I Became the Fiancé of a Crazy Heroine - Chapter 14-1

Sion placed the envelope on the table with inward glee.

He hadn’t expected Fred to give him the money so easily.

Normally, he would have to come up with some excuse and might even receive a scolding instead of getting the money.

He had some idea why he was being so generous, but it didn’t mean he would grant his request unconditionally.

“How did you know I needed the money?”

“If you want to keep up with the Duke’s daughter, the amount I gave before won’t be enough. So I’ll let it slide this time. Spend it wisely.”

“I haven’t even mentioned her yet. But are you giving me money?”

“I’ve seen the way you two look. That’s enough. Talking won’t change anything.”

Fred answered calmly with a relieved heart.

Of course, it was possible that Hanette had come by force under Robbins’ orders.

Perhaps Sion and Robbins were not that close.

But even that speculation was meaningless when faced with something substantial.

‘It wasn’t an act to deceive. It was sincere.’

Fred saw a faint smile from both of them when they came together.

They didn’t look at each other affectionately, but the two had goodwill between them.

If it was a mere formal action, he would have quickly realized and been disappointed.

‘Right. If it could change Hanette, then…’

Fred had nothing else to ask for.

Through strategic marriage, they could strengthen the relationship between the two families, and the Marquis Laird could benefit from it.

If Hanette’s character became meek thanks to Sion, they could continue their married life peacefully.

‘I have to choose one of them. Since I’ve decided, there’s no reason to delay.’

If the king rules the country while staying in the palace, the two dukes accumulated wealth and power by frequenting the palace.

Although they did not perform tasks related to the palace as they were not bureaucrats, they were able to indirectly intervene through nobles who belonged to their factions.

Having held the ducal title for a long time, they had firmly established their power and foundation, which even the king and his bureaucrats could not easily deal with.

Above all, the two dukes had once established a new king by uniting the nobles under their command, so the subsequent royal family, who inherited their bloodlines, treated them as loyalists.

‘If things go like this, we should consider advancing the wedding.’

Fred, after much consideration, decided to join himself in Duke Adelaira faction.

According to the negotiations, he could have given his eldest or second son away, but he opted for his youngest son to hold the engagement ceremony, considering a strategic marriage with the direct royal family.

If Sion and Hanette were to hold a wedding, Fred would be able to establish a formal relationship with Duke Adelaira as a father-in-law and receive various help from him.

“… Sion.”

“Yes.”

“I know I’m forcing you, and I understand that it’s a marriage you don’t want. But I can’t help it. You have the blood of Laird, so you must be a support for the family, right?”

“Yes, you’re not wrong.”

Sion knew very well what his engagement with Hanette meant.

An alliance between two families. A choice based on need, and gain, containment of other families. A strategic marriage to preserve power and reputation.

There were probably other reasons as well, but Sion and Hanette were only being used unilaterally.

Perhaps this was also related to why Hanette ran away and their engagement was not called off.

“I know other nobles are doing the same, and I think it’s right for me to follow suit. But this marriage won’t necessarily bring only good results.”

“I won’t deny it. Don’t say it’s not my fault either. You may also feel resentful, but I still want you to accept it. You are going through the same process as I did.”

“If the Duke and father do well, it will be good for me too. I’m just… afraid someone will get hurt.”

“…”

Fred understood the meaning vaguely, swallowing his silence.

Regardless of what he did, he wouldn’t always get the desired outcome. He could either experience misfortune due to unexpected accidents, or end up with better results than expected.

Sion was cautious because he knew that the parties involved were excluded from this strategic marriage.

“I will do my best to prevent such a thing from happening. Don’t worry.”

“Yes, I will do my best too.”

Sion replied convincingly, watching Fred’s reaction.

Even if he knew what would happen in the future, he had to hesitate and act as if he was unsure.

Anyone experiencing a strategic marriage for the first time would react that way.

Thus. He had to act naturally in order to avoid suspicion and get help whenever she needed it.

“…Are you getting along well with your fiance?”

“Well…what should I say? I think we are getting along well, but at the same time, we are not.”

Sion held back a chuckle as he recalled the arguments at the engagement ceremony, meeting face-to-face with her pajamas, another argument, and what happened at the bar. Looking back, he couldn’t help but sigh deeply, but it was quite interesting.

“Then you are getting along well.”

“Is that so? I’m not sure.”

“Just because you are engaged doesn’t mean you will always get along well. Even if you love each other and get married, you will fight at some point. That’s why love and marriage are similar yet different.”

At the sudden teaching, Sion closed his mouth wisely.

Fred continued with a more serious look in his eyes than ever before.

“When you’re in love, you think you wouldn’t mind giving up everything. But after marriage, things that were invisible become visible and you become disappointed. You end up not being able to compromise and become greedy.”

“Hmm… Have you actually experienced it?”

“Well, I was young once too, so I have loved before. Although I couldn’t fulfill that love, I got married, and later on, I realized the difference between the two.”

Fred has a bitter look in his eyes, recalling his past.

He loved a woman of commoner status, but due to his family’s opposition, he had to give up on those feelings. In the end, he married the daughter of a Viscount through a political marriage, and was able to endure until now by loving her later on.

“Getting along well but not Getting along means compromising little by little even while arguing with each other. Through that, you get to know each other and learn what you should and shouldn’t do.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s that extreme.”

“If you know that, it means you’re not interested in your fiancé. You act only for your own benefit, so naturally only you can know yourself, right?”

“…?”

Sion felt confused and his mind became hazy.

Although it seemed like he understood, he couldn’t fully comprehend what Freed was saying.

What exactly was Fred talking about?

“As much as you put in effort, your fiancé will also start to pay attention to you. Be considerate, but don’t be led on. If she only have eyes for you, she’ll naturally give up drinking and gambling. That’s why you have to cultivate yourself.”

“I understand. I’ll try to take your advice.”

Sion answers reluctantly, pretending to have understood.

There was nothing that could change the predetermined future. He could only wait for that time to come.

‘It sounds like something profound, but it’s useless to me. How do you hold onto someone who’s leaving?’