The Broken Ring: This Marriage Will Fail Anyway Chapter 6

Chapter 6

This time, it was a silence that seemed like it would never end. While Oscar and Cárcel, frozen in the absurd turn of events, couldn't even move a fingertip, Ines approached the window, tapped on the crow's foot, and closed the slightly open window.

As the sound of the wind outside became inaudible, the private bookshelf of the Duchess became as perfectly quiet as an uninhabited greenhouse. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Cárcel turned his eyes back to Oscar. Oscar's fingertips trembled faintly.

"...What's the reason?"

Oscar asked, as if he couldn't bring himself to utter the word 'dislike.' Cárcel subtly stepped back.

To be further away. Even if he regrets it, it's already too late.

"Cárcel, come here."

Ines uttered his name for the first time. Though she called him like a puppy, it was, in any case, the first time. However, without any surprise at the exceptional action of his fiancée, Cárcel shook his head briskly.

Now, the only thing he could do was to distance himself as much as possible from Oscar.

"You're my fiancé. What are you doing if you're not protecting me?"

Despite the noble tone, it sounded strangely like, 'What are you waiting for to defend me?’

It all felt ridiculous. A Crown Prince, a fiancée...

"Give me a reason. Ines Valeztena de Perez."

"Cárcel."

Ines called Cárcel again without paying any attention to the Crown Prince's words. While Cárcel was trying to divert the situation, Oscar spoke irritably.

"Leave that stupid kid alone."

"Cárcel, Your Highness the Crown Prince puts me in trouble. What are you doing without talking about a woman on a man's subject?"

Despite expressing her dislike in front of the Crown Prince, she suddenly played the role of a modest lady who couldn't directly engage in an awkward conversation with a man. Only when it suited her...

It's not awkward, it's probably annoying. Thanks to Ines's clear request, Cárcel, who had received the treatment of an Ortega man at the age of just six, was forced to stand by her side.

This is all due to being excessively well-educated in the meticulous customs of Ortega.

"...Your Highness. It's inconvenient, my fiancée says."

"Save it, kid. The adults are talking now."

"The Duchess of Valeztena is six years old."

He decided not to mention the fact that the person in question was just ten years old.

"Do you think Ines is someone like you?”

It was said that wanting something and liking something are different, and now it seemed just like that. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] The cousin, so noble to the point of exhaustion, actually liked Ines a lot. Very much so... Cárcel now wanted to distance himself a bit more from Oscar. There was no moment as dangerous as the moment Oscar felt frustrated.

However, before his feet could move, Ines's hand skillfully pushed his back forward.

"......"

"Is this how it's going to end after all?"

And then, as if subtly trying to withdraw from the conversation, taking a step back.

Cárcel turned to Ines, seemingly incredulous. In response, Ines kindly turned his head forward again.

"—No, I didn't step up.”

"Addressing the crown prince informally?"

"At least for Your Highness, for now."

"At least? No, just let it go. Ines."

From the moment Ines made a pitiful request to Cárcel, who had already descended into a kind of street thug due to the pathetic turn of events, Oscar, unaware of the absurdity of the situation, called her again.

"Ines… I know this isn't all your real intention.”

"Your highness”

"In reality, you don't dislike me at all, do you? Yes, I can be a bit overwhelming. After all, I'll be ruling the empire. You are a woman worthy of being an empress more than anyone, but your brilliant mind might feel oppressive in a high position... But Ines, if it's you, you could be my wings."

Cárcel openly frowned, but Oscar paid no attention, already indifferent to his cousin's displeasure.

"You and I... we're the ones governing Ortega. This inevitable future might seem burdensome to you, still being young. It's natural to worry about how you'll handle tasks similar to my mother's. But know this. You're already a remarkable woman, and a suitable match for you exists nowhere else but within the 17 noble houses of Grandes de Ortega, aside from me."

“…….”

"You'll realize it soon too. As time passes, and that fair-haired youth by your side matures, you'll see how unremarkable a man can become. Just observe how that angelic face transforms. Have you ever heard that it might turn the other way around? That face may be a fourteen at first glance, but as it fully matures, it becomes the shining subject of admiration.”

“…….”

"Don't focus on the immediate, look into the distant future. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Inés Valeztena de Pérez. You're a smarter woman than this, aren't you? Marriage is a crucial event in one's lifetime. It's not something to decide casually at such a young age—"

Inés's small hand suddenly pulled Cárcel's shoulder. Startled by the passionate plea from Oscar, Cárcel briefly turned to her. Until now, the only time she had touched her fiancé was during the engagement ceremony when the elders forced them to shake hands.

The force pulling him toward her was delicate yet irresistible, so Cárcel, following the manners he learned from the duke, deliberately leaned his body towards her. Strangely, his throat felt ticklish.

Inés whispered into his ear as she gathered her hand near his.

"Since it’s enough, say to him that I don’t want it."

"..."

Cárcel looked at her, confusion in his eyes, as she spoke with insistence and a stern expression on her small, compact face.

He turned sharply, gazing into the future lord.

"...I, since it’s enough, she doesn't want it."

"...Cárcel Escalante. You're making it up, aren't you?

Inés's small hand again pulled his shoulder, bringing her lips close to his ear.

"Say no."

"...She says n-, I say no."

"Can't you get away from Ines?”

Inés embraced Cárcel's arm and pulled him towards herself again, this time with a rather strong force.

Unable to tolerate Cárcel's expressions like 'What can I do when she wants me like this,' Oscar stepped decisively closer to them. As Inés involuntarily moved back due to the sudden approach, Cárcel, who had his arm held by her, also retreated with her.

He seemed to excessively guard Inés, as if protecting a fragile woman from unruly onlookers. It was a posture devoid of any intention.

Thanks to this, Oscar, who had now fallen into a position almost indistinguishable from a mere onlooker, suddenly became aware of the situation he found himself in and contorted his face in realization.

"Inés, then tell me the reason. A reason I can understand."

Cárcel felt Inés's hair tickling his ear once again, and he stiffened slightly. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Black hair, followed by a gentle breath, a cute hand blocking his ear as if guarding their secret story, and...

"Say there's no reason for dislikes."

“…….”

"I just don’t like him. Truly, too much, I just don’t like him without any reason.”

Cárcel, as if warned by Inés's stern green eyes that conveyed she wouldn't stay silent if he didn't convey it exactly, looked at her. To ensure her well-being or protection, even if he slightly modified the words, she made it clear she wouldn't stay silent...

As if entranced, he opened his mouth again, gazing at the future lord.

"She says there's no reason for dislikes."

“…….”

"She just doesn’t like you. Truly, too much, she just doesn’t like you without any reason."

"Shut up, Cárcel Escalante!"

Inés tapped Cárcel's shoulder lightly. It was a form of encouragement, like saying, "Since you spat it out, take responsibility."

"Inés, this is Escalante's scheming, isn't it? Right?"

"I’m dizzy, Cárcel. Won't you escort me to my room?"

Despite Oscar directly using her name, Inés spoke to Cárcel as if Oscar were no longer present. It was quite unfamiliar too.

Since the right to speak to the Crown Prince was entrusted to Cárcel with protective excuses, it could be seen that, unless the Crown Prince directly called her, any response would be a useless formality.

Without the audacity to have a direct conversation, it was an absurdity to not respond to the Crown Prince's summons any longer...

"Cárcel. Just move."

"Suddenly, I have a terrible headache. Cárcel."

Cárcel momentarily stared blankly at the antiquated custom from a hundred years ago, now being absurdly exploited by his fiancée, which was no longer followed by anyone.

She had not delegated the right to converse with the Crown Prince to her fiancé, but rather, it was clear that she had acquired the right to blatantly ignore the Crown Prince.

"I am your lord. Cárcel."

"Can you help me first? Cárcel."

"Look at your lord directly. Cárcel."

"It's too noisy here... Cárcel."

Now they were in the midst of a standoff, with Cárcel caught in the middle. It was a peculiar struggle. Cárcel glanced alternately at the boisterous future lord and the bizarre fiancée.

Since he can’t throw them both away.

Why must life be so exhausting. Cárcel was already feeling the fatigue of life and the burdens of social existence. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Whether it's being called a lord, bearing the responsibilities of succession, or being a minor duke... from the beginning, nothing suited his temperament.

He was only six years old. Even if he was exceptionally intelligent for a six-year-old, soon turning into a dignified seven-year-old...

"You're still a six-year-old child. There's no such thing as a lord for you."

In that moment, Inés Valeztena entered through the gaps as if she had peered deeply into his heart. Like the peculiar halo of a crow in legends, even a strange afterglow seemed to accompany her... At that moment, the setting sun painted its hues over Inés's black hair.

"Cárcel!"

It was the first moment Cárcel ever held Inés Valeztena's hand.