TYWML 45

Chapter 45

Kassel’s Fury (1)
He fired off questions relentlessly, unlike his usual gentle and easygoing self.

“You suddenly left your hometown and came to the capital? And now you’re staying at the Winkler Duchy? Isn’t Duke Winkler the only one in that house right now? Then why are you here alone, without a guardian?”

“Raul, calm down for a second…”

“How do you expect me to stay calm right now?”

Riena tugged on his arm and glanced toward the open door. There was no one peeking in, but Raul’s voice was loud enough that any passing servant would surely have heard the conversation.

Following her gaze, Raul looked toward the door and let out a deep sigh before sitting down. As if on cue, Amy entered and asked,

“Miss, shall I prepare some refreshments?”

“Yes, that would be lovely.”

But even as Amy and the maids began setting the table, Raul said nothing. He just kept sighing and eyeing Riena.

Only after the maids had completely left did he speak again in a quieter tone.

“Can you please explain what’s going on? Do you know how shocked I was? I went to the Dyke estate to see you, and you were gone. No one would tell me where you went, why you left, or when you’d be back.”

He raked his tousled, wheat-colored hair back with a frustrated sigh.

“Eventually, I got a vague answer from Aaron saying you’d gone to the capital. But you have no connections here. When I asked why, he said even he didn’t know.”

“So Aaron told you…”

“I started to wonder if maybe you came to find me, so I came to the capital—but you weren’t here. Instead, I found a letter with the Winkler family seal on it. And who the hell is this Cass person, anyway? I rushed here just in case, and there you were.”

His voice grew louder toward the end, clearly worked up.

Listening quietly, Riena finally responded.

“Don’t you remember timid little Cass? He used to play with us at our estate when we were kids. I think we were around ten.”

“If you mean that gloomy black-haired kid, then yeah, I remember. You always insisted on including him.”

“He wasn’t gloomy. Cass wasn’t like that at all.”

As she corrected him, Riena noticed something odd about Raul’s tone and demeanor. She understood that he might be worried and upset about her sudden disappearance—but was it really worth getting this angry?

And calling Cass “gloomy”? That wasn’t like Raul.

To be honest, Riena was starting to feel slightly threatened. Not because she thought he would harm her, but because having such a physically imposing man express such raw emotion without restraint was intimidating.

After a moment of silence, Riena carefully spoke again.

“Raul, you’re really agitated right now. Maybe you should calm down a bit with some tea. Honestly… you’re kind of scaring me.”

Raul frowned at the word “scaring.” He quickly tried to compose himself and replied,

“Sorry. I didn’t think you’d feel that way.”

“And you’re speaking pretty roughly… that’s not like you.”

“I guess I’ve picked up some bad habits from knighthood. Most noble knights are chivalrous, but some of the commoner-born ones speak like mercenaries.”

Commoner-born knights? That too felt out of character for Raul—but Riena chose not to point it out.

“That happens. Anyway, drink some tea and relax. Amy’s tea is excellent.”

“Alright. Sorry for making you worry.”

Raul smiled as he picked up his teacup, and only then did Riena see the familiar childhood friend she knew.

As she refilled his cup, he asked,

“So, what exactly happened?”

His voice still held urgency, but it was calmer now—no yelling.

“A lot has happened.”

Riena calmly began to explain everything that had happened: the Countess of Dyke trying to push her into marriage with Viscount Rotman, her inability to reach Raul, her escape, and how she met Cassel.

She deliberately left out anything involving Johannes Beliar.

As he listened, Raul’s agitation returned.

“I never imagined the Countess would do that.”

“Yeah, I didn’t either. I never thought my own mother would act that way.”

“So now you’re just staying at the Winkler estate?”

“Well…”

Riena hesitated, wondering how to explain the whole sequence of events that led her to meet Cassel and end up at the duchy.

Eventually, she decided to tell the truth.

“It’s not just that I’m staying here temporarily. I’m engaged to Cass.”

“What? What are you talking about? Engaged?!”

It did sound sudden, even to Raul’s ears. And to be fair, Riena had also been shocked when it first happened.

She explained further, calmly, though she left out the fact that it was a fake engagement.

“Cass had a letter from my father. I don’t know what kind of premonition my father had, but he asked Cass to take care of me in case something happened.”

“The Count did?”

“Yes. And… it seems he was hoping to match us. It wasn’t a formal proposal, but my father did suggest marriage to Cass.”

“What?”

“And when Cass later heard that my father had died suddenly, he proposed to me—to honor my father’s wishes.”

“Why would that lead to a proposal?!”

Riena scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“I know, I was surprised too. But realistically, it was the best way to escape the Dyke family’s control.”

“How is that the best way? If you just wanted out, you could’ve stayed at the Winkler estate temporarily. You could’ve gotten help getting to the capital and then come stay with me. Didn’t you say you had relatives here too?”

“Yes, there’s Aunt Leticia.”

“Then why…”

“It just happened that way.”

“You’re really going to brush it off like that?”

Riena just smiled.

“What can I do? It already happened.”

“If that’s the case, then there’s no reason to get married. I’ll help you. I’ll even repay the debt the Duke of Winkler paid for you. For your sake, I can do that.”

“…”

“So, Ria… let’s take back your life, step by step. You don’t have to get married just because things got out of hand, right?”

Riena shook her head. No matter what he said, her resolve wouldn’t change.

“I’m not breaking off the engagement.”

Raul looked stunned. He ran both hands over his face several times, calming himself before he asked,

“Why not? You barely know him. What if he turns out to be just like Viscount Rotman?”

“What do you mean, I don’t know him? You met him too—as kids. He’s that same timid Cass.”

“That was ten years ago! Do you know why I never realized the Duke of Winkler was that same kid? Because he’s a completely different person now. People change, Riena.”

“If you’re saying this because of those rumors about him—don’t. They’re utter nonsense.”

“Hah…”

Raul tried to argue further but buried his face in his hands, muttering,

“You two don’t even love each other.”

At that innocent, almost childish remark, Riena forgot the tension and burst into laughter.

“Raul, you know just as well as I do—not all marriages are for love. How many nobles marry for love anyway?”

“If that’s how it is, then why not marry me instead—”

Riena quickly tried to cut him off. She felt that if she let him finish that sentence, they wouldn’t be able to stay friends anymore.

But someone else interrupted before she could.

“What exactly are you doing here?”

It was Kassel.

He burst in through the open door, clearly in a rush. His usually neat clothes were disheveled, his hair—which he normally slicked back—fell across his forehead, and his breathing was uneven.

At first, Riena assumed he was out of breath from running. But one look at his face changed her mind.

His labored breathing wasn’t from exertion—it was from rage.

For some unknown reason, Kassel was absolutely furious with Raul.

Sensing that this could get dangerous, Riena tried to defuse the situation by calmly introducing them.

“Cass, you remember Raul, right? From when we were kids—”

But before she could finish, Kassel stepped forward and placed her behind his back protectively. Then, without hiding his emotions, he said to Raul:

“I asked you what the hell you think you’re doing. Showing up unannounced and threatening my fiancée—what kind of behavior is that?”