Chapter 7 Part 1: Will You Marry Me?

The eldest son of the Anencia family, Roadl Anencia. A 22-year-old young man with silver hair and red eyes similar to hers.

He was the one who had just called Rosa. His forehead was glistening with sweat.

“Roadl. Have you been practicing swordsmanship?”

Rosa’s face brightened for a moment. She secretly found it cute how Roadl tried to act like an older brother.

Roadl smiled and said, “That’s right. But you look like you have something on your mind.”

“What do you mean, worries?”

As usual, Roadl, who was younger(?) than her, had brought something for his little sister.

“Here, take this. It’s a perfume to celebrate your coming of age.”

The faint scent of roses wafted up. The red glass bottle was labeled “Maryland.”

“Oh, Maryland..?”

Famous for its pink sea, Maryland was also renowned for its advanced cosmetic technology.

“That’s quite expensive, you know? It’s a high-quality perfume made with rose water.”

“Thank you.”

Rosa accepted it.

“Rosa.”

Roadl smiled faintly.

“Can you call me ‘big brother’..?”

“Do you want me to take back the perfume?”

At Rosa’s response, he burst into cheerful laughter.

“Just kidding. Just kidding.”

“Roadl. Do you think I’m being difficult?”

“No. Not at all.”

He always tried to take care of Rosa like an older brother, but he still had a hard time getting her to call him that. Still, it didn’t make him feel bad.

‘I don’t know why…’

His pretty little sister had shown a subtle resistance to the terms “big brother” or “older brother” on several occasions. He had gotten used to it by now.

But soon, an unexpected reward came.

“..Thank you, big brother.”

An awkward voice. Seeing Rosa clearing her throat, Roadl let out a hearty laugh.

“Isn’t it too obvious?”

“Obvious? What’s obvious.”

“You’re awkward yourself. You should have practiced beforehand.”

Rosa pouted.

“Why, I could just not say it at all.”

“Ah, right.”

After laughing for a while, Roadl got to the point.

“Rosa, I heard. About your fiancé.”

Had her father already told him? Rosa replied with a wry smile.

“You know. I don’t have anyone like that.”

“Ah.. Of course, I know.”

He grinned and stood beside Rosa.

“Actually.. This decision doesn’t really seem like something Father would do.”

His voice had become serious.

“You think so too..?”

Rosa agreed. But Roadl wasn’t finished.

“But think about it, sis. There must be a reason why Father is doing this.”

Roadl’s expression was determined.

“I hope these words will be of help to you.”

He continued.

“Father said. Your will is the most important thing, and no matter what happens, he himself is ready to enter the battle of the dragon’s blood.”

“Dragon’s blood..?”

Dragon’s blood. It was a term related to the imperial family. Rosa’s expression instantly turned pale.

“..No way.”

But Roadl’s expression proved it. This was no joke.

“..That’s right.”

Her younger brother, frozen in shock. Roadl quietly patted her shoulder as if to comfort her.

The words Roadl had left behind lingered in her mind.

[It must have been a difficult decision. Nevertheless, Father prioritized your will.]

[Remember, Rosa. Your heart is the most important thing.]

‘So that’s what it was.’

Now Rosa understood.

[Bring a fiancé.]

Why had the count said that? It was all for his daughter’s sake.

The battle of the dragon’s blood. It was a term coined from the bloodbath of the past.

A fight for the one and only throne.

The fact that the count mentioned it must be because of something related to the imperial family. And the only thing that came to mind in relation to the imperial family was the national marriage with the second prince, as far as she knew.

‘If it’s not that…’

There was no other reason.

If the national marriage with the second prince took place, the family would inevitably be swept up in political strife. It wouldn’t matter as long as the emperor was alive, but the moment the throne was empty, it would be sudden death.

The first prince and the second prince. If one side had to die for it to end…

The count saying he was ready to enter the fight must have been in that context.

Rosa had tried so hard to stay out of sight.

‘But why..? Why?’

Was it the flow of the original story? A feeling similar to despair gripped her whole body.

In the original story, Rosa Anencia committed suicide due to the prince’s cold treatment. Of course, she wouldn’t do that now, but she didn’t want to get married in the first place.

‘Why should I marry a man, and a stranger at that…’

She briefly considered running away, but she couldn’t bring herself to abandon her family to a difficult situation.

In the end, her 고민 returned to square one.

[Your will is the most important.]

Why had the count said that? Why did he suddenly tell her to bring a non-existent fiancé?

‘Right. Non-existent…’

It was as if he was talking as if there was such a person around her.

‘As if there was…’

Then, like a fog clearing in a forest, a thought suddenly occurred to her.

‘Caron…?’

Her father knew.

That she had been consistently meeting a boy every month.

Rosa suddenly remembered a conversation from the past.

[So who is he? This boy you’ve been meeting regularly.]

[Caron Huiswen, he said. The second son of the Huiswen viscounty.]

[The Huiswen viscounty…?]

At the time, the count had a strange expression on his face. Of course, the conversation that evening generally flowed normally, and the count didn’t say anything about their meetings afterward.

He seemed relieved that his daughter had made a friend her own age.

At this point, she couldn’t help but think.

‘Could he have misunderstood? That Caron and I are in that kind of relationship.’

Of course, the reality was far from it. A crazy idea popped into Rosa’s head.

What if her father was giving her a hint?

That if she already had someone she liked, there was no time to hesitate.

The position of the prince’s wife.

The position would become that of the crown princess when the prince became the crown prince, and the empress when he ascended to the throne in the future.

So, the position allowed no flaws, and once taken, it was difficult to reverse.

‘But…’

What if she created a flaw herself to avoid an unwanted marriage?

What would happen then?

Her palms started to sweat. What a crazy thought, she chided herself.

The method Rosa had come up with was a sham marriage with Caron.

For now, it satisfied two conditions.

First, Caron was someone her father mistook as someone his daughter liked. Of course, it wasn’t true.

Second, it was easier for Rosa to ask Caron about a sham marriage.

‘A sham marriage…’

She couldn’t just ask anyone for such a favor. She believed that Caron, who she had known since childhood, would at least listen to her.

Rosa was deep in thought.

‘Marrying another man to avoid marrying a man…’

But the unchanging fact was that there was no other way out.

Let’s think about it. Was Caron a man?

‘Of course, he is…’

Only in a physical sense.

They had no romantic interest in each other. At least, as far as Rosa knew.

She didn’t need to say anything herself, and Caron had seen her at her worst.

‘He probably doesn’t even see me as a woman.’

Because that’s how she had acted.

To Rosa, Caron was someone she had taken care of, someone like a younger brother. Now, he also played the role of a friend.

‘To Caron, I am…?’

He probably thought of her as a sibling or family.

She had never felt so relieved about that fact as she did now.

‘Alright.’

Finally, Rosa made up her mind.

It was a method she was very reluctant to use, but it was just a pretense.

Rosa knew that anyone would choose the lesser evil to avoid the worst.

The remaining task was to persuade Caron, who, unlike her, would gain nothing from this sham marriage.

Rosa quickly sat down, wrote down everything that came to mind, then stood up and ran to the study.

“Ed-!”

Bang-

The door burst open. At her urgent call, the butler stood up, startled.

“What is it, Miss?”

“Deliver this to the Huiswen viscounty. Right now.”

That night.

Caron received a report.

“The recipient was listed as the Huiswen viscounty.”

His subordinate, who had run all the way from the Anencia estate, was utterly exhausted.

“Good work.”

His tone was cold, contrary to the content of the message.

But his hands handling the letter were more careful than anything. Soon, the two red eyes that read the letter were filled with various emotions.

Caron jumped up from his seat.

“Bring a horse. The fastest one.”

“Yes sir.”

The attendant hurried away.

The next morning. Rosa headed to the Eckshire villa as soon as she woke up.

The Huiswen viscounty was quite a distance from here. At most, it was a half-day’s ride on horseback.

‘If he receives the letter by morning at the latest, he’ll probably arrive by late evening.’

Even if things got complicated and the letter didn’t arrive on time, Caron would definitely come soon.

The second prince’s victory celebration was approaching. Many nobles would be summoned to the capital about a week from now.

Of course, if they were going to make a move, it had to be within that time limit.

‘So I have to wait.’

Rosa was determined.

The marriage registration process itself would only take a day or two. And once she became someone else’s woman, that flaw would save her.

The nobles of this world usually valued honor. And at the apex of that was the imperial family.

‘But… what if Caron doesn’t come…?’

That was the worst-case scenario. Of course, Caron wouldn’t not come after receiving the letter, but there was always a chance something could happen. Caron might have other urgent matters.

So Rosa could only pray.

Persuading Caron was also a problem for her, but if she could persuade him, at least she would have a chance.

‘Please…’

Rosa looked out the window anxiously. A black dot appeared in her sight. It wasn’t even sunset yet.

Her face brightened.

‘Could it be?’

It wasn’t a maybe. It was definitely Caron. She could tell from the moment she saw him on horseback.

Thud-thud-

Her body was already running.

Soon, the two met at the back of the villa.

Even though Caron was the one who had traveled a long distance, Rosa was the one panting more heavily.

“Huff.. huff.. Wait a minute.”

She said, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“..Caron. I knew you’d come.”

“What’s the urgent matter?”

His expression was serious. This was the first time Rosa had actually sent him an urgent message, even though he had told her to use this method in such cases.

[I have something urgent to tell you. It’s difficult to explain in writing, and I need to discuss it with you as soon as possible.]

“That’s..”

Rosa smiled vaguely. It was a habit she had when she had something difficult to say.

“Tell me.”

Caron urged.

Whatever request came out of those pink lips, he was confident he wouldn’t be flustered.

“You see, Caron.”

But when Rosa finally caught her breath and spoke just one sentence.

“..Will you marry me?”

Caron froze as if he were rooted to the ground.