Chapter 7
I stared coldly at my father, who was insisting that my soon-to-be husband wasn’t good enough for me.
Then, Kyle joined in.
“Flora, you know the rumors about Duke Pechedor. They’re terrible. And did you see how stiff and cold he was? Even if you marry him, he’ll never be kind to you.”
“Those are just rumors. And he was kind to me. You two need to stop reading those gossip sheets.”
“Still! What if they’re not just rumors? I even… I even got a detailed report from the guild—”
The room fell completely silent.
“…”
“…Ahem.”
I looked at Kyle with disbelief. He cleared his throat and avoided my eyes like nothing happened.
Wow. Really?
What, he actually hired a guild to investigate him? That’s a background check!
“I told you I’m fine with this marriage.”
“But…”
“No ‘buts.’ I clearly said I’m okay with marrying him. I asked you not to say weird stuff anymore.”
“Flora…”
Things had completely flipped.
Before I met Felix—when the wedding was still half a year away—Father and Kyle kept freaking out.
They were even talking about breaking the engagement somehow.
But if that were possible, it wouldn’t be called a “binding pact.”
“Flora, we were only worried about you… because the rumors were so bad.”
Seeing Kyle look so down, Father cautiously stepped in.
But I cut him off sharply.
“When did you hire the guild?”
“Well…”
“Kyle?”
“…A month ago. From the Deacon Guild.”
“Hah!”
A month ago, Felix was just finishing the war.
And the Deacon Guild? That’s the one known for gathering shady gossip.
It was laughable.
Felix spent years on the battlefield protecting the Empire, always leading the charge… and here they were, judging him based on nonsense rumors.
The truth is, people always get jealous of those who stand out too much.
Just like celebrities attract haters.
Even in this world, that wasn’t much different.
‘Many nobles fear and envy the Pechedor family.’
So they spread ridiculous rumors just to bring them down and make themselves feel better.
Felix’s family had rarely appeared in the capital since they gave up the grand duke title generations ago.
I figured it was because of the constant jealousy and gossip.
Of course, only they know the real reason.
‘Even in the original story, Felix struggled because of all those dumb rumors.’
Felix became the war’s commander not because he loved killing, like people said, but because he knew the nasty gossip around his family was a serious problem.
Eventually, with the heroine Cecil’s help, he managed to clear his name—but that wouldn’t happen until five years later in the story.
‘So yeah… it’s the same here or in any world.’
This time, Felix came to the capital because of our engagement and the wedding.
I had assumed he would return to the North after the ceremony.
But now, I realized I needed to change that plan a little.
I’d been too naive about the situation.
‘I’ll have to crush every single one of those stupid rumors before he leaves. Or else I’ll explode from frustration.’
In the original, those rumors were useful for Felix’s character development with the heroine. So I didn’t want to interfere too much.
But I never let anyone insult him in front of me.
“Haa…”
I let out a heavy sigh.
Father and Kyle weren’t terrible people—they were just being overly influenced by gossip.
Still, they weren’t strangers. They were supposed to care about me.
The least they could do was not insult the man I was going to marry.
“I didn’t say anything before because I knew you were worried. But even when he came a few days ago, and now again… both of you were so rude.”
My voice turned icy. I’m sure my face did too.
“Flora…”
“Do you really think I’d like hearing you talk badly about the person I’m marrying? It’s insulting. If he’s so awful, then what does that say about me? Do you still think you’re doing this for me?”
“That’s not what we meant…”
“Rumors, rumors, rumors. You keep bringing them up, but do you think my own rumors are all perfect and clean? What, am I flawless?”
My biting words turned both of their faces pale.
I knew I was emotional, but I didn’t feel like being nice right now.
Sometimes you need to say these things once and for all.
If I said everything I wanted to, they might cry their eyes out, so I said just one last thing.
“I’m really disappointed. I thought, at least, Father and Kyle would be different from the rest.”
Their faces turned even paler.
“Dear…”
“Flora, I was wrong. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to say sorry to me. I’m not the one who deserves an apology.”
At my cold reply, Father hung his head, and Kyle quickly spoke.
“Then… should I go and apologize to the Duke myself? I’ll tell him I was wrong to investigate—”
“Are you kidding me?”
I cut him off with a harsh glare.
They clearly still didn’t get what they had done wrong.
“I’ll be staying at a hotel for now. If you try to visit me, I’ll just move to another one. Just send someone for wedding-related things.”
With that, I turned and walked out of the study.
* * *
“Flora, please think this over. Why go to a hotel when you have a nice home here, hmm?”
“Flora, I’m sorry. I’ll leave instead if you want.”
They stood outside my door, unable to enter, calling out in panic.
But I didn’t even look in their direction.
I’d told them for months that everything was fine. They should’ve listened.
“Dana, can you pack some clothes for me?”
“Ah, yes! How many outfits?”
“Let’s start with five. If I need more, I’ll have someone bring them—or just buy new ones.”
Dana, who had looked nervous before, jumped into action like a squirrel on command.
I could feel—without even looking—that the more Dana packed my bags, the more panicked those two men became.
“Young Lady, the carriage is ready.”
“Oh! I’ve finished packing!”
Right as Dana zipped up the last bag, Lily came to tell me the carriage had arrived.
The faces of Father and Kyle turned dark and miserable.
“Thanks for your help.”
I patted Dana and Lily on the shoulder and picked up my small handbag.
“Are you really leaving…?”
“What do you think? Of course I’m leaving.”
“Flora…”
“I’ll carry the bags.”
The one who stepped up to help was Jerome, Kyle’s personal knight.
“Jerome, you—!”
Kyle looked like he was going to explode.
“Miss Flora can’t carry this herself. And I’m stronger than these maids.”
But Jerome, who had basically grown up with Kyle, just responded with a casual tone.
He gave Dana and Lily a quick look and asked for my permission.
“May I come in for a moment, Young Lady?”
“Of course. Thank you, Sir Jerome. You’re a hundred times better than my brother.”
“Kyle is just… a little old-fashioned.”
Jerome carried two bags in each hand and passed by me, quietly talking trash about his master.
“…Pfft.”
“Jerome Kardane!”
I burst out laughing, and Kyle, who clearly heard his own knight insulting him, shouted with a red face.
Yep. Jerome’s the best at making Kyle mad without trying.
Still, he was a loyal and skilled knight.
“Don’t yell at Sir Jerome. He only said the truth.”
“Flora…”
“I already said it: don’t try to follow me or send people to check on me. That goes for you too, Father.”
I left those words behind and walked out into the hallway, away from two men who looked like they were about to grab my leg and beg me to stay.
