Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 3

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Brianna Everett.

The only thing Lucius knew for sure about her appearance was that she had brown hair. That was almost nothing. Yet, there was no denying that he was the person who knew Brianna Everett best in Bastogne. For the past four years, not a day had gone by without Florian telling him about her.

As a child, Florian had been weak and spent some time recuperating in the estate of his great-aunt, the Dowager Countess Linares. This estate was in Harzen, Brianna’s hometown. From the ages of eleven to fifteen, the two had grown up together like siblings.

Brianna Everett’s father was a mercenary employed at Harzen Castle. Having lost his wife early, he had to leave his young daughter at the castle whenever he went on monster hunts. Fortunately, the lord’s wife, Dowager Countess Linares, who led a lonely life in her old age, doted on and cared for young Brianna. After Brianna’s father died during a monster hunt, the Dowager Countess raised her as if she were her own daughter.

Through this connection, Florian and Brianna, despite their different statuses, became childhood friends. Florian cherished his memories of Harzen so much that even after enrolling in the academy, he would spend his vacations there.

Four years passed this way.

As they entered adolescence, Florian’s feelings for his childhood friend grew more serious. Lucius, who had witnessed this transformation, learned a great deal about Brianna—her personality, her past, her likes and dislikes.

Yet, despite all this, he had never once seen her face. So what was he supposed to do now?

Lucius sighed quietly as he looked out at the scenery beyond the carriage window. Upon arriving at the train station, he would have to find Brianna Everett, someone he had never seen before.

He decided to think positively. Surely, there wouldn’t be many brown-haired women waiting alone at the station.

But when he arrived at the station square, Lucius’s hopes were dashed. Over a dozen brown-haired women were standing alone, waiting. Given that brown was the most common hair color in the kingdom, it made sense. At least half the population had brown hair.

“My lord? Is something the matter?” the coachman asked cautiously, noticing that Lucius had not even moved from his seat despite reaching their destination. With a resigned sigh, Lucius stepped out of the carriage.

“I’ll be back soon. Wait here,” he instructed.

Lucius resolved to tackle the problem head-on. It might take some time, but if he asked each person their name, he would eventually find her.

He walked straight to the nearest brown-haired woman, who was waiting by the fountain.

The woman, awaiting her companion, stared in surprise as a tall, handsome man approached her. When he stopped right in front of her, her eyes widened.

Lucius quickly assessed her features. Her long, braided hair was indeed brown. Her clothes and hat were far from the latest fashion, and she carried a large bag—she had to be from the countryside. This increased the likelihood that she was Brianna Everett.

Yet, instinctively, he felt she wasn’t the one. The look in her eyes was different from what Florian had described. Florian had said Brianna’s eyes always sparkled, but the eyes staring back at him now were somewhat dull.

Still, he had to be sure, so he decided to ask politely.

“Excuse me, may I trouble you for a moment?” Lucius asked politely.

The woman jumped in surprise, glancing around before looking up at him. “M-me?”

Lucius gave her a courteous smile. It was a polite gesture, but the woman’s mouth fell open in awe.

“Why are you… talking to me?” she stammered.

“I am Lucius Carlisle, second son of the Duke of Carlisle. I apologize for the sudden intrusion, but I would appreciate it if you could spare me a moment of your time.”

The woman clapped her hands over her mouth to stifle a gasp. And she wasn’t the only one. The people around them began whispering urgently.

“Did you hear that? He’s from the Carlisle family!”

“Why would a nobleman be talking to her?”

“Isn’t it obvious? He must have fallen for her at first sight!”

All eyes were on them now, and Lucius realized his actions might be misinterpreted. He quickly tried to clarify.

“I just need to ask if your name is—”

At that moment, screams erupted from the crowd. Lucius turned to see a carriage speeding through the square, a small child walking directly in its path.

He was too far away to intervene. Just as the carriage was about to hit the child, a woman with brown hair darted forward, scooping up the child and rolling to the ground. The carriage narrowly missed them, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Seconds later, the woman slowly lifted her head, still holding the child. As her lashes rose, revealing her eyes, Lucius found himself momentarily breathless.

Were they the green of the forest or the blue of the sea? Her eyes were an enchanting mix of both, sparkling vividly even in the hazy dust.

“Are you all right?” someone shouted.

“What just happened?” another exclaimed.

People rushed towards the woman and child, their faces full of concern. The woman flashed a bright smile at them, assuring them she was fine.

Lucius knew then. This was Brianna Everett.

The brown hair and sparkling eyes were just as Florian had described. But there was more—he knew she was brave. Florian had recounted many times the story of how, as a child, Brianna had rescued him from a dark forest.

“There was a time I got lost in the woods. Night was falling, and I thought I was going to die. Brie saved me.”

A courageous girl who had risked entering the dark forest to save a friend. It made sense that she would also risk herself to save a child in danger.

Lucius let out a sigh of relief, glad she was safe. He was about to approach her when he felt a tug on his coat.

“Um, you were asking my name earlier…” The woman he had initially spoken to was looking at him with hopeful eyes. Lucius’s cold gaze traveled down to her hand, still clutching his coat.

Only royals or high-ranking nobles dared to speak to him so familiarly, let alone touch him. Yet this stranger had done so without hesitation.

As his face hardened, the woman quickly released her hold, flinching. “I’m sorry, I just thought—”

“You are not the person I am looking for,” Lucius interrupted.

“What? But you didn’t even ask my name…” she protested weakly.

“I apologize for the inconvenience. Goodbye,” he said, turning away from the disappointed woman and heading towards the opposite side of the square.

Then he noticed a man running off with a green bag that had fallen. It was the same bag the woman had been holding before she saved the child.

There was no time to hesitate. Having confirmed the woman’s safety, he now had to catch the thief.

Lucius immediately pursued the man. The thief ducked into a narrow alley, but fortunately, the alley wasn’t complicated. Before long, Lucius found the man rifling through the bag in a corner of the alley.