Askin stared at me, his face a mask of cold indifference. I stared back, my own expression just as unreadable. Inside, I was jumping for joy that he was acting exactly like he always did. It was the clearest sign possible that he hadn't heard the marriage rumors yet.
'Is he really that worried about my mental state?' I wondered, catching a glimpse of a different kind of intensity in his gaze. It wasn't the usual hate—it was almost... concern.
*“Is it necessary to look at me like I’m garbage the moment she leaves?”*
He’d called me "stupid" earlier, which was a step up from "vicious," I suppose. I watched the confusion cloud his features. He didn't want to feel anything for me, but his internal walls were starting to crack.
"...Thank you," he said suddenly.
I tilted my head, genuinely surprised. "For what?"
"For the mage and the doctor you sent for Aria. I... I will allow her to keep the gifts you gave her. Just this once."
A small smile touched my lips. Charlize’s face was legendary for its beauty, and when she smiled, it was said she could bewitch even a dragon that had been extinct for a thousand years. I caught Askin’s eyes trembling as he looked at me.
"Why are you acting like Aria needed your permission to be grateful?" I asked, my voice teasing. "But I suppose it’s nice to know you at least have some manners, Duke."
"Did you come here just to talk nonsense?" he snapped, though his face was a shade darker than before.
"Oh, are you shy? That’s actually quite cute."
"..."
Askin’s brow furrowed so deeply I thought his face might actually freeze that way. I quickly changed the subject before he reached his breaking point.
"You agreed to go to the banquet with me, remember?"
"And?"
"I brought a suit for you. I want us to match."
"I refuse."
"You’re refusing too fast! You haven't even seen it!"
I muttered the words under my breath, but he heard me. He didn't say anything, but his eyes softened for a fraction of a second.
"I will fulfill my duty as your fiancé for this one night," he said, his voice low and steady. "To repay the favor you showed my sister. But don't think for a moment that anything has changed between us. You understand that, don't you?"
"Wow, you have a very nice voice when you're being serious," I said, shrugging my shoulders.
"What?"
"I don't care about 'duty.' Just wear the suit. It’s a masterpiece."
"...Don't treat me like a doll, Charlize."
He was cold, but I was used to it. I looked at him and said, "We talked about this before. Why don't we just try being a real couple for one year? Just one year. If it doesn't work out after that, I’ll break the engagement myself. I’ll even take full responsibility for the social fallout."
My voice was serious now. I was desperate. If I didn't make this work for at least a year, Loxdian would find a way to "reclaim" me, and my survival would be in jeopardy.
"Think about it," I urged. "You have nothing to lose."
"I’ve already told you to stop this nonsense," Askin said, but his tone was surprisingly soft. "I will act as your fiancé at the banquet to keep the peace. Now, go home."
"Don't be so gentle all of a sudden. It’s making me excited."
"Charlize!"
I stood up gracefully. "Fine. As my official fiancé until our debts are settled, you *will* wear the suit I’ve provided. I’ll be taking the carriage that day, and I expect you to be ready."
"What kind of—"
"Think of it as payment for the medical aid," I said, my expression turning stubborn. "Unless you’d prefer to pay off the entire debt right now?"
Askin looked bewildered. He was clearly expecting me to snap or throw a tantrum. Instead, I was just being... difficult.
"Are you disobeying me?" I asked, channeling my inner villainess. "Pay up, Duke. Or I’ll lie down on this floor and I won't get up until the banquet is over. Do you want that?"
"...You’re a child," he muttered. "No, even a child wouldn't act this way."
"The children on your estate are remarkably mature for their age. Didn't you know I was immature?" I said shamelessly. "Just do it."
"..."
In Askin’s world, this was what was known as a "tantrum." But coming from the woman who used to break furniture when she was angry, it was almost... charming. He looked like he wanted to laugh and scream at the same time.
I was actually terrified of his cold face, but I forced myself to stay firm. 'Don't be afraid, Yoon Ji-hoo!' I thought. 'He’s just a snow rabbit!'
"Fine," I said, deciding to push no further for today. "I’ll leave the clothes with your assistant. Don't you dare throw them away."
I turned to leave, but then I stopped and looked back at him, my expression turning fierce.
"And another thing, Duke."
"What now?"
"Stay by your sister’s side when she’s sick. She’s a good girl, and she needs you. Don't be so obsessed with your 'duties' that you forget about her. Understand?"
I didn't wait for an answer. I turned and walked out of the room. Askin stared after me, his mind in a whirl. It wasn't the kind of anger he was used to from me—I wasn't angry for my own sake, but for Aria’s.
He felt a strange sense of emptiness as I left. 'When did she learn to walk away so cleanly?' he wondered.
Askin hurriedly left the room and headed for Aria’s quarters. He was worried I might have said something strange to her. But when he arrived, he found her staring out the window, her face full of a quiet, lingering sadness.
'...I wanted to be with the Princess a bit more,' Aria thought, her eyes fixed on the departing carriage.
All her life, she had followed her brother’s lead. He had sacrificed everything for her, and she had never dared to say "no" to him. She had followed my advice to return to her room even though she wanted to stay.
But as she watched me leave, she couldn't hide her regret. For the first time in her life, she found herself wishing for something her brother hadn't provided—the company of a sister.