The Flower of the Matrimonial Contest, The First Meeting (3)
“It’s been a while. I can’t even remember how many years it has been since we graduated from the Royal Academy. I was pleased to hear you’ve been making good use of the valedictorian title you took from me.”
The greeting was directed at Deron.
Immediately after, his face turned pale.
It was the face she had longed to see, the face she had dreamt of.
It was satisfying.
“I was worried you wouldn’t recognize me with my changed hair color. Fortunately, you remembered me. I’m honored.”
The greeting was directed at Blund.
Immediately after, his face was etched with bitter despair.
It was the face she had waited for, the face she had yearned for.
It was refreshing.
“I’m glad we could meet like this again. Everyone says you look better with white hair than red, what do you think? Does Prince Kyle think so too?”
The greeting was directed at Kyle.
Immediately after, his face mirrored the hell of that day.
A deep, endless hell.
Kyle fainted with his eyes rolling back.
She was pleased.
“….”
Finally, she stood before Elden.
From the moment she faced him on the podium, her resolve, which she had sworn not to be swayed by resentment, melted away.
Perhaps that’s why.
“Even so, will you truly reject my confession?”
With a clumsy and naive question, she ruined the moment she had long anticipated.
Her plan to stand above him with composure and detachment crumbled, and she threw a childish tantrum under the guise of a question.
Embarrassingly, as a mature woman, she had ended up throwing an inappropriate flirtation, all because of Elden Rapellion.
Why can’t things go as planned in front of him?
Why do I keep watching his reactions?
Why does everything get twisted when it involves him?
Now, there’s one more reason to reject that confession.
From the moment he knew she was Erinysia, he would take more pride in rejecting the secret confession of the Grand Duchess.
Had her overconfidence turned into arrogance?
Then it is indeed a ridiculous situation.
That the victim, who should be standing proud before the perpetrator, must blame themselves for their own arrogance.
‘This isn’t right.’
Although that innocent face should have been twisted with shock and horror, she felt as if her insides were rotting away, which was laughable even after hundreds of reflections.
Deron.
Blund.
Kyle.
The composure and detachment she had honed through them had vanished, and the satisfaction, refreshment, and joy she had felt passing through them had faded, making the long wait seem meaningless.
From the moment she faced Elden, her insides began to tangle with anxiety and worry, and his challenging gaze irritated her.
Please.
Just give me one chance.
Just once, to exact revenge.
She begged.
It was ridiculous and repulsive that the victim had to beg, but it was necessary.
His stubborn attitude and unyielding gaze were as steadfast as one could only pray for.
She felt like he could slip through her fingers at any moment.
The summit was near.
Deron, Blund, and Kyle had already been pushed up the slope.
Along with them, Elden had to roll down.
They had to roll down to the ground and walk the path of repentance while shedding tears.
But soon.
When he responded with a faint smile, Remian felt her heart drop.
It was the first time she feared a polite smile.
What…?
What is becoming clear?
“What… what do you mean?”
“That I am a man unworthy even of touching the toes of the Third Grand Duchess.”
Stop spouting that nonsense.
How many times is it now?
“Surely, you don’t behave like this because you don’t know who I am?”
“Honestly, I find it hard to believe… but now that I know, I likely can’t accept the heart of the Grand Duchess. I’m sorry.”
You’re saying this in front of me, yet those words come out?
If you just realized I was Erinysia, then you should have shown a face like the other three.
No.
At the very least, you should have shown a distressed face.
Isn’t that the least you can do out of courtesy to the victim?
Are you saying you’ll change now?
Why do you raise your head so brazenly if you’re going to withdraw yourself?
“Why? Why can’t you accept it?”
I know.
I understand.
You can’t accept it because I am Erinysia.
But withdraw your abstention
and roll as hard as you can to win in the covenant battle, just like I did!
“As I mentioned, I’ve realized I’m not worthy of being loved by anyone. I intend to return to my rightful place and reflect humbly on my past. I will deeply apologize for the past.”
Ah……
So in the end… even knowing I’m Erinysia, you say you want to repent for the past, but you won’t roll for me?
What are you?
Why are you so bold?
Why are you so brazen?
Why do you look so unharmed?
How can you so easily say you’ll apologize?
How can you so easily express sincerity?
Do you think I’m doing all this just to receive an apology?
If that was the case, you shouldn’t have tormented me in the first place!
Tears welled up.
Strangely, tears welled up.
A lump formed in my throat.
At that mere apology, a lump formed in my throat.
I swallowed them down.
I didn’t want to show anything.
Not a weak appearance, not an appearance of being unable to bear it.
“What if I forgive you? If I give you the qualifications? Would you still refuse then? If you really feel sorry, shouldn’t you not refuse?”
Yes.
If the apology is sincere, then face it head-on instead of running away.
If it’s not a lie, then you should show it through actions, not avoid it with words.
Go ahead, answer.
Prove it.
Whether your apology is sincere or a lie…!
But.
Instead of responding, Elden threw a sharp question.
It was enough to awaken Remian, who had been engulfed in anger and grief.
“Is the Grand Duchess’s confession to me truly made out of genuine love?”
“……What?”
In an instant, the moisture moistening her pupils dried up.
She realized that her eyes had been capturing only Elden’s image for some time.
Only then did she see the colorful scene of the square, filled with Elden.
Her ears opened.
She realized that her ears had been listening only to Elden’s voice for some time.
Only then did the noisy sounds of the square reach her ears, which had been filled only with Elden’s voice.
Her narrowed, closed senses seemed to expand.
Feeling this alien and unfamiliar sensation for the first time, Remian looked at Elden with a puzzled expression.
She had to respond.
But.
‘No.’
If she answered that way, she might reveal her true intentions of having lied to trap him in her revenge.
‘Yes.’
She just couldn’t say that.
No.
She would rather die than do that.
Because it wasn’t sincere.
It had been just a means to hold onto Elden.
“……”
Trapped in a dilemma, all she could do was remain silent and wander, and ultimately, she had no choice but to turn around.
Because she couldn’t afford to spend much time on this greeting with him.
Ultimately, just like at the academy, Erinysia had no choice but to run away again.
**
“With this, we will conclude the first formal meeting~!”
Remian left the square with Duke Logan.
The current formal meeting was a pre-event.
It was also a special event caught for the youngest daughter of the veiled ducal family.
‘That was a close call.’
To quell Remian’s excessive reaction, he had posed a somewhat rude question.
It wasn’t the time to play his reserved cards now, and her excessive reaction could have messed things up, so he had no choice but to ask.
Otherwise, it felt like Remian’s trembling hand would have slapped his cheek.
Of course, even if such a catastrophe had occurred, the outcome wouldn’t have changed, but it was necessary to avoid disruptions to the plan.
According to the report from the teary-eyed, directionally challenged butler that morning, Logan Winterfell would leave for the capital city for a while after the first formal meeting ended.
And after he left, the second formal meeting and the main ceremony would take place in the evening.
The first ceremonial torture took place during the grand battle where Remian and the final four candidates gathered for the main ceremony.
Probably from the main ceremony onwards in the original work, the real under-the-table dealings would have begun.
The comment reactions were all looking forward to that.
If it had been the original work, Elden Rapellion would also have joined the under-the-table dealings and staged a tearful shit show.
Remian felt sorry.
Without malice or intention, but to her eyes, I could only appear as a slippery eel that frustratingly evaded capture.
That’s why she clung and reacted so aggressively.
But feeling sorry doesn’t mean I could participate in the under-the-table dealings.
I could only hope that she would now focus on the newly started under-the-table dealings.
With that thought, I arrived at the grand battle.
It wasn’t yet time to play my cards.
No matter how good the cards are, they are useless if not played at the right moment.
It’s necessary to be patient for the right moment to use good cards.
After being checked by the guards, I entered the grand battle.
It was 10 minutes before the main ceremony was to start; everyone should have been there by now.
The usual trio of regretful characters always arrived early.
But.
‘…Hmm?’
Kyle was not visible.
Only Deron and Blund, pale as if they were facing a poison cup, were holding their spots; Kyle’s seat was empty.
And then.
“The Grand Duchess Remian will now enter.”
Kyle had not appeared by the time the main character of the ceremony arrived.
……
……
Ho-ho.
Prince Kyle Bellarion?
Are you perhaps…
A former runaway ninja?
need more
Wooow.
Thanks for the update
Thanks for the update!!