30.Please Marry Me

“No, it can’t be.”

Azmaria was strange. No, she was suspicious.

She knows Wilhelm’s past, she knows Agrane’s presence, she treats Richton’s hatred as if she swallowed it. Is the woman in front of me, not Azmaria? It couldn’t have been. Agrane is the past of this body, not her.

“I’m interested in Prince Wilhelm. Why don’t we switch lovers?”

“Your Highness, I hope you don’t insult me any more.”

“Did I make a fool of myself? Young Lady’s interest in Richton seems enormous.”

“His Excellency is the host of this banquet, so it’s natural for me, as a participant, to show interest.”

Azmaria responded naturally to my rude remarks. It felt like she had prepared for this moment in advance.

“That’s how other people used to deny it.”

The response to the provocation seems to have not been prepared. Slowly knifing, Azmaria chewed out every word.

“I’m not like everyone else. Your Highness will never understand.”

“Aha. You’re special, do you mean this?”

She is sure there’s more than one person who thought so. For example, those who were in the same boat as them. At the end of the day, Azmaria was no different from them. She felt empty. Perhaps I really wanted Azmaria to be ‘special’ unlike them.

“I didn’t mean to offend you. I don’t want to upset this atmosphere again, so I’ll replace my question with Susan’s. I actually asked her to ask for Young lady.”

Before she opened her mouth, she soaked her throat with water.

“Do you know the book titled 『The River Where the Sun Manoeuvres』?”

Yes. I’m here only for this moment. I felt deafened by the thumping sound of my heart. To hide my trembling hands, I lowered my arms under the table pretending to touch my clothes. But the answer I heard completely upset my expectations.

“No, it’s a book I’ve never heard of. Is it a novel?”

“…really not even once?”

Azmaria shook her head.

“I can’t think back.”

Ah.

It’s impossible.

Disappointment surged like a tidal wave when the expectation was betrayed. No, Azmaria is lying. You don’t know 『The River Where the Sun Manoeuvres』?

That’s ridiculous. I was already convinced through many conversations that she was in the same boat as me. Every word and deed Azmaria saw was the same as the evidence. But what if her claim is true?

“Your Highness, if you don’t mind, may I ask you a favor?”

I pulled myself together and made eye contact with Azmaria. She had a small correspondence in one hand, whether she had received a pen and paper from her servant.

“Oh, of course. If it’s possible for me.”

“Thank you. I want you to deliver this letter to Susan. I think it’s damaging in many ways to deliver it myself.”

She glanced down at her letter.

“Another answer to the question would make sense.”

She smiled in her heart at the words. Look, I was right to come into the book like her. There’s no way she doesn’t knows 『The River Where the Sun Manoeuvres』.

“I will.”

Is it because I didn’t have to force her to open her mouth by getting an answer that was close to satisfaction? Our conversation ended with that. But my nerves were only directed at Azmaria throughout the dinner. When the main food is being emptied, and when she calls the servant carefully.

“Please.”

When Azmaria left, the servant approached Richton and covered his mouth and whispered something. It seemed to be Azmaria’s message. If not mistaken, his eyes were on mer while listening to the message. Not Azmaria, exactly to me. We stared at each other silently for a while. It was not long before Richton, who stood up, left the dining room. The dining room had already been emptied. After confirming that Azmaria was away, I grabbed a servant and asked.

“Where’d His Excellency go?”

“Oh….”

“Don’t worry. I’m just going to see him for a while.”

The restless servant quickly replied and left.

“Your Excellency has gone to the Magnolia Tree in the back garden.”

Tomorrow, another provocative rumor will likely spread among employees. It would be accurate if the Princess and Azmaria caught each other’s hair over the Duke. It was very easy for me, a maid of Ingord, to find a magnolia tree in the back garden. Richton was followed at a nearby garden bench and held his breath. Soon there came the sound of their words, leaving a bush between them.

“I’m sorry to bother you, sir.”

“No, I’m more curious about the business. It feels like we’re having a secret meeting at a place like this.”

After a long silence, Azmaria’s voice was heard. Her business was quite, or quite surprising.

“Sir, please marry me.”

The end of the speech faltered faintly. I guessed it’s a word that squeezed out all the courage she had. Could she be any more stupid? Azmaria didn’t seem to have noticed yet. That the price of the man who tries to twist the story has always been death.

“Of course I know. You need a woman to fill the duchess’ seat, not a woman to fill her heart.”

I could hear Azmaria breathing all the way here.

“I propose to Mr. Richton because… Please welcome me as a false Duchess. Even if the marriage is arranged, I will not be involved in your private life as well as sleeping.”

I heard a small snort. It was obvious that it belonged to Richton.

“Three years. Three years. After that, I’ll leave Ingord voluntarily.”

“Are you saying you’re going to use me as a fiancé to the Prince? I wonder what you’re thinking.”

“I don’t want to marry His Highness Wilhelm like this.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know how you’ll feel, but I’m afraid of him.”

That was not what Wilhelm’s fiancé would say in the face of silence.

“M…my hands tremble and my mind goes blank just by looking at his face. I don’t expect much from you, sir. If you abandon me in three years, I’ll live quietly without bothering your eyes. Please lend me an excuse to run away from Prince Wilhelm.”

Azmaria said something as if she was the dog to Wilhelm. Don’t tell me he did something inhumane to his fiancée. No, it couldn’t be. In 『The River Where the Sun Manoeuvres』, the two were engaged in a desirable relationship that cared for and cared for each other. Her fear-stricken face was painted in front of me. And the gaze of Richton, who watches her face. What does Richton think and what kind of expression does he have in front of Azmaria?

“Sir, I can’t tell you right now, but….”

“What do you think, Beatrice?”

My body stiffened with tension at the sudden call. I knew he’d catch me, but I never thought he’d drag me in this way. As ordered, my options were fixed. I lifted myself up, circled the bushes, and approached them. With a satisfied smile, Richton grabbed her hand and pulled me to himself. Azmaria’s face at first sight was hardened with embarrassment.

“You’re asking me to marry you, and I can’t help but ask what my precious lover thinks.”

Getting permission from a dear lover to marry another woman is worse

“Kind Richton. Would you do anything if I told you to?”

“You’re telling me the obvious. As I said, you are the only lover I have.”

His lips touched the back of my gripped hand.

“That means that the future of that lovely young girl is in my hands.”

A moment of panic, Azmaria quickly became unexpectedly calm. Everything you could walk to get here would mean you walked.

She found her funny and pretty like that. She knows what Azmaria wants won’t end in her marriage to Richton. But it wasn’t that important to her. Look, Azmaria didn’t turn the way after all. It’s not that she was stupid in Triviache. Azmaria’s ignorant choice presented her with relief.

“Do it.”

A bright smile couldn’t have been better at Richton. Is this what a sense of superiority is? She is not a true lover, at best a Richton dog, and she feels superior. It’s a situation where you can’t help but laugh.

“That’s funny, Richton. Am I now having an affair with a man who has a wife? Since she said three years, is it a limited affair?”

“Are you angry about that?”

Richton pulled my waist in and locked me in his arms. Blue-gray eyes were blinking like a picture in less than a span of distance. Richton’s lips stopped just below my nose. If it rains like this, we can reenact that night. She recited so quietly that we could only hear each other.

“You don’t mean to kiss me. You pretend you don’t know what happened on the rainy day.”

His blue-gray eyes didn’t budge a bit. Rather, he smiled as if he were having fun, and my back stiffened.

“It sounds like you’re longing for affection from me, princess.”

His lips drew lines. The cold warmth falls as gently as a feather just above the corners of his mouth. I didn’t even kiss him, but I felt suffocated. I felt like my face was going to be pierced by the heavy and thick gaze. Richton, who slowly raised his head, said, taking a step back.

“Now that the princess has given me permission, I can’t pretend I don’t know.”

Azmaria, who was staring blankly at us, quickly came to her senses.

“That means…”

Expectations began to grow on her face, which had been distorted by various emotions.

“But Count Will will never allow you to marry me, Miss Azmaria.”

“No, It is something that is possible at any given time. If I want you and you want me, who would dare stop us?”

“His Majesty, the Emperor values the dignity of the Imperial family.”

“As much as Ingord’s heir?”

The change happened in a split second. Richton’s expression was freezing cold. Azmaria was even more excited to say whether she considered his reaction to be permissive.

“No matter how much it concerns you, His Majesty, the Emperor puts your marriage first….”

“Stop.”

If Kean was there, he would have clicked his tongue out with an audible sound. Richton literally spoke to Azmaria as if he was going to chew her up.

“Everyone pretends to know and talks the same. I can’t even cut out that stupid tongue.”