Chapter 7

Before I knew it, the ceremony for my engagement to Massera was approaching.

“This is the estimated budget for the engagement ceremony. Once you approve, we will proceed. Also, if you could let us know who to invite—”

“But we’ve already registered the marriage, haven’t we? Is an engagement ceremony really necessary?”

Why are we even doing this?

I kept wondering about it.

The aide, however, only gave a lackluster answer.

“It’s just a formality.”

As a person who can’t stand not knowing things, I went to the estate's library and read through a book on family law.

And I learned that, “by custom, the final approval of the marriage registration is completed only after the wedding ceremony has happened.”

But it didn’t say an engagement ceremony was necessary, did it?

After getting my makeup done, I watched the line of cars pulling up to the estate in a daze.

After checking the time, I got up and headed to Massera’s office.

Knock knock.

As I opened the door with a knock, I saw Massera in his formal military uniform.

Regardless of how he felt about me, we had to enter the ceremony together, so I had gone to fetch him.

“I’m here to escort you. Don’t I look nice?”

I wasn’t expecting him to answer.

Massera, sitting at his desk, didn’t change expression as he fixed his eyes back on the documents before him.

Lifting the hem of my dress just slightly, I spoke in a cheerful tone—

“The engagement dress you prepared for me is really pretty. You have a good eye for detail!”

I twirled around in my dress, showing it off, when his face turned completely serious.

“That dress was sent by your brother, Sir Carlos.”

It’s from freaking Carlos? My expression hardened.

“Oh, I was just joking. It’s actually awful. Should I change into something else?”

Massera spoke up, his eyes narrowing.

“No matter what you wear—”

“No matter what I wear, I look pretty, right? Thanks.”

“—I don’t care.”

“It goes without saying, so I don’t need to thank you?”

Massera finally said what he wanted to say, and I used my invincible skill of interpreting it the way I wanted to hear it.

Still expressionless, he waved his hand.

“I have urgent paperwork to finish, so sit down.”

“Where should I sit?”

“Or you can just stand there. It’d be great if you could keep your mouth shut for ten minutes too.”

What am I to do with that man’s courteous, sharp tongue?

As a form of protest, I stood tall in front of him.

And about ten minutes passed like that.

Now that I could talk, I opened my mouth—

“Please treat me sweetly in front of my family. Like we’re madly in love.”

“I told you not to make any demands of me. Also, it hasn’t been ten minutes yet.”

“Legally though, isn’t a wedding ceremony needed for us to be considered fully married? What if my father, who loves me dearly, gets upset and breaks off the engagement?”

Massera looked at me silently.

During the nine and a half minutes of silence, I had finished analyzing the documents and blueprints peeking out on Massera’s desk.

In noble marriages, both sides make a trade. What Massera asked of Count Queensguard was a barren land called “Nox.”

There was no way the Count had gone so far as to arrange a fake marriage just to give a piece of worthless land though.

[Royal Property of Variessa]

From the documents, it was land once owned by the royal family.

But there was a hidden reason Massera wanted land that would likely incur more taxes.

[Large-Scale Development Project]

It was that the planned railroad development meant the land would become incredibly valuable.

There was a high possibility that a vast amount of resources were buried there. So for Massera, letting this marriage fall through would be a problem.

Of course, the money-hungry Count of Queensguard must’ve known of this.

I recalled what I had read in the family law book and clenched my fist.

[If a spouse dies within one year of marriage, the dowry is returned to the spouse’s family.]

The count was painting a very big picture.

He planned to reclaim the land after development began using Massera’s funds.

After causing my death, that is.

The only good thing about this was that Massera wouldn’t be the one to kill me.

At least not within the first year of our marriage.

So if I want to avoid being killed by the count and later negotiate even if my identity is exposed, I need Massera’s trust.

I guess the only answer here would be to win his heart, right?

“...Let’s go.”

Massera stood up, having finished his work, and straightened his outfit.

I walked beside him, keeping pace with his long and fast strides.

“Should we come up with nicknames to make it look like we’re madly in love?”

That way, the count won’t be able to lay a hand on me.

“I’d rather die.”

He said it with the scariest face imaginable.

Geez, he’s like a grumpy cheese cat. Why does he hate everything so much?

TL/N: A “cheese cat” is part of the “aegyo culture” in Korea, often referring to the cute images of idols. In this context, Cynthia is implying that Massera has a grumpy personality despite his cute appearance.

***

The banquet hall where the engagement ceremony was being held was bustling with guests.

Pointing somewhere, a noblewoman said to her companions—

“Look, the Queensguard family is here.”

In the direction she pointed stood the Count, Helene, Carlos, and Edford, who were surrounded by people.

It was also the first time the children of the Queensguard family, who had been shrouded in mystery, showed their faces in high society.

“They’re all so good-looking.”

“It looks like the children take after their father.”

However, people didn’t recognize Edford to be a member of the Queensguard family, given how different he looked.

Meanwhile, Carlos, holding a glass of champagne, stared intently at today’s leading lady standing atop the ceremonial hall’s staircase.

Dressed in an expensive gown and jewelry, Cynthia was stunning enough to catch any man’s attention.

Standing beside her was Massera, who wore a somewhat cold expression but had a faint smile on his lips.

“I’ve never seen such a beautiful couple. They’re like a painting.”

Even from afar, their dazzling looks drew constant praise from onlookers.

And for some reason, Carlos felt sick to his stomach.

It was then that Helene’s fiancé, Duke Lucanossa, appeared at the banquet.

He was a tall, handsome man with black hair and blue eyes.

“Your Grace, thank you for attending my younger sister’s engagement ceremony.”

Helene spoke with a blush on her cheeks and the duke gave her a small nod in return.

“It was only proper that I attend. I too have ties with General Vicente.”

The duke looked around the banquet hall.

In fact, this estate used to belong to his uncle, the former commander-in-chief.

He had once wished to become the commander-in-chief like his uncle, but could never surpass Massera’s talent.

Ever since then, he carried the shame of having lost to a war orphan.

And although he felt inferior to Massera, he also held a sense of superiority.

It was clear to him that Massera was marrying Cynthia Queensguard to uncover and thwart his plans.

“Your Grace, have you been well?”

Count Queensguard greeted him and extended his hand.

As they shook hands, there was a strange glint in their gazes.

“It’s been a while.”

The Count of Queensguard was a shrewd man.

He’d already told the duke that he sent a fake bride to Massera and planned to dispose of her before the one-year marriage law expired.

It was a very welcome proposal to the duke.

‘No matter how hard a war orphan tries, he’ll never be a real noble like me.’

With a fake in his hands, Massera would forever chase an illusion and lose in the end.

Just as he was reveling in his victory, the duke spotted Cynthia descending the stairs.

Her hair, which had shimmered like gold under the chandelier light, turned completely silver as she reached the bottom of the staircase.

‘She must be the fake bride.’

In the Variessa royal family, there was a story that children as white as snow were occasionally born under the Winter God’s blessing.

The duke had thought the count chose the right person to play the fake bride, but as Cynthia stepped closer, his eyes slowly widened.

“Hello, Your Grace. It’s nice to meet you.”

She greeted him brightly, and coming face to face with her—she strongly resembled Princess Margarita whom he had briefly seen long ago in the royal palace as a child.