Chapter 45
Pleased at how easily the negotiations had concluded, I smiled inwardly.
“Then all that’s left is to sign a contract.”
At my words, Mille flinched and looked up at me as I stood from my seat. I extended my hand toward her for the final step, while she stared blankly.
“A c-contract? We have to write a contract?”
“You are a Saintess. And I am the daughter of a count. Between the two of us, there is a clear imbalance of power based on social status. We can’t overcome that difference, but we must at least acknowledge it—and draw up a contract to protect me.”
The conversation paused briefly, and Mille’s eyes blinked slowly. Then she snapped into attention and sprang to her feet.
Grasping my hand tightly with both of hers, Mille bowed deeply. Wisler reached out as if to stop her, but it was already too late.
“Y-yes, yes! If you give me the contract, I-I can sign it right away!”
My brows drew together at her recklessness.
Was she not having an affair with him, but simply deceived by Wisler’s lies?
That thought crossed my mind because Mille carried an oddly carefree air about her. If Heraise possessed a flexible, composed kind of ease, then hers was a bright, innocent sort of ease.
But could someone really be deceived like that?
There was no way she wouldn’t have known that I was Wisler’s girlfriend.
Suddenly, something an old pen pal once told me flashed through my mind—that she had only recently come up from the countryside and didn’t have many friends herself.
Even so, the uneasy feeling wouldn’t completely fade.
Let’s consider the timing. When I discovered Mille and Wisler kissing, she might not have known then.
But not long after, she would have learned that Wisler had a lover. She would also have found out that the lover was me, that we were publicly dating, and that he had kissed her anyway. Recent articles had even gone on about our past relationship—there was no way she could have missed it.
Wisler was a very famous figure. Because of that, even when I wasn’t active socially, there were few nobles who didn’t know my name. She might not have known immediately after arriving from the countryside, but she would have learned my name and face soon enough.
And yet, in Mille’s eyes as she looked at me, there wasn’t the slightest trace of guilt. Other than some apology over the recent incident, there was no other emotion to be found.
More importantly, I couldn’t detect any negative feelings at all in the way Mille looked at Wisler.
Is she madly in love?
There are people who seem perfectly normal in everyday life, but once love is involved, they think affairs or cheating are acceptable.
Well, if it came to that… even such a person was still better than Wisler. Unlike him, at least she was someone you could devise a strategy for.
You just avoid a love triangle. Unlike Wisler, Heraise would never betray me, so this was a problem I could resolve easily.
We’re even at the point where marriage is possible. Even if Mille were to develop feelings for Heraise, she wouldn’t be able to act rashly then.
Before Wisler could smooth things over, I spoke firmly.
“As a Saintess, you hold the most honorable position in this empire. I trust that someone like you wouldn’t easily retract words once spoken—especially at such a sensitive time, when extra caution is required.”
“Indeed. I agree.”
Wisler stepped in to answer. His face had stiffened—such a subtle change that only someone who had been watching closely would notice.
“If the Saintess signs a contract allowing me to take on the role of ‘Glorifier’ twice in official settings, then we should be finished here.”
Saintess Mille Shining, and me, Philena Light—who until recently had been branded a villainess. Temporarily serving as her Glorifier was the perfect position for both learning more about Mille and reshaping my own reputation.
That influence would naturally extend to me—and to Heraise, who continued to be mentioned alongside me. It was perfect.
* * *
That day, Wisler’s fingers trembled a few more times as he looked at me, but unfortunately, I had no bananas to give him. I wasn’t that idle.
Yesterday, I had roamed around outside until late at night buying various reference books: A Historical Proposal, The Proper Way to Marriage, 100 Pieces of Advice for Proposals, Testimonials for Prospective Brides and Grooms. I didn’t just focus on popular titles—I checked the tables of contents and bought anything that looked worthwhile.
Clara was astonished when she saw my room, now filled with new odds and ends, first thing in the morning. She looked at me with curiosity.
“Miss, have you found someone to give you marriage advice? Or did you suddenly feel like you have to get married within a few years?”
“The first is wrong. The second is right.”
I set down 100 Pieces of Advice for Proposals and looked her straight in the eye.
“I’m thinking of getting married.”
“Then in five—”
“This month.”
“—Fiiiiiive years!!”
“The way you said that was strange, Clara.”
“Not five years—you mean this month?!”
“The intonation is really strange.”
“So not five years, not four years, not three years, not two years, not one year—this month?!”
Whether she intended it or not, it sounded like she was swearing repeatedly. I smoothed my furrowed brow and spoke calmly.
“I can count, too. I’m not saying I’ll do it tomorrow. I said I want to do it this month.”
“Mi-miss! Even if the master and madam raised you freely, humans aren’t supposed to soar through the sky like birds! It’s time for you to become ordinary—like me!”
Clara stopped talking and panted, then finally let out the breath she’d been holding and shouted,
“Today’s trip to the jeweler isn’t to buy a ring, is it?!”
“You got it right. You’ve been my maid for so long—your judgment and deduction skills have really improved. Well done.”
Apparently disliking the praise, Clara looked utterly stunned. In the end, I decided to share some news enticing enough to rival marriage.
“Clara, when Heraise and I get married, our influence will grow even larger than it is now. Even if we’re married, it hasn’t been long since we became a topic of interest, so we’ll continue to have influence for a while.”
“I-I suppose so?”
“At that moment, if we sell all the newspapers we’ve been stockpiling, we’ll become rich. And your wealth doubling won’t be far off either.”
“I-I see?”
By now, Clara wore an expression just as composed as mine.
“The master and madam raised you freely. They’ve never opposed your choices.”
“That’s right. This time will be the same.”
“…You said you want to get married, but you still haven’t heard Duke Gray’s answer yet, have you?”
“Not yet. That’s why I’m preparing so thoroughly.”
“Very few people can defeat you when you prepare like you’re going to war.”
Clara clasped her hands on her lap and met my gaze.
“Miss, soar high—like a bird, no, like a dragon. Don’t stay ordinary like me. I’m absolutely in favor of this marriage.”
There was too much money waiting for Clara for her to remain flustered.
Excited, the two of us shared a satisfied smile.
* * *
“Miss, we’ve arrived.”
Before going to the jeweler, I decided to stop by the Gray estate to see Heraise first. I planned to check his ring size so we could have one made.
“I apologize. We tried waking him, but he wouldn’t get up. Please allow me to guide you inside for now.”
The butler apologized as he led me in. As I walked, I reflected on how long it had been since we last met.
After I proposed, Heraise and I hadn’t really spoken. We hadn’t exchanged letters either.
Is he avoiding me? That thought crossed my mind—but rationally speaking, there was no reason for it.
What we had done was essentially debate the topic of marriage, and he had expressed reluctance. But his reasoning hadn’t been particularly convincing.
