The Seven Day Bride – 2. The Paradox of Belief

The Seven Day Bride : Hubert came to see Alicia because of …… when she heard about it.

“Please wait a moment. Let me get you a drink.”

Hubert stopped the maid from preparing drinks on Alicia’s behalf. Alicia needed time to sort out this situation, he thought.

“Stay outside.”

When they followed Hubert’s instructions to go outside, they were alone again and tensions rose. Hubert notices that Alicia is wary of him.Hubert sensed that Alicia’s attention was on him, although her back was turned to him. The ticking of the clock sounded unusually loud in the too quiet shop.

Even Hubert didn’t expect to be welcomed. He had a lot to discuss, but he wondered how to broach the subject with Alicia, who seemed to be refusing to engage in conversation. Suddenly, Alicia turned around. In her hand was a tea set for two. Hubert was relieved that she seemed to be listening to him.

Watching Alicia’s hand as she poured tea in a familiar manner, Hubert remembered that Alicia liked sweet tea. It seems his memory was not mistaken. Alicia, sitting opposite him, reached for the sugar pot and scooped out a large heaping cup of sugar and put it into the tea. Hubert was pleased to see Alicia just as he remembered her.

Hubert further realizes.Alicia pulled the sugar pot over the edge without recommending sugar to Hubert. Apparently Alicia remembered that he did not put sugar in tea.Hubert recalls how many times they had tea facing each other like this.

“How can I help you?”

Alicia’s voice interrupted Hubert’s thoughts. When he locked eyes with Alicia, there was no warmth in her mauve eyes as there once had been, only caution. The quiet standoff continued for a while, but it was Hubert who surrendered first.

“What if I said, “I want to order some clothes?””
“If it’s women’s dress, I’ll do it.”

Hubert tried to tease her to change the atmosphere of the place, but Alicia responded with a cold business response. It was obvious from the look on Alicia’s face that she didn’t believe it, and her guard was not down at all.Better to be told not to come back, Hubert thought.Alicia was upset, but only at first. Hubert had a hard time reading Alicia’s thoughts, which were now completely calm.

Hubert has imagined many times the day he and Alicia would face each other again.Hubert has imagined many times the day he and Alicia would face each other again. In some cases, he sought Alicia out; in others, he dramatically stumbled across her again on the street. He also imagined how Alicia would react. In some cases, she would greet him with a smile; in other cases, she would emotionally scream at him to go home.

But such imagination is of no use in the current situation. Alicia is dealing with herself calmly. Hubert was reminded that he was not as present in her as he had hoped.

“I wanted to see my child…… I came.”

Hearing Hubert’s words, Alicia looks at the clock on the wall.

“I think that boy will be back in about 30 minutes. I don’t mind if you wait for him. The merchants are not coming today, so we are going to work on it all together, and the store was closed. What choice will you make?”

Alicia easily accepted Hubert’s request. Hubert had spent dozens of times longer than he had practiced to say what he requested. Hubert was unexpectedly taken aback.

“Are you sure?”

Alicia nods and smiles gracefully.

“You requested it.”
“I’m aware that I’m being brazen.”

Hearing this, Alicia’s expression softens. It seems that she was convinced by Hubert’s words. Hubert’s body relaxes a little at the sight of Alicia, who relaxes a little, though not with a smile.

“I thought it might happen someday, and now it has.”

It didn’t matter if Hubert came to see the child or not. Hubert understands that Alicia is saying that.

“You didn’t ask why I came to see you?”
“You want to see your child. That’s fine.”

Hubert could only hide his expression with a bitter smile. As to why Hubert is here, Alicia said it doesn’t matter if it is a sense of duty or interest in the child. She said it could be Hubert’s selfishness, not love.

“Please wait a moment.”

Alicia stood up and went to the cabinet and handed Hubert an envelope she had taken out of there.

“It is the Mother-Child Certificate.”

Hubert’s hand, which he was about to reach out for something, stopped at those words.

The Mother-Child Certificate.It is an official document that proves the blood relationship between the mother and the child.

In the Northern Kingdom, the relationship between mother and child is guaranteed by law. The custody of the child rests with the mother, and even the King cannot forcibly separate the mother from the child. There is also a section on the father, but the mother has priority as the parent of the child. The mother cannot be deprived of custody of the child unless there is a good reason to do so.

Hubert did not move, so Alicia took the certificate out of the envelope herself. She then places it on the desk for him to see.

”Percival……”

Percival Cliff Sivas, the name written in the children’s section. And Alicia’s name was in the mother’s section, but the father’s section was blank.

“Is it because of this certificate that you have so much leeway in your attitude?”

Hubert was made to understand that Alicia did not really care why he came to see the child. What is important to Alicia is that she has custody of the child. And that it is guaranteed by law.
There was also another reason why Alicia showed him the certificate. Alicia’s statement that she has no intention of giving custody of the children to Hubert.

“I would never take a child without permission,…… though there’s no way to prove it.”

Hubert said it unintentionally, but realizes it was a waste of time. Alicia does not believe Hubert. Alicia, a commoner, will fight Hubert, the head of the marquise family, for custody of the child on even terms, and Alicia says she will use the law to do so.

It was very shocking to Hubert that Alicia did not believe him.

Alicia had no idea that she would really be confronted with the certificate.

Alicia was relieved by Hubert’s words, careful not to let them show on her expression. Despite her calm demeanor, she was actually worried.It is certain that this certificate is the most powerful in custody disputes. Recently, however, the ability of mothers to have unconditional custody has become problematic. This has resulted in an increase in crimes such as child abuse and child prostitution. For these reasons, the mother’s victory rate in recent court cases has been about 60%. This is too low a figure for Alicia to feel comfortable with.

There is no way to prove Hubert’s word, but Alicia knows enough about him to believe it.They were married for only seven days, but they were engaged for seven long years. They were engaged for more than twice as long as the average aristocrat’s engagement.

To be continued…

The English version is made using translation software. If you find any mistakes or inappropriate expressions, please let us know through “Report a typo”.