Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 22

“My great-aunt passed away. I received the news this morning.”

The sudden death announcement made Lucius think of Brianna first. He could vividly picture her eyes lighting up and her face breaking into a smile at the mere mention of the Dowager Countess’s name.

“So suddenly?”

“Her health had been declining for some time, but we thought she’d pull through. She was always such a strong woman…”

Lucius quickly remembered that Florian must also be in pain. “You must be heartbroken too.”

Florian shook his head. “I’m fine. I had been preparing myself for this. I’m more worried about Brie. She must be having a hard time right now.”

“Are you heading to Harzen right away?”

“Yes, I informed my professor that I would be absent for a while. I’m leaving immediately.”

“Take care. The Carlisle family will express official condolences soon.”

“Thank you.” Florian offered a faint smile of gratitude before his expression turned serious again. “Lucius.”

There was something different in the way Florian called his name, and Lucius felt a sense of foreboding.

“I’ve decided to follow your advice. When I see Brie this time, I’m going to tell her how I feel.”

Lucius looked at him, seeing a seriousness in his eyes that he had never seen before.

“I’m not trying to take advantage of her grief, and I’m okay with rejection. I just don’t want her to feel alone. Even though my great-aunt is gone, I want her to know that I’ll always be there for her.”

The once hesitant boy had grown into someone resolute, someone who wouldn’t be swayed by rejection. Lucius realized it was time to let go of his own lingering feelings.

He handed Florian the box he was holding. “Take this.”

“What is it…?” Florian opened the lid and immediately recognized its contents. He looked up in shock. “This is Brianna’s father’s watch! How did you get it? Didn’t she say it was stolen last time?”

“I was lucky,” Lucius replied, condensing the many efforts it took to retrieve it into a simple phrase. “Give it to her when you confess. It might help.”

Florian blinked, then broke into a wide grin. “Thank you!”

He pulled Lucius into a tight hug. “This will mean so much to Brie! Receiving her father’s watch now will be a huge comfort.”

Lucius gently pushed him away. “The watchband was worn out, so I replaced it. Make sure you give her that too.”

“Wow, you’ve thought of everything. Lucius, who knew you had such a delicate touch?” Florian laughed, stepping back before Lucius could get angry. “If she says yes, it’ll all be thanks to you! I’ll tell you how it goes when I get back.”

With a vigorous wave, Florian turned and ran off.

Lucius watched him go, then made his way back to the Carlisle mansion to find his brother in the study. Daniel looked up, surprised at his frequent visits lately.

“What brings you here this time?”

“What’s the current opinion on Sierra?”

Daniel’s eyebrows shot up again. Lucius had never shown interest in politics or family affairs since deciding his career path.

“Half believe there won’t be a war. The other half is divided on whether we should ally with the Kahzak Empire or the Basel Kingdom if war does break out.”

“What are His Majesty and the Crown Prince’s views?”

“As always, they’re keeping their thoughts to themselves,” Daniel replied with a shrug.

“Of course, deep down, he’s probably just thinking about using this opportunity to suppress the noble faction.”

In the Kingdom of Schwerin, the king’s authority was limited. All necessary decisions for national operations, including conscription, laws, and tax collection, required the consent of the House of Nobles. Even the royal finances needed the House of Nobles’ approval.

But there was a time when the king of Schwerin wielded unchallengeable power. King Joseph I, infamous as a tyrant, was a prime example.

He engaged in acts of tyranny, overestimating his power and attempting to confront the Pope directly, much like the current emperor of the Kazak Empire.

However, his ambitions ultimately led to him losing his immense authority. The nobles of Schwerin, who had long harbored resentment against the king, allied with the Pope to bring him to his knees.

As a result, the king lost his power, but it wasn’t an immediate transition to the current state of affairs. The king’s remaining authority was completely stripped away during the coronation of the current king due to a particular incident.

“You know the king had issues during his ascension and had to sign a treaty because of it. He’s been trying to find a way to break that treaty and dissolve the House of Nobles ever since. External circumstances provide the perfect opportunity to solve internal issues,” Daniel explained.

The current king was the younger brother of the previous king. The previous king and his queen died without an heir, leading to the younger brother’s succession.

The problem was the suspicious nature of their deaths. They died suddenly after visiting the then-prince’s estate, supposedly from acute malaria. However, the public was skeptical.

Suspicion about the true cause of death mounted, placing the new king in a difficult position. Ultimately, a deal was struck with the House of Nobles: they would cease questioning the former king’s death and acknowledge the new king’s succession, in exchange for significant reductions in the king’s authority.

“I want Schwerin to stay out of the power struggle between the emperor and the Pope. But the king is likely eager to involve himself in this war and support the emperor’s victory, to weaken the Pope’s influence and strengthen his own position. The problem is, the nobles are clueless. They’re too worried about their investments in Sierra to think clearly.”

“So we’re not really in a position to relax.”

Daniel nodded. “Exactly. We need more support on our side.”

“Then use me,” Lucius said calmly.

“What?” Daniel looked at him in shock.

“I’ll marry someone from a family that can help us.”

Daniel dropped his pen. “You… do you realize what you’re saying?”

“I don’t care who the woman is. Discuss it with Mother and start looking now.”

Having said all he needed to, Lucius turned on his heel. Daniel shouted, “Wait a minute!” but the door had already closed.

***

Throughout the entire funeral, Brianna could neither eat nor sleep properly. She would cry until she was exhausted, then fall asleep, only to wake up and cry again. At some point, she could no longer shed any more tears.

Seeing her in such a state, Mrs. Fisher couldn’t bear it and led Brianna to the kitchen.

“Here, have this,” Mrs. Fisher said, handing her a jam cookie.

Brianna wondered where it had come from, given how busy everyone had been with the funeral preparations.

Mrs. Fisher winked conspiratorially. “I baked these secretly last night. You might not remember, but when your father passed away, this was the only thing you managed to eat,” she said gently.

“Oh, Mrs. Fisher…” Brianna murmured, feeling a surge of gratitude and sadness.

Mrs. Fisher placed the cookie in her hand, just as she had done when Brianna’s father had died.

“If you keep not eating like this, you’ll get sick. That would make the madam very sad. Is that what you want?” Mrs. Fisher asked softly.

Brianna shook her head slowly. Mrs. Fisher sighed in relief and sat her down at the table.

“Have it with some milk,” she suggested, placing a warm glass of milk in front of Brianna.

Brianna nibbled at the edge of the cookie. It was still sweet. The sweetness felt strange and out of place, contrasting sharply with her devastated heart. It made her feel even sadder. But she finished the cookie and drank the milk.

She did it for Mrs. Fisher, who had gone out of her way to make the cookies.

“Do you want to try something else? I can prepare a light meal for you,” Mrs. Fisher asked, hopeful after seeing Brianna finish the cookie.

Brianna shook her head again.