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Chapter 8
Could it be that fainting while crying is a hobby in your household?
Managing to somehow lay Solard down after he suddenly collapsed had been one thing.
The problem was that the moment she did, the door abruptly burst open, a sword was pointed in her face, an odd old man demanded to know what she had said—and then he suddenly fainted too.
At this moment, describe Minselly’s feelings. (4 points)
The man beside her, who had caught the collapsing grandfather with astonishing reflexes, wore the kind of awkward expression that, if this were a comic, would have sweat-drop effects drawn all over it.
“Is he… breathing?”
“…?”
“A little while ago, the Grand Duke stopped breathing for a moment after hearing what I said.”
At her words, the man darkened visibly and checked the old man’s breathing. Judging from the nod that followed, this one at least wasn’t suffering from respiratory distress—just a simple fainting spell.
He carefully laid the old man, who looked moments away from ascending to heaven, across from Solard, then took out a pen and notebook and hesitated.
His face clearly said he had no idea how to start speaking.
Hey, same here.
“Um…”
When she spoke first, he looked up.
“You must have it rough.”
Was it normal to feel sympathy for someone who had shown up wielding a sword and threatening her the moment they met? Still, seeing him nod stiffly somehow made her heart ache a little.
Minselly looked back and forth between Solard and the grandfather lying opposite him.
He had seemed a little strange earlier, but with his eyes closed, he looked gentle and dignified for a middle-aged man.
At first, with how devastated he’d looked, she thought he was going to yell something like, ‘How dare a commoner not know her place!’ If that happened, she’d already planned to extort some money and run.
But crying and collapsing over a marriage proposal?
She could understand the Grand Duke, maybe—but why the grandfather too…?
Somehow, she felt like she had stepped into the wrong story.
The rude Northern Grand Duke she’d expected turned out to be more like a baby kitten, and on top of that, he fainted.
Wasn’t this false advertising?
The character settings here are completely broken…
Forget marriage. I’ll just happily play around with Daisy instead.
Still mentally dazed and unsure what to do, she suddenly saw a notebook thrust in front of her.
—If it is not rude of me, may I ask your name?
Wow. Finally, it feels like I’m talking to a normal person.
Overwhelmed with emotion, she answered:
“My name is Sellus.”
—My name is Gillein. I currently work as a servant, so please feel free to treat me casually.
Their conversation moved slowly because they were communicating through writing, but it was the most at ease she had felt all day.
—We truly apologize for today.
“Oh, no. I was rude too. I was just too…”
She trailed off, unsure how to finish the sentence.
Too reckless? Too abrupt?
Anything she added felt like it would sound strange.
Which made sense, considering there were two unconscious people in front of her.
While she struggled for words, the man cautiously asked another question.
—But… when you mentioned a proposal…?
“Yes, that kind of proposal. Like asking someone to marry you… The curse doesn’t work on me.”
Caught completely off guard by this revelation, Gillein’s composed face crumpled into shock, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly.
Minselly simply nodded with the detached air of someone who had already transcended worldly suffering. Dry laughter escaped her lips.
At this point, I seriously don’t know anymore. I just want to go home.
“So I thought maybe I’d marry the Grand Duke and live comfortably for once… but I think that was a mistake.”
Haha… what a stupid idea.
Gillein’s face went pale, but she pretended not to notice as she smoothed her skirt.
“Well then, since the others are here now, I’ll be going.”
Since the whole thing had been an impulsive act committed while out of her mind anyway, giving up on it cleanly actually felt refreshing.
Ah… suddenly I want something warm to eat.
I should ask Aunt May for a bowl of stew.
After carefully lowering the Grand Duke’s head onto the chair, she stood up to leave the carriage. Gillein fidgeted nervously, as though watching her mood carefully.
He seemed to have something to say, so she waited. He hurriedly scribbled in his notebook.
—We were truly discourteous today. Would you perhaps allow us to escort you home?
“No, it’s alright.”
Good luck with all that.
She stepped down from the carriage, gave a polite bow, and strode back toward the estate.
The whole thing had practically fallen apart, but it wasn’t like she’d never dated before.
And she knew very well that normal relationships and marriages did not unfold like this.
Anyone could see this had failed spectacularly.
Ah well. Giving up makes things easier.
My blood sugar’s dropping. I should buy a snack before heading in…
Today’s lesson: if you’re not the heroine, live your life with a plan.
And then the next day, the estate was in uproar thanks to Lennox arriving to make a public proposal.
Watching the heartwarming scene gave her many thoughts as yesterday’s memories resurfaced.
Right. That’s how proposals are supposed to work.
What business did someone as impulsive as me have talking about marriage?
Sighing over what a foolish thing she had done, she began seriously reconsidering how to live her life.
And then several more days passed.
“Sellus, the Count is looking for you. He asked you to come to the drawing room.”
“Huh? The Count?”
Usually it was the madam or Daisy who called for her, not the Count himself.
Did he buy another gift for Daisy or something?
Thinking that, she headed to the drawing room and arrived to find—
“Sellie, you’re here.”
The Count greeted her warmly, and at the same time, the people seated opposite him turned sharply toward her.
They were the Grand Duke’s people from that proposal incident.
“Oh? You’re the…”
As if her voice had pressed a button, the grandfather sprang up like a wind-up toy and rushed toward her with tears threatening to spill from his eyes, clasping both her hands tightly.
“My lady, we truly behaved terribly the other day!”
“Huh? Ah, yes…”
Unsure how to react to the overwhelming intensity in his gaze, she blinked awkwardly and glanced toward the Count behind him.
Count, what is this?
I have no idea either…
A brief conversation passed silently between them.
As she stood there uncertainly, the only normal person she had met among them approached and handed her his notebook.
—We apologize for arriving so suddenly…
Is this guy in charge of apologizing?
It felt like every word out of his mouth had been an apology.
So you’re the cleanup crew, huh…
Feeling another wave of pity, she suddenly realized something.
“Wait a second—how did you even know I was here?”
Gillein visibly hesitated and avoided her gaze.
The answer came instead from the grandfather.
“We came to give our response to your proposal.”
“…What?”
No, not that. I asked how you found me.
“A proposal?”
Before she could get an answer, the Count stared at her in shock.
This time she shook her head frantically—
BANG!
The door suddenly slammed open, making her jump.
“Sellie, you’re getting married?!”
It was Daisy.
“Daisy, why are you here?”
“Someone told me Father was looking for me, so I came to ask why—and how could you decide to get married without telling me a single word?!”
Are you preparing for Show Me the Money or something? Breathe between sentences!
Completely flustered, Minselly shouted back.
“No! I’m not getting married!”
At the same time, she yanked her hand free from the grandfather and stepped backward.
Immediately, another shriek-like voice rang out.
“You’re not?!”
Ah… why is everyone like this…
“F-first, please sit down. Daisy and Sellie, you sit too. Let’s discuss this calmly—”
The Count tried to restore order, but the grandfather cut him off immediately.
“That won’t do, my lady! You alone are Artiensia’s hope!”
“I said I’m not doing it!”
“Lady Wintellia, please allow me to speak with her!”
“Our Sellie is going to live with me forever!”
I think my ears are bleeding.
While chaos erupted around her, Minselly quietly slipped away and stood beside the Count.
“I’m sorry…”
“No, I don’t think this is something you should apologize for. Rather, I should apologize, Sellie. Daisy has always been overly protective whenever it concerns you…”
When she silently nodded, the Count fell quiet too.
“Sellie belongs to me, you know?!”
“It has been years since slavery was abolished! How can you claim ownership of a person, Lady Wintellia?!”
Still, who could have imagined seeing people shouting like market vendors in the middle of a count’s drawing room…?
And Daisy, weren’t you supposed to be a different kind of character?
“Still, are you really considering marriage? And to Artiensia, no less…”
The Count’s calm question came as she watched the disaster unfold.
“Nothing’s been decided yet.”
“So it’s not entirely out of the question.”
The Count nodded thoughtfully and tapped the desk.
The sharp knocking sound finally cut through everyone’s yelling, drawing all eyes toward him.
“Daisy, sit down first. And it’s rude to shout at guests.”
“…Sorry.”
“We apologize for my daughter’s rudeness, Count Cesar. Shall we continue this conversation properly seated?”
“Yes, let us. I apologize for the disturbance.”
The Count rang a bell for the servants to prepare tea and took his seat on the sofa.
After a brief silence, the grandfather sighed shortly and stood.
“Allow me to introduce myself first. I am Eloy Cesar of House Cesar, which has served House Artiensia for generations. I currently work as the Grand Duke’s steward.”
He bowed formally before sitting down again, making the entire atmosphere unbearably burdensome.
Daisy sat with her legs crossed and arms folded, wearing a cynical expression as she scoffed openly.
It was a terribly rude posture, but perhaps afraid of reigniting the chaos, neither the Count nor the grandfather commented on it.
Usually the heroine was kind and gentle to everyone, so why did she completely lose it whenever it involved Minselly?
Stop obsessing over me, you clingy male lead type! Sob.
For now, Minselly tightly held Daisy’s hand.
“Daisy, I’ll explain later. Could you go back to your room for now?”
It definitely wasn’t because she was terrified Daisy would flip the tea table if she learned Minselly had proposed to the Grand Duke first.
Definitely not.
“Is it something I’m not allowed to hear?”
“It’s not that, but…”
As Minselly hesitated, Daisy studied her face before suddenly standing.
“…Alright.”
Though visibly dejected, Daisy agreed more easily than expected. After saying goodbye, she left the room—though not before glaring once at the Grand Duke’s group.
I only did this because I wanted an easy life…
So why does everything keep getting more complicated?
Unable to solve that mystery, Minselly could only bury her face in her hands and sigh deeply.
