The Arranged Suitor Was the Kidnapper

The Rohan mansion was bustling from the wee hours.

The servants woke up earlier than usual and cleaned every nook and cranny.

“The windows.”

“It’s like a mirror.”

“What about floor cleaning?”

“It’s polished so much that the Grand Duke could slip.”

The servants’ expressions were so serious that they looked determined.

The knights of the Rohan family were no different. They appeared armed from the morning and even carried swords.

They whispered among themselves, shouting ‘Down with the Grand Duke!’

While everyone was busy, Laria had the most leisurely time.

She wanted to dress up because they had guests, but the family kept interfering.

“You can’t be too pretty.”

“The Grand Duke might fall for you again.”

What does that even mean?

She couldn’t understand why her family was acting like this.

She wanted to wear the dress Zenox gave her as a gift, but the family’s interference made her wear something casual.

Honestly, she thought it was no different from pajamas, but the family wasn’t satisfied.

“Don’t you have anything less beautiful?”

“…Then should I go out in my pajamas?”

At Laria’s words, the three jumped up. If she showed something too intimate, they said he might misunderstand.

While they were looking for a way to make Laria look bad, they all sighed in the end.

“Our little fox will still look lovely even in rags…”

“Is it a problem that she was born beautiful?”

The Count and Countess shook their heads.

Herdin, who was standing with his arms crossed, gave a suggestion.

“You like wearing robes, right? Wear that.”

When Laria glared at him, Herdin shut his mouth. But he still didn’t give up and brought a strange, big hat, but he was eventually chased out of the room.

Except for Laria, everyone was busy, and time flew by.

The sun, which had risen late, was now directly overhead. When the clock pointed exactly to noon, everyone, including the Rohan family’s servants, came out to the mansion’s entrance.

‘How did it come to this…’

Laria, feeling a headache, sneakily glanced at Herdin.

It was all because of him.

-I’d like to formally apologize and invite you to the Rohan mansion.

It was an unexpected invitation without discussion.

But Zenox seemed to expect it and accepted the invitation smoothly.

When Laria returned home, she told her parents.

She thought they would scold Herdin, but they nodded and said it was a good thing.

-We couldn’t have a proper conversation at that time. Your father even fainted.

If they were meeting seriously, it was natural to introduce him to the family.

She couldn’t say anything because it made sense.

‘If it were me, I’d probably do the same…’

If Herdin suddenly said he was dating someone, she would want to meet them. She would be curious about who in their right mind would date Herdin.

In the midst of the silence, a knight with keen vision said:

“He’s here.”

The solemn words brought a sense of tension.

Laria, who became serious in response, clenched her fist without realizing it.

A long time after the knight spoke, Laria finally saw the carriage. But as it got closer, I felt something was strange.

‘Is it… a carriage?’

It was too large to be called a carriage; it seemed like a small house was approaching.

Moreover, there were three such carriages.

“It looks like they brought many people from their side.”

“Of course…”

At Rodit’s words, Count Rohan nodded.

“Today, we will never back down.”

Upon Rodit’s declaration, the Countess patted his shoulder.

To any observer, it might look like they were preparing for a duel.

Considering the family’s demeanor, it seemed they had called Zenox to catch him in the act. It was strange for them, who disliked Zenox, to allow the engagement…

‘Surely they didn’t call to break up?’

Considering the circumstances thus far, it seemed like a possibility.

A carriage bearing the emblem of the Krassium family stopped in front of the entrance. Everyone swallowed at the imposing sight of the carriage.

A finely dressed coachman opened the door of the first carriage.

Between the opened doors, slender fingers appeared and grabbed the door.

Swiftly rising, Zenox resembled a giant wolf.

Everyone was silent at the sight of Zenox under the blinding midday sun.

Holding a bouquet in one hand, Zenox looked at the line of Count Rohan’s family.

Finally, his gaze landed on Laria.

Zenox smiled faintly as their eyes met.

“Thank you for inviting me.”

Despite the charming smile of the handsome man, the expressions of the people in the Rohan mansion turned even more grim.

Only the Count, seeing Zenox’s face for the first time, trembled with fear.

The Countess sent her trembling husband behind her, as if to protect him from danger.

Though, given the Count’s size, it looked more like a fox hiding behind a snake.

“Welcome, Your Excellency.”

In place of the Count, the Countess greeted with a stern face.

“But what are those carriages behind?”

“Ah.”

Zenox turned and gestured to the coachman.

“I couldn’t come empty-handed, so I brought some gifts.”

As the coachman opened the door, people began to pour out.

Knights from the Rohan family instinctively reached for their swords, but those who descended from the carriages looked like ordinary servants.

The servants Zenox brought began to unload and display gifts from inside the carriages.

Laria was stunned seeing the piles of boxes.

‘Is all that supposed to be gifts?’

She wasn’t the only one surprised.

The Rohan family also stood in astonishment.

Verdo, a butler from the Krassium family, handed a rolled piece of paper to the Countess.

“It’s a list of the gifts.”

When she untied the string, the paper rolled out to the floor.

Seeing the endless list, the Countess’s expression hardened.

“Perte Wine…?”

Even each of the individual gifts was extraordinary.

Perte was the most fertile region in the Empire, and wine made from its grapes was considered of the highest quality. In terms of weight, it was far more expensive than gold and very limited in quantity, mostly supplied only to the imperial family.

“Even the 30-year-old one?”

She had heard that there were only about twenty bottles from that drought year.

Given the passage of time, this might be the only remaining bottle from that year.

From behind the Countess, the timid Count sneakily peeked at the paper.

“Phoenix grass!”

He exclaimed, uncharacteristically loud.

Phoenix grass was a precious herb available only on the highest snow-covered mountain of the continent. Even the Count, who operated a herbal medicine business, had never seen it.

Laria, who had been listening to the list of gifts, thought:

‘Did he raid the imperial palace’s storeroom or what?’

It wasn’t just the sheer quantity, each item was of extraordinary value.

“I hope you like them, even though they may not be much.”

At Zenox’s words, the Rohan family exchanged glances.

To think he’d try to overpower with money.

They hadn’t expected this.

Indeed, he’s an unfortunate fellow.

Now they could communicate just by exchanging looks.

The Countess handed the paper to a servant.

“We appreciate the gifts, but please take them back when you leave.”

“Did you not like them?”

“They seem too extravagant for us to accept.”

Zenox scratched his cheek, looking troubled.

“I didn’t want to come empty-handed after receiving an invitation.”

“Then we will accept just one.”

Hoping to accept the least expensive gift and dismiss the rest, the Countess watched as Zenox thankfully smiled.

“In that case, I can only give you this.”

Zenox took a paper from Verdo and handed it to the Countess.

“I’ve already transferred the ownership.”

Ownership?

The Countess unfolded the paper with a puzzled look.

Upon reading, her face showed shock.

It was a deed to a vacation home in the southern resort.

“I thought it would be good for a family vacation home.”

Upon hearing this, Laria held her forehead.

‘Who gives a house as a visit gift…?’

Behind the stunned Rohan family, Zenox approached Laria.

He handed her the bouquet, the only thing he had been holding.

“Laria, you look beautiful today.”

Holding the bouquet, Laria was momentarily dazed by its scent.

Suddenly, tension filled her.

She had been a mere spectator until now, but from this point, she had to pretend to be affectionate with Zenox and deceive her family.

How do you pretend to be in love?

‘At least I shouldn’t act awkwardly. You would know if you’ve dated…’

After some contemplation, Laria decided she needed to do something.

When she looked at Zenox with intense eyes, he gave her a puzzled look.

“Thank you, Zenox.”

Laria hugged Zenox.

His body stiffened instantly.

Lifting her head, Laria looked at Zenox and smiled brightly.

“It’s always only you.”

Everyone present was shocked.