0. Thank you for joining me on this moonlit stroll, [cdb]my dear lady.
1. Thank you for the invitation. I've always been fond of [cdb]such nighttime wanderings.
2. The moon and stars are lovely, and there are also [cdb]certain flowers that bloom only at night.
3. Hahaha! Count on you to know something like that. You'll have to point me in the direction of those [cdb]flowers sometime.
4. Yes, well, what did you want to talk about?
5. Well, I heard you were getting engaged, [cdb]and I was just...wondering how you felt.
6. Goodness! Someone is well-informed.
7. Well, your fiancé-to-be is a noble from Gautier [cdb]territory. It's only natural word would find its way [cdb]to me.
8. Are you going to accept? I mean, I don't think he's [cdb]a bad guy or anything, but...
9. No, it's a fair question. However, as my adoptive [cdb]father backs the proposal, I doubt I have much say [cdb]in the matter.
10. Though if I did, I'd likely refuse. There's still so much I want to do and experience in this world.
11. Still, I doubt there's much hope of the parties [cdb]involved relenting.
12. Why not just turn him down like you do all [cdb]the other guys?
13. I've refused so many proposals that my adoptive [cdb]father has run out of patience.
14. And as he's already initiated the marriage discussions, [cdb]it would be difficult to back out now.
15. That lowlife doesn't care about your feelings at all! He just cares about that Crest of yours.
16. We don't choose our bloodline, just like flowers don't [cdb]choose where to bloom.
17. If being married means I will never know want, [cdb]then I've no right to complain—even if it is not [cdb]my preferred outcome.
18. You're much the same, yes? People like us have to try [cdb]to bloom as best we can.
19. Never really thought of myself as a flower, [cdb]but I get what you're saying.
20. Flowers are stuck in the same spot for life, [cdb]whether they like it or not. And if they happen to [cdb]sprout in a bad area, they're out of luck.
21. But we have legs, not roots. We can go wherever we want.
22. And we don't have to give up on our dreams, [cdb]so long as we're clever about it.
23. I see. And what is your "clever" solution in this case?
24. Well, if your only goal is to end negotiations with this [cdb]guy, I could ask you to marry me instead.
25. I'm not sure I follow. You would marry me [cdb]so...I don't have to marry someone else?
26. To be perfectly clear, I'm not making advances on you [cdb]or anything.
27. But I'm the heir of House Gautier.
28. If I ask you, this other guy will have no choice but [cdb]to bow out. Though I doubt he'd be happy about it.
29. After that, you can do whatever you want. Go work at a church or ladle out soup or [cdb]whatever makes you happy. I won't stop you.
30. But that would prevent you from marrying the person [cdb]you love.
31. Haha! OK, look, it's just an idea. You've got lots of [cdb]options available to you.
32. You really do know the ways of the world, Sylvain. I've always admired that about you.
33. The honor of receiving such a compliment from you [cdb]lifts my feet from the ground! But seriously, let me [cdb]know if you need any help. I'm always here for you.