Chapter 71
“It’s done! It worked!”
Although she said it with a flushed face, Walter calmly took the paper. He stared straight at her, who had suddenly become empty-handed, and made her focus again.
“This time, you have to say the sentence you just read without looking at it.”
Hermia opened her mouth confidently with a ‘that’s easy!’ expression.
“I’m so-so averagely pret-, pretty, no I’m beautiful for anyone to see. Ah…”
A dark cloud hung over the space where the sun-like smile had disappeared. As she fidgeted with her lips and looked at Walter, a stricter order flew in than before.
“While recalling the letters from before in your head. Read them as if they were right in front of you.”
‘Is he a drill sergeant or what…’
As she grumbled, she resolutely took a deep breath and recalled the letters left in her head.
“I’m so-so averagely pre… pretty is out of the question in this life.”
Walter silently held up the sheet of paper once more.
It was clear: Read from this. Hermia squinted her eyes at the text and focused.
“I’m so-so—!”
And the paper disappeared in the middle of speaking.
“—average-looking, except, who am I kidding? If I were, I wouldn’t have managed to land a husband.”
“…That’s not true.”
“Why are you answering back!”
She jumped up and down in embarrassment, but Walter avoided her gaze and soon began to ponder.
“……”
As she fanned herself to cool down the heat, she quietly pondered Walter’s answer that that wasn’t true.
Was it really true that he would have married her even if she wasn’t pretty? Of course, he had to do it to inherit the fortune, but the situation might have changed after Mel appeared.
If he hadn’t fallen for me, he might have returned Mel to the Young Lady of the Vansen family and married her.
“That was almost a disaster.”
As Walter raised his head, Hermia fiddled with her teacup, pretending not to care.
After that, bizarre tests continued until the warm herbal tea and soup became lukewarm.
She tried holding the paper upside down, reading it from so far away that the letters couldn’t be seen, and making the letters in the air with her fingers. She also tried following the words, and singing it like a song with a melody. Unfortunately, they all failed.
Moreover, the words that popped out each time continued to make Hermia’s face flush. If she hadn’t gotten angry and told him to stop, Walter probably would have spent the entire day testing different methods.
Who knew that the Duke had such a persistent side to him.
The conclusion she reached after being tormented for so long: she couldn’t lie unless she read the letters.
Conversely, it was also a hopeful discovery that she could say anything as long as she looked at something and read it. Anyway, she had also found a way to partially overcome the curse, so wasn’t this a great achievement?
“Instead of the form of answering the Archbishop’s questions, it would be okay if we read the marriage vows instead.”
‘We.’
Hermia thought that the word was very pleasing to hear.
* * *
After that, she had a few bites of the newly prepared meal after the cold food was taken away, and then moved to the room. After taking the bitter medicine that Emily brought, she soon fell fast asleep.
When she naturally opened her eyes, it seemed to be afternoon past midday.
In the old bedroom with the terrace slightly open, Walter was there as if it were natural. The familiar background and the unfamiliar appearance of the man were subtly harmonized.
He had brought a one-person sofa and a small table not far from the bed and was looking at documents or something.
Hermia unknowingly held her breath and observed him.
She carefully examined everything from his harmonious features with his forehead exposed in a pomade style, to his neatly ironed shirt and neat tie without a single wrinkle, to the shiny shoe tips placed at the end of his straight legs under the sunlight.
The sound of the paper rustling between his long fingers permeated the peaceful space.
She fell endlessly into the sight of the man concentrating. That gentleman, who was pleasing to see just by looking at him, was soon to be her husband. That fact was both exciting and amazing.
Walter Rockford, are you really going to marry me?
She wanted to ask again and hear the answer that he would until she was sick of it. She would probably continue to do so until she entered the wedding hall.
Sensing the persistent gaze, Walter put down the report and got up. At the same time, her mouth became dry and her pulse quickened.
Did he have to look so wonderful even pulling down one sleeve to touch her forehead? The sleepiness instantly disappeared into the distance at the approaching large hand.
“The fever seems to have gone down.”
“…Hey. Can I ask you again?”
A faint smile flashed across his face that knew what the question was. Walter helped Hermia up to sit down and brought the newspaper that had been placed on the bedside table.
Even if you want to back out, you can’t now. That was his answer.
Her pupils, having received the newspaper, became as large as the letters. The title of the lead article was engraved in letters that were larger and bolder than the name of the newspaper, so that no one could pass by without reading it.
Each letter reflected in her blue eyes was excessively clear.
[A Proposal of the Century at Bridgette Palace!]
“Someone must have already reported it to the newspaper!”
While scanning the article with surprised eyes, Walter was silent. Hermia’s head suddenly turned.
“Did the Duke put it out…?”
He brought her more daily newspapers as if this wasn’t all.
‘Rockford Duke’s Proposal, Will Becomes Reality.’, ‘A Novel is Just a Novel! We’re Getting Married!’, ‘Kingdom’s Man, Becomes a New Groom.’
Walter rubbed the back of his neck at the slightly embarrassing titles.
“They were supposed to keep it simple, “but apparently, that part didn’t get through to them.”
It’s ridiculous. Judging from the article, which is far from “simple,” he had become the greatest romanticist in the continent, not just the kingdom.
“According to the witness, the moment was so touching and romantic that the fiancée teared up, hugged the Duke, and burst into tears……”
She couldn’t bear to read the rest and involuntarily grumbled.
“They’re writing their own novel.”
It was true that she cried disgracefully, but that was when they were alone.
She was reading the brazenly inflated content when she suddenly turned pale and dropped the newspaper as if throwing it away.
“Wait a minute. What if my father comes back after seeing the article? I clearly said I wouldn’t invite him to the wedding!”
“He won’t be able to come.”
Walter answered immediately and sat on the edge of the bed.
“The Count and Countess should be in the middle of the sea by now.”
“Did you, did you kill them?”
“……?”
She didn’t know why the middle of the sea suddenly turned into death, but Walter didn’t panic and continued to explain.
“They went on a cruise. They booked a luxurious cabin for a month.”
“A cruise?”
Hermia said and burst into a hollow laugh. The couple’s resort, where they were almost kicked out, was none other than on a ship. It was truly a choice worthy of the Countess to go to a place where the staff resided because they couldn’t find servants to serve them.
But a month? Then does that mean they’ll be back in the capital in a month?
As she pondered, she recalled Walter’s answer that he was sure they couldn’t come. When is the wedding that the couple can’t come?
“Are we getting married in a month?”
She didn’t even think doing it within three months would be possible.
As she asked, just in case, he took something out of his pants pocket.
“Ten days from now, Sunday.”
Walter fiddled with the ring case and asked.
“Do you have time then?”
“…If I do?”
As she asked dazedly, the case clicked open, and a platinum ring with a large diamond appeared. The breath she took in at the sight of the ring couldn’t escape and lingered in her open mouth.
“You’ll have to come somewhere with me.”
“Where……”
Hermia realized what he meant and pushed Walter’s arm away with a pillow, feeling a surge of emotion.
“Am I being taken away again? Am I going to be investigated? Who proposes marriage like that!”
“Here…….”
Thanks to the uninteresting joke, the tears that were about to come out disappeared. She was overwhelmed with a complex mix of bewilderment and elation and buried her face in the pillow.
To think he would keep his promise to propose properly so quickly.
With her head bowed, she slowly raised her left hand, and she vividly felt the sensation of the ring being placed on her ring finger. She clenched and unclenched her fist a few times, and the stone in the center moved down due to the weight.
So if the jewel is big, the ring turns.
Suddenly, a desire to knock Walter over surged as she learned a new fact. With the wedding date set… wouldn’t it be okay now?
No. Not now. Hermia decided to endure because she couldn’t be sure of her appearance after waking up.
Since she’s enduring anyway, she should just endure for ten more days.
“Just ten days. Huh? Ten days……?”
And a long overdue realization came.
Oh my god. The wedding is in ten days? She asked in surprise.
“Weren’t we supposed to check the officiant’s schedule and set the date?”
“I checked it this morning. The Archbishop said he was available that day too.”
“W-what about the royal family?! Doesn’t His Majesty usually attend Rockford weddings?!”
“I sent someone to the royal family to let them know. To come if they have time.”
His attitude of not caring if they came, as if inviting them to dinner, was indifferent to the point of being apathetic.
Anxiety settled in her eyes as she stared blankly at him. The engagement ceremony was sudden, but is it okay for the wedding to be like this……?
She asked if they shouldn’t give the guests time to clear their schedules, but Walter said, with all sincerity, that it didn’t matter.
He said that more people would postpone their vacations to come, so it was okay.
After speaking, he looked at the ring on Hermia’s hand as if admiring it, then turned the diamond on her palm back to its original position.
Is the size too big?
Hermia’s patience wavered as she saw his deep eyes seriously contemplating.
Should I wash up now?
Was there something strange in the cold medicine, or did Walter’s curse move over to her? She was embarrassed by the bad thoughts that suddenly surged up against Walter recently.
