Chapter 2

With her anger barely subdued, she let Lansier restore everything back to its original state.

Lansier withdrew the brainwashing magic he had put on those innocent young girls, lit up the fake invitations on fire, and returned to his original appearance.

“Skyla, I’m sad….”

As Lansier crouched into the corner of the room, he looked pitiful as he hugged his knees.

It was such a scene that would induce a lot of sympathy and pity.

These aren’t just empty words.

Just look at those sparkling blue eyes that are on the verge of shedding some tears.

And those long, quivering eyelashes that are curled in the shape of a crescent moon?

If an average person saw Lansier’s tear-soaked eyes, they would immediately go and try to comfort him.

However, she was not an ‘average’ person. Ever since she was young, Lancier would periodically attack her.

She never fell for Lansier’s pitiful appearance.

That’s why.

“Yeah? Don’t be sad then.”

[qc puppy: R U T H L E S S]

His body jolted back sharply.

“But …”

Lansier stared at her with his moist eyes.

“I..I’m heartbroken that Skyla scolded me.….”

“Don’t do anything dumb then.”

“And I’m lonely because Skyla spends so little time with me these days….”

“If you’re lonely, think of this as me and play with it instead.”

She roughly crumpled up the paper she had scribbled on and threw it to Lansier.

“This is Skyla……?”

Lansier murmured as he grabbed the crumpled paper ball.

“Yeah, think of that as me, and go back to your house now.”

“Okay….”

Lansier stared at the paper ball and seemed to be sinking slowly.

Now that things have calmed down a bit.

She let out a sigh of relief on the inside.

Since the hindrance is now gone, let’s focus on the work that has been accumulating.

As she glanced at her desk, she saw a thick stack of papers right in front of her.

It seemed like a terrible sight, but surprisingly, all of these items needed to be dealt with today.

If you ask her why a lady like her is doing so many official duties, it is all because of her parents.

Her father is the Duke of Kaerun and is the head of the Kaerun family. They’re known as one of the most prestigious families of the Empire.

And she is Skyla Kaerun, the only daughter of the Duke and his wife.

The Duke and Duchess of Kaerun were known as the lovebirds of the Empire, and they were extremely happy that their relationship was like a strong golden thread.

[PR/N: The golden thread means that they were destined, their relationship is long-lasting/durable, etcetera.]

Of course, one may question why is it a bad thing that their relationship is like a golden thread?

The problem was that her parents were too close.

Usually, if a couple has been married for 20 years, they would have lost the spark in their relationship and become tired of one another. They would be bored with the lack of spontaneity.

But that has never happened to her parents.

Oh, my sweet lady! What a beautiful day today! The angel who stole my heart!

What to do! What to do! I am the Duke’s prisoner! I am trapped in his arms for the rest of my life!

The Duke and Duchess of Kaerun spent their everyday lives with rose petals flying around them and uttered these cheesy lines to one another.

Like two ends of a magnet, they were inseparable lovers.

Rumors of the Duke and Duchess’s close relationship were often discussed throughout the empire. The two spent so much time with each other that people truly believed they were physically conjoined.

When she turned of age, her parents immediately handed over the control of the family to her.

Skyla, you are now an adult! Can you rule over the dukedom alone? Dad believes in you!

Also, mom and dad are going to have a second honeymoon from now on. Will you support our love?

Her parents left her with those words and left all their work to her.

That’s how she ended up acting as the Duke of Kaerun.

What does it feel like to be the most powerful member of the family?

Of course, it’s exciting! Something new always occurs! It’s the best!

Certainly, there were times where the workload was so overwhelming that it barely left her any room to breathe. But she believed that she gained more than she lost.

Every time she walked through the halls of the house as the acting Duke of Kaerun, the butler and maids would always bow down to her.

She had special permission to enter the Imperial Palace without contacting them ahead of time if she wished.

The power to say ‘No’ to all the marriage prospects who are clamouring to marry her!

I, Skyla Kaerun, am at the height of my power.

And she didn’t want to ruin all of this just because of her childhood friend, Lansier.

Come to think of it.

Lansier… … Why are you so quiet?

Is he sulking because he was surprised that she threw a paper ball at him?

Don’t tell me you went home because you were upset, right?

“…..”

She slowly lifted her head as she put her fountain pen down.

Lansier, sitting in the same corner as earlier, came into her view.

The paper ball that she had crumpled earlier was floating in front of him.

No, it wasn’t exactly a paper ball. It was once a paper ball.

The paper she had crumpled earlier into a ball was now as small as a grain of rice.

What’s that?

It seemed like Lansier had compressed the paper ball into that size using his mana.

“Lansier, what are you doing?”

She got up from her seat and went over to him.

“Look at this.”

Lansier grabbed it midair and gave it to her.

On her palm, she saw numerous small-sized grain-like marbles.

“What the hell did you do with the paper?”

“I made it into diamonds.”

“Huh?”

“I used magic to turn the paper ball into diamonds.”

Oh my god…

She was speechless and looked down at the diamonds (that used to be a paper ball) on her palm.

It was indeed a diamond with a translucent shine.

She knew a person like Lansier would only come out once in a thousand years, but she never thought he’d turn the paper ball she had made into a diamond right before her eyes…….

She shouldn’t be surprised by his power given their history as childhood friends.

“Aren’t they pretty?”

Lansier asked her as he smiled calmly.

“Yeah.”

“They look like Skyla.”

“In your eyes, I look like this inanimate creature that is as small as a bean.”

“It’s not that, it is just pretty like you.”

Lansier smiled with his eyes wide open.

“Skyla, you’re pretty.”

[qc puppy: SHOT STRAIGHT TO MY HEART, not me simping the whole chap and barely qcing]

When she saw Lansier’s smile spreading like a calm watercolour, her heart was touched for a moment.

I’m pretty…

Of course, she had been told many times in her life that she’s pretty.

The people she had met at tea parties or social gatherings, where she occasionally showed her face to report her existence, always complimented on her appearance.

However, these were only exchanged politely; in other words, they are social words.

No one spoke casually like Lansier, his words like a spring breeze passing by.

She liked it.

Lansier was always genuine to her.

“…I enjoyed your impromptu magic performance but I think it’s time to get back to your house. I have to attend a tea party.”

She gave the diamonds back to Lansier with a pointy grunt.

She didn’t want Lansier to notice that she was a little touched.

Never.

Whether he knew how she felt or not, Lansier had a gentle smile on his face.

“Look at this.”

Lansier grabbed the diamond tightly as he had just gotten it back.

Then at that moment, a wave of mana began to appear.

And the next moment.

“Now.”

Lansier had a silver diamond ring in his hand.

In an instant, he had created a ring with his magic.

“Skyla, hand.”

On the spot, Lansier bent on one knee and reached out to her left hand.

Like a fairy bewitched by the moonlight, she reached out to him unconsciously.

She didn’t know why she did that, but when she saw his face, she thought she had to.

“Skyla.”

Lansier looked at her with a smile as he held her left hand softly.

She was caught up in his gaze.

Suddenly, she got goosebumps on her back.

“….What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”

“Not all of the sudden.”

Lansier smiled slightly.

“I like you. And now you only need to like me back.”

“What’s happening?”

“Skyla, if you’re not too busy with work, could you like me back?”

Lansier gently held out the diamond ring that was once a paper ball to her.

Usually, a normal woman would nod their heads ten times and perform courtship dances if a man as good as Lansier confessed to them.

But as she had already pointed out earlier, she wasn’t a ‘normal’ person.

For that reason.

“I won’t.”

With such a resolute answer, she tugged onto the bell rope tightly.

Ring!Ring!Ring!

“You refused? My proposal?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, I now have been rejected by you 316 times with this….”

“You were keeping track of it? Go back to your house!”

Ring!Ring!Ring!

She pulled the rope harder for no reason. Not long after, the maid by the name of Febraiz came into the room.

“Did you call me, miss?”

She turned to Febraiz and pointed to Lansier, who was sitting in the corner of the room.

“Archmage Lansier is about to die. Please send him off.”

“Follow me, Archmage Lansier.”

The maid tried to guide Lansier outside.

But Lansier gave her a cold glare as she approached him.

“Don’t come near me.”

“He says that he doesn’t want to leave.”

Febraiz turned her gaze at her. At the same time, her thoughts came into her ears.

This son of a bitch from the Soli family was harassing my young lady again! If it weren’t for him being her childhood friend, I would’ve punched him right away. 

No! There’s no need to punch, Febraiz!

Surprised by Febraiz’s innermost thoughts, she hurriedly shook her hands.

“Febraiz, you don’t have to see him off. Just kick him out of here.”

Febraiz nodded and strode towards Lansier.

Febraiz was her most trusted maid she ever had since she did not even smile when she saw the pretty and handsome Lansier.

Lansier cried as he saw the maid approach him expressionlessly.

“Skyla! Don’t throw me away!”

“Throw you away? You’ve never been my property in the first place, so I can’t throw you away.”

“You’re so mean! I’m your childhood friend!”

“Do you know what a childhood friend is?”

“A childhood friend is a marriage partner!”

“Who’s going to be your marriage partner? Also, your meaning of childhood friend is ridiculous.”

[aegi pr and puppy qc: awww poor Lansier ( ͒˃̩̩⌂˂̩̩ ͒) he just wants to marry you Skyla (◞‸◟；) lemme marry him in your place ( ◜◒◝ )♡  

ME AGREE TWIN,  we can marry him in her place ]

With her arms crossed, she snorted at Lansier without batting an eye.

This was how Lansier was eventually sent off by her maid Febraiz.