The Villain is Being Suspiciously Kind - Chapter 114

Chapter 114

Citrina was quickly back to her normal routine.
But here, there were some people who took the ‘marriage debacle’ very seriously.
One of them was Princess Iana.
‘It’s a sparkling, beautiful and happy day today. I’d better get started with my mission quickly.’
With a resolute heart, I set forth!
She stopped in front of the knights’ training grounds.
Iana was standing by the window and looking out into the training grounds.
She peered inside. For today’s work, the ladies-in-waiting had been sent away.
‘My father the king wants Duke Desian Pietro’s hand in marriage, so quickly, we must cement Citrina’s relationship with Desian.’
As a third party, Iana had few options.
So she decided to join Aaron.
She had to focus: right now, in this moment, reverently, with all her heart.
In this moment, right now, her goal was clear.
‘Let’s see. Lord Aaron Pietro, where are you?’
Iana’s hawk-like eyes swept the room.
It had never been her goal to meet the handsome, athletic, and swoon-worthy knights, but her gaze kept lingering on them, making it a little difficult to find Aaron.

“Your Highness?”
“…Ah.”
Iana was looking for Aaron when someone spoke up beside her, a rookie knight guarding the front of the training grounds. He was a cute-looking fellow. Iana’s heart melted slightly, ever so slightly.
“Is there something I can help you with?”
“It’s nothing.”
Everyone knew that the princess had completed the knight academy with flying colors, so it was only natural that she would be interested in the training grounds.
Of course, Iana’s conscience prickled as she realized that she had come to the training grounds for an impure purpose.
‘It looks weird, doesn’t it?’
Iana brought her fan up to her mouth and smiled beautifully.
“I’m here to see Lord Aaron Pietro.”
“…Shall I call him, Your Highness?”
“Yeah.”
The knight seemed to wonder why the princess had come to see Aaron.
She smiled at him a bit boldly.

“Ah, please show him to the parlor at the back of the training grounds.”
“Ah, yes. Understood.”
Iana spoke up when the knight seemed a little hesitant.
“I’m an academy colleague. I’m here to give him something.”
It would be an unexpected visit for Aaron.
But Iana was confident.
Aaron would love the news she had to share!

Iana wasn’t wrong. Aaron had just stepped off the practice floor, sweat beading on his forehead, and she could tell he was a little taken aback when he saw her.
They’d never met, never seen each other, never had anything to do with each other. That would change from now on.
Iana chuckled at Aaron.
“Lord Aaron Pietro.”
“Yes.”
“You’re probably wondering why I’m here.”
Iana looked at him with worry in her eyes. Aaron replied bluntly.
“Yes.”
“Hm, him. Well, I know you care about Citrina like she’s family.”

At the mention of Citrina, Aaron’s round eyes turned fierce. One might as well have been Duke Desian Pietro’s brother, they were similar in this regard.
Unrefined words flowed from Aaron’s mouth.
“…Your Highness, I’m not sure why you’re so interested in Citrina.”
It was like a sharp thorn.
‘I like this attitude. It should be exactly like this!’
Iana smiled with satisfaction.
The men of Duke Pietro’s household were protecting Citrina with the sensitivity of a baby bird.
Very, very satisfying.
She hoped they would continue to be so vigilant in the future, to ward off any danger that might befall Citrina.

“That’s a good attitude, but I’m an ally, so I’d like you to relax your guard.”
“Did you say ally?”
Aaron’s guard seemed to drop a notch, or maybe not. Feeling nervous, Iana decided to get straight to the point.
“So, you are aware that the marriage talk that has been going around between me and Duke Pietro has already been broken off?”
“Yes. I knew that.”
Iana looked at him with interest.
“It’s been clearly broken with the agreement of myself and Duke Pietro. And it seems like Duke Pietro intends to marry Citrina.”
“…It’s a family matter, Your Highness.”
Iana crossed her arms at Aaron’s firm stance. Iana decided to get down to the ‘real’ business.

“I want you and Citrina to be a real family.”
“Did you say a real family?”
“That’s right.”
Aaron began to react to the phrase real family. It was just as Iana expected.
Iana recalled the banquet not long before. She remembered Aaron’s warm, caring eyes on Citrina. It was a similar temperature to the way the empress had looked at her, the way you look at a real family member.
“If Duke Pietro and Citrina marry, you and Citrina will become a real family, right?”
“… Bottom line, what are you talking about?”
“Citrina is also thinking about marriage.”

Princess Iana and Aaron’s eyes met in the air.
“How about it? Shall we give her a gentle push in the right direction?”
“Why do we have to think about that right now-”
“Because my father intends to keep pushing Duke Pietro into an arranged marriage. At least for the time being.”
Even if Iana wasn’t one of them, many of the emperor’s loyal retainers had daughters.
“Count Yuri’s Lady Tisha, perhaps. He’ll refuse, but he’ll keep making offers. He’ll refuse, but the emperor will keep making offers. Duke Pietro will refuse, but it’s only a matter of time before Citrina finds out.”
Duke Pietro would continue to refuse. But in the process, Citrina would continue to be hurt.
“I can’t see Citrina being hurt by Duke Pietro’s constant marriage talks.”
Aaron’s gaze snapped to hers. It was a gaze that seemed to detect whether Iana was sincere or not.
After a few seconds of staring, Aaron spoke up.

“Before we do that, are you suggesting we officially connect the two?”
“Exactly.”
“I’m going to do what makes Citrina happy.”
“That goes without saying, and I have no intention of forcing her into anything.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Iana laughed lightly at Aaron’s answer.
‘Have you ever seen a romance novel heroine get forced into marriage?’
“…Well, then, let’s get down to business, shall we?”
Iana’s mouth curved into a sly smile. Her face looked conspiratorial.
Of course, she had no such thoughts.
She was just so happy to be a part of this beautiful, romantic story.
“Okay. First, let’s ask Citrina how she feels.”
Citrina’s wishes had always been important to Aaron. Iana nodded, looking at the righteous and determined young knight.
‘He certainly has a way with words.’
Iana cupped her hands over her heart.
“I already asked her that.”
Aaron cocked his head.
“You already talked about it?”
“Yeah. She said she wasn’t thinking about it, but she seemed to be wavering.”

They looked at each other.
They were allies for the day. Tomorrow they might be enemies, but for now, they were united in one goal.
“We’re…going to be a marriage manipulation team.”
Iana said decisively, offering her hand for a shake, which Aaron accepted, and then solemnly declared.
“If Citrina doesn’t like what she sees, we’ll end it immediately.”
“In that case, we’ll dissolve it.”
Their gazes met like flames.
The intense camaraderie that had arisen at that moment was real.