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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Resolve
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“Are you treating me like a patient right now?”
The woman trembled, looking as if she might pounce at any moment.
As the butler looked flustered and Audrey appeared anxious, Aracilla calmly gazed down at her and said,
“That’s because you suddenly picked a fight.”
“Lady Hugo provoked me first!”
“How would I know who you are?”
Her face seemed familiar, but she couldn't recall who it was. From the way she spoke, she seemed to be a fellow noble, but Aracilla still couldn’t place her.
Realizing that Aracilla didn't recognize her, the woman's eyes shook violently. Her face flushed red as she stammered.
“You, you don’t know me?”
“Why should I?”
“Th-th-this…! I’m Nora White!”
“Ah.”
Only then did Aracilla recognize the woman. Specifically, her surname.
Long ago, two families of similar standing competed over a sapphire mine.
They were the Hugo Marquisate and the White Marquisate.
Before that incident, the two families had been quite friendly, but the mine dispute soured their relationship. As the adults became resentful, the children who used to play together were separated, and a rivalry formed.
Ultimately, the mine went to the Hugo Marquisate, and the competitive spirit between the families intensified with each generation.
However, in the recent third generation, the Hugo Marquisate achieved perfect victories in all areas, relegating the White Marquisate to a perpetual second place.
Aracilla wasn't interested in such power struggles between families, but she had heard so much about it that she vaguely remembered the details.
Though she couldn't recall the face of the rival family's young lady herself.
“So you were Lady White. My apologies, I tend to easily forget people I don't need to remember.”
“What did you say?”
Nora bit her lower lip, glaring at Aracilla with a fearsome expression.
If looks could kill, she would have torn Aracilla to shreds on the spot.
“Tell me honestly, Lady! You knew I liked Sir Vandermir and deliberately approached him, didn’t you?!”
Nora pointed a finger at Aracilla, pressing her. Of course, Aracilla wasn't fazed by a young lady half a handspan shorter than her trying to push her around.
“Otherwise, why would a Mage marry a Knight?! How did you even seduce him? Did you throw yourself at him, entice him with your body? How vulgar and cheap!”
Aracilla hadn't said a word, yet Nora was yelling and making a scene all by herself.
Audrey flinched and scowled at the excessive language, but Aracilla's face showed not a trace of being affected.
“Oh, my goodness. Has Lady White ever seduced a man with her body?”
Instead, she dramatically covered her mouth with both hands, feigning surprise.
“Wh-what? What are you suddenly…!”
“Otherwise, why would that be the first thing you say? People’s way of thinking is usually based on their own lives, so you must have thought others would act the same way you did, didn’t you?”
As her pale hands lowered from her face, a broadly smiling mouth was revealed. Nora, flushed to the neck, lunged forward in a fit of rage.
“I won’t let you get away with this! Aaaah!”
Nora, who had lunged at Aracilla, was instantly repelled, landing squarely on her backside.
Aracilla, who had blocked Nora's attack with a defensive spell, calmly spoke to the butler.
“Butler, Lady White seems not in her right mind. Would you mind calling a doctor?”
“Yes…?”
The butler, momentarily flustered, soon bowed his head and left.
A moment later, he returned with Demian. Wisely, he had brought the master of the house instead of a doctor.
“Lady White, why are you still here? Why haven’t you left?”
“Sir Vandermir!”
Nora scattered tears as she rushed towards Demian. Aracilla narrowed her eyes, watching her retreating figure.
Could this woman be Demian Vandermir's secret lover?
“Do not touch me.”
But seeing Demian scowl and recoil from Nora, it seemed that wasn't the case.
His golden eyes filled with contempt. Nora cried out with a pained expression.
“You’re so cruel, Sir! Why Lady Aracilla Hugo of all people? What’s so great about her?!”
“It’s obvious I’m superior, Lady White.”
At that, Nora spun her head around, glaring venomously at Aracilla.
“What’s so great about you besides your face?!”
“Why exclude my face? It’s a gift from God.”
Aracilla smiled, sweeping a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Indeed, standing bathed in the sunlight filtering through the intricately shaped stained-glass window, she was as beautiful as an angel descended from heaven.
It was an undeniable truth that no one present could refute.
“…”
And as Nora stared at Aracilla, inferiority welled up all over her face.
Nora, who had been gnawing on her lips, soon turned her face to Demian and pleaded desperately.
“Sir Vandermir, please reconsider! Lady Hugo will never be able to wisely assist you. Don’t be swayed by her looks. Aside from her face, what other merits do you see in her, Sir?!”
At her words, Demian glanced at Aracilla and replied,
“If I had to pick one, it would be that confidence.”
“That’s arrogance!”
“No, it’s humility.”
Aracilla placed a hand on her chest and lifted her chin, her face brimming with confidence and self-esteem.
“Honestly, I’m so impressive that even if I put an ad in the continental newspaper calling myself the pride of Cetron, no one could argue. This beauty, magical talent, a renowned family—I have it all, don’t I?”
“Hmph…!”
Nora felt she was utterly shameless, but had no words to refute her, which only fueled her irritation.
“That’s why you chose to marry me too, Sir.”
By this point, Aracilla had recalled a recent memory concerning Lady White.
Iris had mentioned a Lady White who had been pursuing Demian Vandermir for a long time.
It was clear that the young lady before her was Nora White.
“If you feel it’s unfair, you should have been born as me.”
Even when she wore an infuriating smile, Aracilla’s features sparkled like a fairy’s.
Demian sighed deeply and stepped in front of Nora, who was glaring at Aracilla as if to kill her.
“Please return, Lady White. I ask that you do not seek me out again.”
“Sir…!”
Nora’s expression was hurt, but he was resolute.
“Albert, please see Lady White out.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Finally, as if being chased out, Nora left the mansion, but not before warning Aracilla.
“Just you wait, Lady Hugo.”
“Yes. Look at my face all you want.”
Aracilla popped her head out from behind Demian’s back and smiled sweetly. She even propped her chin on her hand, looking quite pleased.
With a shriek, Nora White disappeared, leaving only Aracilla and Demian.
“Sir, were you and Lady White romantically involved in the past?”
“Are you mad? Lady White is doing this on her own, unilaterally.”
Demian recoiled and denied it. Without needing to ask further, it felt true.
“I just asked, just in case.”
“Absolutely not. Do not entertain such unnecessary curiosity and follow me.”
The two moved to Demian's office. Soon, a servant brought tea and desserts.
“The Vandermir Ducal Family is in an uproar. They say they’ll come to the capital immediately.”
“Oh, they aren’t in the capital right now?”
“Our family resides in the ducal territory unless there is a special occasion.”
Unlike most nobles who stayed in the capital and only visited their territories when necessary, the Vandermir Ducal Family primarily lived in their ducal territory in the southern part of the Empire.
Indeed, with a territory as large as the capital itself, and the family’s solid standing, there was no reason to live in the capital.
“But why do you reside in the capital, Sir? Is it because of the Knights?”
“That, and also because I am the child my family cast out.”
Aracilla paused at his calm, flowing reply. She had felt it before, but it seemed this man was ostracized within his family.
‘It wouldn’t be right to pry into something like that, would it?’
Possessing that much consideration, she naturally changed the subject.
“If they are coming to the capital now, I should prepare to greet them.”
Aracilla took a sip of tea and raised her downcast eyes.
Beneath her long, luxuriant eyelashes, her glass-like eyes gazed at Demian.
“When will your family arrive?”
“The day after tomorrow, at the earliest.”
“Come to my house tomorrow first.”
Demian nodded, thinking it seemed strange to visit her family only after announcing their marriage, even if it couldn't be helped.
“Are there any precautions or special preparations I should make for visiting the Marquisate?”
“Hmm.”
Aracilla placed a hand on her cheek, thought deeply, then smiled brightly.
“The resolve to take away their beloved second daughter?”
* * *
‘Sir Vandermir will be visiting tomorrow.’
Aracilla’s announcement at dinner the night before sent further ripples through the Hugo Marquisate, which was already reeling from the newspaper article.
While the Marquis and Marchioness raised a fuss about why she hadn't told them sooner, Adrian humbly prepared to greet his second sister's prospective husband.
“Make sure I look charismatic and cool!”
“Yes, Young Master.”
The servant suppressed a laugh as he adjusted the collar of Adrian’s uniform.
The boy, in his early teens, was meticulously styling his hair with pomade. His sole purpose was to look more dignified and dependable than today's guest.
‘I’ll show the dignity of the Hugo Marquisate’s successor and prevent him from taking my sister!’
With swelling hopes, Adrian waited with his family for Demian’s arrival.
Soon, a carriage bearing the Red Hawk emblem on its flag entered the Marquisate mansion. Adrian's eyes widened as he intently watched the man disembark from the carriage.
‘…Gasp!’
Adrian’s eyes grew wide as he saw the astonishingly dignified and beautiful face.
Until now, he had thought his father was the most handsome man in the world, followed by himself, but upon seeing Demian, he realized he had been wrong.
‘No! He might be as short as a dwarf…!’
However, Demian, as he approached, mercilessly shattered Adrian’s expectations.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Marquis Hugo. And Marchioness.”
“Welcome, Sir.”
He was taller than his father. Adrian was enveloped in shock.
Until now, his father had also been the tallest person in the world.
‘No, no…! He might be too weak to protect my sister!’
Still clinging to a thread of hope, Adrian heard his eldest sister’s shocking words.
“They say you’re the Empire’s youngest Sword Master; indeed, you possess a formidable presence.”
“You flatter me, Lady.”
Of all his successor lessons, Adrian’s favorite was swordsmanship.
He preferred wielding a sword outdoors to sitting at a desk studying. Of course, he couldn't easily bring it up since his sister was a Mage.
In any case, Adrian knew how formidable a Sword Master was. A Sword Master was stronger than his father.
“This is my younger brother, Adrian.”
Aracilla placed a hand on the shoulder of her dazed younger brother, who was still reeling from shock.
“Pleased to meet you, Young Master.”
“Adrian, you should greet Sir too.”
Even when his sister patted his back, Adrian’s mouth remained shut.
The boy, who had stood with his head bowed, unmoving, soon squeezed his eyes shut and shouted,
“I object to this marriage!”
Adrian spread his arms wide, blocking Aracilla.
“Don’t take my sister away!”
As the Marquis’s family looked on in surprise, Demian, who had been watching the small boy for a moment, bent down and spoke with a serious face.
“Even if a sword were at my throat, I would marry your sister, Young Master. Do not waste your precious life; give up. I am taking Lady Hugo.”
“…H-h-hiccup.”
Up close, Demian was handsome, but his gaze was chilling, so terrifying.
Mixed with fear and despair, Adrian, on the verge of tears, ran to his mother.
Against the backdrop of quiet sobs, Aracilla and Demian’s eyes met.
“…Didn’t I tell you to come prepared?”
“I didn’t tell you to show that to an eleven-year-old.”
