with both of his. Then he shouted loudly,  

“Thank you! I love you!”  

“No, hold off on the confession for now.”  

“I can’t hold it off! My feelings won’t change!”  

In the end, she burst into laughter.  

* * *

After that, Vivian and Raphael met a few more times.  

They walked through the most famous garden in the capital and dined at a delicious restaurant.  

And on the fifth day of their meetings, Raphael was scheduled to visit her home. While sitting in her room tying her hair with a ribbon, a maid came to inform her of his arrival.

‘He came earlier than expected.’  

Their first meeting had been a mess, but the ones that followed were fine. Above all, she felt at ease because she could feel his genuine love for her.  

“You’re here?”

As she had done for the past four days, Vivian descended the stairs with a smile.

“Huh?”

In the drawing room, there was someone other than Raphael.  

“Kanin?”  

It was Kanin.  

Kanin, who had been exchanging sharp glances with Raphael, turned to look at her.  

“Vivi.”  

As always, his calm and cool gaze was directed at her. With a mix of joy and surprise, she approached Kanin.  

“Kanin, your glasses?”  

“There weren’t any spares at the main house. I’ve ordered new ones and am waiting for them.”

“That must be inconvenient.”  

She had assumed he’d have glasses when he got to the capital. She looked at him with concern and tilted her head.  

“But why did you come without any notice?”  

“I was worried because you didn’t reply, so I came. But…….”  

Kanin’s tone was oddly subdued as he asked,  

“Who is this?”  

“Oh.”  

She stiffened slightly. For a moment, she was so distracted by seeing Kanin after a long time that she forgot the current situation.  

‘I haven’t properly explained to Kanin.’  

That she would be leaving the Moonlight Division, that she would live an ordinary life through marriage.  

That the man here was her matchmaking partner.  

“Vivi.”  

Kanin met her gaze with a piercing look. She instinctively lowered her head and avoided his eyes.  

It was Raphael who took a step forward.  

“Nice to meet you, Young Master Albrecht. We met during the last tournament. I’m Raphael Brille.”  

Kanin acted as if he was meeting Raphael for the first time, but they had apparently met before. Kanin’s face turned slightly pale.  

“……I see. I have a poor memory.”  

Raphael didn’t seem to notice, but Vivian could clearly feel the chilly air.  

It meant Kanin’s emotions were flaring.  

‘Kanin?’  

But regardless of how his mana was acting, Kanin’s exterior was calm. He faced Raphael with his usual composure.  

“If you’re a Brille, are you related to Ain?”  

“I’m her brother.”  

“Ah, I see.”  

Kanin nodded slowly.  

“I came because I was worried you might be unwell.”

His icy gaze was fixed on her. Though he sounded as if he was sighing, his low voice was anything but gentle.  

“It seems I worried for nothing.”

“Kanin, I—”

She cautiously called his name. All she could think was that she had to explain somehow.  

But before she could speak, Raphael cut in with a gentle smile.  

“I heard Duke Albrecht is busy hosting the Adelbar Delegation. Young Master, do you have time to be wandering around like this?”  

At his words, Kanin’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. Without his glasses, his expression looked sharper than usual.  

“I’ll make time, especially when it concerns Vivi.”  

“Vivi, huh.”

Raphael smiled brightly.  

“That’s a cute nickname. May I call you that as well?”

“…….”  

Kanin glared at Raphael. Vivian blinked.  

‘What is this?’  

Even someone as oblivious and clueless about people’s feelings as Vivian could tell what was happening.

‘Are they fighting over me?’

Kanin and Raphael were like two cats growling at each other over territory.