Claisey crossed the garden in a single bound and threw her arms around her parents.
“Why did you take so long to get here!”
Claisey whined, burying her face against them. After acting as Merran’s guardian for so long, she felt like she had suddenly reverted to a child the moment she saw her parents.
“Oh, you, oh you. We’ve been traveling while only resting three hours a day, so what are you complaining about?”
Her mother laughed heartily, awkwardly hugging her daughter back. She was holding five or six paper bags in her hands.
“What are those?”
As Claisey asked, pointing at the bags while still in her mother’s arms, her father tapped the packages with the back of his hand.
“They’re gifts we picked up from other countries just for you.”
“Really?”
“There are gifts for Merran and for your future son-in-law, too. Though we’ll have to wait and see if he actually ends up being a son-in-law or not.”
Her father patted Claisey’s back a couple of times.
Claisey pulled away and held out the back of her hand to her parents.
“Look at this ring!”
When Claisey boasted, her parents laughed as if they couldn’t believe it, yet they carefully examined the jewelry.
Unexpectedly, her father muttered, “This ring is imbued with magic. It must be very expensive, isn’t it?”
“Merran said it was just a cheap ring.”
“That can’t be.”
Her mother chimed in.
“Would you mind taking it off? I’d like to see it in more detail.”
When Claisey handed it over, her mother thoroughly examined even the inside of the band before gasping in admiration.
“It really is a magic ring. It’s a piece by Rosa, the wizard who died 50 years ago.”
“You two certainly have an excellent eye. I didn’t even know who Rosa was.”
Her mother returned the ring.
“Oh my, Miss, please brag about that once you’re inside. The Master and Mistress are going to catch a cold!”
It wasn’t until Anna shouted and came running out that Claisey realized her mistake. Her parents had just arrived after a long journey, and she was keeping them outside in the dead of winter.
“I was just so happy to see you both that I forgot. Please, come inside quickly.”
Feeling sheepish, Claisey immediately grabbed her parents’ arms and led them into the house.
* * *
Claisey intentionally told the maid to skip lunch and serve dinner earlier than usual to match her parents’ schedule, as they would surely want to rest after their arrival.
Thanks to this, by the time her parents had washed up and rested, a fresh, warm meal was waiting for them on the table.
As they sat down, her mother marveled, “I was worried since you were living alone, but you’re doing well. What a relief.”
“It’s called living alone, but I’m not really by myself. Anna and the butler came with me, and I’ve hired a few decent people. And though he’s not much help, Merran came too.”
The Kalasi couple didn’t grasp the bite in Claisey’s words and burst into laughter.
“Our Merran is a help just by being there. Isn’t he cute?”
When her mother mentioned Merran as if he were lovely just by the mention of his name, her father nodded with a satisfied smile.
Claisey sulkily helped herself to some food.
*Why does no one believe me when I say Merran interferes with my courtship? Aside from Florence, why is everyone on Merran’s side? Of course, he’s cute when he behaves, but when he doesn’t, he’s truly impossible to handle…*
Claisey mentally gave Kishin even more bonus points. Of all the people she had met, only Florence and Kishin stood firm like a fortress, even when Merran acted cute and adorable.
“So, our youngest. Shall we talk about this future son-in-law?”
Only when her father asked with a laugh did Claisey snap back to reality.
Her mother wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief and scolded her playfully.
“Do you know how shocked we were when we received your urgent message? A magic bureau official brought it, so I thought you or Merran had been hurt. You don’t usually send urgent messages, after all. But to say, ‘Hurry and come so you don’t miss out on a son-in-law!’—everyone was laughing and it was complete chaos.”
Claisey’s face turned bright red, and she just toyed with her fork.
She couldn’t tell her parents that she just wanted to protect her property before even a seventh nephew was born. Her parents loved their youngest daughter, but she knew they would surely love their grandchildren just as much.
“So, what kind of man is he?” her father asked again.
As Claisey thought of Kishin, the corners of her mouth lifted automatically.
“His name is Kishin, and he belongs to the Hiard family. He is the eldest son of Marquis Gosville. His age is… well, he seems to be around my age. And he’s very handsome, very kind, and very loyal.”
When Claisey’s brief explanation ended, the table went quiet.
Anna chimed in as she set down dessert. “Miss, you should mention that he is a Palace Guard.”
“Oh, right. He’s a Palace Guard. A deputy leader of the 1st Platoon. He’s very strong and very cool.”
The atmosphere turned even frostier.
Claisey was smiling to herself, satisfied, when she became puzzled. “Why?”
Her father hesitated before asking seriously, “You… did you meet this man just by looking at his face? Why is there so little information?”
“Well, I did fall for his face, yes. But he is the eldest son of a Marquis, Father. It’s not like his status is unfit for marriage with me.”
However, her father remained stern.
“Are all Marquises the same? Seeing as the surname and title are different, it means they hold a territorial title, not a family title. Territorial titles are unstable no matter how high they are. Besides, isn’t the Palace Guard a group of people who are skilled but have a terrible reputation?”
Claisey murmured, feeling dejected.
“Father, my situation is different from my sister’s and brothers’. The families you approve of all run away as soon as they hear rumors about me.”
“!”
“I don’t care if Sir Kishin has no title to inherit. Neither do I, really. And Sir Kishin is the person who trusted me unconditionally even after hearing those rumors. I like that person, Father.”
* * *
After the meal, when they returned to their room, Countess Kalasi said coldly, “It’s heartbreaking, but Claisey is right. That child isn’t in a position to hold onto such things.”
She was hurting inside too, but since her husband’s heart seemed to be wavering, she had to ensure he stayed firm.
“Don’t you remember the talk we had before? You know, right after Lady Lairi fought with me.”
“I remember. Wasn’t that when we tried to arrange a marriage, but couldn’t even bring it up and everything fell apart? I asked Lije, Philippe, and Walter to find a match for Claisey, but all three refused. That was when Lady Lairi…”
—*My goodness, Madam. How could you try to attach the child who killed my sister to my son? Talk about something that makes sense.*
After hearing such harsh words from someone she was close to, the Kalasi couple had given up on Claisey’s marriage. Instead, they had asked their eldest daughter and two sons to take good care of their younger sister after they passed away. Since those three would inherit Claisey’s share of the estate if she remained unmarried, they treated it as a fair exchange.
All three had agreed, and the couple considered the matter settled. Still, every time they went abroad, they brought back valuables, gold bars, and jewelry, pushing them onto Claisey. They were preparing for the day they were gone, ensuring she would have something to sell in an emergency if her siblings neglected her.
Count Kalasi sighed, though he seemed a bit calmer.
The Countess patted her husband’s arm.
“Compared to then, this is better. Territorial titles have their upsides, too. In terms of income and such, it’s certainly much better than having nothing at all.”
The Count nodded.
“That is true. At any rate, if he has at least a territorial title, she won’t be treated as a hollow noble after we are gone.”
* * *
Claisey sat in front of the living room fireplace, recalling the time she watched the flames with Kishin on New Year’s Eve.
“Don’t be too upset. The Master and Mistress are like that because they love you.”
Did she look that miserable? Anna suddenly brought over some baked cookies.
Claisey hugged her knees and laughed.
“It’s not that I’m upset. I’m just worried.”
“Are you afraid they won’t grant us their blessing? That’s impossible. As soon as they see Sir Kishin, they’ll surely grant it!”
“No. Sir Kishin’s parents. If my parents are like this, then Sir Kishin’s parents… will they give their blessing? It’s not like it only works if my parents approve.”
Claisey shut her mouth as the butler suddenly approached them.
As she watched him while eating a cookie, the butler exclaimed with a joyful look on his face.
“Miss, the person you like most has arrived.”
When he pointed toward the main gate, she saw Kishin walking in. For some reason, he was dressed in his full uniform, and a dusting of snow sat on his shoulders and hair.
“What are you doing here at this hour, looking so dashing?”
Claisey didn’t even put down the cookie before running straight to him.
Kishin looked puzzled at the cookie thrust in front of his face, but after taking a small bite of the edge, he asked, “Do I look good?”
“You look dashing.”
Then, Kishin whispered into Claisey’s ear.
“I heard that Lady Claisey’s parents had returned, so I came.”
“Really?”
“I even changed my clothes before coming.”
Overwhelmed, Claisey hugged Kishin’s waist, but she quickly let go as she spotted her parents standing on the stairs.
Even so, her gaze was swift and sharp as she watched her parents’ reactions.
*They seem to like him.*
Both of her parents had looks of pleasant surprise. It was clear they were admiring Kishin’s neat and elegant posture.
Feeling proud, Claisey introduced him before her parents could even finish descending the stairs.
“Mom, Dad. This is Sir Kishin.”
Kishin walked to the front of the stairs and waited. Once they reached the bottom, he politely introduced himself once more.
“I am Duke Kishin Hiard. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Her parents’ eyes, which had been observing him to gauge his character, widened simultaneously.
Claisey also looked at Kishin in shock.
*Duke?*