Ekaterina was just a little taken aback that he was speaking to a stranger in such a nice tone while his own daughter was imprisoned. Though she didn’t care much about what her father, whom she had never met, had to say about it.
The reason she felt a little tingle in her chest is because Ekaterina feels sorry for her mother. That was all there was to it, so there was no need to worry.
“Good girl. Come on, let’s go to the balcony now. The fireworks are about to start. –Danielle, my legal counsel. You’ve done me a great favor.”
“Thank you, Your highness.”
With a rather refreshing smile, the lawyer bowed.
“Alexei-sama!”
Keira exclaimed, rushing over to Alexei.
“Please, please, say that you will take me as your wife! I have always been in love with you. I have only ever wanted to live with you. You are the only one for me. Please accept my single-mindedness!”
Alexei looked at Keira, then back at his sister. Then he covered his sister with his back.
He then coldly stated.
“You are not qualified. If you can’t even get into a magic academy, you can’t possibly become a duchess.”
With a jolt, Keira stopped moving.
Keira was the same age as Ekaterina, but they had never met at the Academy of Magic. In other words, Keira had never been enrolled at the academy.
The Magic Academy admitted all the people of the Kingdom who had enough magical power to meet its requirements. In other words, Keira’s magic power was determined to be below the standard by the measurement.
Surprised and doubtful voices came from all over the hall. The Novadines must have pretended that Keira had been admitted to the Academy of Magic.
Keira shouted in desperation.
“No, it was a conspiracy! Someone who was envious that I was Uncle’s favorite falsified the measurements! My uncle understood that, which is why he made me your betrothed!”
“And the result is that letter.”
Keira paled as Alexei spoke quietly.
Alexandre must have told her that he believed that she had the magical power to fulfill the regulations. That must have been a great source of strength for her.
If she had dreamed of marrying Alexei and becoming a duchess since she was a child, it must have been a great shock to be judged as lacking in magical power.
But she, and her father, were not the kind of people who would have despaired because of that. They would have been overjoyed when Alexandre gave them that letter after pleading with him.
It was, in fact, only an illusion.
No wonder Keira staggered. Everything that was supposed to have been given to her had been drowned out just as she was about to grab it.
“…No, this is not the reason.”
Alexei shook his head. It was not out of consideration for Keira, but rather for his aide, Novak, who had no magical power. As a lord, he should not decide to close a person’s future based on the presence or absence of magical power in front of his subjects.
In the past, he might not have shown this kind of consideration.
“I do not want you. I am the Duke of Yurinova, and I judge that you will not bring good things to the dukedom. I doubt that a woman who would cause such a commotion in front of the guests invited to the feast is fit to be a duchess.”
Clear and convincing, Alexei’s words were met with nods from many. It was insane to unilaterally announce an engagement, a contract between houses, in such a forum.
