Chapter 61 – An Arranged Marriage (2)

Bellin, who had just finished combing her hair, bowed to Stephan while picking up the fallen strands from off the floor.

“I will leave first to prepare for Your Highness’s arrival,” the maid said.

As soon as Bellin went out, Stephan instantly searched for Teer. He found her lying in the bed and picked her up. He held her tightly as he spoke.

“It’s been a long time since I saw you. Teer too.”

Gris knew that Stephan did not hug Teer because he was excited to see her. It was only because he needed something to use as a hand warmer due to the cold weather.

Stephan buried his hand in Teer’s belly, as expected. Teer fluttered her feet with surprise but Stephan did not care.

“I’ve been to Talsburg,” he continued, “It’s a place like the size of my palm. I don’t know what’s so good about it.”

If it was any normal day, Gris would have just overlooked it, but this time, she sought to gather more information from Stephan because she wanted to search for his weakness.

“In Talsburg?” Gris asked, raising her crescent-shaped eyebrows.

Stephan nodded.

“It’s a fingernail-sized estate.”

“Oh…”

“I brought some good news on my way back. Your playmates, Dirk and Adele, will arrive within two days. The two are siblings. Dirk is the same age as you, and Adele is two years younger.”

His delivery almost sounded like a command to Gris to remember everything clearly. Stephan drank some of the black tea that had been laid out on the table. Gris looked at him and noted how splendidly he was dressed today.

“Are you directly communicating with that family?” she asked.

Stephan settled comfortably against the table.

“Yes,” Stephan answered, “I have been negotiating with Dirk’s mother regarding your marriage with her son.”

“…”

“When my mother returns, I will suggest holding your social debut banquet. Dirk will be with you by then, so be good.”

The more she listened to what he was saying, the more it seemed as if he had already planned everything. He had called on Dirk to stay at the Byrenhag Estate in order to lay down his intent for their marriage. Gris could distinctly see Stephan’s inner machinations laid bare.

However, she wondered why Stephan was hurrying all of his plans. Suspicious of what was really happening, Gris asked him in a rather low tone.

“Do you really intend to arrange my marriage?”

Stephan savored the aroma of the black tea for a while before opening his mouth.

“Yes. The good and innocent Dirk will not even know that you are not a virgin.”

“…”

“I care so much about you, and, in any case, you might get caught.”

As he continued speaking, his eyes gradually narrowed. Gris, who did not want to stir his doubts, promptly responded.

“No, I also want to leave this mansion as soon as possible.”

“Really?”

“But, I wonder what I can obtain from this marriage.”

Gris’s reddish eyes scoured for his weakness. She was trying to find out why Stephan was planning this and why he was willing to let go of his fake niece.

Fortunately, because Gris spoke in a roundabout way, Stephan’s doubts were not triggered, but he seemed a little surprised, as if clueless as to how a woman could take control of her own life despite the threats aimed at her.

“What do you hope to obtain?”

His question held an air of suspicion while he smiled and nodded wryly. There must have been a limit to his threats, which meant that it was now better to make her his partner instead of his pawn.

“All you can get is a kind but foolish husband.”

“…”

“When it comes to his face, it is better than usual.”

Gris acted interested while imagining what Dirk looked like. Then, she sat on the bed and looked out the window.

“How about you, Your Excellency?” she asked covertly.

“Me?”

After a brief pause, Stephan expressed his intentions more easily than she had imagined.

“I will gain a powerful alliance.”

Perhaps the alliance he described was Dirk’s family. But for what purpose did Stephan need a strong ally?

She had one guess. Stephan lacked the military power to stand against the Grand Duke, so it was only clear that he was preparing resources to take the Duke’s power away.

Gris head swirled with various thoughts. She didn’t know how to act in this situation. She wanted to tell the Grand Duke or his grandmother, but she had no evidence to corroborate her claims. She surmised that it was better to wait until they began to notice something amiss since they were the kind of people accustomed to war and conflicts.

As Gris struggled with her thoughts, Stephan opened his eyes sharply as if in warning.

“You will help me make Dirk’s family empower me. Otherwise, I will reveal your origin to them.”

“Ah…”

She sighed deeply. At this point, she felt like she would only be released from Stephan’s hold only if she died.

Was there really no other way? Dirk… What kind of man was he?