“……”
“It’s Jared.”
“–Don’t pile it on! You always do this! Veronica, you’ve always wanted everything of mine since we were little! That big stuffed cat, my clothes, and now you’re trying to steal Jared too!”
Olivier, trembling with anger and her face flushed red, shot to her feet. Veronica panicked.
“Please, calm down! I knew you’d be angry, but at least hear me out to the end!”
“…Fine. I’ll listen. Go on, tell me.”
After taking a few deep breaths and sitting back down on the sofa, Olivier prompted her to continue, her anger still simmering.
“You’re… your demeanor changed so suddenly. I’m happy that you can speak to me so freely as you used to, but please don’t get too angry.”
Olivier, who had always maintained a dignified demeanor befitting the Ducal Family and the Royal Family, had let her emotions get the better of her. Or rather, it could be said she had reverted to her old self.
Olivier and Veronica, who were childhood friends, had been as close as sisters. Being relatives, they were informal with each other in their speech and mannerisms.
This time, Olivier had intended to maintain a proper attitude, especially since it had been a while since they last met and Veronica was visiting as a Princess. However, she couldn’t maintain her composure.
“Don’t get angry, you say? How can you say that when you’re trying to steal Jared from me!”
“That’s not it! I have no intention of stealing him!”
“Then hurry up and explain what you mean!”
Veronica smiled inwardly at Olivier’s inability to calm down. She found Olivier’s emotional and endearing behavior, as if trying to make up for lost time since meeting Jared, to be quite charming. This was especially true considering how Olivier had previously only shown a stubborn demeanor to anyone other than her mother and Trane, and had even kept her distance from Veronica, her childhood friend.
“Do you know what people say about me?”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden? That you’re a spinster?”
“…It’s infuriating to be told that so directly by a spinster like Olivier. But yes. I’m a spinster. While late marriages are common these days, why must nobles and royalty marry so early?”
“How would I know?”
“Isn’t it far worse for your reputation if you rush into marriage and end up divorced?”
“Excuse me, but divorce isn’t easy for nobles.”
“I don’t like that either! The idea that once you’re married, you can’t get divorced is archaic. People who think like that are living in the past. It’s not like I’m getting married with the intention of divorce. But can you honestly say that a marriage arranged by parents will always lead to happiness? Yet, they say divorce is impossible, isn’t that strange?”
In reality, divorce was indeed rare among nobles. When marital discord arose, separation was far more common, with the wife usually being the one to leave the household.
Naturally, seeking a new partner was out of the question, and due to family matters, the wife was expected to live quietly in her place of separation.
It was common for husbands to have several consorts, and some cruel men didn’t even notice if their wives left.
Noble marriages often lacked consideration for women. Of course, many couples were happy and not all husbands were bad.
However, divorce was said to be more common among commoners, though not without its difficulties. It was not uncommon in recent years for couples to separate due to financial issues or marital problems, deeming it impossible to continue living together.
“…I understand how you feel, but what brought this on so suddenly? If my memory serves me correctly, you’ve turned down all the heirs of ducal families and royalty from friendly nations, haven’t you?”
Veronica’s unexpected mention of marriage concerns was surprising, given that she had consistently refused numerous potential suitors. Whether she lacked interest in marriage or had different expectations for a partner remained unclear. While she had recently expressed a desire to marry Jared, her current negative outlook seemed excessive.
It was true that noble marriages were rigid and might not be favorable for women, but one couldn’t truly know the state of a marital relationship until years of living together. This was true not only for marriages but also for friendships. Some aspects of a person only became apparent after a long period of acquaintance.
“You remember things from years ago so well.”
“You rejected every single marriage proposal. Aren’t you famous for it?”
“Everyone put on a good front, but their true nature was awful. They had mistresses and affairs, and were men who wouldn’t take responsibility. I couldn’t marry such men. My father knew this, so he was fine with me refusing.”
Perhaps that was understandable. It was not uncommon for noblemen to be dissolute. It seemed to be especially true when they were young. Olivier didn’t understand it, but she would certainly refuse if her own intended husband was such a man.
“There were more proposals after that. But they were all problematic men, almost as if they were targeting me. The older I got, the more they tried to push these ‘damaged goods’ on me, so I had no choice but to refuse. You must remember that too.”
“Yes, well.”
Olivier had also received marriage proposals from men she found unsuitable, perhaps because she was considered a spinster. It was possible that Olivier, with her reputation as a spinster and the rumors surrounding her, was also considered ‘damaged goods’ by the other party, making it a case of six of one and half a dozen of the other.
“I understand your dissatisfaction with noble marriages, Veronica, but how does that connect to Jared, exactly?”
“You know that my family runs a shop incognito, don’t you?”
“Yes, your sales are among the top five in the capital, I hear.”
“Thankfully, the business is going well. About a year ago, my younger brother happily brought a friend home.”
“That eccentric… I’m sorry. A friend for that oddball – you don’t mean… it was Jared, was it?”
As Veronica’s childhood friend, Olivier knew about her younger brother. Although their interactions were limited due to their age difference, she was well aware of his eccentric nature.
“Yes, we were surprised too. We never thought he’d make a friend, considering he’s all over the place between buffoon and genius. Jared has become a friend to me, like a brother, and gradually, someone I’ve come to cherish. With him, I can be my true self.”
“I understand that feeling very well.”
It was precisely because it was Olivier that she could empathize so deeply with Veronica’s feelings.
“My encounter and feelings for him came before yours.”
“Wait a minute! If we’re going by who met him first, we’ll never reach an end!”
If the order of meeting was important, then Yeny Daum, whose marriage talks were progressing as a consort, would have to take precedence. Her cousin had adored Jared as an older brother since childhood.
“Yes. I know. I was a little mean, but I have no intention of stealing Jared from you. I wouldn’t be able to anyway. To him, the most important person is Olivier Alway.”
Although it was regrettable for Veronica, it was undeniable that Olivier was Jared’s top priority.
“But it’s okay if I’m not his number one. As long as I love Jared the most, that’s enough for me.”
