Chapter 12

I’ll Stay Only If you Allow Me

꒦︶꒷‧₊★₊‧꒷︶꒷‧₊ଓ₊‧꒷︶꒷‧₊★₊‧꒷︶꒦

Dad’s eyebrows furrow deeply. I open my eyes wide, too. What’s with the sudden change?

“What now? You want to think positively about the marriage between Hillington and Belfius?”

“That’s correct. Seriously.”

Father’s eyebrows twitch relentlessly. All the people on our side have distorted faces.

“Come now? Don’t you think it’s too late for that, Duke Belfius?”

“No, it’s about time.”

Gabriel, who has never lost an argument, is unthinkably brazen for his young age.

“That’s amazing. Does the time only matter when it is you who is satisfied?”

My father looks eager to fight in this absurd situation. I feel the same.

Why now? Did he meet Rosé before today, for him to change his mind like this?

Also yesterday, you tried to steal the token so that you could cancel this marriage.

Have I read it all? Did I miss something when I read the novel before?

I manage to hold myself back from standing up and shouting, “Everyone, he’s the intruder yesterday!”

I can’t figure out what the trick is.

As if there is an unknown spark between the main characters, Rosé only tilts her head and looks at the pretty boy curiously.

‘You originally wanted to break up this arranged marriage, but why the sudden change of mind?’

I look at my father’s face. But my father seems puzzled too. Meaning it wasn’t talked about beforehand.

In fact, the relationship of the Dukes of Belfius and Hillington is not so bad.

I already know in the future how beautiful Rosériel and Gabriel will become, and there’s no reason to oppose the union.

Nonetheless, I feel uneasy about how radically things have diverged from the original novel.

‘What should I do?’

‘What will my father say?

Actually, I’m more nervous than Rosé.

My father slowly opens his mouth and says,

“No.”

A moment of silence descends.

What? What?

I blink.

“Duke, what did you say?”

“No.”

To those who couldn’t believe his refusal, my father reaffirmed it like an axe.

“Never. So back off.”

“Duke?”

“I will not allow it. My daughters are not objects. There’s no reason for you to do it. We don’t care if you want this marriage or not.”

“…….”

“So get out of here, And only come back if you have something good to say.”

Not only I, but Gabriel, and the knights of the Belfius family, who are standing behind him appear to be bewildered by that provocative response.

I didn’t even know that my father could say no to such an candid, umm, crooked child.

But Gabriel doesn’t easily accept it either.

“I don’t like it.”

“What?”

“I said no.”

The boy is smiling as if he has no intention of backing down.

“Does the Duke intend to reject His Majesty’s orders? The Emperor trusted the Duke Hillington.”

My Father’s lips twist.

“Marriage cannot be an order. You wouldn’t know that. And that’s why I’ve put it off so far. Duke Belfius, wasn’t it the same for you?”

“I was worried about the successor position. That’s why I postponed the conversation, but now there is no reason to drag it out.”

“Ha!”

My father openly snorts, and the people watching could feel chills going down their spines.

“You’re talking nonsense that even a passing dog wouldn’t believe you. If you want to tell a lie, then don’t let us chew the meat and spit out the bones.”(*)

(TN(*): It means to separate good or valuable information from that which is unsound or invalid.)

“Hmm? That’s odd. I said yes, but what does a passing dog have to do with it?”

I break out in a cold sweat.

‘As expected of the male protagonist.’

What a good talker.

A little boy, who is only 12 years old, confronts an adult, engaging in a verbal battle.

“Duke. I’m not talking nonsense. As a head of state who shares the tokens, I assert my due rights.”

“…….”

“That is something that even the Duke cannot deny. I’m sure you know?”

“Is this dog threatening me now?”

Gabriel smiles mockingly, not caring that my father’s voice is as low as a growling beast.

“Since you have two daughters, I will leave the decision to Hillington.”

He points to us.

How did the story end up like this?

I frown, while Rosé licks her lips in a funny way. My father seems to agree with me that the decision should be ours.

“You’re pretending to be generous.”

“But before that, I’d like you to give me the chance to try to choose as well.”

“What?”

Everyone is speechless for a second.

Gabriel politely places his hand on his chest and smiles.

“As you know, I have to go to war soon. So before that, I will ask for a chance.”

“So, if I give you that opportunity, what will happen if my daughters refuse? Are you going to leave quietly?”

“…It may not be quiet, but I agree.”

It sounds like an ominous concession. I turn towards Gabriel.

Our eyes meet.

“How about you Lady Hildea, will you give me a chance?”

What chance?

And I don’t know why he asked to meet both of us, since he’ll end up engaged to Rosé anyway.

‘And…’

It’s weird. I’m not imagining it either.

I gulp as I glance at Gabriel, who is staring back fiercely.

‘Why is he looking at me like that? So scary.’

It feels creepy seeing the tenacious gaze he’s directing at me.

It’s an intense stare that is completely different from the quiet look he gave Rosé earlier.

He appears so tenacious that even when I turn my head or move my body, it seems like my movements are being tracked.

Thinking about it, I feel extremely embarrassed by his scrutiny.

‘Even if you can’t remember me, I’m your lifesaver, so why are you treating me like this?’

In these kinds of cases, people usually fall in love with the person who saved them.

I never wanted that, but there’s also no need for you to be so hostile against me, right?

I feel bitter and break eye contact.

“Is my opinion that important?”

“Yes, it is important.”

“It’s decided anyway.”

“Still, it’s important.”

Maybe it’s because I was slightly interested in him, that makes it hurt all the more.

(TN: What!!!! Seriously, he’s freaking falling for you.)

Gabriel hates me, to the point where he doesn’t even think about hiding it. I know very well how competent he is in the art of lying.

At one point, I thought that when I finally met him, maybe he would treat me like Rosé? Should I change how I approach him?

I lift up my head and look at my father. Our eyes meet.

My father nods at me, waiting for my answer.

I turn to Rosé.

“I don’t think it matters to me. Rosé, how about you?”

“Huh? Sister, what?”

Rosé is always thinking about something else and acts like she’s surprised. I almost forget the situation we’re in and laugh.

Our innocent Rosé will marry him. I can’t even imagine it.

“I’m asking what you think of that offer.”

Rosé tilts her head.

“Huh? I mean, yeah. You’re saying that he’ll stay at our house, right? And that he’s going to marry either my sister or me?

“Cough! Cough!”

While listening to her frank remarks, someone from the Belfius side coughs. I nod at her.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Rosé wrinkles her nose.

“He’s getting married to someone that he likes, right? And then we can both reject him?”

“I suppose so.”

And that’s you, Rosé.

Rosé grins.

“It sounds like fun. What about you sister?”

As expected, the question comes back to me.

“…If you like it, then I would agree as well.”

Rosé claps her hands, suggesting that everyone was waiting for my answer all along. A warm breeze sweeps through the strained atmosphere in the room.

Rosé rolls her eyes and pulls herself up to look at Gabriel.

If the Marquis had been by her side, she would have been scolded for behaving poorly.

“Then, brother, are you going to stay here? Until when? Hmh?”

“If our Lady allows it.”

Oh my god.

Unlike when he spoke to me, his voice toward Rosé sounds almost weak.

Like he’s begging her not to let him go.

I’m stunned to see it.

‘You’re really good at acting.’

At that moment, Our father taps the table and stands up.

“Then it’s decided.”

However, he did not forget to throw in a warning.

“But remember, it won’t be my decision to make. I hope you enjoy yourself quietly during your stay here, Duke Belfius.”

Why does it sound like My Father telling him to take care of himself and get lost? It’s bizarre.

Gabriel responds sharply, as if he had been discouraged in front of Rosé.

“Not yet, Duke Hillington. I will set up a date and come back.”

“Tsk.”

I clench and unclench my fists repeatedly. The situation seems to flow just like it did in the story.

it’s just a little bit earlier, but it has nothing to do with me anyway.

There’s no way that I’m going to like Gabriel, nor will Gabriel like me, and I definitely won’t prevent Gabriel and Rosériel from getting married.

-ˏˋ ━━━━━━ ʚ ɞ ━━━━━━ ˊˎ-

(Gabriel’s POV)

“Are you all right?”

No matter how difficult the situation, I always persevere through it. Yet, how can a few words of conversation make me feel so nervous?

As soon as Gabriel arrived at his mansion, he leaned back on the chair as if he had lost all his energy. The adjutant’s face contorted with concern at the unfamiliar appearance.

“Was I weird?”

“What?”

“Did I look strange, I mean weird?”

“…It can’t be. You did a great job today.”

Rather, the adjutant looks as if he wants to ask. Why on earth, are you making things difficult like this?

“But, My Lord.”

“…….”

“Why did you do that today?”

Why?

Why?

The boy wants to ask himself that.

What’s wrong with me right now?

-ˏˋ ━━━━━━ ʚ ɞ ━━━━━━ ˊˎ-

<Nothing will break through.>

Gabriel von Ellen Belfius.

The Emperor’s relative and the heir of the most powerful Duke Belfius was born with such a blessing.

A natural sword that is stronger today than yesterday and even more so tomorrow than today.

‘Ha ha! What a blessing to the Empire!’

The Emperor laughed out loud and rejoiced.

But nothing is perfect. No one knew, but there were limitations to that powerful prophecy.

His heart was frozen.

TO BE CONTINUED……