chapter 5
5 – Strange Mansion
Understanding the couple was a more difficult lesson than I thought. First of all, it is necessary to form a pair of men and women in advance when registering for classes. This is because the two who applied for it became a group and took classes together throughout the semester.
The same is true of the content of the class. The main content of the class is that two people form a pair and practice what a married couple would do.
So what do instructors do? Do nothing. It ends with reciting only the practice content of the day and supervising the students. It is said that if there is a pair that sometimes fights, they will arrange a reconciliation between the two.
No matter how much you listen, it’s not a class, it’s a couple’s clinic. Is it okay to have something like this at the Imperial Academy?
“Why are there classes like this?”
“There are quite a few relationships like you and me in the world.”
“What relationship?”
“A relationship in which we got engaged based on each other’s families without any feelings.”
“Hmm… not me?”
Maybe it was when this body got engaged, but I’m not. Seriously, I have a heart to do better with Hestia. First of all, I like her looks, and since we’re going to get married, it’s good to be happy with each other.
“I know that my family doesn’t have much to offer you.”
“I don’t mean that.”
“You knew how to say your mouth. I don’t really need it.”
However, Hestia was calm. I guess you understood my words to mean that we, the Grand Duchess of Sirius, have nothing much to ask for from you. It’s a complete iron wall. Her feelings for me seem to be more intertwined than her thoughts.
“I don’t think it was a good look for the country to see two aristocratic men and women with no feelings for each other just getting married and going around with someone else.”
Is it like the feeling of wanting to become close to each other through the academy in Nara?
“The evaluations of those who took the class are quite good. In a way, I think it is a necessary class for you and me now.”
“You really want to take this class together?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I think the explanation I just gave you is enough.”
“No, that’s why we need this class. That’s not why you want to hear it.”
I can’t understand Hestia’s actions. No, isn’t it a bit suspicious that someone who had just refused to take classes together suddenly turned 180 degrees and made this offer?
“Do you hate it? So, this story doesn’t exist…”
“No, I absolutely do not hate it. Just because it’s sudden Are you really going to be okay with this class?”
“You seem reluctant after all.”
“No, it’s not like that. Good. Then let’s do this class. Clear your timetable.”
Is there any reason not to like it or not? To be honest, I welcome it with open arms. I said this because I wanted to get to know you better, but I can’t believe you suggested this class. I feel like I got caught in a rice cake that I just threw. Still, I can’t help but feel uncomfortable.
I understand the purpose of the class, which is to make aristocratic men and women in a discordant betrothal relationship get along well through conjugal practices. But Hestia doesn’t seem to want to get along well with me. She just kept ticking off from before.
Even at this moment when she said she was going to class, her strangely dissatisfied expression didn’t ease. What kind of plan is this?
“Do you have anything else to say?”
Hestia asked curtly if she felt my gaze.
I shook my head lightly. Stop talking about this It doesn’t seem like a bad thing to me anyway.
Besides, like other concerns, it is not a problem that can be solved by thinking about it now. I don’t think Hestia will give me any more hints.
I roughly folded my thoughts and stuffed them into the drawer of my troubles. Now let’s move on to another story. There are few better ways to get to know each other than talking.
“No. Now let’s stop talking about headaches and talk about something else. What are you doing these days?”
“There is no particularly interesting story. I’m sorry, I’m a boring person. How about you?”
“Um… Do you really want to hear about practicing swordsmanship alone and taking lessons from teachers? Then I’m willing to hear from you.”
I don’t even need 5 seconds to explain what I usually do. You can’t make this a topic of conversation.
“Ha… No, I think my story would be more interesting.”
“Don’t call yourself a boring person from now on. People who are really boring listen to it and get hurt.”
“I never thought you could tell a joke.”
Hestia laughed as if it was absurd.
“You will hear it often from now on.”
I want to see that haughty face smiling brightly.
“…”
“…”
There was silence again. Still, it’s different from that awkward silence from before. It is a natural silence to take a breath in between conversations. Compared to the first time, the atmosphere feels much more relaxed.
“Ah, have you heard of His Highness the Crown Prince Wilhelm Leonhard?”
After choosing a topic for a while, Hestia asked a question. Prince? I knew absolutely nothing about this. To be honest with her, she didn’t even know her imperial family name until she just heard her. She didn’t even ask anyone because she thought it would be a real big deal if she said it out of her mouth.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince? No i didn’t hear anything You know, I have no friends.”
“I guess so. Friends are established in a relationship of equals.”
Hestia gave a serious answer to the sudden self-abuse gag. I wasn’t expecting this kind of reaction.
“So, did anything happen to His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“You say that Her Highness suddenly broke off her marriage.”
“Break off marriage? Why?”
“It’s not a story because no one knows why.”
She sighed.
Even if a young man in the countryside tries to break off the engagement, there must be a reason, but the prince suddenly announces the breakup, and no one knows the reason. Was there some kind of political transaction going on?
“There are also rumors that Her Highness, the Crown Prince, fell in love with her at first sight with another woman.”
Ah, no way. There was no way that someone the size of a prince would have broken off her engagement without thinking like that.
“I can’t believe that. It is not an easy matter to get married.”
“I think so too.”
Hestia brought the teacup to her mouth and said.
“But wouldn’t it be pretty romantic if it were real?”
She set the teacup down on the table. Asking if she is not romantic, her face is a girly girl. This is the expression of a girl who longs for romance novels. She was overwhelmed by her arrogant impression and forgot about it, but I can feel that she is still in the age of dreaming of her dreams.
“Time is running out. I’ll just try to go. It was more fun than I thought. Then we’ll see you at the academy.”
“Yes. I had fun today. See you at the academy.”
Hestia rose from her seat. As she said her goodbyes, she smiled slightly, very slightly, at me. After all, she is prettier when she smiles.
After she finished seeing off Hestia, she came up to her room. She asks the maid earlier and she says there are no classes this afternoon. She completely skipped the schedule.
I lay down on the bed feeling relaxed after a long time. Today’s meeting was more beneficial than I thought. I confirmed that my fiancée is the best cool beauty in the province, not the empire, and she seems to have put her first button well. Of course, it looks like Mikhail has already smashed all the buttons, but that can’t be helped.
There were also new concerns, such as the fact that Hestia didn’t activate the tongue assist and the reason why they wanted to take a couple’s understanding class together.
I can roughly guess why the tongue assist didn’t activate. Perhaps me and Hestia had barely spoken before. The relationship as a fiancé seems very close to the eyes. But there was no conversation between the two of us.
And this time nothing happened. How close you actually are is more important than the relationship between the two.
If this is true, a new hypothesis can be established. Until now, except for the first day, I thought that the memories came up freely and were not suspected by others. But what if I was thinking the other way around? If I recall memories not to be unsuspected, but to remain unsuspected.
If you think like this, quite a few questions will be answered. Why did he assist with movements rather than simply recalling memories during swordsmanship training, and why did he automatically know what attitude and tone to take toward the grand duke and his wife without recalling memories of them?
Recalling memories is not the main function. Being unsuspected is the main function, and recalling memories is only a secondary function.
That’s why during swordsmanship training, I didn’t recall memories, but assisted with movements. Even if you remember how to do it, if your body can’t keep up, you’ll be suspicious.
Memories of the Grand Duke and his wife did not come to mind, and only the tongue was corrected. Because I was able to avoid their suspicions without having to remember.
Today’s meeting with Hestia is the same. Without the help of her faculties, she was not questioned by her, so she did not need to recall her memories of her or to be corrected in her attitude and tone.
In fact, there are holes in this hypothesis. When I asked Selene about things on the first day. It’s a suspicious act no matter who sees it, but I didn’t receive any memory or correction at the time.
However, judging from what has happened so far, it is undoubtedly the most plausible hypothesis. This will probably become clear with further observation.
For example, when I don’t know but the other person knows me. Perhaps the memory of the other person will come to mind. So far, it has never happened because of the narrow human relationship, but this won’t continue forever.
I jotted down my thoughts in Korean. No one will ever figure out what this means. If someone asks what this is, I’m going to say that it’s just graffiti.
–
Michael von Sirius is a proud man. He hates to admit it, but he is.
Thanks to that, my relationship with him has always been a direction I’ve been clinging to. Literally hung.
Except for the day we first met Mikhail, he has never smiled at me. He doesn’t even speak first.
When I somehow start a conversation, I give only minimal replies in an insincere manner.
When the conversation is interrupted, Mikhail always shuts his mouth and looks at me with a smug face. As if he was asking what more he wanted, as if he was still gone.
His gaze without any emotion, his attitude started eating my heart.
At first, I thought it was because I wasn’t good enough, because I wasn’t good enough in Mikhail’s eyes. He took care of his appearance and built up his learning.
However, no matter how hard he tried, I was not in Mikhail’s eyes. Since it is an arranged marriage, I know that wanting his affection is a luxury. I gave up the desire to marry the man I loved a long time ago.
But isn’t this too much? No matter how much I struggle, Mikhail doesn’t show any emotion towards me. If you hate me, if you hate me
However, Mikhail’s gaze at me is by no means directed toward a person. An emotionless gaze, as if looking at a pebble on the side of the road.
I can marry a man who hates me. She has the confidence to endure for the sake of her family.
But I thought she couldn’t marry a man who didn’t even see me as a human being. She marries him and how many days can she remain sane under his unfeeling gaze.
One year? One month? Maybe even shorter
Said to her father. She wants to break up I have absolutely no confidence. I earnestly begged that I would not be dissatisfied even if I was sold to someone.
“……Meet one more time and decide.”
The father eventually took a step back at the first stubbornness of his daughter, who had been obedient to his words all his life. Let’s meet one last time. He said it would be difficult to break off marriage so suddenly.
This might be the last day I meet Mikhail. No, it will be the last day. I thought so and headed for the grand duke’s house.
But why,
“I don’t have the talent for words. I apologize if you felt that way.”
If you didn’t smile at me,
“Are you doing well preparing for the academy?”
Without speaking,
“If you want, let’s listen together.”
I came with my mind firmly, but why are you suddenly doing this now?
Mikhail looks at me and apologizes, smiles, and panics. It’s a natural behavior for humans, but it’s so strange. Like someone else
“Do you know of a class called Understanding Married Couples?”
In the end, the words that came out of my mouth were completely different from what I wanted to say. If Mikhail had really changed, if he had feelings for me.
Can you give me one more chance? Wouldn’t it be possible to build it up again through this not funny class of understanding of the couple?
And the conversation with Mikhail that followed was more enjoyable than I thought. He also participated in the conversation by throwing jokes. It’s amazing when I think of him who usually treats me.
I feel emotions from him. I feel like I’m talking to a human Mikhail.
So, if Mikhail also had a conscience, he brought up the topic of breaking up the marriage, thinking that there would be a corner where he would be stabbed somewhere after hearing this story. Just because a day has changed doesn’t mean that the way you used to treat me like that has disappeared.
The story of His Highness’ broken marriage. A rare marriage breakup that made the whole country go wild, claiming that they had found true love.
If it was the old Mikhail, I wouldn’t have said this. I probably didn’t even think that there would be a corner to be stabbed.
I suddenly remember the day I first saw him. When he was very young, he never participated in any party holding his father’s hand. He can’t remember what party it was.
But Mikhail, whom I met there, smiled brightly like an idiot with a young face. I remember laughing because he looked so happy.
After that, when he faced Mikhail again for the engagement, he acted like a puppet whose emotions had been castrated.
But now, the Mikhail facing me again is definitely a different person from the day I first saw him, but somehow, somehow, I remembered Mikhail from that day.
“Time is running out. I’ll just try to go. It was more fun than I thought. Then we’ll see you at the academy.”
Involuntarily, I smiled slightly. I never thought that the day would come when I would smile at him again.
–