Chapter 12

The next day, just as he told Henry, Albert proposed to Corinna.

"…Eh?"

Having managed to make time in the afternoon even for just ten minutes, as soon as Albert entered the small room, the first thing that he said was, "I'd like to propose marriage to you." Corinna, who had been sitting on a chair and eating some bread, raised her head, and gaped at him.

"I, Albert Heres, said that I'd like to propose marriage to you, Corinna Land. I would like a reply to my proposal."

"…Huh."

"I'd like you to think of this as a marriage of convenience. I have come to the conclusion that I need you."

Corinna was still gaping at Albert. And yet, she restlessly put the bread away. She seemed to have understood that this wasn't a conversation she should listen to while eating.

"I don't particularly like for problems to arise later on as well as lying, so I thought to just say it clearly. Please think of this as a marriage of convenience. Of course, we haven't had a period of dating, and even now, if I were asked if I have feelings of love, I could only say I don't know. But certainly, I do hold a favorable impression of you as a person."

"…Thank you for your kind words…"

"Your hands are magnificent. I need your hands. For me to always be with you, we would have to marry. You don't have a lover, or a person you love at the moment, right?"

"…Yes, I don't."

"If so, there wouldn't be a problem with you becoming my marriage partner. Although this doesn't need to be said, I shouldn't be such a bad partner to have in marriage for you. My parentage is also higher."

"It's much too high."

"As for prospects, I plan on being successful."

"By being more successful than now, you mean becoming a prime minister, right?"

The confused Corinna could only retort back at the unusual Albert, but he seemed to ignore her words as if he was slightly excited.

"Your appearance is, well… It's not bad at all. If I were to point out a fault, it would be that our ages are slightly far apart… But for a marriage of convenience, this much is normal."

"Okay…"

Corinna's manners have always been spectacular, but because she didn't know what kind of attitude she should take towards this extremely sudden, and mysterious proposal, she absent-mindedly let out a sound meant to show she was listening.

"So that's about it. Consider marrying me. If I have your hands, I wouldn't be afraid of anything."

If it had been someone else, they would probably retort, If you're going to propose, at least say 'I love you' even if it's a lie!, but Albert who didn't like to lie would be unable to say such sweet words.

"U-uhm, if you could give me some time…"

Albert looked at the clock, noticing that time for work was approaching, and when Corinna squeezed out these words, thinking she had to stall for time, Albert nodded, Of course, and left the room as he said, Sorry, I have to go back to work.

Corinna sent him off, dumbfounded, and dropped her gaze onto the half-eaten bread she had on hand.

"Marriage…?"

In a daze, Corinna murmured words that seemed too unbelievable.

*

Corinna returned to work after her lunch break ended, and even though she was still confused, she at least was able to earnestly consider his proposal. First of all, was that a daydream, and not reality? is where her thoughts got stuck in.

She didn't know why he suddenly proposed, but she didn't feel uncomfortable at the lack of emotion and hesitation in Albert's proposal. Rather, she had a favorable impression of him, and felt this was like him. When she heard of the rumors at work, she became even more conscious of touching Albert even more than before despite the short time they spend, and she understood that he was the kind of person that thinks of rational things.

She didn't know if something had happened, but Albert thought to obtain the best result by marrying Corinna. Of course, that's because of her "hands." Every time Albert was by Corinna's side, he would say, "It's incredibly relaxing" but every time he was tired, he understood this from her hands. It wasn't enough to spend less than an hour once every two to three days.

If they married, at least he would be able to acquire it at night. Just like how she would accompany her younger brother, Nikolaos, every night.

When she thought of at night, Corinna's heart would slightly beat, but she knew that Albert wasn't the kind of man that pursued such things at night. Of course, marrying doesn't mean it has nothing to do with such deeds. For nobles, when it comes to marrying, having an heir is a problem so such deeds were common and necessary in order to make children.

If she became connected to Albert like such, Corinna, who had no love experience whatsoever, couldn't quite imagine it, but she's able to easily imagine it if she think it similar to how she would get close to him, and help him sleep. Even now, Albert was sleeping on Corinna's lap. A deed that was completely what lovers would do.

Even whilst looking at it objectively, Albert Heres was the best marriage partner Corinna could think of. For a partner to have even better parentage and ability than him, then she thinks there could be no one else than that aside from the royal family. If her family hears of this, they would all be completely surprised.

Albert mentioned it was a marriage of convenience, but when talking about a real, true marriage of convenience, then this marriage would bring no benefit to him. Corinna's Cinderella story.

Though the only thing that Albert wants is Corinna's hands.

That's right, just her hands.

As a woman, that would be sad, right? But Corinna didn't think so. These hands of hers was the only power that only she possessed. She wanted to be helpful to others, currently working with utmost effort as a court lady with her own power. But as Corinna thought, her want of being helpful to someone with these hands was strong. She thought about that often whenever she spent time with Albert. Which is why she's extremely happy that he wants her hands. She liked his appearance, she liked his personality– How is it any different from that? Albert wants these hands of hers. He said there was nothing scary about Corinna's hands.

That was the best proposal for Corinna.

Corinna doesn't rank people's lives and worth. For a noble, this was an unusual way of thinking, but that is what Corinna thought. For people stuck in bed with illnesses, or working at the forefront of influencing the country — there was really no difference to her. She thought it would be nice for someone to want her hands from the bottom of their heart.

She thought so. But even so.

But even so, for a person who is pivotal and works at the forefront of this country, for a person whose work can influence this country's politics — if she's able to be of help to such an amazing person, wouldn't this be wonderful? Corinna honestly thought.

She always thought so since long ago, whenever she watched her brother sleeping. That there was no job that was able to utilize her hands effectively.

If I can use my hands to help someone who carries this country on their back, wouldn't this be an effective way of using them?

That night, Corinna gazed at her own hands for quite some time.

"To be useful to the country, huh…"

To be of use to Lord Heres.

If that's the case, then there was no reason for Corinna to reject him. On that night, Corinna had decided.

I'll support him. She doesn't know how useful she'll be, but Corinna will support Albert who supports the country. Albert had said that he needed Corinna's powers. A smart person who is smarter than Corinna could imagine concluded such.

Corinna could only follow.

*

The next day, Albert appeared where Corinna was– in the small room, her heart beating fast, wondering Is Lord Heres going to come? and this time, it was Corinna who first talked and said: "About marrying, I would like to accept."

For a moment, Albert's eyes went wide open, and in the next moment smiled, looking happy and making Corinna's heart thump. Albert is 10 years older than her, but there were times his smile looked like that of a boy's. Usually, he would only make a difficult expression when he's at work, but when he's with Corinna, his calm appearance made her heart beat.

"I see, I'm glad. I shall be counting on you from here on out."

"Yes…"

He held out his hand, and she timidly held it. To Corinna who was estranged from love, she thought, Isn't this somewhat weird for a man and a woman to handshake after deciding to marry? but she let it be without saying out loud. Like with yesterday's proposal, she knew that even Albert, who could do his job, was a considerably rough person when he talks about love. Corinna wasn't particularly someone who dreams of love, so she doesn't have any complaints about that part of Albert but she worried that some women might get angry.

At the same time, Corinna is already going to be marrying Albert so she realized there was no problem since she didn't fall in love with somebody else, and for the first time, Corinna's true feelings about the marriage gushed forth. When it did so, her face suddenly felt hot.

I'll be marrying this person in front of me. Thinking that embarrassed her, and Corinna slightly moved her gaze from Albert's face.

"If that's what you've decided, then I would need to greet your family. We would have to do the same to my family. I apologize, but since we wouldn't be getting much of a break, I would like to do it all at once so when would be a good time for you?"

"I will leave it to your convenience, Lord Heres."

She thought He's in a hurry, it seems but when she thought of how busy Albert was, she figured it couldn't be helped.

"Uhm, when we marry, where shall I be staying then?"

When she asked the matter she worried about the most, Albert slightly raised his brows.

"It would be my house then…"

"That's true…"

The Heres house is a famous noble family. Moreover, Albert is the heir. Since she'll become his wife, it was common sense that she'll be marrying into the Heres house. Is that going to be okay? Corinna breathed a sigh at her biggest worry.

"Uhm, as a noble lady, I don't have much confidence in…"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. We're of a military lineage. Our manners are sloppy, and we don't particularly live gaudily. Rather, I would like to apologize to you instead."

"I see…"

Corinna was slightly relieved. Seeing as she was someone who was raised with almost no knowledge of tea parties nor evening parties, she was grateful for Albert's words.

"I've also only gone back home once this whole week, but when you start living at home, I'll come back everyday."

"…Thank you very much."

As for Albert, he might have said such because of his objective, the rest given by her hands, but if the listener was somebody else, then they would have seemed like wonderful, sweet words. Corinna's face turned slightly red again.

"You live here in the Royal Palace, right?"

"Yes, in the court ladies' residences. My house is slightly far to commute from. Though I do go back whenever I have a day off."

"I see. This might be too sudden, but are you free tomorrow morning? If it's tomorrow, I might be able to make some time."

Tomorrow!? Isn't that too fast!? Corinna retorted deep down, but obediently replied, "I understand. I shall send my family a forewarning then." Albert said, satisfied, "After we go to your house, we'll go to mine. I'll also tell my family." Even though she thought, this is developing too quickly, Corinna earnestly thought things might get settled with this kind of speed if she were to become as excellent as him. It seems his subordinate have it rough as well. Somehow, she felt regretful that it became natural for them to easily handle their job at this speed.

Corinna decided in her heart, When we marry, I'll become a good wife, allowing Albert to rest as much as possible.

After that, it had turned into a storm1.

After talking about the first stage, Albert immediately brought Corinna with him, walking inside the Royal Palace. It was a place that Corinna couldn't quite enter as she was still a newcomer. Corinna prudently decided to entrust everything to Albert.

When Albert opened a luxurious door with no hesitation, he called out to Henry who was inside the room. In the prince's presence, Corinna stayed quiet, and only followed behind Albert.

"Your Highness, this is Corinna Land. I've decided to marry her, so give me a bit of personal time off tomorrow evening."

When Albert said that, Henry let out a shocked voice, "It's already been decided, huh?" The eyes of the other guards and civil officers inside the room turned wide open at Vice Minister Heres's sudden marriage announcement.

"Wow, congrats. Corinna Land, right? Albert doesn't really have an ounce of emotion in him, but he's not a bad guy so I'll leave him to you."

Corinna curled into herself, and bowed when the prince addressed her. She thought, Is it okay to let the Royal Palace know before informing my parents? but then continued, If Albert is fine with it, then that's fine and entrusted to him how things should go. With that in mind, rather than saying Albert was extremely reliable, he seemed more the type to quickly act before deciding have been decided, so it might be best to just follow along without saying anything from here on out, Corinna felt she had already grasped the secrets of wedded life. That put Corinna at ease, so it seemed her compatibility with Albert wasn't bad.

Corinna only slightly bowed when they finished reporting to Albert's superiors, and Albert also stood ahead of her when they reported to her superiors.

It was expected for Corinna's superiors and coworkers to be surprised, but because everyone thought Albert was the one she had been meeting up with, they blessed them with "We're happy for you. Isn't this great?"

Having finished reporting everything to the Royal Palace that day, Albert, who had been willfully proceeding things along, seemed to be in a good mood. Corinna was slightly relieved as she took a sidelong glance at him. Maybe Albert was a smart yet simple man, or whose mood is easy to understand. I might be able to easily get along with this person, for the first time today, Corinna was relieved.

"I'll arrange for a carriage tomorrow. Since we'll be going to your house, let's meet up at 8am. I have to finish things up at work so I'll excuse myself for today."

"Understood."

While watching Albert's retreating back as he quickly walked back to the Royal Palace, Corinna smiled slightly. She had sent a forewarning, so right about now, a huge uproar might be happening in her home right about now.