Night Monarch's Cannon Fodder Bride-Chapter 26: Random Lunatics and Wild Flowers

"Senior," Severine gave a polite nod to the young man and decided to drag Alina away. "We won’t disturb you any further."

Alina nodded her head eagerly, clearly wanting to leave the place contaminated by lust.

"Hey, don’t be in such a hurry." Emmett chuckled. He casually shook the girl off before stepping forward.

The closer he stepped, the more hostility burned in those brown eyes.

Jealousy, hate, animosity... Those were the emotions Severine perceived from her.

"I was busy and couldn’t talk to Aunt Isabella this afternoon. Please convey my apology to her. I’ll visit once I have time."

Each word chilled Severine to the bone. Her legs felt too heavy to move, and her lips remained glued together.

Call? Why did Mother call Emmett?

Her mother wanted to talk to the D’Arden while she had no clue about it.

They weren’t talking about a marriage agreement, right? Gulping down the bout of anxiety, she parted her pale lips.

"It’s alright. Mother won’t mind."

Emmett shook his head, the strands of his silky hair swaying with the motion. "How can that be? She clearly wanted to discuss our relationship further."

"What relationship?"

"What the hell is going on here?"

The silent girls spoke at the same time, showing equal disbelief.

Severine also wanted to know. They had clearly met only once, and that too, at the church.

Before she could voice her doubts, Emmett patted her head, shocking her further.

"Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle everything for you."

The words sounded far too intimate—too indulgent—for her comfort.

"Keep your hands to yourself," Alina hissed as she yanked Severine back. "Who knows how many people you have been touching around? You, as a stranger, might not know, but my Severine is a neat freak."

Forget Severine, even the brown-eyed girl looked stunned.

As for Emmett, his smile stiffened, his hand still hovering midair. The sight made him look oddly comical.

Really—what else could one expect from a heroine?

With just a few words, Alina had effectively painted the dignified young master of the D’Arden family as something filthy and intrusive. Not to mention the disdain over his frivolous actions.

Alina’s first remark had simply called him a pervert in a polite tone.

"Ah," Severine managed to utter a sound before Alina dragged her away.

"Don’t listen to random lunatics who come sniffing around. The moment you look soft, they’ll push you forward as a shield against their crazy wildflowers, who only know how to bare their teeth."

All of Alina’s words were said in a loud voice, reaching the ears of the random lunatic and crazy wildflowers.

"Hmm. I understand," Severine replied seriously, though the corners of her lips quietly curled upward.

Whatever happened between the second male lead and the heroine no longer mattered.

At least tonight, she would sleep well.

And indeed she did.

When she woke up, the sun had risen into the sky, bringing warmth and a fresh breeze.

The sound of birds and insects hidden in the dense green foliage echoed throughout the academy. Yet rarely would anyone take the time to listen to them.

Severine held a cup of steaming hot coffee while her gaze lingered on the stone pathway that led toward the church.

Emmett’s words—about her mother’s call and their relationship—resurfaced in her mind.

In the novel, Emmett viewed love as a form of physical pleasure. To him, it was a transaction: his partners gained what they desired, while he satisfied his own needs.

In that sense, they were similar.

Using what the other party needed to create mutual benefit was, after all, the fundamental rule of business.

As her mother often said, Emmett was an excellent businessman.

Yet a feeling of disgust rose within her when she thought of herself as Emmett’s fiancée.

Bit by bit, the coffee went cold before she noticed. Only then did she reach for her phone.

Her fingers swiftly typed a familiar string of numbers before she pressed the device to her ear.

Once. Twice. Thrice.

The call rang until it disconnected automatically.

"Mother must be busy... Or perhaps she hasn’t gotten up yet," murmuring to herself, she left a brief message about Emmett’s apology.

Although it bothered her, she knew her mother’s temperament.

If there truly had been any discussion of an agreement between the two families, Isabella would have informed her directly.

That thought was enough to ease her worries.

"Good morning."

Alina emerged from her room, hair disheveled and eyes half-closed.

Unlike Severine, Alina liked to stay in bed as long as possible, rushing through her preparations only at the last moment.

She yawned, opened the refrigerator, and pressed her forehead against its cool edge.

If not for the chill, she might have fallen asleep again.

"Coffee’s in the pot," Severine reminded her before returning to her room.

They both had a tight schedule to follow.

After attending classes and submitting her assignment, Severine called her driver to pick her up at the academy gates.

Samuel was already waiting when she settled into the back seat.

"Boss," he said, handing her a file. "This is everything on The Xing."

Overnight, Samuel had gathered comprehensive information on the chemical factory.

Though confused by his employer’s sudden interest in the field, he still highlighted the key points—past revenue, debt, and the compounds currently in production.

"The main issue is their supply chain," he added as the car moved through the busy streets.

Their primary market was far away, making fulfillment of orders costly. Over time, those losses had accumulated into heavy debt.

Logically, this shouldn’t have happened. Even with reduced local demand, The Xing should have been able to sustain itself through the local market. Yet they were teetering on the verge of bankruptcy.

Someone was clearly sabotaging them, cutting off profitable orders at the source.

Handing the file back, Severine said, "Is Liam Tollkien’s contract ready?"

"Yes. We can sign it this afternoon."

"Check his background thoroughly. If there are no issues, then proceed."

"I understand."

As Samuel drove on, he couldn’t help but marvel at everything this young woman had accomplished in just a few months.

Some people, he thought, are simply born to stand at the center of the stage.