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Chapter 05
With brisk, determined steps, Herina walked up to Ares, dropped to one knee, and took the papers in his hand.
Just like the day he had proposed to her.
“You are my destiny. Perhaps my desperation reached even your world. Thank you for coming to me as if by fate, for not passing by as a mere coincidence.”
“What… are you doing right now…?”
Seeing Ares bewildered, Herina let out a small laugh and kissed the back of his hand.
She didn’t forget to wink at him as she looked up at his face, which was painted with shock.
“If you think I’ve lost my mind, speak now. If that’s the case, you could use it as a reason to break off the engagement.”
Ares, pulling his hand away as if shaking off something dirty, openly wiped the back of his hand on his pants.
“This is what you said and did to me at twenty-four. Does this look like the behavior of someone choosing me out of necessity? These are words and actions no one could speak or do unless they were in love, isn’t that right?”
“Indeed… it seems you weren’t quite in your right mind.”
Herina watched as he took a handkerchief from his pocket, shook it out, scrubbed his hand clean, and even threw it into the nearby trash can. She shook her head in disbelief.
“You at seventeen are quite rude.”
“You, already an adult lady, are equally lacking in decorum. At least I am still a minor. However, I’ve changed my mind according to your wishes. I doubt I chose you based on your suitability to become the head of the ducal family’s household. Congratulations. The conclusion is that the decision my future self made wasn’t truly out of necessity.”
Hearing it put that way made Herina feel a strange sense of satisfaction—she wasn’t really needed.
“Enough joking. Please deliver this to the steward. I revised the route as you advised earlier, so have it implemented as is before tomorrow’s wedding.”
Herina scanned the items, which were detailed down to the structure and decorations, and let out a small impressed sigh.
She had assumed he was just a child, but the heir to a ducal family was different, it seemed.
“You’re quick. More detailed than I expected.”
Ares stood, nodding casually.
“You planned it, so the rest is just routine work. Thanks to you opening the way, the modifications were fast. I do worry about the staff who have to handle these sudden changes, though.”
Seeing him prioritize the household over his own comfort, Herina felt oddly impressed—no matter his age, a head of a family is still a head of a family.
She patted the young duke’s shoulder encouragingly.
“They’ll do well. Trust them. You know, or rather, now that you’ve been working with them for longer than you did back then, they’re even more competent than before.”
Ares stared at her with a look that seemed to say, What obvious things you say.
“I know. Now, let’s find a way to cover my face.”
Ugh, how annoying.
Herina cursed herself for briefly feeling sympathetic.
“How about attaching a fake beard?”
A beard? She couldn’t even imagine it on the twenty-four-year-old Ares. She shook her head at the thought.
“Even if a beard grew in two days, it would be strange. And the twenty-four-year-old you was extremely strict with personal grooming. I’ve never seen you with a beard. If suddenly, on the wedding day, you showed up with a full beard, wouldn’t it look suspicious?”
Ares nodded, stroking his jaw.
“Hm. I don’t know yet, but if I grow a beard later, I’d probably do that. It wouldn’t be good for hygiene either, so for a neat appearance, I would have done it.”
Neither of them had a satisfactory idea, so no new solutions came to mind.
“I can’t use a veil, and there’s no suitable way to cover my face. This is difficult.”
A spark went off in Herina’s mind.
“Why not? Just wear it!”
Thinking it was a joke, Ares didn’t respond.
“You’re going to wear the ducal hat anyway, right? Let’s swap. In the ceremony, we symbolize sharing responsibilities. The meaning is good, right? A tuxedo with a veil would suit you too, and your suit is white anyway.”
“Are you serious?”
Herina nodded wholeheartedly at Ares’ shocked question.
“Think about it. We’re not royalty, and nothing is fixed. If we assign the right meaning, it becomes a good choice. And it also perfectly covers your face.”
Ares pressed his hand to his forehead, looking troubled.
When he lifted his head, his disappointment was clear.
“Do you… really think this wedding is a joke?”
Herina shook her head.
“Of course not! Not at all!”
Ares brushed his hair back to calm his frustration.
“Then how can you, as a noble, say such things? If you didn’t mean this as a joke, everyone in society will claim the Duke of Harbinet has finally lost his mind and talk about us endlessly.”
Before Herina could explain, he added seriously, even gravely:
“If it were just personal, one could treat it as a joke, a bit of fun. But now, we represent this ducal family and the many people of this territory. We must not make them look foolish. If we appear foolish, it gives them reason to mock us.”
Herina felt a little embarrassed by his mature words.
“I’m not joking. You know from your noble upbringing that appearances and legitimacy matter. If the meaning is right, and the people behaving oddly are influential, it won’t seem ridiculous—it will become a trend.”
She nodded at Ares, as if urging him to trust her.
“Luckily, the twenty-four-year-old you was strong and had a good reputation. When someone like that says something, it isn’t odd—it’s special. You’ve seen it before. Ridiculous costumes and wigs once popular among royalty? Others followed suit, thinking it looked impressive.”
Ares gradually relaxed as her words struck a chord.
“So, even if I wear a veil and you wear the ducal hat—subverting tradition—it would be accepted?”
“All trends begin by defying the old. If you can’t trust me, trust your future self. Even if it were underwear on your head instead of a veil, people would follow—it’s about power and influence.”
Ares thought deeply for a moment.
“I am immature and lack experience, so I must trust your words. Can you guarantee my actions won’t disgrace the House of Harbinet? Will you promise?”
Though only seventeen, Ares had been raised from an even younger age to bear the responsibilities of a ducal family. He could not take such decisions lightly—responsibility was ingrained in him from birth.
“As long as you are confident. I promise. At noble weddings, men wearing veils will soon become common. When someone powerful acts with a plausible meaning, others naturally follow.”
Herina’s confident answer finally made Ares nod.
He had decided to trust her—and accepted the responsibility for whatever that trust would lead to.
“Alright. Veil it is. You wear the ducal hat.”
Herina smiled brightly.
“Gladly.”
It was just a veil and a ducal hat, but their symbolism was immense.
Herina knew better than anyone how high her position would rise in this ducal family with that ducal hat.
