CHAPTER 63 ………………………………..
“Crimu is hungry!”
Woof woof. Loro started stomping his front paws too, demanding food along with him.
Crimu’s forehead and the back of his neck were drenched in sweat.
Before I could even reach for anything, Terreseus pulled a handkerchief from his inner pocket, approached Crimu, and knelt on one knee.
He carefully wiped the child’s sweat while looking him straight in the eyes—a very gentle older-brother-like sight.
Watching that scene quietly, I was suddenly reminded of his father, Laines.
It really is a blessing that Sir Terre doesn’t resemble his father at all.
After handing Crimu a fork, Terreseus turned his head.
I’d been staring at him too openly, and when our eyes met, I quickly shifted the topic in embarrassment.
“By the way… how is your father these days?”
Currently, the renovation of Leminua–Jark Path No. 12 was complete.
Since there hadn’t been any buildings there to begin with, the work didn’t take long—just planting trees and flowers, organizing flowerbeds, and creating a walking path open to everyone.
As decided in the family meeting, it was a garden meant for the imperial citizens.
And also a garden to further glorify the prestigious Kereis family, founding contributors of the empire.
Even though the duke and I messed with it a bit.
Because a sign had been put up saying only one person—Laines Kereis—was forbidden from entering.
His furious face had been a sight to behold.
He’d even tried sneaking into the park in the middle of the night and was caught by the guards.
That had already happened three or four times.
Hehehe.
So now I was a little curious how Laines was doing.
Asking his son might be a bit awkward, though.
“He’s extremely angry,” Terreseus answered with a bright smile.
Huh? Why does he look so happy?
Ignoring my confusion, Terreseus even looked excited.
“If you saw him from the side, you’d wonder if he’s lost his mind. Father is absolutely furious with Lady Marianne.”
“You must be worried.”
“No, not at all. There is nothing to worry about. Thanks to you, he’s stopped going to the tavern every day, stopped gambling, and now spends all his time thinking about how to take revenge on Lady Marianne.”
“…What?”
“So now at least his original debt won’t grow any larger. Truly a relief.”
I wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or not.
It was good that a violent drunk who’d already drowned himself in debt now had some fire lit under him again, but…
He wants to take revenge on me?
Great. Another headache.
“You’re not going to join your father in this revenge, are you?”
I asked just in case.
Terreseus bowed his head vigorously.
“How can you say something so heartbreaking! I’m already on the same boat as you, Lady Marianne! I will never even think of getting off! You have my absolute loyalty!”
“…Loyalty?”
This suddenly felt like I’d become the head of a faction.
Well, whatever. Having at least one Kereis on my side wasn’t a bad thing.
I gave him a bright smile, accepting his so-called loyalty.
Still… what kind of revenge is he planning?
Sure, I’d win in a fight, but it’s annoying if he openly tries something.
While tapping the table with my finger, something Terreseus had said flashed through my mind.
“Sir Terre!”
“Yes?”
“You said your father owes a huge debt, right?”
“That’s right. At this point, he’d have to do anything to pay it back. Unfortunately, he borrowed from an extremely vicious loan shark.”
I looked at his worried expression and spoke softly.
“Then I’ll pay it.”
“…Pardon?”
“Your household’s debt. I’ll pay it.”
The already pale Terreseus turned even paler.
“Haha… You joke in such a funny way.”
“I’m not joking. I’m rich.”
I spread my hands wide to show just how much money I had.
The Belzure merchant group was earning mountains of it.
Even while I was sitting here doing nothing, it was piling up somewhere.
“But of course, this stays a secret from the duke. You understand?”
Only then did Terreseus realize I wasn’t joking. He froze and barely managed to nod.
Four days passed.
I was waiting for a slightly more dramatic moment.
Word spread that the loan shark had broken into Laines’s estate to threaten him.
Noble or not, Kereis or not—
to a loan shark, he was just a debtor who hadn’t repaid what he owed.
Then I appeared before the battered father and son.
Terre had told me exactly when the loan shark would come.
Teleporting down from the air in front of Laines left him speechless.
Oh, perfect timing!
I’d shown up only minutes after the loan shark left.
I winked at Terre and began showering money everywhere.
“I’ll pay off your debt. Here.”
Hah. This is what they call flex.
Laines, with a dark bruise around one eye, gasped.
He’d been burning with revenge toward Marianne just days ago, but after witnessing the brutality of the loan shark, every bit of fighting spirit had vanished.
“Y-you’re really giving… all this?”
“Of course, I’m not paying it off for free. Here.”
I handed him the promissory note—with conditions.
His trembling hands took it, but just as he tried to read it, I snatched it back.
“If you hesitate that much, I’ll take it as a refusal.”
“N-no! Who said I’m hesitating!”
He quickly signed, wiping the blood from his nose.
The loan shark had said he’d cut off limbs the next time he came—of course Laines was terrified.
In that moment, Marianne was his savior.
His guardian angel, even.
She even soothed the shame that lingered deep inside him.
“This stays between the three of us. I won’t even tell the duke.”
“…Marianne!”
Rumors were already spreading that he’d squandered his inheritance and fallen into debt.
He was on the verge of being kicked out of the family.
For someone like Marianne to extend a hand… he clutched his chest, overwhelmed.
From this moment on, she was his light—his glory.
He didn’t realize the promissory note he’d signed required him to obey Marianne’s words at all times.
Now that I have Laines, everyone connected to him is within my grasp.
I savored the joy, holding the note.
When Ron eventually returns, I plan to train Laines and his son well.
There needs to be at least one person on Ron’s side.
But a few days later, an annoying problem arose.
Laines had proposed, during the family meeting, that Shebert and I hold an official engagement ceremony.
Why would he do something I never asked for?!
According to the letter Terre passed along, Laines had said he wanted to repay me—even in a small way.
[Anne, I don’t know if I can call you that so comfortably. But I have little I can do for you.
All I can offer is to call you Anne and to propose your official engagement into the Kereis family.
Being able to do even this makes me truly happy.]
I nearly fainted when I heard everything from the duke.
What was even more absurd was that the duke was delighted by the idea.
Apparently it passed unanimously.
Excuse me? Father? I mean, Your Grace? NO.
“Yes, Anne. I cherish you like a daughter, but Brother Laines is right.
If we were to accept you as our future daughter-in-law, we should have treated you accordingly.”
“Uh, I-I’m fine!”
“No, I was thoughtless. I didn’t even give you an engagement certificate… I didn’t consider the sorrow you must’ve felt.”
…Sorrow?
I felt sorrow being engaged to that Shebert, thank you very much!
“To bring you here without any formal document and leave you like that is disrespectful to a noble young lady.
We must hurry and hold the engagement ceremony.”
Ahhhh! I’m going to lose my mind!!
I barely had a soul left, yet Brita and the attendants prettied me up.
The eldest young master would be returning from the academy once he heard the news.
Nope. I needed to escape—now.
I was packing to run away, but Shebert arrived first.
“…Why are you here?”
That was the first thing that came out of my lifeless mouth.
Shebert, unfazed, smiled brightly.
“It’s my engagement ceremony. Ours.”
I had no words.
Well yes. Who skips their own engagement ceremony?
Fine. Enjoy it. I’m leaving.
I tried to walk away, waving, but of course he grabbed me.
The engagement ceremony took place at the villa on the estate.
From early morning, the servants were busy filling it with flowers and food, greeting visitors.
Wearing a pale pink dress, I stepped inside and recognized familiar faces in the solemn atmosphere.
…Shebert’s maternal grandmother!
White silver hair, chin lifted in pride, a veiled hat.
She looked very displeased, glaring at the duke.
Well, he is the ex-son-in-law who divorced her daughter. Of course she’d hate the sight of him.
Next to her stood Rose, her hair braided and draped over one shoulder.
Who would believe she was Shebert’s mother?
Beautiful as always, she gave the duke not even a glance, unlike her mother.
The duke, for his part, sat upright, staring straight ahead.
Honestly, seeing ex-husband and ex-wife smiling at each other would’ve been weirder.
Then Rose and I locked eyes.
When I mouthed “Mother,” she sent me a warm smile.
Of course, her mother’s scowl prevented her from greeting me further.
The engagement ceremony finally began.
I barely remember how time passed.
Well… it’s just an engagement.
At some point, I begrudgingly accepted the situation.
After all, I had come to this estate under the pretense of being Shebert’s fiancée.
I needed to stay for now.
Once Ron returned, I’d tear up the engagement certificate and vanish.
Everything finished quickly and smoothly.
Since I wasn’t an adult yet, it was a small ceremony with only family and relatives.
Without caring about my opinion at all, the engagement between Shebert Kereis and Marianne Delvé was sealed.
“Hahaha…”
I couldn’t help laughing in disbelief.
It was the stiff, awkward laugh of a character in a comedy scene.
The Kereis family, however, thought I was overjoyed.
“Oh my, the young lady must be so happy!”
“Of course she is—she’s been acknowledged! How touching!”
“I’m crying, seriously. Poor Miss Anne, how much she must’ve suffered until now.”
“Young lady? No, she’s engaged now—she’s our little madam!”
The words “little madam” echoed in my ears and made my brain spin.
I wanted to faint right then and there.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Someone gently patted my shoulder, and I snapped them open.
“Mother!”
“Anne. You’re even cuter today.”
Rose looked at me lovingly from head to toe.
“Really?” I asked.
“Of course. How can someone be so small and adorable? Oh, Shebert is over there.”
She gestured toward a scene where the grandmother looked furious, while Shebert listened quietly despite frowning.
“Shebert may be immature, but he takes good care of his own.”
“…What do you mean?”
Rose tapped the cherry floating in her wine glass.
“He’s blocking his grandmother so she can’t approach you.”
“…Ah.”
She had done something similar when Shebert left for the academy—
Grandmother had glared disapprovingly at me, and Shebert had stepped in then too.
“There’s no grandmother who can win against her grandson. And I’m on Lady Delvé’s side as well.
So don’t worry about anything. Now, I’ll go rescue Shebert.”
“Yes, Mother.”
My chest felt oddly warm.
It felt like I was being loved for no reason.
I was basking in the brief happiness when a horrifying word snapped me back.
“Hyung-ttu!”
Crimu tugged on my dress.
“…Crimu, that’s not right. Not sister-in-law.”
“Shishter-in-naw?”
“No.”
While everyone was laughing and enjoying the outdoor feast,
I quickly took Crimu aside.
“Crimu. Do you know what sister-in-law means?”
He shook his head wildly.
“Then who told you to call me that?”
“I did.”
A voice answered from behind.
It was Shebert.
