IDIBC Chapter 23

Let’s Do It, Engagement

“I don’t mean to just chase you away. Rochester will guarantee your family’s safety as much as possible. If you want, we can arrange a residence in a third country, not Dermeier or Resotia.”

No, that wasn’t what I wanted. Such a complacent approach couldn’t guarantee complete safety in this harsh world.

Perhaps the people going to the third country he mentioned didn’t include me. Until he married and inherited the duke’s title, I wouldn’t be able to leave this ducal residence. In that case, there was only one thing I had to do.

“Let’s do it.”

At the out-of-the-blue words, a hint of puzzlement crossed Ricardo’s face.

“Engagement.”

Ricardo chuckled. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes were asking, ‘Why would I…?’

“I heard the Rochester star has risen again.”

“So they say.”

“That means your companion will soon be coming to this ducal residence.”

“That’s what everyone says.”

“But she didn’t help with your manifestation and awakening.”

“That’s why you’re here.”

I slowly exhaled the breath that had quickened from speaking. It was a stark contrast to him, who dealt with the situation calmly throughout.

“Maybe it could be… me. Even if it’s a very low probability.”

Of course, I wasn’t sincerely thinking that. How could I, who caused Ricardo’s manifestation by striking his forehead with a wooden sword made from Black Forest trees, possibly defeat the woman designated by the star that appeared in the sky from birth?

“So please get engaged to me.”

I thought I caught Ricardo smiling for a moment, but as I was doing my utmost to avoid his eyes, I had no capacity to observe his expression.

“I’m not saying let’s go all the way to marriage. Please break off the engagement with me right before you marry the Saintess. I’ll explain the situation well to the Saintess myself.”

Ricardo leaned toward me, and I heard a laugh right in front of my face as if he found it absurd.

“So you’re judging that if I break off the engagement with you and immediately marry the Saintess, you and your family will be safe from Schneider?”

“That’s right.”

“And then you’re planning to hide somewhere as soon as possible.”

As Ricardo said, I would no longer have anything to do with him, so the Dermeier Emperor wouldn’t be desperate to kill us. If we hid somewhere unknown and lived quietly for a while, the Emperor would surely forget about the Fennel family.

The reason the Emperor wanted to kill me and my family right now was because of the very slim possibility that I might be Ricardo’s companion.

“It’s a naive thought.”

“I know. Even if it’s an absurd idea, that’s my only option. And when that time comes, please take the maximum measures Rochester can take. I would be very grateful.”

“……”

“Of course, there’s no reason the Young Master should consider us to that extent.”

Being in the position of shamelessly asking for help, excuse-like words came tumbling out urgently.

“As the Young Master knows, I’m, so to speak, a victim. I didn’t intentionally help with your manifestation.”

“My lady.”

“But thanks to that, the Young Master was also able to become safe quickly.”

“Lady Fennel.”

“So the fact that I’m in this situation……”

“Lienne…….”

He called my name, familiar yet strange. Whenever he did that, my breath would invariably stop.

“When having a conversation, you should look at the eyes.”

It was a gentle command that couldn’t be refused. When our eyes met, he was looking at me as if he would tear through me. A massive sensation covered me, enough to make me forget to breathe for a moment. If my heart trembled like this, I felt I wouldn’t die a natural death.

“How is this possible?”

“What… do you mean?”

“Your eyes simply cannot hide anything.”

I flinched, my body trembling at the truth I wanted to turn away from. There were many moments when our eyes met and my heart overflowed uncontrollably, making me want to sink into the ground.

“Your eyes love me so desperately like this……”

Ricardo stretched out his long arm and swept under my eye with his thumb. When his hot skin touched me, a held breath burst out involuntarily. Without mercy, he slid his hand down and traced my cheek. The fine hairs on my face stood up one by one. His fingers passed my chin and gently brushed my lips.

“How is it that your love never wants the other person at all?”

I could feel my pupils shaking mercilessly.

What on earth was Ricardo trying to say? He examined my trembling eyes thoroughly, as if licking them. As if he would dig up even the emotions I least wanted to reveal, buried somewhere in my heart.

No matter how thoroughly he excavated me to the bottom, my love for him couldn’t be false. It was a very primal and meticulous emotion that even I couldn’t understand.

For a moment, I had this thought.

Perhaps I was the one who had completely erased some memory of you?

“So, do you truly want to get engaged to me?”

“Yes.”

My heart hesitated, but my answer did not. Since we were looking at each other, lies wouldn’t work.

“Once you and your family are safe, you’ll immediately leave my side.”

“That’s right.”

“Maybe, as you say, you could be my companion?”

I closed my eyes, unable to be certain what expression I was making at his words. Then he reached out and lightly grasped my chin. It was an action that somehow felt urgent.

“Open your eyes, Lienne. I said you should meet eyes when having a conversation.”

It was a voice that suddenly felt chilling, but I stubbornly replied with my eyes closed.

“What do you want to say to me?”

Though it was said to be peaceful for now, the Dermeier Empire was a country where war could break out at any time.

When barbarism ran rampant outside the country, it was difficult to maintain dignity inside it.

Even if noble culture spread like a trend and women dressed beautifully and frequented high society, it was still an era when women were merely spoils of war. It was a world where the feelings of a woman taken by force were not considered important.

If he twisted my neck here right now, it would be no different from one of my chickens in the coop dying and disappearing.

He was Rochester and I was Fennel.

Not just my life, but my entire family’s lives were hanging on Ricardo, who had lost his memory. So I knew I shouldn’t talk back right now. Nevertheless, I stubbornly opened my mouth.

“I’ll open my eyes when I feel like it. Just tell me what you want. My ears are open.”

Why was I, who knew the value of life, speaking so insolently?

Killing my pride would be much easier than dying.

But then, his momentum, which seemed about to slide his hand and twist my neck at any moment, suddenly softened. Ricardo pulled back, putting distance between us.

“Anyone would think you’d met a barbarian.”

Rather, that attitude made my eyes snap open.

“What I want from you is just one thing. Just to look at each other and talk. That’s just common sense, isn’t it?”

“Right?” he added with an irritating smile, and a sigh of relief escaped me without realizing it. I shook out and spread the skirt I had been gripping tightly in the suddenly assailing anxiety, and leaned my back straight against the chair.

“So will you get engaged to me?”

“No.”

“But you said I might possibly be your companion.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Since I’m the person who helped with the manifestation, couldn’t I be your fiancée for just a very brief moment?”

He lightly shook his head. As if to say you absolutely are not.

Yes, I knew it wouldn’t be easy. It was still too early to be disappointed.

“Then please tell me why not even for a brief moment.”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“Why? Is it some… trivial reason like I’m not the Young Master’s type, or you don’t want to bother with an engagement ceremony?”

He shrugged and crossed his long legs.

“Setting aside taste when getting engaged is not a trivial matter……”

“……”

“What engagement would I have with a woman who won’t even properly meet my eyes? Right?”

“Well, that’s!”

Because when I look into your eyes, I feel like I’m falling off a cliff, because even after being pushed off that precipice, my eyes will only be filled with you, because even in a life-or-death situation, I love you like this… because I’m shameless even to myself.

As I stopped as if I’d forgotten how to speak, Ricardo’s expression hardened, making his leisurely smile from just moments ago seem meaningless. He stared persistently at my mouth, waiting for it to open. But I couldn’t add even a single word.

“Even now……”

“……”

“I’m just curious how this is possible.”

I ultimately couldn’t hold out and averted my eyes from him again.

“Look at this. You like me this much, yet why do you only want to run away?”

He tilted his head as if genuinely curious.

“Even this brief time sitting face to face, you’re just… enduring it.”

“And yet, engagement? That’s not even funny.” Ricardo sneered.