Chapter 2: 2

Lucas leaned in close to Grace’s lips, listening.

Her sweet breath tickled his earlobe.

“…cas Blacke.”

In a small voice, it was his voice, Lucas, Lucas…

Grace O’Ellin whispered his name over and over again in that same small, whispering voice.

Lucas’ stiff shoulders stiffened further.

With a mystified expression, he glanced down at the fainted Grace.

“……”

Beneath her knitted brows, which looked as though they had been elegantly drawn, her eyelashes fluttered, and he could see a grimace forming upon her features.

By that time, the servants who were standing by from a distance rushed to them.

“M-Milady! What on earth…!”

“I don’t know what happened, but she suddenly fainted. Call the doctor first.”

Lucas’ words made everyone move.

Julie, the handmaid who accompanied Grace here, took Grace into a flustered embrace. Then Cassia, Grace’s escort knight, picked Grace up and shouted.

“Back to the manor, now!”

“You, go and have the carriage ready!”

The carriage immediately came running.

Lucas sent one of his aides to ascertain Grace’s condition.

As Grace was carried on Cassia’s back, her eyelids opened slightly.

Lucas looked blurred to her because of her hazy vision, and his figure eventually faded away.

Looking at him like that, Grace winced weakly as her eyes closed once more.

She had been uttering his name over and over all this time, but the words that she had been trying to add after his name with all sincerity flowed out only in a weak voice.

Lucas Blacke. You…

“You’re… terri…fying. Hiic…”

Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—her inaudible voice vanished in the breeze without ever reaching anyone else’s ears.

 

* * *

 

Going back, it was actually three years and two months ago that Grace O’Ellin first heard about Lucas Blacke.

Grace debuted into high society late because she had a weak constitution.

It’s true that she was still a bit timid now, but back then, Grace was a more innocent and more reserved young lady.

She was often sick while she was a child, and she had to go through such sorrow after her mother passed away early, and so she grew up as a quiet child.

Of course, she had also been affected by her other family members. She had a strict and inflexible father who neglected her, and she had an older half-brother who itched to bully her at any given chance.

During her debutant, her father, Kafrenn O’Ellin, called Grace and said this:

 

‘Do not stand out too much, Grace.’

 

This was the precursor to the words she would never forget.

Her father’s voice rang vividly in her ears.

 

‘Just continue as you are, as if you’re invisible, and you can marry someone from the right family and leave this place. Until then, never do anything that would interfere with your brother’s or this household’s path.’

 

He was that kind of man.

Instead of saying it’s their ‘family’, it was the ‘household’. And rather than caring for a family member, he cared more about himself.

Many people would praise him for his respectable outward appearance and great speaking skills, and apart from that, they also held him in high regard for being a frugal and magnificent marquis.

Well, none of the people who were actually close to him would call Marquis O’Ellin a splendid man.

There was only one occasion that Marquis Kafrenn O’Ellin had patted Grace on the shoulder and encouraged her.

 

 

“Since you made a successful debut, I’m slowly looking for a marriage partner for you. Some families have been asking about you after the debutant. I believe it would be nice to build connections with the most promising out of them all, House Blacke.”

It was when he talked to her about her marriage.

“House Blacke…”

Grace had been called here for tea, but before she could even bring her cup to her lips, the conversation already started.

With a wide smile on Marquis Kafrenn O’Ellin’s lips, he recited a series of stories about House Blacke.

“Right. House Blacke, known as the unruly black horses. It’s a household with a long history and an abundance of wealth.”

House Blacke, known as the unruly black horses.

No matter how far-removed Grace was from society, she knew about this great household from the many stories she had heard before.

“The eldest son, Lucas Blacke, and his brother, Cain Blacke—those two are currently leading their household. Fortunately, they are both unwed.”

Marquis O’Ellin savored the tea’s aroma, murmuring contentedly.

“Cain Blacke, the second son. He’s great, too, but I’d much prefer Lucas Blacke. Consider this a father’s greed. Best of all, he’s a close confidant of His Highness the Crown Prince, who will be the next king of our country.”

Grace had been dazed ever since the word ‘marriage partner’ had been brought up, then Lucas Blacke’s name suddenly popped up.

Before Grace could even organize her thoughts, Marquis O’Ellin continued persistently.

“We haven’t received a formal letter of request for an arranged marriage yet, but since the two men in that household are of the right age, they wouldn’t refuse if we’ll send the letter first.”

Marquis O’Ellin said this matter-of-factly, as though there’s no way they would say no.

“It just so happens that both of them will be attending the coming royal ball. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to see for yourself what kind of men they are. It’s even better if you can make an impression on them.”

And so, Grace was forced to attend the royal ball.

It was a place where some ladies had secret trysts with already married men, and some perhaps enjoyed having secret dates to avoid the eyes of their own families.

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‘Lucas Blacke or Cain Blacke should be around here.’

She couldn’t help but wonder why they were interested in entering an arranged marriage with someone like her.

Grace scanned the banquet hall quietly with her trembling eyes, waiting for the two brothers of House Blacke to appear.

“…He’s here! Oh my gosh, he looks wonderful today as well.”

At one point, the banquet hall’s atmosphere shifted.

Before this, it was as if everything was flowing at the tempo of Andante, but it soon turned into Allegretto.

Experiencing this unfamiliar change, Grace turned to face the source of this change in atmosphere.

‘Goodness, for someone to be so good looking…’

The moment she turned her gaze, she felt only admiration.

He was a man who exuded dignity and strength, much like that of a massive, elegant black stallion.

As he walked forward, there was no one who stood in his way, and so it looked as if a path was being created right before him. His vigor was enough to compel the crowd to make way.

Beneath his short, neat black hair, his masculine features were refined.

His blue eyes were as bright as gems, and his broad shoulders and tall physique—of which his solid muscles were evident underneath—were so superb that it was enough to rouse the jealousy of numerous men.

Was this what the mythical god of battle and warfare looked like?

Grace admired him from afar.

It felt as if she was admiring a statue instead because he was so incredibly handsome.

‘Who is that man? Is he a prince from a foreign country?’

Her interest was piqued spontaneously.

Soon enough, her curiosity was relieved by the young noble ladies who gathered nearby and chatted.

“Goodness gracious, Lord Blacke looks so wonderful today as well. I can’t believe you’ll be marrying a such magnificent man. You must be very happy, Lady Alendia.”

‘…Huh? Lucas Blacke?’

Grace’s eyes flashed open. Was that man Lucas Blacke?

Just this revelation was surprising enough, but the words that followed shocked her even more.

They were getting married? There’s someone who’s already promised to marry Lucas Blacke?

Grace looked back unconsciously.

As she turned to see whose voice it was, she saw three beautiful and bright women.

The most notable of them was the woman with bright red hair and emerald green eyes.

She was standing at the center of a crowd, and she was wearing a sensual dress with a deep neckline.

Perhaps because she was originally such a gorgeous and beautiful woman, but the rather bold dress didn’t look off-putting on her.

That woman, named Alendia, had a smile on her lips that was neither shy nor arrogant.

“That’s only what the elders of the household are saying.”

“Well, House Rosenheim and House Blacke have such a close relationship already.”

“That’s true. My older brother and Sir Lucas are also close friends, so I think it’s even more true.”

“Oh, indeed! Sir Ryan and Sir Lucas are also very close!”

“Certainly! Speaking of Sir Ryan, do you know that he and Sir Lucas are being called ‘Hell’s Gatekeepers’ these days?”

“Excuse me? They’re both too sweet to be called Hell’s Gatekeepers. How could people say that?”

Alendia’s eyes widened with interest as she looked at the others.

“I heard that for the sake of protecting His Highness the Crown Prince, they have the merciless prowess of spotting enemies and wiping them all out—like devils.”

“Well, Sir Lucas does have a ferocious outward appearance. When we were younger, I cried a lot because he looked scary.”

“He looks so manly and dashing now, but it’s true that when he doesn’t smile, he’s a little scary.”

Grace reflexively listened to the flowing conversation, but she shook her head.

With the way that woman talked about Lucas Blacke, they seemed very close.

‘Are their households already in talks? …By any chance, was Father mistaken?’

Grace tilted her head to the side in her confusion, and at one point, she realized that she was eavesdropping on their conversation.

‘How rude of me.’

Embarrassed, Grace quickly moved away.

However, as she had no friends or acquaintances here, she had nowhere to go.

She also couldn’t go to the second floor where her older brother, Nolm, was.

‘I’ll just get some fresh air in the garden, then I’ll go back.’

She must respectfully tell her father that he already seemed to have a fiancée.

While walking towards the garden, Grace suddenly became depressed.

It was her marriage, but she was being swayed by other people’s decisions rather than deciding on it herself.

There’s something wrong with this.

Regardless of how an aristocratic marriage was a union between households, it was strange how she had absolutely no say on the biggest decision in her life.

‘But… If I speak up about this, I’ll be treated like a bizarre person.’

Just as she had been regarded for most of her life so far.

Feeling gloomy, Grace had no more energy to walk, so she headed towards a bench near the garden.

And it was at that moment.

“AAARGH!”

Along with a shout, she heard the sound of footsteps fast approaching.

Then, a very low, heavy voice followed shortly.

“How bold of you to hide in the palace, Lontia rat.”

The man’s voice was so filled with murderous intent that the hairs on the back of Grace’s neck stood.

A frightened voice begged desperately.

“H-Hiiiek! P-Please spare me! I-I beg of you, please!”

…W-What was she hearing right now?

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