Episode 4. Proposal (4)

“It’s not a prophecy… No, it isn’t.”

I’d explained countless times that it was a divine revelation, not a prophecy, but my friend kept using the two terms interchangeably, saying they were basically the same thing.

“It’s not like I can just see it whenever I want, you know? Last time I saw something, I told you right away.”

“Yeah, of course, it was a big help back then, but…”

Winnie had foreseen Count Yulstein’s death not long ago. Monica, knowing this, was able to prepare and seize control of the Count Family without major chaos or conflict.

“Magician-nim, Magician-nim. Then just tell me how I should handle married life.”

“Married life is nothing special. You just need to establish dominance right from the honeymoon.”

“Establish dominance?”

“Marriage is just another relationship between people. A hierarchy is bound to form, and if you secure a favorable position early on, it’ll stick with you.”

“How do I get a favorable position?”

“Well, you nitpick. At first, you constantly criticize, saying they can’t do this or that. After they’re thoroughly intimidated, you mix in praise and rewards every now and then. It’ll be even easier since he’s a son-in-law.”

“Isn’t that just taming him…?”

“What’s wrong with taming a man? That guy… Edward, was it? He might become an obstacle to you, even though he’s coming in as a son-in-law, so it’s better to tame him in advance, don’t you think?”

If I succeeded in taming him, married life would definitely be much easier. I’d been thinking it would be nice if my husband didn’t get in my way, but if I could tame him and use him as a pawn, wouldn’t that be even better? He even won the tournament, so Monica thought he’d be useful in his own way.

“But how do you know all this stuff? Have you been married before?”

“My mother told me.”

“Oh…”

Of course, I didn’t bother adding that my mother had never had a proper married life either.

“Well, it’s all useless unless someone proposes to me again.”

“If they have any sense, they’ll ask you again. You said yesterday it seemed like a ploy.”

“I guess so? Ugh, I really don’t want to get married.”

I don’t want you to get married either. Winnie Melbourne had no choice but to swallow these words.

After the behind-the-scenes agreement with Vera, I sought out Monica.

‘I have to propose…’

It felt like walking into the tiger’s den, or rather, into the tiger’s mouth, but I had no choice since I’d agreed with Vera. With nowhere else to go, I had to cling to the Yulstein Family somehow, and the only position left in the Yulstein Family was as the Lady’s husband.

It seemed similar to before my regression, but the situation was better. This time, I didn’t have the stigma of being a loser, and I had Vera on my side. I also had a rough idea of the future, so if I showed a capable side, I could gain some say in things.

As I sorted out the situation and waited in front of the Melbourne mansion, I was able to meet Monica.

“Good morning, Young Lady Yulstein.”

“…What is it?”

Monica looked at me with a cold gaze. Every time I received that look, instead of anger and resentment, I felt my heart shrink like a frog in front of a snake. Get a grip. I still have to say what I need to say.

“I came to talk to you.”

“What is it?”

“Please marry me!”

I shouted with my eyes tightly closed, but no response came back. I opened my eyes halfway to check her expression, and Monica was making an ambiguous face. A bit of bewilderment, a resigned ‘you would,’ and a faint mix of contempt and delight. She hadn’t expected to receive a proposal right away this afternoon after the commotion last night.

“If you were going to do this, why did you cause such a fuss yesterday…”

“Ah, that was…”

“It’s okay. I think I know everything without hearing it.”

Monica sighed and took the ring. Fortunately, she didn’t throw it away, and quietly slipped it onto the ring finger of her left hand.

“To dare to use such shallow tricks in front of the Countess. If you were a commoner, your wrist would have been cut off.”

Oh, come on. Monica had hit me before, but she’d never caused permanent damage to my body. I guess it was because she wouldn’t be able to use me as a Knight if she did.

“We’ll be seeing each other often from now on, right? You’re my vassal now. So, I’ll speak casually. Got it?”

“Yes…”

My mind is forty years old, but I’m being spoken down to by a maiden who’s not even twenty. I was spoken down to before my regression too, though.

“Hmm, Sir Edward will become a Knight of our territory, right? Then you’ll have to receive knighthood from me, right?”

Ttsak-

Stars flashed before my eyes. My mind was used to being hit, but my body didn’t seem to be. As in my previous life, Monica’s hand was heavy. I could feel my cheek turning red.

“They say you get hit until you die when you receive knighthood, right? Just know that I’m being nice by only hitting you once.”

Monica left those words behind and left, saying she was busy. My mouth wasn’t torn inside thanks to her woman’s arm strength, but my taste was bitter. I desperately wanted a cigarette, so I naturally put a cigar in my mouth.

“Shit…”

I felt bad because I felt ignored. Monica hadn’t even received her title yet, so I didn’t have to be hit. It felt like I’d been slapped for proposing to Vera and incurring her displeasure.

That evening, I was given a tour of the territory by Vera, who was standing in for Monica, who was busy with work. It wasn’t really a tour since I already knew all the places, but I couldn’t act like I knew everything, so I decided to think of it as a date with Vera.

“Good evening, Sir Edward. But that cheek…?”

“Good evening. This is, uh, I bumped my face somewhere…”

I wanted to say I bumped it on her daughter’s palm, but Vera still cared more about Monica than me. It wouldn’t be good to give the impression that I was badmouthing her behind her back by saying something bad.

“To say you bumped it when there’s such a clear handprint… Who hit you? Who hit our precious son-in-law!”

The excuse I’d prepared didn’t work. So the mark was that clear, no wonder the servants kept glancing at my face. I couldn’t know since there was no mirror in my room.

“Haha, you don’t have to worry about it that much.”

“How can I not worry as the mistress of the Count Family when a guest of the Count Family has been slapped?”

Vera’s eyes, which were uncharacteristically raised, made it seem like she wouldn’t move an inch unless I told her who hit me. Her eyes were naturally droopy, so it wasn’t that intimidating, though.

“Well, I received a simplified knighthood from Monica-yang and got hit once.”

“…”

Vera’s brow furrowed at my answer. Did she feel bad because she heard something bad about her daughter?

“Still, one slap on the cheek is pretty good. Other Knights get beaten with clubs or hit until they bleed, but one slap on the cheek is…”

“No, no.”

Vera took both of my hands with a look full of apology.

“Let’s go to my room first.”

“Yes?”

“You can’t go around the territory looking like that.”

Led by Vera’s hand, I was invited to her room and sat in front of the huge vanity installed in the room. Looking at it like this, there really was a clear red mark on my cheek.

“Turn towards me and sit up straight. I’ll cover up the red part with makeup.”

Fortunately, it hadn’t been long since I’d been slapped, so it wasn’t swollen. Vera brought powder and a brush from somewhere and started dabbing it on my cheek.

As I received the makeup and glanced around Vera’s room, it was surprisingly similar to what I remembered. The only differences were the vase and the pillows? The rest were all the same things I’d seen before my regression. She’d been using them for a long time.

“I heard that men get scared even if you just put a makeup brush near them, but you’re being very still.”

“Haha…”

That’s because it’s a familiar thing. Even before my regression, Vera would cover up my face with makeup and apologize to me the day after Monica hit me. Even though you weren’t the one who hit me. But I think I was able to endure it thanks to Vera. I can’t say these things, though.

“It’s not familiar, but you’re doing it for me, aren’t you?”

“I’m glad you said that.”

As I sat still, the makeup was soon finished. It wasn’t perfect, but unless you looked closely, you’d only see a red cheek and wouldn’t know it was a handprint. A woman’s makeup skills are truly miraculous.

“It’s really seamless.”

“It’s because you listened so well. Monica never listens, so it’s hard.”

Given Monica’s personality, it didn’t seem like she’d listen to anyone else.

“I’m happy because it feels like I have a son who listens well like this.”

“Isn’t the age difference too small to be a mother and son?”

“Still, you’re a son-in-law. I’m thirty-three, and Monica is nineteen. You said you’re six years older than Monica, so… Huh?”

“There’s only an eight-year difference.”

Vera was flustered by the smaller-than-expected age difference. She’d brushed it off casually as a mother-in-law before, but this time it was different.

“May I call you Nuna-nim?”