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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: A Lone Wolf
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“Oh, that?”
Unlike the composed Lumina, Endymion looked quite anxious.
He, who always maintained his composure, looked as if he was about to grab Lumina by the shoulders at any moment.
*'Right. Marriage at this age. It's far too early. And it's rarely by choice.'*
One major event after another had occurred, so Endymion must have been confused as well.
Lumina realized that her explanation had been lacking due to the rush of time when she’d first brought it up.
“Who did you marry? Did your relatives perhaps force you…?”
“Does that sound likely?”
“No.”
They were people she had driven out with her own two hands. There was no way they could have forced a marriage upon her.
“Let’s get in the carriage first. We can talk on the way home.”
Even if it was news known to everyone in the capital, it wasn't a topic to be discussed carelessly outside.
At Lumina’s urging, Endymion suppressed his immediate curiosity as if he had no choice and boarded the carriage.
“It’s Young Master Heart.”
The carriage began to move.
Lumina spoke, glancing at Ash, who was melting and eating chocolate in the seat next to her.
“My marriage partner.”
“Were you seeing Young Master Heart before?”
“No. You know that. I haven't left the mansion all this time.”
“Then did Young Master Heart confess his mad love for you, Sister? To the point where he’d offer you half his heart?”
“Huh? Uh? No. Not at all. I’ve never received such a confession.”
If anything, it was Karayan’s side that was under the delusion that Lumina was that passionately in love with him.
“Then why on earth did you get married?”
Endymion stared at Lumina with a look of utter incomprehension.
“…Because the Duke took a liking to me?”
It wasn’t untrue.
But saying it out loud, she realized it sounded like a rather absurd reason.
Just as she thought. Endymion wasn't convinced.
“From what I can see, Sister, I believe you’ve been swindled. According to Imperial Law, Marriage Act, Article 73, Clause 11: A minor may have their marriage annulled if consent was not given by a guardian, and if coercion was involved in the process…”
“Endymion!”
Endymion recited the clause fluently without even looking at a law book.
Lumina quickly cut him off.
“I did it because I wanted to.”
“You did, Sister? Isn't it possible you were threatened and are merely mistaken in thinking you wanted it?”
“Endymion, I’m discerning enough to know the difference.”
Lumina said sharply.
But then again, don't crazy people rarely realize they're crazy?
That was precisely the look Endymion was giving her.
Lumina had no choice but to take a drastic measure.
“I didn’t want to have to say this… but the truth is, I fell for Sir Karayan at first sight.”
“Pardon?”
Lumina murmured in a dreamlike tone.
She could feel not only Endymion but also Ash tense up in surprise.
“What happened was, I had to stay at the ducal manor for a while, you see. And that’s when I met Sir Karayan!”
“…”
“When he held me in his arms and asked for my name, my heart fluttered so much! Hair as black as night! Golden eyes that seemed to hold all the light of the sun! A combination of colors that seemed to capture both night and day at once!”
“…”
“And a sharp face, like that of a lone wolf!”
Despite the passionate words leaving Lumina’s lips, her toes were curling in embarrassment.
She wanted to curl her fingers into tight fists as well, but she couldn’t, lest she give away that it was all an act.
Every single word she uttered was mortifying.
“He was my ideal type, and I didn't even know it! I fell for him at first sight, and do you know what happened the second time we met? The Young Master swept me up in his arms like a princess and…”
“I don't particularly wish to hear the details of your love life, Sister.”
Endymion, who had been listening quietly, finally cut her off with a look of distaste.
Just as you'd expect from a ten-year-old at a sensitive age.
*'I feel completely burned out.'*
Lumina wiggled her still-curled toes.
If Endymion had listened for even one more minute, Lumina would have shriveled up completely.
*'Since I lack the creativity to make things up, I had a hard time making what actually happened sound as romantic as possible.'*
It was incredibly difficult precisely because she didn’t actually like him, not in that way.
She wouldn’t have resorted to this method if Endymion hadn’t looked like he was about to march straight to the Heart Duchy.
“If you like him that much, Sister, I suppose there’s nothing to be done. Besides, it’s your life, so it’s not my place to interfere.”
It seemed the “lone wolf” tactic had worked.
But that was Lumina’s misconception.
“However, Sister. You can’t truly know a man after meeting him only once or twice.”
“O-Oh?”
It was jarring to hear him talk about men like this, looking as if he’d learned about marriage from playing house.
What does a child know?
“I’ve also heard that dating and marriage are two different things. Since you are still a minor, you can reverse your decision at any time. If Young Master Heart has severe character flaws that belie his appearance, please tell me.”
Endymion spoke seriously, his baby fat still visible on his cheeks.
“No matter how handsome he is, he could be rotten on the inside. It’s best to throw out trash quickly.”
His words were so harsh, you’d think he’d had a fight with Karayan before.
Just then.
“That’s not true.”
Ash, who had been listening to their conversation while crunching on chocolate, retorted.
But even standing before Ash, who was several times his size, Endymion shot back coldly.
“You’re from the ducal household, so you must know the Young Master well. What kind of person is Young Master Heart?”
“…He’s ordinary.”
*He’s fine, he’s not, he’s ordinary.*
Of these three options, the only word Ash found appropriate was ‘ordinary.’
Objectively, Karayan wasn’t so bad as to be dismissed as trash.
But if asked whether he was good husband material… even for someone he was close to, that was a bit…
Ash couldn’t lie.
“Ordinary. That’s not a very good assessment.”
Endymion looked displeased.
Listening to him, you’d think he was a mother-in-law.
If she let this continue, all she would hear were bad things about Karayan.
Lumina hastily changed the subject.
“Did your exam go well?”
“Yes.”
“No problems you didn’t know?”
“None.”
His answers were concise and clean.
Endymion wasn’t the type to embellish or exaggerate, so she could probably trust him.
*'I was worried my hard head might have damaged his brain, but it seems there were no problems. Thank goodness.'*
Lumina sighed in relief internally. Then, something suddenly occurred to her, and her eyes widened.
“Right. I bought you presents while you were taking your exam. I had them all wrapped, so let’s unwrap them one by one when we get home.”
“Presents?”
“You worked hard on your exam today, and you’ll be entering the academy in a few days! A commemorative gift!”
“May I ask what the presents are?”
“Uh… well, there are quite a few.”
Her anger toward Jack had been the trigger, awakening the Lumina of desire.
Any semblance of another, more restrained Lumina that might have stopped her was completely obliterated by this Lumina of desire.
She showed no hint of restraint. For the first time in a long while, she spent money to her heart’s content.
*'And since the spending wasn't for myself, I acted even more like a horse with its reins cut loose.'*
They were all for Endymion and Ash.
The only thing for Lumina herself was a single cinnamon-flavored candy.
Even that, she had hesitated over before shutting her eyes and making the purchase.
“How much did you buy?”
“About your size?”
“…”
“No, maybe my size.”
“…”
“No. Hmm, maybe Sir Ash’s size?”
The volume was steadily increasing.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Endymion said curtly, “I’ll see for myself.”
And when they returned home and he saw the reality of it.
“If I had to make a comparison, I’d say it’s about the size of Young Master Heart.”
Endymion had to crane his neck back so far to see the mountain of presents that it felt like it might snap.
