WHCCP 09

CHAPTER :09

In response to the Emperor’s question, he opened his mouth, wearing his usual expressionless face.

“I apologize for causing a disturbance.”

He cut straight to the point and uttered only those words.

His attitude was so indifferent it was almost embarrassing for anyone watching.

“Haha, there is no need to apologize. In fact, I was about to offer my apologies to the two of you.”

At the Emperor’s words, a look of confusion crossed the Duke’s face. The same went for me.

“To think We almost tore apart a man and a woman who share mutual feelings.”

“Pardon?”

Wondering what on earth he meant, I widened my eyes and looked across at the Duke.

But the Duke seemed to be thinking the exact same thing, staring at the Emperor with deeply furrowed brows.

“Without knowing the two of you felt that way, We tried to match the Duke with the young lady of the Brienne Countess family.”

The Emperor added a word of apology to the two of us.

My bewilderment was short-lived.

More unexpected remarks poured from the Emperor’s mouth in quick succession.

“If you do not mind, We shall choose the date ourselves. A union between two families cherished by Us! We have never been more delighted!”

Finished speaking, the Emperor let out a hearty laugh, looking back and forth between the Duke and me.

His words carried the blatant expectation that this union between our two families would further solidify the standing of the imperial faction.

Just then, an attendant stepped up behind the heartily laughing Emperor and whispered in his ear.

Before long, the Emperor stood up with a slightly apologetic look.

“Ah! I had briefly forgotten I had an engagement this afternoon. We shall have the wedding date delivered to your families. Well then, We shall see you both on the day of the wedding.”

“Wait, Your Majesty…!”

Leaving no room for a reply, the Emperor simply said his piece and swept out of the greenhouse.

After our brief audience with the Emperor concluded, the Duke and I stepped outside together.

***

*Step, step.*

“…”

On the way to the carriage, neither of us could easily find our voice.

*To think the Emperor would step in and order us to marry.*

It was undoubtedly a calculated decision, concluding that a marriage with the Feldlorang Ducal family would benefit the imperial crown far more than one with the Brienne family.

While it was a relief that I had successfully blocked the marriage between the Duke and Lady Brienne…

“Are you satisfied now?”

The Duke, who had been walking in silence, suddenly spun around and fixed his gaze upon me.

At the sharp intensity of his eyes on my face, my body stiffened involuntarily.

“Thanks to a mere prank, I’m now in a position where I must marry a complete stranger. I’m highly curious to hear what you plan to do next.”

*So he really thought it was just a prank.*

Because my intentions had been anything but lighthearted, a bitter taste filled my mouth.

At the same time, the words I had previously heard from Cezar flashed through my mind, weighing heavily on my heart.

Steeling my expression to look as calm as possible, I met his gaze and spoke.

“What else is there to do? We will have to get married.”

“I have no desire to marry you, Lady Dahlia. I will return to His Majesty immediately and ask him to rescind his order, so you and I will never be wed.”

At his blunt rejection, I was momentarily struck dumb.

I hadn’t expected him to show his aversion so openly, and I struggled to hide my rising panic.

*I thought he accepted the imperial decree without a single word of protest when he was set to marry Lady Brienne.*

“Is it because you actually fancy Lady Brienne?”

I threw the question out, just in case.

At my words, the Duke’s face twisted in even deeper displeasure than before.

“I do not even know what Lady Brienne looks like, and even if I did, that would never be the reason.”

“Then what is it?”

The Duke, who had been answering my persistent questions readily enough, shut his mouth tight the moment he heard my final inquiry.

As I watched his coldly impassive face loom over me in silence, a sense of urgency began to claw at me.

*Does he just hate the idea of marriage? But what else can we do? If he refuses me, he’ll end up marrying Lady Brienne as originally planned.*

Knowing the tragic end of that destined marriage, I had to stop it by any means necessary.

“Then, I shall take my leave.”

While I was briefly lost in thought, the Duke made a move to depart, as if he had said all he had to say.

Recalling the past few days of being repeatedly turned away at his door, I had a strong hunch that if I let him slip away now, I would never get another chance to see him.

I stepped directly into his path and cried out in a rush,

“Wait! If you hate the idea of marriage, then just think of it as a contract!”

At the mention of a contract, his brow furrowed.

“If you marry me, the nobles who sneer at you behind your back will disappear, and both of our families will gain countless political and financial advantages in the future.”

I went on at length, listing the benefits he stood to gain from this union.

At this point, it was the only card I had left to play.

The Duke, who had listened silently to my spiel for a long moment, locked his eyes directly onto mine and spoke.

“Lady Feldlorang.”

His voice was low and gravelly.

For some unknown reason, he looked thoroughly displeased.

Slowly, he began to step toward me.

His expressionless face looked so dauntingly cold that I found myself retreating step-by-step as he advanced.

*Thump.*

My back hit the wall. Trapped with nowhere left to run, I had no choice but to look up at him.

“You followed me so eagerly until a moment ago. Why are you running away now?”

My eyes locked with the Duke’s as he looked down at me with a heavy, unreadable expression.

Just as I found myself utterly speechless, overwhelmed by his cold, ash-gray eyes—

He suddenly began to lean down toward my face.

“Gasp.”

Faced with a fierce, intimidating gaze that felt sharp enough to strike a man dead, I instinctively shrank back and squeezed my eyes shut.

Yet, no matter how long I waited, nothing happened. When I tentatively peeked open my eyes, the Duke was staring intently at me, one eyebrow raised.

“You are this terrified just by me leaning in… How on earth did you plan to handle marriage if you throw the word around so lightly?”

“…”

“You have no idea what kind of wicked bastard I might be, yet you run around clamoring for marriage while casually spouting things that make you incredibly easy to exploit. That is what I am saying.”

I could only gape in silence at his rough, biting tone, which was reminiscent of a back-alley thug.

“Dahlia!”

Suddenly, a sharp voice shattered the silence from afar.

As I turned my head toward the sound, I saw Delos charging toward us like an enraged bull.

Stopping right in front of us to catch his breath, Delos glared at me fiercely and yelled,

“What on earth is the meaning of this? Marriage?!”

Looking at the huffing Delos, I barely managed to swallow down the curses rising to my throat.

Honestly, when would this bastard ever be of any use in my life?

As I let out a heavy sigh instead of swearing, Delos finally crossed the line.

“Don’t tell me… did you orchestrate this ridiculous stunt because of me?”

“What?”

“No matter how upset you were with me, how could you go and say you’re marrying another man?”

I could only gape at his sheer delusion, utterly speechless.

But he didn’t stop there.

“And out of all the people to choose, why on earth would you pick someone like…”

Glancing at the Duke, Delos scowled deeply and muttered the words just loud enough for us to hear.

It was a blatant display of contempt.

Just then, my gaze fell upon Delos’s hand.

He was slowly turning the ring on his index finger.

Having stayed by his side for so long, I knew this meant Delos was currently extremely displeased.

Whenever something bothered him, it was his habit to fiddle with the ring on his index finger.

Turning his head back toward me, Delos smoothed over his expression in an instant and forced a gentle, placating smile.

“I’ve been patient enough. Stop this nonsense. Besides, Dahlia, if you break up with me, you won’t even be able to marry anyone else. Who would ever want to marry a woman who spent over ten years trailing after me like a lost puppy?”