When Duke de Walt returned to the mansion after a meeting at the Imperial Palace, the sun had not yet set. Since dinner was usually served after seven in the evening, there was still quite a lot of time left before it. Therefore, the Duke decided to return to his office to complete the remaining business.
"I've been having a lot of trouble lately."
Apart from the fact that he had problems in his own home, he also had a hard time at work. The aristocrats were bickering today, discussing the details of the upcoming inauguration ceremony. After all, this event was planned to be even more grandiose than the anniversary of the founding of the empire.
Since Victor wanted to shine in the eyes of the imperial family, he also had to take an active part in this discussion.
The Duke felt relieved that he had managed to get rid of state affairs even before the sun had set.
He handed his coat to the butler.
— Your Grace, the doctor came today, — the servant began his usual report on the current state of affairs in the manor, — According to him, the commoner who was sheltered by my lady is quite healthy. So she has to leave soon.
As soon as Victor heard this, he snorted in annoyance.
"Really?"
He went to his desk and sat down at it. There was a pile of work papers on it.
— Make sure that this is really the case, — the head of the family ordered angrily, — I'm not going to take it anymore. If Camille comes up with anything else to keep her here, I'll allow the guards to use force.
The butler nodded, accepting his instructions.
— Yes, Your Grace.
To be honest, the mess his own daughter had been causing in the house lately was getting on his nerves. Victor was already thinking about putting a hard stop to this. But still, Camille's words that day haunted him. For some unknown reason, he even agreed to make concessions to her.
However, now it's finally coming to an end. The Duke was relieved when one of his problems was finally resolved.
Although there was still another one looming on the horizon.
— Rewrite the marriage list for Camilla, — the man loosened the tie around his neck, — Stop her worrying about all sorts of nonsense. Instead, let him do something useful.
According to the Duke, each of his family members should be useful. While Yufil was studying and preparing to receive the title of heir, his daughter also should not sit idle. The carefree childhood she once lived in is a thing of the past. Camille should have realized that long ago.
The butler sighed after hearing his master's remark.
— Your Grace... — The butler hesitated, — I'm afraid that after the last incident, there aren't many worthy candidates for the role of my lady's fiance...
"Hmm?"
The Duke looked at him with a cold gaze.
Despite his inner agitation, the butler had to answer professionally.
— Yes, I will try to make a new list...
— Okay, and while you're at it, choose those who are at least a little closer to the status of our family.
In a secular society where rumors about the ducal lady's illness had already spread at the speed of light, the duke's request could be equated to searching for a pea in a sand dune. Although the butler felt helpless, he only nodded his head without expressing any complaints.
— As you wish, Your Grace.
— good. Let me know when it's time for dinner.
Just as the butler was about to leave the office, the petite pink figure had already disappeared through the door.
***
As soon as I accidentally overheard a conversation between my father and the butler, I immediately panicked.
I had to get out of there as fast as I could. And as soon as I left the "scene of the accident," I gritted my teeth angrily.
"How come?!"
As you know, my previous "date" with the Marquis's son turned into a scandal. As soon as the information surfaced that I could not have children, the number of acceptable suitors decreased significantly. Few people wanted to get involved with a sick noblewoman, moreover, who did not have any high status. The Duke tried his best to hush up the incident, but the rumors that spread at the speed of light were unstoppable.
Therefore, I thought that this could be my reliable insurance for a certain period of time. At least for the next six months. I should have had enough time to prepare my departure from the manor. But who knew that Father would make a move first?! His statement today literally shocked me.
"Apparently, he can't wait to get rid of me." — this thought made me bite my elbows in frustration.
Sighing heavily, I clearly understood that the duke had given me a pig. I didn't even really have time to make any preparations before my escape. If everything goes according to the worst-case scenario, I won't even be able to take my valuables with me, because then the duke will immediately catch me.
"And why would I do all this...?"
All these restless thoughts made my head hurt.
Well, the first thing I needed to do was calm down. And then come up with some counteraction measures... Although, of course, this is easier said than done.
When I returned to my room, I found a commoner sorting through my things. After a recent shopping trip, where I bought a bunch of clothes, including a lot of useless junk, it all needed sorting. And even though I didn't ask her for it, the commoner volunteered to help me with it. It was very sweet of her.
Actually, she had more important things to do. Any day now, the girl was supposed to leave our estate. However, instead of getting ready, the commoner didn't even seem to be packing her things. Instead, she dealt with mine.
Although it was a question I wanted to ask her, but my head was already filled with complicated thoughts, so I just forgot about it.
Even though I tried to act like my usual self, the commoner still noticed the slightest fluctuation in my mood.
— Why are you sighing? — Frowning, she immediately stopped sorting things and turned to me.
— Uh...
Although I definitely felt close to her because of the time we spent together, I still didn't want to involve her in my personal family problems.
— It's nothing... I tried to wave it off, but it didn't work.
— What's the matter? Something happened?
— No, it's okay...
Even if I tried to get off the subject, the commoner kept insisting on an answer. In the end, I gave up.
"Would it make me feel better if I told someone about my problem?"
After a bit of hesitation, I finally decided to trust her.
— The thing is... That my father wants to marry me off.
Marry her off. As soon as Kaena heard these unexpected words, she felt her head go blank.
— Does your father want to marry you off? — She repeated what she had said through clenched teeth.
— Yes, and he has even started looking for candidates!
Camille sighed miserably.
Without realizing it, Kaena clenched her fists tightly.
"Who would have thought that this woman would be forced into a marriage of convenience..."
Although this was a completely common occurrence in the system of aristocratic society and quite predictable, but as soon as it came to the marriage of this woman, the princess was furious.
"Do I have to act prematurely...?!"
A murderous expression appeared on Kaena's face as she was overcome by rage. But when she thought about the fact that blood would be spilled in the Duke's mansion today, Camilla suddenly said:
— That's why I absolutely have to find a way out of this situation.
Hearing her words, the princess unconsciously shifted her gaze to her and stared at her intently while the duke's daughter continued to speak.
— I don't want to be led by my father.
No matter how many times she saw this woman's beautiful face, Kaena never tired of looking at it.
— So you have a way out?
— well... — Camilla scratched her cheek hesitantly, — Maybe if I already had another chosen one, it could influence my father's opinion. But I don't have anyone.
At that moment, Kaena Gessen de Ronan held her breath.
— Really? — she asked.
— Oh, yeah...
As soon as I said that, her furrowed brow immediately smoothed out. She even smiled. It was hard for me to understand such a sudden change in her mood.
In any case, along with escaping, this was indeed the most suitable option. If I could show my father that I was already dating someone, then the question of my marriage would become much more difficult. The problem was that I just didn't see any suitable candidate on the horizon for this purpose.
"Oh, it turns out it's very difficult to find a way to avoid getting engaged..."
However, just when I was about to sink back into despair, the commoner's next words stunned me:
— Then what about me?
— what?
I raised my head in surprise and looked at her.
— You said that the problem would be solved if you had a partner, — the girl murmured, — In that case, what about me?
For a moment, I might even have thought she was joking. But the serious expression on her face at that moment suggested the opposite. I was a little confused.
"Oh, so this is the situation from the soap operas, when a noble lady falls in love with a poor man and defies her parents, right?"
No, giving up everything and running away from home for love wasn't bad, but the problem was that I was going to run away with a woman who had no home or money.
She literally has nothing but a pretty face.
I was sincerely grateful to the commoner for trying to help me in any way, but still...
My goal was to become at least not rich, but at least well-off. If I follow a commoner to literally nowhere, then I will have to face many dangers. Various diseases, poverty, the possibility of dying at the hands of bandits at any moment, and other "delights" of the life of an ordinary person in the Middle Ages.
Thus, it was not easy for me to give up my dream of leading a comfortable and relatively safe lifestyle. However, I couldn't directly tell the commoner about this, for fear of offending her with my refusal. So I had to come up with another excuse.
— Well, if you can get my father's approval, I guess it won't be a problem.
Of course, I knew it was impossible. No noble would ever accept a commoner as their son-in-law or daughter-in-law. It was just a soft excuse to refuse.
However...
— Okay, — the commoner replied calmly after a short pause, — Then I'll get it.
To be honest, I was confused by the confident tone of her voice. As if she didn't even doubt her success in getting permission from my father. I was even worried that the commoner might have done something stupid due to her ignorance, and I was about to dissuade her from this, but suddenly a cold hand lay on top of mine.
— Don't worry, — her golden irises flashed unusually, — I'll take responsibility for myself.