Chapter 97
The moment Ruan heard that the Grand Duke had already acquired a ring for his proposal, his mind went blank.
He had been in a great mood until just moments ago, everything seemed to be going well, and his mind was working much better than usual.
In an instant, that good feeling evaporated, he forgot what he had been doing, and his mind became hopelessly dull.
Not knowing what to think, he stood there blankly for a while before finally managing to recall one word:
‘Already?’
It was the ‘already’ of “He already bought a proposal ring?”
And the ‘already’ of “Have I already become someone unnecessary and unimportant to the Grand Duke, to the point where I don’t hear a word about such an important matter?”
As well as the ‘already’ of “Has it already happened when I don’t even know what I want to become with the Grand Duke?”
And the ‘already’ of “The Grand Duke already has someone to marry when I’m not even mentally prepared?”
It wasn’t clear exactly what the ‘already’ was modifying. But one thing was certain: whatever it was, Ruan wasn’t ready to face it yet.
This is too soon.
Ruan wanted to go to the Grand Duke and ask if it was all true. But at the same time, he didn’t want to. What if the Grand Duke answered that it was all true with his usual impassive face?
If such an answer came, what on earth was he supposed to do then?
As Ruan floundered, unable to do this or that, feeling suddenly thrown naked into a strange place, what rescued him was the warmth felt in his hand.
A hot hand extended by the person standing next to him was enveloping his hand. A large hand with a temperature slightly higher than a human’s. The hand of a kind dog beastkin.
Only then did Ruan realize he had been with Ralph.
His hands, which were cold to begin with, had become even colder than usual. Perhaps it felt that way because they were in contact with the hot hands.
Anyway, Ralph, who had tightly wrapped Ruan’s cold-feeling hands, pulled them towards himself. Then, with a very polite gesture, he placed his cheek on them.
Ruan quietly looked at Ralph, who was looking back at him with his face resting diagonally on Ruan’s hands, holding them as if they were something very important.
The weight on the back of his hand and the kind eyes that met his gaze conveyed a meaning that couldn’t be denied:
‘I want to comfort you.’
Really, sincerely.
Ruan bit his tongue at those dark eyes conveying such words.
How many hours had passed since he felt guilty about the sensitive Ralph noticing his depression and becoming gloomy? Once again, his negative emotions had been read, once again he had caused worry. He didn’t want to make that kind dog beastkin sad.
Ruan hastily composed his expression and opened his mouth.
“Ah, well… I didn’t know, but it seems His Grace is planning to propose.”
In response to these awkwardly uttered words, Ralph, who had been gently stroking the back of Ruan’s hand with his thumb, replied:
“Indeed. I didn’t know His Grace was preparing for a proposal.”
It was a kind voice. Ruan didn’t know what to say, but feeling he should continue the conversation, he blurted out whatever came to mind.
“I wonder who he’s preparing to propose to so hastily…”
Then he was taken aback by his own words.
‘Come to think of it… who is the Grand Duke really planning to propose to?’
He had been so shocked by the sudden news that his thoughts hadn’t extended to this part.
Ruan tried to think of who might be someone the Grand Duke would consider marrying… but failed.
He couldn’t think of anyone. Until recently, he thought he knew the Grand Duke very well, but now he couldn’t even come up with candidates for who the Grand Duke might propose to.
Ruan felt distant, but not wanting to show negative emotions in front of Ralph again, he bit his tongue once more.
Get it together, Kim Ha-jin. You need to think.
‘Since I’ve lost track of the Grand Duke’s activities more than once since coming to the capital, it might be someone he met during that time. In that case, of course I wouldn’t know…’
He needed to ask someone who knew well about the happenings in the capital, especially about interpersonal matters.
Ruan looked at the person he knew to be most knowledgeable about rumors in the capital. It was a bit sad that he had to ask someone else about the Grand Duke’s affairs, especially such an important matter as marriage… But things had changed now.
However, Ralph seemed to be equally unaware of the answer to this question, as he awkwardly smacked his lips and said:
“Well, I don’t think I’ve heard anything about that either.”
Even Ralph, who was well-versed in social circles and rumors, couldn’t guess the Grand Duke’s proposal target.
Does that mean there’s no special connection yet? Then it seems the Grand Duke isn’t proposing because he developed special feelings for someone in the meantime.
“Do you think he’s choosing a partner based on political stance?”
It was shocking enough that the Grand Duke was planning to get married, but for it to be a political marriage?
Ruan felt like he was losing his mind.
“Considering Reinke’s situation and conditions, if we’re talking about suitable partners…”
The names of several individuals Ruan had encountered at the banquet came to his lips. They were all people who might be interested in the position of Grand Duchess of Reinke, given its recently changed standing, and who could bring benefits to Reinke. All of them were nobles with illustrious backgrounds.
As he thought hard, his mood sank further, but in contrast, his reason gradually returned.
Thinking rationally, Ruan had to admit. Although it was something he had never considered before despite wracking his brains for Reinke’s revival, marriage to those nobles would certainly be a way to bring great benefits to Reinke.
But the Grand Duke, and a political marriage?
The appearance of words that seemed so incompatible with the Grand Duke made his chest sting.
‘But now, is it really because I think a political marriage doesn’t suit the Grand Duke… that my heart feels so strange?’
Ruan’s mind continued to think diligently.
In fact, among the nobles of this era, political marriages were common, and love marriages were extremely unusual. Even Ralph’s parents had suffered all sorts of hardships just because they had a love marriage.
Although the Grand Duke had the peculiarity of being a beastkin, he was still a high-ranking noble of this world. For someone like him to have a political marriage wasn’t strange at all, in fact.
Moreover…
The images of the ‘proposal candidate’ he had seen at the recent banquet suddenly came to Ruan’s mind. They were all looking at the Grand Duke with heated gazes.
Yes. Eyes filled with fervent admiration and curiosity.
The Grand Duke was an attractive person. Even Ruan, who initially had negative misunderstandings about the Grand Duke, and the knights too, once they started getting close, didn’t they helplessly come to like the Grand Duke? And with the starting point of emotions being positive, falling in love with him while by his side would happen in an instant.
And the Grand Duke was an infinitely gentle and affectionate beastkin to those who became part of his group. Having experienced it directly, he knew this even better. Since he had been like that to Ruan, the Grand Duke would surely respond with affection to someone who became his mate and liked him.
Even if it started as a political marriage, with the Grand Duke, there wouldn’t be the kind of cold married life one might typically imagine with ‘political marriage’.
But why… does thinking about this make his heart even more complicated?
What was it that bothered him so much?
Ruan thought, and thought again.
As he did so, a scene suddenly flashed through his mind.
“Ah.”
Ralph, who had been listening intently to Ruan’s words with a serious face, looked at Ruan quizzically at the sudden exclamation. To Ralph’s face asking why, Ruan opened his mouth.
“On the first day of His Majesty the Emperor’s birthday banquet, I happened to overhear them talking… I suddenly remembered the words they used to describe His Grace the Grand Duke.”
“What kind of words?”
“Well… Things like saying His Grace is aloof and stern, but that makes him seem cool and attractive, or that all of His Grace’s actions that ordinary people can’t understand must have great intentions behind them.”
Many of those he had seen at that banquet hall that day regarded the Grand Duke as an unapproachable, perfect, and cold great power holder, with not even a needle able to penetrate. Even while sending such fervent gazes towards the Grand Duke.
While this was slightly different in nature from the misunderstandings the Grand Duke had received so far, it was still a misunderstanding nonetheless.
That’s not it. The Grand Duke isn’t that kind of person.
“Actually, His Grace isn’t like that at all. He just seems aloof because he does everything through body language. In fact, he’s extremely transparent in expressing his intentions and is a kind person. And he’s a cute person who often does perplexing things.”
The Grand Duke isn’t the person they think he is.
“I know that.”
In the middle of earnestly listing the aspects that bothered him about the Grand Duke’s marriage, Ruan’s face hardened unconsciously at the words that suddenly came out of his mouth.
Because he had just realized.
What the hell.
So much for being rational. This has all been excuses until now, hasn’t it?
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
