Episode 5
That embarrassing moment from earlier came back to mind.
But he was looking at me with a solemn expression, as if he wouldn’t move until he got an answer.
People’s gazes were also fixed on me.
“Who is that bespectacled girl sticking so close to Sir Dylan? What are they even talking about?”
Why?
Why shouldn’t a bespectacled girl like me be next to someone as extraordinary as Sir Dylan?
Normally, I would’ve brushed off people’s whispers without a second thought.
But now—my family ignored me, I was on the verge of becoming homeless…
All those thoughts piled up, and the alcohol made my irritation flare.
“Fine. The bespectacled girl will disappear soon enough.”
Besides, I had no more time to talk with Sir Dylan. I needed to quickly leave and propose to Tob.
I replied lightly:
“Doesn’t have to be Sir Tob. I just plan to get married.”
“Ah…”
At that moment, Sir Dylan stiffened his lips.
“Does it not matter who your marriage partner is?”
He raised his eyes lazily.
Seeing Sir Dylan’s faint smile made my heart pound violently.
It felt like the alcohol was hitting me all at once.
I couldn’t form words and simply stared at his handsome, noble face in a daze.
Then, from afar, a chorus of critical voices reached me.
Mostly comments like: “Why is that clueless bespectacled girl sticking to Sir Dylan? Has she lost her mind? How low can she be?”
At that moment, reality hit me.
“Snap out of it! Right now, you just look like Beauty and the Beast! Don’t get flustered over Sir Dylan!”
I forced myself to ignore the voices and answered his question:
“…It doesn’t matter who the marriage partner is. As long as there’s no disqualification.”
I was just trying to leave the situation quickly.
“Then, would you accept me?”
“Huh?”
Did I just hear things?
Maybe it was because Sir Dylan usually had such a stoic expression.
“I asked if you would accept me.”
I instinctively imagined the situation if Sir Dylan actually married me.
His status was certainly secure.
Although rumors were everywhere, he didn’t seem like a bad person.
“…I suppose it wouldn’t matter if the marriage partner were you.”
“I see.”
“Yes. Then… would you marry me?”
The moment I said it, the tipsy feeling vanished instantly.
“Wow, even drunk, there’s a limit to what people should say and not say.”
I’d lost my mind.
I was insane.
Even if I misread Sir Dylan’s signals, proposing to him was too much, wasn’t it?
I quickly scanned him.
His thick Adam’s apple moved.
His chest expanded broadly.
And he raised his hand!
I hastily cleared my throat and shouted:
“Just kidding! If you don’t want to—”
“…Pardon?”
“…I mean, if you don’t want to, I’ll—marry Henry.”
“….”
“I’ll marry, uh, Henry. I apologize.”
Even though Henry had already rejected me, there was still a chance.
If you keep trying at a tree that won’t fall, eventually it might.
Maybe if I tried a hundred times tomorrow, he might accept me.
But the moment I said that, his sharp red eyes trembled violently.
Was I hallucinating?
Then Sir Dylan whispered lowly:
“Let’s do it as soon as possible. Marry me.”
“Eh?”
“Not Henry, me.”
Hearing those words, the world spun before my eyes.
I blacked out.
Sir Dylan’s day ran like a finely tuned pocket watch.
Every day followed the same precise routine.
7:00 a.m.—Wake up.
7:30 a.m.—Read the newspaper.
8:00 a.m.—Breakfast.
8:27 a.m.—Forge swords and armor.
Forging swords and armor took about 1 hour and 7 minutes.
Then at 9:34 a.m., he left the knightly quarters to head to the royal palace’s indoor training hall.
The travel time, at his stride, took exactly 16 minutes.
At 9:50 a.m., he arrived at the training hall and inspected the other knights for 10 minutes.
Then he trained with them for about an hour and a half, followed by lunch.
That was Sir Dylan’s usual morning routine.
But today was different.
“Si… Sir Dylan? You’re not usually here at this time.”
A knight passed him, looking as if he had seen a ghost.
Sir Dylan gripped something tightly in his hand.
Today, he had arrived at work a full hour earlier than usual.
And in his hand was an incredible object.
“Is that… an offensive magic device?”
It was the “secret weapon” that would take responsibility for the unprecedented situation suddenly arising in his life.
