How to Live as the Terminally Ill Younger Sister of the Villain - Chapter 43
“I heard Blake went to the Magic Tower. Did your paths happen to cross?”
“If you’re referring to Duke Kadenhart, we met by chance on the way.”
Angelina knew there was a lie in Aiden’s words. Blake wouldn’t have told Aiden about going to the Magic Tower.
But she knew this was his way of subtly pressuring her, implying he knew everything so don’t try to hide anything, so she pretended not to notice.
Besides, it wasn’t like hiding it would fool the Crown Prince’s information network.
“It’s been so long since I’ve seen that fellow. He keeps volunteering for the subjugation forces, so there’s hardly time to see his face.”
Aiden spoke regretfully, then added.
“He wanted to meet the Tower Master, I wonder if the deal went well.”
“……”
Though she knew he was trying to probe her, since it wasn’t a question, Angelina didn’t bother to respond.
As expected, getting no reaction, Aiden quickly continued the conversation.
“So how did he seem to you?”
“He looked healthy, with no major injuries.”
Since Aiden had mentioned the subjugation forces earlier, Angelina returned an answer related to that.
Seemingly unsatisfied with the answer, Aiden added another question.
“Did he say anything about coming to the capital?”
“He’s such a man of few words, unfortunately, there weren’t many chances for conversation.”
“…Right.”
Aiden had no choice but to believe that answer.
The combination of Angelina, who cut off any conversation, and Blake, who only gave one-word answers – even he could imagine how much silence must have passed between them.
“I should arrange for us all to have a meal together sometime. At least with me there, that fellow might open up.”
“It would be an honor.”
That cursed ‘honor’ again.
Is that supposed to mean she likes it or dislikes it?
She was a woman whose thoughts and feelings were completely unreadable.
When nobles usually mentioned ‘honor,’ he found it distasteful as they were attempting flattery, but this woman was using it to deflect answers. It irritated him in a different way.
This was the first time someone had been so indifferent to him, and Aiden found it both strange and interesting.
He wanted to learn more about her.
What would such a woman look like when in love?
If she smiled properly, and if that smile was because of him and directed at him, how would that feel?
It was curiosity mixed with a small sense of competitiveness.
“Lady Flaubert.”
“Yes?”
“Aren’t you curious about why I came here?”
“Didn’t you say you came to meet my brother?”
“I did. Then, aren’t you curious about why I wanted to meet your brother?”
“Since I have no interest in business matters, I didn’t ask as I wouldn’t understand even if you explained.”
“Is that so.”
Aiden was certain her words were lies.
For someone who used such slippery rhetoric like Ante, it was nonsense that she had no interest in family business.
“Then aren’t you curious why I said I’d meet with you instead, knowing your brother was absent?”
“If you wished to discuss matters with me instead, I apologize. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of help.”
It was truly an eel-like way of speaking.
“The conversation I wanted to have with your brother was about you.”
“About me?”
“Yes. That’s why I wanted to meet and hear your opinion as well.”
“I see. Whatever it may be, my opinion will likely match my brother’s.”
“Are you leaving your marriage decisions to your brother?”
“…Marriage?”
Finally, her smooth rhetoric hit a brake. Though it was a brief hesitation, Aiden felt great satisfaction in drawing it out.
“Yes.”
Angelina was silent for a moment.
She quietly looked into his eyes as if trying to determine the truth, then finally spoke.
“If Your Highness has come to discuss my marriage, would that be because you are the other party?”
“Yes.”
A smile appeared on Aiden’s lips.
“My mother, that is, the Empire’s Empress, wishes for me and Flaubert to be connected through marriage.”
“I see.”
Angelina nodded slowly.
“I wanted to meet and hear your opinion on this matter. And to see the face of the woman who might become my wife.”
I wonder how you’ll react to this.
He thought it wouldn’t be the same flat, grey response as before. This wasn’t a topic that could be dismissed with a simple “It’s an honor.”
However, her response was surprising.
“I have no particular opinion.”
“No opinion?”
“Yes. As I mentioned, I don’t know much about family business matters. If the Empress is proposing this marriage, she must have her reasons. And my brother will judge well how it will affect our family business.”
“Wait.”
Aiden cut off her words.
“This is your marriage. Yet you’re leaving it entirely to your brother?”
He asked in disbelief.
The woman before him tilted her head as if she couldn’t understand his reaction.
“Though it bears the name marriage, isn’t a political marriage ultimately a transaction and contract?”
“…So you think it’s right to separate public and private matters and exclude emotions?”
“Personal feelings often ruin deals.”
Aiden let out a sigh.
‘Does this woman have no emotions at all?’
How many people could talk about their own marriage so indifferently, as if it had nothing to do with them?
Aiden felt his throat tightening.
“I think differently.”
Words he hadn’t intended to say came out, driven by an inexplicable frustration.
“At least marriage shouldn’t ignore emotions.”
“…Is that so?”
“To use your words, the terms of a political marriage should include affection for one’s partner.”
Aiden couldn’t believe he was saying such things.
These weren’t his usual thoughts. Even on his way here, he had thought like her that a political marriage was just that, emotions weren’t important.
But when Angelina drew such a clear line, some unidentifiable emotion boiled up.
The desire to make her want him. Perhaps stubbornness about experiencing something for the first time.
He wanted to make her say she liked him.
It seemed it would be more thrilling than taming a new horse, perhaps even more than receiving recognition for his abilities and efforts from his father, the Emperor.
“In that sense, Lady Flaubert. Would you spare some time for me in the future? I’d like to get to know you better.”
Even at Aiden’s direct statement, Angelina showed no signs of surprise or confusion. She just remained quiet for a moment, lost in thought.
Rather, it was Dominic behind him who was surprised.
The Crown Prince he knew preferred to sweet-talk others. It wasn’t often he saw him throw such straightforward pitches.
But in other words, it meant that without being this direct, that woman would slickly avoid answering and slip away.
Angelina’s answer took longer than expected. But Aiden gladly waited for her response.
After a while, her lips opened slowly.
“If Your Highness thinks so, I should discuss it with my brother.”
It was quite an uninteresting answer.
Though he wasn’t pleased with how she acted as if her own opinions didn’t exist in this world, Aiden decided to stop here.
Originally, his sudden visit to the Marquis’s house today wasn’t about marriage.
It was to investigate Artoas’s whereabouts with Ante. And while at it, to probe a bit about why his sister went to the Magic Tower.
Regarding marriage, even the Empress was only considering it, nothing had been decided yet. Bringing up an undecided marriage was entirely Aiden’s personal judgment.
‘I’m going to get scolded.’
He would likely get lectured by the Empress for foolishly leaking something that hadn’t been decided to the other party.
But after meeting Angelina Flaubert today, it seemed worth enduring that much.
‘I’ll have to find out whether she’s Ante Flaubert’s puppet, or if she’s just that skilled at hiding her thoughts and emotions.’
If it was the latter, there couldn’t be a better catch.
Even if it was the former, it wasn’t bad. He’d just have to change her from Ante’s puppet to his own.
“Then I’ll look forward to a good response.”
Aiden rose from his seat.
Angelina escorted Aiden to his carriage despite his assurance that it wasn’t necessary. She felt she needed to see him leave with her own eyes to be at ease.
“Until next time.”
“May peace be with you on your journey.”
