An Arranged Marriage with an Enemy

Leonida and Kaon Ferdinand were a pair of siblings who had little to fight about.

First of all, Leonida was not the kind of person who treated her younger brother carelessly.
Kaon also respected and followed his sister.
The considerable five-year age difference also played a part.

In addition, the siblings had lost their parents three years ago.
Naturally, they could not afford to fight and complain for childish reasons.

Although the occasional quarrel happened, the two consciously tried to understand and put up with each other because they knew there was no one else in the world they could trust with private—even embarrassing—matters.

“Leo, have you gone crazy?” Kaon finally asked after replaying his sister’s words for the tenth time in his head.

He couldn’t just let it go this time.
For sure, the problem was either within his ears or within her mind.

“I’d honestly rather be crazy, but that’s regrettably not the case.”

“You want me to marry an Ingelos girl?”

“I told you to get engaged.
Though if you want to get married right away, I won’t stop you.
Oh, but of course, you’ll still have to wait until you officially come of age.”

“Leo!” Kaon wasn’t in the mood for semantics.

Wasn’t timing the only difference between an engagement and a marriage?

“Are you done with your tantrum?”

“Oh, come on! Are you kidding me?”

His sister, the one who said something absurd first, was still at ease.
In fact, she had been busy looking at documents throughout their conversation, so calm that he debated whether the person he was talking to was really a person and not a wall.

He thought of the events that led up to his current dilemma.

***

It was a normal, leisurely spring day.
The midday sun felt hotter than usual, and Kaon, done with morning training, was pleasantly lounging on his bed.

“Young Master Kaon, Lady Leo is looking for you.”

“My sister?”

“Yes, she’s waiting in her office.”

‘I wonder what for; she always has a set reason for calling me.’

Kaon stood briskly, guessing that it was probably to admonish him for having faked sickness last week to get out of march training.
Today was probably the right day for a scolding.

‘Well, I managed to get some rest for a day, so even if I get in trouble…’

He humbly accepted his fate.

However, Leonida remain