TDVIATD 16

(—What…? The Crown Prince’s fiancée?)

Leah nearly dropped her jaw, but the Emperor continued calmly.

“There have been several candidates for Sieghardt’s bride. Daughters of fine lineage and remarkable beauty were brought before him, yet he refused them all. You are the only one who made him nod.”

Leah felt a surge of panic.

“Lord Sieghardt rose from his seat almost immediately. He did not seem pleased with me at all.”

“And what exactly did he say to you?”

Leah recalled his final words—the ones he had told her to relay.

“…He said I would do. But that is—”

The Emperor gave a faint chuckle.

“That means he favors you.”

“No, that is not what he meant!”

But her protest was dismissed, and thus, without warning, her engagement to Sieghardt was privately decided.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

As Leah sat in stunned confusion, the duke let out a deep sigh inside the carriage.

“To think that after my sister… now even Leah is to become betrothed to the Crown Prince…”

Her mother, too, had once been engaged to the Crown Prince—now the Emperor.

Leah clutched the folds of her dress tightly.

“It is a terrible misunderstanding. I told His Majesty as much. Lord Sieghardt did not favor me, Father.”

The duke’s expression was dark, perhaps recalling how Leah’s mother had fled after her own engagement.

“…I had intended for you to marry Oscar.”

Leah stared at him in shock.

“Brother?”

“Yes. I had spoken to him about it. He agreed.”

Come to think of it…

Her brother had spoken of marriage before.

(That wasn’t a joke…?)

“If you had married Oscar, I would have been at ease…”

The duke pressed a hand to his brow.

“He is the son of the man who stole my sister away… I hear that Crown Prince Sieghardt was once frail but has since recovered. They say he is arrogant. I cannot help but worry.”

(He looked so much like Paul… but his personality is different…)

“I am certain this engagement will be called off, Father.”

Sieghardt had seemed indifferent. He had not looked pleased.

“I hope so. I only wish for you and Oscar to be happy.”

Marriage to her brother was unthinkable.

Since coming to this house, she had regarded Oscar as her true elder brother.

Surely he had agreed only because the duke asked him to.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

At dinner that evening, the duke told Oscar and Camille what had transpired.

A displeased crease formed between Oscar’s brows.

“Leah and His Highness are engaged?”

“Yes. It was decided privately today.”

“Does that mean Sister will stand in the same position Aunt once did?”

Camille blinked and glanced at Leah.

“So that’s why you went to the palace? To meet His Highness and become engaged?”

“That’s right.”

The duke admitted it wearily, and Leah repeated what she had said in the carriage.

“This matter will surely dissolve, Father. Lord Sieghardt was dismissive. It will never become official.”

“Hah.”

Camille laughed lightly.

“If this engagement falls through too, will that deepen the family feud with the royal house? That might be rather amusing.”

“Show some respect, Camille,” Oscar admonished.

Camille pouted.

“If Sister ever wishes to run away from marrying the Crown Prince, I’ll abduct her and flee. No need to worry.”

Oscar shot him a look of exasperation, then turned his gaze to Leah.

“You truly believe it will not be made official?”

“Yes, Brother. Such a thing will not happen.”

Leah believed that with all her heart.

And yet—

Soon after, the engagement between Leah and Sieghardt was formally announced.