Chapter 2

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The kind-looking Count Saranje and his ageless beautiful wife, along with their young lady who closely resembled the wife, all smiled together.

*What's this? There seems to be something more to this.*

In all previous meetings, while the head of the house, who wanted to get close to the ducal family, smiled, it was almost never the case that I was smiled at by the young lady.

Even if I did receive a smile, it was usually a strained one that couldn't be called a smile, and I was often met with fear. However, since coming to this house, everyone I've met has smiled.

*This should be a normal scene, with the family welcoming a guest, but for me, who is not used to being welcomed, the smiles from the wife, the young lady, and the servants seemed incomprehensible.*

*Could it be that I didn't know, and they are actually in debt and are offering aid in exchange for marriage? Or perhaps the young lady already has a lover of a different social status, and they are asking me to accept her as a mistress in a political marriage?*

*It's not uncommon for noble families to arrange various conditions for their marriage life and to engage in free love after securing an heir. If such a beautiful woman is still unmarried, it's not an impossible scenario. If that's the case, I won't complain as long as she fulfills her role.*

*But... just being welcomed with smiles and accepted is such a pleasant thing.*

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"I am Valerio Claudel. Thank you for considering this marriage proposal."

"I am Lord Laurence of the Saranje family. This is my wife, Lily, and this is our daughter, Lila. We are truly grateful for your proposal for our daughter. We are pleased to accept this match. Please, let us have a long and prosperous relationship."

The couple and the young lady bowed their heads slightly.

The light from the window reflected off the young lady's pale golden hair, which matched her mother's, and it shimmered as it fell gently, creating a scene that seemed almost unreal, as if time was moving slowly.

It took a moment for Valerio to process what he had heard.

*We are pleased to accept this match.*

"---Huh?"

"Huh?"

"..."

*Wait. Did I say thank you for considering the proposal? Did I forget to say "proposal"? No, I said "marriage proposal," which I'm used to saying, so I couldn't have made a mistake. So, did the Count say he accepted the match? Was he nervous in front of me and made a mistake? No, wait. He also said "please, let us have a long and prosperous relationship"... So, does that mean... the marriage is settled? Why?*

Valerio, who was used to being rejected, was confused. His face, with furrowed brows and a glare at the table, was quite frightening, but in his confusion, he didn't try to hide his expression.

As Valerio's face grew more severe, the Count and his wife exchanged glances, and the young lady looked anxious, but he didn't notice.

"..."

"Um, Duke Claudel?"

"Ah, sorry. No, that... um, does this mean the marriage is settled?"

"Yes. Please take good care of my daughter."

"Ah, yes. I... um, really?!"

"Yes. If I may ask, did you find my daughter unsuitable after meeting her?"

"No, no, no! Not at all! Absolutely not! On the contrary. Is it... is it okay with you? Me?"

"Yes. My daughter is very eager for this match."

*No way! Is this the Count pushing her?* Valerio thought and looked at the young lady, who was blushing and looking at him with sparkling eyes.

Her direct gaze made him flinch, but he looked back to confirm her sincerity.

Her blush deepened, and she briefly looked away, but their eyes met again. This time, her gaze was slightly upward.

*...She's cute. No, she's too cute. What is this adorable creature? Is this what women are like?*

"Um... you're not afraid of me, are you? I, well, I have a face that women don't like."

"I don't care about your appearance at all. But to me, you look very handsome."

*It's not something I want to say, but the young lady shook her head in denial.*

*Being told I look handsome with a smile is something I've never heard before. I couldn't believe it, even if it was a compliment. It's too obvious a lie.*

"Ha... But, aren't you afraid of these scars on my cheek and above my eye?"

"I'm not afraid at all. You are a knight. These are marks of your service to the country and the royal family. They are, in a sense, badges of honor. I feel respect, not fear."

*The young lady was the first to call my scars badges of honor. My knight comrades don't fear these scars, and some even call them badges of honor, but noble young ladies usually dislike or fear them.*

*These scars were from protecting His Majesty and His Highness during the coup. I have many regrets, but I protected them. It's my greatest achievement as a royal guard and a source of pride and confidence as a knight. It's a fundamental part of who I am.*

*Being afraid of these scars feels like a denial of me as a knight and as a person. I always felt sad about it, thinking that women who dislike roughness wouldn't understand. But Lila is different. She understood. Even if it's just for show, she's the first woman to show understanding. Thinking that this woman understands and accepts me, I felt something welling up inside me.*

*I finally felt like I had met a woman who accepts me.*

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Before he knew it, the carriage had arrived at the ducal residence.

The conversation had progressed rapidly, and they had agreed to the engagement. I thought it would only be a verbal agreement for today, but the Count had prepared an engagement contract, and they signed it on the spot, making the engagement official.

The speed of it all made him uneasy.

*Now, why did Lila agree to engage with me?*

She was incredibly beautiful, someone I rarely got to see. Even though I'm not familiar with young ladies, I know the popular ones from balls and the knight corps. I knew her name, but I had never seen her face before. Why have I never seen her before? Is she so popular that she's always surrounded by people?

We didn't talk much, but she didn't seem arrogant. She was not only beautiful but also cute in a way, and most importantly, she showed understanding for me.

*Isn't she popular with men? Why me? There are other ducal and marquis families with better conditions. Some of them are handsome and unmarried despite their reputations.*

*Perhaps she was being picky and missed her prime?*

*Since I'm not popular, I thought it was pointless to be interested, but if I had shown more interest in young ladies and gathered more information, I might have understood better.*

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As he stepped out of the carriage, Filio greeted him.

"Welcome back. How did it go?"

"Ah, yeah... the engagement was finalized."

"Really! Not just agreed, but finalized! I always believed that a young lady who would understand you would appear, Valerio. This is wonderful!"

*It's rare to see Filio show so much emotion.*

*Six years ago, during the coup, he was injured in his dominant hand and had to retire as a knight. He had always dreamed of being a royal guard since he was a child, and it was impressive to see him talk about it with a rare blush.*

*He was promoted to deputy squad leader at the young age of 19, but he was injured protecting his subordinates soon after.*

*He could still wield a sword, but he couldn't move as he used to. When he realized he couldn't continue as a royal guard or deputy squad leader, he didn't show any emotion.*

*"What are you going to do?"*

*"I'm going to quit."*

*"Quit being a knight? What will you do then?"*

*"I haven't decided... If I go back to my family, I'm the second son of a minor baron, so I don't have the luxury to indulge. I'll just find a job and work."*

*"Then, why don't you come work for me?"*

*"What do you mean?"*

*"You were good at administrative work, right? Our steward is getting old and looking for a successor. The pay will be less as a ducal steward, but it would help me a lot if you came."*

*He had the option to become a regular knight, a border guard, or an administrative officer, but he chose to quit the knight corps cleanly. He hadn't thought about what he would do after quitting, so I suggested he work for the ducal family, and he came immediately.*

*He learned the job from the steward who had been with the family since my grandfather's time and has been working as the ducal steward for a few years now. I've rarely seen him show so much emotion, even considering his time as a knight.*

*Seeing Filio's happy face, the reality of his engagement finally sank in.*

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