Chapter 5
Chapter 05
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The splendid banquet hosted by the Argenta and Alloze families came to an end.
The rumors circulating in society after the banquet hardly deviated from what the two families had anticipated.
"That the Argenta and Alloze families would reconcile..."
"Weren't the two families on bad terms for a long time? Especially in this generation."
"And yet, such a joyous occasion..."
And most people said in unison.
"The betrothed couple seemed very affectionate."
"Has there ever been such a sweet pair in society recently..."
The most talked-about scene was the couple whispering under the white veil.
Of course, what the two were talking about didn't leak out from under the veil.
However, the sight of the two whispering each other's names, embracing, and kissing was deeply etched in the eyes of the socialites.
—Thud.
After the banquet was cleaned up, Dielo Argenta returned to his office.
Of course, after properly escorting his 'lovely' bride-to-be to her room.
The two were now officially engaged, and there would be no gossip even if they stayed in the same mansion for several days.
"The social circles are buzzing about the image you showed today."
Rick, the head of the Argenta family's intelligence department, was personally attending to him upon his return to the office.
Dielo nodded slightly.
"It seems to be because she was much more proactive than I expected."
At his words, Rick replied in a light tone.
"There are also stories that Krua Alroze was proactive, but most of the talk is about you, Master."
Dielo's gaze turned to Rick.
This man always engaged in seemingly frivolous words and actions, but he possessed a more blind loyalty to Argenta than anyone else.
As their eyes met, Rick gave a short bow and continued.
"Because you showed a different side of yourself than what was usually seen in society."
Dielo Argenta, who had always revealed only indecisive and weak-minded tendencies.
For him to show such possessiveness towards his bride at the social banquet, even though her face was veiled, was bound to be a topic of conversation.
Dielo nodded slightly.
"They'll think we're a very sweet couple, then."
"Of course."
"The more the rumors spread, the better. Fan the flames, but not so much that we leave a trail."
Argenta's hands reached even to the borders of the empire.
They could create rumors out of nothing, so exaggerating existing stories and packaging them as a honeymooning couple was a piece of cake.
"Yes, I will relay that to the Argentas on the front lines."
The Argentas on the front lines.
The Argentas mentioned here were not referring to the 'bloodline of the Argenta Dukedom.'
It referred to all the members of the Argenta Dukedom.
From knights to servants, maids, and stablemen, anyone deeply connected to Argenta, and who had not betrayed Argenta, was called an Argenta.
That was the tradition from the beginning of the Argenta Dukedom.
Our Argenta.
Everyone's Argenta.
—Click.
Dielo confirmed that Rick had left and then propped himself up on the desk in his office with both arms.
"Hah."
He let out a short breath as he looked down at the table, then loosened his tie a few times.
It wasn't because he felt suffocated. It was because his head was in a mess.
A feeling of being crammed full.
It wasn't because of the political situation that would change due to the marriage between Alloze and Argenta, or other secondary matters.
'You said you'd follow my lead.'
'Deeper, more boldly.'
It seemed to be because he kept thinking about Krua Alroze under the white veil, whispering those words.
'Love me.'
It was neither a confession nor an incitement.
To him, it was a kind of provocation.
Krua Alroze probably didn't know.
What kind of man she was now igniting.
That's why she could whisper so boldly.
Of course, that was what Dielo Argenta himself had been aiming for.
[A foolish and indecisive Duke.
Someone who can't even act..., a young Duke tossed around among the three Ducal families, full of schemes and under-the-table deals.]
Those who had already finished evaluating him were trying to slowly leave his side.
Those who were not 'true Argentas.'
Those who could turn their backs at any time seemed to think that they would not gain any benefit through their master, so they began to contact the other two Ducal families.
Those people would soon pay the price.
'You said you'd follow my lead.'
The words of his bold bride-to-be came to mind, and he smiled again.
The fingertips that had been tapping on the desk stopped at some point.
'Haa...'
He remembered Krua Alroze, who had tiptoed and fit perfectly into his arms.
Those violet eyes, too.
He also remembered the soft lips that had collided with his somewhat aggressively, as if she thought he wouldn't be able to lead the kiss.
'Like this?'
He remembered the look in her eyes when he had asked that question after deeply stealing her breath from those impudent lips.
There was definitely surprise in her violet eyes, which had become slightly clouded with breathlessness.
And when he kissed her really deeply, Krua Alroze, who had said she would lead him, collapsed completely defenselessly.
It was Dielo Argenta himself who had held her up, supporting her as her legs gave way.
Not only that, but it was also him who had explored her lips under the veil until she let out a flushed breath.
'…!'
After that, her eyes, widened like a rabbit's, looked at him with surprise.
"Krua Alroze..."
He slowly tapped the desk again.
Now she would have somewhat revised her assessment of Dielo Argenta.
From an indecisive and weak-minded person to someone who is proactive when he needs to be.
And Dielo had completely revised his assessment of Krua Alroze after this banquet.
The Krua Alroze known to the world was completely capricious. Someone who would dismiss or even kill her subordinates depending on her mood.
The Alloze family's family tradition, which was the most unhesitant to take lives among the three families.
Krua Alroze was someone who even enjoyed that family tradition.
But the Krua Alroze that Dielo Argenta saw was a completely different person.
"It wasn't just me who was acting, then."
Krua Alroze, she seemed to be the same kind of person as him.
The appearance she had shown so far was nothing more than a fake appearance she had put on because she was worried that Duke Alloze would keep her, a daughter born out of wedlock, in check.
Even just looking at her for a few days, he could easily tell that.
'I'll lead, so just follow me.'
This was her true self.
And the fact that she was revealing that side of herself to him without any reservations meant that she was betting everything on him.
"Either do, or don't."
To Argenta, who held that saying as their creed, she was a very good trading partner.
Either do, or don't.
He repeated the words again briefly and smiled silently.
She probably hadn't properly recognized what kind of card he was holding.
It was already too late to regret it.
She had already stepped into Argenta's territory, and the deal was done.
Under that pure white veil at the banquet.
It was an irreversible deal.
"……."
Dielo caressed his lower lip, where she had touched, and then smiled faintly.
The corners of his lips, filled with a strange emotion, curved into an arc.
* * *
The Argenta mansion after the banquet had a strangely excited atmosphere.
What was unusual was that this energy permeated the entire Argenta mansion, from Pielle, the head maid, to the servants and stablemen.
"Usually, even if the head of the family gets married, the servants wouldn't be so excited."
No matter how much their master gets married, the servants' daily lives wouldn't change, right?
Besides, isn't Krua Alroze an infamous villainess from the servants' point of view?
She even killed servants when she was in a bad mood.
It couldn't be that the servants hadn't heard those rumors, but the people of Argenta surrounding her seemed strangely happy.
"I'm happy that everyone seems to be happy about the engagement."
At my words, Pielle, who was helping me with my bath, smiled faintly.
"It seems they have high expectations for the image the two of you showed."
"Because we look like a super sweet honeymooning couple?"
—Splash!
I struck the surface of the water with my hand and turned to look at Pielle.
Pielle nodded slightly.
I made sure that it was just the two of us here receiving the bath service, and then whispered to her.
"Pielle knows the truth, though."
Pielle paused at that whisper.
It seemed she hadn't expected me to mention this directly.
More than anything, she didn't seem to think that I would know that she herself knew that this marriage was a contract marriage.
"What did you think? Of the engagement ceremony."
To someone who didn't know the circumstances, it would have looked very sweet.
But I needed to know how it looked even from the perspective of someone who knew the circumstances.
Because the people Dielo and I had to deceive included not only the nobles of society, but also Duke Alloze.
Duke Alloze, who sent me as the fake Pero.
[You must seduce Dielo Argenta.]
[Take away the Argenta Duke's potential.]
The one who gave that order.
We had to deceive him.
It had to look like Dielo was completely smitten with me.
"It was very good."
Pielle's pause was only for a moment.
She put down the bottle containing the fragrance and smiled.
"Even to me, it was convincing enough to be fooled."
She didn't seem to be lying. It seemed this act was successful.
It was when I was smiling back at her.
"Emergency!"
A hurried voice and the sound of shoes echoed from outside the bathroom.
