“Sir Kishin? What are you doing here?”
Claisey hadn’t expected Kishin to show up. Shouldn’t he be at the palace at this hour, fulfilling his duties, whether for his parents’ title, his own, or professional obligations?
“It’s the last day of the year, so I came because I wanted to be with you.”
After delivering such an affectionate sentiment in his characteristically dry tone, Kishin glanced toward the Ministry of Magic official standing nearby.
Claisey decided to speak with Kishin later and approached the official first. “Did some correspondence arrive?”
“Yes.”
The official handed over two plain envelopes and departed.
“Why two?”
Puzzled, Claisey opened the first envelope and pulled out the note.
—Curious, miss you. You and he, coming straight there soon.
Claisey couldn’t help but smile. It was clearly a telegram from her parents. The news she had been waiting for had finally arrived.
Kishin, who had been peering at the telegram over her shoulder, asked, “What does it say?”
Claisey beamed as she looked up at him, but meeting his warm gaze made her shyly lower her head.
“I told my parents about you. Since they’re abroad, I sent an urgent message to tell them. This must be their reply.”
“Then, the ‘he’ mentioned here must be me.”
Claisey felt both bashful and happy. Looking up again, she could see in his eyes how delighted he was.
A thought crossed her mind—*Did Sir Kishin tell his parents about me?*—but she decided to save that for later. Today was a good day.
She turned to the second envelope. “I’m not sure who sent this. Is there anyone else who would send me an urgent telegram?”
Upon opening it, she froze.
—Lije, third child, born today at three, healthy daughter, born, please take care.
Kishin caught on immediately. “Is Lije your second sister? The one who was nine months pregnant? It seems your sixth niece has been born.”
Claisey tried to hide her annoyance, but her expression betrayed her.
“Now that I think about it, it’s been ten months. She was nine months pregnant when we first met.”
She folded the telegrams and tucked them into her pocket. Kishin watched her, quickly identifying the source of her irritation. “Are you upset because your inheritance will decrease again?”
He seemed to remember their previous conversation. Claisey nodded listlessly. “I’m too calculating, aren’t I?”
Kishin didn’t deny it. Even though they were to be married, he still clearly disapproved of her mindset.
“Actually, I think I would be happy if my younger sister Janette had a child.”
“How many years apart are you?”
“About eight.”
“Ah, well, of course you’d be happy. Sir Kishin will be married before your younger sibling, and then it won’t matter to your assets how many children they have. I, too, was only happy until I had two nieces and nephews.”
Her sharp, piqued reply caused Kishin to fall silent.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be angry with you, Sir Kishin.”
She apologized instantly, feeling terrible, but the mood had already turned cold.
“Miss! Sir Kishin! It’s freezing out there—please come inside!”
Fortunately, Anna shouted from the doorway, breaking the tension.
“I’m sorry. You came all this way. Let’s head in.”
Claisey pulled herself together, took Kishin’s hand, and led him into the house.
“But Sir Kishin, are you sure you should be here? Shouldn’t you be at the palace banquet? I heard it’s hard to skip those.”
“I made an appearance, so it’s fine.”
“Is it really that simple?”
“Yes. Dernic isn’t there, either. Staying long would only be a hassle.”
“Is it because the rules are so strict?” Claisey asked, feigning deep interest in the palace banquet to brighten the mood.
Kishin played along, and soon enough, the two forgot their argument and fell into an easy conversation.
When night fell, the butler lit the large fireplace, and the servants moved the sofa closer. Kishin and Claisey sat side by side, tucked under a blanket, warming themselves by the flames.
Outside, the wind howled, but Claisey didn’t feel a chill.
The clock read 11:30 PM. In thirty minutes, it would be the year 221. Listening to the wood crackling in the fireplace, Claisey tentatively rested her head on Kishin’s shoulder.
He flinched for a moment but didn’t move away. Claisey held her breath, watching his reaction. “Should I move…?”
“No. It’s warm, so I like it.”
Claisey struggled to keep her mouth from curling upward. *Am I smiling like an idiot right now?*
But happiness was hard to suppress.
***
Claisey wanted to stay with Kishin all night, but as they weren’t married, it wouldn’t be proper for their reputations.
At 1:00 AM, Kishin took her left hand and carefully stroked the ring finger where his ring sat. When he kissed it, Anna, who had come to see him off, shrieked.
After he left, Anna, Claisey, and the butler held hands and jumped up and down in excitement. To them, Kishin was perfect. Absolutely everything about him.
Even after a good night’s sleep, Claisey was still floating on air, rolling around her bed in a daze.
“Miss, Miss Florence is here!”
Only when Anna shouted at 11:00 AM did Claisey finally get up. She didn’t bother changing, just opening the door as she was.
“Look at the state of you.”
Florence, by contrast, was dressed formally—not at all like someone visiting a neighbor.
“Why are you dressed so nicely?” Claisey asked in surprise.
Florence tapped her shoulder with her fur hat as she walked in. “Because I came straight from the palace.”
Claisey sat on the sofa, bewildered. “Straight from there? Why? For New Year’s greetings? You didn’t have to—you could have rested at home or asked me to come to you.”
Regardless of her confusion, Claisey had been dying to see Florence. Hadn’t she helped with the marriage more than anyone? She wanted to share the news of the proposal.
“Anyway, it’s a good thing you’re here. I have something to tell you!” Claisey exclaimed, deliberately holding out her left hand.
Florence didn’t even glance at the engagement ring and scoffed. “You mean you’re dating Sir Kishin?”
Claisey was shocked. “How did you know? Did he tell you?”
Florence’s expression dimmed, and Claisey felt a wave of anxiety. “Why? Why are you like that?”
“I went to the palace banquet and met the Marchioness of Gosville. Sir Kishin’s mother approached me on purpose.”
Claisey’s jaw dropped. “Why?”
“She knew you and Sir Kishin were fond of each other.”
“How? Did he tell her?”
Her heart began to race. She couldn’t stand it and gulped down some tea.
Florence clicked her tongue. “No. She said she saw you having a secret meeting with him at Grand Duke Siwil’s party.”
“It wasn’t a secret meeting!”
“Regardless, since Sir Kishin is known for avoiding women, she was curious. When she couldn’t recognize your face, she did some digging to find out who you were.”
Claisey clutched her skirt, breaking into a cold sweat. *That means…*
“By any chance, did she hear the rumors about me…?”
“She must have.”
It was something she knew she’d face eventually, but hearing it now felt overwhelming. She had wanted Kishin to know the truth before his parents did, but the order had been reversed. It wasn’t that she intended to hide it, but to have it happen so suddenly…
Claisey reached for her tea, but the cup was empty. Florence reached out and gripped her hand firmly.
“Calm down. His mother only asked me if the rumors were true and what I thought of you. She didn’t seem like the type to blindly believe every baseless story.”
Even with those words, Claisey couldn’t calm down. Her leg stiffened, then went numb, and her body tilted to the side. She bit her lip and hammered her knee with her fist.
Florence quickly pulled her into a hug. “Don’t be upset. I told her everything—that you didn’t want to go on that carriage trip but went because Marie begged you, that you were seriously injured, and about how you’ve struggled raising Marie’s daughter since you were sixteen.”
Claisey looked at her friend, her lips trembling as she fought back tears.
Florence sighed and patted her back. “Don’t cry, you fool. It’s not your fault. If that lady is the type to be swayed by rumors, then it’s better not to get involved with her anyway. We’ll reject them! There’s no need to feel regretful!”
***
The Marchioness of Gosville was deep in thought over Florence’s words when a knock came at the door.
“Come in.”
It was her son, Kishin, who had vanished from the party the day before.
“So you do show your face. Do you have any idea how difficult it was for your father and me when you suddenly disappeared? The Princess and the Empress kept looking for you.”
The Marchioness masked her anxiety and scolded him. She had intended to keep pretending she didn’t know about his romantic life until the investigation was finished.
But Kishin strode toward her and held out his hand.
Confused, the Marchioness looked down and gasped. On the ring finger of her son, who always went bare-handed, sat a Rosa ring.
“I have proposed to Miss Claisey Kalasi. I am going to marry her. She is the woman I love, and I ask for your permission.”
“!”