‘Come to think of it, things have already deviated quite a bit from the original plan.’
After being caught in the act of carefully tying Yuri’s hair, I realized, upon deeper reflection, that things were quite tangled.
Back when I thought of Yuri as a boy, it was a simple matter of persuading him to allow the engagement with Charlotte and Julia.
Although Yuri probably saw me as an enemy, I thought that gradually advancing our relationship and resolving misunderstandings would make getting permission possible.
However, now that I know Yuri is a girl, the matter of getting permission for the engagement and the matter of pursuing an engagement with Yuri herself have become entirely different issues.
‘If Yuri decides to distance herself from me for the sake of Charlotte and Julia, that would be disastrous.’
Yuri’s feelings for Charlotte and Julia go beyond mere friendship.
To her, they are precious, family-like figures. If she learns that those friends truly wish for her engagement with me, how will Yuri act?
Perhaps she would prioritize her friends’ happiness over her own feelings.
There’s a real possibility that Yuri would give up on the engagement with me.
Given Yuri’s spirit of sacrifice, this scenario seemed plausible.
‘That absolutely cannot happen.’
It must not happen that Yuri suppresses her feelings for the sake of her friends.
If I had intended to take only one person as my wife from the beginning, I wouldn’t have nurtured both Charlotte and Julia.
To love and raise both equally, only to choose one while dismissing the other, is an idea that could only come from a psychopathic mind.
I won’t make a cowardly excuse like, ‘I’m a modern person from a world where monogamy is the norm, but since both girls like me, I have no choice but to get engaged to both.’
Everything stems from my own greed. I simply wish to be engaged to Charlotte, Julia, and Yuri all at once.
Any other reasons are just afterthoughts.
‘I need to make it clear that I’m not someone who can only take one wife.’
The solution is surprisingly simple.
I must actively express my willingness to be engaged to more than one person.
In the future, I will seize opportunities to make this known.
I want Charlotte, Julia, and Yuri, and everyone else to understand that there is no need for them to suppress their feelings or give up.
Upon coming up with this clear answer, my worries melted away like snow, and my heart felt much more at ease.
‘…My Lord. Your expression looks unpleasant. Are you having some gloomy thoughts?’
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ is shocked and wonders how she knows.]
At that moment, Sylvia tapped my arm and asked with a serious expression.
This girl…
I was in the midst of making a serious and important decision regarding the future countess, and she dares to call my thoughts gloomy.
I considered slapping her but held back when I glanced at her neckline.
“Button up a bit. Isn’t your cleavage fully exposed?”
“It’s not impossible to fasten it completely since it’s spacious… This is how the outfit is supposed to be worn. You didn’t say anything about it earlier, did you?”
“I’ve changed my mind. After thinking it over, since it’s an event in the imperial palace, I felt that too much exposure would be inappropriate.”
“If exposure is the issue, then what about my completely exposed back? Changing clothes now would be difficult.”
“…”
Sylvia tilted her head casually.
At first, I was too surprised to think about it, but now I noticed that the dress was indeed quite revealing, which made me uncomfortable.
The lower half was completely covered by a skirt, but the upper half’s exposure was problematic.
Is it appropriate for a grown lady to reveal so much skin outside?
It felt as though the Confucian dragon within me was writhing uncontrollably.
“Speak honestly. You don’t want other men to see my cleavage, do you?”
“Who would think that? It’s simply inappropriate for the representative of the Vermont family to present themselves in such an unrefined manner.”
“Hmm. Saying that this outfit is not refined at a banquet where self-promotion is the norm sounds like sheer sophistry. How about being honest with yourself instead of being so spiteful…”
“You really don’t listen, do you?”
“…!?”
With a haughty attitude, I grabbed the front of Sylvia’s dress and forcibly buttoned it up.
She was startled and froze in place, her earlier chatter silenced as she gaped, her face reddening as I secured the buttons.
“We’ve arrived. Get down.”
“Ah… Uh… Yes…”
Once the carriage stopped, I reached inside with my hand.
When she had been throwing a tantrum for lady-like treatment, now she was on the verge of embarrassment.
What a clumsy girl.
As Sylvia fumbled with her emotions, just as she was about to take my hand…
“Now!”
“Then I will too!”
“…?”
In an instant, Julia dashed past Sylvia, grabbing my hand and leaping down from the carriage.
Following suit, Charlotte also took my hand and jumped down in a swoop.
When I looked back, Julia was smiling with a look of relief, as if she had fulfilled a lifelong wish.
I had no idea she longed so desperately to hold my hand and get off the carriage…
As Sylvia, whose face had belatedly heated up, gently took my hand, she slowly descended from the carriage.
“So, it was treated like a lady…”
“Yes. I don’t want rumors spreading that Count Vermont associates with a vulgar woman.”
“I understand. However, if you had simply given me orders instead of doing it yourself, I would have fastened it without complaint…”
I extended my arm to Sylvia, who kept muttering.
Then, she gracefully wrapped her arm around mine like a snake.
The soft sensation pressing against my arm was slightly bothersome, but I decided to endure it.
Now everything is perfect.
If I enter like this, I will appear to the other nobles as a debauched count who has come to the banquet to show off his newly acquired beautiful lady.
While it’s not the most prudent look for someone trusted by the Empress, as a secret escort, it’s the perfect way to lower the enemy’s guard.
“From now on, the moment you see anything suspicious, report it to me immediately. If it’s not convenient to report, I will also approve you taking action at your discretion and reporting afterward. I will take full responsibility.”
“Yes…!”
Charlotte and Julia replied energetically as they moved ahead.
Yuri quietly followed behind, mumbling softly.
From now on, the imperial palace would become a chaotic scene.
To survive, it would be best to act quickly based on their own judgments.
All I can do is believe that the children won’t cause too much trouble.
***
‘Finally! The Palace!’
Among the endless crowd, Yuri swallowed nervously as she followed closely behind Aslan.
This wasn’t her first time at the palace, but it was certainly the first time encountering so many nobles in one place.
Listening to the greetings exchanged around her, names like count and duke were heard frequently.
‘Mr. Black is inside …!’
If her predictions are correct, Mr. Black should also be here.
This event is attended by the notoriously heavy-bottomed Archduke of the North.
Since there’s no one higher than the Archduke of the North except for the Empress, Mr. Black couldn’t possibly skip this.
So one of those greeting Aslan Vermont must be Mr. Black!
Yuri remained tense, focusing all her attention on not missing anyone who spoke to Aslan, even for a moment.
“Count Aslan Vermont! It’s good to finally meet you! It’s been hard to see your face!”
“Count, it’s a pleasure! I’m talking about the swords produced in your forge; do you happen to have any mana-enhanced ones…”
“Last time, my daughter was quite rude, Count Vermont! If you’re not satisfied with my second daughter, how about meeting my youngest?”
Crowds rushed in as soon as Aslan was recognized. Yuri’s pupils moved rapidly, and soon she lost her way.
‘Wasn’t Aslan Vermont a social outcast? Why are so many people talking to him…!’
I had expected that those greeting Aslan Vermont would only be Irene Vermont, the Archduke of the North, his duchess, Count Ariente, and perhaps the Academy Headmaster.
But somehow, nearly half of the nobles at the banquet had gathered to talk to Aslan.
How is she supposed to know who Mr. Black is now…!
‘Ugh. It’s dizzying…’
Yuri’s brain began to overload as she scanned each person.
The constant chattering and the pressure of the crowd made her feel nauseous.
Just then, her body started to sway.
“Ah…!”
She instinctively grabbed the hand that was extended in front of her.
Relying on that large hand, she barely managed to stay upright.
Only after regaining her senses did Yuri realize the hand belonged to Aslan Vermont, who was still chatting with the nobles in front while casually offering his hand behind him.
‘How did he know I was swaying…?’
It’s annoying. Why is he being so considerate of me when I’m feeling this dizzy?
She’s supposed to be the escort, after all.
As Yuri pouted and lifted her head at that moment…
‘Huh? That silhouette…’
Looking up at Aslan’s back in formal attire, she froze.
For some reason, his back felt eerily familiar.
‘Am I finally going crazy!?’
Even if it was just for a brief moment, she thought that Aslan Vermont’s back looked like Mr. Black’s.
She must be feeling the effects of the nausea properly.
Shaking her head vigorously, Yuri couldn’t shake off the unsettling feeling.
