“Recently, doesn’t Lord Edward seem a bit strange?”
“Hey! Don’t casually say such things.”
“But it’s not gossip; it’s concern. He has been skipping meals for days…”
“I am very worried for him. Wasn’t his marriage partner Lady Brontë?”
“Lady Brontë… Ugh..”

A few days after the engagement with Ania Brontë, I swung my sword, listening to the audible murmurs of the servants.

In the past, I wondered where skills like swordsmanship would be useful, but as I swung the sword, my head. I now understand why martial arts experts don’t swing their swords aimlessly when their minds are troubled.

“If she’s Lady Brontë… she’s the one who condemns men to death!”
“Hey! Be careful with your words!”
“Yes…”

Ignoring the servants’ overt gossip, I diligently swung my sword.

Ania Brontë won’t be bothered by it.

I am becoming one with the sword, where I am the sword, and the sword is me.

However, the sword that slipped from my hand soon sliced through the air, whizzing loudly before landing before the servants.

“What happened!”
“Are you alright, Lord?”

How could I be alright?
While you all incessantly murmur.

If you’re going to gossip, please do it where I can’t hear.

However, I am Edward Radner, the eldest son of Viscount Radner.
I must play the part of the perfect noble.

I gracefully picked up the fallen sword and spoke politely.

“I apologize. It seems I was momentarily distracted.”
“You’ve been skipping meals.”
“That’s right, my lord.”
“If you feel like it later, please have a meal.”

The servants worry about me too much. Well, it’s understandable since I’m supposed to be the perfect Edward.

I wiped away the sweat, returned to my room, and washed up before sitting at the table. Then, I picked up a book to accumulate knowledge about this world.

“… Chapter 5 of the Empire’s History, the Great War and Unification…”

The words didn’t register in my mind at all. Fragmented characters wandered aimlessly without forming coherent information.

“… After defeating the savages of the West, the 12th Emperor Julius…”

– No, now I should call him the Western Lord.

Damn it. Why is this happening?

Ever since meeting Ania Brontë, her face hadn’t left my mind. In the novel, she was described as a beauty known by everyone in the Empire, but…

“This is maddening…”

I couldn’t deny that she was a beauty of that caliber. Perhaps I was the weird one…

“No… No!”

I don’t love her. Even if we are engaged, we only met once.

This must be because I’ve possessed Edward Radner’s body. Edward’s heart fell for her at first sight, not mine.

“Ania Brontë is not beautiful. She is not a beauty. She’s a villainess trying to kill me… Oh, great Julius, protect me with your eternal light. Guide me with your holy wisdom…”
“Lord!”

As I fervently prayed to Emperor Julius, the door slammed open. Sweating profusely, the maid, Lorendel, opened the door.

“What’s going on?”

Normally, one shouldn’t open a noble’s door without permission, but I didn’t harp on it since I wasn’t originally a noble and had no intention of adhering to tedious etiquette.

Lorendel, with a pale face, stammered out, “L-Lady Brontë!”

“Lady Brontë… What about her?”

However, Lorendel’s statement was more than just urgency; it was a crisis.

“She has come to meet Lord Edward!”
“…Why?”

***

“What’s wrong with a woman visiting her husband-to-be?”

The Radner family’s indoor garden is brimming with colorful flowers and fluttering butterflies.
Seated at the garden table, Ania Brontë answers the question.

Yes, there is nothing wrong with a wife-to-be visiting her husband-to-be.
In fact, it is a very noble thing for a lady to do.

But it is difficult.
Especially now, with Ania’s face filling my head.

“Even so, you didn’t say anything…”
“Can’t you just take it as a signal that I missed you enough to come without telling you?”
“If you had written to me beforehand, I would have come to you.”
“I didn’t want to put you through that trouble.”

I smiled softly as I said it and felt the garden grow brighter, but I managed to bring my lips back down.

It was a fact I’d felt in my bones for days, but Ania Brontë was a beauty.
I held back the corner of my mouth that was about to rise and asked innocently.

“But…surely you wouldn’t have visited Radner Manor for that?”

Ania cocked her head.

“That may not be the only reason, but isn’t it enough?”

With that, she slid her upper body forward, exposing her sternum.
Luckily, I caught her movement and jerked my head up.

It happens a lot in novels.
The fox-like figure used her breasts to lure a man.
I would have instinctively looked down at them if I hadn’t known this.
Then it’s game over.

Because no man in the world can overcome beautiful breasts.

I put on my best cold face and stood up.

“Well, now that I’ve seen your face, I’ll go back. I was in the middle of reading a book.”

This is where I have to cut off.
Of course, I didn’t want to offend Ania Brontë, but I couldn’t face her any longer.
As I stood up and turned around, I heard a low sigh.

“…You’re too much, Mr. William. I just… wanted to be with you. Are your books more important to you than me?”

I turned around and saw tears pooling in her deer-like eyes.
Anyone who cries is ugly, so how could she be so beautiful?
I was shaken by its destructive power, but I overcame it.

“After we are married, you can do whatever you like to see my face.”
“You don’t… love me.”
“That’s not what I meant…”
“If it is your will, then let this engagement be broken, for if you do not love me and are forcing yourself to marry me, I am truly sorry.”

Holy shit… she’s a bully.
If I do as she asks, my life will be ruined, but House Radner will be destroyed if I refuse.
I’ll be out on the streets in disgrace, or my legs would turn blue from kneeling.

“…My apologies. My words were harsh. I can read the book later, so let’s talk briefly.”

Overwhelmingly, I choose the latter.

When I sit back down, Ania’s face brightens like a sunny day.
Of course, that’s an act, too.
She knows at what point a man’s heart flutters.
She might as well be the best in the Empire at it.

“Hehe…”

With a small, innocent smile, Ania Brontë wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

“So, would you like to take a walk with me?”
“A walk?”
“Let’s go.”

Ania took my hand naturally, and we walked through the indoor garden.

Holding hands… If you think my heart is shaking, you’re wrong.
It’s bouncing inside my ribs.

Luckily, she doesn’t show any signs of noticing.
My highly trained body allows me to control my heartbeat.

I follow her slowly through the garden, keeping my heart rate as low as possible.

The Radners’ gardens were among the most beautiful in the Empire, thanks to William Radner, who had once branched out into the business of growing rare trees.

Luckily, there was something else to look at besides Ania Brontë, or so I thought,

A gust of wind scatters cherry blossom petals across the sky, and I catch a glimpse of her back through the snowy pink leaves.

But what a pity that even the most beautiful gardens can’t match her beauty.

“How could a woman so beautiful have a devil inside her?

There will be much gossip in social circles about Ania and my marriage.

Some might look at Edward and say, ‘What a lucky man to have acquired the greatest beauty in the empire.’
If they only saw him here, strolling through the gardens hand in hand with her.

But underneath it all, there’s nothing but a man who wants to live and a wicked wench… It’s a funny scene when you realize it.

“Mr. William.”
“Why do you call me?”

While I was lost in thought, Ania whipped around and looked at me.
Her deep blue eyes bore into mine.

“Be still.”

Ania Brontë’s face… it was getting closer and closer to mine.
Her delicate lips curl, and her eyes slowly close.
She’s about to kiss me…

“No…”

I know in my head.
I must avoid this kiss.

“Yes!”

But the heart paralyzes reason.
I can’t escape those lips.

“Whoa…”

But to my relief, Ania’s lips never touched mine.

“You have a cherry blossom leaf on your shoulder.”

The pink cherry blossom petals on my shoulder mingled with her breath.

“I can… take it off myself.”

I brushed her shoulder off as if it didn’t matter,

“Hoo-hoo… did you really do that?”

Ania smirked, but I couldn’t process if it was devilish or angelic.