Chapter 7:
I Want to Stay Here
THE UNDERCROFT WAS PACKED WITH MEN. Most seemed to be either participants or family members and friends. Despite many of these men having fought one another, the atmosphere was peaceful, and knights and civilians congratulated one another on their performances.
After walking for a while, the atmosphere completely changed. Dozens of women had gathered in front of a door marked with a sign that read “Special Reception Room Ahead.” They were all clad in beautiful dresses and had their makeup done, so I assumed they were noble women.
“Stop pushing me, cake face! You’re going to stain my dress with all that makeup of yours!”
“How about you learn how to be quiet?! I can’t hear what’s going on inside because you keep blabbering! Ah… How I wish I could know what His Highness and the count are talking about!”
“I just want to see the two of them standing next to one another!”
Mio kept walking, straight into the crowd. It was almost magical! I didn’t know how she did it, but she somehow dodged them all as she advanced.
I tried to follow close behind her, but I wasn’t as lucky, and the noble ladies soon blocked my path. “Hey! You! Don’t cut in line! Can’t you see everyone’s lining up?!”
“S-sorry.” As I bowed to apologize, I was pushed all the way to the back. “E-excuse me,” I asked the person in front of me, “but what are we waiting for?”
“A chance to win the count’s favor, of course!”
Huh?!
Another lady with rosy skin, standing one spot ahead in line, covered her mouth and giggled softly before adding, “The count doesn’t show himself much in high society, so we can’t miss any occasion to work our charms!”
I was starting to understand what was going on. Most people had no idea Lord Kyros had gotten engaged, so to these women, he was still a potential target.
While the way their eyes gleamed frightened me, I also had to admit their resolve was impressive. They’d all donned their best dresses and put on enough perfume and makeup to make even themselves dizzy, all in the hope to catch Lord Kyros’s eye. They weren’t apologetic about it either, and I couldn’t help but think it was cool. They were the complete opposite of someone like me, who was cowering and curling up on herself at the end of the line despite being his actual fiancée.
I sighed. I was so ridiculous—such a small, insignificant person. There wasn’t a place for me here among these beautiful, strong-minded women. I didn’t have the confidence to hold my head up high here, and it’s what made me feel the most pathetic.
The other women kept chatting together, completely ignoring me, the pathetic silent girl at the end of the line.
“He truly is the biggest catch one could hope for! Sure, he’s got that disgusting barbarian blood running through his veins, but the pros outweigh the cons. I mean, think about it! The second the current Duke of Granado dies, he’ll inherit his position!” one of them pointed out giddily.
“And the one who becomes duchess will have all of high society at her feet!”
“H-huh?!” I finally lifted my head. “Hmm… D-didn’t you gather here because you love Lord Kyros?”
“What?” one of the women replied with a grimace.
“Well, he does have a handsome face, that’s for sure. He’s a lot better looking than the man my father has in mind for me, anyway,” another said. Several of them nodded.
“I suppose these creepy eyes of his aren’t so bad if you avoid his gaze. And you can just turn off the lights to forget about the color of his skin.”
“People say he has a difficult personality, but that doesn’t matter much in a marriage of convenience. He’ll be happy enough as long as his wife gives him a son, won’t he? I can’t speak for others, but I’d be ready to overlook his flaws.”
“Why care about his flaws when he’s never home anyway? You can just play around with his money and have his servants at your beck and call!”
“Ha ha ha ha!” the ladies laughed in unison.
I straightened my back. When I stood upright, I was taller than anyone else here. I thrust my arm in front of me and used it to push my way forward. The ladies screamed and complained.
“What’s wrong with you! We said no one cuts in line—”
“I’m his fian—um, I live in Lord Kyros’s castle!” I shouted as loudly as I could.
“What?!”
Just as one of them screamed at me, the door opened. It was Mio coming back out, and she started pushing the women aside.
“I’ve talked to the guards,” she said. “I’ll make sure no one else gets through, so please go on inside, Lady Marie.”
I nodded and dove into the breach Mio had opened up for me. As I ran for the door, I felt my jaw clench in irritation. It was so frustrating. I hated this feeling far more than I disliked being mocked for being ugly or in tatters.
All they talk about is his money and his rank! There are so many of them gathered here, and not a single one of them is genuinely attracted to him?! And what was that about his “barbarian” blood?! Ypsandros has a wonderful culture! Besides, Lord Kyros’s skin being dark doesn’t mean it’s dirty or anything like that! He’s handsome, and he smells nice, and his eyes aren’t creepy at all! They sparkle like gems, and I love the warmth in his gaze! Not to mention, while he might seem a little difficult at times, it’s only because he’s so compassionate! I’ve only ever seen him get mad on other people’s behalf! He’s gentle and kind to everyone, including his servants and even his enemies! What flaws does he have?! How dare you laugh at him?! There’s no reason to mock him! The only thing you could laugh at him for is… I stopped in my tracks and whispered, “…that he got the short end of the stick.”
Lord Kyros’s reception room was separate from that of the others. After getting past the first door, I walked through a corridor until I stumbled on two knights guarding another door. When I told them I was the person Mio had told them about, they let me through.
Beyond that door was a red carpet that led to yet another door. I walked over to it and turned the knob. Inside were the prince and the jet-black warrior, Kyros Granado, who’d now removed his helmet.
I didn’t think Mio had entered the room before, and at first, they didn’t notice me. They were busy chatting. They’d been friends for twelve years, after all, so they were able to speak very casually with one another.
“You’re all sweaty, Kyros. Just watching you is making me hot, so hurry up and put on something clean.”
“Who’s the one who barged in before I could change?” Lord Kyros shot back. “Besides, I sweat so much because of that helmet you forced me to wear. It was so heavy, I could barely see in front of me!”
“Hey! It’s not my fault! Can you imagine the commotion if everyone had known it was you from the start? Though I guess you were plenty popular despite the anonymity.”
“There was an easy solution: not making me participate. You’re the one who practically abducted me from the palace.”
“You’re the only one I could count on to beat my knights. Besides, a commoner striking back against the nobility! It’s always a popular narrative! People love it!”
“I’m a nobleman too, so your ‘narrative’ doesn’t hold up.”
“It would have if no one had figured out your identity. Well, the crowd was the most excited when you removed your helmet, so it doesn’t really matter either way. You’re a crowd favorite.”
“Speaking of which, why did they know? Who was the first to scream my—huh?!”
The first to notice me was Lord Kyros. I was still standing right in front of the door, and he stared at me, blinking several times in confusion. Then, he rubbed his eyes.
“I’m starting to hallucinate,” he said. “I haven’t seen her in eight days, so I must be suffering from withdrawal symptoms…”
“Um… Congratulations on your victory,” I said.
Lord Kyros seemed to finally accept I was real. He blinked a few more times and asked, “Marie? It’s really you! Phew… That surprised me. What are you doing here?”
“His Highness invited me,” I replied.