Chapter 5
Yes, that was the issue. The marquess and marchioness had married for looks, and even now, past forty, they were still deeply affectionate.
At first, Schniela had thought their story was ridiculous. But after watching her parents for nineteen years, her thoughts had gradually changed.
‘Maybe Father is right. Maybe appearance really is an important factor in marriage.’
That belief had already taken deep root in her heart.
“I know. Your Highness fell in love with my daughter at first sight as well, didn’t you? Honestly, my daughter was quite beautiful.”
At her father’s shameless words, Schniela flushed again. At the same time, she was curious whether Isel truly had fallen for her at first sight.
She stared at him along with her father, waiting for his answer.
“…Yes.”
Isel lowered his gaze slightly, avoiding eye contact.
“…I did.”
His ears had turned red, and his hesitant tone did not match his cold first impression.
Anyone could see he was embarrassed.
To think he had not forgotten the woman he fell for at first sight, even after her death, and had come to propose. It was almost romantic, like something out of a love novel.
The marquess smiled with satisfaction, as if to say, Just as I thought.
“Furthermore, Your Highness possesses excellent character.”
“Character? Me?”
Isel frowned in confusion. Schniela was surprised as well.
Even while bedridden, she had occasionally heard rumors about the Grand Duke of Lindenberg.
They called him the “Slayer of Demonic Beasts,” who single-handedly killed dozens, even hundreds of monsters. They said he was so cold that he could freeze the atmosphere around him.
Schniela had never fully believed those rumors. The Isel in her memory had been blunt but warm.
Still, it was true that the rumors about his character were not especially favorable.
“Your Highness at least saw my daughter as a person, did you not?”
What did that mean? Schniela tilted her head in confusion.
“Did you know? Quite a few proposals were sent for my daughter.”
Schniela’s eyes widened. She had never imagined that anyone would propose to someone bedridden like her.
“But when I investigated, every single one of them was after the inheritance she would leave behind once she died.”
The marquess’s watery eyes burned briefly with quiet anger.
“I tore every one of those proposals apart and burned them. To think they saw my still-living daughter as nothing more than a pile of dying gold coins… It disgusted me. I could not endure it.”
At her father’s confession, something in Schniela’s chest collapsed.
She had never known. She had never imagined that there were people who would propose while wishing for her death.
Her father must have felt his heart shatter once, perhaps dozens of times, as he read those malicious proposals on her behalf.
[I’m sorry, Father. I’m sorry you had to go through that because of me.]
Isel said nothing, his lips pressed tightly together. A chilling sharpness flickered in his red eyes.
To Schniela, it looked as though he was suppressing anger.
But why? This was her tragedy. It had nothing to do with him.
“I am deeply regretful regarding what happened with the young lady’s proposals.”
Isel finally spoke. His words were blunt, but the weight of sincerity was clear.
Schniela felt grateful to him. It was as if he was offering comfort to her father in her place, since she could not speak as a ghost.
“But I did not propose in order to inherit her fortune. I do not require a single coin of dowry.”
His voice was firm.
“I know. If you had seen my daughter merely as an inheritance, you would have sent your acceptance immediately. But you hesitated because you saw her as a person, did you not?”
At that, Isel blinked his long lashes several times but could not answer easily.
The marquess simply smiled gently at him, as if to say, Thank you for being the kind of man who would propose to my daughter.
“As her father, I have only one small regret… I wish you had come a little earlier. She would have smiled and been so happy.”
Well. Schniela thought differently. She felt it was fortunate that she met Isel after her death.
Watching a beloved person lie helpless in bed would have been painful. Watching someone you love slowly die would have been even worse.
It was better this way.
“Thank you. I will never take this marriage lightly.”
After his throat bobbed for a while, Isel finally gave his solemn answer.
“…If my daughter could hear that, she would have been pleased.”
The marquess murmured as he looked up at the sky.
Would she really call this feeling simply happiness?
Even if it was a spirit wedding, his sincerity in not taking it lightly made her heart swell.
At the same time, the depth of his feelings for her seemed greater than she expected, making her chest feel tight.
[It’s not like I was that serious about you.]
She had simply liked his quiet kindness when he listened to her as a child.
Muttering shyly to herself, Schniela covered her flushed cheeks with both hands.
Meanwhile, Isel silently waited for the marquess to compose himself.
After several minutes of gazing at the sky, the marquess looked at him again.
“Forgive me. I cannot believe I behaved like this with Your Highness before me.”
“It is quite all right. Please treat me comfortably.”
At his considerate reply, the marquess studied him quietly. Warm approval filled his eyes.
“Your Highness, since we have discussed it, may I suggest a wedding date?”
Isel nodded slowly.
“How about tomorrow?”
Both Isel and Schniela widened their eyes at the same time.
“Tomorrow? Is that not too soon?”
[Exactly! Even for a wedding, there must be things to prepare!]
Schniela nodded vigorously in agreement.
“No. I cannot inconvenience a man who has traveled so far.”
But the marquess shook his head firmly.
“You will stay here tonight and we will hold the ceremony tomorrow.”
“But surely preparations are necessary?”
“Preparations? We intended to handle most of them ourselves…”
The marquess tilted his head.
“Well, typically, the groom should prepare a ring… or something of the sort.”
Isel replied in a slightly smaller voice. The back of his neck had turned red.
A ring? Schniela had not even thought of that.
She had assumed a spirit wedding would be a simple ceremony before the High Priest.
The fact that Isel was considering even such details made her think he was more serious than she realized. Perhaps he was more thoughtful than she had expected.
Contrary to her thoughts, the marquess let out a soft chuckle.
“…May I ask why you are laughing?”
“It simply reminded me of when I proposed to my wife.”
The marquess looked at Isel with an indulgent smile, as though he were looking at an adorable young man.
Isel narrowed his eyes slightly, not quite understanding the meaning behind the smile.
“As for the ring, do not worry. By coincidence, there is a pair already commissioned at a jeweler affiliated with our family.”
He added that they would only need to adjust the platinum bands to size, and that one day would be sufficient.
“By the way, do you have a formal outfit prepared?”
The marquess asked cautiously after observing him.
“I am wearing my finest clothes today.”
[Huh? That…?]
Schniela was momentarily speechless.
Isel wore a dark navy frock coat with a plain black vest and trousers, along with a matching cravat.
It was neat overall, but the fabric showed signs of wear in several places.
The vest’s design was outdated in the capital. It was even the same outfit he had worn to her funeral.
He was not even wearing simple cufflinks or a tie pin.
[How can such shabby clothes be paired with that handsome face?!]
It was a waste of his looks. Schniela fumed inwardly.
“…It would be better to postpone the wedding by three days. It seems there is much to prepare.”
As if sensing her thoughts, the marquess calmly made his decision.
[Father, you’re the best!]
