Chapter 520
"?! D-dad!" — Shaken by the implies within his orders, wishing to oppose the decision, Marianne met the eyes of an already determined and strict Orland. Causing her to stutter and search for composture to reply to the unbothered duke.
"Yes?"
"... Was our talk not true? This decision looks as if you do not trust my judgment. And yet you say you trust me."
"... Marianne. I do trust it. However... do you believe I am ignorant of your cleverness?" — Seemingly playful his hand pinched the nose of his daughter, letting her know that as foolish as he could become for her... — "I was once young myself... do not think I lack awareness of what you two may do when courting each other."
"W-wh... d-dad what are you saying..."
"Just what I said. It is decided. Any complaints?"
"~?!... sigh... Father is wicked."
"I will take it as a compliment, my lovely bird."
As if a last warning, with a warm goodbye the duke left the daughter’s chambers, thinking to himself how even if appearing hast and extreme, the right choice and time it was to place a restriction on the young ones he knew could lose themselves in the rush of their hearts matters.
’It was now or never... had I done it later, a good occasion to make her lose some of this displeasure might not come around as soon as tomorrow itself...’ — Orland thought to himself hoping for the day to come to make amends of the harshness he had imposed today on his child.
The guards that had been summoned, however, remained in the company of the Lady... as if immediately putting into practice the orders and warnings from their Master although it was the scene they witnessed that left them frozen.
The eyes of the lady had watched resigned to the decision, the departure of her father and even before the stunned men turned back to look at her, the eyes of Marianne were already on the two.
"... Perhaps we could converse a little?" — She said with a soft sound and a sorry demeanour. Placing the oddity of this recent exchange behind to focus on what could be gained from it. — "I would like to hear a little more about the hazards you went through... for, now that you are knowledgable of my voice, I should take it upon myself to inform you what may have caused you all that hazard."