Contrasting the showy Dark was me, wearing a black tiered dress with red piping and gloves that went up to my elbows. A red ribbon adorned my waist like a giant bow, but I still paled in comparison to Dark.
“Alice” wasn’t written as a character who wears gaudy clothes. If I dressed up, Dark would probably dress even more outrageously to contrast me…
I had to worry about these things as someone reincarnated into this world. Earl Knightley wasn’t a character whose route I played in my past life, but my knowledge of otome games was still useful.
I’d learned how to spot a death flag, all right.
Dark tugged his hat back down on his head. Then he looked at my hair.
“You’re wearing it upswept today. Who styled it?”
“Leeds did it. He’s good with his hands.”
Leeds suggested an extravagant hairstyle when I asked him what would suit my dress. He’d wrapped it around the back of my head and adorned it with a red rose, making sure I looked worthy of standing next to Dark as one of this party’s hosts. Leeds always had a keen eye for style. I was lucky to have a family member like him.
Despite my pride, Dark suddenly sulked.
“Leeds again, hmm? He always knows how to style you. Is there anything he can’t do?”
“I rely on him because I have no maids. Dressing as a young lady isn’t easy. Don’t you know we have to cinch our waists with corsets to get into some of our dresses?”
“So he helps you get your clothes on too?” Dark pulled me close to him, his look one of anger. The unexpected hug startled me.
“Dark?”
“I want to be the only man who gets to touch you.”
His possessive words made me blush.
The only man who gets to touch me…?
He spoke like we were engaged in a passionate love affair.
Our relationship wasn’t at that stage yet, but the strength in his arms as he embraced me told me how he felt.
Dark’s love for me was genuine.
My heart skipped a beat. I buried my head in his chest.
I was happy, like I’d been chosen by a god. But these kinds of moments filled me with complex emotions. On the other side of that happiness, I wanted to flee. Or maybe burst into tears.
I wasn’t honest, and I wasn’t charming.
Dark was a strange man to want a woman like me all to himself.
“Don’t worry about that. Leeds and I are family. He’s like an elder brother to me.” I tried to pacify him, but Dark didn’t fully accept that.
“I only hope he feels the same way. It’s hard not to worry after what happened with your guard dog. Why, I wish I could take you back to my manor and keep you locked away in there,” he said in that silky voice of his.
“I would have Queen Victoria write you a sternly worded letter if you did,” I tutted. “It’s too bad she couldn’t join us today.”
Her Majesty was a supporter (or rather, a gleeful onlooker) of my romance with Dark. I sent her an invitation to our engagement party, but her response came that morning, saying she couldn’t attend. The servant who brought the letter informed us that she was in bed with a cold.
“The messenger told us that Her Majesty had wept with disappointment over not getting to see my hour of glory.”
“It’s only an engagement party… We’ll have to visit her once she’s feeling a bit better.”
Dark and I were planning a date and time for that visit when two golden masses appeared in the corner of my vision.
The two boys had their chins perched on the back of the sofa, staring at us with their light blue eyes.
“Dum, Dee. I was wondering where you two were,” I said.
These children were tasked with protecting me.
Dum Tweedle was the firstborn of the twins, making Dee Tweedle his younger brother. Their curly blonde hair was their signature feature. Today, they were wearing brand-new overalls that reminded me of what elementary school boys wore during their entrance ceremonies.
The twins were as cute as ever, but they’d been sulking for the past few days. Even now, their soft cheeks were puffed up like squirrels.
But Dark, who adored Dum and Dee, just grinned at the sight. “How do you like the party, my dearest twins?”
“……”
“……”
They silently trotted over from the sofa to me, burying their faces in my dress. I worried the lacy fabric might tear in their tiny hands.
“Did something happen?” I asked.
“Don’t do this.”
“Don’t do this.”
“Huh?”
When they lifted their faces, their big eyes were full of tears.
“Don’t get engaged, Alice.”
“Don’t get engaged, Alice.”
“Eek!”
Dum grabbed my left hand, Dee grabbed my right hand, and they pulled me as hard as they could. They had stronger arms than I, despite being small children. I couldn’t stop them from dragging me forward.
“Dum? Dee? Where are we going?!”
We stepped out onto the terrace. A white-haired old man dressed in a butler’s uniform stopped us from proceeding.
“Good evening, Miss Alice. I’m glad you two look well, Mr. Dum and Mr. Dee.”
“Gramps!”
This man was the steward of the Knightley home. He was someone Dark trusted fully, with a reputation for his skilled conduct. Leeds and I also acknowledged the man for the wisdom that came with his age.
The twins buried their faces in my dress again before speaking.
“We’re going home.”
“The party’s over now.”
“You can’t go making trouble for Miss Alice now. As servants employed to protect her, you must prioritize your mistress’ intentions over your own.”
“…No.”
“…No.”
Their voices sounded like they were about to break. The way they squeezed my hands even harder left me lost for words.
Don’t get engaged? They’ve never asked that of me before…
As I tried to think of a response, Dark joined us on the terrace.
“Don’t be mean to my dearest twins, Gramps,” he said.
“But I must, my lord. Children need to be scolded to understand what they’ve done wrong. Forgive me for asking, but you haven’t given them a proper education, have you, Miss Alice?”
“I’ve taught them linguistics and arithmetic,” I replied. “But as members of the Liddell family, I make sure they put more work into taking out their targets.”
It was the best education to give them if they wanted to survive in the criminal underworld.