Chapter 115
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I'm a homebody who ended up possessing the body of a villainess locked away in a desolate tower.
Chapter 115
"With this, Stefan Marquis should find himself in considerable difficulty, Your Highness."
It had been four days since Robert Count arrived with every shred of evidence needed to bring down Stefan Marquis.
Liam had been his loyal retainer for years, and having witnessed Kaian's dark childhood, he understood the unique feelings the young Grand Duke harbored toward the Stefan Marquis House.
Perhaps that's why he couldn't help but feel a quiet satisfaction that even this way, his long-held resentment might finally find resolution.
"He never imagined that stabbing someone in the back would one day become his own undoing."
"...Likely not."
They had agreed to place the Robert Count House family under the protection of Blaire House for the time being, though that presented no difficulty.
Now all that remained was to witness the downfall of Stefan Marquis House, which had long been an eyesore...
"First, once approval is granted, I'll have the shadows move Robert Count and his wife and their young children away, Your Highness—"
Noticing Kaian's wandering attention, Liam's gaze shifted toward him.
"..."
In truth, Robert Count's betrayal of Stefan Marquis and his arrival at the Grand Duchy was indeed the most pressing matter to report first.
But separate from that, Kaian found himself unable to focus properly on this matter. And both men in the room knew exactly why.
Eventually, Liam resolved to broach the subject he had been putting off.
"Your Highness, I had intended to explain this anyway..."
In truth, calling April a prospective Grand Duchess was clearly a stretch.
Moreover, whatever had occurred during their journey, judging by the temperament of the loyal Randolph and the 3rd Knight Order, it seemed likely that several rather tumultuous situations had arisen.
'That was my mistake.'
The more composed First Knight Order and Second Knight Order had happened to be deployed to the outer territories for their regular training, and the 3rd Knight Order was the only force capable of moving swiftly—an unavoidable choice, but still...
Liam's expression, which had been lost in complicated thoughts, soon hardened with resolve.
He took a deep breath and spoke in a low, steady voice.
"This entire matter was an expression of profound loyalty toward Your Highness."
"How does making the Princess into a fake fiancée have anything to do with loyalty?"
The question was valid.
In truth, whether fake or otherwise, even using the word "prospective"—something that could change at any moment—
speaking about his bride without Kaian's permission was crossing a line.
But Liam, far from backing down, posed his question with confidence.
"Does Your Highness not hold affection for the Princess?"
"...What?"
Kaian's face froze rigid.
Despite his usual composure, his pupils trembled visibly, revealing just how many thoughts were racing through his mind all at once.
"It... showed?"
After a long pause, the question finally escaped him, and Liam hastily shook his head.
"No, Your Highness. It is only because I, Liam, serve you most closely that I could discern such a secret."
Only then did Kaian's expression soften somewhat, and the frozen atmosphere began to thaw.
And yet...
'That is a lie. I apologize.'
Liam offered his silent apology.
In truth, the Blaire Grand Duke's interest in April Salt was an open secret among the servants of the Grand Duke's Residence.
Even his Aides, notorious for their lack of perception, had recently begun casting suspicious glances between the Grand Duke and April Salt.
In other words, it was far too obvious to hide!
There was no helping it.
His gaze and voice softened subtly whenever he turned his attention toward April.
A menu filled exclusively with her favorite foods, and desserts he didn't particularly care for yet sought out without fail.
Beyond that, there was the heartbreaking passion of deliberately prolonging simplified administrative procedures just to find reasons to stay late—anything to see April.
But that wasn't all.
Though only Liam and Bonita knew of it, the Blaire Grand Duke had taken on a grueling schedule: serving as her escort during the day and handling his official duties in the office at night.
When circumstances left him no other choice, he would secretly receive documents from Liam outside her chamber while she slept, stamping them on the corridor floor.
How could anyone not notice?
...Yet Liam was truly the Blaire Grand Duke's most trusted retainer.
To protect his lord's precious unrequited love, a white lie was nothing at all.
"Your Highness. However, the fact that only I can perceive your feelings is a grave problem."
"A problem? Why?"
"At this rate, the Princess will never notice your affections."
Ah. I see.
Though recently, she had spoken as if considering the possibility between us.
Of course, immediately after that...
"I really do make the most tasteless jokes! Yes, that's right! Hahahaha! It was a joke. Hahahaha! As if such a thing could be!"
"Why would it be impossible..."
"Yes, yes, Your Highness! Hahahaha! Absolutely! Positively! It could never be! Hahahaha! I can't believe I made such a ridiculous joke. Right? Hahahaha!"
She had simply dismissed it as absurd.
"Romantic relationships, by their very nature, have minimal potential for development if both parties do not perceive each other as romantic prospects."
Romantic prospects...
Now that I think about it, April had actively emphasized throughout her time in the Grand Duchy that there was nothing between us.
Yet it wasn't because either of us was lacking or disliked the other—it was more that we simply weren't "that kind of people" to each other.
Then perhaps April didn't perceive me as a romantic prospect at all, just as Liam suggested.
The more Randolph and his knights praised Kaian Blaire, the stronger April's denials became.
And so the Blaire Grand Duke, having suffered wounds to his heart in the process, found Liam's words all the more persuasive.
"...Then what should I do?"
Finally!
At the Grand Duke's long-awaited question, Liam answered in an eerie voice.
"You need only permit me to assist you, Your Highness."
His monocle flashed brilliantly as it caught the light.
"There is an old saying, after all."
"...?"
"If you tell someone ten times that the sun rises in the west, they will come to believe it truly does."
There's also the saying that circumstances shape the person.
"We shall make the Princess truly believe she is the future Grand Duchess."
"What do you mean by that?"
"To put it more simply, Your Highness, you would be entering into a contractual romance."
"A contractual... romance?"
Liam hastily launched into an explanation as he watched Kaian Blaire's eyes grow hollow, his trust in Liam visibly crumbling in real time.
"Your Highness! There is verified data proving that contractual romance aids genuine romance! The 13th Blaire Grand Duke himself is evidence of this!"
"My ancestor... did?"
Why was the conversation suddenly veering into tales of a distant ancestor?
"According to his autobiography, the 13th Blaire Grand Duke and his wife entered into a contractual romance with a three-year term to avoid an unwanted political marriage. And then."
"And then?"
"After enduring countless hardships and trials, they confirmed their feelings for one another and had seven children together. And the 27th Grand Duke also..."
The 21st Blaire Grand Duke.
The 26th Blaire Grand Duke.
The 29th Blaire Grand Duke...
Were there really this many people who engaged in contractual romance?
The more I listened to the unfolding narrative, the more tangled my thoughts became.
"Your Highness, history itself bears witness."
Liam, noticing how my expression was shifting, pressed on with fervent conviction, his voice straining with intensity.
"A contractual romance is a novel form of courtship where one begins thinking they're signing a contract with a seal, only to discover later that the sealed document was actually a marriage registration. Of course, the parties involved remain oblivious to this fact."
Thud!
Liam's voice echoed through my mind like a reverberating bell.
Perhaps I had grown weaker from days of arduous travel and the psychological assault inflicted by the 3rd Knight Order.
Strangely, to my ears, contractual romance sounded like a foolproof formula leading straight to marriage.
Strangely indeed.
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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