Bad Move

"You must already know about my bad reputation (laziness),"

"And you can tell that our future together would be a complete disaster. Maybe even worse than you're imagining. And yet…You still choose to sacrifice your future for something as humiliating as this?"

Mereoleona exhaled sharply through her nose, her patience fraying at the edges. Her fingers relaxed just slightly, though the fabric of her dress remained wrinkled from her grip.

"...You think I don't know that?"

She shot back, her voice steady but laced with heat. She wasn't shouting, but the restrained fire behind her words was unmistakable.

"This engagement was never my choice. But unlike you, I don't whine about things I can't change."

Her glare sharpened.

"You talk about sacrifice like I actually had a say in this. As if I wanted to be here, hoping to impress you." Her lip curled slightly, her anger barely concealed beneath the cold edge of her words.

"Don't flatter yourself."

Her gaze flicked from his drink to his lazy posture, to the way he spoke as if this entire situation was nothing more than a mild inconvenience to him. It stoked the fire in her chest even further, but she refused to let it consume her. Not yet.

Instead, she leaned forward slightly, her voice lower, challenging.

"If I have to suffer through this, then so do you."

Eren's grin widened, his expression turning sharp and amused, sending an eerie sense of unease crawling up her spine.

"Oh?"

His tone was almost playful, but there was something about it that sent a chill through her, a warning.

"You sure about that?"

Mereoleona stiffened, the strange shift in the atmosphere making her instincts flare up. But she quickly shoved it down, refusing to let him see even a sliver of hesitation.

Instead, she forced herself to remain still.

"Tch." She scoffed, glaring at him.

"What? You think you can scare me?"

There was defiance in her voice, but a flicker of caution lingered beneath it. His expression wasn't just arrogance—it was calculated. That irritated her even more.

"If you're planning something, then go ahead," she challenged, her voice low and steady.

"Show me what you can do."

Eren's grin didn't fade. Instead, he leaned back lazily, his next words deliberate.

"Tell me, young lady. Do you know the difference between your parents and mine?"

Mereoleona scoffed, crossing her arms.

"Hah. What kind of pointless question is that?" She held his gaze, unwavering.

"Your family is rich and lazy. Mine is noble and proud. Simple."

She didn't care for whatever game he was playing, but she refused to sit there silently like a fool. If he wanted to provoke her, she'd play along.

Eren shook his head, an amused chuckle escaping him.

"Wrong."

His smirk deepened as he leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping into something almost conspiratorial.

"The difference is that, you're an obedient little girl who always listens to her parents." he said smoothly.

He let that sink in before tilting his head. "Whereas my parents? They listen to whatever I want."

Mereoleona's body tensed. Her eyes widened slightly, the weight of his words sinking in. Eren's smirk didn't waver.

"So, if I wanted to, I could just tell my parents that I don't like this marriage." He shrugged, a lazy, almost careless motion.

"I could say that I find you boring. Unattractive. Unsuitable. Crazy. Maybe throw in a few convenient lies. And guess what?" He leaned back again, smirking.

"They'd cancel it immediately—without a second thought. Without caring about what happens to your family."

Her breath hitched, her heart hammering against her ribs. She knew he wasn't lying.

The information she had gathered about him, the rumors of him being the most spoiled and favored in his family—it all lined up.

Her fists clenched tighter, her nails digging into her skin as she stared at him in disbelief and frustration. The sensation of powerlessness crept in, something she hated.

She wanted to fire back, to say something—but no words came. Because for once, she had nothing to counter with.

Eren watched her reaction with an almost cruel amusement before delivering the final blow.

"Now you see it?" His voice was softer now, but no less sharp.

"This is why you'll never get what you want. All of that because you're too prideful, too naïve…" He let the words linger before delivering the last with a slow, deliberate smirk.

"Too weak."

Mereoleona's shoulders stiffened, her head lowering slightly. Her teeth gritted together as her jaw tightened, every muscle in her body screaming to lash out.

But she didn't.

Her pride wouldn't allow her to show weakness, yet her silence betrayed the storm raging inside her.

And deep within, where no one could see, old wounds—dark memories of past struggles, failures, moments of helplessness—began to resurface, clawing their way to the surface like shadows she had long tried to bury.

The day she was humiliated in her first duel.

The moment she felt fear and weakness when facing a real monster for the first time.

The time she tried to prove her strength, only to be crushed by reality once again.

–Shing!

Just then, the knight behind her unexpectedly unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Eren in anger, shocking everyone in the room.

The sharp shing of the blade sliced through the heavy tension like a knife through silk. The young knight, barely in his twenties, stood rigid, his sword trembling slightly as he aimed it directly at Eren. His expression burned with barely contained fury, his grip so tight that his knuckles turned white.

He was a low-ranked knight tasked with escorting Mereoleona as his first assignment, but to him, she was more than just a noble he served—she was someone he admired, someone he deeply respected. Perhaps even… more? who knows.

"You dare insult Lady Mereoleona like that?!"

His voice wavered between anger and madness.

"I won't let you continue to disgrace her, even if you're a noble!"

Mereoleona snapped out of her silence, her eyes widening in disbelief.

'This fool—!'

Eren raised an eyebrow, momentarily surprised by the knight's outburst. But fear? No, there was none. Instead, amusement flickered in his gaze. Meanwhile, behind him, Marie turned pale. surprised by the unexpected outcome.

'This is bad. A knight pointing a sword at the young master of the house? This could turn into a disaster.'

Mereoleona's shock lasted only a heartbeat before twisting into cold fury. Her body moved on instinct.

Before Bolder, her knight, could react, her hand shot out and seized his wrist in an iron grip, her nails digging into his skin.

"You complete idiot," she hissed, her voice a low growl.

With a sharp yank, she forced his sword arm down, making him lower the blade. Her fiery gaze burned into him, searing with outrage and warning.

"Have you lost your damn mind?" she snapped, her voice no longer holding the restrained composure she had earlier.

"Pointing a sword at the son of a marquis? In his own mansion? Are you stupid!?"

Her fingers tightened around his wrist—not just stopping him but punishing him. Bolder winced, his muscles tensing from the pain, but he refused to back down completely.

"But, Lady Mereoleona—!" he protested, his breath ragged. "He's mocking you, insulting you and the family! I couldn't just stand by and do nothing!"

He had remained silent all this time, watching as Mereoleona was humiliated and her family name trampled on by an arrogant noble brat. As a knight of House d'Armand, standing by while his lady was ridiculed was unthinkable.

Mereoleona's eyes narrowed.

"And you think drawing your weapon like some reckless fool was the right answer?" she shot back.

"Do you even realize what you've done? You're a commoner knight pointing a blade at a high noble inside his own estate. This could be considered an act of treason!"

Bolder's face paled. His anger wavered, replaced by the creeping realization of the weight of his actions.

Marie, still frozen behind Eren, felt her hands grow clammy. If word of this spread, the consequences would be severe. A mere knight—no, a commoner—threatening the second son of one of the wealthiest noble families? This could escalate into something far worse between the family.

Mereoleona exhaled sharply before shoving Bolder's wrist away with force.

"Sheathe your sword. Now." Her tone left no room for argument.

Meanwhile, Eren remained seated, sipping his juice with a blank expression, as if enjoying a mildly interesting stage play.

Seeing Eren's mocking smirk, Bolder gritted his teeth, his grip on the sword tightening even as Mereoleona forced his arm down. His eyes burned with frustration and blind devotion.

"I won't stand for this!" he growled.

"He's treating you like dirt, mocking everything about you! How can you just sit there and take it?!"

Mereoleona's patience snapped.

"Do you think I need you to defend me?" she barked, hitting his chest armor with her finger.

Bolder turned to her, his face full of conflicted emotions. he was frustrated, and angry. he understands what he did was wrong, but he still question why his lady was angry at him? why did she stay silent to the insults instead? why was he was the one being getting mad at by the lady?

"But Lady Mereoleona—!"

"Enough!" she snarled.

But Bolder's emotions flared recklessly, his stance unwavering.

Eren, still unfazed, took another casual sip through his straw. His half-lidded gaze flickered between the two of them, mild amusement lingering in his eyes.

Marie, on the other hand, trembled behind him, her hands clutching the hem of her skirt. The air in the room was suffocating with tension. She was still hesitant in trying to intervene, trying to calm the situation down.

But then she she heard a sharp clatter of hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway.

Panic-laced whispers followed.

Then—

The door burst open.

"What happened?"