Chapter 2. (Please pretend to be my lover)

"Prepare to get married!"

Early in the morning, Mother came into my room and started nagging. Arne calmly looked around in that surprise attack. The window was open. It was on the second floor, so it's enough for her to jump off on it. Okay, let's do it.

"Arne, are you listening to me?"

Knowing what was arne thinking, the duchess rush blocked the window with her own body. Arne's attempt to avoid this situation by running away was easily dismissed by her mother.

"You know Ariel, right? I heard she is getting married this time. Her husband to be was a count from the neighbors' country. Her mother went there and saw it, the young man who was going to be her friends son in law was very tall and handsome. The family was worth having a son in law like him, and he was a very good marriage partner. The wedding will be held in the next month.

"Ah..."

I was wondering what kind of wedding it was since in the morning and there was a reason for that. Also, the new of my mother friend's daughter getting married made her mother drag arne into a marriage. The pinnacle of the Western Empire's military power, a genius swordsman who grabbed a sword at the age of 3 and reached the level swordsmanship at an early age, a rescue hero and the sword master. Although Arne has all kinds of fancy titles, in her mother's eyes, she is just a troublemaker who couldn't get married.

"All the young ladies at your age are already married. This mother of your wants you to give birth to a child and live happily with your husband. How lovely was it!"

I only need you love, she wants to tell her my mother to do that a lot but her mother would nagging at her for more of another hour so Arne just kept her mouth shut. The duchess who had been complaining about her daughter for a long time turned her head toward Arne.

"Arne, do you know what everyone calls you?

There was no way to know that. Arne didn't care what everyone called her, but she was crushed by her mother's spirit. In times like,it was best to adjust the situation.

"A sword master?"

"No."

"Then, a hero of empire?"

"No!"

"Then…. A crazy mad dog?"

It's a nickname that I've been wanting to say. Her mother's expression changed at once when she recited the nickname that had been attached to her. It seemed that the answer was _.

'I think I guess it right.'

When Arne smiled proudly, the Duchess' expression suddenly changed terribly.

"Is that something to be proud of? You're not just a crazy mad dog, but a crazy mad dog of empire?!"

"What did you think? When people also talked about you curses the emperor behind his back."

"What's the matter!"

The Duchess, who scolded Arne as usual, soon began to sob. The Duchess burst into tears when she thought of Arne. Why on earth did my daughter become like this? Arne tried thinking about how to run away when her mother screamed, but when she started crying, she felt very ominous. It was because Arne didn't remember this kind of tears would come with a good situation . As expected, her mother's lamentation began.

"Arne, does this make sense? How old are you now, and there's no one family come to propose to you! Even if my pride is hurt, i was thinking of allowing you whoever the person is. Even a person from a lower family ranking it was okay as long as the opponent is nice. but there's not one even a person like that.

Could this possibly happen?"

"That can happen."

"It's can't happen!"

The Duchess was so angry at Arne's calm answer. Arne, who had been hit in the back, was surprised because she felt the pain for some reason. The back of the Sword Master hurts because of her mother's hands.

"Even though I'm trying to get proposed a marriage for you, everyone was afraid being beaten to death by you. Just hearing your name made them scared to the death."

"Tsk. What a Weak bastards."

"Now, is that the right time to say that!"

Arne covered her ears at the boring talk about the marriage that started since she reached her adult age at 19 years old.

Arne knew that marriage was a particularly important issue among aristocratic families. In particular, her mother tried to marry Arne in a hurry, not knowing when she would die on the battlefield. Of course, that wasn't the only reason. The Duchess was worried that Arne would grow old and die alone as an old virgin. Of course, I agree with the statement that if you have a ability, you don't need to get married, but in my heart I still wanted a children, meet a good partner, get married and live happier. Besides, one more thing.

'To think that I, who was so wonderful, would be blamed for not getting married at all!'

Everything is perfect, but Arne lacks one thing. And I can't stand the insolent words of noble women who secretly badmouthed me.

"This mother just wants you to be loved."

The Duchess held Arne's hands tightly and burst into tears. Arne was haunted by her mother's love attack.

"Women's happiness, what is that?"

"No, the part that feels happiness is different? Your life is for you, so you should live as you want. However, I don't like that you don't even try to have a lover."

"a lover..."

Arne thought.

"We'll meet someday."

"Then you get old and die!"

The Duchess, who slapped her on the back one more time, calmly took a deep breath. Arne wanted to run away from this place.

"Just in time, His Majesty the Emperor, who is worried about your marriage, has arranged for you a marriage partner."

Arne, who was concentrating on a plan to escape quietly, opened her eyes wide at the sudden news.

"Who he is?"

"Archduke Ternuzen."

It was someone I didn't know.

"Mom thinks it's a good marriage. It's a family that fits the ranks, and the opponent is very good. Now, what do you think about this mother's last request?"

"I don't like it."

Arne, who refused it with a single word, was captured and lost her soul for 2 weeks. In the end, Arne, who couldn't stand it anymore, surrendered.

"Okay. The married, i do it! So please stop!"

***

Arne checked herself in the mirror, wearing a dress for the first after a long time. The hem of the fluttering dress dragged on the floor. inside her dress, she wore pants to make it easier to move and put some a dagger on it, but from the outside, she was just like a natural lady. Especially the delicate soft lines to deceive people into making her look more innocent. It was all done by her mother for today's meeting!

["But shouldn't we go look at the face of the person who's going to be your husband?"]

Somehow, the traces of her mother on her appearance seem like she is trying so hard to make Arne look like a normal lady on her date meeting. while looking at herself in the mirror, Arne made up her mind.

"After all, I can't marry you quietly."

At my mother endless persuasion・・・・・・ I ended up raising the white flag because of the annoying nagging, but thinking about it again, this was crazy. married a foreigner? Are you married and going abroad? The far away northern empire would take more than a month even with an airship? If I had known this in advance, I wouldn't have given up, no matter how much my parents made me unable to sleep well at night, eat three meals a day, and drink alcohol without permission.

'Ah, my freedom.…'

I hate being tied down. Even without marriage, I have lived comfortably until now. A people who have it all don't want anything.

"It would be useless if she said that she didn't want to get married now."

Then, there is only one conclusion left.

'I just have to make that person reject me because they don't like me.'

And Arne knew the quickest way to do that.

'I'll just throw it down.'

. . . When Arne arrived at the meeting place, she had no choice but to come up with her own simple plan. The reason was simple.

"Is my father also come today…?"

"Of course. Soon, your father will come with His Majesty."

". . . . . . ."

My mother iron wall defense, down in the presence of Syclion IV and his parents?

'It's an act of suicide.'

Everyone will be surprised, but Arne also has that much wisdom. There is a difference in status and honor between flipping alone and flipping in front of everyone. Arne, who was led to the meeting point like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse, quickly shook her head. How to make a mess of this place without having overturned it yourself. could there be such a thing?

'No, there is'

Compared to the first operation, it fell short of expectations, but there was still one way to turn the confrontation into a gutter. Arne quickly looked around. The meeting was held in a salon owned by the imperial family. Coincidentally, the Duchess was talking to the salon manager. Arne left the place in an instant with quick movements that stirred the battlefield. After a while, the Duchess finished talking to the manager and looked around her.

"Arne? Arne? No, where did she go? Has anyone seen Arne?"

"No."

"I didn't see it either."

All the servants of the salon, including the manager, shook their heads.

"Have you seen it?"

"No, I didn't see it either."

The Duchess, who heard the conversation of the servants, quickly noticed what had happened. Arne had run away. The duchess clenched her fists, filled with anger.

"Arne...!"

******

At that time, Arne, as expected by the Duchess, was running away. Arne left the salon building, moving around the blind spot with her characteristic quick movements in oder not to make a witness as much as possible. If Arne's deputy had seen it, they would have clapped and shouted that it was a waste of talent, but they weren't here. Anyway, how to come out of this salon building, Arne soon ran into the next problem.

'How can i get out of here quickly?'

If it was someone else, they would not have noticed Arne's escape for a long time. But who is the opponent? The mother who gave birth to her and raised her. Arne had a hurry to move away from this salon building. But I didn't know how to escape quickly. Since it was a street only attended by high-ranking aristocrats, i didn't even go there. She was walking aimlessly, but at this speed, she was certain that she would soon be caught by her mother.

'What should I do.'

At that moment, Arne saw a carriage stop in front of her. At the same time, a sudden thought came to her mind.

'Okay, let's borrow a carriage for a while.'

Wouldn't it be nice to borrow it and return it safely! Arne, who made a simple conclusion, moved quickly. Arne was embarrassed when she paused and opened the door of the carriage, as if she had left it for a moment. The owner of the carriage was there.

"...…"

"...…"

His platinum blonde hair shone brightly in the sunlight coming through the window. Arne was silent for a moment at the man's handsome appearance. It was a beauty that could be counted in the Western empire,but Arne quickly regained consciousness after being bewitched by his appearance. At that moment, she quickly apologized and was about to run away, but the man's eyes shone.

"I meet you again like this."

"...?"

Arne tilted her head at the man's friendly greeting. She didn't know who this man was.

"The stray cat."

"Ah."

There was no great man in the Western Empire who called herself that way. Except for this person.

"Then, black hair mask?"

The man laughed at Arne's question. It was a fun look. She was confused for a moment. The man who has black hair before has turned into platinum hair today.

'What the hell happened it's his real hair color?'

Arne was relieved that he had met someone he knew, no matter what. At that time, the salon building started became noisy, and the servants came out.

'My mother noticed.'

If you get caught here like this, you will be arrested right away. In a sense of urgency, Arne climbed into the carriage.

"Excuse me for a moment."

She hid herself in the carriage, acting as politely as possible. As soon as she got into the carriage, Cassian was interested in seeing Arne, who lowered her body and looked out the window.

"You seem to be in trouble. What's the matter? Lady."

"There is, well….."

"You look like a noble lady who ran away because she didn't want to have an arranged marriage somewhere."

"...…."

It was a joke, but he hit the point, and Arne couldn't answer. Cassian was amused by the candid emotion shown on her face.

"Is there anything I can do to help? I will help you."

"Are you really going to help me?"

"Gladly."

Arne wasn't a person who trusted someone whom she had just met for the first time. But she couldn't hide anything, more than that she thought this person would help. And now that she failed to overthrow the confrontation, she needed something to make them freak out.

"Pretend to be my lover."

Arne requested.

"Just for today."

A surprise flashed through Cassian's eyes. His lips lifted seductively.

"That's good."

The man who was expected to refuse gladly accepted the crazy offer. . . .Arne looked out the window and lost herself in her anguish.

'Is this the same as meeting a fox while trying to avoid a tiger?'

Everything was going well, but she wasn't happy at all. Arne glanced at the thoughtless Cassian, then getting serious again.

Arne: "Where are you going?"

Cassian: "A place with a lot of people."

Arne: "• • • • ?"

At the simple answer, Arne tilted his head. Cassian smiled and added a word to her, who needed an explanation.

Cassian: "I'm going on a date."

Arne: "A date?"

Hearing the unexpected words, Arne frowned. Cassian explained it with a smile on his face that he seemed to be having fun.

Cassian: "You asked me to be your lover, didn't you?"

Arne: "Yes, i did."

Cassian: "Would it better if lot of people see me as your lover?"

Arne: "Uh... is that so.....?"

Cassian: "At that way, the lady's partner will also hear the news and postpone the marriage."

Arne, who doesn't know that the person in front of her is her marriage partner, nodded at Cassian's dazzling words. After listening to it, it seemed that Cassian's words were all right. Looking at Cassian acting strangely, Arne thought it was rather strange, but she did not think deeply. Then the carriage stopped.

Cassian: "Now, let's get off."

Cassian, who got off the carriage first, stretched out his hand toward Arne. Arne looked at his hand for a moment.

'How long has it been since i got an escort to get off the carriage?'

Come to think of it, it's been a long time since I rode a carriage. Because he always rode her favorite horse, Sirius. By the way, it's been a long time since I wore a dress too. The first place the two of them went to was a tea shop that sells delicious desserts, which are popular among the noble ladies these days.

"This is a famous dessert."

Arne looked at the dessert seriously. This kind of dessert was as unfamiliar to Arne, who grabbed a sword when she was 3 years old and listened to the sound of genius when she was 7 years old, use the aura since she was 10 years old, and went to war for the first time when she was 17 years old. On the other hand, cassian, who saw Arne, made a serious look at the dessert as if it were a major task. It was very interesting to see. The more he watched it, the more interesting it was. There was something different from the young ladies he knew. He was just about to start thinking about what it was, and the tea house became noisy at the same time.

"Look over there, it's Arne."

"Arne?, what are you talking about? Why would she come here?..oopss It's really real, Arne. Yes!"

"It's Arne!"

"Look there, it's Arne!"

As it was a famous tea house, there were many young ladies visiting. Who in the Western Empire would not recognize Arne? Especially to the young ladies, Arne was a model for them to admiration.

"Arne is cool today, too."

"But who is that man? Is her lover by any chance?"

"Does it make sense, i guess it's just someone she knows. Aren't he from the knights?"

"It's my first time seeing it. He is very cool. Who is he?"

Arne took a bite of the dessert and her eyes shining at the taste, as if she couldn't hear the murmurs of the young ladies.

"Shall we go there and say a hello?"

"I want you to introduce me to Arne later...."

The smile disappeared from Cassian's expression after hearing the young lady voices. he looked at Arne, who was completely interested in dessert. There was whipped cream on the corners of Arne's mouth.

"My lady."

"Yes?"

"Do you know the fastest way to get rumored to be a lover?"

"...? I don't know."

Arne blinked her eyes. Cassian's smile deepened.

"Do you want me to let you know?"

It's not because she wants to know, but at the tempting offer, Arne nodded, not knowing what to say. At that moment, Cassian grabbed Arne's wrist. And.... He wiped the fresh cream on Arne's lips.

"Uh?"

He just wiped the cream on my lips, but it felt weird. Cassian made eye contact and smiled, licking the whipped cream off his fingers.

"Indeed, it is so delicious that rumors spread."

The reaction erupted elsewhere. In the gap of the young lady's who are screaming as if they saw something with their own eyes, Arne still couldn't follow it. what happened now? Looking straight into Arne's blank eyes, Cassian whispered languorously.

"This is the fastest thing to spread a rumors, lady."

Arne was quietly stunned.

'This man must be crazy.'