"I cannot allow this marriage"
"I didn't come to ask for permission. This is a notification."
He stared blankly at his mother, who looked exactly like him, differing only in eye color.
Then, across from him, Carcel's mother, Anastasia, looked at him with the exact same expression.
Neither of them blinked once, and they continued their tense battle of wills.
Finally, Anastasia spoke first.
"Did that girl say she would marry you?"
"She said she is considering it positively. I hasn't proposed yet."
Carcel had originally come to see his mother today, not for permission, but to find the ring.
This was because his mother was keeping the ring that had been passed down as a family heirloom of the Duke's family.
It is a tradition for the Duchess to pass down an engagement ring to her son in the year the Duke's heir comes of age.
Then the Duchess looked at Carcel with a suspicious expression and asked again.
"You didn't brainwash, imprison, or threaten that girl, did you?"
"I am not a criminal. Why would I do such a thing?"
"You should have done that instead."
The Duchess, having muttered that, continued speaking.
"She might run away."
"Even so, that is Asha's choice."
"At least try to show off that you have a lot of money."
"I am already doing that."
They were a mother and son who were exactly alike in their flat speech.
Eventually, the Duchess frowned faintly.
"You should be grateful to the child who accepted you."
"I am already doing that. I wouldn't even think about getting married if it weren't for Asha."
After Carcel answered in that way, the Duchess remained silent for a moment, then asked back with skepticism.
"...Are you sure the girl named Asha you are talking about isn't an orc?"
"..."
Carcel stared at his mother with a look that said, 'What kind of bullshit is this?'
"...Would it be an orc? Asha is very pretty."
"I really can't understand why such a pretty girl would want to marry you."
The Duchess was genuinely puzzled by the blatant way she treated her son.
In the end, Carcel boasted a little more about Asha.
"Asha is a vibrant and bright person with a beautiful face resembling a flower deer, intelligent dark brown eyes, and hair."
"That can't be right."
"No matter what Mother says, I will definitely marry Asha."
At Carcel's determined words, the Duchess let out a faint sigh.
"Go ahead, do as you please. You didn't ask because my opinion matters anyway; you're just asking for the ring, aren't you?"
"That is correct."
Carcel nodded once with a look that said, 'Hand it over.'
Eventually, the Duchess sat up and walked in her portrait hanging above the fireplace.
She took her necklace off her neck.
Then, insert the necklace into the slot of the safe that appeared behind it. With a click, the safe door opened.
“Here it is.”
After taking out only a luxurious ring case and closing the safe door, she put the portrait back in its place, turned around, and handed it to Carcel.
As soon as Carcel received the ring case, he opened it and checked the contents first.
"Is this genuine?"
"It is exactly as your father gave it to me. If it were fake, your father would have given me a fake."
Inside, a diamond ring that appeared to be at least 10 carats was stored.
Carcel still did not hide his suspicion and only closed the case and put it in his bosom after checking the ring under the light.
"Are you done with your business?"
Carcel stood up and spoke to his mother, who had a tired expression as if asking him to leave.
"Oh, and Asha has an adopted daughter. Just so you know."
“You talk really fast.”
"After all, my mother's permission isn't needed for this marriage."
Carcel was someone who had not been close to his mother since childhood and had now become independent because their personalities did not match.
To him, who grew up roughly on the battlefield with his father, his mother was a distant figure.
To be honest, he didn't really have any good memories with his father either.
'It was really nice catching a dragon with my father when I was 13.'
Carcel, who had wistfully lingered on memories of his father for ten seconds, turned and left the room.
His footsteps felt much lighter now that he had finished his business.
***
That night, after Asha had finished saying goodnight and returned to her room, Linea quietly pushed away the blanket Asha had covered her up to her neck and sat up.
With the sound of rustling footsteps, Linea opened the closet.
'My treasure trove.'
The closet, which originally only had a few clothes hanging on it that were too small, was now packed with pretty dresses. And there were also boots and various accessories. To be honest, she was secretly envious whenever other girls wore dresses like these.
Just as Grandma said, it was not suitable for her place. She thought that every time, but she couldn't help feeling intimidated.
Even now, Linea knew that the price of this dress her stepmother was buying for her would be higher than she had imagined.
'What if it's really, really expensive?'
I'm going to grow up fast, work hard to earn money, and buy my mother even prettier clothes than these.
I also bought delicious food that my mother bought for me, which I had never eaten before in my life. And I should buy them a house and a carriage, too.
'I'm going to be rich.'
Linea clenched her small fist tightly.
And above all, what Linea cherished the most was, of course, the doll.
Linea also knew how much this doll cost.
Sometimes when she goes to gatherings, the kids match this doll with their clothes and brag about how much it costs and who bought it for them.
It wasn't simply because others had it that she wanted it.
She just thought that if she hugged the doll, like when she hugged a pillow tightly while imagining her deceased mother when she's lonely, the loneliness might lessen a little.
But now it was okay even without the doll.
At that moment, the image of Asha smiling with the corners of her eyes flushed red flashed before Linea's eyes.
He also saw glimpses of someone opening their arms toward him, holding his hand, and stroking his head.
It felt awkward and embarrassing that an adult she wanted to emulate was being nice to her, but at the same time, she liked it.
She had vowed not to open her heart, but that vow had long since crumbled.
'Mother said she wouldn't leave me behind.'
Linea reached out, secretly took out the doll, and hugged it tightly.
Even though it is just an object, warmth spreads throughout the entire body simply by holding it.
'On top of that, today she also showed me someone whom she might remarry.'
Even though his appearance is the exact opposite of her mother's, his personality is just like hers.
Linea was shocked by the way he treated her kindly, even for a mistake that would have long since warranted corporal punishment beyond mere reprimands if it had been her grandmother or uncle.
Because she learned that not all adults are angry.
It was still new to Linea to have an adult who accepted her thoughts without her having to worry about what others thought.
'I really wish my mother would get married so she could take me with her.'
In that moment, Linea realized the true feelings she had been hiding deep within her heart, behind resignation.
That she wanted to leave this house.
She wished that her family had a kind stepmother and stepfather, rather than her grandmother and uncle who always treated her badly.
Linea carefully put the doll she was holding back into the closet.
Only after piling up junk in front of it to hide it so as not to be caught by Grandma did she feel relieved and close the closet door.
She was even invited to go tomorrow by Lucian, whom she met last time, so she really had to go to sleep now.
“Haam.”
Linea yawned and returned to bed to lie down.
She pulled the blanket Asha had covered her with earlier up to her neck and closed her eyes tightly.
***
"Linea, shall we get going?"
I looked down at Linea, who had finished getting dressed up, and asked.
Today's schedule was busy as well.
In the morning, I had to get two dresses made for myself, and buy some beads for a gift for Lucian and to make for the other children.
After that, I made plans with Carcel and even attended the luncheon Lucian invited me to!
Now Linea took my hand first.
I laughed a little inwardly because it was cute.
Just those few delicious meals and clothes. And even a small smile—Linea opened her heart.
'What did I do that well for you?'
I could feel that Linea trusted me now.
I didn't want to betray that faith.
I needed to show Linea more things and let her experience more.
And I wanted to let Linea know that she chooses her own life and has a place to return to anytime.
What tormented me the most was a life where it was impossible to even break down for a moment.
At times, everything felt overwhelming and anxiety-inducing, so I wanted to give up. But I should have had someone to return to, like a hometown.
The moment I reverse, it's a cliff.
I asked Linea.
"Would you like to pick out my dress this time, Linea?"
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