Side Story 4

Upon receiving Nastasya’s confession, Isello was flustered. He didn’t particularly dislike Nastasya herself. She was a great beauty, and her status was the most exceptional among the options available to someone like him.

 

In fact, she was technically out of his league—someone he shouldn’t even dare greedily eye.

 

‘Of course, I know Nastasya is pretty! I know, but…!’

 

Isello only realized after being reincarnated into this world that he was weak against pushy people. He had no way of knowing before, as he had never been popular in his previous life. Back then, he had never chased anyone first, and women treated him merely as a “convenient guy to ask for favors.”

 

“I am originally a commoner, and… Lady Renain, you are Brother Sebastian’s former fiancée. So…”

 

“Then all I have to do is get permission from Sebastian, right?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Nastasya’s eyes gleamed with a flash of madness, but Isello—who already thought her eyes were beautiful—couldn’t distinguish whether that light was madness or brilliance. Nastasya grabbed the terrified Isello by the wrist and sprinted toward Sebastian.

 

Since Nastasya had visited the Tesseia Ducal Mansion that day specifically to confess to Isello, Sebastian was easily found nearby. Isello turned pale as he saw that Nastasya genuinely intended to ask him.

 

“My Lady!”

 

“Sebastian, I’m planning to marry Isello. Are you going to get in my way?”

 

The terrified Isello didn’t even have a chance to stop her. Sebastian, who had been taking a nap in the garden pavilion, was bewildered by the sudden outburst.

 

“What?”

 

“I asked if you’re going to stop me! I just said I’m marrying Isello!!”

 

“L-Lady Renain, please don’t do this…” Isello stammered beside her, looking restless.

 

Though Sebastian had just opened his eyes, he was already aware that Nastasya, his ex-fiancée, had been chasing Isello around. Such rumors were the kind people were dying to spread. Honestly, he hadn’t cared at all; he’d assumed she would eventually grow tired of it and stop.

 

But she was actually going to marry him?

 

Sebastian, whose mind was always sharp but functioned even more brilliantly when it came to mischief, began to plot rapidly.

 

‘The Renain Marquisate already holds a grudge against me, so they’d hate my family being involved… and if someone like him were sent there, Father would feel at ease….’ Wasn’t this the perfect chance to get rid of that eyesore?

 

His eyes sparkled as he gave a thumbs-up, acting as if it were a splendid idea.

 

“If you’re sincere, then of course I should support you.”

 

When Sebastian spoke with such a bright, innocent face, Nastasya’s expression instantly lit up. Internally, she had been ready to exact a bloody revenge if he dared trample on her love once more.

 

“Right?! I knew it!”

 

Isello was horrified by Sebastian’s lack of offense.

 

‘He’s just giving permission like that? No, before that, who is this person acting like a decent human being?’

 

“This is great, Isello! This older brother will support your love! Oh, while we’re at it, why don’t you go get Father’s permission?”

 

Isello felt that Sebastian was using a high-level tactic to mess with him, but Nastasya seemed to see it as a golden opportunity.

 

“Wait, just a minute!”

 

The two “bulldozer” personalities grabbed Isello by both arms and dragged him toward Aaron’s office.

 

 

***

 

The Duke of Tesseia, naturally, reacted quite differently from Sebastian. He shot a glare at Sebastian before turning a soft gaze back to Isello and Nastasya.

 

“…So you two wish to be engaged.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Reckless as she was, even Nastasya couldn’t remain entirely unfazed in front of the Duke of Tesseia. He was her future father-in-law and the only person backing Isello. Although Isello had been formally entered into the Tesseia family register by this point, if the Duke decided to dissolve the adoption, Isello would become a kite with a severed string.

 

“Sebastian, are you alright with this?”

 

In his heart, Sebastian wanted to blurt out, “I love it!” but he quickly chose his words carefully. He knew his father would be furious if he spoke so bluntly.

 

“I am aware that Lady Renain suffered greatly because of me. I no longer have any feelings for her; in fact, I am full of nothing but a desire to bless her. I hope Father will grant them his permission.”

 

“……”

 

It was the first time in a while his son had spoken like a human being, but Aaron didn’t believe a word of it. He knew exactly what kind of malicious streak his son possessed. Suppressing the urge to nurse a headache, he looked at Isello.

 

“Isello, do you feel the same as Lady Renain?”

 

Asked by Aaron, Isello stammered in a panic. If asked whether he liked Nastasya or not, he did like her, but marriage was still a distant concept to him.

 

“I, well… I do think Lady Renain is cute, but…”

 

Seeing Isello blushing and at a loss for words, Aaron’s heart grew heavy. He glanced at Nastasya. He had broken off her engagement with Sebastian because his son wanted it, and while her behavior had been problematic, he still felt a sense of apology toward her.

 

‘Given Sebastian’s temper, even if I hadn’t allowed the breakup, he would have caused a scandal to force it eventually.’

 

Furthermore, there had been the judgment that Nastasya’s personality might clash with Leticia—especially since Leticia hadn’t yet found her place in the family at the time. So, despite feeling it was somewhat unjust, he had dissolved the engagement. Since they had been engaged for a long time, it couldn’t have been easy for Nastasya. Perhaps the only silver lining was that it ended before she reached adulthood.

 

“…I understand your wishes, My Lady, but I doubt Marquis Renain will be pleased.”

 

At this, Nastasya shouted boldly: “I can persuade my father!”

 

Her face was full of confidence, but Aaron didn’t believe her for a second. While he didn’t know her as well as he knew Sebastian, he knew her well enough.

 

‘The Marquis would never allow it.’

 

If he had, a formal proposal would have already arrived from the House of Renain.

 

“Then, we shall speak again after you have obtained the Marquis’ permission.”

 

With that, Aaron sent all three of them out.

 

 

***

 

 

“Not until I die and am put in a coffin! Not until dirt covers that coffin and my body rots away!!”

 

“Can’t you just normally say ‘over my dead body’?”

 

At Nastasya’s shout, Marquis Renain erupted in fury. This was largely because Nastasya already had a handful of dirt ready in her hand.

 

“Am I supposed to speak normally to a daughter who is ready to shove dirt into my eyes?! You… you wicked! Foolish girl!!”

 

The Marquis stamped his feet and screamed, unable to bring himself to strike his precious daughter. Despite the shouting, Nastasya didn’t even flinch.

 

“Oh, come on! Unlike Sebastian, our Isello is kind, pretty, and hardworking! And he’s a Tesseia too!”

 

“Is that Tesseia the same as that Tesseia?! I would rather you bring me an illegitimate child of the Duke; I’d permit that! That Isello brat is a commoner who doesn’t even know his own parents!”

 

In truth, Isello did know who his parents were, but they had been imprisoned and released, their current whereabouts unknown. Had he been adopted by any other noble, they might have followed him to the capital to extort money… but the opponent was Aaron, the Duke of Tesseia.

 

Since terrifying rumors followed Aaron’s fame, they dared not show their faces for fear of losing their heads. They were the ones who had already tried to sell Isello into slavery, after all.

 

Nastasya knew what kind of people Isello’s parents were from her investigations, but she kept her mouth shut. If the Marquis found out, he truly would never allow it, even in death. She looked at her father with a triumphant smirk. She had a trump card for this very moment.

 

“If you allow my marriage to Isello! I… I will become the Marchioness of Renain.”

 

The Marquis, who had been ready to rage no matter what she said, suddenly went quiet. Having Nastasya inherit the Marquisate was something he had desired for years. However, Nastasya had hated studying and assumed she could just hand the title over to Sebastian once they married.

 

“N-no… even so, I can’t!”

 

The Marquis’s heart wavered for a moment, but he shook his head as if casting out a demon and shouted firmly. But Nastasya’s eyes shone as she pressed on.

 

“The successor lessons you suggested—I’ll take them this time. I’m confident I can be a really good Marchioness…”

 

“Urgh! D-don’t lie! You’ll just go through the motions!”

 

Nastasya, who internally planned to quit studying the moment she got permission, clicked her tongue inwardly. She intended to become the Marchioness, yes—but she planned to dump all the actual work onto the studious Isello.

 

“I’ll do it! I said I’ll do it!”

 

“Do what?! Rather than seeing you marry that commoner…”

 

Even so, he couldn’t bring himself to say he would pass the title to a nephew or a distant relative. He was too stingy for that.

 

“Why! Why can’t you grow up even as you get older!!”

 

As the Marquis suffered, the Marchioness offered him a cold drink to cool his temper and ordered a servant to fan him.

 

“I don’t care! No matter what you say, Father, I’m marrying Isello!”

 

“Never! I’ll block it even if dirt gets in my eyes!”

 

When the Marquis finally uttered those forbidden words, Nastasya threw the dirt at him, and Marquis Renain flew into an even greater rage.

 

 

***

 

 

‘Is this a catastrophe… or just a collapse?’

 

Leticia, who had returned to her family home for a visit after a long time, was looking at Nastasya with a gaze that clearly asked, ‘Why is she doing this to me?’ Leticia wasn’t particularly close to Isello. They would exchange greetings if they bumped into each other, but their relationship was more like distant relatives who only knew each other’s names.

 

However, the moment Nastasya ran into Leticia, she grabbed her and began pouring out every single detail about the “romantic obstacles” she was currently facing.

 

Leticia’s stance was much like Sebastian’s: as long as Isello wasn’t dating someone who would bring shame to the family, she had no desire to interfere. In fact, if the marriage was actually possible, Nastasya was quite a good match—provided Sebastian didn’t raise any particular objections.

 

Having already heard from Nastasya’s own mouth that “Sebastian decided to help us,” Leticia could guess the situation. It seemed Sebastian, who disliked Isello, viewed this as a golden opportunity.

 

“What should we do to get my father’s permission?”

 

“Hmm… If Lady Renain faithfully undergoes her successor training to prove her capability, and if Isello passes the administrative or knight examination, wouldn’t the opposition lessen at least a little?”

 

“……”

 

Nastasya fell silent at the perfectly textbook answer. It was because she personally hated studying. Instead, she immediately decided she would have to make Isello take the administrative exam.

 

“Thank you for the advice! I’ll be sure to tell Isello!”

 

‘Are you not going to study?’

 

If Leticia had been in that position, she would have focused on the successor training rather than the romance. She felt a brief pang of regret as she recalled the title she had to decline out of fear of being exploited by the Imperial Family. Of course, there was still plenty she could do without a title.

 

Later, Leticia heard news that under the heavy pressure of Marquis Renain, Nastasya had finally begun her successor training, and that Isello had successfully passed the administrative examination.

 

Nastasya’s ambition was still very much a work in progress.