A Fake Marriage? Sure! …Wait, Is It Actually Fake? Something’s Not Right Here! - Chapter 17

“Are you the daughter of Count Zoe, Lidoria?”

Hearing her name called out so abruptly made Lidoria jump.

It was the group with the parasols from before.

The elderly woman at the front was staring directly at Lidoria.

“Yes, that’s me…”

As Lidoria responded with confusion, a plump woman let out a gentle “Oh my” in a mellow voice.

“So, you’re the Crown Princess’s maid? And if I recall correctly, you’re engaged to Sir Alex, aren’t you?”

Whether the plump woman was well-informed or the topic was already circulating, Lidoria couldn’t tell.

While Lidoria was still flustered, the elderly woman swiftly stepped aside, saying, “Marchioness of Reading. This girl appears to be the one.”

Emerging from behind them was a woman who appeared to be in her thirties, sheltered by a parasol.

Her attire was already in a class of its own, and her hairstyle and makeup were exceptionally elegant.

And—

She somewhat resembled Alex.

“You? And? Who is that Royal Knight beside you? He seems to be from the Unicorn Knight Order.”

The Marchioness of Reading inquired in a voice that sounded like clashing metal.

“He is my younger brother, Finley. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Lidoria.”

In a fluster, Lidoria bent one knee, gathered the skirt of her dress, and curtsied.

From among the Marchioness’s attendants, voices could be heard saying, “She seems to know her manners,” and “But just look at that outfit. It reveals her family’s status.”

“Speaking of which, the title is being passed to your brother, isn’t it? If it weren’t for that, we might have considered. No, that’s out of the question. The Zoe County is hardly worth mentioning.”

The Marchioness of Reading let out a sigh, and her attendants burst into laughter simultaneously.

It was Finley who flared up before Lidoria could.

“How rude!”

He shouted and tried to step forward, but before he could, the plump woman gracefully stepped in front of the Marchioness.

“Good day, Marchioness of Reading. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

She spoke with an unwavering smile.

But the Marchioness didn’t seem to remember her. With a puzzled expression, she replied, “Good day,” and immediately turned her gaze back to Lidoria.

“Lidoria Zoe, daughter of Count Zoe. Since you never came to pay your respects, I decided to visit you myself.”

“That… um, I deeply apologize.”

Lidoria hurriedly bowed her head, but Finley was not convinced.

“Shouldn’t you be the one paying respects? My sister was proposed to by Sir Alex!”

“Finley!”

A crowd had already gathered around them.

The Marchioness was surrounded by a considerable number of people, while on their side, it was just Lidoria, Finley, the mysterious plump woman, and her attendant. They were outnumbered, and there was nothing to gain by making a scene.

“My, but if such talks have arisen, you really should pay your respects, at the very least.”

The plump woman gave Finley a meaningful look as she spoke.

“Eh, is that so?”

“Yes. You’re going to inherit the Zoe County, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then, for your sister’s sake, you should be prepared to visit the other family. Right?”

“Darn it… Seriously?”

“But it’s fine. You’re young, it can’t be helped. You can learn from now on. Besides, originally, it’s proper for the gentleman’s side to pay the visit.”

The plump woman smiled cheerfully and said to her attendant, “Right?” The attendant replied, “That is correct.”

“More importantly, I want you to cancel that engagement. You understand, don’t you?”

The Marchioness cut to the chase, and Finley, who had been reflecting until then, flared up.

“Huh?! What do you mean?!”

“My, hasn’t your sister told you? There are talks of an engagement with Princess Melissa.”

With a nonchalant expression, the Marchioness spoke while fanning herself with a flutter.

“Sister, what’s going on?!”

Pressed by Finley, Lidoria desperately shook her head.

“It’s true that Princess Melissa requested an engagement with Sir Alex, but during the previous discussion, it was supposed to be called off.”

“You actually believed that?”

The Marchioness spoke as if astonished. Lidoria was at a loss for words and stared at her.

Clearly, she was being looked down upon.

“To begin with, this matter only came up because of the Crown Prince and Princess’s premature kindness, didn’t it? Normally, do you think your family status matches ours? As Lidoria couldn’t retort and Finley was too angry to speak, the Marchioness continued to speak incessantly.

“Alex has always been a very kind and righteous child. So, I believe he couldn’t refuse the request from his lord, the Crown Prince. Understanding his feelings, His Majesty proposed this match.”

The attendants unanimously echoed the Marchioness’s words.

“Indeed, that is so.”

“And yet that girl is so presumptuous.”

“It’s utterly shameful.”

“Didn’t you think to read the room and decline on your own?”

Spoken to as if it were utterly baffling, Lidoria made up her mind.

The curious stares from the surrounding crowd also pushed her forward.

(I’ll break off the engagement.)

That’s right. After being told all this, it wasn’t a match worth clinging to.

Besides, she had already established the “fact” that she “was once engaged.”

It’s enough.

It shouldn’t interfere with her brother’s future prospects.

“If that’s what you say—”

“Tha—! We don’t want it anyway!”

It was Finley who shouted.

Lidoria was taken aback and looked up at her brother beside her. Only then did she think, “Ah, he’s grown so much,” but more than anything, Finley was furious.

“To begin with, we were proposed to by your son! And then! I approved of it too! So, what the hell is this?!”

His words were already a jumbled mess, but the plump woman reached out and patted Finley’s back.

“That’s right. We only accepted because we were asked.”

“Right?! I’m not wrong, am I?!”

Finley, on the verge of tears, appealed to the plump woman.

The onlookers were sympathetic.

Aren’t the Marquess’s family and the royal family being too arrogant?

The Zoe County is being toyed with.

That was the atmosphere.

(I… I have to calm this situation down.)

For now, only the Reading Marchioness’s family was playing the villain.

But there was no telling when it might spread to the Crown Princess. Anxiously, Lidoria faced the Marchioness of Reading.

“Regarding this matter, perhaps we should discuss it with Sir Alex present—”

“Stop—————————!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Just as a furious shout echoed from the distance, the man himself appeared with tremendous force.

Sir Alex Reading.