This kind of courtship is complicated - chapter 6
#006 Who Do You Want to Marry?
"Do you even know who that person is? I told you not to get involved with Duke Arzen. But you meet him once and get a marriage proposal? Moreover, from someone whose name you didn't even know? Does this make any sense?" Evan erupted with pent-up frustration, rubbing his throbbing forehead.
"You know who you don't match with. That person..." However, in front of Bellia, Evan couldn't quite bring himself to list all the messy rumors about that man. He found himself biting his lip intermittently.
"I know what you're worried about," Bellia calmly replied, observing Evan. Her cheerful voice was unusually calm, and her gaze meeting his in the darkness was unwavering.
"But this is my business, Evan. And I don't think someone with such a kind voice and warm eyes would be the protagonist of scandalous rumors, do you?"
"Right. A kind voice and warm eyes. The Duke seems splendid on the surface. Most people with rotten insides appear perfect on the outside."
"That's not all. He was discerning enough to refuse a hasty proposal. If the rumors are true, he would have accepted my proposal."
Bellia spoke as she felt and believed. Although she heard Evan's sincere concerns, she was as unyielding as a strong branch that wouldn't break or bend.
Evan struggled to regain his composure, splashing his face with cold water.
"You really don't know anything."
A conversation that seemed endless, where no one would back down, finally came to an awkward end as Bellia remained steadfastly silent. Evan believed her silence was her way of partially accepting his words.
However, the following morning, after spending the night at the Bricen mansion, Evan realized that his expectations had been completely misplaced.
"I have something to say."
During the morning meal with the Debière family, Bellia, who calmly spread marmalade jam on her toast, casually opened her mouth.
"I want to marry Duke Arzen."
Evan, who was sipping his tea, was taken aback by the revelation he had long known. If he hoped to change Bellia's mind, it would be faster to redirect the course of a river. Perhaps Bellia herself saw no room for rebuttal on this matter.
The forgotten tea cup on the floor rolled over when the Bricen Duke reached for it. The cup didn't break, but instead, red tea splashed onto the carpet.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Bellia said with a mouthful of toast, using a napkin to wipe her mouth as she laid it across her lap.
"I must have misheard. Right?"
The corners of the Duke's mouth, usually sharp and rigid, quivered slightly.
"It's just as I said."
"I must have misunderstood. Could you say it again?"
"Bellia wants to marry Duke Arzen."
The name that flowed from Bellia's lips resonated clearly in his ears. The bewildered Duke's gaze turned from his daughter to Evan. When Bellia acted out of the ordinary, Diana de Bricein always needed Evan's rationality.
Evan's explanations in the past had enabled Diana to somewhat comprehend Bellia's words, thoughts, and actions. However, today, Evan had nothing to say. He just shook his head slightly and cast his gaze downward.
Bellia, with utmost seriousness, did not intend to play a strange prank.
Diana de Bricein, her eyes steady, carefully placed the cup she was holding back on the table. The tea cup would be another thing to consider, as if receiving shocking news about her daughter's marriage wasn't enough.
"Yes, you want to marry Duke Arzen? When did you two meet?"
"Yesterday. We met for the first time at the ball."
"What did you say? So, you proposed to the Duke as soon as you saw him?"
Diana de Bricen was deeply shocked but tried hard not to show her emotions on her face. However, after hearing her daughter's next words, Diana couldn't maintain her usual composure.
"No, I proposed to him. Times are changing, and women can propose first whenever they want. Of course, not right away, but if you think about it positively, I'm at the forefront of a changing world."
"Incredible! So, you proposed to a man you just met?"
"Yes. He was truly amazing, someone I fell for at first sight. His black eyes sparkled like stars on a moonlit path every time he spoke. You have no idea how beautiful his soul hidden within was. You'd understand if you saw him."
The morning sunlight streamed in through the south-facing window, casting a slanted glow on Bellia's face. Perhaps because of this, Bellia, reminiscing about yesterday, appeared even more radiant than usual.
Lord Bricen, who had been sitting there as if life had drained out of him, suddenly stood up in response to the unheard-of story of "a beautiful soul" and "Hélios Arzen."
Hélios Arzen, the heir of the prestigious Arzen family, was an exceptionally wealthy and handsome young man. As an investor, entrepreneur, and holder of vast ancestral estates, he was impeccable. There was no dispute about that.
But only that much. He wasn't the man who would make Bellia happy. The opposite, perhaps.
So, it had to be stopped. Lord Bricen thought along the same lines as Evan Arkas and shouted, "Invalid! This engagement is null and void. She must return immediately!"
"Calm down, dear."
Diana de Bricen, who had just regained her composure, tried to intervene, but it was in vain.
"Diana, if you don't want our daughter to become Bellia Arzen, don't stop me. I'll be back before nightfall."
With the resolve to depart for Winsteel, where the Arzen estate was located, Lord Bricen instructed his butler to prepare a carriage other than his usual choice. It was urgent to break this engagement as quickly as possible.
To think of Hélios Arzen as a son-in-law was unimaginable and undesirable. The rumors had been rampant since last summer, and it was clear as day that that cunning fox had captivated Bellia.
Lord Bricen hastily left for the morning room. As he reached the door of the breakfast room, Evan uttered a phrase that he never expected to hear.
"Sir, there's no need to go to Winsteel."
Lord Bricen, whose busy legs had come to a sudden halt, looked back at Evan in amazement.
"Hélios Arzen rejected Bellia's proposal."
It was a completely unexpected piece of news. Now, both husband and wife's gaze was focused on Evan.
"And he did it on the spot."
Lord Bricen, who had frozen for a moment, slowly turned toward Bellia.
"Is what you said true?"
Bellia nodded nonchalantly. Her face was radiant, considering the disappointment she had just faced. The sky-blue ribbon in her hair, tied into a bow, swayed in harmony with her exhaled breath.
"That's right. Unfortunately, the desire to marry Duke Arzen is still just my own thought for now."
If that was the case, there was no issue at all. Lord Bricen, who had thought he had adapted to the bizarre things his daughter did, was shocked for the first time in a while. He moved towards his wife and, with a sigh of relief, sat down again.
But wait, rejected? He should be happy about it, but as he thought about it again, he felt strangely uncomfortable.
He narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. At that moment, Diana de Bricen, who had been watching her daughter with gently lowered eyes, calmly asked in a mild tone, "So, you confessed, and Duke Arzen rejected you? Isn't it over then?"
"No, it's not over."
"What do you mean, Bellia?"
"I will continue to approach Duke Arzen. I want to show him who I am and propose to him again. I'm telling you this in advance because I'm afraid you'll be as surprised as Evan when you find out later."
Bellia's cheeks blossomed with a wide smile, and dimples appeared on her face. Lord Bricen's heart had already burned to a crisp. It was difficult to be angry when faced with his daughter's smiling face, but it had to be done.
Lord Bricen raised his voice firmly. His stern expression remained intact.
"No. Absolutely not."
"Then, do as you wish."
Diana, with a graceful smile, interrupted her husband's words.