I tried to refuse the engagement at once, but Prince Kaiser just smiled and gave me a pseudo-smile, and he didn’t listen to me at all.
In the end, he realized that since it was a direct order from the king, I would have to get the king himself or Prince Kaiser to break off the engagement if I wanted it done.
…Ah, perhaps this is what is called a game correction? But it looks like Prince Kaiser asked the king for help. But why would he…Oh, that’s right! Maybe it’s a countermeasure against that group of young ladies, and for now, you want to choose me, the highest noblewoman, as your fiancée to keep them away. Well, but that…even I’m disgusted by that one~
I’m sure I’ll be able to find a way to make it work.
I’ve decided to resign myself to that for a while, but I still had to say this, so I approached Prince Kaiser with a serious look on my face.
“Prince Kaiser, if you find someone you like in the future, please don’t worry about me, and feel free to break off the engagement!”
“No, that will definitely never happen.”
“Never say never! And I will never, ever, ever stand in the way of Prince Kaiser and his partner’s love! Be happy with that person!”
“I don’t want to…”
“Prince Kaiser! Please! If you find someone you like, please break off the engagement!”
“…”
I begged with a desperate look on my face, and Prince Kaiser fell silent with a troubled expression on his face.
But in order to avoid the death flag that might be waiting for me in my future and to protect the heroine’s happiness, this is an absolutely non-negotiable condition, so I have to get Prince Kaiser to make a promise.
I stared at Prince Kaiser’s face with my non-negotiable feelings.
Then Prince Kaiser let out a small sigh and nodded his head with a bitter smile at me.
“I understand. Well, first of all, that won’t happen, but if I promise to do that, will you approve of my engagement to you?”
“I…Yes.”
“Oh, I see. Then you have my word.”
Prince Kaiser smiled at me with a pseudo-smile as he said that, and I smiled with the same pseudo-smile and posed my gut in my mind.
Alright! I got a pawn!!!!
I can’t say that it’s completely safe because it’s only a verbal promise, but even so, because of Prince Kaiser’s character, he will keep his own promise, and since father, brother, and mother, who came late, also listened to this promise, they can’t say that he didn’t say it, which is a relief for now.
“…Prince Kaiser, please find someone else to love right away.”
“Roberto…he can’t help it. Now, Prince Kaiser, I still have some work to do in the castle, so I will return now, but what about you, Prince Kaiser?”
“I’ll stay here for a while longer and talk to Cecilia and then return.”
No, I have nothing to say to you. I just want you to go home with father.
“Well, in that case, it’s time for you to have lunch at my house. Leila, I’ll ask you to prepare it.”
“Okay, I understand.”
“Prince Kaiser, then, please inform your household when you return to the castle. I will send someone to meet you at once.”
“Yeah, I understand.”
“Now, Roberto, what are you doing? You’re going back to the castle too.”
“What? No, father, I’ll stay here and—”
“Of course not. You have some work to do in the castle.”
“But Father!”
“Roberto.”
“Ugh! Cecilia, you must never be alone with Prince Kaiser! You’re still kids!”
No, you’re also just a kid…Well, I know I’m an adult with the mental age to know what you’re worried about, but we’re only 6 and 7 years old. There’s nothing dangerous in that regard! And there’s no way Prince Kaiser would feel that way about me. Because in the game, he didn’t like Cecilia at all.
I remembered that Prince Kaiser had said crisply in the game that he had no choice but to get engaged to Cecilia, but he didn’t like it.
So I didn’t expect Prince Kaiser to still get engaged to me, but it made sense when I consider that it was a countermeasure against a group of other girls.
And so my father forcibly took my brother, who was still mumbling, out to the castle.
I saw him off with a bitter smile, and then at the insistence of my mother, I was to show Prince Kaiser the house until lunch was ready.
My maidservant and I showed Prince Kaiser the parlor, the library, father’s office, and all the other innocuous rooms.
Prince Kaiser was walking perfectly beside me while listening to it with a happy smile.
He’s kind of close…
I was confused by the distance between us, but since there was no problem, I left it alone and continued to show him around.
“I’ve finished showing you around, but I don’t think the food is ready yet, so what shall we do?”
“Then… I’d like to see Cecilia’s room.”
“What?”
“I…Is that wrong?”
“No, I can’t say no…I just…”
“Then let’s go.”
With that, Prince Kaiser took my hand and let the maid guide us to my room.
When we arrived at my room in this way, Prince Kaiser looked around my room in a curious manner.
“This is the first time I’ve been in a girl’s room, and it’s very cute.”
“…it was mostly my mother’s hobby.”
My room was all pink and white like a princess’s room, with lots of frills and ribbons on the curtains and sofa.
There were also many fluffy and adorable stuffed animals on the floor. These were gifts from her father and brother.
To be honest, as someone who lived in a normal, ordinary room in a previous life, this room still feels strange to me.
I’ll definitely redecorate it when I grow up!
I was reluctant to show Prince Kaiser this room because I didn’t want to see much of this room.
“You must have been surprised by the amazing room. It’s not a room that is often shown to men…”
“Not at all. I think it’s a lovely room that would suit Cecilia well. I’m just curious…has any man ever entered this room?”
“Father and brother and…and the rest of the family sometimes come in for business, but what can I do about it?”
“Okay…so, other than that, I’m your first man, I guess.”
He smiled at me, and I couldn’t say anything, my cheeks twitching as he smiled at me.
Something to say…
Prince Kaiser’s somewhat implied way of saying it caught me, but I instinctively dared to pretend that I hadn’t noticed it.
“Ah! Come to think of it, if it wasn’t someone from the house, Mr. Dimitria would have been in this room.”
“…Mr. Dimitria? Are you talking about Dimitria Risent, by any chance, the Director of the Ministry of Academic Research at the Royal Palace?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Speaking of which, I’ve heard that Dimitria is tutoring some young lady…was it you?”
“I think so.”
“Actually, I’m having Dimitria teach me how to study too.”
“Really! Mr. Dimitria is kind and good at teaching, so I enjoy his classes!”
“Yeah, yeah, I guess so…”
For some reason, Prince Kaiser responded to my words with a crisp response.
“I have no kindness…”
“What?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
I asked him what was wrong, but he immediately returned to his usual smile and said it was nothing.
As I was wondering about it, a lady attendant came to call that lunch was ready.
So Prince Kaiser and I went to the dining room and our food was immediately prepared.
By the way, Prince Kaiser and I are the only people eating in the dining room.
I don’t know what’s going on here, but I’m sure it’s just the two of us. Mother went to her room to have lunch with a chuckle, saying, “It’s just the two youngsters here.”
I was dismayed at my mother’s behavior at that time, but now that Prince Kaiser had arrived, I decided to enjoy the lunch, which was even more sumptuous than usual.
“The cooks here are very skilled, aren’t they? They all taste wonderful.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Especially this grilled chicken, which is excellent.”
“That’s my favorite part!”
I was so happy that he complimented me on my favorite dish that I smiled at him.
Then, seeing me, Prince Kaiser smiled softly.
“After all, Cecilia seems to have the happiest smile when she’s eating.”
“…I think it’s normal to eat good food and feel happy, don’t you?”
“Yeah…well, since I’ve been eating with you, I’ve come to understand that.”
Then Prince Kaiser gave a similar smile.
I nodded my head in agreement with his smile, when the head chef came downstairs to meet us.
“Prince Kaiser, is your meal to your liking?”
“Yes, it was all very good.”
“Thank you very much…The Lady Cecilia always eats every dish I serve her, so it’s very worthwhile for me to cook for her. I’m very happy that Prince Kaiser likes it too, and I hope you will continue to take care of Lady Cecilia.”
With that, the head chef turned his smile to Prince Kaiser and bowed and returned to the cooking area.
“…Cecilia, you are very much loved by everyone in this mansion.”
“Well, it’s…well, it’s a little too much love in some ways.”
“Still, it’s a lot better than being hated. But…if you were brought up in this kind of environment, you would have grown up to be more selfish, but you don’t seem to be like that at all.”
“Yeah, well…I didn’t want to grow up being selfish.”
“Well, that’s a good thing, I suppose. Oh, that’s right, I haven’t told you about it yet. Our engagement announcement will be at the Royal Palace in a week’s time, so I only ask that you prepare for it.”
“…What? Engagement announcement?”
“Yes. What’s the problem?”
“…Do we really need to be bothered? If you make a big announcement, don’t you think it will make things worse for both of us when we end our engagement later on?”
“First of all, you needn’t worry about that, since I won’t be breaking off the engagement. Besides…it would be more expedient to let everyone know in a big way that Cecilia is my fiancée…”
I understood from Prince Kaiser’s words that an engagement announcement was indeed a convenient way to show that group of young ladies that I had become a fiancée in an imposing manner.
“…I understand.”
“Thank you Cecilia. I’m looking forward to the engagement announcement now.”
I wasn’t looking forward to it, but I let out a small sigh and concentrated on the food again.
As I was finishing off the dessert, I was drinking my after-dinner tea when Prince Kaiser praised the garden that I could see from the dining room.
“It’s a very nice garden,” he said. “It’s very well-kept.”
“I’m sure grandfather the gardener will be delighted to hear that!”
I remembered grandfather the gardener, who worked very hard to maintain this garden every day, and I was as happy as I was to hear him praise it.
As he was walking through the hedge of beautifully planted roses, Prince Kaiser suddenly noticed something and asked the attendant following him to do something for him.
“Excuse me, I seem to have forgotten my handkerchief in the dining room earlier, could you please bring it to me? That’s my favorite handkerchief, so…”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be right back, and you two may wait here for a moment.”
And so, as I watched the maidservant hurry back into the house, Prince Kaiser suddenly took my hand in his.
“What?”
“I’m glad we’re finally alone.”
When I saw Prince Kaiser smiling so happily, I thought that maybe he had left his handkerchief behind on purpose.
This dark-hearted prince could do it…but what would be the benefit of being alone with me? Oh, by the way, my brother told me not to be alone with Prince Kaiser…but it’s not like anything is going to happen, so I guess it’s okay.
Just as I was thinking about this, a sudden gust of wind blew and scattered rose petals all around me.
I was startled by this and struggled to hold my hair, which was fluttering in the strong wind.
But then I realized that Prince Kaiser was staring at me in a daze.
“Prince Kaiser?”
“It’s beautiful…”
“What? Oh, sure, those dancing petals are fantastic and beautiful, aren’t they?”
As I said this, I watched the petals that had been lifted by the gust of wind slowly descend, although the wind had stopped.
“…Cecilia, could you please close your eyes for a moment?”
“My eyes? Why?”
“…there’s some debris on your eyes that’s been blown around by the current wind.”
“Really?!”
“Oh, please don’t touch it. You can’t get it in your eyes.”
“Oh, yes. Now, please.”
“…Stay still, please. Don’t open your eyes until I tell you it’s okay.”
“I understand.”
So I did as Prince Kaiser said and waited quietly.
But no matter how much I waited, Prince Kaiser didn’t try to remove what was attached to it.
“…Is Prince Kaiser done yet?”
“…Just give me a few more minutes. I want to take it carefully.”
“I understand.”
I replied again, but for some reason I felt Prince Kaiser’s voice was closer than before, and I thought I could feel his breath on my face for some reason.
Just then, I was suddenly pulled from behind by a strong force as someone hugged me.
I was surprised by the suddenness of the situation and opened my eyes to see Prince Kaiser frozen in place with his face sticking out.
But Prince Kaiser’s eyes were staring at my back.
Without knowing what in the world was going on, I fearfully looked back with only my head.
“Brother!”
It was my brother, who should have gone to the castle, who was holding me tightly from behind.
But my brother was still holding me and staring at Prince Kaiser with a stern look in his eyes.
“Roberto, interrupting the good part again…but why are you here?”
“Mr. Dimitria was laughing at me with eyes that weren’t smiling when Prince Kaiser didn’t return when it was time to study, so I came to get him instead.”
“Oh!”
“…but I’m so glad I rushed back. If I was even a little late, my precious sister’s lips would be…”
My brother was mumbling something above my head, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying.
“Come on, Prince Kaiser, come back to the castle with me.”
“But…”
“Dimitria is waiting for you.”
“Uh, okay.”
Prince Kaiser nodded reluctantly at his brother’s words and walked towards the front door with his brother who let me go.
…Why would he react like that to Dimitria-sensei’s name? Hmmm…Oh well. At any rate, it looks like they’ll finally let me go home, and now we won’t have to see each other for a while until the engagement announcement!
When I was relieved, Prince Kaiser, who was walking, stopped, turned around and said with a nice smile.
“Cecilia, I’ll be coming to visit you again!”
No, you don’t have to come!!!!
I thought to myself.
But as he said, Prince Kaiser came to our house the next day.
And I welcomed him with a sense of dismay.
I had been told the day before that he would not be able to come to our house for a while because he had official business to attend to, so I was very comfortable with that.
Today was also the day of Mr. Dimitria’s class, so I was excitedly waiting in my room for him to arrive.
I was buzzing with excitement as I waited in my room for him to arrive.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting, Cecilia-sama,” he said. “I apologize for the delay in leaving the house for a moment…Actually, my son insisted on seeing Lady Cecilia, and I had no choice but to bring him with me. Now, Ghislan, say hello to Lady Cecilia.”
With that, Mr. Dimitria pushed the boy standing beside her and made him take a step forward.
“…Ghislan Risent.”
I almost screamed when I heard the name of the boy who introduced himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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