Her father asked her and her older sisters that lived in the royal capital to attend together in a gathering.
This was the second year since Hermina debuted in society. She couldn’t celebrate her first time since her father would stop her with the talk about having a big party.
This meeting was a secret from Hermina.
That was why she asked why, but he only gave a sour look and didn’t tell her the reason that day.
The day came.
After all, it seemed difficult to gather and there were only six of them there.
Helk the eldest daughter, She the second daughter, Cassandra the fifth daughter, Charlotte the sixth daughter, Alexia’s, and Bianca’s the tenth daughter.
There was a hidden room in the palace where they gathered.
She was always calm and wouldn’t utter a word, but that time, her eyebrows furrowed.
Her mother’s expression was dark as she sat next to her. She was a little surprised to see her uncle, the king.
After they gathered, he said something that made her father rigid.
This time, they were asked to come together to discuss Hermina.
The solemn tone would let you know that it was a serious matter.
Her sisters had a look on their faces when they heard of it.
Bianca, the second youngest, asked her father.
“Father, what’s wrong without cute Hermina?”
“There’s a big situation going on.”
They all waited for the next words of their father.
Her mother was wiping her tears with her handkerchief.
Then, startling news was announced by their father.
“—that is, there’s no offer of marriage for Hermina.”
She could hear the broken voices of her sisters.
She was surprised and almost dropped the cup that she was holding
Her mother was in tears.
Her uncle had a look that she had never seen before.
Was it true that Hermina wasn’t asked for marriage?
Even though she had just joined the knights and looked like a boy at that time, she had several applications over her social debut years.
She asked in a trembling voice.
“Hermina was the fairest of us all. It was discouraging to think like that.”
Her father immediately denied this and said, “That was not the case.”
An awkward atmosphere filled the air.
Her father said something that she had never thought would happen.
“Do you know why?”
Everyone shook their heads.
Their youngest sister, Hermina was a perfect woman who deserves the words ‘beautiful and talented’.
She didn’t think it was possible for their sister to not get any proposal of marriage.
But her father said there was a problem.
“She was so perfect that no one wanted to accept her as a wife.”
She looked at the reason and thought, ‘Oh my gahd.’
When she asked why this was happening, he told them that she had caused a lot of fuss in the social gathering.
“First, first debut?”
Suddenly, everyone who was a candidate for engagement offered a cancellation. A woman asked a man why and the man replied that he had someone they already like. Without apologizing, he was dismissed in the options, and the woman was criticized for being abandoned.
That woman was a friend of Hermina.
The moment she heard her story, Hermina went to the man who broke off their engagement and asked him to apologize.
However, he refused and made Hermina angry, and then she asked for a duel.
“The duel took place in the condition that if Hermina lost, she would lie low, and if the man lost, he would apologize to his ex-fiance?”
The result came out and Hermina beat him.
After apologizing to his ex-fiance, she felt that she would never marry a man of higher rank.
She taught Hermina swordsmanship, so it can’t be helped.
“The thing was that it wasn’t just about making a fuss.”
Bitterly quarreling with the head of Marquis Shariberg, who was also a philosopher, drawing the attention of the second son of Baron Santellium, who was a tailor who took an interest in craftsmanship. Pointing the third son of Amble, who had a hobby of playing in the fields. And even bringing sweets to the baker Levelote.
Her sister’s faces grew dark one after the other.
“Now you know why she wasn’t asked for marriage?”
When they listened to their father’s story, they bowed deeply.
The nobleman’s desire for marriage was social status and obedience.
Hermina seemed to lack obedience.
Her sister Bianca wasn’t satisfied and bitterly confronted their father.
”
”
“Wasn’t that because father’s not looking hard?”
“No, I already approached a lot–”
Their Father didn’t continue in the end, but Bianca, who understood, awkwardly said, ‘Ah…’
Apparently, not only did they come to her about marriage, they also refused to accept the offer.
“The main reason was that women like Hermina were unruly.”
The fact that their father tried to hide it became clear as Bianca pointed out.
At last, their mother burst into tears.
She was sure. It was so sad when you couldn’t marry your beloved daughter. It must be an unacceptable fact.
Because they were sisters, they gave Hermina knowledge and skills.
The eldest daughter Helk taught her sewing, in return, she taught her swordsmanship. She was also taught about songs. Charlotte taught pastry skills. Cassandra taught a variety of knowledge, and Alexia gave the nature of love and the seventh daughter thought too much of high aesthetic standards.
Each one wasn’t to look down upon, they were all special.
However, that might’ve been not good for her to learn all the basics and raised her all on her own.
Eventually, she acquired the ability to be equal to a man.
“I’m sorry to say, but a man was a proud creature.”
Her father couldn’t say anymore as their mother was there. But she could understand what he wanted to say. No one wanted a woman as a wife who was as good as a man.
“I know how you gave her everything to protect her.”
They didn’t give knowledge and skills to her meaninglessly.
Now, this became an unbelievable story, but in the past, Hermina was a very quiet child.
She was so cute and they always made fun of her.
Hermina often cried bitterly at her failures.
They could protect her, but she wondered as adults would be involved in children’s problems.
Therefore, they gave her every knowledge and skill hoping that this could be her root of confidence.
She was relieved to see that she was able to protect herself, but she never thought that it would be the wrong choice.
In a daze, Charlotte asked their father.
“Would you say that if Hermina was like before? When she was a quiet woman, could she find a marriage partner?”
“I can only agree to that in the present situation.”
That was a cruel remark.
Because of them, Hermina might not be able to marry.
“If there’s anyone fit for Hermina, that’s for her to be the Queen.”
It seemed that they were educating Hermina as the queen before they realized it.
Feeling responsible, everyone looked gloomy.
The Crown Prince was already married. Such a story cannot be spread in other countries.
“Here, today, we’ll talk about her marriage.”
Today’s agenda finally came up.
Their father asked everyone.
“Do you know any generous man, stronger and wiser than Hermina?”
”
”
No one could answer the question of their father.
A strong and kind man. She knew some friends from her days as a knight, but it was a mystery whether he could really be open to Hermina.
She definitely wanted to avoid getting married and gave trouble to the other.
They all looked pained, perhaps because they thought of the same thing
Their uncle who had been silent suddenly spoke in a quiet voice.
“… I only know one person.”
Hearing these words, her father was startled and her mother stopped wiping away her tears.
The whole family looked at him like a savior.
“He was the educator of the fool but he’s a clever, open-minded man as wide as the sea.”
His name was Erich Von Belh. Born from a count family and had a good family background.
“Why haven’t you mentioned him before?”
“No, I have recommended him to marry before, but he wasn’t interested.”
She wondered what kind of man would make the king worry about his marriage.
But thinking about it, it took a lot of courage to get along with Hermina.
The meeting ended since they thought they found a good marriage partner.
It seemed that her father once proposed the marriage to Erich von Belh.
However, he refused a few days after the offer was made.
It was because he was busy with work.
Their uncle brought them the reply and said that he was currently having a hard time giving education.
Thus, missed Hermina’s marriage.
She was lucky that he didn’t care at all.
Then everyone was looking for a marriage partner and the results were pitiful.
Three years later, a miracle occurred.
It seemed that their uncle once again approached Erich von Belh upon the death of their father to marry Hermina.
He accepted the second offer and replied.
The whole family thanked Erich von Belh.
Thus, Hermina was married.
Their mother and her sisters saw the wedding and cried loudly. Although one of them couldn’t be there since she was expecting a baby.
Hermina said that it was a great day and always thought that she could never be seen as a bride because of the circumstances.
She was afraid, but she couldn’t help but wonder what it might be if she managed to see Erich von Belh next to Hermina.
She sincerely hoped that they would be happy and well.