A Forced Breakthrough?
Floria asked me to accompany her to the Duke Clondale family’s meeting, and since I couldn’t refuse, I came with her to the Clondale estate.
Of course, I wouldn’t be present for the discussion itself, so I had to wait in another room.
The place they guided me to was the library.
It wasn’t as large as the library in the Clondale territory, but it was still big.
“The duke thought this would be more comfortable than a separate room. If you prefer a drawing room, I can guide you there.”
“This is fine. Thank you.”
I thanked the butler who had guided us.
There was a librarian at the library counter, and the rules were the same as in the Clondale territory’s library.
Even here, I was guided to a private room.
Since Atre and Lucas were with me, a private room was welcome.
They also said they wanted to read books, so I took the ones that caught their interest and returned to the private room.
“I didn’t know you read books too, Atre.”
“I can turn pages with wind magic, but I can’t take books off the shelf.”
He couldn’t fly up like Lucas, and since he couldn’t speak, he couldn’t ask someone either.
“If there’s a book you want, just tell me and I’ll bring it to the room.”
“When I want to read, I’ll do that.”
After about two hours, the butler came to fetch us.
It seemed to be lunchtime.
When we entered the dining hall, Duke Clondale and Raphael were there, along with Floria and a woman with hazelnut-colored hair and royal-blue eyes who looked very angry.
Royal-blue eyes.
So she was the king’s younger sister—Raphael’s mother.
It was my first time meeting her, but as expected of a former princess, she had both poise and presence.
Is she angry at me?
“Sorry to be late. Is it really alright for me to join your family meal?”
“Don’t worry. This is your first time meeting my wife, isn’t it? This is Elizabeta. She just had a heated argument with the other side…”
So she wasn’t angry at me.
“I’m Elizabeta. My son, and my niece, Floria, have been troubling you, haven’t they. I didn’t want our first meeting to be like this…”
I looked at Raphael; he shook his head.
So things hadn’t gone well.
Floria had said they would easily approve her becoming an adopted daughter.
“They say my claims are wrong. They just don’t want to admit they’re at fault. Even though all the evidence is right there—I can only say they’re being stubborn.”
Floria looked irritated too.
“They’re saying they’re against the adoption?”
“It hasn’t even reached that part yet.”
They were apparently arguing that they hadn’t known about the evidence documents and that it was all a misunderstanding.
At the duke’s call, we began lunch.
Raphael told me, “Mother was very close to my late aunt, so she has always been strongly against any marriage ties with the Grande family.”
That answered the question I’d had about the duchess’s anger.
Also, Floria apparently looked exactly like her late mother, so the duchess doted on her.
“Floria, at this point we’re going for a forced breakthrough.”
“Aunt, do you have a good idea?”
At Floria’s question, the Duchess of Clondale looked at me.
“Let us have Reinhardt participate in the meeting this afternoon.”
“I’m an outsider. Wouldn’t my presence offend the other side?”
“It will be fine.”
The duchess said this with full confidence.
The duke and Raphael said nothing.
Even when I glanced at them for help, neither stepped in.
Does no one dare oppose the duchess?
I was now sitting on a sofa with the duchess on one side and Floria on the other.
Duke Clondale and Raphael sat in single chairs, and directly across from me sat Floria’s father and brother, eyeing me up and down as if appraising me—uncomfortable didn’t begin to cover it.
“Duke Grande, since this is going nowhere, let us get straight to the conclusion. We will take Floria as our adopted daughter, so please consent.”
“What? Such selfishness will not be tolerated. Floria, stop being difficult and come home.”
“No. I will become the adopted daughter of Duke Clondale, sever ties with the Grande family, and marry Reinhardt Westland here.”
Floria wrapped her right arm around my left arm and pulled me close as she declared this.
The Duchesslooked at us and nodded vigorously.
So… this is the ‘forced breakthrough’?
What do you think about this chapter?
