I Picked Up a Witch With Amnesia

5. A Conflict Named Desire – 06

“…engagement?”

For a moment, I couldn’t understand what Bianca was talking about. No, my head was refusing to understand what Bianca was saying. engagement? I mean, the engagement between a man and a woman that promises future marriage? The engagement I once had with Sarah?

Raise your head. In my vision, Bianca’s figure with her ears dyed red came into my eyes. In an instant, seeing Bianca like that, I felt a strange feeling, ‘This nasty girl also had such a cute side’.

The next moment, I had a double-headed delusion of really getting engaged to Bianca. At the engagement ceremony, they put rings on each other, smile lightly at each other, and then kiss each other, which can be called the highlight of the engagement ceremony-

‘…Damn it.’

I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. Even though he had been swearing at Bianca until just now, as soon as he heard the word ‘engagement’, he had the delusion that he was having an affair with her.

I quickly examine Bianca’s complexion. Fortunately, she wasn’t looking in my direction, but rather had her head down toward the ground. The lobes of her ears were so red that they looked like they would explode sooner or later. Bianca’s appearance was a clear indicator that she was feeling quite ashamed for speaking out about ‘engagement’ towards me.

‘…Mmm.’

As expected, it was clear that the talk about getting engaged that Bianca had just brought up was not about getting engaged for real. No, in the first place, there was no way that there could be a sweet story like ‘engagement’ between the Duke of Estel and the Marquis of Castana.

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Moreover, it was safe to assume that Bianca, who considered me less than a house dog, would want to be engaged to me. It is certainly. It seemed clear that this was Bianca’s most vicious plan to see me panic.

“…I don’t think they really want to get engaged. I guess you’re just pretending. Are my guesses wrong?”

Bianca’s expression hardened once, as if her heart had been pricked by my reasonable reasoning, and then she began to look at me with terrifying eyes. It was a fact that I was well aware of that people who were often hit on the spot usually reacted in this way.

“…smart? very smart Cain. You are right. Yeah, I didn’t really mean to get engaged. You made a very rational and sober judgment, Cain.”

“…..”

“…Whoa, yes. right. You and lies… yes. The reason for suggesting a fake engagement is very simple. It’s for the same reason as you were ordered by the emperor to hold an engagement ceremony with that foxy woman.”

“…?”

The engagement ceremony was held under the order of the emperor? Was I such a loyal servant? I heard from my father that the emperor was involved in my engagement, but wasn’t that literally just the level of arranging the engagement?

“Cain, can you please stop pretending to be stupid? Are you acting like that because you’re worried that I’ll run to the emperor and tell you everything? if not. Are you acting like that to make sure what the hell the Marquis of Castana know? If we’ve come this far, can’t we trust us a little?”

…No, I don’t understand what you’re talking about, so I’m just acting like this.

“The reason why a noble family with a deep history, such as the Duke of Estelle, became engaged to an aristocratic family, such as Count Cernard. Wasn’t that to catch the scruffs of the rats sneaking behind the scenes with Count Sernard as their signboard?”

“…a rat?”

“Yes, an unknown group whose name, identity, and purpose are unknown. We know it too well. About the fact that for the past 20 years, the Duke of Estelle has been struggling to uncover their identities. It is also that he was faithful to his role to lure them to the point of enduring all sorts of ridicule and shame that he was a phantom and incompetent.”

“…..”

“And a few months ago, you partly caused a scandal to induce the breakup because you achieved more than a certain amount, right? Certainly, if you burrow into them more than necessary, you run the risk of being tracked back by them.”

…Some unknown group was hiding behind Count Cernard’s family? So to sum up Bianca’s words, Sarah and I were not just engaged, but part of a ruse to uncover their identities.

From what I’ve heard, Bianca’s claims were nothing more than cheap conspiracy theories on the streets. If it was usual, it would have been obvious that upon hearing such words, he would have snorted as nonsense and then let it go through one ear.

…Unfortunately, however, I was unable to refute Bianca’s claim. Because the moment I heard Bianca’s words, something passed through my head.

[…Cain, that’s great. It’s a curse that even most wizards don’t notice.]

[The engagement ring I gave you is very precious, so don’t you lose it?]

Sarah wished to entrust herself to the Duke of Estelle. An unknown curse dwelling in her body. And the strange ring she gave me as a gift. All of that, combined with what Bianca had just said to me, was drawing a conclusion.

“…..”

As I gently bit my lower lip, unable to hide my bewildered eyes, Bianca nodded softly as she looked at my face and wondered if she was misunderstanding.

“Looking at your expression, it looks like I hit the point. But don’t worry. The Castana Marquis also wants to find out what their identities are. The engagement I mentioned just now is only an extension of that story.”

Only then did I begin to have a vague idea of what Bianca was talking about.

“…So, the reason you asked me to get engaged…”

Was it meant to put on a play to uncover the identities of the bastards behind Count Sernard’s family?

“right. It’s quite disgraceful, but recently I’ve noticed the movement that they’ve infiltrated deep into the Castana marquis family. But I couldn’t figure out who the traitor was or how far they had penetrated. This is only speculation, but it seems that there is a traitor in the family who has colluded with them. That’s why I definitely felt the need to pull them out of their burrows.”

Bianca can’t hide her laughter as she giggles at the thought of what will happen in the future. Looking at this Bianca like that, I realized once again that this woman is a girl with a not so good personality.

“I know nothing else about the habits of rats. If it’s for their own gain, those bastards who are going crazy and trying to devour our flesh metallurgically, won’t they at least just watch, arm in arm, about you and my engagement?”

“…Especially, in this situation where the huge amount of 20% of the net profit from Kittelen ore is flowing directly to the Estel family, isn’t it?”

“right. That’s correct. You’re pretty quick-witted, Cain?”

“…..”

Certainly, it seemed hard to find a better way to get the rats out of their burrows than this. The union of the two families that have been at odds for a thousand years, and the enormous interests that secretly come and go between the two families. As Bianca said, if they were in a situation where they secretly infiltrated the Castana marquis family, it would be clear that they would react to this unexpected situation in their own way.

I flicked the abacus lightly in my head. It didn’t seem like it would be a bad business if he could solve the mystery related to Sarah at the cost of a brief play. If I could clear one debt to the Castana marquis family, it would be an even better deal.

“…Bianca. Before that, there is something I want to ask you.”

“What do you want to ask? What?”

“If I were to be betrothed to you, what would it be…”

“…that, what?”

“Do I have to act to look like a lover to those around me? No matter how you think about it…”

I think it might be a crowd. No matter how hard I tried to think of good and kind thoughts, just looking at Bianca’s face would bring back the beautiful memories I had accumulated with her in the past.

“Well, that’s true… but can you stop worrying about trivial things like that? I’ll take care of everything, so you just need to bring your body. Did you understand?”

“…..”

I’m already worried about whether I’ll really be able to play the role of this girl’s fiancé. No, thinking about it, I didn’t accept the girl’s proposal in the first place to create a situation where we were alone. It was all the result of my karma, so I was lamenting the reality that I couldn’t just complain.

“…great. Before I answer your suggestion, I want to ask you one more question.”

“There are a lot of questions about today. Yes, tell me.”

Seeing Bianca’s expression that she would answer anything she could answer, I asked a question about the sense of incongruity that had filled my head ever since I read the letter from the Marquis of Castana.

“Kitelen ore that was found in the fault zone, is that real?”

Yes. A rare ore that was suddenly found in the border area between the two families. No matter what he thought or what assumptions he made, the existence of the ore could not be explained at all. Do you think it makes sense that an ore that was not found before the return pops out of nowhere in this life?

“Huh, sharp, Cain.”

To my question, Bianca answered me with a smile on her lips as if she were genuinely happy.

“Your guess is correct. it’s fake But I can’t say it’s completely fake. Because the fault zone is actually buried with chitelene ore. However, the difficulty is that the purity is so low that it is not worth mining.”

“…..”

…was it like that? If that’s the case, the fact that he shuddered at something rather than sending an envoy from the Marquis of Castana and discussing the profitability of ore was nothing more than a play to bring them out.

“Then, were all the rumors about giving 20% of the profits a mouthful?”

“then. Are you really worried that we’ll take the money? At least I want you to know that I have no intention of doing that.”

After saying that, Bianca spread out two fingers and waved them in front of me.

“I’ll give you 20% of the net profit from the sale of artifacts from the Castana Marquess family this year. What do you think?”

“In return, will you pretend to be your fiancée?”

“right. Do you think it’s a good deal for you? As a Marquis of Castana, this is a proposal that I prepared for a considerable amount of blood loss.”

…Certainly, receiving that kind of money for a few plays was quite a profitable business.

“Hmmm, it seems that they decided to catch them. What kind of damage did they inflict on the Castana marquis family, so they came out so hard?”

For me, it was nothing more than a simple question thrown without much thought. But at that moment, I didn’t miss the sharp glare from Bianca’s eyes.

“You’re asking that as a question? Those rats want you to…”

“…you?”

At my question, Bianca momentarily put on an expression of regret.

“…No, forget it. It’s nothing. This is just a personal matter. So, will you accept my offer or not?”

…What was it? I was quite concerned about Bianca’s unspoken words from earlier, but I felt that I shouldn’t be hasty in asking questions. As Bianca said, it was clear that there was something personal involved.

“Okay, I will accept your offer. Then, what specifically should I do?”

To my question, Bianca gave an answer as if she had waited.

“Two weeks from now, you can visit the Marquis of Castana. The official business is the engagement ceremony. We’ll finish the detailed preparations here, so you don’t have to worry about anything.”

“I like it because it’s so simple.”

“Isn’t it? It’s a very simple thing. We can do it well. I’ve known you since I was little. It’s no big deal to pretend to be a lovable fiancé to suit you.”

With that said, Bianca turns away from me.

“Then see you in two weeks. My one and only fiancé in the world, Cain von Estel. and…”

“my love.”