“Do you think you’re in a position where you can refuse right now, Your Highness?”

Momentarily angered, Enoch spat out harsh words. Then Luciella shook her head.

“Even if you marry me, you won’t be able to gain the position you desire.”

Enoch furrowed his brow incomprehensibly at Luciella’s words.

‘Position?’

What nonsense is she talking about?

“I don’t understand what you’re saying right now.”

“I cannot marry you, Marquis.”

Luciella spoke in a gentle tone. Her attitude was like soothing a child.

“Because of my bloodline…… Isn’t that why you want to marry me.”

“Ha.”

Enoch couldn’t hide his absurdity at Luciella’s following words. It wasn’t simply absurd. Displeasure and disappointment surged up.

‘Bloodline? Does she think I’m proposing marriage because of her bloodline right now?’

What ridiculous……

Right, since I’m of common birth, she thinks I covet royal bloodline.

The displeasure felt from the blatantly spat word “bloodline.” And disappointment that she ultimately wasn’t much different from other nobles.

“……You speak like I bought Your Highness to cleanse my status.”

Enoch said mockingly with irritation. Even while being sarcastic, he hoped he had misunderstood Luciella’s words. He was secretly waiting for her to clarify that it wasn’t so.

But that didn’t happen. Luciella only blinked silently. She seemed to avoid with silence, unable to affirm.

Then perhaps feeling awkward, Luciella opened her mouth.

“Rather than me, a merchant family with good wealth would be more helpful……”

“Your Highness is indeed capable.”

A merchant family with good wealth? How ridiculous. Not content with rejecting, now she’s trying to pick his marriage partner arbitrarily.

Enoch couldn’t hide his displeasure.

“……What?”

“You know all such things and dare to try giving advice to someone like me.”

So without knowing it, sarcastic words spilled out.

Thinking that in Luciella’s eyes he would appear as a common-born noble desperately struggling for status advancement and superior bloodline for his second generation was even insulting.

“But like I said before, Your Highness has no choice.”

“……”

“I came today not to seek consent, but to notify you.”

So Enoch became even more spiteful.

Like telling her to realize her current position.

“I’ll announce the engagement news soon. The engagement ceremony will proceed simply and the wedding will also proceed quickly in the near future, so please keep that in mind.”

“Marquis……”

“Ah, don’t worry too much. I’ll still prepare so you can choose the dress and ring according to Your Highness’s taste.”

With those words as the last, Enoch rose from his seat. He no longer wanted to talk with Luciella.

* * *

Heaven was not on Enoch’s side.

Right during such an important time, a deployment order suddenly came down from the imperial palace.

Enoch had no choice to refuse. Just like how he had forced Luciella to accept marriage yesterday.

The deployment order placed in his hands was literally a notification.

“Damn it!”

Cases of receiving orders this suddenly were almost nonexistent. Moreover, for this level of friction that wasn’t even a big deal, there was no need for him to step forward.

But he couldn’t understand why such an order suddenly came down. Enoch, who had irritably thrown documents, rubbed his face dry. Then suddenly Sejef’s face flashed through his mind.

The auction house was Sejef’s property. So he would definitely know that he was Luciella’s successful bidder.

‘Could it be……’

He wanted to believe it wasn’t so, but he couldn’t help but keep suspecting.

But he wasn’t given much time to suspect and be lost in thought.

“Your Grace, you must depart soon.”

“……I’ll be out shortly.”

Enoch packed simple luggage and left the room. Then butler Zek, who had been waiting, explained simple situations to him.

Enoch, who had been quietly listening to the story, stopped walking briefly and looked at Zek.

“Wait a moment.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Let me ask you a favor.”

Enoch spoke to Zek like a good idea had occurred to him.

“Have gifts sent to Her Highness every day until I return.”

“Yes, yes? Ev, every day?”

“Yes, every day. Expensive salon dresses or necklaces or whatever doesn’t matter. Pick things women would like appropriately and send them without missing a single day.”

Zek seemed flustered but still nodded.

“And make sure to watch carefully so the princess absolutely cannot leave the estate. If any outsiders try to visit, reject them all.”

“Understood.”

If he didn’t do this much, he felt like he’d go crazy with anxiety.

‘Right, they say women like dresses and jewels……’

Enoch wanted to look good to Luciella even a little. Even in this situation where he had to leave.

Unfortunately, having no romantic experience whatsoever, he firmly misunderstood that Luciella would also like such luxury goods just like other young ladies.

Thinking this would be enough, Enoch, who prepared a quantity offensive, felt his departing steps become somewhat lighter.

* * *

The situation in the border region was very favorable as expected. Small-scale frictions occurred occasionally, but they were only small matters that didn’t even require Enoch’s intervention.

‘Damn, why make people take useless trips……’

Even that disappeared the moment Enoch arrived. There were no more provocations. The border region began finding stability quickly.

Enoch’s mind was filled only with thoughts of returning to the capital as soon as possible. He was also harboring secret expectations inwardly. The expectation that Luciella might have opened her heart a little to his gift offensive.

Even he thought it was a good idea and praised himself inwardly. So Enoch looked forward even more to the day he would return.

And fortunately, before long, he was able to return to the capital as he wished.

Enoch abandoned the comfortable carriage and rode alone on horseback. To arrive even an hour faster, he rode straight toward the estate, even reducing his sleep. While riding the horse, Enoch’s mind was drawing Luciella’s face rejoicing arbitrarily.

He couldn’t control his pounding heart like a boy fallen in first love. Thus Enoch ended his short deployment and returned to the estate.

“I’m glad you returned safely, Your Grace.”

“It wasn’t a big deal to begin with, so what……”

But he noticed that Zek’s expression, who he believed would joyfully welcome him, was somehow unusual. He hesitated like he had something to say but couldn’t.

He also watched Enoch’s mood more excessively than usual. Enoch, who noticed like a ghost, raised one eyebrow and asked Zek.

“Did something happen while I was away?”

“Ah, that is……”

Even at Enoch’s question, Zek couldn’t readily open his mouth. He moved his lips for a long time, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly.

It was the moment when Enoch, unable to bear the frustration, was about to urge him once more. Zek squeezed his eyes shut and shouted loyally like a retainer offering his neck.

“Th, the princess…… has been…… re, rejecting all the gifts sent under Your Grace’s orders.”

And Enoch’s face, which had been highly excited, became completely distorted at Zek’s cry. He, who had been running for days with expectation and pounding heart, passed by Zek with a completely ruined face.

Long legs strode quickly toward somewhere.

The destination was obvious. It was Luciella’s room.

* * *

“Have you been well during this time.”

Enoch said while bursting open the door to Luciella’s room and entering. Then Luciella hurriedly startled and rose from her seat.

But unlike usual, today Enoch’s gaze didn’t turn toward Luciella. Instead it went toward the gift boxes piled up in one corner of her room.

He had thought Zek was talking nonsense, but he wasn’t. Luciella really had left his gifts neglected in the corner without even properly opening them.

“Ha.”

Facing reality, a hollow laugh spilled from Enoch’s lips. Anger was clearly revealed on his face.

‘Why on earth.’

What’s wrong with these things too.

It was a moment when he felt pathetic for having rushed to the capital in such haste. Embarrassment and shame covered him. He felt like cursing himself for being foolish enough to fantasize about Luciella’s face rejoicing arbitrarily until just now.

‘Right, there’s no way Her Precious Highness would open her heart to someone like me with just such things……’

He couldn’t help but let out sneering mockery that kept bubbling up. Luciella, who belatedly watched his mood, opened her mouth to make some excuse.

“Ah, those things are……”

“It’s fine, I was expecting it.”

But Enoch quickly cut her off. He didn’t even want to hear it. Whatever reason she had for rejecting them.

He was also afraid that after hearing it, he would receive a really irreparable great wound. So Enoch deliberately avoided it.

Luciella didn’t know what to do at Enoch’s cold tone and watched his mood. Even Enoch could feel it.

Enoch silently observed Luciella’s expression. What on earth does she want right now? If not expensive jewels or dresses, what on earth does she want?

He stared at her face meticulously like searching for an answer. And he instinctively realized.

That Luciella was waiting for him to cancel his marriage proposal because he was upset. It was blatant to the point where it would be difficult not to know.

‘So that was it……’

He felt not just sick to his stomach but nauseous. His chest churned. An indescribable strange displeasure covered him.

Enoch was swept up in the desire to ruin Luciella’s expression that was secretly expecting. He himself couldn’t know what kind of ugly emotion this was.

But he didn’t want to give her the answer she wanted right now. Of course, even for Luciella’s sake, keeping her by his side was right.