IWLUBCD - Chapter 4





I bit my lip, barely holding back the curses that were about to burst out.

So, what you're saying is that I, this body, got engaged.

That too with the Crown Prince.

The moment I realized that I dropped the spoon I was holding.

I spend every night rolling around in bed with my knight escorts, and I am the Crown Princess, or rather, one day, the Empress.

'Is my neck safe?'

The novel she was reading must have been rated R.I.P.

Damn it.

***

I don't even know how the meal ended after that.

After finishing my meal and returning to my room, I leaned back on the sofa and muttered.

“Is she a villainess...”

I still don't know what book I was possessed by, but one thing was certain.

There is a very high possibility that Ellie is a villainess.

The Crown Prince's fiancée enjoys playing with fire with her escort knight every night.

It seemed as if the dead ending that would be created by the Crown Prince's hands was already being drawn.

I said I was happy because I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but it seemed I was not pure gold, but gold-plated.

Very flashy on the outside.

“What bad luck.”

I who was sitting on the sofa muttering softly, looked at May who was moving busily.

“May, how much time is left until His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and my wedding?”

May, who was adjusting my dress, answered my question.

“Um...  There are about three months left!”

'Then, Crown Prince, doesn't that mean I sleep in bed with a different man every night?'

I barely managed to swallow the words that were about to come out of my throat.

"...Yes?"

Three months. Just when I was having the plausible thought that I might have to break off the engagement within that time, May continued talking.

“You are truly a very lucky lady. To marry such a handsome and kind man. At a time when most noble ladies marry for political reasons, you are marrying for love! And to His Highness the Crown Prince! All the noble ladies of the empire, no, all women, will envy you!”

'What? Marriage for love...?'

“Who would have thought that the gentleman you ran into downtown that day would be His Highness the Crown Prince? Come to think of it, people are all destined to meet each other.”

I sat up, startled by May's next words.

“Love marriage? Me and His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Yes! It’s a love story that everyone in the empire knows!”

'No, wait. So you're saying that the Crown Prince and I are in love with each other...?'

I felt like I had been hit in the head with a rock by May's words that were blurted out so casually.

'So, even though he has a man she loves, she does this and that with a different man every night... '

"Ha-."

A sigh mixed with a sigh escaped my lips.

Then I cautiously asked another question.

“Then, His Highness the Crown Prince....”

"Yes?"

'He doesn't know? About Carsis?'

I shook my head, biting my quivering lips.

“No, nothing.”

I guess it goes without saying that I should ask this.

Which fiancé would decide to marry his partner after knowing that?

That's why I thought there was no way the Crown Prince would know about it.

So complacently.

“More than that, Miss. We don’t have time to be like this anymore!”

May suddenly remembered something urgent while she was cleaning and urged me on.

“Why? What’s going on today?”

“What’s going on?! If you want to go to the afternoon tea party, you should get ready now!”

“Tea party?”

If you look at the novel, there's that tea party in the garden where they fight and say "haha hoho"?

I thought I would have to go there someday, but I was so flustered that it happened so suddenly.

“Was the tea party today...?”

“You too, young lady, I bet you were looking forward to it.”

I always wanted to attend the tea party of the noble ladies, but not now.

How can you converse comfortably with people you meet for the first time when all you know is their name?

'I guess I'll make up an excuse that I'm not feeling well and say I won't be attending... '

“Lady L’Arpege, she is truly kind-hearted. Why would she create such an event to celebrate the marriage of her best friend?”

‘...I can’t do it.’

If I get caught up in a party where I'm the main character, I never know what kind of gossip I'll end up getting later.

'Oh, shit.'

I swallowed a low curse and muttered in resignation.

“Yes. Get ready quickly.”

'Yeah, well, I guess I've already seen some things in books. I guess I'll just laugh and react appropriately and kill time.'

I decided to think as positively as possible about attending the tea party.

Because I thought I might find some hints about the novel in the conversations that came and went.

'For now, let's forget everything about the Crown Prince and Carsis and focus on the tea party.'

With that thought in mind, I surrendered myself to May's hands that were adorning me to the fullest.

***

A garden full of fragrant flowers.

A group of well-dressed women were sitting around a table chatting away.

“Congratulations on your wedding, Young Lady Cretian. I’m sure you’ll be happy.”

“Thank you, Young Lady.”

It's already been an hour since I arrived at Count L'Arpege's residence and received a lot of attention and questions.

My mouth was twitching as I smiled appropriately and pretended to be an elegant noblelady.

But fortunately, so far, no unexpected events have occurred that could have caused him to panic.

'If we continue like this, there won't be any problems.'

Just as I was about to raise the corners of my lips again, saying, “Let’s hold on a little longer,” the host of the party, Young Lady L’Arpege, stood up from her seat.

Ding ding ding-.

As the sound of a teaspoon hitting a cup echoed cheerfully, everyone's eyes were focused on Lady L'Arpege.

“I sincerely thank you all for attending this meaningful event. And to our friend and role model, Lady Cretian. I would like to take this opportunity to once again congratulate you on your wedding. Now, everyone, please applaud.”

As the young ladies clapped their hands elegantly and showed off their beautiful smiles, I quietly got up from my seat with a moved expression on my face.

“I am so happy that you have gathered here to celebrate my humble wedding. And I would also like to express my gratitude to Lady L’Arpege for arranging this event for me.”

As I expressed my gratitude appropriately, imitating the nobleman's speech that I had overheard, applause was heard again.

'Is this good enough?'

I was about to sit down, feeling somewhat satisfied with the not-so-bad response, when Lady L'Arpege clapped her hands loudly, drawing everyone's attention again.

“It’s truly rewarding that the young lady of Cretian is happy. But the fun for the young lady hasn’t even begun yet. The main event is about to begin. Everyone, please take your seats.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a strange heat rose up on everyone's faces as if they had been waiting for this moment, except for me.

'Well, I guess I'll just go boating.'

The entertainment of noble ladies was usually limited.

Boating, poetry recitation, etc. If there's something a little more active, horseback riding would be the best.

'Now is not the time to be doing this.'

When I start to feel tired of the fact that there is still more of this boring time left.

Contrary to expectations, the place that Lady L'Arpege led me to was a large building built deep in the garden.

'What's that building in the garden?'

The ivory-colored building, which had no windows and could not be called a greenhouse, boasted the splendor befitting a Count's house.

'Should I go see a play?'

Watching a play in the garden annex? I followed them into the building, inwardly exclaiming that the scale of the nobles was different.

However.

'Why are you going downstairs?'

It was around the time when I started to wonder, “Don’t you usually have to go up to see a performance?”

I could hear the excited voices of the women next to me.

“The L’Arpege family’s house, you have no idea how much money I spent on this day.”

'Money?'

“Me too, I gave up on Delarera’s new dress because of this?”

Was it from that time?

For some reason, I started to feel uneasy.

There was a strange excitement on the women's faces as if they were going to gamble illegally.

Moreover, the further down you go underground, the faint smell of an unidentifiable smell begins to emanate.

'Something feels ominous.'

And as we reached the large door, it slowly opened as if it had been waiting for them.

Then, the faint smell of something showed its presence and pricked my nose.

It smells damp and musty. And...

'The smell of blood...?'

I frowned at the unrealistic, pungent smell of iron and looked around.

Tall iron pillars surround a large circular stage. And luxurious seats arranged on top of them.

“Are you excited for your first dogfight in a while?”

"Yes...?"

It's a dog fight.

I think I've heard it before, but I don't really understand what it means.

I was blinking my eyes for a moment, thinking.

Lady L'Arpege continued speaking with a bright smile.

“No matter what dog we bring, it won’t be able to beat Lady Cretian’s dog.”

“My dog? I’ve never brought a dog before...”

What is this dog again out of the blue?


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