Chapter 13.4

Unprecedented Debutante Ball (Part 2) – From Cermiane’s Perspective (4)

“Mia?”

“Good, Ral. I will only allow myself to be called that by that name by you. Please keep that in mind.”

With these words, I got out of the carriage.

The next day, I was summoned to the Knight’s headquarters in the morning for questioning. I was, after all, the escort for the perpetrator, Ralphine.

After being asked questions, the centurion in charge of the hearing asked me, “Couldn’t you have stopped it somehow?”

I replied confidently, “I did not recognize the need to stop it.”

Upon hearing that, the centurion said, “Well, she is not a noblewoman,” but of course, that was not my intention. However, I did not bother to explain.

When my duty ended that day, I went straight to the mansion of Count Caliente. The count’s residence was indeed large, but I boldly asked the gatekeeper, “I escorted the young lady yesterday, and I would like to pay my respects. Please let her know.” Whether or not I would be let in was a gamble, but I was led to the mansion safely.

While waiting in the reception room, the count himself came out. Apparently, he knew the truth about yesterday’s disturbance and was coming out to apologize to me. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come out suddenly. The Count thanked me for my efforts with a slightly arrogant attitude. Although there was no direct apology, it was similar to apologizing if the Count himself directly praised the knight.

“I would like to pay my respects to the young lady,” I said, and the count said something surprising.

“I sent Ralphine back to her territory this morning.”

I was surprised. They probably sent her out of the capital in a hurry, fearing that the situation would escalate. Just then, I hurriedly shouted to the count as he was about to stand up.

“Your Excellency! Could you give Ralphine to me as my wife?”

“Huh?” The count’s eyes widened. Of course, it was too sudden. But I had successfully delayed him. I knelt at the Marquis’s feet and looked up at him confidently.

“I have been deeply moved by the greatness of Lady Ralphine! Please, Your Excellency, allow me to marry Lady Ralphine” I then cut a holy symbol in the air and drew a circle on my forehead. This was the formal oath-taking method. The Marquis’s expression changed from surprise to confusion, and finally to a slightly angry one.

“What nonsense. A knightly type shouldn’t have such high expectations.”

“Your Excellency, I heard from Sir Ralphine yesterday that she would marry a commoner. If you’re going to marry her to a commoner, then I, a knight, should be just as good!”

“There is a reason why we are marrying her to a commoner. Moreover, even if she is a commoner, we intend to marry her to someone who is richer and more powerful than you. You are lacking in that regard.”

That was a reasonable point. There were plenty of wealthy commoners who were richer than knights. In fact, I had not inherited my rank from my mother, but I had inherited her wealth, so I could actually be considered quite wealthy. But I couldn’t say that. The Marquis tried to leave, thinking that the conversation was over. I shouted again.

“I proposed directly to Lady Ralphine yesterday!”

“What?”

The Marquis was surprised and stopped in his tracks. This was the crucial moment. I looked at the Marquis with determination.

“Lady Ralphine did not refuse. You can even ask her directly. Do you understand what this means?”

The Marquis made a displeased face. This was an issue of the first-come-first-served rule of proposal.

As a proposal etiquette, the person who proposes first is respected. Of course, this is not absolute. Since the father has the right to decide on his daughter’s marriage, the woman’s wishes are often ignored. Whether there is a first-come-first-served rule or not, it does not necessarily give an advantage in marriage.

However, I was a knight and Lady Ralphine was a daughter of a Marquis. There was a difference in status so great that the proposal itself should not have been valid. As the Marquis, he probably would have preferred to ignore my proposal declaration and pretend it never happened. But that’s where the first-come-first-served rule comes in. The fact that Lady Ralphine did not immediately reject my proposal meant that the proposal was put on hold. The proposal itself had already been accepted, so it could not be ignored.

“I have no intention of giving her to you. Leave.”

“I’ll come back as many times as I want. Until your Excellency approves.”

The Marquis snorted as if displeased and left the reception room. Well, I breathed a sigh of relief. It was a victory that the Marquis had acknowledged my existence today, considering there was a possibility that we might not have met at all. And now that he had recognized my proposal, the Marquis’s family couldn’t completely ignore me as a potential suitor. Even though I would need other tricks up my sleeve.

In truth, revealing my identity as a member of the royal family would have been the easiest way to secure the proposal, but I couldn’t do that. However, if push came to shove, I was prepared to take that route, despite the complications it would bring. At that moment, I was willing to do whatever it took to marry Ralphine.

Alright then! I’m going to do it! I’ll definitely make Ralphine my wife! With a renewed determination, I left the Marquis’s residence.