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Chapter 6
“What are you so surprised about? Hurry up.”
“But, Your Majesty, I…”
For a brief moment, the duke looked visibly flustered as he tried to object.
Or rather, he was about to.
The emperor silenced him with a firm wave of his hand.
“No ‘buts.’ Get married as soon as possible. In fact, consider it an imperial command.”
He even added the words imperial command.
No one knew why he had to go that far, but to the noble ladies, it was an incredible opportunity.
Bella felt the same.
So he’s leaving in four days? Hmm… that’s a little too soon.
Finding the man from her dream was fortunate.
The problem was what came next.
Simply watching him from afar wouldn’t accomplish anything.
And then the emperor had practically ordered him to get married.
Could this be…?
A spark flashed through Bella’s mind like lightning.
Everything fit together too perfectly.
Of course. This has to be fate.
But…
“Your Majesty, forgive me, but I have no intention of getting married.”
The duke wasn’t easy to deal with either.
His firm refusal made Bella feel as though all of her plans had collapsed in an instant.
Disappointed sighs echoed throughout the hall.
Even the emperor looked displeased as he rested his chin on one hand.
“What do you mean? You should marry quickly and produce an heir. If something happens to you, who will protect the North?”
“But…”
“I said no ‘buts.’ I’d like you to introduce the future duchess before this year is over.”
The emperor was practically forcing the issue.
The duke frowned slightly.
Still, since he was speaking to the emperor, he couldn’t openly argue.
“I’ll… give it some thought.”
That was all he said before backing down.
Using an imperial command to interfere in a noble’s marriage wasn’t exactly proper.
Even so, it couldn’t simply be ignored.
It was an imperial command.
And if someone as powerful as a duke openly defied it—
Even a hero who protected the borders couldn’t do that without consequences.
He should be grateful the emperor didn’t simply choose a bride for him.
After all, the ruler of the North held enormous power.
The emperor had every reason to be cautious.
The emperor was a coward.
Bella had always hated that fact.
But not today.
She almost felt sorry for him.
For her, this was her last chance.
She glanced at the discouraged-looking duke and smiled to herself.
Evan noticed.
“Why are you smiling like that? It’s a little scary.”
Bella beamed.
“I think God has finally decided to take my side.”
Surely this was compensation for the unbelievably miserable life she had endured.
Yes.
She truly believed that.
* * *
“Some compensation.”
Bella took back everything she had just thought.
She let out a long sigh.
“I knew it. God would never be on my side.”
Compensation?
If anything, she had apparently earned God’s complete hatred this time.
She was now standing in front of the duke’s mansion in the capital.
From the front gate all the way to the main road stretched an endless line of carriages.
She was speechless.
“What a disaster…”
It wasn’t just the carriages.
The capital’s most famous noble ladies stood in line, dressed in their finest clothes, silently competing with one another.
Anyone passing by would think a beauty contest was being held.
“The young lady in front is from a marquis’s family.”
“I heard the necklace she’s wearing costs a fortune.”
“The gift that lady brought is said to be a rare painting by a famous artist from a neighboring kingdom.”
And so on.
Countless noble ladies glared at one another, each trying to outdo the rest.
Bella quietly walked to the very end of the line.
A pale-looking servant staggered toward her.
“Miss, have you also come to see His Grace the Duke?”
“Yes.”
“…Ha…”
The man sighed before holding something out to her.
Bella tilted her head and accepted it.
It was a number ticket.
“Please wait until your number is called.”
“All right…”
She nodded politely.
Just then another carriage joined the end of the line, and the servant’s exhausted face became even gloomier.
Dragging his feet, he walked over and handed the same ticket to the newly arrived young lady.
Nothing in life is ever easy.
Bella stared blankly at the number on her ticket.
55
They had only just called Number 7.
She had a long wait ahead.
“Will I even get to see him today?”
This was bad.
She didn’t have much time.
Looking up at the tall front gate, Bella grew anxious.
She had made it all the way here, yet she still hadn’t even crossed the mansion’s threshold.
It felt as though fate was slipping farther away once again.
But she couldn’t give up now.
If she turned back…
Everything would truly be over.
She only had two choices.
Keep moving forward, even if it led to death.
Or fall into complete despair.
Those were her only options.
* * *
“This way, please.”
Following the servant into the mansion, Bella let out a relieved sigh.
It had taken five whole hours.
Still… it wasn’t as long as I expected.
She had thought she wouldn’t get inside until evening.
Instead, it was still daytime.
Several impatient noble ladies had given up and left, but the biggest reason was something else.
Each audience with the duke was incredibly short.
Whether the visitor was the daughter of a marquis or the daughter of a count…
Status didn’t matter.
Most came back out within just a few minutes.
Even the famous beauty of high society.
Even the young lady who had once been proposed to by a foreign prince.
Every single one lasted only a few minutes.
The women who had entered full of excitement all came out wearing unhappy expressions.
Some even complained loudly to the servants.
“You made me wait for hours for that?“
“Your Grace, Miss Bella Eton has arrived.”
After the butler introduced her, Bella carefully stepped inside.
The room was spacious.
Only a sofa and a tea table occupied the center.
There were other pieces of furniture, but they were all covered with white cloth, as though they hadn’t been used in a long time.
It seemed the duke truly intended to leave immediately after the Founding Festival.
“You may go in.”
Bella nodded and nervously approached the sofa.
As she drew closer, she saw the duke sitting there with his head tilted back.
Was he asleep?
His eyes were closed as he breathed quietly.
He must be exhausted.
Which was understandable.
He had spent the entire morning dealing with women who wouldn’t leave him alone.
His neatly kept black hair from yesterday was now a mess.
Even his pale face looked tired.
Though… I’m just another nuisance.
As Bella stared at him, her eyes suddenly settled on something.
His hands.
Wait… he’s still wearing gloves indoors?
Just like at the imperial banquet, he wore black gloves.
So the rumors about him being a germaphobe were true…
As Bella drifted into thought—
The duke suddenly opened his eyes.
His crimson gaze met hers.
“What?”
Bella jumped.
She hadn’t expected him to wake up so suddenly.
If he’d been awake, he could have said something.
Now it looked as though she’d been caught secretly admiring his sleeping face.
Well… I guess I was.
“You came all the way here. Aren’t you going to sit down?”
“Oh… yes.”
He motioned toward the sofa opposite him.
Still flustered, Bella quickly sat down.
The awkward atmosphere made her body stiff.
She was wondering how to begin when—
“So.”
He spoke first.
“What’s the story you prepared?”
“…Excuse me?”
Bella blinked.
A story?
She stared at him in confusion.
The duke frowned.
“You don’t have one? Everyone else came with one.”
“…”
She did have one.
But the way he asked so confidently caught her off guard.
At the same time, she realized just how many noble ladies he had already dealt with.
“Family in danger. Abusive parents. Forced marriage.”
He counted them off.
“It’s usually one of those three. Which one is yours?”
“Um… the third one.”
After hesitating briefly, Bella cautiously chose option three.
Strictly speaking, her real answer was:
“I’ve come so you can kill me.”
But that hadn’t been one of the choices.
The third option was the closest.
For the first time, a faint glimmer appeared in the duke’s lifeless eyes.
Almost as if he were amused.
“At least you’re honest.”
He straightened his posture and gestured.
A maid stepped forward, filled Bella’s empty teacup, and quietly left.
What was that?
Did he consider her worthy of at least one cup of tea?
“Go on.”
He leaned back.
“I’ll listen.”
His tone made it obvious he looked down on her.
Most proud noble ladies would have been offended.
Bella wasn’t.
I’ve spent thirteen years surrounded by people far worse than this.
After living among foxes and snakes for so long, someone merely unpleasant hardly seemed intimidating.
She took a deep breath.
Then looked him straight in the eyes.
“Please marry me.”
“…Why?”
“Because if nothing changes, I’ll end up married to a disgusting old pervert.”
She had deliberately added the word pervert.
Maybe it would earn a little sympathy.
The duke didn’t even blink.
“My parents were murdered thirteen years ago. Our title and fortune were taken by distant relatives whose names I don’t even know. I’ve become a burden to the family, and they’re planning to sell me off through marriage.”
The words flowed naturally.
She hadn’t even rehearsed them.
Surprised by her own quick thinking, Bella carefully watched his reaction.
He remained completely indifferent.
This isn’t good.
“I know how this must look. A woman you’ve never met suddenly asking you to marry her… I know I sound insane.”
She continued.
“But I don’t think this would be a bad deal for Your Grace.”
Even after another marriage proposal, the duke remained calm.
He simply watched her with those crimson eyes.
Several moments passed.
Then—
“So…”
He finally spoke.
“You’re asking me to let you use me?”
“It’s rude of me to ask…”
Bella nodded confidently.
“But yes.”
“I only became an adult recently.”
She smiled awkwardly.
“Marrying someone who’s more than twice my age doesn’t sound very appealing.”
“That’s true.”
The duke nodded.
Bella’s eyes lit up.
Did something finally get through to him?
Hope began to bloom inside her.
Then—
“But that’s your problem.”
His cold reply froze that hope instantly.
“The story you’ve told isn’t any different from all the other noble ladies who came before you.”
“…Cliché?”
“Among nobles, marriage is a tool for maintaining power.”
His voice was calm and unwavering.
“So it’s naturally uncommon for people of the same age and equal rank to marry.”
Bella’s heart sank.
Something was going terribly wrong.
At this rate…
She would be thrown out just like all the others.
She would return home empty-handed.
And next week…
She would be sold off to that disgusting old man.
She refused.
Absolutely refused.
