A Fake Marriage? Sure! …Wait, Is It Actually Fake? Something’s Not Right Here! - Chapter 13

“To my younger brother?”

Alex blinked twice before letting out a heavy “Ah.”

“That. It’s like a family gathering, or…”

“That’s right. Will it be a problem for you, Lord Alex?”

The reason being, Finley was being noisy.

About when Lord Alex Reading would come to pay his respects.

We had explained to Finley that the “engagement was official,” partly due to the Crown Prince’s arrangement.

He was her only blood relative, and though Lidoria was currently his guardian since he was still a minor, eventually Finley would inherit the earldom and become Lidoria’s guardian.

An explanation of the circumstances was necessary. But the content had to be carefully considered.

There was no way we could say, “It’s a fake engagement to smoothly proceed with your marriage.”

‘I’m going to be the Earl of Zoe in the future, you know. In cases like this, shouldn’t Lord Alex come to pay his respects to me?’

Where had he picked that up? He started insisting that the man should come to the woman’s house to propose marriage.

‘His Lordship is very busy. The Crown Prince himself acted as witness, and the engagement documents were officially accepted.’

‘That’s a different matter, isn’t it? What? So, you’re saying Lord Reading is looking down on our family? That the Earl of Zoe is so insignificant he doesn’t need to pay his respects?’

‘That’s not it. More importantly, Finley, your language—’

‘But it’s true, isn’t it? Big Sister, you might be the one getting married, but if you’re just taken away so easily, it makes me look bad.’

She had no idea what kind of position he was trying to assert, but it seemed her younger brother wanted her future brother-in-law to pay a formal visit.

“Since it’s fake, I don’t think a formal visit is necessary.”

When she glanced up at Alex apologetically, he crossed his arms and let out a deep sigh.

“No, to avoid raising suspicion, I should probably pay a visit. I’ll make time during the royal tournament to stop by, and we can do the formal greetings another day.”

“Thank you. Um, what about you, Lord Alex? Should I also pay a visit to your family?”

He glared at her sharply, and she instinctively threw her hands up.

“No. I don’t want to pay my respects, and frankly, I’d rather not get close to them, so rest assured.”

“This is very difficult to say to you, my lady.”

Alex forced the words out through gritted teeth.

“Due to the Crown Prince’s involvement and the fact that we submitted a formal engagement notice, we couldn’t keep it from my parents. So, I told them about you.”

“I see.”

“Their reactions were polar opposites.”

“Polar opposites?”

“My father was overjoyed, while my mother showered me with furious shouts and curses.”

“I… ah.”

That must have been terrible. Her face must have shown her thoughts.

“Don’t act like it’s someone else’s problem,” he said.

“Well, it is someone else’s problem. But I understand. There’s no benefit for you in marrying me. I understand how your mother feels.”

“Benefit? Why?”

“Because I don’t have a title. Originally, you were being pressured to marry so you could become a son-in-law to a high-ranking noble family, right?”

“Well, yes.”

He was the third son of a marquis house. He couldn’t inherit the family headship. Because of that, his parents had been trying to marry him off as a son-in-law to a prestigious family with good conditions, but Alex kept refusing matchmaking meetings, saying “Women are troublesome,” or being rejected.

Alex had entered this fake engagement with Lidoria to prevent his parents from arranging more matchmaking meetings, but from his mother’s perspective, she must have felt deeply betrayed.

“The Earldom of Zoe will be inherited by my brother. If anything, our family isn’t prestigious or anything. We’re just an old family with history, and the only thing our territory can boast about is wine.”

“That’s more than enough. My family? We’re only notable because my father is His Majesty’s brother.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Anyway, my father was so overjoyed that I showed interest in marriage that he cried and even started talking about grandchildren he hasn’t seen yet.”

“That’s rather hasty.”

“My mother thinks I’ve been seriously brainwashed by you.”

“Brainwashed?”

“Or that I’ve been given a love potion and am not in my right mind.”

“Do love potions exist? Have you ever taken one, Lord Alex?”

“I don’t know. Even if they did exist, I wouldn’t want to take one or have anyone give me one.”

Alex responded with clear disgust.

“I’m desperately trying to stop them now but they say they’re coming to the royal tournament.”

“Your parents?”

“Yes.”

Alex made a pained expression.

“My father says he wants to thank you, and my mother says she wants to meet you to demand you break up with me.”

“I… ah. Wh-what should I do?”

“I absolutely won’t let either of them attend!”

Alex declared forcefully.

“The ones who’ve lost their minds are my parents. I’ll order everyone in the mansion to lock them up that day. So, don’t worry about my family!”

“Is that so?”

“That’s all! Dismissed!”

“Very well. Excuse me.”

Their parting was hardly what one would expect from a couple in love.

Their next meeting wouldn’t be at the royal tournament, but the following day.