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As scheduled, the engagement ceremony was simply held inside the Special Task Squadâs headquarters. Sofia was dissatisfied but actually, the engagement ceremony was mostly done casually just by exchanging engagement gifts. Unlike marriage, an engagement often tend to be cancelled due to various reasons in which mostly caused by either sideâs family circumtances. And it happened than most for political marriage in particular where either side might have a change of attitude halfway through the engagement if they appeared to find another more beneficial opportunity before truly got married. Therefore, unless the groom was an eldest son of a noble family or someone from an influential family who has massive wealth and held great authority, itâs rare to have a grand engagement ceremony .\n\nThe ceremony took place outdoor in the garden under a fine weather with clear blue sky. Actually, it was more like a garden party than an engagement ceremony. On the long table decorated with flowers which surrounded by chairs, many delicacies such as chocolates, puddings, cakes, muffins, candies, pies, jellies, cookies, tarts and drinks were prepared. In my eyes, itâs all good and very satisfying but Sofia had an outrageous look on her face and let out a small sigh.\n\nââŠ, this doesnât look like an engagement party but a kidâs birthday party.â\n\nI couldnât make any comparison since I have never had a birthday party, let alone received any birthday greetings. Come to think of it, did Captain Jullius also not know his birthday like me? I was about to run to Captain Jullius who was standing at the garden entrance waiting for me, but Sofia swiftly grabbed my arm.\n\nâDonât run!â\n\nShe scolded in a low voice.\n\nâPlease pay attention to your conduct. To be a fine lady you need to move slowly and steadily.â\n\nâŠ, what a frustrating way to live. It couldnât be more right not to marry an ordinary nobleman. Because of Sofiaâs nagging, I walked slowly to the man who will become my fiancee soon. Captain Jullius who was wearing a black suit attire that fits his body, titled his head and looked at me. Well, my standard is too high, but I think overall heâs handsome. But of course my past self was more handsome.\n\nâMiss Epheria.â\n\nHis big hand reached out to me. I placed my hand on his and I could sensed his callous palm which served as evidence that it was used to wield a sword. Until a while ago, I also had this kind of hand. My current hands were very tender and couldnât even use to lift a sword without the help of holy power.\n\nSomehow Iâm jealous. Should I bite it?\n\nThe sweet scent became more noticeable as we walked together side by side on the paved road which decorated with ornamental hedges formed by boxwood trees. The people gathered there were less than 20 people in total and except Sofia and me, the rest of them were all Special Task Squadâs members. Actually I also have many people that could be invited.\n\nââŠ, I feel a bit sad.â\n\nItâs not a big deal but my heart felt a bit empty. Everyone would be surprised if they knew I was engaged. They probably wouldnât believe it.\n\nâI never thought Captain would get married this quickly.â\n\nâItâs still only an engagement, though?â\n\nâThe Demon Lord has decided to have them married, so it wonât take a long time until they get married for real.â\n\nâThatâs right.â\n\nLathy and a young man I didnât know of, were gossiping. I also thought I would marry Captain Jullius but I was still unsure about it. Who knows, maybe a fated first love would appear in front of me or Captain Jullius.\n\nâThis is the engagement gifts.â\n\nOrtzen, with a delighted sly fox face, opened the velvet wrapped box. Inside the box was a pair of rings. Why all of things it has to be a pair of rings? Itâs common to exchanged rings during a wedding, but usually people could use other accessories to be exchanged in an engagement ceremony.\n\nâA ring is used on your hand.â\n\nâAnyway, if you get married later, you will also wear one so itâs better to get used to wear one from now.â\n
Itâs possible I might not get married though. Anyway, Captain Jullius and I picked up a ring each from inside the velvet box at the same time and were about to put it on our own finger.\n\nâYou need to put it on your coupleâs finger, your couple!â\n\nOrtzen hurriedly stopped us. Oh, so thatâs how it is.\n\nâPlease return the rings to me.â\n\nâHere.â\n\nAfter Ortzen swapped the rings we were holding in our hands, we put it on each otherâs finger. I can use both hands well but usually I use my right hand more often while Captain Jullius is right-handed so we both put the ring on each otherâs left hand. Now itâs done.\n\nâThen from now on Captain Jullius is my fiancee.â\n\nâAnd Miss Epheria is my fiancee.â\n\nâRight.â\n\nâMhm.â\n\nNow that weâre already officially engaged, I wonder if I could sleep together with Captain Jullius. All these time I had to sleep alone by myself after Sofia desperately forbad it that she kept an eye on me, afraid that I might sneaked out in the middle of the night.\n\nâHer Highness the First Princess, Princess Aranea has delivered her congratulatory words. Her Highness also said she wanted to invite you to the Palace in the near future.â\n\nâWhyâŠ?â\n\nI appreciated her for sending congratulatory words, but why did she want to invite me to her Palace for?!\n\nâDo I have to go if she invited me?â\n\nâThere isnât any reason for you not to go. Usually, this kind of invitation is an honor for the receiver. Her Majesty the Empress used to be a Saintess so she doesnât engage in any social activities other than hosting an official banquet. Thus, before His Highness the Crown Prince marries a Crown Princess, Her Highness Princess Aranea acts as the leader of the high society circle.â\n\nâI also know that.â\n\nOrtzen looked at me with an obvious surprised look on his face. Hey, I used to be actively involved in many high society gatherings in the past, you know? I was even invited to the banquet hosted by Her Majesty the Empress too.\n\nâIf you have already known about it, then I donât need to explain more. If youâre invited, then please do attend.â\n\nââŠ, I donât want to.â\n\nâYouâre not a Countess but a noble daughter, so you donât have any rights to refuse Her Highness invitation just because you donât want to come. Even if youâre an influential countryside Countess, itâs impossible to refuse. If youâre not content with that, you have to climb for higher position.â\n\nâHow high?â\n\nâMiss could only refuse if you become a Duchess or Grand Duchess.â\n\nWhat the hell was this person talking about? Before I flew into a rage, Captain Jullius besides me opened his mouth first.\n\nâDo you want to be a Duchess or Grand Duchess, Miss?â\n\nâAll the Dukes and Grand Dukes are married men and even the youngest of them all is over 30 years older than me. In other words, Ortzen was meant to tell me âjust shut up and goâ.â\n\nâActually thereâs an empty position that is far higher than that.â\n\nâIâm trying to avoid the tiger but youâre asking me to go into the tigerâs den instead!â\n\nThe other higher position than the Duchess and Grand Duchess which is currently vacant right now is no other but the Crown Princess position. Captain Jullius gently patted my shoulder when he saw me fuming.\n\nâIf you have no choice but to go, Iâll try my best to protect you.â\n\nâCaptainââ\n\nIn the end, my fiancee is the only one who I can depend on. If Captain Jullius is willing to help, then running away wonât be a problem. Ortzen looked at us who were clasping our hands together, with a pathetic look on his face.\n\nâItâs not like Her Highness wants to catch and eat you alive though.â\n\nâIsnât it a problem if she feels like being caught and eaten alive? For self-defense, we can face her by bringing a sword.â\n\nâAh, alright. I think Iâve misspoken.â\n\nIt was troublesome because it was impossible to be simply solved with violence.\n
I wanted to eat some food that were being served after weâre done exchanging rings, but suddenly I sensed that Captain Jullius all tensed up. I wanted to know what happened to him so I followed his line of sights but thereâs nothing odd.\n\nâWhat is it?â\n\nââŠ, that, actuallyâŠâ\n\nWhen Captain Jullius was still hesitating, I saw someone approaching us inside the garden. A sturdy man in his fifties was walking in big strides and heavy steps. I felt like I have seen this person somewhere before, I wonder who he is. Looking at his body motions, itâs obvious to tell that heâs once a trained soldier. Actually who might he be and for him to make Captain Jullius all tensed up like this, similar to the state I was in when I met with Princess Aranea?\n\nAt that moment, Ortzen noticed the manâs presence who was just entering the garden and he (Ortzen) immediately approached and greeted him.\n\nâWelcome, General Herva. Long time no see.â\n\n
(T/N: there will be 1 bonus chapter on Sunday. Itâs the continuation of the engagement party and also the last part of chapter 4. Next Friday we move onto chapter 5)