CH 20

Translated by lipzoldyck

“Hehe, I see. The Duke is doing everything. It seems that you really like Miss Schwires a lot.” Arnold hurriedly stepped forward to relieve the awkward atmosphere.

Except for the fact that Kellerhan took over all the roles, the engagement ceremony went very smoothly.

The incident occurred the moment Arnold announced that Kellerhan had recited the verse of the oath and that Yuta and I had been engaged.

“What’s all that fuss about?” Kellerhan was the first to notice the noise.

He stared at the entrance to the garden with sharp eyes. Others were puzzled and followed Kellerhan’s gaze to the entrance to the garden.

It was then that an unexpected person appeared.

“Duke Barmuth! Why didn’t you tell me that the Young Duke’s engagement was going on? I must have been late.”

The moment I saw that person’s face, I stiffened in my seat.

“Considering the friendship between Lodgemund and Barmuth, it is very strange. Isn’t it? You know how much I care about the people around me.”

It was Herbert, Duke of Lodgemund.

And behind him stood taunting Heiner, my worst nightmare.

I was so confused.

Why are they here?

You’re not trying to do anything with me in such a public place, are you?

Just now, Priest Arnold announced that the engagement has been established. So it’ll be fine.

No, will it really be okay?

It’s not common for aristocrats to break their engagement, but neither was it uncommon.

If Lodgemund uses an unusual trick…

I was trembling, unable to bear the anxiety of such a runaway, then a large, firm hand rested on my shoulder.

“Isabella.”

I barely lifted my head to see Kellerhan looking down at me with a serious expression.

“Calm down.”

A strange thing happened.

My body, which had been trembling without appearance, slowly calmed down with every word he said.

To protect me, Kellerhan went to Marquis Binkler and hastened the engagement ceremony.

No matter what Duke Lodgemund may do, he won’t easily hand me over.

Let’s trust Kellerhan and Barmuth.

“You look better.” Feeling the tremors in my body subside, Kellerhan said with a faint smile.

“Now that the engagement is over, you’re my daughter-in-law. You’re also Yuta’s bride.”

I felt Yuta nodding his head next to me.

Kellerhan leaned over to meet my eyes. His red eyes shone like a beast in the shadows.

“So no one will ever touch you.”

His eyes were so fierce that other people would get goosebumps, but to me it just felt reassuring.

“I trust you.” I nodded.

Kellerhan lifted his hand from my shoulder and walked towards Duke Lodgemund, then turned back to see if anything came to my mind.

“And I’m telling you, don’t get me wrong, I never invited those damn bastards.”

I forgot the situation and burst out laughing.

“I know there’s no way the Duke would invite them.”

“I’ll kick them out, so you stay with Yuta.”

Kellehan tapped my shoulder one last time and got up. He strode over to Duke Lodgemund.

“Duke Lodgemund.” His voice calling for Duke Lodgemund was supremely bloody.

However, Duke Lodgemund wasn’t an easy opponent.

He wasn’t at all agitated by Kellerhan’s threat, only showing a benevolent smile.

That smile made Kellerhan offended.

“In what country is it polite to break into someone’s family event without an invitation? At least the Empire doesn’t seem to be like that.”

“I don’t think I’m coming to a place I can’t come.” Duke Lodgemund responded without losing. “Still, isn’t she the child who once almost became my daughter-in-law? I came here to congratulate you on your engagement, but the hospitality is so mint.”

Kellerhan frowned.

It was because Duke Lodgemund’s trick was clearly visible.

“You said that the daughter of Schwires almost became the daughter-in-law of the Duke of Lodgemund?”

“Come to think of it, Duke Lodgemund was supporting the Viscount Schweers.”

“Duke Lodgemund is merciful enough. I wouldn’t be surprised if he said he was going to take the Schwires daughter.”

“Then why is the daughter of Schwires in Barmuth?”

The priests and soldiers remained silent, but the problem was the few nobles who attended the engagement.

They were shaken as intended by Duke Lodgemund.

The public opinion battle was the only area in which Barmuth had no power. While there were only a handful of nobles favoring Barmuth, there were countless families controlled by Lodgemund.

So, if Duke Lodgemund spoke in this way, the situation had no choice but to turn against Barmuth.

“Then did Barmuth snatch the bride in the middle?”

“I can’t believe they snatched her. They even snatched Viscount Schwires’ daughter, whom I don’t even know what can be seen from.”

“There may be something we don’t know. Or else…”

The eyes of the nobles turned to Yuta.

“Think about what kind of family Barmuth is. He has no chance of getting a proper bride, so I don’t know, they might have forced an unrelated child.”

The moment I heard those words, my heart hardened coldly.

There is also a limit in gossip, and this has crossed the line.

Without hesitation, I stepped forward.

I chose the Duke of Barmuth to survive.

The Duke of Barmuth should be the wall that protects me until I become an adult.

Those who want to scrabble on the wall cannot be left unattended.

Those who pollute my walls will be resolved by me.

“Excuse me.”

When I opened my mouth, the eyes of the nobles as well as the priests and knights were focused on me.

I was a little nervous at the countless glances I had received for the first time in my life, but I tried to speak as calmly as possible.

“You are wrong.”

The nobles were confused by my words.

No one came out to rebuke me because I just got engaged to Yuta and became the Grand Princess, but everyone looked dumbfounded.

‘Because I was only the daughter of a viscount until recently.’

I could tell what they were thinking without listening.

If it were me in my previous life, I would have withdrawn here.

Because I knew that Duke Lodgemund and Heiner would catch me like a mouse if I spoke nonsense in front of the nobles for nothing.

But now I am different.

It’s not Duke Lodgemund and Heiner behind me, but Kellerhan and Yuta.

And they won’t scold me or bother me for saying a few words in front of the nobles.

I can tell by looking at what they have shown me so far.

“I chose the Duke of Barmuth for myself. It’s absurd that the Duke of Barmuth snatched me. As you all said, why would they have snatched me, the daughter of a viscount?”

Even though the nobles looked down on me, they accepted my words.

“Surely it is.”

“But then how did that child become Barmuth’s daughter-in-law?”

I kindly answered their questions.

“Your Majesty gave me a choice when arranging for my marriage, and then I chose the latter between the Dukes of Lodgemund and Barmuth.”

I could feel Duke Lodgemund looking at me.

He was annoyed that I ruined the poll, but he kept on smiling with a benevolent smile so as not to show off.

Disgusting smile.

The smile he used to put on when he introduced me in front of others while treating me like a bug in the house.

I don’t know if he’ll be able to keep that kind smile even after hearing my next words.

“Why?”

I laughed.

It was time to give back what the Duke of Lodgemund and the nobles said about Yuta.

“In terms of disqualification, there is no one like the Young Lord of Lodgemund.”

“What?”

At my words, Heiner, who had been indifferent to the situation, was furious.

“Did you just call me disqualified?”

Heiner came up to me with his eyes wide open. Thirteen-year-old Heiner was much bigger than me and looked intimidating.

Just before he reached out and grabbed my arm, Yuta stopped in front of me.

“Brother Heiner, don’t do that.” Yuta said in an unsuitably bloody voice.

Yuta was also smaller than Heiner, but strangely he wasn’t pushed at all. Rather, hearing Yuta’s warning, he flinched and took a half step back.

“Yuta, are you trying to protect that kid who doesn’t look like a fiancée and makes fun of me right now?” He immediately came to his senses and became ferocious again.

“That child dares to pay the price for framing the heir of Lodgemund, one of the five dukes of the Empire.”

“Price…”

There was little hesitation in Yuta’s eyes as he mumbled the words Heiner uttered. It’s unlikely, but he seemed to be contemplating whether to break Heiner’s wrist or not.

Me too, gosh. To think that Yuta would have such concerns, Magda’s joke must have been quite impressive.

Yuta must have been in a difficult situation between Heiner and I. I personally stepped forward to save him.

“What if I’m not framing you?”

My words once again turned people’s attention to me.

“Hey, child.”

Duke Lodgemund spoke to me for the first time.

“Can you take responsibility for what you said? This isn’t a kid’s joke. You are putting my son’s honor on the gamble.”

He had a seemingly benevolent smile, but his eyes were shining like a devil.

I swallowed my saliva.

The misdeeds that Heiner did to me were truly countless.

Treating me as a nominal fiance and having an affair is not part of the evil behavior. Because when he was away from the mansion to meet another woman, I was relieved to know that I didn’t have to face him.

But I had only one good thing about being his wife in my previous life.

It was relatively easy to see the evil deeds of Heiner that the Duke Lodgemund tried to cover up.

A bag leaking from the inside leaked outside too, and Heiner caused trouble outside the mansion as well.

And, as with all things, there are no eternal secrets.

“The Young Lord of Lodgemund has done something bad. We call it fair criticism, not framing, right? For he who first despises his own honor is guilty of his fault.”

“So, what did my son do?”

Of all the evils of Heiner, I chose the ones most people know about.

It was so loud that I could hear it when I was about to become his fiancée, so even if I reveal it here, Duke Lodgemund won’t be suspicious of me.

“Lake Roban.”

My words brought the first agitation to Duke Lodgemund’s face.