Chapter 218
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
“They said the royal family would host a debutante for me. If that happens, there’s no turning back.”
“You know that well.”
“Brother!”
“That’s the result you chose. How long do you expect me to clean up after you?”
“…This will be the last time.”
Dahlia lowered her eyes. Then, she focused her gaze on Mikhail’s waist.
“Brother, are you hurt? There’s blood!”
“It’s nothing serious, don’t make a fuss. So, what do you want me to do about it?”
“…I don’t know. I’m too stuck in my head to figure it out.”
“You can figure it out.”
Mikhail didn’t offer a solution. He couldn’t keep stepping in to fix everything for her.
Dahlia needed to learn to handle her own problems.
“…I don’t think this is something I can solve.”
“You can. Think about it.”
Mikhail waited, smoking his cigar.
Dahlia, feeling anxious, eventually fell into deep thought with a serious expression.
“If he wants to use you, you can use him in return.”
“I… I can use him the same way?”
She mulled over the hint Mikhail had given her. Something clicked in her mind, and a spark of insight flickered in her crimson eyes.
“Brother, I think of a good plan now. But I need your help.”
Mikhail nodded after flicking the cigar into an ashtray.
“Before the royal family announces our engagement, please introduce me to someone who would be a suitable match for me.”
“It might not end with just the engagement.”
“I’m prepared for that much. You didn’t want this marriage either.”
“Are you okay with living the kind of life I live?”
“It’s fine. Watching you two, it doesn’t seem that bad anymore.”
Dahlia thought of Emilia and Mikhail’s relationship.
At first, it had been nothing short of hell, but now, it didn’t seem too bad. In fact, the two of them seemed closer than ever.
Of course, Dahlia still didn’t like Emilia. She was from the Loren family, and Dahlia still despised the Lorens.
“If you want, I can immediately give you a list of candidates.”
“Please do. The sooner, the better.”
“But Dahlia, why the change of heart?”
“…I was just being foolish.”
Dahlia thought of Emilia but didn’t mention her. Soon, Mikhail called for Kartho.
A moment later, Kartho arrived with a stack of documents and placed them on the desk.
Mikhail spread out five candidates and asked Dahlia,
“Choose. They should at least fit your taste.”
“…Why does my taste matter?”
“If you’re going to live with them, at least you should like their face.”
Mikhail had a rather serious expression as he said this.
Dahlia paused as she looked over the five candidates.
“…Why is Lord Byne on this list?”
“Marrying into the nobility isn’t a bad idea, but the story of a knight and a lady falling in love is something the people will enjoy.”
“Are you sure it’s right to include a verified person?”
“The Byne family isn’t viewed negatively by the people. They’ve been producing knights for generations.”
“You’re speaking objectively, right?”
“Yes.”
Dahlia shook her head. Even so, she couldn’t picture herself with Sir Byne.
“If we announce the engagement with Byne, the king will be embarrassed.”
“What about your thoughts, brother?”
“Byne is fine. He’ll protect you until the end.”
Dahlia fiddled with Byne’s portrait. Come to think of it, he had always been by her side, never complaining, no matter how stubborn she was.
“I like quiet men.”
“That’s perfect.”
Mikhail made a satisfied expression. Kartho immediately left the office to inform Byne of the decision.
“What if Byne doesn’t like it?”
“That’s unlikely.”
Mikhail thought of Byne. His loyalty to the Duke’s family was strong, and he wouldn’t oppose the plan.
From what he had observed, Byne seemed like someone who understood Dahlia better than anyone.
“But it seems like Byne is your type.”
“…That’s not it! He’s a knight. He must have knightly virtues, and he would do whatever it takes to protect his wife.”
“You said engagement, but you never mentioned marriage.”
“It might not end with just the engagement. Don’t I have to be prepared for everything that follows?”
Mikhail shrugged. Honestly, he would have preferred Dahlia to choose Byne.
If she did, Byne would protect her no matter the circumstances. He would feel more at ease in many ways.
Even though Dahlia could be tiresome at times with his headstrong attitude, Dahlia was his only family.
No, she had been his family.
Now, Mikhail had a new family to protect, and he wouldn’t be able to care for Dahlia as much as he used to.
“Do you think it’ll be okay?”
“Why worry so much and then stir things up?”
“Back then… I just thought I needed to get back what was mine.”
“What about now?”
“Now, it’s the same, but things aren’t the same anymore, so I need to think about it in a different way.”
“You must have heard that the royal family might be dissolved.”
“That’s right. You didn’t tell me, but people around me won’t leave me alone. From now on, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t hide things from me and just tell me.”
“I’ll try.”
“I won’t be childish about it. I don’t want to add more burden on you, since I know you’re carrying so much already.”
“It’s something I chose, so you don’t need to worry about it.”
“It’s a sense of obligation. I’ve been doing it because of grandfather’s will, but it’s okay to stop now.”
Mikhail smiled faintly. Dahlia seemed to have grown a little, unlike before.
Discussion
0 CommentsReactions
No comments yet.