A Marriage of Convenience /The Marriage Business

Ch.82

As soon as Yvonne spoke, the sound of metal falling inside the tent could be heard. There was no response, so Bianca thought they might not have heard her. Just as Bianca was about to tell Yvonne to announce her once again, the tent entrance rustled and opened.

At the tent entrance, Zachary, dressed in armor, looked at Bianca with puzzled eyes.

Bianca felt embarrassed because his eyes didn't seem happy.

Zachary sighed and observed Bianca carefully.

"How did you get here?"

"How did I get here? I simply walked here."

Bianca felt a little hurt by the lack of hospitality.

Of course, she expected to be welcomed. Much has changed during this time. Bianca smiled and approached Zachary with relaxed steps, pretending to be as calm as possible.

Fortunately, Zachary didn't send her back. When Zachary leaned over her head and lifted the tent entrance to make it easier to enter, Bianca entered the tent with a small sigh of relief.

The feeling of the cold armor brushing against her shoulder was unfamiliar to her.

Yvonne, who knew what Bianca intended to do, waited outside the tent without entering.

"Gaspard is not with you today... Did something happen?"

"What could happen being so close to you?"

What could happen? Something significant. However, Bianca responded with the least expression possible.

The tent servants looked at Bianca, surprised, and tilted their heads. They were the ones assisting Zachary in putting on the armor.

Bianca waved her hand at them lightly. It wasn't a story others shouldn't hear, but it wasn't a story she wanted to tell either. To be honest, she was a little embarrassed to do something she had never done before.

When the servants left the tent at Bianca's order, only Zachary and Bianca remained in the tent.

Zachary's appearance in armor was unfamiliar to her. When he returned from war, she saw him from a distance, but it was almost the first time she saw him up close. She must have seen him a couple of times when she was younger, but she couldn't remember.

The armor was made of iron down to the seams, so it should be quite heavy, but Zachary seemed familiar and comfortable in it. In fact, the current arch of his eyebrows was more steady than when he wore silk and velvet clothes.

His silver-gray hair fell naturally over his eyebrows, which were more softly curved than usual. His silver armor was polished to a shine, and on top of it, he wore a black surcoat adorned with the coat of arms of House Arno. The knight of legend looked like this, and his appearance in armor was even sacred.

As Bianca stared at Zachary, Zachary asked,

"Did something happen until now? Not in the stands."

"... I remembered something I forgot this morning."

Bianca, who had just regained her senses, responded slowly. Zachary, wondering what Bianca had forgotten, raised an eyebrow.

Bianca put her hand on her arms. The fingertips holding the handkerchief trembled slightly. The conversation she had with Sauveur before coming here passed through Bianca's mind.

"Sir Robert is worried that Madam might refuse the tournament roses."

"He worries about every little thing. If he's so concerned, wouldn't it be better not to give me the rose?"