FRL 9

Chapter 9

Could it have been because the smile that bloomed like a drop falling onto the surface of water and spreading outward was warmer and gentler than she had expected?

The moment she saw the corners of his lips curve faintly upward, she stared at him with her mouth slightly agape.

“……I don’t think that’s something a man who filled an entire contract with clauses prohibiting physical contact should be saying.”

“Love doesn’t necessarily have to be expressed through physical contact, does it?”

“…….”

“I didn’t think you were like this, but you’re more narrow-minded than I expected.”

“N-Narrow-minded? If you’re a grown adult, you’re bound to have thoughts like that at least once……”

“I happen to value emotional connection.”

“…….”

“Not physical. Mental.”

“……Look at you, all saintly.”

“Looks like I had plans to become a saint around the age of forty.”

Ian replied casually and let out a small laugh. Vanessa’s cheeks, which had been puffed up in displeasure when they first met, had returned to normal by now.

“Is there anything left for you to complain about?”

“…….”

“If not, I’ll see you off here. Denian, escort my future wife home safely.”

For someone who had just promised to make her romantic fantasy come true, his farewell was rather cold.

But there was nothing else she could possibly stay for, so Vanessa had no choice but to silently accept his farewell.

Leaving behind the butler, who stood a short distance away and looked alternately at her and Ian as though he were in an awkward predicament, Vanessa began walking away.

“Vanessa. How do you feel about the dress you’ll be wearing?”

At the sound of Ian’s voice behind her, Vanessa unconsciously grabbed the hem of her skirt tightly.

“I like the dress, but the jewelry is too much. Leave that out.”

“Oh, dear. It’s already been custom-ordered.”

“…….”

“I hope you’ll make a slightly more prompt visit next time.”

Vanessa’s head whipped around at the implication that he had deliberately acted in advance because he knew she would like it. But the moment she saw Ian’s face bearing a faint smile, the mouth that had been about to protest snapped shut.

“……Fine. I don’t want to start worrying about following the conditions already.”

The distance between the Sharoz ducal residence and the Ruscliff ducal residence was far enough to take more than ten minutes by carriage.

In other words, if she wanted to stop him from making arbitrary decisions like this, she would have to spend more time with him.

Though he had phrased it indirectly, it was essentially an invitation for her to move into the Ruscliff estate.

Ian did not add anything to her tactful refusal and merely nodded.

“I’ll let you know beforehand when it’s time for the fitting.”

“I’m so touched I could cry, so I’ll be going now.”

Once Vanessa, her cheeks puffed up once again, disappeared completely from sight, Ian painfully furrowed his brow.

He took out the cigar he had kept in his inner jacket pocket and lit it without hesitation.

When the scent of peppermint brushed against the tip of his nose, Ian’s breathing gradually settled.

“Duke Ruscliff.”

“……Your Highness. You didn’t wait.”

“There was quite a commotion.”

Ian filled his eyes with the sight of Vanessa visible through the window of the ducal residence, leaving behind the sly smile of the man beside him.

Judging by the force behind her steps, she seemed far from pleased with his preparations.

A marriage because the two of us like each other…….

Ian bit down firmly on his cigar before turning around.

“Are the preparations for the officiant going well?”

At Ian’s question, the man shrugged.

“Thanks to someone.”

“What could possibly be difficult about it? All you have to say is, ‘Congratulations.’”

“I didn’t even need to prepare a wedding speech, then.”

The man patted Ian on the shoulder twice.

“Try preparing at least one thing poorly. That way, I’ll have an excuse to tell the woman who’ll become Empress that there’s at least one thing I’m better at.”

“Have you decided on the third princess?”

“For now.”

“Wouldn’t the second princess be better? It would be wiser to choose a woman who at least has something in her hands……”

“That’s precisely why.”

A deep smile spread across the man’s lips.

“She knows very well that she’s nothing more than a figurehead.”

“…….”

“So it’s easy to impose my own ambitions on her. If she has nothing, then she has nothing worth protecting.”

“How much are you planning to carve up?”

“Who knows? I don’t know how much will fill my stomach. Is there any particular region you want? I’ll give it to you as a wedding present.”

“…….”

“If there isn’t, I’ll carve one up for you myself.”

“……Give me Delphiro.”

At Ian’s words, the man grinned, baring his teeth.

“Delphiro. Yes, I’ve heard of the curse on your family there.”

“It’s not entirely because of that.”

Ian glanced toward the entrance of the residence where the Sharoz carriage had just been parked and slowly drew on his cigar.

“It doesn’t seem like a bad place for a honeymoon.”

At Ian’s murmured words, the man took half a step backward.

His expression was as emotionless as if he were reading one of the Empire’s notoriously thick history books.

And he actually managed to say something like that with a straight face.

The man stared at Ian before shaking his head in disbelief.

“Hearing the word ‘honeymoon’ from you. I can’t think of a word that suits you less.”

Ian’s lips twitched at the man’s remark. He took a deep drag of his cigar and turned away.

“Obviously.”

He’s crazy. He’s crazy. There’s no other explanation for this. He has to be completely insane to do this!

Early that morning, the moment Vanessa saw the dress that had arrived at the estate, she had to suppress the urge to tear her hair out.

This is your fitting dress.
I thought it would be better to send it directly rather than tell you about it beforehand ^^.

Ian had said he would tell her in advance when it was time for the fitting, so she had assumed she would simply be going to the salon.

She never imagined he would send the entire dress to her.

That irritating little smiley face in his note only made Vanessa even angrier.

“Ian Ruscliff……!”

Grinding her teeth as she savored his name with pure resentment, Vanessa called over one of the salon employees who was busily moving about.

“You there.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Isn’t this dress a little too extravagant?”

At Vanessa’s question, the employee tilted her head before letting out a small gasp.

“I think it will make Your Grace’s beauty shine even brighter!”

……That wasn’t what she had asked for.

Vanessa swallowed a sigh.

“What I mean is…… wouldn’t it be better to remove at least the jewels attached to the neckline?”

“Uh……”

The employee glanced at the jewels around the neckline of the fitting dress, then looked back and forth between them and Vanessa.

“No! If you remove them, the dress will pale in comparison to Your Grace’s magnificence!”

Vanessa flinched.

Her body trembled slightly at the employee’s intense reaction.

“It wouldn’t even be able to spread its wings!”

……That’s exactly why.

She wasn’t looking for compliments.

The employee’s survival instincts were far more firmly developed than Vanessa had expected.

If even one person had played along with her, Vanessa had intended to use their reaction as an excuse to steer things in the direction she wanted.

But when Vanessa rolled her eyes around, searching for another potential ally, every employee avoided her gaze as though they had all made a secret pact.

Haa…….

It was excessive no matter where she looked. It seemed even more dazzling than the magnificent chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

At least I won’t have to worry about being lost in the dark.

The light from the jewels alone was enough to blind her!

After screaming inwardly, Vanessa forced a smile as an employee cautiously approached to take her measurements.

“I just ate, so…… I’m sorry, but could we take the measurements later?”

She needed to put this off for now.

If they took her measurements, she would really have to wear that dress at the wedding.

It wasn’t as though Vanessa, being the daughter of a noble family, had no interest whatsoever in lavish things.

But this was simply too much.

The dress was so extravagant and burdensome for Vanessa that it wouldn’t have been an exaggeration to say Ian had casually uprooted at least one of the Empire’s foundations to pay for it.

At this point, it’s not just something people will gossip about for a few days. They might even start insulting the bride.

If the gossip papers said she had stripped her groom’s family of its wealth just to indulge in extravagance, she wouldn’t even have anything to say in her defense!

Of course, considering the wealth of the Ruscliff ducal family, a dress like this probably wouldn’t even make a dent in their fortune.

It’s too much…….

After cursing inwardly countless times, Vanessa let out a deep sigh.

Expensive diamonds and a grand wedding…… It would be a lie to say she hadn’t secretly wanted such things.

Especially when she thought about her previous wedding, which had been rather modest and hurriedly arranged.

But after seeing Ian write down all sorts of conditions in exchange for marrying her, Vanessa simply couldn’t understand the situation.

This is a loveless marriage.

‘Go ahead. If your dream is to have a love so desperate that it feels as though it has to be me and no one else, then let’s try it.’

Ian had certainly said those words, but Vanessa didn’t believe him.

It had probably just been a joke.

Was he really the kind of man who would go this far for an emotion that didn’t even exist?

Surely…… the Ian in his forties hadn’t been anything like this.