Marilyn looked at her master with eyes full of sympathy.
‘Milady….’
Although the current Juvellian had been acting out senselessly up until recently, the younger Juvellian was a girl who was very lonely.
‘I thought she was only cruel and crooked, but she’s actually warm-hearted once you get to know her.’
Marilyn decided that she wasn’t going to just stand by and watch her master holding onto her sorrows by herself.
“I’ll stay by your side, milady.”
After finally letting out the words she had been wanting to say, Marilyn saw a tiny smile appear on Juvellian’s face.
“Alright, thank you.”
The sight of Juvellian’s smiling face was lovely but also sad, prompting the maid to further strengthen her resolve.
‘Okay, since it’s already like this….I’ll do my best to cheer her up.’
* * *
“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has sent a message saying that, due to border checks, his return will be delayed.”
The emperor clenched his jaw after hearing the chamberlain’s report.
‘Maximillian, that brat. If you’re going to return, you should do so immediately. What are you dragging your feet for?!’
Hearing that his son, whose existence was already an eyesore as it was, refusing to listen to his orders, the emperor became furious.
‘I’ll have to give him a scolding when he returns.’
While the emperor was grinding his teeth thinking about his brazen son, the doors to the throne room suddenly opened with a loud Bang!
“Y-Your Grace! You can’t be doing this….”
The royal guard tried to stop the intruder, but the latter–who was more skilled–evaded the guard easily and stood before the emperor.
“I greet His Majesty.”
Just when his temper from thinking about his disobedient son had started to cool off, the emperor’s anger flared once again due to the Duke of Floyen barging in unannounced.
“Duke Floyen, what is the meaning of this?!”
Despite the clear anger in the emperor’s voice, Regis simply bowed his head, showing no sign of being intimidated.
“Your Majesty, I’m here because I needed to have a word with you immediately.”
“What is it that you had to make such a ruckus?” The emperor demanded, indicating that he would not forgive him if it wasn’t something truly important.
Then, Regis looked at the emperor with determined eyes. “I’ve caught the tail of the ones who have been troubling you these past few days.”
The emperor’s eyes widened. “What did you say? Is that true?!”
“Yes.”
“Then bring them here at once!”
Regis shook his head then spoke calmly in a subdued voice, “Your Majesty, I’m afraid I’ll have to return home and further investigate the details first.”
“What are you saying all of a sudden?”
“It seems there was an intruder at the house while I was away.”
The emperor frowned at the duke’s response. “What? What does that have to do with the assassin who tried to kill me?”
“I heard that there were marks left behind by the intruder which are similar to the one involved in your assassination attempt.”
The emperor shot a glare at the duke. He had caught on that the “similar footprints” was just an excuse to leave the palace.
‘This bastard…how dare you deceive me.’
But the one who ordered the Duke to investigate the attempted assassination was none other than emperor himself. And now that evidence had been brought up, the emperor had no choice but to listen to the demands of Duke Floyen, who was the one in charge of the investigation.
The corners of his mouth lifted when Regis saw the emperor’s piercing glare. “Therefore, please grant me permission to go check the traces.”
* * *
Ahh, human beings definitely need to get out occasionally and be under the sun to recharge.
It was nice living in seclusion indoors the past few days, but I ended up losing a lot of energy.
‘Yeah, maybe I’ll even get some ideas while being out here.’
While thinking so, I heard my maid speak. “Milady, the flowers are quite pretty, aren’t they?”
“Oh, you’re right.”
The moment those words left my lips, Marilyn looked at me in the eye and said, “The flowers are beautiful, but they’re nowhere near as lovely as you, milady.”
If I had to be honest…it was quite burdensome to have someone following me around while giving me such excessive praise.
‘Marilyn became strange all of a sudden. Is it due to overworking?’
For a moment, I thought about sending her on vacation before walking over to sit on a bench located on one side of the garden.
‘Alright, let’s organize my thoughts….I only have two days left until my father is supposed to return.’
Although it was only two days, it should actually be more than enough time to come up with a proper countermeasure to the marriage problem. I knew that if I were to continue brainstorming in my head, the servants would see me in a daze and find it strange, so I opened up the book that I brought with me, pretending to read.
‘Ah, why did it have to be the book on tactics.’
Of course, it was an interesting book–the one my father had recommended to me–but I hadn’t meant to bring this one out.
“Oh, are you going to be reading a book, milady?”
Marilyn was staring at me with widened eyes — perhaps she thought it was unexpected that I was sitting down to read when we had come out here with the intention of going out for a walk.
“Yes, it’s perfect for spending time alone.”
Marilyn had an unreadable expression on her face but quickly lowered her head, “Milady, but…”
“I’ll go back on my own, so don’t worry about me and feel free to go and tend to your other duties,” I said, implying that I wanted to read quietly by myself without being disturbed.
Then, a new voice spoke up.
“Juvellian.”
It was a familiar voice, but not one that I should have been hearing already. Startled, I instinctively raised my head. In front of me stood none other than my father, who I had hoped would not return until later.
‘Huh, why is he already back?’
I made an effort to appear calm and addressed him, “Father, you’ve returned?”
“I have.”
I made to get up from my seat, wanting to flee as usual. “You must be tired from training, please go get some rest.”
At that moment, my father gently laid his hand on my shoulder. “No, I have something I need to discuss with you first.”
Looking at him with trembling eyes, I became aware of my reality.
‘Ah…I’m doomed.’
“Juvellian.”
When I saw my father’s chilling gaze scanning me after calling my name, I braced myself.
‘It’s obvious what he has to say after pausing like that.’
Now that it had come to this, no matter what my father said, I had to make sure the topic never turned to matchmaking. While I was solidifying my resolution, my father took his hand off my shoulder and spoke softly, “From now on…I won’t leave you all by yourself.”
I doubted my own ears for a moment at the unexpected remark.
‘Hm? What’s he saying all of a sudden?’
I couldn’t process the words that I had just heard at first, but then soon began to interpret them in many different ways.
‘Don’t tell me he means that he’s going to start keeping an eye on me? In case I refuse to get married and try to run away?’
Deluding myself with all sorts of thoughts, I stared at him in confusion.
“Have you had dinner?” He suddenly asked.
“No, I haven’t.” Forgetting to think, I answered my father’s sudden question openly.
He frowned. “You’ll faint again if you keep skipping meals like that.”
On the surface, it seemed like they were words of concern–but I understood the true meaning behind them. Then again, it would be hard to marry me off to the crown prince if I fainted….He was basically telling me to be careful so that I can remain a decent product to be put out on the wedding market.
At this rate, I started having thoughts about faking an illness and collapsing in the middle of an official gathering but was interrupted by my father’s voice.
“From now on, don’t faint anymore.”
His words seemed to imply that he wouldn’t forgive me if I collapsed again so I decided to drop that plan.
‘Ah, my life is really at its limit.’
Of all characters, why did I have to be born as the main villain instead of as an extra? As I lamented over my fate, my father took a hold of my hand.
“Let’s go eat.”
If I had to be honest, I wasn’t very hungry–even though I hadn’t had dinner–because I ate a lot of snacks earlier. But I felt uneasy about how my father would react if I refused so I remained silent.
‘Since it turned out like this, I’ll have to go eat for a more stable future.’
Encouraging myself, I held onto my father’s hand.
Although he was a bad father for trying to sell his own daughter off to the tyrannical crown prince, his hand was big and warm at least.
‘There was a time when I used to chase after him…wanting to hold this hand.’
How funny. I wasn’t able to hold his hand when I wanted to so desperately, but to think I was holding it now after letting go of everything.
‘Well, it doesn’t mean anything to me anymore.’
I walked towards the dining room holding my father’s hand. The walk–which normally seemed short–felt longer than usual.
“Sit.”
I moved to sit down in my seat at my father’s words.
‘Ah, it’s really awkward.’
It wasn’t the first time I was having a meal with my father, and even when we did eat together, we never engaged in conversation. That was our daily father-daughter life–so it never felt awkward even when there were no words exchanged.
But the fact that I felt awkward right now was ultimately….
‘Because I can already expect what my father is going to talk about.’
Thinking so, I sighed and then heard my father say something to me.
“I heard you’ll be attending a party next week.”
His reason for suddenly bringing up Rose’s birthday party was obvious.
‘He’s probably trying to find something to nitpick on.’
I pulled myself together and made an effort to maintain my composure, smiling back at my father. “Yes. I received an invitation from Count Arlo’s daughter, Rose Marie Arlo, to her birthday party.”
My father gracefully lifted his knife and began to cut his steak while I pretended to eat and simultaneously cast subtle glances at him, trying to gauge his reaction.
“Do you have a partner?”
There were many points from the tactics book I remembered reading about. There was a certain technique in how you could talk to someone to disturb and confuse them to the point where they would lose their soul. There were also ways to attack them directly and trap them while eliminating any chances for escape. But I never expected my father to use those tactics against me!
Well, to be honest, it wouldn’t really be a problem if I had a partner. But the problem was…
‘I don’t have a partner yet.’
I was originally planning on finding a partner. Frankly, it’d be more comfortable to go alone without one, but there was no reason for me to purposely stand out amongst the already exclusive and cliquey nobles.
‘Several have requested to be my partner, so I could just choose one amongst them…’
But after seeing the list of marriage candidates, which I was too busy trying to come up with a solution for, I ended up not having any time to think about partners for the upcoming party.
I smiled awkwardly at my father.
‘Ah, what should I do?’
E/N: Aww that hand-holding moment <3 Too bad Juvel still misunderstands him…