Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 32

Florian began tearing the sausage on his plate to shreds, and Lucius quietly took the fork from his hand.

“My words probably burdened her. What if she says she doesn’t even want to be friends anymore?” Florian was practically sinking into the ground with worry. In moments like this, it was better to change the subject.

“You can worry about that after you’ve actually talked to her. For now, has Brianna found a job?”

Florian shook his head. “Not yet. It’s been tough without a letter of recommendation. Oh, but she might be starting a temporary job soon.”

“A temporary job? Doing what?”

“I’m not exactly sure. I just hope it works out for her. She’s been so down lately.”

“Why didn’t the Linares family give her a recommendation?”

Florian sighed. “I’m not entirely sure, but there’s always been tension between the Countess and my great-aunt. The Dowager Countess was beloved by the villagers, while the Countess, who was supposed to be the lady of the castle, had a weaker position because of that. Maybe she’s taking it out on Brianna.”

“Should I ask my mother to help?”

“I suggested that to Brianna, but she said she doesn’t want any more help.”

“…I see.” Lucius quietly cut his meat and took a bite.

“I wish I could just marry Brianna and take responsibility for her. At this rate, she’s going to run out of money, and I’m worried she’ll still be too stubborn to accept help. She can be surprisingly stubborn, you know.”

As Lucius chewed his food, he thought, ‘She is definitely stubborn.’

Though Florian didn’t know it, Brianna had an inheritance left by the Dowager Countess Linares. It would solve her problems easily, but Brianna would never touch that money. She planned to pass it on to her relative, Florian, when the time was right.

“If Brianna accepts your confession, when are you planning to tell your family?” Lucius asked.

Florian sighed softly. “I’m not sure yet. I’m thinking of delaying it as much as possible…”

“So, you have no plan?”

“It’s not that I don’t have a plan; it’s just that Brianna hasn’t even accepted my feelings yet.”

Hearing this, a surge of anger welled up inside Lucius.

The Robert family had no idea about Brianna’s existence. However, the possibility that they could find out at any time loomed large.

“Regardless, you should already have a plan in place. What will you do if she accepts your feelings? And if she rejects you, then what? Your family is desperate to secure some money through your marriage because of a failed investment, right? What do you think will happen if they find out about Brianna in this situation?”

If that happened, Brianna would undoubtedly be targeted. The Robert family’s only chance at recovery was through Florian’s marriage, and if they found out he wouldn’t marry because of Brianna, they’d go after her. It could happen as soon as tomorrow.

“And if Brianna gets hurt because of this…”

It was only then that Lucius realized how uncharacteristically agitated he had become. Florian was staring at him with a look of surprise.

At this point, even someone as oblivious as Florian would have to notice. There was no reason for Lucius to be this angry over his friend’s romantic troubles.

Lucius tightened his grip on his fork. “What I mean is… you’re too optimistic…”

“No, you’re right. I’ve been too complacent,” Florian admitted, smiling as he lightly tapped his own head.

“I’ll make sure to be more cautious from now on. Thanks for the advice.”

Lucius exhaled a sigh of relief inwardly. It was a relief that Florian hadn’t picked up on anything. He resolved to avoid discussing Brianna any further in the future. As he was thinking this, Florian spoke up again.

“Now that I think about it, how about you? Any young lady catch your eye lately?”

Lucius immediately rubbed his forehead with one hand. “…I’m dying over here because of that. I clearly said I’d marry whoever would best serve the family’s interests, so why do they keep pushing me to do all these other things instead of just arranging the marriage?”

“Because, even in arranged marriages, the typical order is courtship first, then marriage,” Florian replied with a chuckle.

“I don’t need that order.”

“Maybe you don’t, but the young lady might.” Florian’s laughter grew. “It might not matter to you, but she probably has feelings for you. Instead of just grumbling, why not make an effort to like someone? Or better yet, tell your mother what your ideal type is and ask her to find someone who fits. You must have some idea of what your ideal type is, even if you’re not interested in women. So, what’s your ideal type?”

Ideal type. The words brought only one woman to mind.

Deep blue eyes that looked into his soul, hair as beautiful as fragrant ancient wood, a woman who embodied the freshness of a forest.

He’d only met her twice, but no one else had ever left such a strong impression on him. That was the biggest problem.

“…I don’t have one.”

“Tragic,” Florian sighed dramatically. “The tragedy of arranged marriages.”

“Most people in arranged marriages live well enough,” Lucius retorted.

Florian tilted his head, considering. “Sure, they do. But that’s usually when both sides agree to live without love. If one side’s emotions become lopsided, it’s a different story. Even if both parties agree, the children born into such a marriage are bound to be unhappy. I’m living proof of that. Haven’t you seen it yourself?”

When Lucius fell silent, Florian continued, “There’s a rumor going around that Lady Kirchner is quite taken with you. Are you not interested at all?”

“She’s just a child. I can tell she sees me as a big piece of candy she doesn’t want anyone else to have.”

“Ha! That’s a pretty accurate description,” Florian laughed so hard he had to clutch his sides, while Lucius ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

“This time, I think she’s trying to win over my mother. Apparently, she wants me to take her to the opera. My mother knows I can’t stand opera.”

“Oh dear. Just don’t fall asleep during the performance,” Florian teased.

“I’m starting to think my mother’s already leaning toward that family.”

“Well, the Kirchner family is pushing hard for this match, so it’s no wonder…”

Florian watched Lucius with sympathy, then suddenly seemed to remember something. “So, who are you inviting to the graduation ceremony? Is it going to be Miss Adelheid again?”

Lucius set his fork down. He’d lost his appetite and had no desire to continue eating. “I’m not sure…”

“Ha, you don’t have any plans either. Who’s criticizing whom now?” Florian quipped with mock indignation, prompting a faint smile from Lucius.

“What about you? It’s not like you can invite Brianna, right?”

Bringing Brianna as his partner to the graduation ball would be akin to announcing to society exactly who she was to him. Florian’s face fell as he slumped in his seat.

“That’s exactly the problem. I want to invite Brianna, but it’s just not possible. At the same time, I don’t want to bring another girl. Isn’t there some way around this?”

Lucius imagined Brianna at the ball. With her fair complexion, she would look stunning in a light-colored dress. Keeping her accessories minimal would highlight her neat, delicate features even more. A single necklace would be enough, and one that matched the color of her eyes would be perfect.

She should wear her hair up rather than leaving it down. That would show off her long, slender neck, making her look even more graceful.

In truth, no matter what she wore, Brianna would be the most captivating woman at the ball…

Then, an idea struck him.

“Brianna could attend as long as her face isn’t revealed.”

Florian frowned, confused. “What are you talking about? How could she attend without showing her face?”