A Beautiful Kind of Shackles

Gasp, that's…

The moment I glimpsed the teal satin box between his fingers, I froze solid.

There was no way I wouldn't recognize it — it was the box from the most celebrated accessory shop in the entire Orden capital.

He set down the small box, large enough to fill my palm and unmistakably loaded with meaning no matter who was looking, and studied me in silence. As if he were savoring my reaction.

"Marriage right away would be too sudden, too much of a burden. So for now—"

F-for now?

"I'd like us to keep seeing each other on the premise of an engagement."

"…I'm sorry, what?"

Barely had the words left his mouth when he flipped open the ring case with a snap.

The emerald ring that emerged was the exact shade of my own eyes, and it stole the words right out of my mouth.

This was bad. This man was serious.

"So, this is—"

"A shackle, of a sort. The beautiful form of binding someone by contract."

"…I don't think anyone but you would call an engagement ring that, Your Highness."

"Well, at least you're aware it's an engagement ring."

With a "thank goodness for that," he held the box out to me once more.

While I hesitated, unwilling to reach for it so rashly, the Grand Duke abruptly pulled out two document envelopes instead.

"This one is the Engagement Contract. It's not that I don't trust you, but you never know. The notarization is already done through our lawyers, and my signature's already on it. All that's left is yours. Sign it and hand it back, and I'll file it with the imperial household."

"A formal oath, you say?"

"However much I might like to deny it, I'm a member of the imperial family. Which, thanks to that, means the procedures are far more convoluted than for your average noble."

The Grand Duke added this with a look of mild irritation.

"And the other one is… how should I put it. Consider it an engagement gift, given in advance. A bribe, essentially."

"Oh dear, a bribe. For me. I imagine that must have been quite difficult to pull off."

"It was. And you'll like it, I'm sure."

Would I, though? Would I really?

When I gave him a dubious look, he spoke first.

"Exclusive port rights."

"I beg your pardon?"

"More precisely, the exclusive right to use the harbor."

Hold on. What?

At the utterly unexpected identity of the bribe, I snatched up the papers in a flash.

The moment I checked the contents, there it was — exactly as he'd said, a certificate transferring authority over the port of Valca.

"Among the territories I hold, there's a stretch of land called Valca. It sits on the coast, and we're building a harbor there. It's due to be completed within the month. This is the certificate granting the Roar Merchant Guild exclusive rights to that harbor."

"Th-this is…"

"In other words, a port that only the Zacherete family may use."

"…"

"Do you like it?"

"Do I like it? Of course I do! Do you have any idea how enormous this is?!"

Every tea leaf currently cultivated by Roar was transported entirely by land.

The problem was that the terrain between the growing fields and the capital, where the processing facilities stood, was mountainous, and the roads were so poorly maintained that the caravans had to take long, winding detours.

That meant transport ate up precious time, and the losses piled up accordingly.

Worse still, the nobles who owned those roadless stretches of land had seized the opportunity to demand transit tolls besides.

But if we could ship by sea instead of by land?

"I'm glad you like it. So — feeling more inclined toward an engagement now?"

Oh, no.

It was like having a bucket of ice water dumped over my head. My senses snapped back to reality in an instant.

I'd been merrily spinning out business plans, and suddenly I'd been yanked back down to earth.

Ahem. Clearing my throat, I quietly lowered the papers in question.

This was a very sweet, very delicious piece of candy I was being handed.

But accepting it with my mouth wide open felt just a bit wrong.

"My signature is on the transfer certificate as well. The moment you sign, the rights pass to you immediately. Of course — on the assumption that you sign the engagement contract along with it."

"And what if… I signed only the transfer certificate and tore up the engagement contract instead?"

"Hm. That would be difficult."

"I'm sorry?"

"That's actually part of why I came today. To make sure that doesn't happen."

The corner of the Grand Duke's mouth lifted, just barely. As if he hoped something like that really would come to pass.

"Go ahead and try it, if you're that curious. But I wouldn't recommend it."

"And why not?"

"Because you'll regret it. I'm quite certain."

When I asked what on earth that was supposed to mean, he winked and answered with a radiant smile.

"Don't worry. Whether you like it or not, you'll find out soon enough."

I stared at him blankly and swallowed.

Why did that sound so much more than a simple warning?

"That's all from me. Think it over carefully."

With that, he rose from his seat, entirely at ease.

His oddly leisurely gait seemed to lay bare just how untroubled his state of mind was.

But just as he reached the door, he turned his head back.

"Ah, before I go. I'll be collecting my payment in advance this time, of course."

Payment? Wait — he couldn't mean…

The memory of the kiss I'd received from him last time flashed through my mind, and I went rigid.

Was he about to kiss me again? I found myself shuffling back warily, only for his dazzling face to lean steadily closer, as if determined to live up to my expectations.

Oh no. Should I close my eyes this time or not?

And if he did kiss me — at exactly what moment?

Just as I was agonizing over this with tremendous gravity—

"Leon."

"Yes?"

"Call me Leon."

"Le… Leon?"

The moment I echoed the name after him without thinking, a bright smile bloomed across his — no, across Leon's lips.

It was a sweet smile, the kind that seemed like it could sweep away every worry and anxiety just by looking at it.

All I'd done was say his name, and yet he looked utterly, profoundly satisfied.

"Good. From now on, call me by my name. We're close enough for that now, aren't we — you and I?"

Had he left off the word "fiancé" because he worried I'd object? He never said it aloud, but I could more or less read what had been omitted.

Though of course, it was still a pre-fiancé — and only if I signed the papers sitting on that table.

He'd suggested we call each other comfortably by name, and I nodded. It wasn't as if it was hard.

"Then I'll take my leave, Erna."

Bidding me farewell once more, Leon turned slowly and slipped quietly out the door.

After he was gone, silence settled over the office again.

I was watching his retreating figure through the second-floor window when — perhaps he felt my gaze on him.

Leon, who had been walking for quite a while, suddenly turned his head and looked back at the exact spot where I stood.

Certain that I'd been caught peeking, I panicked — and he simply smiled and waved.

Before I knew it, I waved back.

What was this, exactly?

Some strange corner of my chest felt oddly ticklish.

I was still repeating the same question to myself, drowning in the confusion washing over me, when—

"What in the world is going on?! Tell me straight. Everything! Every last detail!"

Boom! The door flew open and Laura stormed in.

By her ragged breathing, she'd sprinted all the way here — and apparently, she'd already figured it out.

"O-okay, okay, Laura. Just calm down first—"

"Does it look like I'm in any state to calm down?! Good heavens, to think the great woman who toppled the mighty Grand Duke Bernstein himself was standing right before my eyes…!"

Toppled him. Brought him to his knees. Conquered him.

I'd thought it before, but I truly despised that choice of words.

"Never mind that. Just give me the conclusion, plain and simple. So — you, my lady, are the Grand Duke from those rumors' lover?"

"Lover, I couldn't say."

Right — lover or not, I honestly didn't know what to call this relationship of ours.

"But I did cause an incident. That part's true."

"An… incident?"

Yes. An incident.

Laura, who had looked visibly deflated at the word not a lover, lit up all over again at the scandalous word incident.

To anyone watching, the fierce gleam in her eyes and the heave of her shoulders made her look like a starved beast crouched one step away from pouncing, and it was deeply unsettling.

"Good heavens. Sweet Lord above!"

And then came the roar of a cry that followed.

"Our lady, who has always treated men like so many stones on the road — to think that finally, finally, you'd do something this adorable!"

"A-a-dorable?"

"It was that day, wasn't it? The night you stayed out! I knew it, I told myself something was up. Yes, the moment I heard, I just knew something had happened. Aren't my instincts sharp?!"

"L-Laura, I said okay, so please just calm—"

"Does this look like a calming-down situation?! I'm this close to running barefoot down Rodun Street and shouting it from the rooftops!"

Shouting what, exactly?

Something like: Our lady spent the night with that Grand Duke Bernstein from all the rumors! That?

"Ohh, I'd have been grateful enough with just one decent-looking unmarried nobleman, even if he was much older — but a Grand Duke! The Grand Duke Bernstein! Oh — w-wait just one moment. Then that means…!"

After carrying on in a full flurry, unsure what to do with herself, Laura abruptly froze — and her face went deathly pale.

I kept quiet, wondering what fresh wisdom she was about to unleash this time.

"Is it really all right for you to still be standing there?"

"What is that supposed to mean, all of a sudden?"

"What does it mean? There could very well be an heir of His Highness and Your Grace's already on the way!"

…I'm going to lose my mind.