CH 45

Marriage

It’s a headache-inducing word just to think about it.

That’s because I’ve been troubled by that word for a while now. I know that I will eventually have to marry a proper lady of a certain family.

Those who inherit territory and titles have an obligation to pass them on to the next generation. That’s why they marry for that purpose alone. In the noble society, it was common for there to be no love involved.

Of course, I know that there are exceptions. I cannot say that marriages based on love do not exist, especially when I see my own parents and my happy sister.

It is not something that I can believe will happen to me, a miracle-like stroke of luck. At least, I, Jeremiah Castalde, was not that optimistic.

So, I decided to at least become a good person and choose a good daughter-in-law. There is still plenty of time to choose. I am not yet at the age where I have to get married.

However, mothers who have daughters of marriageable age do not care about my situation and push their daughters onto me. I think that’s inevitable.

I am the one who is destined to inherit the Marquis family in the future.

As a marriage partner, she has to be the best match for me.

However, I still had no intention of getting married. As long as there is time, I had decided that I would find my own bride with my own power.

That’s why I was eagerly waiting for the moment to escape, keeping an eye out for any opportunity.

It’s early summer now.

I have already greeted His Majesty the King, the Queen, the Crown Prince, and the Princess, and the social season is in full swing. After finishing the greetings, my father immediately retreated to our territory and is busy with management work.

I also wanted to help him if possible, but…

“No, Jeremiah, if you participate in the events during this season, it may be useful later. You need to know what kind of women are out there to find a better bride, and you can’t just follow what others say. Of course, I can recommend someone for you, but you won’t be satisfied with that, will you?

Above all, if you don’t choose a woman carefully and marry her, it could lead to bad behavior later on. So, think of it as special training to develop your ability to judge people.

I’m not saying you should only associate with women. You also have a role as a member of parliament, and it’s okay to engage in debates. It’s also good to cultivate connections with other nobles and wealthy people by playing with them.”

My mother explained the importance of socializing endlessly to me, who complained about wanting to go home quickly.

Since there was some truth to everything she said, I couldn’t say anything and just nodded. Actually, it was like a trial. If it would be useful in the future, I should endure some discomfort.

But I was getting irritated.

I am currently attending a soirée hosted by Viscountess Beckaria. It is a relaxed gathering where not only nobles, but also wealthy people and large landowners gather. My sister Paula, who is the Duchess of Astorga, was invited here, and I came along as her escort.

When most of my duties were over, a young girl and her mother, who had just made their debut in society, looked over at us. I had a bad feeling and decided to escape to the dining table, declining my sister’s offer to stay.

I took some wine from the tray carried by the server and quickly scanned the table for something delicious. There were colorful foods that were easy to eat.

Although the capital is inland, various ingredients are brought in from all over the country, including rare foreign ones. Dried fruits and sweets are especially popular. Such foods are often served at gatherings like this, as it is a good opportunity to show off the wealth to provide them.

While pretending to look at the food, I was relieved to see the mother and daughter targeting someone else. Then, I picked up a plate and took some food. I thought I would leave after eating this. As I found a suitable chair and sat down, about to put the food in my mouth, my spine tingled.

“…I feel like I’m being watched.”

I mutter and move my gaze around to find the cause of the chills. Eventually, I found the owner of the gaze.

It was a young girl.

She was dressed in plain clothes that could only be described as dull, and her hair was tied back with a decoration attached to it as an afterthought. She was small and slender, but that was all.

She was so plain that you might overlook her if you didn’t look closely.

However, there was one exception.

The girl’s eyes were shining with joy. Her mouth was smiling, and it was clear at a glance. She was in love.

I couldn’t help but grimace.

Because the person she was looking at was none other than me.

“Is it my face again… Enough of this.”

I groaned and drank my sake in one gulp. It was clear that I was being dominated by frustration. It would be best to leave quickly. Perhaps she was attracted to my appearance. What if some kind person, under the guise of kindness, told her that I was the son of Marquis Castalde?

There was no way to know what the result would be.

To escape from that gaze, I quickly finished my meal, informed my sister, and left the evening party.

◆

A few days later.

“What the hell is this! There’s a limit to being impolite.”

I vented my frustration in the study. Since my father was absent, I was free to use the study in this house. This was the happiest time for me, where I could write letters and read books.

But now, it was different.

I took a sip of the amber liquid in my hand and let myself feel the burning sensation in my stomach for a while before spitting it out.

“I understand how you feel, but it’s better to enjoy alcohol slowly. It’s bad for your body.”

The other person in the study chuckled. He was Bruno, a friend of mine since my boarding school days, and now Count Grimani since his father passed away.

With his golden hair and handsome face, he was in the same position as me until last year.

As a Count and a young man with a good appearance, he was also a good target for being forced to marry a daughter. That’s why we went back and forth between each other’s houses and complained to each other.

But now, he’s a married man.

Last year, he married a surprisingly beautiful lady whom he found from somewhere. She was not a face often seen in high society. According to him, she was forced to live in poverty because of her father.

And it was a proper love marriage.

I was secretly envious.

He obtained a woman who was not something that could easily be obtained, so there was no way I couldn’t be envious of him. As for me, I am an existence that I don’t even know if I can obtain.

“I know, but I’m getting tired of it. I want to return to my territory today.”

“I don’t think Lady Castalde will allow it. Besides, you haven’t been harmed in any way, so why not just enjoy the view?”

“At first, I thought so too. But she keeps staring straight at me, and even if I try to look back, she disappears before I know it. I only saw her face at first, and I don’t remember it very well.”

Frustrated, I drank more alcohol.

Bruno chuckled knowingly, “So basically, you don’t like being the only one being watched.”

“Of course not. If she’s going to look at me, then I should have the right to look back.”

“She’s probably just embarrassed. My female acquaintances say they would faint if you smiled at them, so she probably doesn’t want to be seen.”

How ridiculous.

Although I thought so inwardly, I sighed without saying anything.