Chapter 18…
The news that Erios and I were getting married spread faster than I could have imagined.
“Lady Artea’s aunt—no, wait—the Duke of Killiet, is it true you’re marrying him?”
“Madam! People from the Duke’s estate came by saying there are wedding preparations going on—i-is it true? You’re getting married?”
I’d only told a few people! How is this rumor spreading so fast? Why is everyone acting like it’s breaking news?
It started with a few of the servants asking questions, and before long, Artea burst through my door.
Bang!
“Aunt!”
“Artea, you should knock before coming in. And don’t go kicking the door open like that.”
“Marriage! Aunt! Marriage! Aunt? Marriage—wi-with Uncle! Huh?”
Artea was so excited she didn’t even hear what I said. The girl bounced up and down on the spot, squealing before running straight at me.
“I’m so! So happyyy!!!”
“Ugh—ack.”
She’s such a small child, but why does it hurt so much when she throws her whole body at me like that?
Erios caught her easily when she ran to him before. Maybe that’s the difference in body size—or experience.
Either way, I groaned as Artea hugged my neck tightly and rubbed her cheek against mine.
“To think Aunt and Uncle were in love all this time! How come I didn’t know? Oh! I’m so, so, sooo happy!”
“A-Artea… Aunt’s getting dizzy….”
“I heard you two used to date! Why didn’t you tell me! Huh? You liked each other! Aaaah! What do I do!”
What do you mean, what do you do? You don’t have to do anything.
Just when I thought her grip around my neck was loosening, she suddenly started shrieking like a dolphin.
Her mouth was right next to my ear!
“Artea, my ears hurt! Let’s use our inside voice!”
“Hmm? Tell me, then!!”
Her cheeks were flushed bright red from excitement, her eyes curved from smiling so hard that I could barely see them.
She bounced in my arms, practically glowing.
“Huh? Huh? Aunt! Say something! Why aren’t you talking?”
“I-I’ll tell you when Uncle comes….”
Not because I was in mortal danger or anything—though it did feel close—but because ever since things got awkward with Erios, we hadn’t spoken much at all.
If we said the wrong thing, it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings.
But Artea clearly thought differently.
“Kyaaa! Aunt misses Uncle already! You don’t want to talk unless he’s here? Kyaaah!”
Good grief… a child’s high-pitched voice really is a kind of sonic attack magic.
Having decided on her own explanation, Artea finally released me and went hopping out of the room.
“Aunt! I brought Uncle!”
She was gone maybe five minutes before she came running back, dragging Erios behind her.
‘Wow, I was just starting to rest, and she already brought him back.’
Or maybe the servants were curious too and helped her find him faster.
Either way, the man she dragged along looked completely bewildered when I explained that Artea wanted to hear the whole story of why we were getting married.
But that confusion didn’t last long.
“Right. Uncle asked Aunt to marry him because he loves her so much.”
“Kh—!”
Erios smiled softly… and uttered absolute nonsense!
“Waaah! He loves you sooo much he just had to marry you!”
And Artea, of course, exploded in joy at his ridiculous words.
What the—! We’re not even marrying for love!
We just have to act like we get along fine. Why go spouting that kind of nonsense?
‘Hey, she’s already excited! Why are you fanning the flames?!’
I glared at Erios, but he didn’t even look my way.
Still, I didn’t want Artea to notice anything off, so I closed my eyes tightly and forced my expression calm.
“Phew… Artea, maybe let’s quiet down a little, okay?”
Any more of this, and my ears would start bleeding.
But well, it was already too late for that.
I didn’t expect her to actually listen while she was still bouncing in excitement—
“Artea, if you sit quietly, Uncle and Aunt will tell you everything.”
“Okay!”
At Erios’s words, Artea immediately sat down obediently.
Her little legs—still longer than most her age—didn’t even twitch, and she folded her hands neatly on her lap.
“Wow.”
“As expected, Artea knows how to behave properly.”
“Of course! I’m not a baby anymore!”
She lifted her chin proudly.
“Please continue, Uncle.”
Now she was even minding her tone—graceful and polite.
Since when did Artea talk like that?
“Well then, Artea, are you happy that Uncle and Aunt are getting married?”
“Yes, yes! I’m so—wait. Let me say it properly. I’m very happy that the two of you are getting married.”
“Uncle feels blessed to have your support, my dear niece. Then…”
Erios turned his gaze to me.
“Aunt feels the same way too, right?”
“……”
He’d avoided looking at me all this time—why include me now?
You’re the one who made that ‘I’m marrying for love’ nonsense up!
“Aunt too…!”
But Artea’s eyes were shining twice as bright as usual, sparkling with expectation.
If I didn’t answer soon, her eyes might pop out.
“Yes. Aunt’s very thankful that Artea’s happy we’re getting married.”
Ha… ha ha ha…
“You hear that, Artea?”
“Kyaaah… hohohoho!”
This time, instead of screaming like a dolphin, Artea covered her mouth and giggled.
So she can laugh quietly.
“Then from now on, Aunt and Uncle and I will all live together?”
“Mm-hmm. Since we’ll need a bigger place for that, we’ll live in the ducal estate.”
Of course, that would also help secure Artea’s position as the heir.
“Is this a dream?!”
She pinched her soft little cheek.
Her tiny hand didn’t look strong enough, but apparently, it hurt—her face scrunched up tight before she started chattering again, insisting it was real.
“I was originally going to marry Uncle, but… since it’s Aunt, I’ll let her have him!”
“Wow, Aunt’s about to cry from joy….”
“If someone else were marrying Uncle, I’d be sad—but since it’s you, Aunt, it’s okay. I’m happy. So, so happy!”
Well, even if it’s a marriage I never imagined having…
‘He’s not perfect, and I’m not perfect either. So at least there should be enough of us to protect Artea.’
With that thought, I glanced at Erios.
But as always, he didn’t meet my eyes—his face calm and unreadable.
As if carved from marble. The perfect image of the Knight of Dawn.
And so, some time later, I found myself riding in a carriage bound for the Duke’s estate.
After everything that had happened—and with Artea feeling anxious—it couldn’t be helped that she, Erios, and I shared the same carriage.
‘To think I’ll be stuck in the same space with him all the way to the estate….’
For some reason, it felt even more awkward than before I accepted his proposal.
Though, to be fair, it’s always been awkward.
But Artea comes first.
I’ve chosen to raise her and stay here, so I’ll just have to endure.
‘Well, we’ll be seeing each other plenty after the wedding anyway….’
That thought alone made me sigh, but it wouldn’t be good to look gloomy in front of the child.
Life really is unpredictable.
To think I’d end up marrying the one man I swore I never wanted to see again.
“Aunt! What kind of dress are you going to wear at the wedding?”
“Hmm. I haven’t really thought about it. I’ve never been that interested in dresses.”
Honestly, I’d rather not even have a ceremony.
All that nonsense—vows, kisses, fake smiles for the crowd—why bother?
But if I wanted to establish my position as Duchess and give Artea more strength, we needed to make it known loud and clear.
“Hmph! Then should I help you pick the wedding dress?”
She tried to sound prim, but her eyes sparkled with excitement.
