IDEFYEM - Chapter 2
Black Man, I'll do everything for you except marriage!
"What did His Majesty the Grand Duke say when he presented the jewels? Of course, you must have confessed that you love him, right?"
'Let's get out of this place for now.'
If I listened any longer, I felt like I was going to feel dizzy. I nodded soullessly and staggered slightly. The Duke has completely hidden the fact that Enrica is a wizard.
So people thought that I, who was weak, mainly stayed in my family.
"Oh my goodness, My Lady! Are you okay?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. After riding the carriage for a long time. I felt dizzy..."
The Countess was not a bad person, just overly curious. She looked truly sorry and apologized to me.
"Sorry. I asked too much about a weak person."
I said, trying my best to put on a pale complexion.
"No, ma'am. I'm sorry, but I need to get some rest."
"Go ahead. Oh, and... !"
It seemed like I heard something more from behind.
Instead of being polite, I hurried to the terrace.
"...Oh, I was going to tell you that His Majesty the Grand Duke is also at the banquet."
The Countess muttered as she watched the retreating back.
"Well, since you're getting married, of course, you know. It was a useless nonsense."
***
If the rumor got this far, of course breaking off the engagement would be impossible!
The plan to somehow persuade the Grand Duke failed before it even began.
I cried and walked in front of the terrace covered by the curtain.
'Why can't I see an empty terrace today?'
People here, people there.
That was the moment when I found a door that was barely visible and opened the curtain. There was standing alone. He was a very large man, but I was embarrassed and apologized as I went inside the terrace, a strange man clearly could not see him from outside.
"Oh, sorry...."
"It's okay to come in."
I felt as if my feet were moving on their own to the soft, low-pitched sound I heard at that time.
Was I mistaken because of the attractive voice?
I blinked in confusion and then immediately raised my head.
"..."
If winter were a person, it would definitely have a face like that. It was a breezy summer night, but it felt like a cold snowstorm was passing by on this terrace.
Deep eyes that seem to be hiding a story. The sharp-looking nose bridge and straight lips.
His unrealistically beautiful appearance reached its peak in her cold, shining blue eyes that looked as if they were carved from ice.
I was absentmindedly admiring the sight of her jet-black hair blowing in the wind.
Winter smiled at me.
'Hmm, there's no way he could be a supporting character with an appearance like that.'
When I came to my senses, the first thing that occurred to me was that I began to be on guard.
First of all, this is not the male lead with blonde hair and red eyes. Not even the silver-haired sub-male lead.
"Excuse me, my name is... Ah.”
The man asked me back with a slightly embarrassed expression.
"Don't you know me?"
I nodded cautiously. It was obvious that I thought I knew him. Hmm, no matter how good he looks, isn't that just excessive self-consciousness?
The man tilted his head with a face whose true intentions could not be read at all.
So, when he tilted his head to the left, the man opened his mouth.
"I, um... is it so. I am the Count of Belbrington."
It's a name I don't know at all, and it somehow feels extra.
I nervously looked back on my memories and resented the illustrations that only depicted the main characters.
If you had shown me that face in advance, I would never have forgotten it!
"I am Enrica of the House of WinTersoar. Nice to meet you.”
Well, he may not really be a character in the novel.
I mumbled quietly, looked around, and found a liquor bottle and two glasses behind the man.
"Were you waiting for someone?"
"Well. Now that I think about it, I guess I was waiting for the Lady without even knowing it."
Flashy words came out quickly.
I, who had been keeping my guard up, couldn't help but burst into laughter.
A friendly handsome man and a moderately enjoyable banquet - that's what a romance novel is supposed to be.
It was an instant for a sip of champagne to turn into a bottle.
The man with kind eyes seemed to be working a spell to soften the atmosphere.
After being possessed, I strictly followed my own safety rules, and eventually...
"I really don't want to get married!"
"Oh my."
Drunk.
I see two fingers, two moons, and two handsome faces. Ah, I think this is a little good.
"Even if I receive something like jewelry, it feels like a burden! Anything to avoid getting married... Why me...."
The inner feelings that I couldn't tell anyone came out thanks to the alcohol.
"Why do you hate that man so much?"
The man asked, looking a little embarrassed.
Was my drinking too much?
As I looked back, I suddenly realized that our conversation was strange.
The man was acting the complete opposite of the nobles gathered in the banquet hall.
It wasn't annoying, he was kind to me... No, he was very kind to me.
The most surprising thing was that even after hearing the word marriage, he did not ask any questions about the Grand Duke.
It was like that just now.
Anyone who knew the Grand Duke would not have chosen words like 'that man'.
"Count, do you not know who I am marrying?"
"Do I need to know?"
The Count, who had been silent with his mouth covered in an awkward manner, suddenly spoke.
It seemed like a shame not to know the latest news. Sure enough, I answered with a brighter voice.
"No, I'm so glad you don't know! I've been having trouble with people for a while about that topic."
But how could a man the size of a Count have never heard of the rumors going around the banquet hall?
As he received my puzzled gaze, he clicked his tongue with a strange expression.
"I just returned to the Empire for business reasons... Rather than that, let's go back to the topic we were talking about earlier."
"Uh, what was the topic?"
"Enri, I am very curious as to why you dislike your marriage partner."
I thought for a moment and then slightly shook my head.
"Sorry. But that's also hard to say."
How do I know that someone I've never met will kill me? It was obvious that I would be treated as crazy or paranoid.
The Count asked back with a look of regret on his face.
"Where did you hear any bad rumors? That man was rude to you."
"Hmm."
When he just smiled awkwardly and didn't respond, he walked away as if he had no choice.
"But I am sincere in my desire to avoid marriage. This is a really, really secret."
I took a deep breath and spoke.
"If I can't find a way to avoid marriage, I'm thinking about running away from the Empire..."
"Count?"
"Yes."
"You dropped your glass."
I blinked my eyes in confusion.
Clink.
Even as the glass fell and shattered, the Count looked at me without even looking at me.
What should I do? I think this person is drunker than me.
"Sorry. I said something so strange."
"Do you have someone else you love?"
He opened his mouth almost ready to cut me off.
The voice, which had been relaxed the whole time, had a slightly urgent feel to it.
Is that so curious? I answered with a puzzled expression.
"No."
"You don't want to get married, not the man, do you? You are actually a non-married person."
"No, marriage is okay as long as it's not him."
"But you can do anything to avoid that marriage?"
I nodded my head vigorously several times, even though my movements were slow due to the alcohol.
He stared at me and for some reason, he burst into laughter.
"It's difficult. The Young Lady's feelings and this situation. It was completely unexpected."
The black-haired man closed his mouth as if he was in trouble. I felt uneasy because I felt like I was sharing the burden of my heart with someone else at a banquet that should have been fun. I didn't mean to tell you everything like this, but thinking about it like this doesn't mean I can pick up what I've already said.
I lowered my eyes with a little regret.
It was a moment when I was about to mutter an apology, even if it was belated.
"But it doesn't mean there is no way."
It felt as if his voice had turned into a bell of salvation and was ringing.
Boom, boom...
I slowly raised my head, feeling my heart pounding violently. The voice that flowed from moderately red lips vibrated low.
"Why not get married?"
"Count, what I said so far...."
"With another man."
"Yes?"
At that moment, a pleasant breeze blew.
The bright blue eyes were gently bent as they took in the fluttering pink hair.
He seemed a little nervous and bit his lower lip before continuing.
"This is a problem that will be solved if you marry another man before that deadline. There is no way in this Empire to hold the hand of a woman who is already someone's wife."
Contract marriage.
It was a subject I was tired of seeing in romance novels, but I had never thought about trying it myself. If I really marry someone else...
There has been no reply yet to the marriage proposal sent by the Grand Duke.
If I refuse the marriage proposal now that the rumor has spread like this, the reputation of the Wintersoar family will be ruined, but that is none of my business.
A loveless marriage wasn't something I was very attracted to.
But in a situation where the only option left to me was death, any price seemed sweet.
I opened my mouth and looked at him.
Wow, is this guy a genius?
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