The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 82

Amel sipped her tea with a satisfied smile. From her perspective, the dinner at the Chaield Ducal Estate had unfolded in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

Every time Claire and Kyle treated her as they usually did, Lady Reina, Lady Gretchel, and Countess Diane flinched in surprise. Amel, however, was oblivious to their reactions, having grown far too accustomed to such special treatment.

After dinner, as the ladies gathered for tea, Countess Diane noticed the bracelet on her daughter’s wrist had changed color.

“Amel, did someone in Keltman harbor impure intentions toward you?”

“Oh… Princess Lien seemed to take an interest in me. She mentioned she had long admired my father’s swordsmanship.”

“Well, I hope we’ll have the chance to meet her someday. It would be lovely to share tea together.”

Now that Diane thought about it, Kyle had also mentioned he would reunite with the princess soon. As she pondered the meaning of his words, Lady Reina tapped her on the shoulder.

“Lady Diane, have you decided which designer you’ll choose for your dress on the day of the ceremony? What about your accessories?”

“This is my first time personally selecting a designer, so I’m not sure if I made the right choice. The dress should arrive next week, so I’ll need to start sorting through my jewelry soon.”

She decided she’d replace all her accessories with new ones. Claire quickly began mentally organizing the schedule and even offered a polite smile to Countess Diane, who looked concerned about Amel.

“Countess Diane, there’s no need to worry. Although I won’t be able to attend the ceremony due to a business trip, I’ll ensure Amel is the most dazzling presence at the Imperial Lily Medal ceremony before I leave.”

The conversation among the ladies gradually centered around Amel’s upcoming ceremony. Having already received congratulations throughout dinner, Amel blushed again as they offered more words of celebration.

“I practically coerced Berd into helping me get it. Well, since they called me first, I suppose there’s no need to feel guilty about it,” she thought.

Deciding it was best not to overthink things, Amel resolved to keep her thoughts lighthearted.

Meanwhile, Kyle guided Count Diane to the second-floor hallway, offering to show him the weapons and armor collected by previous Chaield dukes.

“The preservation is remarkable. As expected of Chaield…”

Pleased to earn points with his future father-in-law, Kyle couldn’t help but smile brightly, thinking he had finally dispelled his reputation as a sly son-in-law.

“There are also swords displayed in the study. Would you like to see them?”

“It would be an honor to visit the Chaield study.”

“Please, feel free to speak informally.”

“Haha…”

Even so, Count Diane found it difficult to drop formalities with Kyle, the Chaield Duke, whose influence was said to surpass even that of the emperor. Still, Kyle’s demeanor clearly showed how much he loved and respected Amel.

“If it’s the Chaield Duke, he’ll cherish my Amel forever,” Count Diane thought.

Kyle’s kind and sincere attitude, which sharply contrasted with his reputation, finally broke through the Count’s wariness.

Entering the Chaield study, known as the heart of the empire’s economy, Count Diane decided it was time to speak.

“Your Grace, while it may fall far short of Chaield’s standards, we are preparing Amel’s dowry for the marriage.”

“Dowry…? A marriage dowry?”

Caught off guard, Kyle couldn’t hide his surprise. A dowry? Why would something like that even be necessary?

“Preparing? Does that mean the marriage can’t happen until it’s ready?”

Kyle felt frustrated and disheartened. He wanted to drag back and punish whoever had convinced Count Diane to co-sign some ill-conceived loan.

Even though the Diane family’s side ventures brought in decent income, at this rate, it would take 350 years to finally hold the wedding.

“That won’t be necessary, Count Diane. Amel and I are bound by love, and such worldly customs as a dowry are irrelevant to us…”

Kyle tried to phrase it diplomatically, essentially saying a dowry wasn’t needed and that Amel only had to bring herself. At the same time, he rummaged through his desk drawer, intending to present the wooden figurine his fiancée had given him with her heartfelt confession.

No father in the world would insist on waiting for a dowry to be completed when his daughter loved someone so deeply and considered herself part of the Chaield family.

“Your Grace, what are you looking for?”

“I’m going to prove the depth of our love, so let’s put an end to the dowry discussion.”

But Kyle’s hurried search led to a disastrous outcome. One of his desk drawers popped open, revealing its contents.

The drawer was packed with candy.

Every adult man and woman in the Haile Empire would recognize the packaging. These were magic candies that guaranteed 100% contraceptive effectiveness after just one taste.

“…”

“…”

An awkward silence hung between Kyle and Count Diane.

Kyle calmly attempted to close the drawer, but the candies, packed to the brim, prevented it from shutting properly.

Count Diane stared at the sheer amount of candy—enough to last three pieces a day for an entire month—and felt a sense of despair.

“Is this how young people prove their love these days? Is more always better? I mustn’t act like an old-fashioned fool.”

But before that, “Is my daughter really okay with all this?”

“Count Diane, this is…”

Kyle, uncharacteristically, began to explain himself, but Count Diane forced a hollow smile—a painfully awkward and artificial one.

“Haha… Your love truly overflows.”

“No, that’s not it…”

Kyle wanted to cry.

I leaned back deeply in the chair, closing my eyes. The staff at the Chaield estate were buzzing with excitement, eager to adorn me, the star of the day, with even greater beauty.

The jewelry Claire had ordered before leaving for Traiha yesterday had arrived one by one, decorating me from head to toe. The weight of it all was almost overwhelming.

While it wouldn’t have been unusual to feel giddy and chatty under these circumstances, I instead kept my eyes closed, mentally reviewing the schedule for today’s event.

“The envoys from foreign nations should have already arrived.”

The emperor had kept his promise, sparing no expense within the royal budget to make the event grand. Rumors were already circulating, suggesting his kindness toward me was a calculated move to curry favor with Chaield.

Invitations had been sent to nations across the continent, urging them to witness and congratulate someone who had brought great honor to the empire. As a result, I couldn’t help but feel tense.

“Traiha is sending Ithar, aren’t they? Has he arrived yet?”

The moment I heard that news, I had dropped the book I was holding. It was bad enough knowing that two villains might have a chance to cross paths, but now, one of them was visiting Haile in person.

The only solace was the fact that Marabas, under Chaield’s surveillance, would not be accompanying him.

“Ithar isn’t reckless enough to cause trouble in a foreign capital. He’ll probably just show his face and leave this time.”

It wasn’t like I could ask someone to eliminate Ithar in advance, claiming he was bound to cause trouble eventually. The best course of action was to avoid any interaction with him.

“Still… the foreign envoys aren’t the only ones to worry about.”

Another problematic group had come to mind. The noble youths who had collapsed after berating Kyle during the hunting festival, following an encounter with Marabas, had recently regained consciousness at the Chaield hospital.

I knew Kyle hadn’t done anything wrong, but those young nobles, now aware of their mistake in offending the Duke of Chaield, might react unpredictably.

“They might frame the situation as if Kyle attacked them. Without evidence to clear his name, tarnishing Chaield’s image from behind the scenes would be all too easy.”

Suppressing a sigh, I decided to focus on the immediate tasks at hand. Once I changed into my dress, I would head to the palace for a rehearsal of the ceremony.

With foreign dignitaries present, a single mistake would be talked about for years. One major blunder during my debutante ball was more than enough for a lifetime.

At some point, the maids had finished their work, and they gently guided me to stand before a full-length mirror, fidgeting with pride as if my transformation was their greatest accomplishment.

“Milady, you’re all set!”

“My goodness… just look at you!”

Had Kyle given them explicit instructions to shower me with praise? Everything seemed about the same as usual… but wait.

“Is that… me?”

The woman in the mirror blinked back at me with wide, somewhat dumbfounded eyes.

My hair, half tied and adorned with lilies, was complemented by a dazzling necklace that resembled woven snowflakes. The pristine white dress draped over me made me look like a bride on a bright spring day.

The makeup, which emphasized my pale complexion, long lashes, and playful eyes, was nothing short of magical, comparable to the legendary bridal makeup often spoken of.

“Milady, you’re twice as beautiful as usual today. You look just like a blooming lily,” Vanessa said, her voice brimming with admiration.

“…Flattery won’t work on me, Vanessa.”

Though I responded instinctively, I couldn’t deny that the sight of myself in the specially designed dress was breathtaking.

With the addition of Claire’s gift—a white fur wrap and platinum accessories—I felt like a living jewelry box.

Feeling uplifted, I fanned myself as I mentally ran through the day’s agenda.

All I had to do now was accept the medal, restore some of the fallen honor of the Diane family, and steer clear of the villains. Then it would all be over.

I was just considering increasing security for the event when the maids suddenly stepped aside, startled. It was obvious who had entered.

“Kyle. Perfect timing—I had a request for you about the ceremony today… Kyle?”

Standing at the doorway in formal attire, Kyle looked as though his soul had momentarily left his body. He didn’t move a muscle.

I waved a hand in front of his face, and only then did he finally meet my eyes. After a brief moment of eye contact, his face flushed, and he quickly looked away.

Ah, I see.

“I look pretty, don’t I?”

“….”

Though he avoided my gaze, his head nodded dutifully.

His exaggerated reaction was amusing, but there were more pressing matters to attend to. Taking his hand, I spoke earnestly.

“Kyle, I hate to ask, but could we increase the security detail a bit? It wouldn’t hurt to be cautious. With foreign envoys attending, things could get chaotic… Kyle?”

“Other men will see her like this? Absolutely not.”
“But safety comes first.”
“What’s the maximum number of guards allowed in the palace?”
“She’ll look just as stunning in a wedding dress as she does now.”
“…There’s still some time. Should I take her to my room?”
“I want to marry her.”

His thoughts came in rapid succession, too many for me to keep up with. I couldn’t help but chuckle softly and decided to indulge him for a moment.

“Thank you. You look like a groom yourself, Kyle.”

“…A groom?”

“You were just thinking I look like a bride, weren’t you? That makes you my groom.”

“…”

In Kyle  Chaield’s mind, a celebration had just begun, complete with fireworks.