The parents’ gazes fixed on Claisey. Their expressions asked, “What is the meaning of this?” as clearly as words could.
However, this was news to Claisey as well. She blinked and then shook her head. “I don’t know, either.”
Then, Claisey recalled a story she had heard about a young boy in the Capital who had received the youngest ducal title in history.
It was a dramatic tale: a dangerous faction harboring treason had kidnapped the princess, and a mere fifteen-year-old boy had infiltrated the enemy lines alone to rescue her.
It had been quite a sensation at the time, but when that story was circulating, news about the Kalasi Family had been more prevalent in Greengall City.
Besides, Claisey had been struggling with her own health after her eldest sister passed away, so she had no energy to pay attention to extraordinary talents in the Capital.
Even when she heard about the boy in passing later on, Claisey had only felt bitter.
*‘It was the worst year of my life, but I suppose it must have been a very glorious year for someone else,’* she had thought.
*‘But… could that person be Sir Kishin?’*
No matter how she looked at it, it seemed certain. Was a son’s title not higher than his parents’?
*‘Oh my god! I must have lost my mind!’*
Claisey’s jaw nearly dropped. This is why they say ignorance is bliss.
Claisey had no idea Kishin was such an incredible person. Had she known, she wouldn’t have been able to charge forward so boldly.
But Claisey had her excuses. Hadn’t she and Kishin constantly broken up and reconciled?
Moreover, knowing he was the unmarried son of a Marquis was enough to meet her criteria, so she hadn’t felt the need to look into him any further.
Feeling embarrassed, she looked ahead and saw her parents’ mouths hanging open in a similar fashion.
“By any chance, was that boy who received the youngest title at fifteen… Sir Kishin?”
Unable to hold it back any longer, her father asked directly.
“Yes.”
Kishin answered flatly.
Claisey saw her mother’s throat bob as she swallowed. From that moment on, her mother’s attitude became noticeably gentler.
“I had wondered what kind of wonderful and amazing person that boy from the rumors would be. I never dreamed that the boy would grow up so handsomely and become my son-in-law.”
Her father also burst into a hearty laugh, then timidly patted Kishin on the back.
“Hahaha, our future son-in-law, our future son-in-law.”
*The shift in behavior is too fast…* Claisey felt like fainting from embarrassment.
She truly hadn’t known Kishin was such an impressive figure. She could have sworn in a temple that she had charged forward based solely on Kishin’s face. Of course, that wasn’t exactly something to brag about, either.
Regardless, she hadn’t known he was such a big deal, and seeing her parents so thrilled made her want to crawl into a hole.
“Mom. Dad.”
Claisey signaled them to stop, but her parents remained unfazed.
Her father laughed heartily and explained to Kishin.
“Please don’t think it’s too strange that we’re acting this way. The truth is, our daughter never really explained anything about you, Sir Kishin. She just told us your name, your surname, and your occupation; she didn’t even tell us your age. We were secretly frustrated, wondering, ‘Who on earth is she meeting?’ But to find out you are such an outstanding person! We can’t help but be overjoyed.”
The corners of Kishin’s mouth lifted.
“It is fine. I appreciate the warm welcome. And you may address me comfortably.”
“Ho ho, shall I?”
The moment her father, who had immediately switched to a familiar, informal tone, linked his arm with Kishin’s, Anna covered her forehead with her hand and closed her eyes.
“Son-in-law, aren’t you hungry? You should eat something. To work for the nation, you must eat well and stay healthy.”
While her father led Kishin to the dining room, her mother approached Claisey and protested in a low voice.
“Why didn’t you tell us such important information?”
“I didn’t know either.”
“You didn’t know that!”
“I just thought he was handsome…”
“That is true. He is truly handsome. Even more handsome than your brothers.”
As her mother conceded, Claisey covered her mouth and stifled a laugh.
Claisey poked her mother’s side and added.
“He was handsome, which gave him a good first impression, but the reason I grew to love him is because of his personality. Sir Kishin is a truly good person. He isn’t swayed by others, he has clear principles, and he is loyal.”
“Yes, he does seem that way. He looks a bit stubborn, though. But that’s fine. You’re the one who isn’t stubborn, aren’t you?”
“…”
Claisey thought her mother seemed even more excited than before.
That suspicion grew even stronger when her mother muttered in a small voice, “I must show him to Lady Lairi.”
Claisey frowned and asked.
“Isn’t Lady Lairi Mom’s friend?”
“An old friend. We’ve cut ties now.”
“Oh, right. You two fought. Why did you fight?”
“I just grew to dislike her.”
“Pardon?”
“She’s a strange person.”
Seeing her parents so happy made Claisey suddenly afraid.
They were this happy now, but what if Kishin’s mother said, “Hmm, the rumors are indeed concerning. I cannot allow this marriage”?
The disappointment would be as great as their current joy—wouldn’t her parents be devastated?
***
The evening of the day Kishin left after their conversation, a messenger arrived from the Gosville Marquisate.
It was an invitation for a “light” conversation over coffee, as they had just received some high-quality coffee grounds as a gift.
The invitation was addressed to the Kalasi couple, and there was no mention of Claisey at all.
“So I’m not invited?”
Claisey asked her parents while peering at the invitation, only to be sent away.
As Claisey pouted and was pushed out, Anna couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Oh my, Miss. You were so dignified when Miss Merran was here. With Miss Merran gone, you’ve returned to being the youngest daughter again.”
“Do you think Merran has arrived by now?”
“If she left quickly, she would have arrived, but if the roads were bad due to snow, she might still be on her way.”
“It really is far.”
About 30 minutes later, her parents sent a reply to the Gosville Marquisate.
And at one o’clock the next afternoon, the Kalasi couple boarded their carriage and headed to the Gosville Marquisate.
While waiting for her parents to return, every minute felt like an hour to Claisey.
She thought it would have been better if she had been there, but then she also thought it was fortunate that she wasn’t.
Claisey paced around the garden surrounding the house several times.
The butler and Anna took turns telling Claisey to go back inside, but her stomach was in knots and her heart was fluttering too much to comply.
When it hit three o’clock, Claisey couldn’t bear it any longer and changed her clothes.
“Miss, Miss, you mustn’t go. Absolutely not. You know that, right?”
Anna jumped up, grabbing Claisey’s arm and clinging to her.
“I’m not going to Sir Kishin’s house. I just can’t stand this anymore. I’m just going to go out to the street and buy something. I’m too anxious to stay here.”
Claisey grabbed some money and got into the carriage, but after moving for about five minutes, she couldn’t take it and gave an order.
“It’s no use. Ledon, let’s go back home. Being outside makes it even harder to endure.”
As soon as Ledon parked the carriage inside the gate, Claisey jumped out.
Seeing Claisey return just ten minutes after saying she was going out, Anna and the butler exchanged looks and nodded.
Claisey buried her upper body into the sofa where she had sat next to Kishin and tried to fall asleep.
At that moment, the sound of carriage wheels and horse hooves echoed from beyond the window. Her parents had returned.
Claisey jumped up, opened the front door, and ran out. As she had hoped, her parents’ carriage was entering the gate.
“How did it go? What did they say?”
Claisey asked, thrusting her head through the window before her parents could even step out of the carriage.
The coachman quickly stopped the carriage.
“Oh, this child!”
Her mother sighed from inside the carriage, but Claisey wanted to hear the answer immediately. Whether they had given their permission or not.
If they said no, she felt she could cry it out and move on. But if they said yes… what would she do if they said yes?
“The conversation went well. They are very reasonable people.”
Even though it was the answer she had been waiting for so long, Claisey felt dazed rather than happy the moment she heard it.
Everything had gone well with the Marchioness of Gosville? Did that really mean she could marry Kishin?
Could things really go this smoothly the moment Merran stepped away?
Her mother stepped down from the carriage.
Her father also spoke with confidence, a full smile on his face.
“Your mother is only pretending to be composed in front of you. You have no idea how fast she talked over there.”
“Honey!”
As her mother poked him in the side, her father quickly ducked behind Claisey and continued.
“It’s true. The Marchioness of Gosville liked every one of your conditions, but there was just one thing: she was worried about the rumors. When your mother heard that, she defended you fiercely. She told her everything: that Marie acted as your guardian before her marriage so you were very close, that the guards and the coachman who accompanied you on the trip were all brought by Marie, that even the carriage, horses, and the luggage you took were all prepared by Marie, and that you only packed a few changes of clothes because Marie begged you to go with her.”
Claisey asked in a hushed voice.
“Did she believe her?”
“Of course she did.”
Her mother placed her arm around Claisey’s shoulder, a proud smile on her face.
“Do you know what made the Marchioness of Gosville finally decide to believe us?”
“What was it?”
“It was the fact that you have been raising Marie’s daughter, Merran, ever since the accident. I told her, ‘If Claisey had killed Marie, how could Marie’s daughter be growing up by her side? They are so close. They even moved house together, just the two of them.'”
Good heavens. Merran was actually helping with her marriage. Claisey was stunned by this unexpected revelation.
Her father chimed in from the side.
“The Marchioness has almost made up her mind, but she wants to meet just one person: Merran.”
Her father burst into a hearty laugh.
“But Merran is basically your shadow, isn’t she? Of course, she’ll speak well of you! It’s practically a done deal now.”
Her parents, as well as the butler and Anna who had come out to greet them, were all beaming with joy.
However, Claisey felt like she had been doused with freezing water, unable to even catch her breath.
*There is no way Merran will speak well of me!*