Chapter 33
A Self-Proclaimed Romance Maniac.
Chloise Beers’s matchmaking career began when she was about six years old.
Why “about”? Because she doesn’t remember much from before that.
Ever since then, she’d realized something peculiar — that every fairy tale she was read as a child always ended the same way:
“And the prince and princess lived happily ever after.”
But little Chloise had noticed a problem with that formula.
“But the princess worked like a maid when she was little. Can she really get along with a prince?”
People thought Chloise just matched up couples recklessly, but that was a huge misunderstanding.
Sure, she might look like a lunatic from the outside, but every pairing she suggested came after rigorous character analysis — at least by her standards.
And by those standards, her brother Vaileon and the Fourth Princess Odette were the most impossible couple imaginable.
“I’m telling you, it could work!”
said Marienne, taking a sip of iced juice before asking,
“Lady Beers, have you ever seen a bald male lead in a romance novel?”
“No, never. But why are you suddenly talking about bald guys? Both my brother and Duke Blackwood have plenty of hair.”
“The past doesn’t matter! The duke could wake up tomorrow looking like a shiny boiled egg, for all we know.”
“Wait a second.”
Chloise stopped her there.
“What does the duke going bald have to do with my brother ending up with Her Highness? Look, even if by some miracle the duke did lose his hair—”
She clicked her tongue.
“Her Highness would just find someone similar to the duke. She’d never give my brother a chance.”
“How could you say something so cruel?!”
Marienne trembled, launching into an impassioned defense: Vaileon had simply never had a chance to shine!
If they just kept helping him stand out — like with that earring incident — he could absolutely win Odette’s heart.
Chloise, however, was deeply skeptical.
“I’m not saying my brother is lacking compared to the duke.”
“Exactly!”
“He’s handsome, fit, from a good family, competent — and he’s kind, too. Objectively speaking, he’s the perfect husband material.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying!”
“But so what, Advisor? What use is being good on paper? What matters is touching Her Highness’s heart.”
Marienne trembled again.
“And even after they get together — you know it’s not over at ‘they lived happily ever after.’ Happiness afterward depends on more than just love.”
“Lady Beers…”
“Am I wrong?”
“Why are you being so annoyingly logical today?”
“Oh, Advisor, I’ve always been logical. People just never believed me.”
Chloise elegantly lifted her teacup.
“My brother loves too easily. He’d adore his wife, his family, even the neighbor’s cousin’s little daughter — and enjoy helping them all. But to Her Highness, that looks like meddling. And besides—”
She hadn’t meant to say this part, but to defeat her opponent’s argument, she had no choice.
“You seem to forget that Her Highness is frail. Someone like that can only focus on one thing at a time. Meanwhile, my brother is always surrounded by people.”
“Sir Beers would handle it.”
“Maybe so. But he’d spend his whole life doing what she wants.”
Oof. That did sound like something a mean sister-in-law would say. Chloise mentally screamed, ‘Cancel, cancel!’ while glancing at Marienne.
“I’m just saying — it’s ironic. Even if they do end up together, my brother would have to suppress his nature for love.”
They say people’s happiness depends on their own choices.
If Vaileon chose unrequited love and sacrificed everything else for it, Chloise couldn’t criticize him.
That would be his choice.
Still… she hoped he’d consider other paths.
Like loving someone who wouldn’t make him hide who he was.
“Ugh…”
Marienne bit her lip, cornered. She looked like a plush doll on the verge of tears — and honestly, she seemed to love Vaileon more than their mother did.
Chloise made an exaggerated motion, as if pushing up invisible glasses.
From her perspective, her brother and the princess were doomed from the start.
Sure, in romance novels, men and women sometimes end up together because of a mix-up in the dark or a potion gone wrong — but that only worked when there was real chemistry.
In this case, even if something like that happened, Odette would probably just tell Vaileon to “forget last night ever happened.”
If his performance was truly unforgettable, maybe she’d call him to the palace occasionally.
He’d be unable to refuse, nurture faint hopes, and in the end, rot inside and bury himself in work even deeper than now.
No — they were better off as lord and vassal.
Chloise much preferred to study new pairings instead of ones with doomed endings.
“Advisor, do you think there’s someone who could accept my brother if he found a new love?”
Marienne’s face fell at the words “new love.” She clearly didn’t even want to imagine it.
To hear her talk, you’d think her family’s lives depended on Vaileon and Odette’s romance succeeding.
Still, Marienne had something stronger than jealousy — unwavering faith.
“What kind of question is that? Who wouldn’t accept Sir Beers?”
“Even if he never got the princess, he’s loved the same woman for ten years. He’s worked at her side for a decade — and he’ll keep doing so.”
“Yes, he’s a devoted, loyal man. Wouldn’t that make him the best partner?”
Wow. The woman was absolutely delusional. Chloise had to fight to keep from laughing.
“Doesn’t it bother you?”
“What do you mean?”
“That he’d still have to see his old flame every day?”
“The Sir Beers I know would reassure his lover. He can’t erase the past, but he’d say — and show — a thousand times over: ‘The one I love now is you.’”
“So you’d be fine with that, Advisor?”
Just then, the door flew open without a knock. The youngest sister, Daisy, who didn’t know what manners were, strode in and literally dragged Marienne away.
No! They were just getting to the good part!
Chloise stormed downstairs, shouting that she’d exact revenge by taking Marienne out with her tomorrow.
Vaileon insisted he couldn’t let the two of them go alone and said he’d join them.
“Hmph. Jealousy really is the best motivator for men.”
For over ten years, all Vaileon ever talked about was Odette. But lately, without realizing it, he’d started mentioning her less and less.
Once again — Chloise had no intention of denying her brother’s choices.
If he wanted to live his life unmarried, forever devoted to Odette Rose, then fine.
Chloise wasn’t some lunatic who forced love on unwilling people.
But if he started showing cracks — like worrying too much about a certain cheerful little advisor, bringing her home for “safety,” or carrying her like a princess despite her protests—
Well, that changed things.
Because Chloise Beers was not about to miss a rare matchmaking opportunity like this.
◆ ◇ ◆
It had been so long since Marienne felt this relaxed.
She sat at a terrace table in a dessert café. She’d expected just an ice cream shop, but the place’s interior was something else.
Statues of goddesses wearing laurel crowns and tall columns gave off an ancient temple vibe.
A marble fountain stood in the center of the hall, real water trickling gently down.
But the best part? The staff uniforms.
Every waiter and waitress — regardless of gender — wore white robes and flower crowns. Despite how flowy their clothes were, they moved with perfect grace.
“It’s been over a year since this place opened, and it’s still packed,”
Chloise said, sitting beside her.
“It’s because it’s that good. At first, everyone thought it’d flop — said it was too flashy, that the hype would fade fast. But turns out the owner’s a genius at making ice cream.”
After paying the bill, Vaileon came out to join them. Out of habit, he was about to sit beside Marienne like he did at the manor, but froze when he saw his sister already there.
“Brother, what are you doing? Sit.”
He hesitated, then sat across from Marienne.
Marienne smiled happily at the two — the radiant older brother and his cheerful sister.
Today, Vaileon looked as dazzling as the bright Saturday sky. When she heard what he ordered, she’d had to stifle a laugh.
Sparkling fruit soda topped with vanilla ice cream.
He didn’t look like someone who had a sweet tooth — but surprisingly, he loved sugary desserts.
A perfect date companion, really. Someone you could order lots of sweets with, without worrying about judgment. He wouldn’t even be the first to set his spoon down, pretending to be full.
…Wait, did Odette even like sweets?
“Your orders are here.”
“Wow…”
Marienne couldn’t help but gasp. The ice cream dishes looked like they were stolen from some divine temple.
Chloise eyed the massive dessert placed in front of Marienne and asked worriedly,
“Advisor, are you sure you can finish that alone?”
Fair concern — it was clearly meant for two people.
Layers of candied fruit, jelly, finely shaved milk ice, condensed milk, three scoops of ice cream, and chocolate-coated wafers stacked like a sugary mountain.
Caught up in the excitement of being out, she’d splurged on the biggest (and priciest) menu item.
“Of course I can.”
she replied confidently.
“Or I could share it with Sir Beers.”
“…Excuse me?”
Vaileon, who had just handed out napkins, froze a beat too late.
“Would you like to try some, Sir Beers? Oh wait — should I get you a small bowl?”
Her offer was kind, but the dessert wasn’t exactly shareable without an extra dish.
“It’s fine. You don’t have to finish it.”
Then he glanced sideways at something, and his voice softened.
“Unless…”
“Unless?”
“I’m just curious what the pink ice cream tastes like. Maybe just one bite?”
Vaileon leaned forward slightly over the table.
“Will you give me one?”
