*****
If you were a minor, marriage was impossible, but if you were a nobleman, engagement was possible through a deal between two families.
The engagement itself is established by the parties going to the clerk and submitting the documents.
According to the imperial family law, minors under the age of 19 required the consent of a parent or guardian.
Since I had never gone to the palace to propose an engagement, Ferze and I were not yet in a relationship.
The contract between my family, Visenna, and his family, Yekartes, simply remains.
'It must be difficult for Ferze too, right?'
I trusted and entrusted Visenna with the task of quickly lifting my curse, but there was no sign of it being lifted.
If the engagement really happens, there will be a turmoil in the Djibril Empire.
It was not because of me, but because my family was from the Visenna and my fiancé was the Grand Duke of Yekart.
After I hold Eustia's hand and propose to Ferze, there will probably be gossip everywhere.
Finally, Visenna and Yekartes, the thorns in the emperor's side, are of the same mind.
'Usually, when noble families get engaged, they throw a grand banquet.'
Since there's no news about that either, is it really going to fall through?
There wasn't really anything special from my dad.
'I guess you forgot about imperial family law.'
Since breaking off his engagement with Riena, the Emperor has been relentlessly harassing the Grand Duke.
He almost married the daughter of Count Ninais, a member of the imperial faction.
And the emperor marries the woman he likes, and orders his cousin to marry a nobleman of the imperial faction. The Grand Duke isn't even a puppet.
It was a problem that could have been solved if I had entered into a contractual marriage with him, but the engagement itself was not established due to the age limit of the imperial law.
'If it's Ninais.....'
Natasha Ninais was an old-fashioned young lady who was famous for being straightforward.
She once liked the emperor, but now she has lost interest.
She was a woman who tore her dress and became a knight overnight, saying she would give her loyalty.
Perhaps because of his innate family tradition, if he were to marry Lady Ninais, who only knows the emperor, his family would be torn apart by war every day.
'I need to grow up quickly.'
That way, the contract between Visenna and Yekart will remain in effect, and I wilI receive a proper reward.
Since I had no intention of marrying for love anyway, it didn't really matter if I married Ferze and divorced a few years later.
'I received a lot of help, but I can't pretend to not know.'
The original contract was supposed to benefit both parties.
I would get a raise in status and money, but Ferze had to give me the Karnen mine, which was a considerable source of income for the Yekartes estate, as a acondition of the contract.
At first, I wondered if I was sacrificing myself that much for him, but I realized that even as Ferze, he would have wanted to avoid a political marriage.
Although the mine was a rather large expense, he felt it was more trustworthy to repay the favor and marry a woman who would keep his secret.
I was in the middle of writing a letter in case anyone saw it.
Suddenly, I let out a silent scream at the sound of someone appearing.
"You scared me!"
The identity of the uninvited guest was Miray Mercury, the palace's archmage.
"Oh my, Miss Ciel. What were you doing?"
Looking at the time, it was already time for Miray to arrive.
I calmed my startled heart as I watched the magician teacher arrive without a trace.
"So cute. Isn't this what kids use to send
love letters?"
"That's not it."
"Ah, that seems right. It's the Grand Duke's, right?"
"Why are you even doing that, teacher?"
I opened my eyes, squinting as Miray teased me, poking my cheek.
"Younger is always better. What's it this time? Same age? Younger?"
I thought the teacher had forgotten my age.
I'm eight years old, so how old should I be dating?
"Or should I introduce you to some handsome and cute young master? There are many among my students."
Well, they're all just kids anyway.
I firmly declined Miray's offer.
Besides, didn't my dad threaten me by saying. 'Eight is too young to be dating.'
When I asked at what age he would allow me to date, he said I would have to wait another eighty years.
Now that I think about it, it's strange that such words were exchanged when I was engaged to the Grand Duke.
- Won't I be buried in the dirt by then?
- I plan to find a way to extend lifespan.
- ..... Please lift the curse.
Becoming immortal and living for a thousand years was not something I wanted.
Besides, there was something more urgent than that.
- then just wait thirty years.
My father's standards for shortness were
very different from mine.
Is it because he is immortal?
Thirty years seems like a very long time to me, but it seems like a fleeting moment to my father.
- Will the Grand Duke still be alive in thirty years?
- Of course, I plan to send it to a good place.
Where is that place?
My father answered my question with a blank expression.
- It's the goddess's embrace.
Oh, that's a very Duke Visenna-like thought. That's what I thought.
"Okay, shall we learn teleportation magic today?"
Miray's bright voice suddenly brought me back to my senses.
"..... I'm eight years old now."
If you learn that magic incorrectly, there is a chance that only one body part will be moved instead of the entire body.
If your magical power is strong, you can get trapped in space and time.
If your magic power is low, you may miscalculate and end up blowing your body away.
Magic that manipulated time and space carried risks.
At first glance, it seems like basic magic, but it was something that academy students who had already mastered both offensive and healing magic learned after graduation.
"It's okay. This teacher will take care of everything."
"..... Even among the teacher's disciples."
"Oh, they gave that kid new eyes. He was actually happy because his magical powers were stronger."
Oh, no.
I sighed briefly inwardly.
Where are you Ferze?
I wish you would come quickly and kidnap me and take me with you.
A safe sewing class is better than risking your life learning magic.
In Visenna, you will learn how to use needles as weapons.
"Oh, I was supposed to see His Highness the Grand Duke this time."
"When?"
"Oh my, look at my mind. It's a secret, so I can't tell you."
Then why did you bring it up?
I opened my eyes wide as I saw Miray smiling faintly.
This teacher is a little strange.
"Do you want to see the Grand Duke?"
"Yes. Missing you makes me want to see you even more."
What does that mean?
I sighed as I watched Miray tilt her head.
Barney, who was giving me cookies next
to me, looked at me with pity and stroked
my hair tied with a ribbon.
"You have such a lovely fiancée, yet you're so preoccupied with war? Even His Majesty the Grand Duke is so indifferent..."
Maybe it's because he doesn't want to become a criminal?
It was a long time after I received the letter that I saw Ferze again.
*****
Dark purple eyes, like a bottomless pit containing nothing, stared at her.
"I don't know what side effects there might be, but."
"It doesn't matter as long as my heart doesn't stop."
Ferze Yekart, Grand Duke of the Djibril Empire, reached out for the vial without hesitation.
Miray watched Ferze drink the medicine,
feeling somewhat guilty.
"Your Highness, it would be faster to change the Imperial Law...."
Even if the imperial law was changed, it was bound to catch the emperor's eye.
It wouldn't have mattered much even if it was discovered anyway.
Ferze opened his red lips and downed the medicine in one gulp.
His hair, which had previously reached his waist, was now so short that it barely covered the back of his neck, as if it had been cut by a demon.
The atmosphere of Ferze, which always
treated people as tools, also strangely changed.
It was the same with Eustia, whom she saw the day before yesterday.
Miray sighed as she looked at the numerous jewels that Ferze had paid in return.
She'd rather just give it all back. Why are she interfering with both families?
"..... Nothing is happening."
Ferze furrowed one eyebrow.
Not only was there no 'pop' sound, but there was not even a taint fog visible around.
"I think you should eat more....."
"Of course. One bottle won't be enough."
Miray hid her embarrassment and held out eight glass bottles in front of Ferze.
The bottle contained poison that made people difficult to digest.
"You should stop now....."
Miray kept her mouth shut.
The Grand Duke swallowed the poison without changing his expression.
The poison flowing through his red lips seemed somehow dangerous.
As expected from a monster born from the Yekart family, he drinks like water.
If only Riena had succeeded in assassinating him.....
".... What did you just say, Dame Miray?"
"Oh, it's nothing."
Before she knew it, it was his fifth bottle.
Just let's that crazy guy drink it alone!
Okay, she sold five to the Grand Duke, the rest are for some other crazy guy.
Miray put on a businesslike smile and wiped the sweat from her eyes.
Is it time to go find the unknown sucker who ordered fourteen, or rather, the precious customer?
"I wish you rest in peace, ah, no, good Iuck....."
Why is this medicine selling so well these days?
Now that she had met the Grand Duke, she was ready to go find another customer who had placed an order under a confidential identity.
Miray's body froze as she inadvertently saw the Grand Duke.
"Happiness, will always follow you."
He drank that poison and didn't even vomit a drop of blood.
As expected, it was a monster from Yekartes.
After all, no matter how high one's status, it's not like anyone can subjugate the foul-tempered knights of the White Night.
And don't find happiness by drinking poison....
These days, it's become so easy to make money in this world because there are so many crazy people.
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