The Broken Ring: This Marriage Will Fail Anyway Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Let me go now."

"Earlier, you said you was dizzy."

"You know it's not at all."

Before Cárcel could release her, Inés freed her hand from his grip.

Already in the middle of a corridor quite distant from Inés's personal library, Cárcel, even as he turned around once more, as if expecting Oscar might come stumbling after them, said in an astonishing manner,

"What if the Lord sees?”

The way you walk healthily like this…. It seemed good to omit it. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] It was because Inés was looking at him with an extremely annoying expression.

"Whether he sees or not."

Of course, it was like that. Even in front of the Crown Prince—confidently, with a face that showed no signs of pain, considering the composed demeanor she had maintained, whether asking for support or expressing discomfort—it wasn't a problem to walk confidently in places the Crown Prince couldn't see.

Even so, there was an indelible question in Cárcel's mind.

".…..Do you not have a tomorrow, by any chance?"

The welfare of the family? If he had learned the word 'welfare' in advance, he might have asked that too. Inés answered casually.

"Merely speaking about the Valeztena family over such a trivial matter would be a disgrace to the royal family."

It was indeed a matter worthy of embarrassment. Cárcel recalled Oscar's expression, seemingly trampled. The Valeztena Marquis was one of the most influential families among the Grandes de Ortega, possessing considerable authority. With just a few words standing out among the noble children, they held a position that the royal family couldn't recklessly punish.

"That's embarrassing over there as well. And the one who has been tormenting me all this time is your cousin. If anyone dares to gossip about this to my father or mother, that babble the Crown Prince told me today..."

Ines's resolute face momentarily clouded. There was no doubt she recalled the Crown Prince's grand proposal.

In turn, Cárcel's face also turned slightly sour.

Wings.…….

"...I'll meticulously jot down every trivial word and send it to the Mentor's Weekly Bulletin, without leaving a single seed behind. Let's see who ends up in more trouble."

"The Mentor's Bulletin?"

Cárcel furrowed his brows, inquiring about the unfamiliar term, and Ines extended her hand as if to dismiss the question.

"What am I saying to you..."

In a different circumstance, considering the usual way she would casually brush off such comments with a gesture, Ines was being quite amiable to Cárcel today. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] He smiled brightly, indicating his intention to look up the meaning of the word when he got home, and they entered her room together.

The opportunity to ask if he could leave now was missed, and there was a reason for that.

"Anyway, there's one thing you should remember when you see the Crown Prince."

“…….”

"Just having one embarrassing memory of someone else, how much easier life can be... If the Crown Prince bothers you again, remind yourself of today."

As Ines spoke, she removed her ring, looking somewhat frustrated. Cárcel, still standing awkwardly near the door with a perplexed expression, was busily moving around, going back and forth between the desk and the console table without even seeing her.

Cárcel, unintentionally finding himself in his fiancée's room for the first time, looked around, feeling strangely unfamiliar with the surroundings. Though it was a different kind of embarrassment from what Ines was talking about, somehow, he couldn't shake off the sense of awkwardness.

"Bella, water."

As Ines spoke, a maid, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, came forward, carrying a large basin. Unexpectedly, it was not drinking water but water for washing hands.

She washed her hands vigorously, almost seeming somewhat obsessive. Come to think of it, it was the first time Cárcel had seen Ines washing her hands. Seizing the opportunity while Ines wasn't looking at him, Cárcel observed her as if investigating.

She's not particularly pretty, as expected.…… With a lot of small wrinkles on her forehead, she diligently washed her hands as if scrutinizing her own hands, which could be a bit cute... Is that really cute? He wasn't quite sure; she doesn't seem to do cute things even in front of her own parents.

"A young child is generally small, and small things are generally cute, so even this much can be considered cute.

Cárcel reluctantly acknowledged Ines's slight cuteness.

At least she had a face that wasn't flawed, but it was true that she was a little inadequate to have a husband like him... That's what he thought as he looked at his own reflection in the mirror attached to a nearby wall.

'After all, I am being wasted.'

"Escalante?"

Perhaps due to the Crown Prince and the series of events, he instinctively turned to her when he heard his name, like a dog responding to its owner. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Realizing the lack of dignity in that, he elegantly turned away.

Regardless of who finds it disappointing, when it came to thoughts about marriage, he felt the need for some dignity.

"Come here."

"We may be engaged, but before marriage, it's inappropriate to wander around a woman's bedroom..."

"...You're still six years old, Escalante."

Ines sighed and spoke again, as if she were not six years old.

"Even if you sleep in my bed, no one will say anything."

"Is it possible?"

"Are you crazy?"

"I didn't want to do that either."

Cárcel quickly composed himself. Then, somehow, in response to Ines's gesture, he found himself standing in front of her.

At that moment, a maid brought a new basin of water. Ines indicated it with her chin.

"Wash your hands."

"Why?"

"Everyone in my room should be clean."

"…But I will go back soon..?

Despite asking, his hands were somehow already in the basin. Strangely, he kept doing as she instructed. Ines replied with a sigh.

"Your cousin is still at the Valeztena estate. So, you should stay with me."

The fiancé was naturally treated as a shield, and the Crown Prince, referred to by Ines as 'your cousin,' received a dry cloth from the maid. When Cárcel, lifting his hands as if to wipe them, offered his hands with a casual wash, Ines firmly shook her head and once again indicated the basin with her chin.

"Wash properly."

"…….You're not even a duchess."

"Wash. I prefer it clean."

He wanted to argue that what she liked had nothing to do with him, but for some reason, he didn't want to go through the trouble of arguing. Somehow... he wondered why somehow. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Amidst the confusion, Cárcel, diligently washing his hands to make a squeaky sound, extended his hands again.

"Here."

Although it meant he wanted the cloth, what settled onto his hands was Ines's hand holding the cloth. Cárcel was somewhat bewildered. She was personally wiping his hands.

It was a treatment as if he couldn't handle it properly if given to him, similar to someone lacking...

".….."

Even though his hands that had been wiped countless times by his mother, nursemaids, and maids, this was the first time he felt such embarrassment. His ears felt hot. As if afraid to meet Ines's eyes, Cárcel lowered his head.

His hands were small, but hers were even smaller. The careful touch, wiping between the fingers and the inside of the palm, was undoubtedly skillful... but it was the hand of a girl. A girl... Cárcel lowered his head to avoid accidental eye contact with Ines, but looking at Ines's fair hand, there was no place to avert his gaze, making him feel more awkward.

Staring so intently at Ines's hand, a girl's hand, was a first. There were too many firsts to the point of confusion. Everything was a first.

After Ines finished the simple task, Cárcel had bowed his head, allowing some distance between them, and only now looked up again.

"Why are you like that?"

On a topic that's not even pretty.

"Escalante?"

"...You didn't address me by my title earlier, did you?"

He felt perplexed at how his voice sounded somewhat hurt. Ines, who had been sitting on the sofa under the window, suddenly laughed.

"Do you want me to call you by your name?"

"..."

"I know you dislike me."

"No, that's not it."

He denied not wishing to be called by his name once, and then denied not disliking her once again. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] However, Ines shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, as if indifferent.

"You cried, saying you didn't want to marry Ines Valeztena."

"When did I cri-…..!"

He cried. On the first day when Ines had pointed at him with her finger.

"You cried again, saying you have to live until you die."

"…..."

"And since you have to make babies again you—"

"—Stop it, Valeztena."

Cárcel's ears turned crimson. Why does he have to feel embarrassed... Today wasn't a good day. That's for sure. Everywhere he went, every person he encountered, they all seemed to torment him, mock him, treat him as a joke.…..

"Fine. I'll call you, Cárcel."

His cheeks even blushed at that voice. He felt pathetically like a young Confucius who had never had a conversation with a girl. It was clear he was under some kind of spell. In a state of confusion, not knowing what to do, he was staring at the vicinity where she was sitting when Ines lightly tapped the spot next to her.

"So, come here."

Again, that voice. The voice you use to call a dog... But it wasn't as cold as always.

With stiff steps, he went and sat beside Ines. [ʏᴜʟʜᴇʏᴜɴ] Whenever she called him to come over, there was always this indifference, as if she emerged from somewhere playing with a book.…..

Honestly, he had never received such treatment in his entire life. At least, to the extent that six-year-old Cárcel could remember.

Only Ines Valeztena did such things.