It had been a long time since there was a guest inside the living room of Nocturm mansion. The well-maintained living room was always tidy even though it was rarely used. It wasn’t just the living room. It was like that in all of the places inside the Duke’s mansion. They were cleaned in every nook and cranny even if no one uses them.
The large fireplace occupying one wide wall, and its heat inside the living room all felt unfamiliar. Siella looked at the fire burning fervently in the fireplace with a knowing gaze before turning around. Then a scrawny woman as skinny as a branch and a boy as skinny as her came into her view as if in cue.
‘Just look at them.’
It ended like this. Swallowing her momentary scornful laughter, Siella asked in a calm voice.
“Did you say the child’s name is Louie?”
“Ah, yes! He is Louie….”
The woman answered with a slightly puzzled smile at Siella’s question. “… He had always been called Louie.”
Siella stared at her for a moment with a faint expression, then quietly looked away from her. “Ah….”
When Siella met the child’s eyes, the latter flinched and curled his already thin body. The very frightened young boy had pure white silver hair that shines even more brighter than the surroundings.
The succeeding heads of the family who had their portraits hanging in every hallway of this huge mansion had just that hair color. But even if it wasn’t for that, Siella would immediately recognize the boy in front of her – the son of the great Nocturm family.
“… Louie, what’s wrong, huh? You should greet them politely.” The sound of the woman awkwardly laughing and whispering to the child echoed in the quiet living room. “Hmm? It’s alright. Everything will be alright now….” The voice of the woman soothing the child was full of affection.
Siella clearly felt that, so she turned her head away as if she hadn’t heard anything.
That woman was from a ruined noble family. And the boy that she brought with her was the one who was lost from the Duchy many years ago. It was that time that the original story started in earnest. What would she look like at this moment, or how will she react?
Siella had imagined it, even very vaguely in her head, several times. But when she was actually faced with this moment that she was just imagining… how do you put it? Unexpectedly, she wasn’t particularly interested. It was really strange.
Yes, oddly enough, she didn’t feel anything in particular to the point that she also doubted herself. There was only calmness, convincing her that something had finally come.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Nocturm Duchy who protects the North.
Siella entered the prestigious family of Nocturm, one of the four great duchies in the empire, through her engagement with Eschert, who was the heir at the time. She came from the family of Count Leroy, who had no special presence in high society. She succeeded in seducing the Duke’s heir and became Cinderella overnight, much to her surprise.
That hot rumor never cooled down until Siella followed Eschert to the North, putting the high society in even more fire. It was because the gossipers added provocative stories, inflated them, and raised the rumors.
But the only truth among them was that Siella was indeed engaged to Eschert. All of the other rumors were far from the truth. If she had to pick out the most distorted rumor about them, she would choose their beginning.
Contrary to what the public knows, the engagement between them was suggested by Eschert himself and not Siella. Talking about it, it happened five years ago. The beginning of the relationship between them was when Eschert approached Siella, who was in a situation where she was about to marry an old noble as if she was being sold at her mother’s coercion.
“I need a fiancée.”
Eschert Nocturm was an exceptionally handsome man, to the point that Siella only stared at him blankly for a moment, stunned. But what surprised her even more than his appearance was the situation that he proposed to his first-time acquaintance. And he even said that while holding a bundle of contracts.
“I want you to consider marrying me.”
Siella just looked down at the contract, which apparently had been prepared and brought several days ago. There was nothing romantic about it at all, but a really sudden marriage proposal. However, oddly enough, she didn’t particularly feel offended. Was it because this situation was just so unrealistic?
Siella was just bewildered. In the first place, she was to become the third wife of an old nobleman in just a few days. So she couldn’t really feel offended with something like this. Was that why?
Rather, she had a laid-back thought that this situation resembles romance more than the other. At least, the man in front of me was of the same age as me. Moreover, regardless of his age, status and background, he was enough to be the protagonist of some romance. No, he wasn’t just enough, he was very well qualified. He was simply too handsome that it makes anyone looking at him doubt their own eyes.
In short, she meant that she was a handsome man who was a little too handsome. That face of his alone makes her think that he is qualified to be the main character in the world of this romance novel.
Sitting in front of an exceptionally handsome man, Siella found this situation just strange. And for that reason, she seems to have been just blankly staring at the man in front of her as if she was appreciating a work of art. It was until his beautiful face, made of smooth lines like a smooth plaster statue, slightly frowned.
“Lady Siella.”
With an impression on his face, he called out to Siella in a voice mixed with a hint of displeasure. It was only then that Siella realized that this out of the blue situation was more serious and severe than she had thought.
“I think you didn’t hear what I had just said, so I will repeat it again.” Even putting everything aside and looking at his attitude. “Lady Siella, please seriously consider marrying me.”
Eschert was very sincere and was rather serious since earlier. With him like that, it seemed meaningless to ask if everything he said was from the bottom of his heart. No matter how ignorant a person is, it was impossible to not know that he was being sincere since earlier.
That was why Siella also answered with seriousness, “Uhm, I’m sorry but that can’t happen.”
Siella had her own legitimate reason for rejecting Eschert’s sudden marriage proposal. First, Siella was already in an arranged marriage. Second, being the heir of a venerable ducal family, he was too much of a match for Siella to make connections with. And lastly,
“I am not a match for you.”
Eschert Nocturm. He was the male lead of the world of this romance novel. It was very unbelievable for the subject of this situation now, which is not romantic in the slightest.
“So you better find someone more suitable than me.”
I mean, there was no need to look for her himself as he would meet his destined female lead in the near future. But that’s his business, and Siella, an extra in the world of this book, kept quiet.
Eschert then tapped the table with his long index finger. “Not a match….”
A deep crease formed between Eschert’s brows. As if he hadn’t expected for Siella to turn down his offer.
“That’s unexpected.”
Although Eschert said that and shut his mouth, his fingers tapping on the table didn’t stop. While he was doing so, he stared at Siella deep in thought for a long time.
Siella thought that his gaze was quite tenacious.
How long has it been? Finally letting go of his thoughts, Eschert looked at Siella with calmer eyes and opened his mouth.
“I don’t think you’ve seriously considered marrying Count Shedland.”
As if there was no reason to hurry at all, when Eschert slowly spoke in a low voice, Siella opened her mouth in a daze, involuntarily making a surprised expression.
… Me, marrying that senile pervert? Are you out of your mind? Are you in your right mind to say that?
She felt like questioning him, but Siella soon let out a long breath and calmed her agitated mind. Anyway, wouldn’t today be the last time to meet this high noble in front of me?
Her birth and growth were filled with abuse, and even having the same treatment when she had just reached the age of adulthood. The man had no need nor reason to know about the series of her miserable past and circumstances, which ended up in her marrying an old nobleman who was over 30 years old.
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