In fact, that was the deciding factor. Up until now, I had been like a small boat tossed about by a storm.
It's not that I knew what to do and acted on my own initiative, but I was just pushed by chance and ended up in the palace.
I had complete faith that the Emperor or his attendants would uncover the truth. There was some kind of mistake, that I was not the Princess.
Then, I also had hopes that I would regain my freedom within a few days. I owed Enoch a debt of gratitude, but if it was revealed that I was not the Princess, he would also be free from the guilt of the royal family.
But when I came to my senses, everyone was already calling me Her Highness the Princess. And Laskan said that the scars that the Princess had on her body were also on my body.
I became even more confused. Life was like this. It just didn't go the way I wanted it to.
If I really let my mind wander like this, I’d end up being pushed out and wearing the Emperor’s crown. Or else I’d be stoned to death as a con man.
I felt like a bleak future was clearly visible before my eyes.
Laskan said he would protect me, but I basically didn't trust others easily. Since I was young, I've seen many people get fooled by such sweet talk and end up ruining their lives.
Above all, it was not a wise choice to leave my future up to others.
That's why a memorandum like this is needed.
“I also bragged to the Duke of Kairak about everything... I felt like if I remained half-hearted, I would end up in a bad situation.”
Laskan let out a short sigh. Only then did he seem to realize that I didn't believe him one bit.
He asked as if giving up.
“What exactly do you plan to do?”
“First of all, I will work hard to defeat Princess Veronica. I will study and relearn etiquette. I will not take it easy like before, but will give it my all. As if I am the true heir to the throne.”
“Wow.”
“They said it would take at least six months for the blood test results to come back. In the meantime, the Duke can do your job. Whether it’s attacking Duke Kairak, taking the succession from Princess Veronica, or finding the real Anastasia.”
“...”
“I’m telling you to make as many holes as possible for us to escape through. In the meantime, I’ll try to become friendly with the Emperor and the nobles.”
“I see. What’s next?”
“Uh... That’s all I could think of. What else is there?”
The smile on Laskan's lips grew slightly deeper.
“What are your plans for marriage?”
Oh, marriage. Yeah, you didn't write that in the memorandum. I responded nonchalantly.
“If necessary, I agree to the necessity of a contractual engagement. It would also be good to show that I am on Duke’s side. There will be some blank space at the bottom of the paper, so write it down at the bottom.”
“Oh, it’s not that simple.”
“...What else is there?”
When I came to my senses, he was sitting right next to me.
We got so close before I knew it. I tried to move my body to the side, but he was a little faster at trapping me between the sofa and his arms.
“You may have forgotten, but I remember that I proposed to Your Highness just today.”
Because he lowered his head, our gazes met very closely. I could clearly see the color of his mysterious eyes.
When I looked at it under sunlight, I thought it was just gold, but there was a very faint green glow around the pupil.
“Until the end of all this perfect and flawless planning, you have not considered my relationship with you in the slightest...”
He smiled, lifting his lips. Who on earth had said he was gentlemanly and affectionate?
Here was no such upright Duke Ashkabad as I knew. I had never thought that he could make such a raw, dangerous, beast-like expression...
“I feel a little resentful.”
The unexpected sincerity in those eyes made my heart sink.
I thought with a sense of dizziness. When on earth did it start...?
While I was absentminded, he leaned his head a little closer. Our noses were almost touching, with only a space between them like a sheet of paper.
His head is tilted. Close enough that their quivering eyelashes brushed against mine.
Sometimes, people get carried away by the atmosphere and do ridiculous things. Even if you say that the woman here is a back-alley girl and the Duke in the sky, if you take it all off, they are just a woman and a man.
There was a moment when I couldn't tell whether I had taken the initiative or whether he had lowered his head a little more. Our lips met sweetly and then immediately parted.
It was just a brief contact. But I was out of breath as if I had just run a race.
“Excuse me, Your Excellency, this is...”
“Are you calling me that again? You said you would become a perfect Princess.”
He said in a slightly hoarse voice. I stammered and made an excuse.
“Starting tomorrow, starting tomorrow... The date is written at the bottom of the memorandum...”
He checked the half-crumpled paper between our arms and chuckled.
He pulled the table next to him over, dipped his quill in ink, and signed. He folded the paper in half and handed it to me.
“Laskan.”
“...”
“I believe that the name will not be difficult for you to say since I brought it to your lips.”
“...”
“Good night.”
I was completely frozen and couldn't move even as Laskan politely closed the door and left.
Thanks to that, when the maids came back in, my cheeks were flushed to a degree that wasn't awkward at all.
"Your Highness."
I almost hugged Isabella and Lisa tightly as they knelt down to greet me. We had only been apart for a week or so, but it felt like I hadn't seen them in weeks.
What a comfort it is to see a familiar face in an unfamiliar place. I tried not to show my excitement, but my voice was already buzzing.
“Wasn’t it difficult to get here?”
Isabella smiled and answered, seeing me so excited, even though my actions were calm.
“Not at all. I am just glad to meet you, Your Highness. Oh, and this is a letter from His Excellency.”
I quickly took the sealed letter from Isabella's hands.
At first glance, it looked like a letter, but it was the advance payment that Laskan had promised yesterday. I carefully opened the envelope with the letterhead and took out the beige paper.
I thought it was luxurious, with a gold-plated letterhead, but I had to bite my lip to keep myself from exclaiming when I saw the contents.
Do you want to hand over 10% of the annual production of the Richendel Diamond Mine as a deposit? Oh my!
Lisa smiled mischievously, wondering how she could interpret the blush on my cheeks from excitement.
“Really, I had no idea. I had no idea that the two of you would become so close...”
“What does that mean?”
“Rumors are already spreading throughout the capital.”
Isabella continued Lisa's words. The smiles of the two people, who seemed somehow delighted, seemed very ominous.
“Rumors are going around that Duke Ashakabad is deeply in love with Your Highness the Princess. You are said to have developed a romantic relationship while staying at the Duke’s residence. How could you not have told us even once!”
We were lovers. We had gotten to that point, but it was still a long way to go.
I answered, pressing my flushed cheeks with both hands.
“... Where on earth did that rumor come from?”
“Three days ago, a rumor spread throughout the capital that you had a secret meeting with someone you had met in person.”
A story that happened only a few days ago is already spreading like wildfire in the capital? Damn it. They say you have to be careful about rumors in the palace, and this must be the story.
My face kept turning pale and then turning red.
“But you haven’t officially started dating yet? Please tell me that’s not the case. Before you receive the bouquet of flowers and the official certificate of relationship, even if he is His Excellency, it’s not okay!”
We're officially dating. He proposed to me, and he confessed his love to me, but...
I was planning to disappear cleanly after the work was done. It was even hard to tell whether Laskan's heart was really toward me or whether it was true love. He had been looking at Anastasia through me all along.
Even though my first kiss was a failure, I wanted to have my first relationship with someone who truly loved me. When I nodded absentmindedly, Isabella added as if she was impressed.
“I’m not saying this just because he’s my nephew, but he’s a very good man to have as a husband. But you should meet a lot of men and then decide. There are so many young and handsome people in the social circles this year.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Please meet many of them before you choose. It will soon be Entremette.”
What on earth... Where and what do I choose, and what do I have to meet a lot of...
As I continued to mumble, Isabella continued speaking softly.
“The New Year’s celebration in the palace starts a little later. Unlike the commoners who celebrate on January 1st, it is based on the time when the weather warms up and the first crop of the year is sown. The ball held then will probably be Your Highness’s debut in society.”
I slowly chewed on Isabella's words, with my head not working well.
“Oh, I’ve heard of the Imperial New Year’s Festival. Isn’t it only a few weeks away?”
“Now that I think about it, the preparation time is tight. It seems a bit early for Your Majesty to be able to lead a conversation skillfully, so finding a maid is the most urgent task.”
“But I heard that no one has applied for the position of maid yet.”
I nodded. It had been a full week. I had been sitting in this stuffy palace, surrounded by servants and maids watching me, feeling trapped and not trapped.
It felt like I was on a slowly sinking ship, with my hands and feet tied.
“Everyone is suspicious. Is Your Highness the Real, or is he a liar like the previous conmen...”
Isabella trailed off and gave a gentle nod. It was a signal to leave the area. I spoke to Lisa, who was organizing her luggage.
“Lisa, could you prepare some tea for me? It would be nice to have some light snacks as well.”
“I’ll be right back, Your Highness. Please wait a moment.”
Isabella opened her fan with a satisfied look as I sent the maids and Lisa away with a suitable excuse.
“I am glad that Your Highness is feeling better now. It was so hard for you at first.”
“It’s all thanks to Countess Modre.”
Isabella, who had been smiling happily, covered her mouth with her fan. She leaned her head a little closer to me and asked in a whisper.
“Your Highness. Have you ever thought about the throne?”
It's not that I knew what to do and acted on my own initiative, but I was just pushed by chance and ended up in the palace.
I had complete faith that the Emperor or his attendants would uncover the truth. There was some kind of mistake, that I was not the Princess.
Then, I also had hopes that I would regain my freedom within a few days. I owed Enoch a debt of gratitude, but if it was revealed that I was not the Princess, he would also be free from the guilt of the royal family.
But when I came to my senses, everyone was already calling me Her Highness the Princess. And Laskan said that the scars that the Princess had on her body were also on my body.
I became even more confused. Life was like this. It just didn't go the way I wanted it to.
If I really let my mind wander like this, I’d end up being pushed out and wearing the Emperor’s crown. Or else I’d be stoned to death as a con man.
I felt like a bleak future was clearly visible before my eyes.
Laskan said he would protect me, but I basically didn't trust others easily. Since I was young, I've seen many people get fooled by such sweet talk and end up ruining their lives.
Above all, it was not a wise choice to leave my future up to others.
That's why a memorandum like this is needed.
“I also bragged to the Duke of Kairak about everything... I felt like if I remained half-hearted, I would end up in a bad situation.”
Laskan let out a short sigh. Only then did he seem to realize that I didn't believe him one bit.
He asked as if giving up.
“What exactly do you plan to do?”
“First of all, I will work hard to defeat Princess Veronica. I will study and relearn etiquette. I will not take it easy like before, but will give it my all. As if I am the true heir to the throne.”
“Wow.”
“They said it would take at least six months for the blood test results to come back. In the meantime, the Duke can do your job. Whether it’s attacking Duke Kairak, taking the succession from Princess Veronica, or finding the real Anastasia.”
“...”
“I’m telling you to make as many holes as possible for us to escape through. In the meantime, I’ll try to become friendly with the Emperor and the nobles.”
“I see. What’s next?”
“Uh... That’s all I could think of. What else is there?”
The smile on Laskan's lips grew slightly deeper.
“What are your plans for marriage?”
Oh, marriage. Yeah, you didn't write that in the memorandum. I responded nonchalantly.
“If necessary, I agree to the necessity of a contractual engagement. It would also be good to show that I am on Duke’s side. There will be some blank space at the bottom of the paper, so write it down at the bottom.”
“Oh, it’s not that simple.”
“...What else is there?”
When I came to my senses, he was sitting right next to me.
We got so close before I knew it. I tried to move my body to the side, but he was a little faster at trapping me between the sofa and his arms.
“You may have forgotten, but I remember that I proposed to Your Highness just today.”
Because he lowered his head, our gazes met very closely. I could clearly see the color of his mysterious eyes.
When I looked at it under sunlight, I thought it was just gold, but there was a very faint green glow around the pupil.
“Until the end of all this perfect and flawless planning, you have not considered my relationship with you in the slightest...”
He smiled, lifting his lips. Who on earth had said he was gentlemanly and affectionate?
Here was no such upright Duke Ashkabad as I knew. I had never thought that he could make such a raw, dangerous, beast-like expression...
“I feel a little resentful.”
The unexpected sincerity in those eyes made my heart sink.
I thought with a sense of dizziness. When on earth did it start...?
While I was absentminded, he leaned his head a little closer. Our noses were almost touching, with only a space between them like a sheet of paper.
His head is tilted. Close enough that their quivering eyelashes brushed against mine.
Sometimes, people get carried away by the atmosphere and do ridiculous things. Even if you say that the woman here is a back-alley girl and the Duke in the sky, if you take it all off, they are just a woman and a man.
There was a moment when I couldn't tell whether I had taken the initiative or whether he had lowered his head a little more. Our lips met sweetly and then immediately parted.
It was just a brief contact. But I was out of breath as if I had just run a race.
“Excuse me, Your Excellency, this is...”
“Are you calling me that again? You said you would become a perfect Princess.”
He said in a slightly hoarse voice. I stammered and made an excuse.
“Starting tomorrow, starting tomorrow... The date is written at the bottom of the memorandum...”
He checked the half-crumpled paper between our arms and chuckled.
He pulled the table next to him over, dipped his quill in ink, and signed. He folded the paper in half and handed it to me.
“Laskan.”
“...”
“I believe that the name will not be difficult for you to say since I brought it to your lips.”
“...”
“Good night.”
I was completely frozen and couldn't move even as Laskan politely closed the door and left.
Thanks to that, when the maids came back in, my cheeks were flushed to a degree that wasn't awkward at all.
***
"Your Highness."
I almost hugged Isabella and Lisa tightly as they knelt down to greet me. We had only been apart for a week or so, but it felt like I hadn't seen them in weeks.
What a comfort it is to see a familiar face in an unfamiliar place. I tried not to show my excitement, but my voice was already buzzing.
“Wasn’t it difficult to get here?”
Isabella smiled and answered, seeing me so excited, even though my actions were calm.
“Not at all. I am just glad to meet you, Your Highness. Oh, and this is a letter from His Excellency.”
I quickly took the sealed letter from Isabella's hands.
At first glance, it looked like a letter, but it was the advance payment that Laskan had promised yesterday. I carefully opened the envelope with the letterhead and took out the beige paper.
I thought it was luxurious, with a gold-plated letterhead, but I had to bite my lip to keep myself from exclaiming when I saw the contents.
Do you want to hand over 10% of the annual production of the Richendel Diamond Mine as a deposit? Oh my!
Lisa smiled mischievously, wondering how she could interpret the blush on my cheeks from excitement.
“Really, I had no idea. I had no idea that the two of you would become so close...”
“What does that mean?”
“Rumors are already spreading throughout the capital.”
Isabella continued Lisa's words. The smiles of the two people, who seemed somehow delighted, seemed very ominous.
“Rumors are going around that Duke Ashakabad is deeply in love with Your Highness the Princess. You are said to have developed a romantic relationship while staying at the Duke’s residence. How could you not have told us even once!”
We were lovers. We had gotten to that point, but it was still a long way to go.
I answered, pressing my flushed cheeks with both hands.
“... Where on earth did that rumor come from?”
“Three days ago, a rumor spread throughout the capital that you had a secret meeting with someone you had met in person.”
A story that happened only a few days ago is already spreading like wildfire in the capital? Damn it. They say you have to be careful about rumors in the palace, and this must be the story.
My face kept turning pale and then turning red.
“But you haven’t officially started dating yet? Please tell me that’s not the case. Before you receive the bouquet of flowers and the official certificate of relationship, even if he is His Excellency, it’s not okay!”
We're officially dating. He proposed to me, and he confessed his love to me, but...
I was planning to disappear cleanly after the work was done. It was even hard to tell whether Laskan's heart was really toward me or whether it was true love. He had been looking at Anastasia through me all along.
Even though my first kiss was a failure, I wanted to have my first relationship with someone who truly loved me. When I nodded absentmindedly, Isabella added as if she was impressed.
“I’m not saying this just because he’s my nephew, but he’s a very good man to have as a husband. But you should meet a lot of men and then decide. There are so many young and handsome people in the social circles this year.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Please meet many of them before you choose. It will soon be Entremette.”
What on earth... Where and what do I choose, and what do I have to meet a lot of...
As I continued to mumble, Isabella continued speaking softly.
“The New Year’s celebration in the palace starts a little later. Unlike the commoners who celebrate on January 1st, it is based on the time when the weather warms up and the first crop of the year is sown. The ball held then will probably be Your Highness’s debut in society.”
I slowly chewed on Isabella's words, with my head not working well.
“Oh, I’ve heard of the Imperial New Year’s Festival. Isn’t it only a few weeks away?”
“Now that I think about it, the preparation time is tight. It seems a bit early for Your Majesty to be able to lead a conversation skillfully, so finding a maid is the most urgent task.”
“But I heard that no one has applied for the position of maid yet.”
I nodded. It had been a full week. I had been sitting in this stuffy palace, surrounded by servants and maids watching me, feeling trapped and not trapped.
It felt like I was on a slowly sinking ship, with my hands and feet tied.
“Everyone is suspicious. Is Your Highness the Real, or is he a liar like the previous conmen...”
Isabella trailed off and gave a gentle nod. It was a signal to leave the area. I spoke to Lisa, who was organizing her luggage.
“Lisa, could you prepare some tea for me? It would be nice to have some light snacks as well.”
“I’ll be right back, Your Highness. Please wait a moment.”
Isabella opened her fan with a satisfied look as I sent the maids and Lisa away with a suitable excuse.
“I am glad that Your Highness is feeling better now. It was so hard for you at first.”
“It’s all thanks to Countess Modre.”
Isabella, who had been smiling happily, covered her mouth with her fan. She leaned her head a little closer to me and asked in a whisper.
“Your Highness. Have you ever thought about the throne?”
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