Chapter 1
There are a few well-known facts in the Edvain Empire that anyone unaware of would be considered practically a spy.
One is that the Emperor’s older brother, Grand Duke Alec, is an astonishingly handsome man.
Second is that the 127-year-old traditional “Luna Confectionery” sells strawberry cake that tastes like something divine.
And lastly, the Hartwell Count family and the Dalton Duke family share an unusually close friendship.
In other words…
“Oh my god, Beatrice! You look absolutely dazzling today!”
“Mm, thank you for coming on such short notice.”
“Of course I had to come! It’s your wedding! Honestly, now that I think about it, we all knew you and Clyde-senpai would end up like this.”
It meant that everyone had naturally accepted the marriage between Beatrice Hartwell and Clyde Dalton, who had been friends for a long time.
Even if those two people—who once firmly insisted they were absolutely nothing like that—ended up getting married within a single month like it was a sudden impulse.
Beatrice stared at her friend, who had known her since their academy days of constant bickering, and smiled hollowly.
“…Oh, really?”
“Yeah! Even though you were in different departments and different years, you showed up together so often everyone thought you were in the same department.”
That was because that idiot Clyde Dalton kept dropping off assignments in her room.
“At the graduation party too, you ended up as each other’s partners, right? There were tons of rumors that you were secretly dating.”
That… was because she had forgotten the date and couldn’t find a partner in time.
She still vividly remembered Clyde’s infuriating grin when she went to ask him.
“So what did you bring me in exchange?”
‘Damn it, I even had to give him a limited-edition Luna Confectionery cake…’
She had waited months to buy it, and that stingy bastard ate the entire thing without giving her even a single bite.
But this wasn’t the kind of story one could bring up at a wedding. Beatrice suppressed her rising frustration and forced her lips into a smile again.
“Ah, really.”
“When Clyde-senpai escorted you in, that’s when I became certain. Some people even cried behind you. I think there’ll be more today. Or maybe not—it’s official now, so maybe even more people will cry?”
“…Ah, really?”
People crying out of envy—she genuinely didn’t understand it.
Her friend nodded enthusiastically and continued as if it were obvious.
“Even if he’s only the second son of a duke family, Clyde-senpai is handsome. He’s capable and diligent too.”
“…Mm.”
Handsome…
‘They really don’t know.’
Beatrice knew the truth behind Clyde Dalton’s praised appearance.
It wasn’t just the duchess who contributed to that face.
‘Every time I went in for skincare treatments, he would steal my whitening masks and perfumes. Of course he’d end up glowing.’
And that wasn’t all. Diligent? Diligent?
Beatrice wished the entire empire could see him rolling around on the carpet complaining that he didn’t want to work.
Then all these praises would disappear instantly.
‘Ugh, I don’t want to write reports…’
‘So what? Why are you in my room acting like this?’
‘Bia, can’t you just write it for me? Huh? Please?’
‘Get out.’
‘Get out?! I’m shocked, Bia. Did I raise you to be so heartless?’
‘What are you talking about? You’re only one year older. Get out.’
She managed to keep smiling while recalling scenes from just a few days ago when a light knock came from the door. It was her eldest brother, Ian.
“Bia, it’s time to go in.”
“Already?”
“Already.”
Time was moving too fast.
Ian watched his younger sister gather her dress hem before turning to greet her friend.
“Lady Susanna, thank you for attending despite your busy schedule.”
“Of course I had to come! It’s time, Bia—go on! Good luck!”
Waving enthusiastically at her friend, Beatrice took her brother’s hand.
At the entrance to the wedding hall.
Seeing his sister’s slightly sulky expression despite her smile, Ian lightly tapped her shoulder and chuckled.
“Why that face?”
“What face?”
“I thought you’d be over the moon since you once said you’d lie down in front of the family and demand to marry Clyde, but you don’t look that happy.”
“Th-that’s—!”
Beatrice instinctively tried to retort, then shut her mouth.
Not because she had nothing to say—but because the doors had opened, and it was time for the bride to enter.
Seeing his sister’s faint nervousness, Ian laughed softly again and held out his hand.
“Let’s go.”
“…Yeah.”
Though it was a rushed wedding, the hall filled with fresh flowers was beautifully decorated.
Beatrice ignored the gazes of the people watching her and looked toward the man standing at the altar.
Deep blue eyes like the sea, a straight and sharp nose, strong masculine features, and lips curved faintly in a relaxed smile.
Golden hair that looked as if honey had been poured through it framed him like something out of a fairy tale.
Clyde Dalton—her soon-to-be husband.
‘Even I can admit the shell is impressive.’
No wonder everyone was fooled.
Humans really are pitiful creatures who rely so heavily on sight, she thought as she walked toward him.
The two took each other’s hands and smiled sweetly, then whispered quietly so no one could hear.
“If you even think about kissing me during the vows, I’ll kill you.”
“Just make sure your veil covers us properly.”
A soft scoff. A firm grip that refused to yield.
From afar, they might look like a loving couple—but up close, there was nothing of the sort.
And yet, there was a reason they were getting married.
Standing before the officiant with Clyde, Beatrice thought back to what happened a month ago.
To that day when she had proposed to him… no, had he proposed to her? No—anyway, that day.
The glass greenhouse of House Dalton.
A place normally restricted to members of the ducal family, Beatrice sat there sipping a special iced tea made by the head maid, reading a note she had brought with her.
[If Clyde Dalton asks why he should marry you, respond with:
People will soon start telling us to get married anyway. How about using each other as shields?
Because I’m cute
…Uh, because I’m… cute?
(Final option only☆☆☆☆☆) Kneel and beg. “Please, consider it my life’s request. Think of it as saving a person.”]
It was essentially a plan that amounted to “no plan at all.”
Beatrice shoved the paper into her pocket and pressed a hand to her forehead.
“…Ha. What’s the point of going back in time if I can’t even think of something like this properly?”
Her professor’s relentless lectures echoed in her mind.
“Remember! The ability to construct appropriate lies and appearances is a virtue of nobility!”
Beatrice sighed softly.
‘…I should’ve paid attention.’
She regretted brushing it off because she had no interest in social affairs.
If she was going to be sent back in time anyway, she selfishly wished it had been one year—no, three years earlier.
‘Then I could’ve been a model student and graduated top of the Cultural Arts Department!’
A pointless dream Clyde would have laughed at.
As she drifted into useless imagination, the door suddenly opened and a head of golden hair appeared.
Her intended, Clyde Dalton.
“…Ha.”
The sigh slipped out before she realized it, causing Clyde—who was pulling out a chair—to raise an eyebrow.
He sat down, tilted his head slightly, and casually took her iced tea as he asked:
“What’s with the sigh?”
“…It’s because I saw your shameless face.”
“Oh? So it was a sigh of admiration because I’m too handsome?”
“Are you sick? Did His Highness the Crown Prince hit your head for being incompetent at work?”
“That’s treason, you know.”
Beatrice pouted slightly as she watched him drink her iced tea like it was nothing.
The person who should be drinking that tea—complaining about how thirsty she was—was her, not him casually saying things like “oh, the peach flavor is good.”
‘Seriously, how do I even start this?’
Clyde, the days we’ve spent together are already…
‘No, too cheesy.’
Let me get straight to the point—Clyde, you are my future hus—…
‘Aaagh! No!’
Even thinking it made her fingers curl up in embarrassment.
She crumpled the proposal letter in her hands again, took a deep breath, and steadied herself.
‘Calm down. I can do this. No—I have to.’
Because if she didn’t, she wouldn’t be able to avoid the tragedy she had once witnessed.
Just as she finally gathered her courage and opened her lips—
Clyde placed the iced tea down on the table, met her eyes, and said casually:
“Bia, marry me.”
