Home/I confined you, but I have no ill will/ch 27

27.

"Allow me to introduce her—Ibelin El Frillie. She is to be my fiancée."

As the bombshell left Kite's lips, Leonhardt's eyes went wide. Then, unlike his cursory glance earlier, he studied Ibelin in detail. It might have bordered on rudeness—but he was the Emperor of the great Empire. She couldn't very well cry out how rude! and risk ending up in a dungeon.

Ibelin stood quietly, enduring Leonhardt's gaze. Before long, he looked away and fell into thought, his lips pressed together.

The gap was filled by the man beside him—Draven.

I know who he is too.

Draven was the Emperor's maternal relative, and the head of one of the Empire's few ducal houses—another formidable presence for Ibelin.

"Archduke Gracias. You rejected every woman until now—and this is your final choice?"

Whoa—that seemed beyond rude. Should she point that out now? As she hesitated, Kite stepped in.

"Duke Draven, you always forget your manners. Was my previous lesson insufficient?"

Kite had taught him manners? That wouldn't have been done in any ordinary way.

Indeed, Draven's perpetually sallow face flushed red.

"That was ages ago! And manners—you call that teaching manners?"

Did he hit him? No matter how much she imagined, that was the only thing that came to mind.

"It was a legitimate spar."

"That wasn't a spar—it was violence!"

Draven snarled, tensing his body as if ready to lunge at Kite.

Ibelin, who had smuggled a dagger and a gun on her thigh past the maids, subtly bent her knees. She was ready to lift her skirt and draw her weapons if necessary.

Fortunately, it didn't come to that.

"Enough, enough! You two always fight the moment you meet."

"Your Majesty, I am not fighting—I am merely pointing out Lord Kite's wrongdoings!"

"It doesn't look that fair to me."

Leonhardt openly sided with Kite.

"Duke Draven—withdraw for now."

"Your Majesty!"

"You've been together all this time—I'll see you again later."

With the Emperor's dismissal, Draven had no choice but to retreat, trembling with rage.

Thus, only Ibelin, Kite, and Leonhardt remained.

"What a noisy man."

Leonhardt rubbed his ear and sighed.

"Draven has always been like that."

Now that the party in question was gone, they were using his name freely. Was this what they called gossiping behind someone's back? Ibelin watched them with undisguised curiosity.

"More importantly, Uncle—a fiancée all of a sudden? Are you serious?"

"Completely serious. It was love at first sight."

Kite said that, gently taking Ibelin's hand and pressing a kiss to it. Ugh. Ibelin swallowed a grotesque scream inwardly.

"Where did you first meet?"

Even in that situation, Leonhardt's suspicion didn't fade.

"On the streets of the capital."

"There are so many streets in the capital."

"For us to meet among so many streets is divine providence."

"Uncle, you don't believe in God."

"Sometimes I do."

What a thing to say—if the temple heard, they'd rise up in outrage. Leonhardt narrowed his eyes at Kite, then turned his gaze to Ibelin.

"Then, Lady Ibelin."

"Y-yes?"

"Do you truly love my uncle?"

Ibelin took a deep breath and gave her answer slowly.

"I do."

Originally, she would have rolled her eyes and trembled—but on the carriage ride over, Kite had handed her a sheet of paper and repeatedly urged her.

"His Majesty, my dear nephew Leonhardt, will never believe you're my fiancée."

"Why?"

"Because I've never shown any interest in women. And there are political entanglements—I never intended to marry. So he'll be suspicious. Read all the questions on that paper and act as composed as possible."

"Hmm."

Ibelin scanned the list and said.

"Couldn't I just tell him the truth?"

"The truth?"

"That you're keeping me by your side because of my ability."

"If you do that, Leonhardt will want to keep you forever."

To Kite, he was a beloved nephew—but Leonhardt had become Emperor at a young age. He had learned the virtues of an emperor and lived by them all his life. He would never willingly let go of someone who could benefit the Empire.

In contrast, Kite owed a debt to Baron Frillie. So he planned to use Ibelin appropriately, then give her enough wealth and send her wherever she wished.

Given that difference, it was natural for Kite to demand that Ibelin act.

" If you want to be stuck in the palace dreaming forever, feel free to do as you please."

Ibelin quickly shook her head. Judging by his words, Kite did intend to let her go someday.

With that in mind, Ibelin memorized all the questions on the paper and managed to answer fairly calmly.

"You truly love him?"

Leonhardt didn't easily believe her words.

"Even knowing what kind of man he is?"

"I don't mind."

The answer here was crucial. Ibelin tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and smiled gently.

"It doesn't matter what Lord Kite does."

Like a woman deeply in love, she trusted Kite completely.

"Even if he hurts others, my feelings won't change."

Ibelin had never loved anyone besides her grandfather—but she knew how people in love behaved. Long ago, she and her grandfather had played acting games, and she remembered that time. She had played betrayed lovers, the unfortunate, the lovestruck, the obsessive—all sorts of roles.

At first she was so clumsy it wasn't fun, but before long she could act as her grandfather wished. This was just an extension of that game.

The woman introduced as Ibelin had gentle green eyes and brown hair. She was fairly well-groomed, but still had an awkward air about her.

Leonhardt himself was a remarkable beauty, and his retainers were all handsome and pretty—so his standards were high. He had believed Kite's would be too.

That was why he had doubted the relationship between Ibelin, who smiled awkwardly and floundered, and Kite.

"I truly love Lord Kite."

Who was this woman, pressing her hand to her heart and rounding her eyes? Until a moment ago, she had seemed like a country noble lady fresh from the provinces—but now she smiled with a dangerous, captivating allure. The obsession radiating from her made Leonhardt involuntarily shiver.

Is this alright?

The thought came naturally. So he looked at Kite—and there it was.

A single phrase came to Leonhardt's mind.

[Birds of a feather flock together.]

Leonhardt loved his uncle Kite—but that didn't mean Kite was a good person. He didn't hesitate to harm others when necessary, and often behaved bizarrely. And now the woman beside him gave off the same impression.

"Y-you suit each other."

"Truly? Thank you."

Ibelin erased her earlier expression and returned to her naive, flustered state.

But that brief glimpse of her true face wasn't easily forgotten—and Leonhardt realized Ibelin was no easy woman.

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