episode_0013

“Indeed, it’s Grandfather!”

On the way back to the Messiah family.

Asia’s face was flushed.

It was because she had heard the truth about the engagement from Ases.

“A false engagement… Grandfather must be having fun with this idea.”

Smiling like that, Asia.

Her smile faded for a moment.

“Sigh… Where on earth is he? And who is this woman?”

Asia didn’t hear about the location of her grandfather from Ases.

Only that he was somewhere in the east.

And that he would return after five years.

“Damn it… that prince!!!”

The false rumors about herself and the prince had spread to the east.

So it must have spread to the central, western, and northern regions as well.

Thinking about that, Asia shuddered.

After taking a deep breath, Asia calmed her anger.

“…For now, should I just follow Grandfather’s will?”

Asia glanced at Ases out of the corner of her eye.

Black hair, black eyes.

And a handsome face.

He looked nothing but noble.

“Hmm, he’s quite handsome.”

To think that such a person was her fiancé.

Asia felt a bit proud.

But soon she shook her head and denied these thoughts.

“I’m not some noble lady from the central region, why would I like him just because he’s handsome?”

The noble ladies Asia had seen.

They all giggled and flirted, using their faces as weapons.

Asia viewed them negatively.

Of course, being handsome was nice, but there were more important qualities.

“Being handsome isn’t always a good thing. He could be a playboy!”

After all, a husband should be strong like Grandfather…

“Oh?”

Asia realized.

Her grandfather, that is, Gumsung.

Ases, who was her grandfather’s disciple, was also a disciple of Gumsung.

In other words, he was strong.

In fact, the Ases she had seen was strong.

Asia suddenly remembered the conversation she had with Letid Danjang in the tavern.

“Strong, kind, …I hope he’s handsome.”

Ases had already fulfilled two out of the three conditions she had mentioned.

Strong and handsome.

But luckily, he was not the third one.

“Yes, he must not be a good person!”

If he was kind, he would have just subdued his enemies.

He wouldn’t have killed them all.

“Yes, almost forgot. That man is…”

A man who had killed many but still maintained his composure.

Such a person couldn’t be a good person.

“Well, it’s not like we’re really getting engaged, just pretending.”

Thinking like that, conditions didn’t matter.

After all, they would part ways in five years anyway.

But still…

“If he came all the way to the restaurant to help me, maybe he’s a bit kind.”

Asia decided to think that Ases was not a bad person.

***

The Sun Eun Knights seemed to like me.

I didn’t sense any ill feelings from them.

But…

“Ahem, please keep your distance from Lady Asia.”

“Yes. You haven’t even had the engagement ceremony yet.”

They kept trying to distance Asia and me.

Of course, I understood their feelings.

Asia was sixteen years old.

With a beautiful face, but still a young one.

Her body hadn’t finished growing.

“She’s not a child, but she hasn’t had her coming-of-age ceremony yet.”

From their attitude, it seemed like they saw Asia as a cute little sister who needed to be protected.

They probably wanted to maintain some distance even if their little sister’s boyfriend looked good.

To reassure them, I decided to give them peace of mind.

Besides, I had no intention of doing anything with a girl who hadn’t even had her coming-of-age ceremony.

“And if I did, I might really end up dead at the hands of the elders.”

“Haha, don’t worry. I have no intention of disrespecting Lady Asia recklessly.”

However, the reaction of the knights was peculiar.

As if my guess was wrong.

“It’s not that… um… it’s nothing. You’ll understand later anyway.”

“Excuse me?”

“First of all, never touch Lady Asia.”

“Uh… yes.”

Was there another reason for this reaction?

.

.

.

Another reason.

There was one.

There was a reason why the knights reacted that way.

Perhaps they didn’t see Asia as a little sister.

Rather, it was a warning for me.

Concern for the current situation.

“…Are you the one chosen by Father as Lady Asia’s fiancé?”

Andrew Messiah, the head of the Messiah family.

There were no rumors about the Messiah Earl.

At most, there were rumors about the beauty of the daughter or granddaughter of the Earl.

But no rumor mentioned the Messiah Earl.

“So I was wrong.”

Perhaps the Messiah Earl was a non-existent person.

That’s why there were no rumors about him.

But the figure of the Messiah Earl standing before me now…

“Why are you so slow to answer? I’ll ask again, are you the one chosen by Father as Lady Asia’s fiancé?”

Muscular body, scarred face.

He looked more like a bandit than a nobleman.

The only resemblance to Asia was his silver hair, almost white.

“Y-yes!”

Under his pressure, I blurted out without realizing it.

It must be the nervousness of a father-in-law meeting his son-in-law.

The nervousness of a father who involuntarily stutters even in front of a strong man.

“It’s strange… Father would never bring Lady Asia’s fiancé… Who are you really?”

“If you’re asking about my identity… I learned swordsmanship from Sir Gyeom.”

Crash!

The Messiah Earl, with a fierce expression, suddenly slammed the desk.

“Are you saying Father leaked the secrets of the Messiah family to someone else?!”

“No! I learned swordsmanship, but I didn’t learn any family secrets!”

The Messiah Earl looked at me suspiciously.

“Is that true?”

“Yes, it is.”

Luckily, he believed my words.

The Messiah Earl’s demeanor softened a bit.

“But still, it’s hard to believe you’re her fiancé.”

“Well…”

It was just the two of us in this space.

I could be honest with the Messiah Earl like I was with Asia.

“I will explain the situation!”

“The situation…? Don’t tell me there’s a hidden agenda behind this engagement.”

“Yes? Why would that be…?”

If there was a hidden agenda, wouldn’t that be a good thing?

A fake engagement to avoid the prince.

Even the old folks agreed.

“Hmm… Let’s say there is a hidden agenda…”

The Messiah Earl pondered for a moment.

Then he spoke as if he had organized his thoughts in his mind.

“If this engagement was a fake one to avoid the rumors circulating in the court, I won’t forgive you.”

“Excuse me?”

Was this something Asia had heard?

It was the right answer.

But why wouldn’t he forgive it?

Wouldn’t this fake engagement be good for Asia too?

“If it’s a fake engagement, it will have to be broken off eventually. If you plan to make my daughter a woman who has been engaged or broken off…”

The Messiah Earl’s intense gaze fell on me.

“I will kill you and hold Father responsible.”

“…”

I was in trouble.

I might have thought too simply.

A noble lady being engaged or broken off.

That was definitely not good news.

It was only natural for Father to oppose it.

“So what’s the situation?”

It was difficult.

Honestly, the Messiah Earl’s guess was correct.

‘What, what should I say?’

My mind started spinning wildly for a moment.

After thinking so hard, the words that came out of my mouth were…

“In truth, after hearing about Lady Asia’s reputation, I asked Sir Gyeom to arrange an engagement for me with her!!!”

“Hmm…? It sounds like a lie for some reason.”

“I swear, it’s true!!!”

It was just a story about secretly arranging a marriage.

“It doesn’t sit well with me.”

“Ahaha… I’m sorry.”

“It’s strange that Father would approve of that.”

“Well… the truth is…”

“Still, it’s better than a fake engagement.”

The Messiah Viscount stood up from his seat and approached me.

“Hmm, what do you think I should do?”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean, what decision do you think I should make?”

The man standing in front of me.

Was this the equipment I was supposed to meet at the bridge?

Rather than useless thoughts, the answer was important.

“…I sincerely want to be engaged to Lady Asia.”

I can’t say now that everything I’ve said so far is a lie.

I’ve made a mess, so I only have one choice left.

‘To agree with Asia and run away in five years.’

This seems to be my only option now.

“That’s not what I’m asking.”

Yes, what choice should I make?

Should I confidently ask for an engagement?

I couldn’t do that.

It was obvious under this pressure.

The man in front of me is not someone who would agree to an engagement just because he was asked.

“Please give me the opportunity to be engaged to Lady Asia.”

An opportunity.

Well, if he was a father who valued his daughter’s feelings, this would have been poison.

But the man in front of me was not someone who would respect his daughter’s choice, even if she brought the man she loved.

So, an opportunity.

I asked for an opportunity.

And this seemed to be the right answer.

The Messiah Viscount was smiling.