Chapter 16

Noticing that the main character in the hall had changed, the Emperor pretended it was nothing and asked another young lady to dance.

It was the Emperor’s first dance after ascending to the throne, but they didn’t look at the Emperor dancing.

Everyone in the hall pretended to look at him, but were only capturing Kael and Adeline.

“Your Grace. Adeline.”

While they were feeling the pouring gazes, Enoch called Kael and Adeline in a low voice that could only be heard up close.

Everyone in the hall was surprised by the sudden announcement, but the three brothers who stood by Adeline were the most surprised.

It was only natural, since they heard the news of their sister’s marriage while they were only accumulating resentment towards the Emperor.

“I’d like to speak with you at the back of the hall for a moment. In a hidden space behind the side door. Your Grace will know where it is.”

“Yes. I know.”

“There are a lot of eyes looking at us, so there will be unnecessary words if we all move at once. Let’s get together when the dance is over. Adeline, stay by my side and we’ll go together.”

After organizing things neatly, Enoch pulled Adeline towards him and the brothers.

He seemed to be trying to distance himself from Kael.

“Brother…”

“We’ll be the first ones going there.”

Feeling the mood, Adeline tried to say something, but Enoch immediately stopped her.

As soon as the Emperor’s dance was over, he took Adeline into the hidden space behind the hall.

“Adeline!”

“Brother!”

As soon as they were blocked from the outside, the two voices collided immediately.

“What do you mean, marriage? You never said anything before, so how come you’re getting married all of a sudden! Do you think it makes sense for me to know about my sister’s marriage at this ball, at the same time as everyone else?”

“Brother. I’ll explain everything.”

“No. There is no need to explain. You can’t get married. Even more so if it was a marriage that came out of nowhere.”

Enoch was more determined than ever. It was something she would never see normally.

His calm and rational form, which he had always maintained, had disappeared without a trace, and only the angry older brother who opposed his little sister’s marriage remained.

Adeline sighed and looked at Enoch.

The truth is, she expected it to some extent since she refused the Emperor’s dance and Kael called her his fiancée.

Adeline hadn’t said anything about her marriage so far.

The people who shouted they were absolutely against Adeline’s marriage heard this story suddenly, so it was obvious that there would be a stir.

“Adeline!”

Before Enoch’s anger subsided, Leo, even angrier than him, came inside.

“You! What is this! No! Ah! Adeline!”

Enoch could finish his sentences, but Leo couldn’t even do that.

“Sister! What do you mean, marriage! Do you really have that kind of relationship with Grand Duke Inver? Sister!”

After him, even Simeon, raising his voice unlike usual, joined.

Adeline gave up answering back and grabbed her forehead.

“I mean, you didn’t say a word. Truly not a word! You didn’t tell Brother anything, did you? And Simeon? Huh?”

“Not at all. Besides, you asked us a while ago if we could get you a marriage partner who would listen well and be willing to step down even if you broke off the engagement right away!”

Leo and Simeon spoke even more angrily.

Adeline was speechless, not knowing how to explain this situation.

“Anyway, I will never…”

Enoch, who was adamant, looked at the door and trailed off.

Then, everyone’s gaze moved following Enoch’s.

At the end of their gazes was Kael.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

As everyone gathered together, the atmosphere in the room completely changed.

None of Adeline’s brothers and Kael, who were facing each other, spoke first.

Facing the heavy silence, Adeline was almost suffocating.

“As I told you last time, I am deeply grateful that you saved Leo’s life. Everyone in the Tien family, including me, will not forget your kindness.”

“It was nothing.”

“But marriage is a different matter. I think Your Grace also knows that well.”

Enoch, who had brought up the main topic first, drew the line with certainty.

“I have no intention of allowing Adeline to get married. Especially when there was no discussion like this.”

Enoch was adamant, and Kael, who was facing him, chose to remain silent instead of answering straight away.

It was clear he was choosing what to say.

“I want to ask you a question.”

Before Kael could answer, Leo took the lead.

“I owe you my life. I’m sure you know that you don’t have to tell a knight what a life debt is. I will pay you back commensurately. You have my word.”

“…”

“But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered about one thing.”

Kael’s gaze shifted to Leo.

“I was caught in a trap set up by the crown prince. It was also a very dangerous situation, as I went into the enemy’s territory.”

“…”

“It was too dangerous to carry out rescue operations purely to protect the imperial knights, without any purpose. However, Your Grace’s knights risked their lives.”

After waking up, Leo pondered the situation at the time.

There was only one thing that bothered him; and when Kael and Adeline dropped the bomb today that they were engaged, the one thing that he felt uncomfortable about came back to mind.

“Is Adeline’s marriage related to saving my life?”

In an instant, tension was hovering in the room.

The three brothers looked sharply at Kael, and Kael’s mood in dealing with the changed energy was also colder than it was at the beginning.

“It’s not that, Brother.”

It was Adeline who cleared the suffocating atmosphere that could break at any time.

Adeline, who had only been watching quietly the whole time, opened her mouth.

“I love His Grace.”

The moment her words echoed, everyone in the room, except for Adeline, hardened in surprise.

Enoch, Leo, Simeon, and also Kael.

***

“Strangely, I come to this garden often.”

Adeline came out of the room and into the garden of the imperial palace, speaking to herself.

It was the garden where she escaped from the crowd on the day of the ball when Kael asked Adeline to dance for the first time.

“Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since that day.”

“Yes. Time went by quickly.”

Adeline took Kael outside with her, taking the chance while her brothers were frozen in surprise.

They needed time to plan and have a conversation with just the two of them, avoiding her brothers.

“I was surprised. I thought you’d just tell the truth.”

Kael said while looking at Adeline, his eyes mixed with surprise and interest.

It was an answer he had never expected.

“Did you think I would tell the truth?”

“It’s not a bad contract.”

The Adeline that Kael had known until now was a very honest woman.

So, he expected her to reveal everything to her brothers. Political marriages between nobles were a common thing and Adeline’s brothers also knew this well, so he thought it would be no problem.

“For my family it is.”

Adeline shook her head slightly, as if she couldn’t stop them, and continued.

“They want my happiness more than anyone else. If it’s something that concerns me, all three of them lose their reason. They can’t find their composure. Especially Brother Leo.”

“…”

“And if they find out the reason why I suddenly decided to get married without saying anything was because of Brother Leo, they will try to break this contract by all means possible.”

“…”

“They’ll think I sold my happiness to save my brother.”

Adeline knew her brothers better than anyone else.

Her marriage would never progress if she told her brothers the truth.

In fact, because it was better for Adeline the more her marriage was overturned, her brothers’ opposition was not so dizzying or overwhelming.

But she didn’t want her brothers to get hurt unnecessarily.

Adeline didn’t want to make them feel sorry and think she had made such a big sacrifice for them.

Besides, by Adeline’s standards, this was not a big sacrifice.

It’s not like she had a lover or any intention of getting married.

So the lie of marrying him because she loved Kael was the best answer in this situation.

“Perhaps Brother Enoch will invite you before the ball is completely over today.”

“Because you said you love me? I don’t think he will allow it easily.”

“That’s a given. He’s going to invite you to reject it.”

Kael frowned slightly.

“My brothers will never believe that I love you. So, if you want to marry me, make them believe that.”

It was a marriage she wanted to end quickly, whether it was a breakup or a divorce. But a contract was a contract.

Since Kael had saved Leo and kept her from being controlled by the Emperor, Adeline had to cooperate to some extent.

The words Adeline had just said were a kind of tip that came out due to some kind of contractual obligation.

“… Why are you looking at me like that?”

Adeline looked at the flowers while she talked, but turned her head when she felt an unusual gaze.

And as expected, Kael was staring at Adeline with glowing eyes again.

It was the same look as the day she first came here with him.

The look in his eyes that said Adeline was extremely interesting.

It was the look that made her the most anxious.

“This will be very interesting.”

“… You didn’t misunderstand what I said, did you?”

“Of course not. I got it right.”

When she saw Kael grinning, a greater sense of anxiety struck her.

“Look forward to it.”

Kael smiled nicely, as always, and whispered to Adeline.

Only Adeline was nervous and restless.

It was really unusual. Kael’s expression, tone of voice, and even the smile that seemed to bewitch anyone.

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