“Father! Aren’t you being too hard on her?”
Francis’s brow furrowed with Amelia’s appearance.
“…You’re out of line, Amelia.”
Amanda turned to Amelia and quickly shook her head. She didn’t want Amelia to alienate herself from their father. Amelia, however, did not heed Amanda’s objection and spoke her mind.
“My sister really loves the prince! Is it not enough to wish them a happy relationship?”
“Do you think one can be so light-hearted when in a relationship with the Crown Prince? If she wants to be married into the imperial family, how much Amanda loves does not matter. It’s purely a matter of whether His Highness the prince wants it or not.”
Francis’s voice had long since turned cold. Amanda knew her father’s expression well now. He was from a family of knights, and was one who fought for the crown rather than had done housework. At the moment Francis was not talking as Amanda’s father, but as a servant of Oliver, who would one day become emperor. And that was why Amanda was terribly upset…
Amelia spoke up again furiously.
“So what you’re saying that regardless of my sister’s heart, his mind matters only? Would they be in a relationship if they didn’t love each other? She wanted to tell the family!”
Francis looked at Amelia with an interested expression, then turned to Amanda.
“Is it true? Is he also interested in marriage?”
“…Yes. The prince said he’d come by the mansion in the future.”
Amelia hadn’t heard of this yet, and she turned towards Amanda. For a moment, both Francis and Amelia’s eyes were focused on her.
“He said he wanted to say hello to the family in person.”
Amelia looked surprised for a moment, then gathered herself and spoke in a triumphant voice towards Francis.
“See, I told you. Why wouldn’t he want her?”
Amanda turned to Francis, leaving outspoken Amelia’s words. She was more curious about something else.
“What is your opinion, Father? If I really were to marry the Crown Prince.”
This was not a marriage to another noble, but to the imperial family. What Francis thought was very important. If he objected, no matter how much Amanda would protest, she could not marry Oliver. That was the power of the head of a family among the nobles. There was also that prophecy of misfortune to consider.
Francis answered with no hesitation.
“Didn’t I say? If the wedding is what the prince wants, then you may proceed. It is the duty of a servant.”
Fortunately he didn’t oppose, but apart from that, Amanda’s feelings fell to an endless depth. Francis expressed no interest about his daughter’s happiness, what kind of man Oliver was, or how well she was being treated. Francis would have accepted this marriage, even if Oliver had a terrible personality. It wasn’t about whether she wanted this man or not. Her father was a faithful knight even at this moment.
“Now that we’re done talking, Amanda and I will go back.”
Francis hadn’t said they could leave yet, and Amelia’s comment was the height of presumption. He spoke disapprovingly.
“Amelia, do you behave like that to your father? Do it again and you’ll be in trouble.”
“…Huh.”
Amelia give a short huff, and then dragged Amanda by her hand out of the office. And so they walked down the hallway like that…
At one point, Amanda was completely overwhelmed with emotion. She felt a huge loss beyond words. It was not even comparable to when Layla was spreading false rumors, and the blade deeply embedded in her seemed to have torn the wound apart. Until now, her only purpose was to protect her family… and it felt like her purpose was rejected. Feeling concerned, Amelia stopped halfway and looked up at Amanda.
“Are you all right?”
“…Yes.”
But contrary to what she was saying, Amanda was trembling slightly.
“Sister, are you crying?”
Amanda shook her head. She immediately leaned over and hugged Amelia, who was shorter than she was. She desperately needed to feel her sister’s warmth.
“…I’m not crying.”
On her heart were ten million cuts and she hadn’t cried…So today she did not let her tears fall.