The meeting with John was disappointing.
I thought he would be a reliable ally, but we ended up turning our backs on each other. Given how things have turned out, there’s one more reason to make this marriage happen. I need to secure a stable support base through my marriage to Joannina Kantakouzenos.
In a room where just the two of us, who might soon be married, were gathered, I found myself contemplating my next steps. Before and after coming here, I had lived a life of solitude, now in my forties without ever having a romantic relationship. I’ve grown cautious when dealing with the opposite sex.
Thankfully, though I didn’t know why, Joannina’s demeanor was exceedingly friendly.
“Would you care for some wine? I poured it earlier.”
Her bright smile and the gesture of offering a glass left me momentarily stunned. Perhaps Joannina understood the significance of this arranged marriage and was presenting herself favourably to others? While I harboured some doubts, I also found myself thinking that it was better this way. At least we were starting on the same page in this regard.
I accepted the glass with a smile of my own.
“Outside of official matters, I’ve never been treated so kindly.”
Naturally, I don’t have personal meetings often. Most of my time is consumed with official duties, and my relationships are limited to bureaucrats or those in key positions. Joannina’s situation is somewhat ambiguous. While marriage is a form of duty, it also carries a strong personal aspect, making it feel like a mix of both worlds.
I wondered how my relationship with her would evolve as I took a sip of wine, glancing at Ioannina. She noticed my gaze and smiled.
“You’ve been cooped up in your room without meeting others, so it’s only natural.”
…?
Ah, that’s what she meant. It took me a moment to understand her straightforward comment, catching me off guard. I was initially flustered but found myself chuckling inwardly. Whether it was out of genuine amusement or sheer incredulity, I couldn’t quite tell. My feelings were mixed, not clearly good or bad.
As a result, when I tried to speak, the words just bounced around my mouth uselessly.
Only after some time had passed did I manage to calm down and express my thoughts on Ioannina.
“You are quite straightforward.”
“That’s not all. I also have a keen eye and a good memory for anything interesting.”
“A keen eye? It seems you’ve seen something amusing.”
At my comment, Ioannina covered her mouth and laughed. Hey, don’t laugh. It’s a bit embarrassing for me.
“Your expression when you were lost in thought just now, I would have never imagined it if I hadn’t seen it myself!”
When someone behaves out of character, it naturally elicits various reactions from others—concern, sadness, anger, and more. Yet, here I was, provoking laughter. I couldn’t find the words to respond to Joannina’s teasing, left to fume in silence for a while.
Suddenly, Ioannina stopped laughing.
“Now you understand how I feel, don’t you?”
She acted as if we had met before, but no matter how much I wracked my brain, I couldn’t recall anything about Joannina. My youth was marred by constant strife, leaving little room for encounters with the opposite sex…
Just then, a light touch on my nose snapped me back to reality.
“You’re being too harsh. If this is on purpose, I might just shed a tear.”
Though her words were playful, her eyes said otherwise. Sensing her determination, I resigned myself to the situation. Raising both hands in surrender, I shook my head. Seeing this, Joannina poked my nose again, this time with an exaggerated pout and her cheeks puffed out in mock anger.
“I’ll make you pay for forgetting the person you’ve hurt so deeply. Hmph!”
This time, instead of a light poke, she repeatedly tapped my nose and various parts of my face with her finger. Defenseless, I could only endure the onslaught. After several rounds of this teasing, Ioannina finally seemed satisfied and retreated with a pleased expression.
I felt utterly defeated. The retribution for a forgotten past incident was complete. Now it was time to uncover what exactly I had forgotten. As I contemplated this, Joannina, seemingly aware of my thoughts, spoke up first.
“Still don’t remember your fiancée, do you?”
Ah.
Ahhhhh.
Ahhhhhhhhh!
“Well, I’ve quit being a servant before due to unfair working conditions…”
“T-t-t-t-t-that’s so mean!”
Thunk. As soon as the memory of our past encounter surfaced, I was met with a hard glass cup. The clear resonance of the glass ringing from the impact on my head echoed. Swallowing back the tears that threatened to spill, I quickly lifted my head and glared at Ioannina.
“How pure of you. Those who retain their childhood spirit are always bright and lively.”
If anything, the situation had worsened, not improved. This sentiment prompted a sharp retort from Joannina.
“It seems the Prince retains his childhood spirit too, considering how gloomy and sullen you still appear.”
Me? Gloomy? What a slanderous accusation. I, who find hope even in desperate situations and live brightly. Yet, self-assertion is often dismissed. I needed a third party to testify.
I glanced around seeking agreement, but the only one in front of me was Joannina, clicking her tongue.
“Everyone sees it that way.”
“This is the first time in a long while I’ve experienced such a shock.”
“Oh, so you have been shocked before?”
“Well, when someone introduced as a fiancé candidate offers to make a royal into a servant, anyone would be shocked…”
Thunk. A longer, clearer resonance than before. It seemed this topic was a significant dark history for Joannina. I decided to let it go.
As I closed my mouth, Joannina ceased her aggression. The atmosphere finally relaxed.
It appeared that the earlier awkwardness had eased, perhaps due to the physical closeness.
Seeing her start the conversation first was a sign.
“Still, meeting again like this makes it seem like we’re destined for each other.”
Twisting a lock of her black hair around her fingers, she directed her gaze to the wall, her cheeks tinged with a slight blush. It seemed she’d had too much wine. Or perhaps it was an irregular heartbeat. I felt proud of myself for bypassing the common traps many men fall into and arriving at a rational, logical conclusion.
Even in a dating sim, there should be limits.
Oh, another reason to be proud. I hadn’t forgotten that this world originated from a dating sim.
While basking in self-satisfaction, Joannina moved again. She rested her head on her arms, which were folded on the table, then turned her head towards me.
“Don’t you think so?”
Destined for each other.
Looking back, I felt genuinely relieved not to have had this sweet, romantic conversation with Ivania. If Ivania had been my destined partner, I swear to the heavens, I would have lived in purity. In the future, people would call me a paragon of purity, praising my commitment to chastity.
But reflecting on such thoughts was a mistake.
Knock, knock. The sound at the door drew Joannina’s head up first.
“Is it something important? We’re discussing marriage here. If it’s not more urgent than that, please leave.”
Her somewhat haughty tone remained unchanged. Of course, it was a vast improvement from before. Nonetheless, most people would retreat upon hearing the word ‘marriage.’ Unfortunately, the person knocking wasn’t most people.
“I apologize for interrupting the marriage talk, but I have something very important to share with my master♡.”
…..!!!!
Startled, I stood up, pushing the chair back, and stared at the door. Wasn’t it said that speaking of the tiger summons it? But I hadn’t even mentioned Ivania. So, what was she doing here? More importantly…
“Who do you mean by master?”
“Why, none other than the brave, cold-headed, always diligent, and yet caring towards his subordinates, His Highness Constantine Dragaš, my master♡.”
“Master♡?”
Echoing the peculiar word, Joannina turned her gaze towards me. Her eyes demanded an explanation. What on earth have you done? they seemed to ask.
I didn’t know. I genuinely didn’t. It was just unfortunate that Ivania happened to be a hopeless deviant. Why was I being interrogated? Though I tried to convey my grievances through my gaze, it didn’t seem to register.
Instead, I saw a glint of mischief and pride in Joannina’s eyes. She smirked confidently, lifting one corner of her mouth.
“Please deliver your message to your master later. Right now, it’s time for him to talk with me. Isn’t that right?”
….This doesn’t bode well.
“Y-y-y-you, darling♡.”
At that moment, the door cracked.
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