Chapter 165

Chapter 165

First, I brought Larane into the mansion.

"Drink this, Larane. Wipe off the tears."

Larane, who was already shedding tears with her swollen red eyes, seemed about to collapse.

"Thank you, Tia."

Larane's fingers were shaking lightly as she accepted the cup I handed her.

"Tell me if you've calmed down a little. Are you getting engaged?"

"...Yes, perhaps."

Larane's long lashes trembled with a small sigh.

"I overheard a conversation between my mother and father a little while ago. I think it's over to some extent."

It's an engagement that the person concerned doesn't know.

It sounds ridiculous, but unfortunately, it is common in the Empire.

Especially, the more powerful noble families are, the most comfortable and good way to protect their power is to marry their children.

Of course, if you care about your children, you can permit them to get married or give them the right to decide before marriage.

Such expectations are a luxury for Viese and Seral.

"What do you want to do, Larane?"

I asked carefully.

"I am..."

Oh, damn it.

Larane's tears, which had stopped, began to flow again.

I handed over my handkerchief quietly.

Larane, who was silently wiping away tears, said.

"...I thought this day would come one day. I've been learning it since I was young. Someday I have to marry someone my parents decide."

Unlike her sad face, Larane's tone was calm.

"But then I met Sir Avinox. I knew I could be so happy just by being with someone. So I was going to tell my parents about Sir Avinox..."

Larane squeezed the handkerchief.

"My father and mother were very happy. My marriage will be of great help to my father."

"Larane..."

"It would be useless to tell them that I don't want to get married."

Laughing blurrily, Larane looked so small today.

"What should I do because I feel sorry for Sir Avinox? It's going to be a big shock. He's more tender-hearted than he looks..."

It was then that Larane's face, which seemed calm at first glance like a resigned person, was distorted.

Tears flowed faster as if they were bursting with emotion as she recalled Avinox.

"But I really don't want to marry anyone other than Sir Avinox, Tia. If it's not him, I don't want to..."1

I gave Larane a big hug.

And I waited, sweeping her back until her crying ceased.

In the meantime, I was able to feel the conflict of Larane clearly.

The thought is that she has to go on a set path for her family and want to be with the person she loves.

How painful it must be to not be able to choose one of those two things or abandon the other.

The trembling body of Larane was speaking.

I said to Larane, who was calming down a little and wiping away tears.

"For now, no matter what happens, wouldn't it be better to convey Larane's heart to Sir Avinox?"

"Can I do that? Wouldn't it be careless?"

"Sir Avinox would rather be worried about Larane. And this kind of thing is bound to spread quickly. I think it"s better for you to say it yourself than to let people know by gossip."

"Tomorrow, then, ahh, what should I do."

Larane realized something and stamped her feet.

"Tomorrow is the day of the reading meeting with Sir Avinox. But I think my mother is thinking of taking me to a marriage meeting tomorrow..."

"Tomorrow?"

It was so fast.

Usually, when a family gets married, they adjust the conditions one by one over time.

It's literally a marriage made like a contract.

Perhaps the details have already been saying.

Then all that remains was to make an official announcement.

"As Tia said, the rumor will have spread by tomorrow."

"The meeting place is the Capital, right?"

"Yes, it's Caramel Avenue in Sedakyuna."

It's kind of coincidental right.

I can't believe the place was there again.

I nodded and said to Larane.

"Larane first writes a letter to Sir Avinox. I'll go to the book club and deliver it to him tomorrow."

"Really? Ahh, thank you so much, Tia!"

Larane gave me a big hug.

Oh my.

She's not usually like this.

It seemed that she was very worried about Avinox.

"Then I'll be right back and write you a letter. Wait a minute, Tia."

Larane leaped out of her seat.

I asked in a sudden curiosity as I saw Larane off.

"But who's your opponent?"

In my previous life, Larane married a cousin of Lord of Ivan in the North.

Ivan's vassal and Migente Ivan's cousin, to be exact.

Perhaps it was the Empress's arrangement to secure votes in the North.

I don't think it's him again.

I should have buried him when I went to Ivan.

Larane said to me, muttering so inwardly.

"...Your Highness First Prince."4

Excuse me, the First Prince?

"Wh, what? Who?"

"Your Highness First Prince..."+

I didn't hear it wrong.

I grabbed the back of my neck that was getting stiff.1

"...Ha."

I was going to sublimate the boiling anger with a deep sigh, but I can't believe it.

Seral, Viese.

You're both crazy.

How dare they bring a dog like Astana to Larane.

Looking at Larane, who was still neat and beautiful, although her eyes are red and swollen, I solemnly declared.