Episode 10—Alicia's Perspective

I visited the royal court blacksmith to look for a blacksmith fiance, and it was then that I met Faik.

He was performing an Enchantment. Naturally I was struck by the skill itself, but more than anything I was drawn to his earnestness and his wholehearted effort.

So, so――!

I was simply so happy that I could enter into an engagement with him like this!

As I walked down the corridor, I finally allowed a grin to spread across my face.

Even when I tried to pull myself together, I couldn’t tighten it up again.

“Lady Alicia, it’s been a while.”

“Long time.”

“I’m sorry I fell ill this time and couldn’t—”

Refy bowed her head to me.

She is my personal maid. She was supposed to accompany me, but she came down with a fever the day before and was absent.

She apologized for that.

“Yes, I was fine.”

“That’s good to hear. Well, leaving that aside for now… so, how far did things go?”

She was most likely referring to Faik.

I had often consulted Refy about Faik.

…I didn’t know what to tell her.

“W-well… um, yes.”

“You’re being evasive. When we left the manor you were all fired up saying you’d propose marriage, weren’t you?”

“D-don’t say that!”

I felt embarrassed.

…Ah, geez.

Why on earth did I declare such a madcap thing to her when we left the manor?

As I lowered my face in embarrassment, Refy furrowed her brow.

“You proposed marriage, didn’t you?”

“Y-yes, I did propose.”

…I recalled the earlier exchange with Faik.

W-well, even if it’s a fake arrangement, we talked about marriage, so it’s okay… I suppose.

I mean, suddenly talking about marriage like that…?

I had acted boldly, and now the embarrassment welled up anew.

“…Lady Alicia. I’m a little concerned. Is it all right to say we’ll go back to the manor and start preparing for the ceremony?”

“Th-that… is not allowed.”

…We’re not at that level of relationship yet.

When I stopped Refy, she glanced over at me.

It would be clear by tomorrow anyway. I sighed and explained the situation to her.

“…I see, so you asked for a fake marriage.”

“Y-yes… I couldn’t go further than that…”

Just remembering how I blushed and tried to cover it up made me embarrassed all over again.

Refy, who had been staring at me, put a hand to her chin as if thinking.

“…Well, unless someone is extremely dense, I think they’d guess from your behavior, Alicia.”

“Am I really that easy to read…?”

“Yes, very much so. He’s probably seen right through you, too, Lord Faik, I imagine.”

N-no way… I was embarrassed once again.

I had not imagined she would say that.

From my perspective, I had kept it well hidden.

“Even if it’s a fake marriage, once you register it you’ll have them, so let’s promptly proceed with wedding preparations.”

“B-but if Father doesn’t approve, it will be difficult…”

“…That’s right. For now he’ll have to work as a blacksmith and have Lord Goral acknowledge his abilities.”

…I knew it.

My family was once famous as a family of blacksmiths.

Therefore, someone in the family was expected to marry a person with the talent of a blacksmith.

M-marriage…

“…Hehehe!”

I pictured myself married to Faik and felt happy.

From the moment I was born into the nobility, I believed I had no freedom regarding matters of the heart.

But, but――!

“I can marry the person I love…!”

“I think it’s still too early to celebrate, though.”

Refy said something, but I was already thinking on the premise that I would marry Faik.