[SO FASCINATING.]
Sonata couldn’t help but feel fascinated while watching Diether’s face turn red when he probably realized that he had stared at her bare legs long enough for her to catch him.
His reaction was funny.
[Which makes me think…]
“Are you a virgin, my lord?”
Diether’s face turned red even more, if it was possible. “Why would you ask me something private so casually?”
“Well, your mother asked me the same question when the Grand Duke first introduced me to her,” Sonata said, shrugging. “The Grand Duchess even brought a Mage to inspect my body and make sure I’m still a virgin.”
He looked shocked hearing that. “My mother did?”
“You may not know it, but it’s a norm for the lady of the house to check if their future daughter-in-law is still a virgin or not,” she explained to her clueless husband. “In most houses, the value of a daughter-in-law depends on her virginity.”
He frowned. “That’s awful.”
“You know what’s worse? They don’t do that to their son or future son-in-law,” Sonata said, smiling bitterly. “A woman’s value goes down if she’s no longer a virgin before marrying into the family, but men get to brag about their “conquests” before marriage.”
Diether fell silent for a moment. “I’m sorry for what my mother made you go through, Sonata. And I’m sorry for not being there to stop that stupid thing.”
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Pfft.
“It’s alright,” she said, shrugging. “It already happened anyway. Moreover, I know my value, so I won’t let anyone say otherwise.”
“Good. And I’m still a virgin.”
Hmm?
She really didn’t expect that response.
“W-Why are you looking at me like that?” Diether asked, obviously flustered. “Do you not believe me? Shall we call a Mage to inspect my body? That would make us even then.”
“No, you don’t have to go that far. I believe you since you don’t have any reason to lie to me about that.”
“Then why the disbelief on your face?”
“Well, it’s because I know you and your first wife were really in love with each other,” she explained, kind of feeling awkward. “Hence, I assumed you had consummated your marriage with her.”
“Celeste said she wouldn’t sleep with a minor.”
“She’s not that older than you, is she?”
Diether pouted as if he was sulking. “That’s what I used to tell her. She’s only a year older than me and yet, she treated me like a kid.”
Hmm.
[That’s kind of weird, but since it’s none of my business, I’ll just keep my mouth shut.]
“Anyway, can we talk now?”
“Sure,” Sonata said. “So, what did you want to talk about?”
Much to her shock, her husband suddenly got down on one knee and looked up at her.
It wasn’t like he knelt in front of her to worship her or something. He simply bent one knee so that he wouldn’t have to look down at her while talking.
Aww.
[He’s a gentleman.]
“Sonata, I believe my father is going to pass his title to me very soon.”
“Oh. Congratulations.”
“As soon as I become the Grand Duke, would you like to leave the capital with me and return to our territory?”
“That won’t be easy for me since my business is here in the capital, but I’m flexible,” Sonata said, pausing for a moment before she talked again. “Tell me why we need to return to your territory first. I’ll decide after hearing your reason.”
“We found a clue to where we could find Celeste,” Diether answered nervously, gulping hard. “The clue is in the mountain located in our territory. I wish to go there before I get dispatched, but my father won’t let me return to our territory without you, Sonata.”
Hmm.
[So it’s like that, huh?]