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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Starfall]
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Chapter 11: Engagement Contract
With the small letter from Selina spread out between them, the two men continued their conversation.
“But… she refused the proposal…”
“That must have been because you brought up marriage so suddenly, the young lady must have been flustered.”
“You’re right, it must have been my haste that was the problem.”
Janus nodded earnestly.
“I mustn’t make the same mistake again when I meet her. Father, what should I do? What should I wear? I should have asked what color the young lady prefers.”
Behind his large son, Phillip could almost see the illusion of an invisible tail wagging excitedly.
Philip found his son so endearing that he wanted to hug him tightly.
But he could only manage to grasp half of his son’s shoulder, who had grown up so much, and said,
“Son, you need to calm your heart. You mustn’t repeat the mistake you made recently.”
“Yes, Father. I will try to be calm this time.”
“That’s not enough. Remember, this is the most important negotiation of your life.”
“Negotiation?”
Janus’ eyes sparkled at Philip’s words.
* * *
Janus, cheeks flushed from the scent of Selina wafting from afar, entered the cafe.
“Lady Arsene.”
Janus greeted her as he strode into the room where Selina was, even before being shown in.
The cafe manager, greatly flustered, bowed to Janus.
“Your Grace.”
Selina was also taken aback but did not show it and greeted him back before speaking to the manager.
“We’re fine here. Please go and prepare the tea.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
After the manager left, the two sat facing each other.
“My lady.”
“Your Grace.”
Selina gestured for him to speak first.
Janus, after a moment of thought, spoke what he had come to say.
“First, I would like to apologize to you, my lady.”
“Apologize?”
“It was natural for you to refuse a proposal from someone you barely knew. My thinking was shortsighted. I’m sorry.”
Janus bowed his head as he spoke.
‘The man whom everyone in the Empire looks up to is apologizing so sincerely and bowing his head before me.’
Selina bowed her head along with Janus and thought,
‘Perhaps this man would listen to my request?’
After breaking off her engagement with the Patel family, she spent several days searching for a suitable family.
Although during the council meeting, Selina acted as if she could secure a match with any family she desired, when it came time to actually follow through, her bad reputation in society kept haunting her.
‘How many people would be willing to get engaged to me, knowing my tarnished reputation? Wouldn’t it end up ruining the good relationships I have?’
After much deliberation, Selina had arranged this meeting.
And seeing Janus’ attitude, she felt she had made the right decision.
After the manager brought the prepared tea and left again, Selina got to the main point.
“Your Grace, in truth, I asked to see you today because I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor?”
Janus asked, his gaze fixed on her as if he didn’t want to miss a single moment.
“Yes. Of course, I understand if you refuse after listening. It’s not an easy favor.”
Janus looked at Selina attentively, but the words wouldn’t come to her easily.
‘Should I try to be indirect? No, it’s best to be honest about this kind of thing. I never thought I’d
be saying something like this to a man, though.’
Clearing her throat with a “hmm,” Selina spoke.
“I won’t beat around the bush. Would you be willing to get engaged to me?”
That afternoon, returning to her mansion, Selina recalled Janus’s expression of utter devastation at her proposal.
“Would you give me some time to think about it?”
“Nora.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“The tea tastes awful. Take it away.”
“Pardon? But…”
“The one I had at the cafe this afternoon was much better than this. Were you distracted today? This is a waste of tea leaves.”
“…I apologize.”
“It’s fine, just take it away.”
Her mouth tasted bitter, literally.
Selina hadn’t imagined Janus would react that way to her proposal.
‘Why did he look so resentful when I’m just asking for a temporary engagement that we’ll soon break off? Does he think he’s too good for me because he’s popular in society? He was the one who proposed first! Was his proposal all a lie?’
Recalling Janus’s expression once more, Selina frowned and let out a dissatisfied sigh.
‘Is it such a big deal to ask for a temporary engagement?’
‘And to think he was looking at me so passionately before…’
“My lady.”
“Ben. I believe you forgot to knock.”
Ben, who had knocked three times but received no answer, had no choice but to open the door and enter. He spoke without revealing his feelings.
“The Count is looking for you.”
“Alright, I’ll be right there.”
Selina put aside her thoughts, which were complicated by Janus’s reaction. She had matters to discuss with her father regarding the business, so she headed straight to the Count’s room.
* * *
“What does she want?”
“An engagement.”
“That’s good news, isn’t it? The young lady is willing to get engaged. This is working out so well…”
“She also wants to break it off.”
“What?”
“She proposed a contract engagement. To get engaged and then break it off. In two years.”
“What? What nonsense is that? Break it off? Tell me more.”
Janus sat down heavily on the chair, loosening his cravat as if it were choking him.
“At first, she said she was grateful that someone of high status and good reputation like me had proposed marriage. After thinking it over, she asked if it wouldn’t be better to get engaged first.”
“And then?”
“I was about to say that I find engagements cumbersome and would rather get married, but remembering what happened a few days ago, I said engagement would be fine too.”
“Alright, that’s all good. But after the engagement, you should get married, why break it off?”
“I don’t know either.”
Janus, eyebrows drooping, sighed.
“How can she talk about breaking up before we even get married? Lady Arsene said she
doesn’t dare hope for a real marriage with me.”
Pausing to rub his forehead, Janus asked in disbelief.
“If that’s the case, why even bother getting engaged? Especially with all these conditions attached. Is marrying me that difficult?”
Phillip, who also couldn’t understand why Selina was avoiding marriage, tried to soothe Janus.
“It will take time for Lady Arsene to understand your feelings and reciprocate them. It must be confusing. Maybe she said those things because she doesn’t know your true feelings. Anyway, what did you say?”
Janus sighed deeply and said,
“I asked for time to think.”
“Well done. Now that you’ve bought some time, let’s think of a way to resolve this. The young lady wants to get engaged and then break it off, right?”
“To be precise, it’s what’s written here.”
Janus pulled out a stiff envelope from his pocket.
“What’s this?”
“It’s the engagement contract proposed by Lady Arsene.”
“Engagement contract?”
Phillip took out the documents from the envelope and spread them out on the table.
Three pages detailed the things Selina wanted Janus to do over the next two years and the corresponding rewards.
‘She’s meticulous. To think my son would receive such a proposal.’
“What are your thoughts?”
Phillip asked, taking off his reading glasses.
“Of course, I want to marry Lady Arsene right away. This cumbersome contract is unnecessary between us.”
“What if the young lady insists on these terms? What if she ultimately asks you to break off the engagement? Will you comply?”
Janus thought for a moment, then shook his head and said,
“I will make the young lady mine, no matter what.”
Seeing the look in Janus’ eyes, Phillip nodded and said,
“That’s the spirit. You mustn’t waver. You need to be clear about what you want in order to think of the means to achieve it.”
Looking at the engagement contract proposed by Selina again, Phillip said with a hardened expression,
“You should think more about how to approach this. I need to meet with Lady Arsene.”
This was Phillip, the commander of the Autumn Empire’s army and genius negotiator, feared even in the dreams of his adversaries.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Starfall]
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