Chapter 4

　　"As I’ve said before," Curtis repeated, his voice smooth as silk, "I have a partner I have promised to marry. She is not an ordinary noblewoman, which is why Your Majesty is unaware of her."

　　"Not an ordinary noblewoman, you say?" A predatory smile touched the king’s lips. "Surely you don’t mean to say she’s a commoner?"

　　The Grand Duke arched an eyebrow. "Why do you ask? Your Majesty, you sound as if you’re hoping my partner is a commoner."

　　"Hahaha!" The king let out a booming, artificial laugh. He slapped his knee, playing the part of a benevolent ruler. "Of course not! I merely wondered if you had forgotten the laws of Ivanes. You are aware, are you not, that marrying beneath one’s station leads to the forfeiture of one’s title?"

　　Marrying beneath one’s station. The Grand Duke’s reply was dismissive. "I understand it to be a law that has become largely symbolic with time."

　　"But it remains in the law books," the king countered, his tone hardening. "And the marriage of royalty is a serious matter." Yet his words were coated in honey. "Of course, if the woman you love is a commoner, I will respect your choice. I will ensure you have a grand wedding, no matter who she is."

　　Not a single person in the room was foolish enough to mistake the king’s words for genuine kindness. By now, even Chloe, a mere junior noble, understood his objective.

　　He wants to strip Grand Duke Berk of his succession rights.

　　As the king’s younger half-brother, Grand Duke Berk had taken the conventional path for a second son: he’d declared no interest in the throne and joined the military. The problem was, he possessed a genius for it, much like the legendary warrior-kings of Ivanes’s past. The current king, however, was no conqueror. He was a man who had likely never felt so much as a speck of dirt beneath his feet. His son, Crown Prince Frederick, was well-liked but was hardly the type to distinguish himself on the battlefield.

　　Naturally, public affection gravitated toward the war hero, Grand Duke Berk, whose tragic childhood only added to his mystique. A handsome man touched by misfortune—people always loved a good story. The king’s jealousy was an open secret. Rumor had it that every time the Grand Duke was hailed as a hero, a servant in the palace paid the price.

　　So, the king’s talk of marrying a commoner was a calculated move. In old Ivanes, such a marriage was a grave offense for a member of a ruling family, punishable by the loss of one’s title. The law was now considered archaic, a relic of a bygone era.

　　Oh, dear. Looks like he’s going on that matchmaking date after all, Chloe calculated. The Grand Duke claimed to have a fiancée, but the Royal Guard’s overtime logs proved that was a lie. With the king pushing this hard, a vague claim of "there’s someone" wouldn’t be enough to stop him. I don’t know who you are, but good luck to the woman who marries that man.

　　It was then that a smooth voice cut through her thoughts. "Did you hear that, Warrant Officer Amboise?"

　　Chloe flinched and looked up. Her beautiful, infuriating superior was looking down at her, a smile playing on his lips. Why did the Royal Guard’s ominous legend suddenly echo in her mind?

　　"If Brigadier General Berk is expressionless, you’re either screwed, or you’re not."

　　"But if Brigadier General Berk is annoyed, you’re screwed."

　　"And if Brigadier General Berk smiles, you are well and truly fucked."

　　And right now, Brigadier General Berk was smiling at her.

　　A cold sweat broke out on her skin. What is it? Why do I suddenly feel like I’m fucked?

　　Chloe clenched her clammy hands and asked cautiously, "I… didn’t quite hear you, sir?" Her tone implied, In this particular drama, is there any reason for a minor supporting character like myself to suddenly get fucked?

　　But she had forgotten. Her superior, Brigadier General Berk, was a man who could fuck people over without any reason at all.

　　Curtis’s smile widened. He reached out and gently caressed her cheek.

　　Chloe’s eyes widened in shock at the sudden, inappropriate contact. Unfazed, he turned back to the king.

　　"Chloe Amboise," he announced. "My lover. We got into a relationship recently. Three months ago, to be specific."

　　What is this nonsense? Chloe blurted out, "Me?"

　　Without even glancing at her, the man added, "Her slight dim-witted nature is part of her charm."

　　Even in her state of utter bewilderment, one thought rose above the rest. I’m going to kill him.

　　Of course, Chloe wasn’t the only one who was stunned.

　　"What?" the king demanded, his eyes bulging. "What are you talking about? That…"

　　"If you did not understand my meaning, allow me to repeat myself."

　　For the first time in her life, Chloe felt a profound sense of solidarity with the king. She fully understood his sputtering disbelief, as she herself was on the verge of fainting from the absurdity of it all. The reverse, however, was not true. The king could never comprehend the depth of her current predicament. He was a king, a man above all others. He didn’t have a superior he fantasized about murdering. And had the king ever, in his entire life, had his boss suddenly declare him his fiancée?

　　Well, the king doesn’t have a boss, so… that’s not the point!

　　The Grand Duke continued his performance, utterly unfazed. "I was, in fact, aware of the marriage proposal from Glintland. That is why I brought her with me. I have asked my adjutant, Chloe Amboise, to become the master of my soul."

　　She recognized the phrase at once—an old, poetic term the men of Ivanes used to refer to their wives.

　　"Sir…" Chloe said, her voice trembling. Is this some new form of punishment? she tried to convey, desperately hoping he would understand.

　　Curtis glanced down at her. In contrast to her rising panic, his cold violet eyes were as placid as ever. "My apologies, Warrant Officer Amboise. I did not intend to reveal our relationship so suddenly, in front of so many people."

　　"What is this…" What do you mean, you didn’t! Unless you’ve confused the words ‘adjutant’ and ‘wife,’ you’d better start explaining yourself right now! And stop ruining my marriage prospects!

　　She was about to grab him by the collar, but as she opened her mouth, the look in his eyes stopped her cold. For in their violet depths, she saw a turmoil she had never witnessed in her three months of service. A casual observer might have seen nothing but his usual cold indifference. But Chloe was his adjutant. It had only been three months, but in that time, she had spent nearly every waking moment by his side. She couldn’t help but notice.

　　And just like that, the panic that had consumed her began to recede. So, right now…

　　Just as she was trying to process the situation, he spoke. "I’ll explain everything later. For now, just play along." The words were a barely audible whisper, the low ventriloquism of a war-hardened soldier, spoken without moving his lips.

　　Chloe flinched, her mouth falling slightly open. But there was a problem. As a former navy officer with no combat experience, she didn’t know how to perform ventriloquism. And with the king’s eyes boring into them, she couldn’t risk whispering back.

　　So, Chloe spoke slowly and clearly. "…I am incredibly flustered right now, Your Highness. Marriage, you say?" Her words were loud enough for the king and the surrounding nobles to hear, and their meaning was clear: You’ve got to be kidding me.

　　As she spoke, she watched him cautiously, wondering if her message had been received. To her astonishment, Curtis Sean Berk understood her perfectly.

　　"That’s understandable, Chloe," he said softly, then gently took her sweaty hand in his.

　　Chloe screamed internally. He’s holding my hand?! Anyone who has ever had a superior they wanted to murder would understand her horror. That man is holding my hand! Aaargh! And I just realized, he called me by my first name! Not my last name! My first name!

　　But instead of contemplating homicide as a valid reason for discharge, Chloe forced herself to regain her composure and scan her surroundings. She had survived three months as Curtis Sean Berk’s adjutant not just because of her slave contract and 400 percent incentive, but because she possessed an exceptional ability to assess a situation. She understood clearly that her superior had chosen her as a shield to deflect the king’s forced matchmaking.

　　However, simply playing along was another matter entirely. Marriage? Are you out of your mind? she thought, glaring at him as he held her hand.

　　Curtis narrowed his eyes, then brought her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles before whispering again, "I will grant you anything you want."

　　Chloe’s fingers twitched. The young war hero, ever the strategist, didn’t miss a beat.

　　"A special promotion," he murmured, his voice low and urgent. "Incentives. A new assignment."

　　"Brigadier General…"

　　But Curtis didn’t wait for her to finish. He turned back to the king and announced loudly, "How pitiful. Please understand my fiancée’s confusion. She is a timid and delicate woman."

　　He’s lying through his teeth, Chloe thought, dumbfounded.

　　Ignoring her, Curtis spoke again, his voice loud enough for her to hear every word. "Even when I confessed my love, she agonized for days over our difference in status. This situation must be even more bewildering for her."

　　Oh. So that’s the story we’re going with.

　　But the king was no fool. His initial shock gave way to sharp suspicion. "Do not lie to me, Grand Duke. It is obvious you are using your adjutant to evade your duty simply because she happens to be a woman."

　　Of course. Anyone who wasn’t a complete idiot could see that.

　　But Curtis replied with shameless audacity. "And why would you think that?"