chapter 2
2. Engagement (2)
“Originally, it would be polite for my father to come with me, but inevitably, Yeong-ji was busy with work, so he couldn’t come. The Duke asks for your understanding with a generous heart.”
Tina gently lowered her head with her hand on the chest of her dress. Froden felt she was beautiful even in that way.
“Heh heh. I know very well that the count’s estate is busy because of the surrounding situation. Since the young lady said that much, I can’t even get angry at her even as a joke.”
“I appreciate the generosity of the Duke.”
Even the gentle smile was beautiful. Tina turned her head slightly at the sight of her Froden staring blankly at her own figure.
“First of all, instead of having a conversation like this here, let’s move. Let’s continue talking while we eat.”
When she rang the bell on her table, the owner of the house knocked and appeared. She came in when she heard a voice waiting outside the door.
“The meal is ready.”
At that, the Duke smiled contentedly and headed for the dining room. Froden came to his senses and escorted Tina as he followed the Duke.
“It’s okay.”
While treating him coldly, he rejected Froden’s hand and waited for him to leave. Feeling ashamed of his hand floating in the air, he quietly retrieved it, then turned around and left the office. As rumored, she was a cold woman. But it was pretty.
Froden struggled to hide a faint smile.
——–
With a graceful motion, she lifts the steaming cup and quenches his throat. The cup, with the makeup on her lips gently smeared on it, returns to the pedestal. While savoring the scent of tea, praise the duke for the tea to the extent that it is not too much, and add a greeting of thanks for the hospitality in moderation.
Like a scholar who has learned his studies, he continues his conversation using words and sentences that seem learned, sometimes even arguing. Whenever you speak, don’t forget to use the technique of lowering yourself while raising your Duke.
It was pitiful to compare her to the young ladies who were full of vanity and only read romance or adventure novels.
She said that if she had been born as a man and not a woman, she would have been her successor in the family line, but it would not be strange to her.
“What do you think about this?”
“Yes?”
Froden, who was looking at her without taking her eyes off her, accidentally asked her sudden question from the duke. The Duke quietly smiled inwardly at Froden’s startled look. It seemed like there was nothing to worry about.
“Young Ae. Isn’t it very different from rumors? It’s as if someone is maliciously spreading rumors, so I asked you for your opinion.”
“As expected, rumors are nothing more than baseless and absurd stories.”
Froden answered her question immediately, as if she was too lazy to even think about it.
“Young Ae’s tone of being blunt is the jealousy of foolish people who do not properly understand the tone of learning, being cautious and considerate of others. Regarding her cold and cold personality, it is an envy that wants to emulate her acting with dignity and being polite to everyone.”
She was busy praising Tina nonstop to make sure her mouth wasn’t spit and her throat wasn’t dry. The Duke listened to the end without restraint, feeling fresh in the sight of her first child.
“To begin with, such absurd things as slapping someone on the cheek or killing someone were nonsense.”
“Thank you.”
Proden’s praise, which seemed to continue, was easily extinguished by Tina’s words of thanks. When she received her thanks, her smile spread naturally.
“Nothing. I think the way the young lady persevered despite being embroiled in such unfounded rumors deserves praise.”
“Hmmm. Isn’t that enough? The young lady seems to be in trouble too.”
One day, Tina was gently turning her head away, as if the ardent Froden’s gaze was burdensome. Seeing that, Froden came to his senses and shut her mouth.
“I’m sorry, young lady. I can’t stand this injustice again.”
“The only one who said that was Gongja-nim. It’s because I’m not used to compliments, so I hope you don’t hold back too much. Rather, I am grateful.”
She cleared her throat and looked away, but she didn’t look at Froden.
“Young lady, did you know that today we are here to talk about marriage?”
“Yes, I received a word from my father in advance. I heard a lot of stories about Young master here and there, so it became like I was doing a background investigation unintentionally.”
“hahahaha, if listening to rumors is like doing a background investigation, then I am the same. The background investigation on the young lady has already ended perfectly with rumors. It’s just nonsense that has absolutely no nutritional value.”
Tina took a sip of her tea and naturally changed the tempo of her story. As she talked about her marriage, her slightly flirtatious mood instantly turned to calm.
There was no way Froden and the Duke would miss that base. The two father and son, who gently turned their heads toward each other, noticed from that eye contact that they were thinking the same thing.
“Actually, marriage between families is something that family heads decide and you just have to follow them. But unless it’s an arranged marriage, I don’t really like that kind of thing, so I prepared this place.”
The Duke got up and straightened his clothes. Seeing this, Froden and Tina tried to stand up as well, but sat back down at the Duke’s beckoning.
“To be honest, I tried to move away after eating, but the conversation was so enjoyable that I couldn’t. I will avoid the seat even now, so please have a sincere conversation with the people involved.”
With those words, the Duke quickly left the drawing room. When only the two of them were left, the air suddenly became awkward, and I glanced at Tina while fiddling with my fingers.
“Thank you for your words earlier, Young master. It was the first time I heard such a thing from anyone other than my family who knew me.”
Noticing the awkward air and Gongja’s hesitation, Tina secretly brought up the story from before and induced a conversation. At the welcome topic, Froden looked at Tina with a smile.
Although he has memories of his previous life, and there are also memories of meeting various women in that previous life, it was just stored data. Just as he knows that reading her dating gossip will make her dating go well, Froden’s memories of his long past life were useless at this moment.
It was because Froden, who had to use that knowledge, was a fool who had never worked with a woman before.
“Actually, I was a little worried. Although rumors are out of the blue, sometimes rumors have their origins. However, I completely forgot all those worries the moment I saw her young lady.”
“Did you make that judgment based on my appearance?”
“Of course, I was at a loss for words because of the young lady’s good looks.”
Tina’s head turned slightly at those words.
“But. I felt that the young lady’s words, actions, and all elements were directly contradicting the rumors herself. The effort to deny it was revealed by showing it directly rather than denying it with words. How could such a person be the same person as the rumored young lady? I will believe in what I have seen and felt about the young lady.”
“Young master has no hesitation in praising others.”
“Praise is the best bribe that costs nothing.”
Froden said with a broad smile. Looking at Tina, who was still avoiding her gaze, he said honestly. Had she been like anyone else, she would have been misunderstood for this remark, with her belief that he would be fully understanding if she were her.
“Of course, everything I said to you is my sincerity.”
“Go, thank you…”
I looked at her in surprise at the slight trembling of her voice, but I didn’t seem to be crying. I just thought her voice must have been locked and trembled in surprise.
“To be honest, I want to take a walk in the garden with the young lady. We walk and talk together, and when we get tired from walking, we sit down and lean on each other. From the moment I saw the young lady, living like that became my dream.”
“Thank you for your words, but I think the flow of the story is too fast. Of course, I also have a desire to welcome a future where I can walk with Young master and take a rest together.”
“I am too motivated and emotional. Sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. Isn’t it a sin for a man to look at a woman and have feelings for her? Rather, I am grateful to Young master for being so honest with me.”
And smiled faintly. The corner of her mouth was slightly raised to the point where you wouldn’t even know she was smiling unless you looked closely.
“With that in mind, first of all, I would like to apply for an engagement with Gongja-nim. Why don’t we build a relationship step by step, starting with the engagement?”
It was so beautiful. To the point where a halo shone in Froden’s eyes.
“Young master. Please marry me.”
Beauty exploded and attacked Froden.