Chapter 26: Do You Want to Be a ‘Show Window’ Couple?
Classie felt like her head was completely empty. Was there ever a proposal more devoid of romance in this world? Well, this sounded more like a business deal than an actual proposal, anyway.
Classie held her forehead with her hand.
“Uh……”
No words followed. As Classie let out an awkward groan, Dernick added on enthusiastically like a passionate merchant.
“Think about it. If we get married, all our problems are solved, right? If we marry, I get to inherit my family’s fortune, and you get to inherit yours.”
“Hm.”
“Our values are similar, so marriage wouldn’t be so bad. Neither of us are the type to obsess over just one person, are we? Imagine marrying someone old-fashioned and uptight. Good grief. You marry for the inheritance, and then you’re expected to love them forever too? How suffocating and boring would that be?”
“Ugh……”
“If we get married, we can be like friends, like partners. We can stay married without tying each other down. We could even have casual flings on the side, but always come back to each other. What do you say?”
“Ah……”
Classie was in a panic and couldn’t come up with an appropriate response. To be honest, she had occasionally thought about a contract marriage herself.
But it was only in passing—she had never seriously considered going through with it. After all, you never know when or how your contract partner’s feelings might change. Contract marriages carried a lot of risk.
For it to be safe, the partner had to be such a decent person that even if they tried to cheat you, they’d gain nothing from it. But if someone like that existed, they probably wouldn’t trust Classie either.
That’s why she gave up on the idea of contract marriage early on. Yet here Dernick was, suggesting it out of nowhere, making her temples throb.
It wasn’t that she was tempted. It was the way each of his words felt like a blow to her head.
When Dernick finally fell completely silent, Classie couldn’t hold back and asked,
“Exactly how are our values similar?”
Dernick responded like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“We’re both light-hearted.”
Classie, offended, gripped her water glass tightly.
“No, we’re not!”
“We’re not?”
“Yes! I don’t know where you got that idea from, but I am not a light person.”
“But you said that to that uptight guy, didn’t you? That if your feelings are going to change anyway, it doesn’t matter whether it happens in a year, a month, or even a day.”
She might’ve said something along those lines, but why did it sound so much more frivolous coming out of Dernick’s mouth? Classie clutched her forehead and ground her teeth.
“I was talking about heartbreak……”
“I know. But still, Miss Classie, you do tend to change your mind quickly, don’t you? So do I. But most people can’t.”
Anyone would become an expert at giving up on love if they kept getting dumped for years. But Classie didn’t explain that. There was no reason to tell him that she’d been rejected left and right throughout her life!
Instead, Classie flatly rejected him.
“Think whatever you want. But I have no intention of entering into a contract marriage with you.”
“Why not?”
“There are two reasons.”
Dernick looked at Classie seriously. He was clearly curious about the two reasons.
Classie hesitated. The first reason for rejecting him was because of Merran. The second reason was because she couldn’t trust Dernick.
However, both were sensitive topics, so Classie avoided answering directly.
“They’re both a secret.”
“No, how can you stop talking in the middle of that? I’m curious!”
Dernick protested, but Classie pressed her lips together firmly and shook her head resolutely.
After that, Dernick suggested a contract marriage several more times, but Classie remained unmoved.
While they were bickering, Florence finally showed up. She had been making some pickled radish and used that as an excuse to leave, but when she came back, she was holding a salad.
Florence smiled happily, glancing between Classie and Dernick, as if checking if any progress had been made between them while she was gone.
Classie glared at Florence, and Dernick continued eating calmly.
With no trace of sweetness in the atmosphere, Florence sighed in disappointment and slumped down into a chair.
* * *
After finishing their meal, Dernick left first, and Classie stayed at Florence’s house until evening.
After resting and reminiscing about their childhood for a while, and having a warm dinner, Classie’s legs began to function properly again.
However, the garden of Florence’s new house was too large for Classie to walk back with just a cane.
Florence sent a small carriage to make it easier for Classie to return.
The maid, Anna, nearly collapsed in shock when she saw Classie getting off the carriage with a cane.
“Miss! What were you doing to come back like this?!”
Merran huffed, helping Classie walk.
“Aunt’s friend is so careless. She knows Aunt can’t walk properly if she overdoes it. Why does she always drag her around everywhere?”
“Both of you, stop it. I had fun.”
Classie snapped, tapping her cane on the ground, and signaled to Florence’s coachman that she was good to go.
Merran pouted, but continued to support Classie as she walked back to her room.
Classie had to suppress the urge to ask Merran, “Are you really doing well with Dernick?”
After the commotion caused by Merran and Anna died down and they left, Classie remained alone, resting her chin on the window frame and gazing outside, replaying Dernick’s presumptuous words in her mind.
‘It’s one thing for Dernick to misunderstand me as someone like him. But what exactly does he think of Merran? Merran’s popular—she’s not someone who wouldn’t know if someone liked her or not. Then why is Dernick acting differently? If he really liked Merran like she said, he wouldn’t have dared to bring up something like a contract marriage with me. What on earth is going on?’
* * *
On the first day, when Classie was sick, Merran stuck close to her bedside and wouldn’t budge. This annoying niece, who always gave Classie trouble, would always act terrified whenever Classie fell ill.
But by the very next day, once Classie had recovered enough to move around the house on her own, Merran returned to her usual cheerful self and went out to play.
Though Classie could walk around now, she stayed cooped up in the house for a few more days to regain her strength. Florence sent over large baskets of fruit three times through her maid.
Then on the afternoon of December 17th, Florence came to see Classie in person. By then, Classie had fully recovered and was taking a ride around the garden on horseback.
“Thank goodness. I was worried you’d get sick because of me.”
Florence playfully pretended to cry as she helped Classie dismount.
“Don’t cry. Even if I got sick, it wasn’t because of you. It’s just because I’m weak.”
Classie pretended to wipe away Florence’s tears and then gave her a hearty pat on the back.
“But still, it was too much of you to run away like that! Be honest. That day—you made up that excuse about bringing radish just to get out of there, didn’t you?”
“You two looked so close no matter how you look at it!”
“I told you, we’re nothing like that!”
“Nothing like that, huh? We’ll see!”
Florence grinned triumphantly and leaned in to whisper while tugging on Classie’s ear.
“He even proposed to you. And you’re saying there’s nothing between you two?”
Classie gave her another good smack on the back.
“So you eavesdropped!”
Florence tossed her hat aside and ran off. After a round of tag-like chasing, the two finally calmed down and sat on a bench, sipping lemonade.
But Florence hadn’t come just to tease Classie.
“The royal capital throws a huge New Year’s Festival. It goes on for two whole days.”
“I know. My oldest sister and brother-in-law have been a few times.”
Classie recalled how her eldest sister used to leave Merran with her every year around New Year’s to attend the festival in the capital.
Classie’s parents were also invited to the festival every year, but they were always abroad during that time and attended foreign celebrations instead.
Florence beamed proudly.
“I got invited this year too.”
“Congratulations! I heard it’s super fancy and grand. Sounds like fun!”
Classie, thinking Florence came to brag, cheered for her with enthusiasm. Florence laughed and gave her a playful shove.
“I didn’t come just to brag. You know, the high nobility also host their own year-end or New Year’s parties around this time. It’s a big deal—they’re the ones who organize it themselves.”
Florence pulled out a lavishly decorated invitation, gilded in gold and silver foil.
“Here. It’s an invitation to the year-end party hosted by the Duke of Siwill. I was lucky to get it. But I could only get one, so I don’t think I can go with you this time. It’s one invitation per person.”
Classie stared at Florence, too shocked to even take the invitation.
The Duke of Siwill was the second son of the previous empress and the younger brother of the current emperor. Among the emperor’s siblings, he was the most influential royal. An invitation from such a house would have been extremely hard to get.
Classie pushed Florence’s hand back gently.
“But this… No, it’s okay. You should go. You’ve only recently moved here—you need to go out and meet people. I really appreciate the invitation, but it’d be more helpful for you to build connections. If you give it up for me, I’ll just feel pressured as your friend.”
Florence tapped the back of Classie’s hand and slipped the invitation inside her glove.
“It’s fine. I’m giving it because I can give it.”
“Because you can?”
Classie questioned her, and Florence suddenly averted her eyes awkwardly.
“What do you mean?”
Classie tried to press her, but Florence quickly changed the subject and patted Classie’s leg.
“Anyway, just go. And don’t let Merran steal your invitation again!”
* * *
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