Chapter 12: 12

The door to the dining room opened. Juno looked at the people already there. I’m tired of family gatherings.

She remembered the first one she attended after her mother died. The dark, dull room was frightening, but what was scarier were the eyes of those who watched her every move. They were wondering how to use me. No one protected Juno then. She did her best to hide the fact she was scared. Now, she wasn’t afraid of them or her father.

Juno roughly understood the situation. This is bad. Lilith was next to her father.

Even if this were an irregular family gathering, Juno guessed that the announcement won’t be good for her future. She loosened her grip on Jupiter’s arm. Their guesses were all wrong.

They weren’t going to be engaged.

Juno left Jupiter behind and sat down in her seat. “Hello, did you call for me?”

Once Juno and Jupiter sat down, food was served; no one started eating. Juno studied the faces of the people in the dining room. Lilith and the marquis were too happy, and the family relatives were solemn.

It seems the tug-of-war is over. Juno started to eat the appetizer dish while looking at the marquis and Lilith. If this announcement was something everyone needed to hear, then it would be best to get it over with.

“It must be good. I can’t believe you called everyone so suddenly,” Juno said.

Lilith replied, “Yes, it’s very good news.”

The answer was obvious seeing her bright expression. As expected, Juno was unlucky.

“Are you pregnant?” Juno asked.

Lilith continued to smile as did the marquis. The current situation was almost funny. They were the only ones who’d like the child.

“I see,” Juno said. Her own reaction was also amusing. Jupiter’s mouth tightened into a thin line; however, Juno was the only one who didn’t care.

No, he might have already known. There was never a moment when Juno’s relatives told her the marquis wasn’t a threat. She wasn’t an adult yet. She had plenty of time. No one knew when they would have a baby. Juno wasn’t particularly lucky. So, she didn’t care. She felt the time had come. It was later than expected. Maybe I do have a little bit of luck?

She was able to live comfortably because they had yet to have a child. Juno sipped some water and looked at Lilith. She knew what that expression meant.

It was a face with something in mind, watching Juno’s reaction. Lilith hated Juno to death, even though Juno had never been particularly hostile to her except for when she was a kid.

“Congratulations. Who am I being sold to?”

“Juno!” Nusrion shouted.

Juno smiled. “What? Look at her. They already picked out my marriage partner.”

“We don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl!” he retorted.

That was true. Lilith was a mistress, so the child could never be the heir unless it was a boy. To be honest, it would be difficult for the child to become the heir even then. Juno was sitting next to the perfect heir candidate. The other family relatives chimed in their dissent.

“We won’t allow it.”

“Indeed. We can’t believe you made such a decision on your own.”

“This is absurd.”

“As expected, you have no dignity.”

The marquis, who had been listening to the relatives express their opinions, rolled his eyes and continued to smile. Juno sensed the delight in that grin.

Marquis Robert said, “The other party has already agreed to it.”

The relatives scoffed, and Nusrion ignored Marquis Robert’s words. Meanwhile, Juno noticed something about what the marquis said. There’s more to it.

Nusrion said, “Send them a letter asking to reconsider.”

It would bring disgrace to the marquis; the relatives didn’t care. They knew he would lose face, but they refused to admit defeat.

“I can’t,” Marquis Robert said.

House Trish was one of the most powerful noble families in the empire. That meant the other party couldn’t be ignored, even with the marquis’s current predicament. It was unbelievable. Who was it?

Juno recalled there was a suitable opponent. Actually, there was only one such individual.

“Does it involve His Majesty?” Juno asked. The fickleness of a fifty-year-old man was unsurprising to her.

Would it be ridiculous to say he was a better opponent than she expected? Juno thought of the emperor and the royal family. There was the empress, the crown prince who just turned thirty, another prince, and two princesses who have yet to marry. Wasn’t there also a courtesan?

However, the marquis’s answer was never in Juno’s wildest dreams.

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“Count Sergien.”

There was an awkward silence at the dining table. The relatives wore expressions filled with disgust. It was understandable.

What do you mean by Count Sergien? Sergien. Juno laughed. The entire dining room was filled with her laughter, but Juno really couldn’t stop laughing. “Not bad!”

Did it have to be Count Sergien out of all people? He was said to be above even the emperor. Peter Sergien, the alchemist, was known for almost revolutionizing every aspect of the empire and the daily lives of its citizens.

Juno finally managed to stop laughing and wiped her tears. “Did the alchemist give his approval?” He was a man over eighty and never had a wife. Now he wants to get married? “Did he like my face?” Juno murmured. There was no doubt she was beautiful.

Jupiter touched her arm. “Juno.”

Of course, Jupiter was still much more beautiful. However, the alchemist had no other reason to marry Juno.

“No, it’s strange, isn’t it? He hasn’t married anyone in the past eighty years, and now he wants to marry me?” Juno looked at the marquis. “Father, did you seduce him?”

“…”

Juno thought he assumed the title of marquis solely because of legitimacy, but she didn’t expect him actually to have some talent. “Should I be thankful I won’t be his second wife?”

The marquis responded, “…There will not be a wedding. The church shall only receive the necessary documents.”

“Oh, you’ve decided to save money. Is that right?”

It was even better the marquis wasn’t going to prepare for a wedding. Juno giggled.

“One week from now,” the marquis said.

Juno glanced at the servant who was taking away her empty plate, then she turned her attention back to the marquis. “Father.”

This was the worst-case scenario Juno always thought about, so she didn’t feel resentful. On the contrary, it was surprising, especially since the other party had a good background. Am I really going to become Count Sergien’s wife? However, Juno didn’t like how they were acting. It might not be a good thing in the end.

She pointed at Lilith with a fork. “In any case, you will suffer.”

“What?”

If the child was a boy, he had to compete against Jupiter. If the child was a girl… the marquis was finished. But even if the child was a girl, would she be able to survive?

Juno raised the corners of her mouth. “I’m just saying it out of pity. Anyway, I understand.”

“…Is that it?” The marquis was puzzled by her response. Perhaps he expected more.

Juno smiled. What kind of reaction did he want?

Everyone except the marquis was confused by Juno’s reaction.

Juno shrugged as she used a knife to cut into her steak. “Shall we cry tears of joy and make a scene instead?”

“What?”

“Juno, it hasn’t been made official yet…”

She smiled. “He’s the Count Sergien, right? If he agrees to it, then shouldn’t I do the same?” Juno was thinking rationally now. This wasn’t going to change if she whined. “It’s been decided already. Ah, I can’t even be dramatic because the table is too heavy for me to flip.”

Juno tapped the table with the back of her hand and put a piece of steak into her mouth. After swallowing it, she said, “Aren’t any of you going to eat? This wasn’t what I wanted, but the food can’t be that bad, right?”

No one but Juno touched their meal. Some of the family relatives lowered their heads, and Nusrion was grimacing.

“Juno.” Jupiter’s deep voice reached her ears.

She smiled as she looked at him. His mask, always perfect, was nowhere to be seen, and there was anger in his gaze.

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Juno almost felt her blood boil too, but she continued to grin. She pretended to be fine and offered him a piece of steak. “Jupiter, try it. The meat is tender.”

It wasn’t anything new. It was just the worst-case scenario Juno always imagined came true. Perhaps that’s why she kept smiling.

Occasionally, Juno’s laughter resounded in the otherwise quiet dining room. Sergien. Was her husband actually going to be the alchemist, Count Sergien? What a joke.

Yes, it was hilarious. Wasn’t this too important to be sad about? So, Juno had to laugh. She couldn’t cry or be angry here.

Juno laughed.

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