SADIC v1c11

~Chapter 11~

 Liliana struggles to avoid engagement

Seeing the two of them step down from the carriage, Oliver, head of the Villiers family, was utterly bewildered.

Why on earth did these two look so completely exhausted and disheveled?

Not understanding what had happened, he decided to move to the reception room to hear them out.

Without even bothering to change, the two of them slumped into the sofa in the reception room, utterly weary.

Oliver and his wife Gianna exchanged puzzled glances, tilting their heads as they wondered how they should even begin to speak, when Aiden, unable to contain himself, fired off a rapid series of questions.

“Why do you both look so wiped out? Today’s supposed to be the meeting with the prince, right? Did anyone get chosen? And Ian—don’t tell me you went and planted some weird bug on your sister or something, did you?”

The words “prince” and “weird bug” clearly triggered an exaggerated reaction in the two, and seeing this, Aiden’s voice dropped almost to a growl as he turned to Ian.

“What? Did you actually go and plant a weird bug or something?”

He stood up leisurely, looming over Ian to press him with authority.

Ian, sweat dripping down his face, squeezed out a guilty apology.

“…I’m sorry… but it attached itself in the most enormous way possible.”

“What?! What do you mean by that? Explain properly!”

No sooner had Aiden demanded an explanation than he moved beside Ian, grabbed him by the collar, and shook him violently, almost shouting as he frantically demanded answers.

“Aiden, calm down. If you don’t, Ian won’t be able to explain properly, will he?”

Finally, Oliver intervened, admonishing him. Reluctantly, Aiden let go of Ian and returned to his original seat.

As Ian let out a relieved sigh, Oliver’s sharp gaze fixed on him.

“Now that you can explain properly, speak.”

◇◇◇

“Three days from now, you are to come to the castle with the head of your family.”

Sitting before them were the king and queen, both in excellent spirits.

Their words came from the very cheerful king himself.

“Three days…?”

“To formally confirm your engagement there.”

Before Liliana could even react, frozen in place, Ian managed to speak for her.

“W-well, we should first take this home and consult with my father, the head of the family…”

But before he could finish, the king, feigning as if he hadn’t heard, repeated once more, beaming broadly.

“You will formally get engaged there.”

Ah… that’s their way of saying refusal isn’t an option.

For Ian and Liliana, the only acceptable answer was a single word: “Yes.”