Episode 10 — I Will Formally Send a Proposal of Marriage
“Rosen!”
Rosen left the conference room and headed straight for the stables.
Even when a voice called out from behind, he didn’t release the reins.
“Your Majesty the Emperor.”
“Are you truly going to get married?”
“It’s not like I haven’t thought about an heir.”
Rosen stroked his horse, Vanilla, and answered calmly.
Panting, Lante ran up, brushing his disheveled hair back.
“Do you even know what marriage means?”
“……You’re treating me like an idiot, Oberon.”
“You’re not going to call me Lante anymore?”
“Fine then, Lante. Stop treating me like a fool.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
For once, Lante resented the fact that he was the emperor.
Rosen soothed her restless horse, who was pawing impatiently at the ground.
“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll be going.”
“Already?”
“I have to return to my territory. I only postponed work to attend the festival meeting.”
She leapt onto the saddle and lightly gripped the reins.
She would have ridden off immediately if not for Lante’s hand stopping her.
“Why?”
“……”
He hesitated, then straightened his back and met her eyes with renewed resolve.
Rosen, recognizing the look in his eyes, unconsciously held her breath.
“Return safely, Grand Duke Titania.”
At those words, Rosen immediately dismounted.
Kneeling before him on one knee, she bowed her head.
“May your reign always be filled with peace, Your Majesty Lante Oberon Castan.”
“……At least reply to my letters, will you? I nearly die waiting.”
“I’ll do that.”
Her horse pawed impatiently again.
As she swung back onto the saddle, Lante offered his hand to steady her.
She didn’t realize he didn’t want to let go.
Rosen spurred her horse forward.
Watching her grow smaller in the distance, lante murmured softly:
“……You’re too far away, Rosen.”
He kept watching until she vanished into a single dot against the sunlight.
“If you’re far away, then I’ll just close the distance, Barhel. Right?”
Turning his head, Lante saw Aiden standing silently in the shadow of a tree.
“Father, have you lost your mind?!”
“I wish I had.”
Holden Fay Take shouted, his tone rising as he faced his father, Garhil She Take, who only sighed deeply in response.
At the table, Holden’s mother, Marsh Take, continued eating as if nothing were happening.
“How could you accept that?! Do you expect me to actually attend that meeting?!”
Holden shot up from his seat, pointing his spoon accusingly at his father.
Garhil leaned back, sighing again.
“What was I supposed to say? ‘We can’t meet the infamous Grand Duke because he’s too scary’? And you—where do you think you’re raising your voice, at the dinner table? Sit down!”
“Ugh, Father!”
“Sit down, Fay.”
“Yes, Mother.”
At Marsh’s calm command, Holden obediently sat, glaring at his father.
Garhil only shrugged as if to say, ‘It’s your life now, not mine.’
He’s the one who caused this mess, so why do I have to deal with it…
Holden rubbed his temple.
To sit alone with the notoriously unreadable Grand Duke—just the thought made his stomach churn unpleasantly.
He took a sip of water to settle it, but the feeling lingered.
Yet, despite everything, Rosen didn’t send any word.
The supposed meeting date never came.
If I ask Father, he’ll just think I’m interested…
So Holden buried himself in work instead.
“Next patient.”
He looked down at his papers, forcing his tone to sound professional.
—Creak.—
“Where does it hurt—Grand Duke?”
“Pardon the intrusion.”
Rosen entered the clinic carrying a small child on her back.
“The child injured his leg and couldn’t walk, so I brought him here.”
That was how it began.
Every day, at least one patient came in carried or supported by Rosen herself—usually with minor bruises or festival-related injuries.
“Avoid washing the wound for a day or two and disinfect it properly.”
“Thank you, doctor…”
And every time, Rosen stood silently beside them, like a knight guarding her charge.
When the treatment was done, she helped the patient out.
After three days of this pattern, Holden couldn’t help but grow suspicious.
The latest patient was a young woman.
Could the Grand Duke… possibly be harming people?
“Could you please step outside for a moment? I need to speak privately with the patient.”
“Understood.”
Rosen left without hesitation.
Once the door closed, Holden asked cautiously:
“The Grand Duke didn’t do anything to you, did he?”
“P–Pardon?”
“Like giving you money and telling you to fake an injury…”
“Oh, no! Of course not! The Duke just happened to help me!”
Holden eyed her skeptically.
“But others have said—”
“Said what?”
He waited tensely for her answer.
“That the Grand Duke’s been near the clinic lately.”
“…Excuse me?”
“People said they’ve seen the Duke walking around here every day.”
Holden frowned deeply.
“Grand Duke Titania? Around the clinic?”
“Yes, just now I even saw them by the flower shop.”
“Near the clinic.”
“Yes, always near the clinic.”
Is she trying to buy the building or something?
Holden couldn’t help but feel suspicious.
But even so, Rosen continued her quiet visits—never intruding beyond bringing patients.
“Maybe I’m just imagining things…”
Stretching with a long sigh, Holden stood and walked to the window.
She’s really around here?
He peered down.
And sure enough—
A faint shimmer of lavender hair caught the wind below.
When she looked up, her gray eyes glinted in the sunlight.
“……What the—”
Holden quickly ducked back from the window, covering his mouth.
“She’s actually there…”
His heart thudded violently.
“Has something happened?”
Holden eventually stepped outside, unable to contain his curiosity.
Rosen stood there, calm as ever.
He swallowed dryly and cleared his throat.
“There were reports from patients that you’ve been patrolling this area lately.”
“That’s correct.”
“Do you have some business here?”
Rosen’s steady eyes met his.
When she finally spoke, her tone was quiet but resolute.
“I was waiting for your work to finish.”
“I see—wait, what?”
“With the festival approaching, your clinic must be busy. Injuries happen often, don’t they?”
“Well… yes, but…”
She was waiting for me to finish work?
Holden blinked, unable to hide his confusion.
“Will you be working late again today?”
“Uh—yes. Probably…”
Maybe this was the meeting his father mentioned.
Still, he’d rather work overtime than sit awkwardly with the Grand Duke.
Besides… she makes me nervous every time I see her.
—Creak.—
“Doctor Holden! Thanks for covering the night shift!”
“Wha—”
“Another doctor’s coming soon, so you can head home early!”
—Thunk.—
The door shut behind his cheerful coworker.
Holden stared blankly.
And then—
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Ah, no, it’s nothing. Just doing my job…”
“Do you like tea?”
“Tea?”
“I know one that’s good for fatigue.”
Whenever his gaze met hers, Rosen offered a faint, almost shy smile.
“Is the tea not to your liking?”
“……No, it’s fine.”
Why am I even here?
He could have just gone home to sleep.
How did he end up sitting in a teahouse with the Grand Duke of all people?
Holden looked across at Rosen, who sat gracefully, cup in hand.
Her scarred fingers were wrapped around the porcelain.
Those hands… how many lives have they taken?
He swallowed silently.
“It’s good for easing exhaustion. Drink it while it’s still warm.”
“Th–thank you.”
The tea smelled pleasantly nutty. He took a sip—smooth, soothing warmth sliding down his throat.
“How many children do you wish to have?”
“PFFFT!”
He spat out the tea in shock.
“Are you alright?”
Rosen leaned slightly forward, genuinely concerned, though her expression seemed almost unreadable.
“Y–yes, I’m fine—cough!”
His reddened eyes watered as he wiped them behind his glasses.
Rosen watched him quietly—intently, almost studying him.
Her dark hair was tied back neatly, her black eyes like coal beneath soft lashes.
“……So, about the children…”
“I suppose you haven’t heard from your father.”
“Excuse me? I—I only knew we’d be meeting, not that—”
Holden froze.
This wasn’t just a casual meeting…?
“I intend to send you a formal proposal of marriage.”
Rosen smiled faintly as she lifted her cup again.
Holden turned hastily away, his ears burning red.
How can she say that so calmly?!
He fidgeted with his cup, unsure what to do.
But silence didn’t last long.
“……Why me, of all people?”
“You mean for marriage?”
“Yes.”
“……”
Rosen was quiet—not because she had nothing to say, but because there was too much.
She slowly raised her scarred hands.
“How do my hands look to you?”
They were covered in old wounds—one deep and ugly across the left.
“Those scars… must have hurt.”
“……Thanks to a certain physician, they didn’t.”
“I see…”
Holden blinked.
Wait… because of her hands?
Rosen traced the scars gently and smiled.
“You treated me.”
“……”
“You may not remember, but you served in the recent war, didn’t you?”
Holden looked confused.
“But I don’t recall seeing you on the battlefield…”
“It wasn’t during the war.”
Rosen lowered her hands beneath the table and continued softly.
“I will formally send a proposal of marriage. Please… marry me.”
Rosen’s steady gaze met Holden’s, unwavering — the expression of someone who had already made her choice.
