A Fake Marriage? Sure! …Wait, Is It Actually Fake? Something’s Not Right Here! - Chapter 20

Two hours later.

Lidoria let out a heavy sigh inside the Crown Princess’s tent as she lifted the teapot.

The laughter of Crown Princess Sophia echoed nearby, snapping Lidoria back to reality.

“Isn’t it fine? Finley fought well, didn’t he?”

Sophia tilted her head at Amanda, who was rearranging the tea cakes as if to say “Right?”

“That’s true. He made it to the top eight, the top eight! For his first appearance, that’s quite an achievement.”

While rearranging the tea cakes, Amanda lifted the tea stand along with Sarah, another maid. They placed it on the table beside Sophia. At the same time, they cleared away the cups and plates used by the former Queen Michelle.

She had been watching the martial arts tournament from the Crown Princess’s tent until just moments ago, cheering for Finley alongside them. She was probably now in Their Majesties’ tent.

“But that was a match he could have won!”

Lidoria declared indignantly.

The Royal Tournament was divided into four categories:

Martial Arts, Swordsmanship, Archery, and Jousting, with matches proceeding in that order.

Finley had participated in the Martial Arts category and advanced to the top eight before being eliminated.

Currently, the swordsmanship finals should be taking place on the field.

“Why did he so easily step into the opponent’s range? I can’t believe it, even if he is my own brother!”

Recalling Finley’s match, Lidoria stomped her foot in frustration, her anger bubbling up anew.

True, his opponent was a large man, a member of the Golden Lion Knights, the King’s royal guard. In fact, that man later placed second.

So, it might have been an opponent that Finley, still a teenager and a student, couldn’t hope to match, but there were several points where he could have turned the tide.

Her brother probably anticipated her reaction.

After reporting his loss to Sophia and receiving consolation from Michelle, Finley had hastily left the tent. Lidoria had tried to chase after him to say something, but he vanished so quickly—his escape speed was the only thing fast about him.

Though both Sophia and her fellow maids scolded her, saying “You mustn’t get angry,” her frustration occasionally welled up like a geyser. She felt that if she had competed herself, even a loss would have been more satisfying.

Just as Lidoria poured tea into a teacup and offered it to Sophia, the field erupted in unison.

“Oh my!”

Sarah clapped her hands happily just as Lidoria replaced Sophia’s cup and began cleaning up in the back of the tent.

“Lidoria, Lidoria!”

Amanda’s excited voice overlapped with the fanfare of trumpets.

“Sir Alex has won the championship!”

“Amazing, amazing!”

“Huh,” Lidoria said, placing the used cups into a basin filled with water.

Come to think of it, wasn’t Alex the vice-commander?

In the Winged Lion Order, being called a “Hound” had a certain spy-like scent to it, but it seemed he could handle a sword quite well, befitting a knight.

“Don’t just stand there like it’s someone else’s business. Come on, Lidoria. Go outside the tent.”

“Huh? Outside the tent?”

Urged by Sophia, she turned around in confusion.

“Yes, that’s right. The bouquet, the bouquet!”

Amanda also fidgeted while looking outside.

“Look! The award ceremony is already over!”

Sarah, who had slipped out to see what was happening, hurried back to Lidoria.

“We’ll handle the cleaning and such, so go on, go on! The bouquet!”

“The bouquet… Oh!”

Finally, Lidoria remembered.

The champion is awarded on the field, receiving a monetary reward from His Majesty and a bouquet from Her Majesty the Queen.

As for that bouquet, it was customary for married or engaged men to give it to their wives, while others would present it to their liege.

In Alex’s case, until last year, he would have handed that bouquet to Crown Prince George, but this year, Lidoria was his fiancée.

“Eh? But I’m just a sudden fiancée.”

She said that, unable to call herself a fake fiancée, but Sarah looked exasperated.

“Sudden or not, a fiancée is a fiancée.”

“Well… I mean, given Sir Alex’s strong sense of loyalty, wouldn’t he go to Crown Prince George’s tent?”

“Not at all. Look!”

Just as she picked up a cloth to continue working, it was snatched from her hands. Her shoulders were grabbed, and she was spun around as if in a dance.

“Hurry, come on, Lidoria! Eek! He’s coming, he’s coming!”

Amanda, who had taken Sarah’s place watching from the tent entrance, let out a shriek, her face bright red.

Immediately, whistles and applause erupted from the venue.

(Huh? Is he really coming this way?)

Perplexed, Lidoria was pushed from behind by Sarah toward the tent entrance.

“Besides, isn’t the Crown Prince’s tent next door? Wouldn’t he be going there…?”

If so, wouldn’t that be utterly embarrassing?

“If he went to the Crown Prince, His Highness would surely throw Sir Alex out.”

Sophia said cheerfully.

“Now, wait outside the tent. This is an order.”

Once Sophia said that, she couldn’t refuse.

Even if Alex didn’t come to Lidoria, she’d likely become the laughingstock of the entire venue, but resigning herself to that possibility, Lidoria stepped out of the tent.

First, she squinted at the brightness, then flinched at the overwhelming whistles and cheers.

As her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw Alex walking straight toward her from the field, holding a bouquet.

A cacophony of metallic sounds and teasing voices rose nearby. Startled, she turned her head toward the source—the Crown Prince’s tent.

Or rather, the Winged Lion Knights were making the noise.

They seemed to be teasing their vice-commander Alex, shouting things like “Kiss her!” and “Give her one!”—nonsensical cries.

But that wasn’t all.

The gaze of the entire venue was fixed on her, and the applause was growing steadily louder, which was frightening.

Even though we’re in a fake engagement, is this really okay?

Breaking out in a cold sweat at the thought, Lidoria moved away from the tent and approached Alex.

He was also walking toward her.

His face was as stern as ever.

No, “stern” was too ordinary a word. It was sheer void. No emotion seemed to exist on his face; it was as if nothingness reigned.

“Congratulations on your victory.”

She had no choice but to speak to him as he approached.

No one was nearby, and above all, with the applause, whistles, and jeers, her voice barely reached him.

“Thank you.”

Alex replied in a flat tone and held out the bouquet.

“It’s customary. Please accept it.”

“That’s an honor.”

As she reached out to take it, her hand was grabbed firmly and pulled.

Stumbling, she ended up crashing into Alex’s chest.

Held tightly along with the bouquet, Lidoria’s eyes widened.

Instantly, vigorous whistles erupted from the venue, and even percussion instruments started playing. The voice yelling “It’s too early for that!” sounded like Finley’s, but it must have been her imagination.

“Wait for me later in the stadium warehouse. The one with the blue flag. You’ll know it when you see it.”

He whispered close to her ear.

“Huh?”

“We need to discuss various matters. Like the wedding date. My lady, which do you prefer, the West District or the East District of the royal capital? We’ll need to look for a new residence too…”

Ah, I see.

Both he and I are busy people.

Earlier, Sophia and Michelle mentioned “the wedding date and new residence.” Rather than setting another day to discuss it, he probably wants to quickly align our directions afterward.

(He’s oddly serious about the strangest things.)

Still held tightly by him, Lidoria felt exasperated.

“Kiss, kiss!”

The Winged Lion Knights were still persistently chanting for a kiss.

As Lidoria gave a wry smile, Alex clicked his tongue and released her.

As she looked up with a bewildered expression, Alex lightly kissed her cheek.

The venue erupted as if an earthquake had struck.

Left clutching the bouquet, her face bright red and standing stiffly, Lidoria watched as Alex promptly walked away from the scene.