Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 20

“Well, I suppose it can’t be helped,” she said with a tinge of disappointment as the music came to a halt.

Lucius released her hand from his waist and was about to make his final bow when her bold voice pierced the air. “At least I can be reassured that no other woman will get close to you for now.”

Gone was her previous shyness, replaced by a direct gaze and a confident smile. “Remember, Lord Lucius, that I am eagerly waiting for your graduation.”

“…I will escort you back to your family,” Lucius responded.

After returning Adelheid to the Count and Countess Kirchner, he swiftly moved away. Seeing him dance, parents with marriageable daughters would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to approach him.

A few people attempted to engage him in conversation, but his brisk pace discouraged them, leaving them with expressions of disappointment. As he was about to exit the ballroom, he heard a fervent voice.

“There will never be a war. I guarantee it.”

A group of men surrounded Viscount Robert on one side of the room, listening intently as he raised his glass and declared, “Invest in Sierra, and your money will double, no, triple!”

Lucius sighed softly as he finally stepped out of the ballroom.

“Is this the place you escaped to?”

It hadn’t been long since he found a spot on the empty terrace when Daniel appeared. Daniel leaned against the railing where Lucius stood and gazed intently at his silent brother.

“You don’t seem to understand. A ballroom terrace isn’t meant for brooding alone. It’s a place to lure your beloved and take the next step.”

“You seem to prefer the garden for such purposes,” Lucius retorted.

“Huh?” Daniel sucked in a surprised breath. “You, you saw me? When? Don’t tell me it was during the last royal ball?”

“…You did that even at the palace? Wait, I thought the Neumann family wasn’t attending that night. So, you’ve already changed partners since then…?”

Daniel hurriedly clapped his hand over Lucius’s mouth. “Can you keep it down? If Mother hears about this, she’ll never stop lecturing me.”

Lucius irritably brushed off Daniel’s hand and scoffed. “Then why don’t you just marry like she wants?”

“If you keep talking like this, you’ll regret it. Do you even know what I have right now?” Daniel lifted one side of his jacket, revealing an old watch chain dangling from his vest pocket.

“You found it?” Lucius asked eagerly, reaching out his hand, but Daniel closed his jacket again.

Lucius’s cold stare demanded an explanation, and Daniel smiled with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Little brother, I can’t just give it to you. Finding this was a real ordeal. Do you have any idea how hard it is to track down stolen goods? The place was run by some pretty tough characters, and getting information out of them was nearly impossible. And when it came to retrieving the item, the price they demanded was outrageous. I had to negotiate endlessly, fearing that I might end up selling off parts of the Carlisle estate…”

“Enough. What’s your point?” Lucius cut off Daniel’s rambling, to which Daniel smiled even wider, as if he’d been waiting for this moment.

“How was the dance with Lady Kirchner?”

“Why do you care?”

“She looked quite charming from a distance. She seemed quite determined to get what she wanted, even using her father to do so. Mother seems to like her as well.”

“I’m not interested.”

“Then at least show some interest in another lady. That way, you might forget the owner of this watch.”

Daniel pulled the watch from his vest pocket and handed it to Lucius. The old, circular watch dropped into Lucius’s palm.

“If you want something, take it. Do whatever it takes to eliminate any obstacles. If you can’t, then let it go completely. Otherwise, you’ll only end up getting hurt, and that’s something I can’t stand to see.”

Daniel left Lucius with one last piece of advice before departing the terrace. “This isn’t a command from the Duke of Carlisle. It’s advice from your brother. Take it to heart.”

Left alone, Lucius looked down at the watch in his hand. He opened the cover to reveal the inscription inside: Heinz Everett, Lotta Everett. And below that, the words “To my beloved Nana.”

“Nana?”

Lucius knew Brianna’s nickname was “Brie,” but he wondered if she had another nickname he wasn’t aware of. Florian always called her “Brie,” so either he didn’t know about “Nana,” or it was a family nickname.

The watch was covered in scratches. A professional restorer could make it shine like new, but Lucius doubted she would want that. What Brianna sought was likely the remnants of her parents’ touch on the watch. The chain was also worn and stretched, looking like it might break soon.

Even if he didn’t replace the chain, it might be wise to buy a new one and include it with the watch. Continuing to use this worn chain risked losing the watch entirely. After confirming that the watch’s hands were functioning correctly, Lucius closed the cover.

Now, the question was how to return it to her. Sending it directly was an option, but it seemed more appropriate to ask Florian to give it to her.

Lucius gripped the watch tightly.

This was it. This was as far as he could go. As long as Florian had feelings for her, Lucius couldn’t take another step closer.

That was reality.

***

The next day, Margot packed her things and disappeared before dawn. The people in the castle assumed she had eloped with a man, paying little attention to her departure. Margot had always openly declared that she would follow a prince-like man the moment he appeared. Moreover, having vanished right after the festival, it was possible she had met an outsider there and left with him.

Only Mrs. Fisher truly worried about Margot. She sighed constantly, fretting that Margot might have done something foolish on impulse. Margot had always disliked Mrs. Fisher for her scolding and nagging, but when she vanished without a word, Mrs. Fisher was the only one concerned for her.

A short while after Margot’s disappearance, Brianna and Leona went to spend time at the villa by the lake.

Their daily routine was simple. In the morning, they would have a light breakfast and then go for a walk. In the warm afternoon sun, they would head to the lake for fishing.

The fish they caught were grilled on the spot. Leona, who had always eaten meticulously prepared meals, found great joy in the fish Brianna grilled, blowing on it to cool it down before taking a bite. Seeing her reflection with soot around her mouth on the lake’s surface made her laugh like a child.

At sunset, they would return to the villa, drink warm tea, knit, or read books. During these times, they had many conversations. Although Brianna mostly listened to Leona’s stories, occasionally they engaged in spirited debates.

About a month into their stay at the villa, the temperature suddenly dropped. The cold weather seemed to worsen Leona’s persistent cold, which had initially just caused more coughing but soon escalated to a full-blown fever.

“We should return to the castle. Let’s leave tomorrow,” Brianna said, soaking a hot towel in cold water. She wrung it out and placed it back on Leona’s forehead, causing her to grimace slightly.

“I told you, it’s just a cold. There’s no need to make a fuss. I’ve taken my medicine,” Leona insisted.

Since Leona’s health began to decline, Brianna had been urging her to return to the castle, but Leona stubbornly refused, insisting she preferred staying at the villa.

“There’s no doctor here. If your fever gets worse…”

“Old age comes with ailments. What about you? You might catch this cold. Stay away,” Leona retorted.

“I’m young. What’s there to worry about? Even if I catch it, I’ll be fine in a day.”

“Hmph, it’s good to be young.”

“Yes, so listen to the young person for once. Didn’t you always say it’s the wisdom of the elderly to heed the words of the young?”