Chapter 2. Emily’s fiancé
2022.08.20.
After the regular meeting, as always, we had tea time with Emily.
Emily asked as if she had suddenly remembered.
“You know what, Mabel? Legend has it that if you make a wish to the baby angel statue erected in the plaza, everything will come true.”
“I didn’t want to know…”
I buried my face in my hands in despair. I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t carry my face.
Dad really became unemployed and went around doing strange things behind the scenes.
All I knew was ‘Baby Baby Mabel Statue Reconstruction’, but I thought I’d spread the legend of the baby angel statue.
Emily rubbed my shoulder.
“Cheer up, Mabel.”
“Thank you….”
“But isn’t Dad better than me in prison in a vegetative state?”
“…”
Tteak. At Emily’s sudden words, I opened my mouth and looked at her.
“I’m kidding.”
Emily laughed out loud, as if my reaction was funny. I laughed awkwardly along.
“Fortunately, they say that all it takes is a blink of an eye. It’s a pain, right?”
“…haha.”
The Confucian instinct as a Korean in my heart made it impossible for me to curse other people’s father. Even if it’s Kietro Javier….
asked Emily after taking a sip of the cool tea.
“What are you doing next weekend?”
“well. Wouldn’t you like to see the overdue housework?”
“Do you have any special appointments?”
“huh. why?”
Emily replied, dipping the peaches on the cake with a fork.
“Oh, I am engaged.”
“…?”
I doubted my ears for a moment. Because Emily’s words were in a normal tone, as if she were talking about the menu for today’s meal.
As if to drive a wedge into my doubts, Emily asked with a stern smile.
“That day is the engagement ceremony. Will you come?”
“…!”
The peaceful tea time ended with Emily’s out of the blue declaration.
I jumped up and slammed the table.
“Oh what kind of guy!”
How dare some bastard take our precious sister Emily!
This dad won’t allow this dad!
***
Emily’s ideal type has always been the same.
A moderate second, without a right of succession to the weak and naive baronial family.
It’s good if you’re pretty, but you shouldn’t be too handsome. Because you pay for your face!
However, it was difficult to find an opponent that satisfies this condition.
‘If you say you’re rumored to be kind, you’re from the count’s family, and if you’re naive and appropriate, you’re handsome.
There was a reason Emily was so picky about finding a marriage partner.
The former duke, Chietro Javier, was a scumbag who used his children as tools. It didn’t cover his son, Enrique, as well as his daughter, Emily.
“Since my daughter is so pretty, she will try to take her anywhere.”
“Don’t worry, dear daughter. Traditionally, a young girl from an aristocratic family only needs to marry well. Father will take responsibility and send you to a good place.”
The daughter of an aristocratic family only needs to marry well?
sounds funny.
But Emily simply smiled innocently and replied ‘yes’.
However, the knife has been sharpened in the back. I will never marry someone else’s will.
I needed power to seize the initiative in life. So, Gearko became the head of the Javier family.
But even this power was a candle in front of the wind.
Emily was surrounded by packs of wildcats targeting the Javier family. This was especially the case with the collaterals of the family.
In such a situation, if a powerful husband is hired, of course the husband will try to reach out to the family.
‘This is the best.’
For Emily, marriage was nothing more and nothing less than a means to protect herself.
The ultimate goal was to see a successor from the non-existent Daryl son-in-law.
However, it was one day when it was difficult to find a suitable opponent that met the conditions.
Emily, though not Mabel, attended the garden party of the count’s daughter, whom she was close with. Of course, the partners did not accompany them.
“Thank you for coming here, Your Excellency the Duke.”
“It’s Miss Lily’s engagement party, and of course you have to come. I heard it was a love marriage?”
“Oh, I’m ashamed.”
Emily smiled kindly at her blushing face. A girl who was always in love was lovely.
After a long exchange of greetings with the ladies of other families with whom she interacted when she was a daughter of a ducal family, she suddenly felt hungry.
Emily moved to a table with food.
‘This is delicious. I think Mabel will like it.’
Emily, who had been eating while thinking of Mabel without fail, put her plate down and turned around when her stomach was a little full.
Just then, someone bumped into my shoulder and passed by. The wind spilled the drink from Emily’s glass onto her hand.
“sorry. I’m really sorry.”
“it’s okay.”
Fortunately, it didn’t splatter on my dress, I just had to wipe my hands. Emily waved her hand and walked towards the break room.
Then the man panicked and took out a handkerchief from his pocket and held it out.
“If you don’t mind… at least use this handkerchief, lady.”
“…Lady?”
Emily was surprised by the title she hadn’t heard in a long time.
Emily became the Duke of Javier at a fairly young age. That’s why people who didn’t know Emily’s face didn’t exist in the system at least.
Naturally, she had never heard of the title ‘Lady’ since becoming a duke.
‘You don’t know me…’
Feeling somehow fresh, Emily finally checked the other person’s face.
As expected, it was the first face I saw.
Maybe in your early twenties? Droopy eyes and tear points at the ends. It was a very pretty look.
Emily asked, as if she was unconsciously bewitched.
“Excuse me, but which family are you from?”
The man was taken aback by Emily’s sudden question, but responded obediently.
“My name is Lois of the Baron Ortheld family.”
It was as if Baron Ortheld had heard of it.
He was one of the barons without authority who did not advance into the central political world and silently governed the territory he was entrusted with.
Since he hadn’t been to the capital, it was understandable that he didn’t know Emily’s face.
I know it’s rude, but Emily couldn’t stop asking questions.
“Lois… First? second?”
“Second.”
At that moment, Emily felt doom as intense as lightning strikes.
A baron with no powers. second non-successor. innocent-looking personality. There’s even a pretty face.
“Oteld Youngsik. Do you have girl friend?”
I found my husband!
***
Next day.
When I heard the news of Emily’s engagement, I went to Burinake Enrique. Since Aidan was my escort this morning, I had to go to the training ground to find Enrique.
As I entered the gym with Aidan, all eyes were focused on me. I looked for Enrique, waving to the knights who were greeting me.
Enrique happened to be drinking water and taking a break. Next to him was Oscar, who was sharpening his sword.
“Enrique. Did you know that Emily is getting engaged?”
As if surprised by my question, Oscar widened his eyes.
Enrique quietly shook his head.
“I didn’t know either. I heard about it last night.”
“how…?”
“When I asked, he said he deliberately didn’t say it because he feared that I would object. It seems that you have already spoken with the family vassals.”
“Because it’s an engagement, I haven’t even heard of it.”
Since the union between aristocratic families was important to the empire, it required the approval of the emperor. However, they were not involved until the engagement.
I clenched my fists in anger.
“Emily is engaged. After all, this dad won’t allow it!”
“Calm down Mabel. You are not my father.”
Oscar grabbed my shoulder and shook it. But I could never admit this fact.
“This daddy, this daddy…!”
“Mabel.”
As Aidan cupped my cheeks with both hands, I immediately came to my senses. It wasn’t a time like this. I asked Enrique calmly.
“Enrique. Do you know who the opponent is?”
“The second of the Baron Ortheld family. I heard her name is Lois Ortheld.”
“Lois Ortheld. Ortheld…”
Almost twenty years of emperor’s career. So, there was no name that I didn’t know about. Before long, I recalled the family of Baron Ortheld in my memory.
“oh my god.”
“why?”
“It’s the same as Emily’s ideal type.”
I don’t know the face, but the conditions were perfectly met.
***
Although he retired, he was the secret head of the information guild.
I hurried Casey to find out about Lois Ortheld.
[Is there anything wrong? Lois Ortheld. The second son of Baron Ortheld’s family. One older brother. I have one younger sister. It is said that when he was young, he was weak and did not come out of the mansion. Now that his health has improved, he is said to have come to the capital to study. It must be your dream to become an imperial official. The peculiarity is that the territory’s financial situation is not so good.]
“Thanks, Casey.”
It was a really straightforward investigation. It was also true that the path chosen by the second, who could not inherit the title, was usually a knight, an imperial official, or a merchant.
[More than that, lady. You’re asking Dean to run such trivial errands. I’m not in the mood to run errands like this-.]
“Bye bye then!”
I quickly cut off communication.
You don’t know how unsightly Casey is when he gets a nobleman’s name and gets an aristocratic disease.
I packed my communication magic tools and sat down on the bed, deep in thought.
‘Somehow it feels strange.’
I knew how hard Emily had been searching for a suitable husband.
So I should congratulate you, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t figure out why either.
After much thought, I came to a conclusion.
“I can’t.”
At my words, Aidan, who was playing with my hair, asked.
“What are you going to do?”
“Background investigation!”
“…”
“Are you going to cooperate?”
“yes.”
Having even brought in an accomplice, I started working in earnest.
***
A street bathed in the setting sun on a leisurely afternoon.
“Welcome, honey. I’m late!”
I hurriedly gestured toward the man following me.
“I am going.”
“hmm? Are you missing something?”
“I am going. … honey.”
Disguised as newlyweds, we came out to Ricavelli Street. Today, high-end information came in from a high-end jeweler here that Emily and her fiancé were matching engagement rings.
But since I don’t know the exact time, I had to walk around the neighborhood and wait for the target to come.
“honey. Shall we go to the cafe across from us and have dessert?”
“Okay, honey.”
As newlyweds, I didn’t like Aidan’s stiff answer, but I headed to the cafe.
Sitting in a seat overlooking the entrance of a high-end jewelry store across the street, I read the menu first.
‘Mt. Geumgang is also an after-dinner view.’
So, the background investigation should be done after eating dessert.
“Lemon sorbet. Strawberry cake Oh, please give me chocolate cake and fig tart too!”
“all right.”
I militantly ordered dessert and ate eagerly, keeping a close eye on the entrance of the jewelry store.
Even so, I didn’t forget to nag.
“honey. We are newlyweds. But if you act so rigid, who will believe you’re newlyweds?”
“I will try, honey.”
“Look at this. What kind of husband said to his wife, ‘I’ll try, honey’.”
“Is this not enough?”
“huh. Do you remember when I made fun of Michael in the old days? that my son played. Try acting with all your heart like back then, honey.”
Perhaps it was difficult though, Aidan kept his mouth shut and stared at the teacup.
I was very excited and handed over an offer that Aidan would be interested in.
“If you act well, you will receive a hundred kisses as a reward!”
Then Aidan raised his head. His face seemed to ask if he was serious.
I nodded and Aidan reached out and wiped my mouth. Then he licked my fingers.
“Aidan doesn’t like sweets…”
“This is delicious.”
Aidan raised an eyebrow.
“honey.”
My heart skipped a beat at Aidan’s sudden change of attitude.
And then, ironically, a carriage arrived in front of the jeweler and saw a familiar face.
“When will you fulfill your promise, honey?”
“That’s at night!”
Only then did I drag Aidan, who seemed satisfied, out of the cafe.
It was the beginning of the tailing operation.
