That day, it had been raining since morning. Droplets of rain shone like silver threads. It was in a newspaper article. It seems that she was forced to break up with her unfaithful partner which ended up with her committing suicide. Linus Tudor, who was there, said that although his life was unharmed, he was really shaken and thus decided to return to his home country.
Connie decided to keep the fact to herself. She doesnât lament âitâs my faultâ like she used to anymore. They have their own circumstances, and it was none other than Teresa who made that choice. Her responsibility lies with her. Just like Constance Grail abandoned honesty and chose her own path. Butâââ
She might have a part in causing it. And she wonât forget that.
=====
The city was covered with a thin grey veil of silk from the quiet, incessant rain.
Randolph was waiting outside the mansion. Although he wasnât wearing a military uniform, he wore a black collared top and matching trousers. As for his umbrella, not only the fabric but also the ribs of the umbrella were black. No wonder he is called Lord Grim Reaper.
Today, theyâre going to the local church to take the oath of engagement. It is like a so-called greeting. Itâs not formal, more like saying that youâll be indebted to me from now on. Regarding the actual announcement of the engagement, there are still various procedures to be completed, so it would be sometime in the future. And regarding that, the plan was to dodge it with some circumstances, and of course, no marriage will happen.
Connieâs parents havenât returned from the territory yet, but the written permission for the engagement is already here. It seemed that Randolph had laid the groundwork. At first, her father doggedly asked the reason behind the sudden engagement, but he had given up recently, probably because Connieâs will was firm.
[I have asked Viscount Hamsworth to be the witness.]
The Viscount happened to be registered at the church in Randolphâs residential area.
[Heâs too decadent to take a sacred oath, but itâs a false engagement in the first place. Couldnât be better suited for the task.]
[I seeâŚ]
Connie might have made an unimpressed face. Randolph, noticing this, blinked his eyes and asked.
[Whatâs wrong?]
[âŚ..No, um, itâs about the engagement.]
Considering what she was about to say, Connie couldnât help feeling confused.
[Milord, are you truly fine going through with all this? Iâve been thinking about it but compared to me, you really donât benefit much from it, MilordâŚ]
Connie will not be charged with the crime, and the debt of the house is as good as taken care of. But, what about Randolph? She was so overcome with sensations that she didnât realize this at first, but wonât this engagement bring more disadvantages for him? Two years had passed since Lily Orlamunde passed away. Itâs not a short time, of course, but it hasnât been that long either. Some people will certainly make a fuss about it. Besides, their family status didnât match at all. Randolph currently holds the title of a Count, but his parentsâ house is a Duke. This made Connie believe that he was receiving flak from his relatives, though he didnât speak openly about it. Lord Grim Reaper turned his face, which lacked expression as usual, toward Connie.
[âââit may sound childish, but let me tell you the truth.]
It was said in a quiet voice.
He then continued with a calm voice, as if to announce an important matter.
[I donât want to get married.]
[Seriously?]
Connie unintentionally leaked out her true feelings. She had no idea that Randolph is actually part of the pro-celibacy group that sheâs heard so much about these days. But then, what would happen to his familyâs vast land? Having no spouse means having no heir. Perhaps noticing her wondering, Randolph added.
[Ever since my father passed away, my uncle has acted as the duke in his stead. He has a good man as a son, so I donât see any trouble with the succession. As for the title of âCount Ulsterâ, itâs just a title without land to speak of, so thereâs no problem even if I have no heir to inherit it.]
I see, in other words, he has no intention of becoming the duke. But, I donât think thatâs a reason to deny marriage. In the first place, he was once married to Lily Orlamundeââââ. Randolph gave her a glance, perhaps once again noticing Connieâs wondering and doubt.
[Itâs not that big of a reason, butâââ]
His words got cut off there. He looked worried for a while, but he changed his mind and shrugged his shoulders lightly.
[âŚ..I want to keep it a secret.]
[A secret?]
[Yes.]
Perhaps this is his way to assert that I shouldnât pry any further into it. Connie thought.
[Well, in any case, even if Iâve made no indication of being interested in inheriting the Duke title, there are still people who treat me as if Iâm a duke in all but name. There are many who would push their daughter to me. So, this engagement will actually benefit me as well. A fiancee would serve as an excellent bug repellent, wonât you say?]
âââWhat does he even mean by that?
Then, Randolph concluded with the same serious face.
[Simply put, this deal is advantageous for me as well.]
Heâs strange.
Connie couldnât help but think so. However, her feelings, which had been in a haze, were as refreshing as the wind blew.
=====
It smells like alcohol.
Connie, who was waiting for the priest in the churchâs oath room with Randolph, twitched as the door opened.
She thought it was a barrel of wine that appeared before them.
Hamsworth, clearly still hungover, was holding into a jug while repeatedly mumbling [uegh] like he was about to vomit.
[E, eee, do the⌠two of you⌠urp⌠ready, to, oâŚ]
He could barely speak coherently. Itâs hard to even understand what heâs saying.
âââis it really alright?
When Connie looked up to her side in desperation, she saw Lord Grim Reaper himself nodding his head without even changing his expression. So, itâs alright? Well, itâs a temporary engagement, so it might be okay.
After the oath was finished, Harmsworth landed on the guestâs chair as if he had run out of strength. Connie couldnât help but sympathize with the creaking chair.
After Randolph and Connie said their thanks and excused themselves, the Viscount raised his face with a sense of great cause and turned his gaze to where Connie was. After letting his gaze wander for a while, he narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled happily.
[âââand may you all go with Godâs blessing.]
=====
Randolph escorted Connie to his mansion and headed for his place of work, the Royal Gendarmerie Directorate. He said he was off duty today, so heâs probably just a workaholic.
âââA sweet-scented pure white yuzu*. Sun-like golden lotuses and pale purple clematis. Scarlet started speaking when I was leisurely walking in the courtyard enjoying the colourful flowers. (TL Note: *a name of flower)
ăâŚ..So, what are you going to do?ă
[Hmm?]
ăYou donât have any intention of helping me anymore, do you?ă
[Hmm?]
She sounded betrayed. That said, Scarlet had been acting strange since that incident in the mansion. Is she still sulking?
[Hah? Why do I?]
Being asked back, Scarlet lowered her gaze slightly to the ground.
ăI mean, your family debt is alreadyâââă
Ah, about that. Connie smiled softly. Scarlett furrowed his brows, probably not expecting such a reaction. Seeing that, Connie laughed even more.
[Hey, Scarlet]
âââit shouldnât have been a month since that day, but somehow it feels like it happened a long time ago.
[Back then, when Pamela denounced me at the Grand MerylaneâââNo, even before that. When Neil chose Pamela over me. When my father shouldered all those debts. Do you know what Iâd do back then? When things got tough, I accepted that there was nothing I could do about it, but deep down in my heart, I was always crying out for someone to help me.]
(Why? Why does it have to be me? Someone. Someone, please help me)
[But of course, nobody came to help.]
(Someone, anyone)
âââVery well, I shall help you.
Except for her.
[Now that I think about it, I never said it out loud.]
She probably did that out of a simple whim. Or maybe sheâs just trying to entangle me in her quest for revenge.
However, Connie turned around and stared at Scarlet, who had a dubious look on her face.
[âââThank you, for helping me.]
That doesnât change the fact that Connie was saved that day.
Scarletâs amethyst eyes were slowly opened wide.
[So now itâs my turn to help Scarlett, right?]
Saying that Connie lifted the corner of her lips into a grin, whilst Scarlett tightened her lips with an angry expression. Then the latter muttered in a somewhat scoldingâââbut at the same time an endearing voice.
ăâŚâŚstupid Connieă
=====
When she looked up, the rain had suddenly stopped, and the sun was pouring down on the earth as if it had come back to life. Constance gently held up her hand to block the glare and smiled at the sky.