Chapter 44
“Greetings, Duchess. I am Rashly of the Sove Count family.”
Her curtsey, holding the hem of her dress and bowing her knees, was flawless. Selakia forgot what it meant to be offended and let her gaze sweep over Rashly—from her round head at the crown to the hem of her skirt that surely hid her tiny feet.
It took less than a second to take in her figure.
“I’ll be blunt. Please break up with the Duke.”
The polite greeting was meaningless as Rashly skipped all formalities and went straight to the point. Selakia slumped into her chair, holding her throbbing head. It wasn’t because she was shocked by the girl’s audacity.
“Lady Rashly. Forgive me, but did you come here alone to see me?”
“Yes.”
“And the words you just said—are they a message from Count Sove?”
“No. Count Sove doesn’t even know I’m meeting you separately. I came here to tell you my own feelings.”
Tch. Selakia swallowed a sigh. Rashly, sitting across from her, lifted her eyes with a haughty look.
But it wasn’t the least bit intimidating.
She had expected something like this, but not… not like this.
A huge ribbon cutely decorating her head.
Chubby cheeks, plump like peaches.
Two legs dangling in the air, not even touching the floor…
Who on earth would imagine hearing such words from a child who looked not even ten years old?
“Please give me back my prince.”
“Your prince? Do you mean His Imperial Highness, the Prince of the Empire?”
Clinging to that faint hope, Selakia’s heart sank as Rashly uttered the name she had dreaded.
“What are you saying? I don’t care about the Imperial Prince. My prince is none other than Duke Tenus Seidon.”
“…I see. Very well then, Lady Rashly of House Sove. I’d like to hear the reason you say such things to me.”
“What other reason could there be? Duke Tenus must marry me. I am his destined partner.”
“…Do you know how old Tenus is, my lady?”
At that cautious question, Rashly’s plump cheeks puffed up as if her weakness had been struck. Folding her arms, she tried to look obstinate.
“What does age matter? Time passes quickly. Just like you, I’ll soon come of age.”
“Indeed. And Tenus will grow older as well. Time is fair to all.”
“Even when he grows old, my prince is still my prince.”
“Well, an old prince is still technically a prince, I suppose.”
Even Selakia’s skeptical remark did not shake Rashly. Instead, as if expecting this kind of attack, she shot back effortlessly:
“Haven’t you ever heard that age is just a number?”
“Of course I have. I deeply agree with that saying. And I believe once you grow into an adult with a sound sense of values, you’ll understand its meaning even better.”
“Hmph. Don’t try to make me give up with your fancy words. The Duke feels the same way I do, anyway.”
“…What?”
For the first time, Selakia’s composure faltered. Rashly puffed up with triumph, her rosy cheeks lifting into a bright grin.
“That’s right. He was originally supposed to marry me!”
Selakia felt as though she had been struck on the back of her head. She had been certain this was just childish infatuation.
She clearly heard sighs escape from Roberta and Nancy, who had been standing like ornaments against the wall.
The only one excited in this room was Rashly.
“Would you believe me if I showed you the marriage proposal that came to me?”
From a cat-faced handbag, Rashly carefully pulled out an envelope, treating it like a precious treasure. Selakia stared at the small white hand reaching toward her, then reluctantly accepted the envelope.
The crest of two crossed tridents with a serpent rising above them.
High-quality paper, shimmering faintly blue, with a silky smooth texture.
It was an envelope she knew all too well, sending chills down her spine.
“Duke Tenus is my prince. I’ve never seen anyone as perfectly handsome as him. And he’s so dignified and mature…”
“Well, of course he’s mature. He’s an actual adult. It would be strange if he weren’t.”
Even as she confirmed Rashly Sove’s name clearly written on the proposal, Selakia didn’t forget to retort.
Once, in the Empire’s past, child marriages had been common. But that was long before her grandparents’ time. Now, the Empire strictly forbade underage marriages.
That wasn’t to say marriages with an age gap were suppressed. Nor did Selakia have prejudice against them. Her own parents had a considerable age gap—her mother was about seven years older, after all.
But they had met as adults, so their case was completely different from this with Tenus and Rashly.
“…That lunatic.”
Selakia muttered a curse under her breath so Rashly wouldn’t hear.
What on earth had he done to such a little child?
Her opinion of Tenus, which had been steadily improving lately, suddenly plummeted to the ground.
The plan she had prepared for similar situations—to ask someone threatening her to wait just a month—was now utterly useless.
She had even entertained the wild dream that such a situation might turn into a useful alliance.
“Lady Sove, forgive my rudeness, but may I ask your age?”
“I just had my ninth birthday party not long ago. In nine years, I’ll be old enough to marry.”
“So you must live as long as you already have, all over again.”
“Nine years will fly by!”
Selakia couldn’t agree. To her, even a month felt long—nine years was an eternity.
Her ambitious plan to draw Rashly in had to be shelved for now. Instead, she decided to focus on coaxing the child.
“From another perspective, what you just said means you have nine whole years to meet and observe men. Isn’t that wonderful? No need to choose a groom already.”
“The boys around me are all boring. Nowhere do I see anyone like Duke Seidon. Have you, Duchess, ever seen a man more handsome than him?”
This time, Selakia couldn’t immediately counter. After rolling her eyes around, she reluctantly admitted part of it.
“Looks are very important in a man. Of course. But one must not overlook other qualities, my lady.”
“Yet who in this Empire, apart from the Imperial family, can match the honor and wealth of House Seidon?”
“I personally believe a person’s character is most important of all.”
Her words carried weight, but Rashly only looked like she wanted to pick her ears out of boredom.
“Why do all adults say the same things? It’s no fun.”
Her squishy face looked like it would collapse at a poke, but her will was stubbornly firm. She clearly wasn’t about to be persuaded.
Selakia’s frustration naturally turned back to Tenus. What had he been thinking, planting foolish hopes in such a young girl?
Was he truly a deranged pervert?
While she entertained this reasonable suspicion—knock, knock. Urgent knocks sounded. Roberta opened the door, and Count Sove stormed into the drawing room.
“Rashly Sove!”
At his thunderous voice, Rashly half-leapt from her chair in fright. Count Sove seized her wrist as if to drag her out, pressing firmly on her head until she bowed to Selakia.
“My sister has committed an offense, Duchess. If you would punish someone, let it be me.”
“Please don’t, Count Sove. I was enjoying her company—she was keeping me entertained.”
Encouraged by Selakia’s defense, Rashly stuck out her lips, still trembling.
“I didn’t do anything wrong. You’re the one who taught me to demand my rightful claims, Count, aren’t yo—hmpf.”
She quickly covered her mouth when she saw Lyssa’s sharp, icy gaze. Her big eyes rolled about wildly, as if about to pop out.
“…Hmph.”
Selakia coughed lightly to stifle a laugh threatening to burst out. The cheeky little girl who had so flustered her finally looked her age. Her trembling plump cheeks looked irresistibly pinchable.
“….”
Lyssa must have noticed Selakia’s suppressed smile, but before she could flinch, Lyssa’s gaze slid down. She was staring intently at the marriage proposal Selakia held.
That alone was enough for her to grasp the situation.
“Rightful claim, you say? That’s where you’re wrong. You have no right to demand anything from the Duchess. Have you already forgotten you were discarded within less than a day, Rashly Sove?”
With a cruel smile, Lyssa added:
“It was a record, you know—the shortest engagement ever.”
“Th-that was…”
Rashly, who had been so bold in answering Selakia, could say nothing this time. She only bit her lips, eyes shimmering with tears, her small shoulders shaking with sorrow. It looked like she might burst into tears at any moment.
“Lady Sove…”
Selakia, alarmed, took a step toward Rashly. But just before she reached her, the girl exploded not into tears, but into resentment.
“I hate you, sister!”
She shook off Lyssa’s hand and twisted her body as if ready to bolt out of the room. Yet even then, she did not forget to bow to Selakia before leaving.
