A Comprehensive Guide of Survival for Children of Nobility
01. A Sudden Proposal (1)
On a bright and sunny afternoon, in the pavilion at the side garden of Lilac Mansion.
Ervin
"Please get married to me!"
Adrianella blinked, staring strangely at the boy who was kneeling in front of her.
Adrianella
"Millia, it seems that I have to make an appointment with the physician. I need to have my ears checked to see if they are functioning normally."
Millia (Adrianella's maid)
"My lady, I'm afraid your ears are functioning quite well. Although now I dare to question Lord Ervin's sanity. Perhaps it would be best for us to make an appointment with the physician."
Ervin
"... I'm perfectly sane, thank you."
Adrianella
"Then, do elaborate. Because I'm doing my best holding back from throwing this fork at my dear cousin's eyes."
Ervin took a deep breath and glanced at the empty chair.
Adrianella
"... right, I have forgotten my manners. Forgive me, dear cousin. Do take a seat and make yourself presentable. Those creases and mess of hair strands — can look quite unpleasant to the eyes."
Ervin
"... thank you for the reminder."
Ervin stood up, brushed off the dirt from his trousers, straightened his suit and tidied his hair before taking a seat across from Adrianella.
Ervin
"First of all, I apologise for barging in uninvited."
Adrianella
"As you should. Even someone with a lack of decency will send a notice a few minutes before arriving."
Ervin
"... I apologise, once again. And I believe that you must be puzzled by my proposal. But I swear that I have no ulterior motive in mind except my own survival in this household."
Adrianella made a thoughtful look. The combination of such a mature expression with a childish face was odd yet fascinating to Ervin.
Adrianella
"This matter appears to be more important than I thought. Shall we move to another place to have a more private conversation?"
A while later, inside the parlour.
Ervin took a sip of his tea. His gestures were calm, very much the complete opposite of the haste in his gaze.
Ervin
"I believe that you are not oblivious to my position in the family."
Ervin
"As an adopted son with not much value except for my research, the possibility of my being found out as a corpse in the back-alleys is higher than my being alive and receiving a fair of copyright."
Adrianella
"... I can't deny that."
As a member of the same household and having inherited their blood, Adrianella was more than knowledgeable about their atrocity and malice.
Ervin
"The least I could do to survive was finding a sturdy rope to hold onto, even if I have to grovel on the dirt."
Adrianella
"That is quite an extreme determination, in a way. I understand what you're trying to express, dear cousin. But may I know what made you choose me — a girl 3 years younger than you? Are you planning to propose a contractual agreement?"
Ervin
"No, no. You see, even if my proposal carries an ulterior motive, I'm sincere in my request to marry you."
Ervin
"Truth to be told, you feel like someone I can get along with. And if I have to spend the rest of my life with a stranger, I would rather be with someone like you who's calm and rational."
Adrianella
"... you're being very honest."
Ervin
"I figured hiding things wouldn't help much. And it's also my way to assure you of my intentions."
Adrianella calmly sipped her tea, her expression still calm and unfazed. Truly a peculiar sight for a 12-year-old child.
Adrianella
".... give me time to consider it."
Adrianella
"It won't be long, probably only two or three days."
Ervin couldn't help smiling. She obviously had already made a decision, so this 'consideration' was a formality and courtesy.
Ervin
"Take your time. I do not mind waiting."
Ervin
"But for once, may I disregard the etiquette and take advantage of my being your cousin to impose on you for the next few days?"
A sheepish laugh escaped Ervin's mouth.
Ervin
"With my adoptive father being out of the country at the moment, I believe that my safety is at risk, with how those people have been hovering around my laboratory as of lately."
Adrianella
"I see. I'll tell Millia to prepare the guest room for you. But may I know what kind of research you have been attempting —?"
Ervin
"Ah, it's a method to compress multiple magic circuits into one. It was so that you can incorporate multiple functions into a single artefact."
Adrianella almost dropped her teacup from the shock.
Ervin
"Well, if you're curious, I can show you later when I've completed it."
Adrianella
"No, that's not what I meant — whatever."
Adrianella couldn't help being resigned to the helplessness she was feeling.
She called Millia and told her to prepare the guest room. A while later, she returned and led Ervin there, leaving Adrianella to her thoughts.
Inside the guest room, Ervin flopped himself onto the bed, sighing in relief.
Ervin
"Thank God. I hope she'll consider it seriously."
He still shuddered when thinking about the kidnapping attempt he recently faced, knocked unconscious by a drug and was almost brought to a slave trader and sold at a hefty price.
Or when intruders came into the house in the middle of the night and ransacked his laboratory.
Or when he found out that except for the head maid whom his adopted father picked himself, everyone else was a spy sent by others.
Ervin sighed once again. He knew that trying to survive by using Adrianella was cowardly.
Ervin
"But it's not like I have any other way either...."
Ervin
"She's the only one... who didn't treat or extort me like a slave in the previous life..."
Ervin
"... and since there's also the matter of the Emperor trying to match her with his deplorable nephew, the possibility of her agreeing to my proposal is 90%."
Ervin
"I hope she'll give me an answer soon... for both of our sakes."
With that, he fell into a deep sleep.
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