Chapter 25
“Alright, let’s get married.”
The moment I said it, I saw his face light up right in front of me—like he had just been handed the whole world.
He cupped my face in both hands, and that sculpted face leaned in toward me. Soft lips pressed against mine for just a second before pulling away. It was quick—swift like a predator striking.
Last time he’d kissed my cheek. This time, it was my lips! And without even asking me first!
While I was still startled, he smiled brightly and said,
“If it upset you, I’ll let you hit me.”
Hah… they say it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.
Turns out that’s true—because I wasn’t even upset. If anything… it was so short it left me wanting more.
I put on a prim expression and tapped his shoulder.
“Stop making me out to be a violent woman and get up. You’re a duke—people will talk if you keep kneeling like this.”
“Then who else should I kneel to if not you?”
“Fine, then kneel only to me.”
He pulled my hands into his and kissed them.
“As you wish.”
After that, Owen and I discussed a few important matters.
First was the wedding.
If it were up to him, he’d hold it immediately. I could tell he wanted to make it official before I had the chance to change my mind.
But—
“That won’t do.”
“Why not?”
“The Empress’s birthday banquet is in two weeks. We should start preparing after that.”
Our marriage would be a union of two of the empire’s four great houses. Even my engagement to Arnold hadn’t been done in such haste. This was even more important—it was an actual wedding.
After a bit of back and forth, he admitted I was right.
He muttered sulkily,
“I wish I could close my eyes and open them to find it’s already our wedding day.”
“Can’t you wait?”
“Do you even need to ask? I’m ready to marry you right now in the stables with the horses as our only guests. Then I’d send out a special news bulletin to the whole empire.”
Good grief… and apparently publishing these bulletins had become his hobby.
I laughed and smacked his shoulder, but he caught my hand and kissed it again.
“But since this is a sacred ceremony to welcome my master, I suppose I can’t allow it to be done so crudely.”
His eyes turned serious.
“I promise you’ll never regret choosing me. I’ll make you the happiest bride in the empire.”
I blushed a little and said,
“I’m already pretty happy.”
“Don’t be satisfied yet, Sophia. I may look good in clothes, but…”
He leaned in and whispered in my ear,
“I’m even better without them. You can look forward to the day I can make you cry—legally.”
It only took me a second to get what he meant, and my face flared red. I’d never experienced it myself, but I’d heard and seen enough… and judging from what I could see under his clothes, his body was the best I’d ever seen.
My mind jumped back to when we’d ridden together before—how our bodies had brushed again and again.
My eyes must have flicked downward for just a moment, because he suddenly grabbed a cushion from the sofa and set it over his lap, covering his hips and thighs. He even looked a little embarrassed.
“I concede—you’re far more indecent than I am.”
“That’s not it at all!”
I shouted, but he didn’t move the cushion for the rest of our talk.
Second was where I’d be staying until the wedding.
My original plan had been to have breakfast here at the ducal estate, then take Arne to a hotel in the capital for a while. I couldn’t just leave him here forever. I’d use that week to explain things to him and sort out some matters.
Even though the “Owen and I decided to marry” development had happened this morning, I didn’t think it would change that plan.
Owen, however, thought differently.
He started throwing out things like, “Do you not trust the ducal estate?” and “If something bothers you here, I’ll fix it”—and even, “If you insist on leaving, I’ll secretly buy out whatever hotel you’re staying in.”
In the end, I raised the white flag.
“We’re going to be living together as a family anyway, Sophia. If we start now, we’ll adjust faster.”
“But…”
He looked genuinely curious about why I was resisting. I hesitated, then told him the truth.
“I’m not just any guest. For the staff, having the future duchess show up out of the blue will be overwhelming. They’ve never had a woman my age living here before. They’ll need time to prepare. And I didn’t bring anything with me—I thought I was going to a hotel.”
What I didn’t say out loud was that I wanted to make a good impression. I didn’t want to seem like a random stranger who just rolled in; I wanted to meet everyone properly, step by step. That felt more dignified.
Owen laughed, almost like he’d read my mind. Even when I glared, he just covered his mouth with one hand but kept chuckling.
I stood up.
“I’ll wait outside. Call me when you’re done laughing.”
He quickly reached out, gently took my hand, and even laced our fingers together. Still smiling, he said,
“If that’s your reason, you don’t need to worry, Sophia.”
“This is important to me, Your Grace—don’t make light of it.”
“Owen. And I’m very serious too.”
Right. That’s true.
“Sophia, will you stay here at the ducal estate? As my fiancée?”
I sighed and sat back down.
“Fine. I’ll stay.”
Lastly, we talked about Arne’s new identity.
My original plan was to register him as the youngest child of the Bartoli marquisate. I couldn’t leave him as an unknown orphan forever, so I’d claim him as the marquis’s illegitimate son. That was why I’d been planning to use Bambi to get leverage over the marquis.
It was unfair to Arne, but no one would believe I’d given birth to him anyway. It seemed the best option.
But Owen made a completely unexpected suggestion.
“Would you allow Arne to be entered into the Glenntino family registry as the youngest son? Then, at the right time, we can officially adopt him as our child.”
“As… a duke’s son?”
“Yes. About ten years ago, my father was still healthy enough that we could say he’s my parents’ late-born child. To avoid questions, we’ll say he was sent to the countryside to recover from illness.”
…What?
Even a passing thunderroot could tell this was a much higher status than being a marquis’s illegitimate child. And it was completely disadvantageous for him—if I abandoned Arne, Owen would be stuck raising him.
Yet Owen just looked apologetic.
“Of course, I’d love to announce he’s our real son right now, but the circumstances don’t allow it.”
I quickly nodded.
“That’s a good idea. But will the duchess agree? I mean, your mother.”
Thinking about it, I realized that from now on “the duchess” would mean me… which made my cheeks warm.
He said casually,
“That’s why we need to go ask her. I’ve written to her several times, but she hasn’t replied. She left the capital for her hometown right after Father passed away.”
Something felt odd. He’d sent letters “several times”? About Arne? But this idea had only just come up today.
Before I could question him, Owen dropped another surprise.
“Since we also have to tell her about our wedding, let’s go visit her—with Arne.”
