Chapter 5
The Empire had five great noble families that protected the Imperial Family, the Libre.
Long ago, when the Empire’s flag was first planted on the continent…
The people closest to the Libre family became the heroes who founded the Empire.
Harriet of the East.
Ertel of the West.
Linus of the South.
Mason of the North.
And Fontaine of the Capital.
Together, these five heroes spread across the Empire to protect what was known as “Central Libre.”
As time passed, they not only protected the center but also served as a balance against the Imperial Family’s power.
Among them, the Fontaine family, who lived in the capital, stood closest to the Imperial Family.
Because they had to both protect and keep watch over the Imperial Family, they possessed the strongest military power among the Five Great Noble Families.
If such a family joined hands with the Mason family, which guarded the northern frontier…
It was only natural that the other noble families would become wary.
It was something Father had repeated until I was tired of hearing it.
Even though the Mason family had long since declined and no longer deserved its title as one of the Five Great Noble Families…
People still watched each other carefully because of that title alone.
Likewise…
It made no sense for one of the Five Great Noble Families, whose duty was to restrain the Imperial Family’s power, to become connected to the Imperial Family through marriage.
“Father. If the Fontaine family of the capital isn’t suitable, then Central Libre is even less suitable. Then who would be considered a proper match for the Mason family of the North? A branch family living on the northern frontier?”
“Eloise. The orders of the Imperial Family are absolute.”
“Even if it is a royal order, they can’t force someone into marriage without a proper reason. No matter how badly you want to return to the capital, you shouldn’t drag me into it. Besides, His Highness the Crown Prince only suggested it to you privately. It was never an official imperial command.”
I calmly answered every one of Father’s arguments.
After taking a slow breath…
I looked straight into his eyes.
“And even though you’re my father, you don’t have the right to force me to marry anyone.”
“I am your father. According to Imperial law, a daughter’s marriage is decided by her parents.”
“Yes. The father who only gave me life and nothing else. People usually call someone like that a parent in name only.”
“Eloise!”
“…M-Miss.”
Just as Father’s voice was about to rise…
The butler of the Wellington Marquis’s residence carefully interrupted us.
If he hadn’t stepped in…
Our argument would have continued without end.
I turned away from Father first, putting an end to that meaningless fight.
“What is it?”
“Y-Your guest has arrived.”
At last…
The guest I had been waiting for.
I nodded and told him to guide our guest to the drawing room.
“Then I’ll be going now. I hope we won’t have to discuss this matter again, Father.”
“Eloise.”
A deep frown appeared between Father’s brows.
He had always shown me nothing but that cold, emotionless face.
It seemed my obedient daughter suddenly standing against him had caught him by surprise.
Without another word…
I walked past him and entered the drawing room.
At least this time… I refused to let him control me simply because he was my father.
“I thought you were the Wellington Marquis’s daughter since you asked me to come here. But after looking into it, I discovered the Marquis and his wife don’t have any children.”
Just as I remembered…
He came to see me the moment morning arrived.
He wore the dark coat I had always liked.
His midnight-colored hair was neatly brushed back.
He was so handsome that anyone passing by would have stopped to look.
His warm green eyes were filled with a gentle smile.
And all of his attention…
Was focused only on me.
He looked even more wonderful than I remembered.
He had come simply because he wanted to meet me again after our comfortable conversation the night before.
I had thought I had prepared my heart.
Yet…
The moment I saw him, my feelings began to waver.
After all…
This was only a dream.
Maybe…
If it was inside this dream…
Could I find a way to stay by his side and still make him happy?
The moment I faced him…
Countless thoughts filled my mind.
Maybe it would be all right.
Maybe things could be different.
But…
I already knew what would happen if we stayed together.
I didn’t mind getting hurt.
But I could never bear watching him suffer because of me again.
And…
If the Fontaine family truly fell apart after my death…
If those visions I saw were really showing me the future…
Even that tiny possibility was enough to terrify me.
I buried those confusing thoughts deep inside my heart.
Then I smiled softly at him.
“The Marchioness of Wellington is my aunt. Our family’s townhouse is being repaired, so we’re staying here for the time being.”
“Then I suppose I’m fortunate. If you hadn’t been staying here during your visit to the capital, perhaps we never would have met.”
He smiled brightly.
That smile…
Still made my heart race.
Just like when I first fell in love with him.
I had to struggle to stop myself from being drawn in again.
“Thank you for yesterday. Thanks to you, my first ball didn’t feel so awkward.”
“You’ve taken the words right out of my mouth. Thanks to you, what would have been a boring evening became quite enjoyable.”
“That is why I wanted to see you again.”
His pleasant voice sounded gentle.
The small smile that followed…
Was dangerously charming.
Had he always been this good at talking to women?
Watching him smile, I suddenly wondered.
When we first met…
Had he always been like this?
“…Thank you for remembering me and coming. Honestly, I thought you would forget.”
“Forget?”
“Yes. It was so dark. Our conversation wasn’t anything particularly memorable. I never imagined you would actually come.”
I wasn’t expecting it.
I spoke casually.
But then…
I noticed his expression change ever so slightly.
Why?
“Are you saying… you never expected to see me again, Miss?”
His voice became strangely heavy.
Although his eyes no longer wavered…
I could hear the emotion he couldn’t hide.
Had he…
Been looking forward to this meeting more than I realized?
Thinking back to the man I once knew…
I quietly nodded.
“Our families are different. We may both belong to the Five Great Noble Families, but our positions aren’t the same. Yesterday I didn’t know you were the Duke of Fontaine. But now I do. Things are different now.”
Trying to compare this conversation with the past was meaningless.
From the very beginning…
Everything between us had already changed.
“But Miss, when two people meet, does status really matter? Besides, the Mason family of the North is just as much a founding family of the Empire as the Fontaine family. Why should that be a problem…?”
“Our family has spent generations guarding the northern frontier. We know very little about the capital’s society. We know even less about its political struggles.”
Everyone already knows our family has declined.
There was no need to say it aloud.
I smiled faintly.
“I may have lived my whole life in the North, but even I know that the Fontaine family carries one of the greatest burdens in the Empire alongside Central Libre.”
“Miss. None of that matters.”
“I am the problem, Your Grace.”
I watched the corners of his eyes slowly lower.
His words sounded more and more like a plea.
Seeing the sadness on his face made my heart ache.
But at the same time…
A question came to mind.
Back then…
I had never thought it strange that he treated me so kindly from the very beginning.
Now…
It felt strange that he was trying so desperately to hold onto me.
I believed it was because I had found a sense of peace I never knew existed whenever I was with him.
But…
Why had he fallen for me?
At the time…
We had both fallen in love so quickly that I had been too busy dealing with my own feelings to ever ask him.
Why me?
Had it really been love at first sight?
Even though he could barely see my face in the darkness?
Or…
Did he simply come to like me after meeting me properly?
While all these thoughts raced through my mind…
I forced myself to keep a calm expression.
Even I found myself unfamiliar.
“I believe the road ahead of you will be difficult, Your Grace. As you said before, you’ll have to carry your family’s burden alone. There will be times when you’ll become exhausted. But if you’re going to share that burden with someone… that person should be someone stronger and more capable than I am.”
“I never intended to ask you to carry my burdens. I only came because I wanted to speak with you again.”
“I’m sorry, Your Grace. But I don’t have that kind of confidence.”
“I don’t believe I can simply talk with you… while pretending not to care about your life.”
I rejected him firmly.
If we could truly remain nothing more than two people having simple conversations…
That would have been wonderful.
But both of us already knew.
We liked each other.
Perhaps…
Our feelings were already becoming something even deeper.
But now…
No.
Not now.
Not ever.
I had nothing I could give someone as wonderful as him.
Even if everything went smoothly at first…
I already knew how our future would end.
I slowly shook my head.
“I want to be with someone I can truly handle, Your Grace. Thank you for last night… but I think this is where it should end.”
“Miss…”
“Thank you for coming to see me, Your Grace. I hope that the next time we meet… you’ll be talking with someone far better than me.”
His eyes shook violently.
He looked just like an abandoned puppy.
It hurt to see that expression.
But…
There was nothing else I could do.
I forced myself not to reach out to him.
Then quietly stood up.
I buried my breaking heart… and walked away.
“Miss! Honestly! How long are you planning to stay in bed?”
Snap!
Snap!
Jenna threw open the curtains with a sharp sound.
The bright afternoon sunlight poured mercilessly through the windows.
Morning had come again.
Once again.
Instead of sinking into the endless darkness of death…
Another morning had arrived.
I no longer knew how many days had passed.
I didn’t want to admit it anymore.
But I finally had to accept the truth.
This…
Had become my reality.
As Jenna pulled away my blanket without mercy, I complained quietly.
“Jenna… it isn’t even lunchtime yet…”
“What are you talking about? The Madam has already finished lunch! You promised to have afternoon tea with her today!”
“…I did?”
I couldn’t remember making such a promise.
Still caught somewhere between reality and a dream…
I shook my head hard, trying to clear my mind.
