“Are you going to marry me?”
“It’s impolite to answer a question with another question. However, for the sake of your courage, I’ll answer.”
Olivier declared with a smile as bright as a blooming flower.
“I have no intention of marrying you.”
“May I ask why?”
“The reason is simple. I dislike men. Of course, that doesn’t mean I like women.”
Olivier continued to sing cheerfully, still smiling.
“I dislike humans. The only ones I truly care about are Mother and Trane.”
“I felt that Duke Alway cared deeply for you…”
“He does care deeply, that’s true. So I’m grateful. But if you ask me whether I like him, the answer is no. It’s Father’s fault that I came to dislike men.”
Before Jared could ask why, Olivier’s smile vanished.
“I can understand Father taking a wife other than Mother for the sake of an heir. But he doesn’t realize how much Mother suffered because of it. It was Father’s fault that Mother, who was kind, compassionate, and strong-willed, had to endure so much pain and sadness, simply for not being able to bear a son while she was the main wife.”
A terrifying anger flashed in Olivier’s eyes.
“Father didn’t notice. No matter how much I tried to help her, he dismissed my words as childish ramblings, seeing Mother pretend to be strong as if nothing happened.”
“That…”
“You don’t need to search for words. The competition between main wives and consorts, and retainers and subordinates obeying the favored consort, is not uncommon among nobles. Still, Father should have paid attention to Mother. He claimed to love her, yet he increased the number of his consorts, and I cannot forgive him for that. That’s why I hate men. And I hate women too.”
Jared couldn’t understand Olivier’s feelings towards her mother. His own mother died when he was young, leaving him with only faint memories. His grandparents loved him, but it was different from his mother’s love.
However, he understood that Olivier genuinely loved Hannelore. And that she hated her father for not paying enough attention to her mother.
“Do you remember telling me yesterday that if you were to take a consort, I would have to approve?”
“Of course.”
“That’s why I said it. I don’t want to go through that again. I have no intention of marrying, but if Father forces things, I will surely be unable to resist. So, I said that to spite him.”
“If that’s the case, please tell me why you summoned me to your mansion? If you had no intention of marrying, you could have left me alone. Hannelore was delighted to see me. I’m worried she’ll be saddened later…”
“You’re concerned about Mother. But I brought you here for her sake as well. Without my knowledge, Mother sent a letter to Father. She’s apparently very worried that I won’t be able to get married. That’s why I had you two meet. Wasn’t she more relieved than delighted?”
Looking at Hannelore’s face, which came to his mind upon hearing that, he saw indeed relief rather than joy.
Her daughter, who was being treated as an aging spinster, had finally brought a fiancé. She must have been relieved.
“You are trying to resolve the unreasonable demands I made as harassment. Of course, I know it’s not for my sake, but I acknowledge your efforts and will officially recognize you as my fiancé from a potential candidate.”
“No, if I’m recognized as your fiancé without any intention of marriage, that would be a problem in itself, wouldn’t it?”
“Oh, are you unhappy about becoming my fiancé?”
“It’s not that I’m unhappy, but rather the eyes of others…”
“It’s because of the bad rumors, isn’t it? My condolences. But I won’t apologize for those rumors, as I didn’t spread them myself. The former fiancé candidates are spreading rumors out of spite for the harassment I inflicted upon them, so it’s not my fault.”
“If you’re aware that it was harassment, then you’re partially at fault, Olivier!”
“I am not!”
Seeing Olivier stubbornly insist she wasn’t at fault, he wanted to say her personality was as bad as the rumors claimed.
However, his concern about the eyes of others wasn’t about the bad rumors. He wanted to ask if it was okay for him to be recognized by others as her fiancé, but it seemed he couldn’t convey it properly.
Jared was at a loss as to how to proceed.
Olivier had adamantly stated she had no intention of marrying. Her resolve to not marry anyone, not just him, was firm.
Since the reason was that her mother had suffered due to marriage, he couldn’t say anything as a third party. However, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was some other reason.
He had a subtle feeling that Olivier was hiding something else from him, and had no intention of revealing it.
“Oh, right. Since I’ve officially recognized you as my fiancé, as promised, you’ll be living in this mansion.”
“Are you serious?”
“I am serious. After all, it would be humiliating if I didn’t follow through after saying it so clearly in front of Father and your grandfather. It concerns my pride.”
“Please abandon such pride!”
“Never!”
Frustration welled up at Olivier’s unyielding stance, but he suppressed it by taking a deep breath.
However, in either case, if he informed Duke Alway and his grandparents that Olivier had recognized him as her fiancé, Jared would naturally be sent to live in this mansion as promised.
It was a one-sided condition, but it was also true that he hadn’t objected.
More importantly, his grandfather would never break a promise. His grandmother might sympathize with the sudden turn of events, but she would likely send him away.
In the end, Jared had no choice.
“Fine. Fine! I’ll pack my luggage and bring it over later, so please prepare my room properly!”
“Oh, I’m surprised. You’ll really live with me?”
“You!”
“You what? If you have a complaint, say it clearly. Oh, could it be that you’re holding back just because I’m a daughter of a ducal family?”
“I… I don’t have any complaints.”
“You really don’t? You’ve been clenching your fist since earlier, but you’re not telling me you’re suppressing your irritation, are you? If you have any complaints, I’d love to hear them. I’m aware I’m making unreasonable demands, so you can say what you like to some extent.”
Jared wasn’t so foolish as to voice his complaints just because he was asked.
He realized from their brief conversation that he wasn’t the type to tattle, but there was always a possibility. He absolutely didn’t want to cause trouble for his grandfather later.
“A Court Mage Candidate who never backs down even when facing magical beasts, what are you afraid of from a harmless and cute girl like me?”
However, everyone has their limits.
It wasn’t anger, but he let it slip.
“Huh…? A gi-girl?”
He quickly covered his mouth with both hands, but it was too late.
“Jared Murphy. I never expected you to question the word ‘girl’ instead of voicing any dissatisfaction or complaints you might have towards me.”
He realized he had made a huge gaffe, but it was too late.
Although she was smiling, Olivier’s voice trembled with anger.
“Fine, fine! I wouldn’t have had enough incentive if you didn’t say that. Well, I admit that I might be a bit old to be called a girl. But you know, women always want to stay young in heart and body!”
“How should I know that!”
“You might not understand, you virgin boy, as you have no opportunities to interact with women, but women are as delicate as glass. If you don’t handle them with care, you’ll get seriously hurt.”
“Don’t call me a virgin! Have some decorum, like a noble young lady!”
“Oh, do you prefer demure women? But all women are calculating and dark on the inside. Your ideal of a demure woman doesn’t exist in reality, sorry to disappoint!”
He truly thought she was a horrid woman.
He hadn’t explicitly said he preferred demure women, but she was his ideal. However, the statement from Olivier, a woman herself, that demure women didn’t exist, was quite shocking.
Jared, only sixteen years old, had no experience dating and had never been in love. That’s precisely why he harbored a sense of admiration, if not an illusion, towards women.
To have it so directly denied was an immeasurable shock to Jared.
Rather, he realized his own heart was like delicate glass.
“You probably had a faint hope that I had good qualities different from the rumors, but I’m just a disagreeable woman with a bad temper and a sharp tongue. Besides, I didn’t get to hear your answer, but you also didn’t intend to marry me, did you? You must have been wondering how to refuse!”
“No, I… I did intend to marry you.”
He tried to calm Olivier, who had become emotional, but it had the opposite effect.
“Liar!”
Olivier lunged forward from the sofa, swung her hand, and slapped Jared’s cheek with a loud sound.
