Among the family members who were swept up in shock and lost for words, the first to come to his senses was Clyde’s brother, Kaylan.
Narrowing his brow slightly, he spoke with a serious expression.
“It is quite a novel prank, but it is a bit excessive this time. Marriage is not a topic to bring up so lightly.”
“A prank, Brother?”
“Then do you expect us to believe those words are sincere? We know exactly what kind of relationship you two have. Just remember what you were grumbling about to Dahlia yesterday, Clyde.”
Upon hearing Kaylan’s words, Beatrice snapped her head toward Clyde.
The way the corners of his mouth twitched minutely made it clear he didn’t remember a single thing he had said.
‘This b*stard….’
What on earth had he been going around saying to his younger sister who went abroad to study?
‘Well, I don’t even need to hear it to know, and Dahlia is on my side anyway.’
Beatrice secretly gnashed her teeth, thinking he was a useless fellow regardless, and then intentionally let out a deep sigh.
She was using her head in her own way. Beatrice knew better than anyone that she had absolutely no talent for controlling her expressions.
“I don’t know what he said, but we agreed on this between us, Brother. We thought it would be incredibly annoying if rumors spread everywhere otherwise…”
“Rumors?”
Sending a signal by putting strength into their clasped hands, she continued with a grim expression.
“The truth is, we’ve been dating for a long time. It’s, you know. A secret romance of sorts.”
“…”
“It’s obvious everyone would make too much of a fuss, at the academy and everywhere else.”
At Beatrice’s calm confession, Kaylan narrowed his eyes slightly and murmured under his breath.
“Then, the fact that you ended up coming alone without a partner to the banquet celebrating the knight’s investiture…”
“…That’s right. As you know, Brother, Beatrice was suffering quite a bit from a summer cold then, wasn’t she?”
It was half truth and half lie. It was true that Beatrice had suffered from a summer cold, but Clyde had gone to the investiture alone because there was an order from the Crown Prince.
‘I don’t know the details myself, though.’
Beatrice blinked rapidly and stole a glance at the expressions of her family.
Whether she should consider this a relief or not, the atmosphere was gradually shifting toward everyone buying into the claim that the two had been dating.
‘…Why?’
She knew she wasn’t in a position to say this, but shouldn’t they be a bit more suspicious?
‘Is everyone thinking it’s not even strange for me to fall for this dimwit, or what?’
It was just when Beatrice was barely suppressing the annoyance that was rising up for nothing.
The Count, sighing as if he had a throbbing headache, spoke while barely maintaining his nobility.
“Even if that were the case, to declare marriage so recklessly like this is thoughtless. It’s a good thing there are no other people here!”
“Now, now, Belliana. The children must have acted this way because they were in front of us. But I, too, feel this is too hasty. Bea, how about we discuss this matter again after the engagement between the Imperial Family and the Duke’s House is well-concluded?”
“When would that be?”
“Well, let’s see…. In about three years?”
It was exactly the reaction she had expected.
Beatrice snorted as if she had no interest in such a compromise and turned her head toward the Princess.
The woman who had been speaking so friendly until just a moment ago was now keeping her mouth shut, staying quiet without a word.
To others, it might look like the wise image of someone who knew exactly when to step in and when to stay out, but Beatrice could see it.
‘I wondered why she was being so quiet when it’s about time she pushed for it; she must be weighing her options.’
Since there was no reason for the Princess to refuse the union of the two at this point, she must be pondering the order of things. Like calculating when would be the best time to slaughter fattened livestock.
‘…It can’t be helped. Shall I throw in a little extra so she can make a decision? I really didn’t intend to go this far, though.’
Taking a deep breath, Beatrice plopped down on the spot with the mindset of a business owner shouting about a massive discount.
Then, she began to throw a fit like a five-year-old.
She acted so that if the Princess supported their marriage now, she could win the favor of the adults with an image of being understanding and wise.
“Ah, whhyyy? What’s the difference between doing it now or in three years? I’m going to marry Clydeee! Ah, let me get marrieed!”
“This… this girl right now……. My goodness! I heard you went to the Duke’s residence to meet Clyde without an appointment, so I came running wondering what a grown lady was doing, only to find this embarrassment! Is this how Mother raised you?”
“I don’t care, I don’t care! If you don’t give us permission, I might just go and cause an incident!”
“Wh-what incident……?”
“It took two years just to hold the engagement ceremony for Brother Kaylan and the Princess, so who knows if the wedding will be in one year or five years! Do you even know how many years we’ve waited? I’m not going home until you let me get married! I’m not leaving Clyde’s side!”
Squeezing her eyes shut and throwing a tantrum on the floor in front of her mother, who was clutching the back of her neck, Beatrice slily glanced sideways to look at Clyde.
He was looking at her with a hand over his mouth, wearing a very moved expression.
Even if other people didn’t know, Beatrice was confident enough to bet her entire fortune that he was desperately holding back laughter.
Perhaps because of her gaze, which was growing increasingly cold? Clyde cleared his throat and tucked his hand inside his coat.
“We know very well that our words sound utterly reckless.”
“I’m glad at least you know. Then…”
“But, as Bea said, we’ve also waited a very long time. However, Brother’s wedding schedule hasn’t even been set since the engagement, and the two older brothers of the House of Hartwell don’t show even a hint of dating, so what else can we do? Those who are ready should go first.”
“Clyde!”
“If you are strictly opposed, we’re thinking of causing a bit of an incident…”
Having said that much, Clyde pulled a sheet of paper from his chest. The marriage registration form they had scribbled on just moments ago to use in case of emergency revealed itself, flaunting its presence.
“Still, wouldn’t it be better to be congratulated at a wedding rather than finding out about our marriage through documents and the Imperial Newspaper?”
Just as the eldest son of the Duke, Kaylan, was about to step forward against this unfilial act that was more than enough to cure low blood pressure.
Clap. With a light clap of hands, the Princess’s clear voice rang through the space.
“It is a sudden declaration, but I would like to take their side.”
“Elodie?”
“I already felt bad because the wedding keeps getting delayed. I would be shameless to ask them to wait for me indefinitely like this.”
“Elodie, don’t say that. If they were sincere, they would have shown a serious attitude. You don’t need to feel sorry for Bea and Clyde’s stubbornness.”
“Hmm…. But I don’t think Bea and Clyde are doing this with light hearts? Though they spoke as if it were nothing, it rather feels like what they had been enduring and enduring has finally burst out.”
The Princess, crouching down beside the prostrate Beatrice, gave a soft eye-smile and reached out toward her.
To be precise, toward the paper that had fallen beside her, which was so crumpled it was practically worn out.
‘Oh, that’s my proposal letter.’
It seemed to have fallen to the floor while she was throwing her fit.
While Beatrice barely managed to steady her expression, which was on the verge of turning awkward, the Princess spoke again in a gentle voice.
“I have twin siblings myself, so I know well that the youngest ones sometimes act spoiled. But, Kaylan. How could one call the heart of someone who has carried a proposal letter they exchanged long ago until it became this worn out ‘light’?”
“…”
“Besides, Beatrice isn’t usually someone who acts thoughtlessly and stubborn, is she? Right, Bea?”
‘Oh….’
She had simply handled it roughly out of agony, but to think it would become a token of love.
Beatrice felt the atmosphere around her shift quite differently from a moment ago and answered the Princess affectionately.
“Yes. The only one who understands my heart is indeed the Princess… no, my dear Sister.”
It was a hollow compliment uttered without a hint of sincerity, but the Princess’s support was even more reliable than she had thought, so it seemed this level of flattery was worth it.
And the result was….
“In the name of the holy Kalbaron and the great sun of the Empire, Elvarius II, I bless and proclaim the union of these two. The groom may now kiss the bride.”
“…Do a good job.”
“You too.”
It was this current situation.
This situation—satisfying yet wretched, joyful yet like total crap.
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