Our Family Has Fallen

”I don’t like forcing others. If you want to refuse, it’s no big deal. You can go back and think it over.” Lance didn’t directly rush her, but the meaning behind his words was clear.

”It’s nothing that can’t be said; it’s just that I don’t want to get married.” Margaret frowned, and as she spoke of this, her whole demeanor exuded resistance, but she continued.

”Father and the Earl arranged my engagement with that guy Alvin, and we’ll be married soon. I was planning to escape all along, but I just couldn’t succeed.

Until this time, Alvin and father were defeated and captured, throwing them into disarray and loosening their guard on me, which allowed me to finally escape the domain...”

Listening to her explanation, Lance summed it up in two words—elopement.

Goodness, so Alvin had the burden of ’win and go home to get married’ as well.

In this case, losing wasn’t unfair, no surprise.

As for why she came to Hamlet, it was because Laura rescued her from the Eagle Flock. At that time, the whole city was under lockdown, and mixing in with the refugees to escape Bastia was the best way.

Besides, she had no destination in mind, so anything related to her father, and could cut off Bastia’s pursuit, would only be Hamlet.

Originally, she thought Hamlet was just a regular noble domain, only now realizing something was amiss.

”You’re right, this feudal trash should be resisted. That guy Alvin looks presentable, but he’s not a good person. I didn’t expect Lawrence to also be an old bastard, pushing his daughter into the fire to curry favor with the Earl.”

”You... agree with me?” Margaret was a bit surprised to hear this and cautiously probed.

You should know that, regardless of the reason, running away from a marriage is an absolute taboo among the nobility, not to mention that even the Church wouldn’t support such behavior.

At this time, the feudal rites enslaved people terribly. If caught, and Alvin refused to accept her, she might end up spending the rest of her life in a monastery, becoming the laughingstock of other nobles over tea.

Previously, her silence was because she didn’t want to lie but was afraid that speaking out would invite ridicule and malice.

However, this man in front of her was very different from those people...

”Is it that strange?” Lance shrugged and laughed, ”Am I so despicable in your eyes?”

”No~ I thought you wouldn’t like it since you seem to like rules more.” Margaret awkwardly voiced the reason for her hesitation earlier.

”You’re insulting me!” Lance laughed in exasperation and stressed, ”Order doesn’t mean feudalism. The rules I’ve set don’t involve private ethical and moral issues but rather public safety.”

If there’s a fundamental difference between her and some people, it’s that she’s willing to admit her mistakes.

”I’m sorry.” Margaret realized she had said something wrong and apologized immediately, then carefully observed Lance.

Seeing her guilty eyes, Lance couldn’t help but feel mellow, ”Alright, it’s normal that you don’t understand since you’re new here.”

Admittedly, interacting with someone adorably naive relaxed Lance’s mind, which was accustomed to intrigues. No wonder some people enjoy teasing fools.

Likewise, after clearing the air, Margaret seemed to have discovered something, shedding her previous restraint, speaking more freely, and even revealing some interesting information.

”Actually, I’m not the only one who dislikes Alvin. Alvin also dislikes me because I beat him up when we were kids, and he’s held a grudge ever since. He doesn’t like this engagement either.”

Really? There’s such a thing?

Hearing this, Lance’s curiosity was instantly piqued, urging her to continue.

It was actually quite simple; Alvin had been mischievous and naughty since he was young. While servants or other children tolerated him, Margaret wouldn’t pamper him.

When he provoked Margaret, he got scolded, and Alvin, never having faced such treatment, immediately retaliated physically.

Children’s development for girls is generally earlier, and what’s more, Margaret was trained by her father, so she beat him up, making him cry out for his mother.

Because of this, Lawrence forced her to apologize to Alvin. Adults might overlook children’s fights, but for someone with Margaret’s straightforward character, this was an indelible incident.

”He was in the wrong; why should I apologize?” Margaret still carried emotions when talking about this, with a kind of long-standing resentment, not accumulated in a day.

”Exactly, exactly.” Lance nodded in agreement, only missing a bowl of melon seeds.

From then on, Lawrence thought she was too strong-willed and gave up training her, which is why she turned to muskets.

Similarly, for Alvin, who was used to being arrogant, this forced apology resulted in a ”physical education” failure.

For a child, this is no romantic comedy where rejection leads to affection.

Once he didn’t think he was wrong, there was only anger and vengeance in his heart.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t outtalk or outfight her, or he would’ve retaliated long ago, but the hostility remained.

Maybe it was Alvin’s mother’s idea, or the Earl was embarrassed by his son’s disgrace, so they made Lawrence his teacher.

For Margaret, this was trouble finding her, and stealing her father’s affection, deepening the grudge.

The adults at that time might have forgotten about that fight, but the two of them hadn’t.