Chapter 18
“Hmm. Well. Because I have to protect Ezra.”
Protect? At the word that didn’t seem to fit, Moana tilted her head, wondering what she meant. Was Ezra’s life in danger?
Seirena saw her expression and smiled bitterly, saying.
“Because if I get married, Ezra has to live with my uncle.”
“Ah, that. Hmm. That’s true.”
Moana nodded. The rumor that the Hunter Earldom’s finances were shaking because of Gail Hunter was now known to all who knew.
She sympathized with her friend, who, on top of losing her parents and becoming the head of the family suddenly, had such a person as a guardian, and asked.
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
“Can you read ledgers?”
Ledgers? Moana’s eyes rolled around.
“No. I don’t know how.”
“Then it’s fine.”
Seirena sighed. She had been struggling with the ledgers for the past few days, but there was still so much she didn’t know.
To her, Moana said.
“Ah, there’s someone I can ask.”
“Who?”
At that moment, the two of them spotted Ash and Dennis walking down the opposite side of the corridor.
Unlike Seirena, who clamped her mouth shut with an “Ugh,” Moana offered a light greeting.
“Hello, Commander. Deputy Commander.”
“Good couple, no, good morning.”
Dennis, the Deputy Commander, offered a nonsense greeting as usual.
What a funny man. Moana chuckled and turned the corner to enter the training ground.
Seirena also bowed her head to the two men and followed behind Moana.
“He’s the closest one around.”
As soon as she entered the training ground, Moana took off her jacket, hung it on the wall, and said.
Who is it?
Seirena’s eyes widened.
Moana chuckled softly and said in a low voice.
“Your fiancé, I mean.”
“Where do I have a fianće…”
At that moment, Seirena’s eyes turned toward the two men entering the training ground.
Specifically, toward Ash among the two men.
Ash’s black eyes swept past Seirena.
Did that man just look at me? It was such a brief moment that she
wondered if she had misunderstood.
Moana stuck close to Seirena and whispered.
“Since the Commander has been a Duke for several years now, he must be able to read ledgers. Besides, who is better than your fiancé you’re going to marry, to look at your family’s ledgers and inform you?”
“I told you I’m not getting married.”
Ah, right. She said that. Moana sighed. Why on earth is she refusing to marry?
Seirena is someone who will become an Earl, and an Earl must give birth to an heir to pass on the title.
If she marries the Duke of Graywind, she’d have to give birth to at least two. One child to inherit the Duke’s title, and one to inherit the Earl’s title.
But just as Moana opened her mouth to ask, Ash looked around the training ground and spoke first.
“I have something I want to talk about.”
She had a bad feeling. Seirena involuntarily hunched her shoulders.
The tips of her shortened hair touched her shoulder.
‘What is it?’ The knights who were swinging their swords stopped their actions and looked at Ash.
“I will officially announce it soon, but I thought it would be better to tell the people here first.”
Ash said that and looked at Seirena.
Seirena flinched again with an “Ugh.” She reflexively stepped back, but Moana wouldn’t allow it.
“Are you announcing it already?”
Moana grabbed Seirena’s shoulder tightly and whispered.
“Ugh, I don’t know either.”
Seirena tried to break away from Moana and whispered.
“He said he would announce it within the year.”
“When did that conversation happen?”
Seirena’s eyes rolled.
“Yesterday?”
“You’re crazy.”
Simultaneously with Moana saying that, Ash walked in front of Seirena.
“Ack.”
Moana quickly covered her mouth, but it was already heard by Ash. Not only that, it was even heard by Dennis.
“It may be sudden, but I have decided to become engaged to Lord Hunter here.”
The training ground fell silent. In the atmosphere that instantly froze cold, unlike the warm air, Seirena kept her mouth shut.
“W-why, sir?”
Eugene was the first to speak. He looked back and forth between Seirena and Ash, asking in disbelief.
“Exactly.”
Seirena muttered softly. Again, the sound was heard by Ash, Dennis, and Moana.
Ash looked at Seirena once and put his arm around her shoulder. Quick-witted, Moana quickly stepped back and approached Dennis.
“I think I’m crazy too.”
Dennis whispered playfully to Moana. I wasn’t the only one who thought so! In front of a relieved Moana, Ash spoke to Eugene.
“Are there many reasons for a man and a woman to get engaged?”
What is this man saying? Seirena’s gaze snapped towards Ash. But he continued calmly.
“So, until the official announcement soon, everyone just keep it among yourselves. Don’t spread rumors.”
That was the same as telling them to spread rumors. At least the knights in the training ground understood it that way.
Immediately, whistling sounds started to echo through the training ground.
“What, so they were in that kind of relationship?”
Laughter erupted from the knights at someone’s remark. Rumors were already circulating about what was going on because the relationship between Seirena and Ash looked bad.
“Then it must have been a lover’s quarrel.”
Seirena kept her mouth shut at the knight’s playful remark.
No, it wasn’t! It was just a fight, not a lover’s quarrel! If she could have her way, she would stab Ash with a sword, but if she did that, she would have to be executed before the engagement.
She was trying not to die, but that effort was going to stray into a strange place.
“When will the official announcement be made?”
Someone asked. Ash said, with his arm around Seirena’s shoulder.
“We are currently in consultation with Lady Hunter. For that reason, Lady Hunter.”
“Yes?”
Seirena was desperately trying to think of something else to forget Ash’s arm around her shoulder. A man she hated to death was her superior, and not only was he nearby, but he was also putting his arm around her shoulder.
At this moment, she thought she hated Ash more than her uncle and the King.
“Could you see me for a moment?”
As soon as Ash finished speaking, the knights started whistling again.
Whatever it was, if she could get out of here, she would even hold Ash’s hand. Seirena nodded.
“Now, then.”
Ash, who brought Seirena back to his office, stood leaning against the desk with his arms crossed.
He couldn’t help but smile, seeing the desire to shake her shoulder off written on Seirena’s face. Why is he smiling? Seirena couldn’t help but feel upset at Ash’s faint smile and said.
“Is this funny?”
“It’s not something to cry about.”
“It is something to cry about for me.”
“Getting engaged to me? Or the engagement announcement?”
“Both, I suppose.”
“Which one is more tear-inducing?”
Seirena briefly wondered if he was joking. Was he this kind of person?
The Duke of Graywind she
remembered was always someone who felt distant and cold.
Of course, he couldn’t help but act distantly towards her, as she was the Queen.
“Getting engaged makes me want to cry more.”
Ash chuckled at Seirena’s honest words. He didn’t think he would be popular with all women, but he didn’t think there would be a woman who would feel like crying over being engaged to him either.
“I wanted to ask you yesterday, may I ask why you hate skin contact with men?”
Seirena’s face hardened at Ash’s question.
“Why do you want to ask that?”
“Well, we are now officially engaged, aren’t we?”
Seirena was about to retort, ‘Not officially,’ but closed her mouth for a moment.
The engagement was an engagement, but it was a temporary contract.
“You promised to break the engagement when I turn twenty-one.”
“I did.”
Ash smiled, tilting his head. With an attitude as if to say, ‘That was a lie,’ Seirena involuntarily approached him and asked.
“You will break the engagement, won’t you?”
“Lady Hunter. We haven’t even gotten engaged yet. Don’t you think it’s too early to talk about breaking it off?”
Seirena’s expression sharpened.
“Since it’s a temporary engagement, it’s not too early or too late.”
That’s true. Ash smiled bitterly and said.
“Yes. I will break the engagement. If possible, when you are twenty-one.”
If possible? A crease appeared between Seirena’s eyebrows. Before she could ask what he meant, Ash quickly added.
“Breaking an engagement isn’t that easy. There’s no way His Majesty would readily permit it just because I want to break it off. So it will take some time, but I mean I will break the engagement.”
That was also true. Seirena nodded with an uneasy expression.
Asking to break the engagement when she turned twenty-one was a kind of deadline.
By that age, Seirena would become an Earl and no longer need a guardian.
She thought that by then, she would be able to create her future entirely with her own hands.
“Now, then. Let’s go back to the original question.”
The original question? Seirena blinked her eyes, wondering what Ash meant.
He knew she would. Ash smiled bitterly and said again.
“You said you wouldn’t get married because you hate skin contact with men. Is there a reason why you hate it?”
“That is…”
There is. But there isn’t.
She couldn’t say it. Even if she did, no one would believe it.
In her life before returning, Seirena married the King and became the Queen, and sometimes slept with the King. The dreadful memories of that time held her captive even after the King died.
Seirena did not go near men after that. Not because of the conduct expected of a wife who lost her husband, but because it was too dreadful.
“I just hate it.”
Ash’s eyes narrowed at Seirena’s strained answer.
He was ready to drag the person who had troubled Seirena and make him confess his crime immediately if there was one.
“Are you sure you just hate it, and it’s not because of someone?”
Ash, who was leaning against the desk, stood up straight and leaned towards Seirena. As he leaned in, his tall height instantly became a reality.
It is because of someone. But that won’t happen. She won’t let it happen.
Seirena tried to speak calmly.
“I just hate it.”
Approaching from the front is fine. Ash confirmed Seirena’s expression and leaned against the desk again.
She hated being approached from behind, but she didn’t feel any particular fear when approached from the front.
“If you want, I can crush that bastard.”
Seirena’s eyes widened at the unexpectedly rough words. She reflexively looked at Ash.
Ash’s black eyes and Seirena’s purple eyes met. He meant it. It wasn’t a joke.
At his serious gaze, Seirena involuntarily said.
“You can’t.”
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