Chương 349: Chapter : 349

A passionate, undeniable romance. If her heart already belonged to someone else, Scott would gracefully back down. He was a good man. He would not force a woman to marry him if she loved another. And her parents would be so horrified by a scandalous, unauthorized relationship that they would completely abandon the Scott proposal to deal with the new crisis. It was the perfect tactical lie. Sayma pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She put on her signature, perfectly polite smile.

She looked directly into Scott's warm brown eyes.

"Scott," Sayma began softly. Her voice was incredibly calm and steady.

"You are a remarkably kind person. Your offer is incredibly generous. Any woman in the Belmontia Empire would be absolutely thrilled and entirely honored to accept your proposal." Scott smiled. He looked pleased.

"But?" he asked gently. He sensed the rejection coming.

"But I cannot accept it," Sayma stated clearly. She kept her polite smile. She did not waver.

"I am deeply sorry. I cannot marry you." Scott blinked in surprise. He did not look angry. He just looked genuinely confused. He leaned forward slightly.

"May I ask why, Sayma? Is it my family? Did I say something to offend you? I promise, my offer of freedom was completely sincere."

"It has nothing to do with you or your family," Sayma assured him quickly. She spoke with a soft, gentle tone.

"You have been a perfect gentleman. You have done absolutely nothing wrong. The truth is much more complicated." Sayma took a slow, dramatic breath. She lowered her eyes for a second, pretending to look shy. She was executing a flawless performance.

"The truth is," Sayma whispered, looking back up at him.

"My heart is already taken. I am already in a deeply committed, highly passionate romantic relationship with someone else." Scott's eyes widened in sheer shock. His jaw dropped open just a tiny bit. He stared at the composed Vice-Captain. This was a massive scandal. A noble daughter having a secret relationship was completely against the rules of high society.

"A secret relationship?" Scott asked. His voice was hushed. He leaned closer across the table. He was totally captivated by the gossip.

"Sayma, I had no idea. Your parents never mentioned a suitor. This is incredible news. Who is the lucky man?" Sayma paused. She needed a name. She could not just invent a fake person. Scott would verify the story. She could not name a random noble. That would cause a different political war. She needed someone real. She needed someone entirely outside the noble class. She needed someone her parents would absolutely despise, ensuring they would never try to arrange a marriage with him instead.

She thought of the men she knew. Grandmaster Finlay? Absolutely not. He was a giant, terrifying older knight. Prince Hephaestus? No, he was a Royal. That would complicate the Succession War. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. She needed someone normal. Someone completely average. Someone who lived with her. Someone who would not mind playing along with a silly joke for a little while. An image of a messy, untucked shirt and a goofy smile popped into her analytical mind.

Sayma almost smiled for real. It was the absolute perfect choice. Her parents hated commoners. They hated lazy people. They hated messy clothes. If she claimed she was dating the sloppiest, laziest commoner in the entire capital city, her parents would have a complete meltdown. They would be so busy yelling about his wrinkled suit that they would totally forget about Scott. Sayma looked at Scott. She made her eyes look very soft and very romantic.

She delivered the final, brilliant tactical lie with a perfectly straight face.

"His name is Ken Eliot," Sayma declared proudly. Her voice sounded incredibly sincere.

"He is a fellow teammate in the 13th Unit." Scott gasped softly.

"A teammate? A soldier?"

"He is not a traditional soldier," Sayma explained smoothly. She wove the fictional story with flawless logic.

"He is a commoner from the outer districts. He does not have a noble title. He does not have massive wealth. My parents would completely reject him. That is why we had to keep our love an absolute secret." Sayma leaned forward. She put a hand over her heart. She played the part of a lovesick maiden perfectly.

"We met during the chaotic battles of the Succession War," Sayma lied beautifully.

"We fought side-by-side in the dark dungeons. We survived terrifying ambushes together. During those intense, dangerous moments, a spark ignited between us. It grew into a massive, undeniable fire. He is incredibly brave. He is incredibly funny. He brings a bright, wonderful light into my strict, analytical life." Scott stared at her in pure awe. He listened to the fake romance story like he was listening to a beautiful poem.

"He does not care about my noble status," Sayma continued softly. She looked out the window, acting like she was dreaming about her lover.

"He just treats me like a normal person. We share quiet moments in the dusty library of our estate. He makes me laugh when I am totally stressed. I have fallen entirely, helplessly in love with him. I simply cannot imagine a future without him by my side." Sayma turned her dark eyes back to Scott. She gave him a pleading, totally fake look of desperation.

"Please, Scott," Sayma whispered dramatically.

"You must understand. I cannot accept your generous proposal. It would be a total betrayal of my own heart. I belong with Ken." Scott sat back in his chair. He was completely silent for a long moment. He looked at Sayma. He saw the fake passion in her eyes. He completely believed every single word. Suddenly, a wide, genuine smile broke across Scott's face. He let out a soft, highly respectful chuckle.

"Sayma," Scott said warmly. He reached out and gently patted the table.

"That is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. You do not need to apologize to me. True love is incredibly rare in our world. I would absolutely never stand in the way of a romance like that." Sayma felt a massive wave of relief wash over her. Her brilliant plan was working flawlessly.

"Thank you, Scott," Sayma replied softly. She offered a truly grateful smile.

"You are incredibly understanding."

"I will handle my family," Scott promised quickly. He nodded his head with absolute certainty.

"I will tell my parents that we simply did not feel a connection today. I will tell them that we are better off as friends. I will make sure they withdraw the proposal peacefully. There will be absolutely zero political insult to your family. I will protect your secret completely."

"You are a true gentleman," Sayma said politely. She picked up her teacup. She took a celebratory sip of her sweet tea. The crisis was officially avoided. The political trap was totally dismantled. She was free to return to the 13th Unit. She was free to stay with her chaotic, messy family. Scott raised his own teacup in a friendly toast.

"I wish you and Ken all the absolute best. I hope your parents eventually accept him. He sounds like a very lucky, very wonderful man."