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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Starfall]
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Chapter 14 – The Engagement Proposals From The Imperial And The Grand Duke’s Families
When Selina entered the room after hearing that her father had returned from the Imperial Palace and was looking for her, she found Flora, Brandon, and Sebastian already gathered.
“Come and sit,” said Count Arsene.
“I didn’t realize this was a family meeting,” Selina replied, taking a seat.
After a long silence, Count Arsene abruptly asked, “Selina, have you found a new fiancé yet?”
“Ah, yes. I just met with him today to discuss it further.”
“Really? Did he say he would get engaged right away?” Count Arsene asked, his face suddenly
brightening.
Selina was slightly taken aback by her father’s sudden excitement but answered calmly.
“Actually, a slightly different topic came up…”
Count Arsene immediately grabbed Selina’s shoulders and exclaimed, “You must get engaged this month, no matter what! Marriage would be even better!”
“What?” Selina asked, bewildered.
Before she could fully grasp the situation, Flora interjected, barely suppressing her joy.
“What about the Acting Head of the family position? You won’t be Acting Head after you get married, right?”
“We haven’t even decided on marriage yet. You’re getting ahead of yourselves,” Selina retorted sharply.
“No, this is not rushing things. Selina, listen carefully.”
Count Arsene looked into Selina’s eyes and said, “Get married as soon as possible and find a secure foundation. There’s no more time. The only way is to get married quickly.”
Count Arsene’s words stemmed from his concern about the imperial family’s interest in Selina, but unaware of the circumstances, Selina misunderstood her father’s intentions.
She gently pushed away her father’s hand from her shoulder and said with hurt in her voice,
“So you never intended to give me the family, did you? Was appointing me as Acting Head just a temporary amusement before I quietly marry into another family?”
Realizing his mistake, Count Arsene hurriedly tried to explain, “Selina, that’s not it. I…”
“If that’s not it, Father,” Selina interrupted coldly, “then please don’t force me into marriage. I will marry when I want to, and to the person I choose.”
Just then, a knock was heard at the door.
“Come in,” Count Arsene said.
Butler Ben entered, carrying an envelope with an ornate design.
“This is a letter from the Imperial Palace addressed to Lady Selina.”
Count Arsene’s expression hardened, but Selina, oblivious to his reaction, opened the letter in front of her family.
“It’s a summons to the palace tomorrow morning.”
“Did you cause some kind of trouble? Why is the palace calling for you?” Flora asked, alarmed.
“I don’t know either,” Selina replied.
Then, a realization struck her, and she turned to Count Arsene.
“Do you know something, Father? Is that why you just told me to get married?”
Count Arsene replied urgently, “Let’s talk privately in my office.”
The Head of the family’s office was a place reserved solely for the Head of the family, their trusted advisors, and the Acting Head.
Upon hearing this, Flora cried out sharply.
“Count, this is truly hurtful. Sebastian is already eight years old, yet you still treat us like outsiders. When will we be considered a true part of this family, privy to its important discussions?”
“I will tell you everything you need to know separately. There’s no time now. Selina, come with me.”
Saying this, Count Arsene led Selina to the head of the family’s office.
“So you’re saying His Majesty intends to make me the Crown Princess?” Selina asked, incredulous.
“Yes. He summoned me today and told me so. And now, seeing that he’s asking for you tomorrow morning, there must be something more to this. Otherwise, there’s no reason for him to act so suddenly. I need to know what’s happening so I can eliminate the cause, but I have no clue.”
Selina felt dizzy as she considered the repercussions of the Emperor’s plan.
‘Because of someone, I’ve become a villainess.’
If Selina was summoned to the palace tomorrow and received an imperial order to marry Eric, she would undoubtedly be ostracized from society.
‘They’ll whisper that I, who have been hindering the love between Lady Hazel and the Crown Prince, have finally resorted to dirty tricks to become the Crown Princess. Even if the truth comes out later, no one will believe it. I’ll have to give up my goal of inheriting the family.’
She shook her head as the image of Brandon sneering triumphantly, believing he had finally taken over the Arsene family, flashed through Selina’s mind.
“You’re against me becoming the Crown Princess, aren’t you, Father?”
“Of course. I want you to maintain just the right amount of acquaintance with the royal family, as you have now. What are you going to do? If the discussion with your chosen suitor went well, you could go to His Majesty tomorrow and tell him about it…”
“That won’t work.”
“What do you mean?”
Selina hesitated for a moment before revealing, “The suitor I found… is Grand Duke Justia.”
“What? Why him of all people…”
“I was only thinking of getting engaged. I planned to break it off once my reputation improved.”
“Do you think engagements are so easily broken? And even if you were desperate, how could you consider him…”
The Emperor’s animosity towards Grand Duke Justia was a sentiment that dared not be uttered, even in hushed whispers.
An emperor jealous of his nephew’s power.
One wrong word could lead to immediate execution.
However, that didn’t mean the Emperor’s resentment was a secret.
Selina knew that the Emperor didn’t look favorably upon the Grand Duke’s family.
‘I only intended for the engagement to be temporary, but if this happens, it’ll look like the Grand Duke has stolen me away from the imperial family.’
Seeing Selina’s troubled expression, Count Arsene asked, “Did the Grand Duke agree to this?”
“He was the one who initiated it. To be precise, he proposed marriage.”
“Proposed? When did he have the time, busy as he is with the war?”
“Right before my previous engagement was broken off.”
Count Arsene fetched a bottle of liquor from a cabinet in his office, poured himself a glass, took a sip, and sat down to think.
‘Why Grand Duke Justia, of all people? If Selina goes to him now… His Majesty will think I’ve sided with the Grand Duke. Could it be that His Majesty heard about this from somewhere else? Is he trying to prevent me from forming an alliance with the Grand Duke?’
The Count rubbed his face with his weathered hand and asked, “Were you close enough with the Grand Duke for him to propose?”
“No, if that were the case, you would have known. I was at the academy, and he was on the battlefield, so we never really met.”
“Then why did he propose to you? Does the Grand Duke have a reason for wanting you?”
Count Arsene’s question jolted Selina’s mind.
‘Yes, even if I don’t know why, I need to find out the reason. There must be a real reason behind both the Grand Duke’s family and the imperial family’s sudden interest in me.’
Seeing Selina’s hesitation to answer, Count Arsene spoke.
“I let your broken engagement with Young Master Patel slide because I knew you weren’t truly in love with him. You may not understand, but I married the person I loved and lived happily. Perhaps because of that, I don’t want to see you marry someone you don’t want and live unhappily.”
“Father…”
“Even if the Grand Duke proposed first, I would naturally oppose it if you don’t truly want him. While joining the imperial family isn’t ideal, rushing into a marriage like this is certainly not the answer.”
The Count sighed and continued, “What I said earlier about getting married was a slip of the tongue when I didn’t know it was the Grand Duke’s family. This can’t happen.”
“Does that mean I’m stuck marrying Eric?” Selina asked.
Count Arsene couldn’t answer
Selina knew well that no one could easily defy the Emperor’s will.
“I’ll find a way to solve this,” Selina said.
“What are you going to do? Selina, Selina!”
Leaving behind Count Arsene, who was calling her name anxiously, Selina flung open the office door.
Flora, caught red-handed eavesdropping at the door, flushed with embarrassment.
But Selina didn’t have time to deal with her stepmother’s antics right now.
“Move aside,” she snapped.
Selina pushed past Flora’s shoulder and quickly ran towards the east wing.
‘The reason why the Emperor and the Grand Duke want me. I will uncover the truth.’
Donning a wide-brimmed hat to conceal her face and carrying the contract she had received back from Phillip, Selina left the mansion.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Starfall]
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