He also asked to marry Princess Medea? Were they dating?
Well, there's no way that damn man hasn't been in a relationship.
Besides, the words “let’s get married” are something that is thrown out between lovers as lightly as a feather.
“I have a lot to say.”
The Princess gestured toward the terrace, telling me to follow her. She smiled faintly and left. I decided to listen a little longer, as if she had something to say.
“Noah. I’m going to go out on the terrace and get some fresh air.”
“It must be cold, so come back quickly.”
Noah, who had been gazing at the noblemen gathered around him with annoyed eyes, looked at me and answered kindly. I went out onto the terrace and met Princess Erita, who had arrived earlier and was waiting. Perhaps it was the cold, or perhaps a stirring in my heart, that made my lips tremble slightly.
“I’m saying this because I’m worried you might get hurt too.”
Princess Erita looked at me and let out a long sigh. It was a stark contrast to the murderous gaze she had given me earlier.
“What was the problem?”
At my question, the Princess folded her arms and turned her head toward the garden outside the terrace.
“He tried to trick me into giving up my right to the throne, just for fun.”
"Yes?"
"Medea's royal heirs, who hold the right of succession, cannot marry anyone who is not of Medea's blood. He had told me to give up the throne to marry him."
“So you gave up?”
"No, my mother, the Queen, didn't give me permission. I was even willing to give up my royal status to marry him."
"Yes..."
"But soon he mercilessly abandoned me. That man has no sincerity. He can't love anyone, and he plays with people's hearts by feigning affection and showing ambiguous kindness, all for fun."
Perhaps it was a perfectly understandable story. I tilted my head slightly and brushed my hand along the icy railing of the terrace as I spoke.
“Princess, I lost my parents when I was twelve.”
“Oh, that must have been hard.”
“The insurance money, property, land, and buildings all came to me.”
Princess Erita looked at me, listening silently. I remembered the day I was left alone in the world.
On the last day of the funeral, I was completely alone. The relatives who had pretended to be kind and sought to become guardians, hoping to seize the inheritance, were in an uproar when they heard the news that the guardian had been appointed as my grandfather.
My grandfather was no pushover, so he came to me and wreaked havoc. It was a day filled with true misanthropy. My relatives threw and smashed my parents' memorial photos and grabbed me by the collar and shook me.
The lawyer, who had arrived in place of the grandfather who had collapsed from shock and was in the hospital, broke his glasses while trying to stop them, and his eyelids were torn and bleeding profusely. But that was only the beginning of the chaos and hell that was to unfold.
People around me, not just my relatives, tried to use me, threatening me and harassing me.
After I turned twenty and became an adult, and my grandfather passed away, I became even more blatant.
Men who approached me with sincerity eventually coveted what I had, demanding marriage and acting like they were going to quit their jobs to start a business. This is why I became disillusioned with relationships and was exhausted.
"Everyone was harassing me, trying to take my inheritance. They even tried to sneak into my house or pretend to kill me by making it look like an accident."
“That’s sad, but why are you saying that?”
“It’s easy to deceive others if you tell a sad story.”
The world's affairs are basically lies here. I'm now Diana, a former kitchen maid. The Princess was also telling me distorted lies. She showed her displeasure toward me.
“What did you say?”
Celine had also been through something similar to her in the original, so she might have believed his words. But having lived in a world so harsh, she possessed a certain level of discernment.
If Noah had truly wanted to marry her, she wouldn't still be a Princess.
Well, there's no way that damn man hasn't been in a relationship.
Besides, the words “let’s get married” are something that is thrown out between lovers as lightly as a feather.
“I have a lot to say.”
The Princess gestured toward the terrace, telling me to follow her. She smiled faintly and left. I decided to listen a little longer, as if she had something to say.
“Noah. I’m going to go out on the terrace and get some fresh air.”
“It must be cold, so come back quickly.”
Noah, who had been gazing at the noblemen gathered around him with annoyed eyes, looked at me and answered kindly. I went out onto the terrace and met Princess Erita, who had arrived earlier and was waiting. Perhaps it was the cold, or perhaps a stirring in my heart, that made my lips tremble slightly.
“I’m saying this because I’m worried you might get hurt too.”
Princess Erita looked at me and let out a long sigh. It was a stark contrast to the murderous gaze she had given me earlier.
“What was the problem?”
At my question, the Princess folded her arms and turned her head toward the garden outside the terrace.
“He tried to trick me into giving up my right to the throne, just for fun.”
"Yes?"
"Medea's royal heirs, who hold the right of succession, cannot marry anyone who is not of Medea's blood. He had told me to give up the throne to marry him."
“So you gave up?”
"No, my mother, the Queen, didn't give me permission. I was even willing to give up my royal status to marry him."
"Yes..."
"But soon he mercilessly abandoned me. That man has no sincerity. He can't love anyone, and he plays with people's hearts by feigning affection and showing ambiguous kindness, all for fun."
Perhaps it was a perfectly understandable story. I tilted my head slightly and brushed my hand along the icy railing of the terrace as I spoke.
“Princess, I lost my parents when I was twelve.”
“Oh, that must have been hard.”
“The insurance money, property, land, and buildings all came to me.”
Princess Erita looked at me, listening silently. I remembered the day I was left alone in the world.
On the last day of the funeral, I was completely alone. The relatives who had pretended to be kind and sought to become guardians, hoping to seize the inheritance, were in an uproar when they heard the news that the guardian had been appointed as my grandfather.
My grandfather was no pushover, so he came to me and wreaked havoc. It was a day filled with true misanthropy. My relatives threw and smashed my parents' memorial photos and grabbed me by the collar and shook me.
The lawyer, who had arrived in place of the grandfather who had collapsed from shock and was in the hospital, broke his glasses while trying to stop them, and his eyelids were torn and bleeding profusely. But that was only the beginning of the chaos and hell that was to unfold.
People around me, not just my relatives, tried to use me, threatening me and harassing me.
After I turned twenty and became an adult, and my grandfather passed away, I became even more blatant.
Men who approached me with sincerity eventually coveted what I had, demanding marriage and acting like they were going to quit their jobs to start a business. This is why I became disillusioned with relationships and was exhausted.
"Everyone was harassing me, trying to take my inheritance. They even tried to sneak into my house or pretend to kill me by making it look like an accident."
“That’s sad, but why are you saying that?”
“It’s easy to deceive others if you tell a sad story.”
The world's affairs are basically lies here. I'm now Diana, a former kitchen maid. The Princess was also telling me distorted lies. She showed her displeasure toward me.
“What did you say?”
Celine had also been through something similar to her in the original, so she might have believed his words. But having lived in a world so harsh, she possessed a certain level of discernment.
If Noah had truly wanted to marry her, she wouldn't still be a Princess.
There was no hatred or loathing in Princess Erita's eyes as she looked at Noah.
Rather, what was in her eyes was love and hate.
I was the one being looked upon with hatred and resentment, along with twisted jealousy.
I know that look all too well. A look of envy, bitterness, even hatred, for someone who has what they don't have.
"I survived alone among tens of thousands of desires that pretended to be kind and sought after what I had. That's the truth."
The Princess's expression and gaze suddenly changed as if a mask had been removed.
Like the moment when the faces of relatives at a funeral suddenly changed into ghostly figures.
“I’m saying that I have a lot of doubts, so you don’t have to worry about me.”
I bowed to the Princess and tried to leave, but her cool voice stopped me.
“Diana, please wait.”
“It’s cold, so I’ll go in now.”
"I was sincere. He was a man who played with people's hearts for fun, but I was willing to give up the throne and the Princess title for him."
She thought about it, but never did it. I swallowed the empty laughter that was forming in my mouth.
“And where are you from?”
Princess Erita's blue eyes stared straight into my face, as if interrogating me. Their color was similar to the Admiral's, and even the emotion in them was identical, making me feel a surge of discomfort.
“I’m a Frogen person. I have citizenship.”
"That's easy to make, Noah. And your appearance is far from that of a Frogen."
The Princess, who had been looking at my face closely, giggled as if she realized something.
"You're the daughter of Admiral Belford, the one he took hostage. What a fun new toy. Are you even considered family in the first place? Your dark hair and appearance make it hard to believe you're Belford. A woman abandoned even by her own family. Haha, how much fun would it be to make someone rely on you and then mercilessly abandon you?"
How do you know that? I remembered people asking me if I was Medea. I tried to hide my expression.
She smiled happily, her face intoxicated with a sort of triumph. I stared silently at the Princess, her beautiful yet filthy expression. It was a possibility I was fully aware of, and Noah's gaze was unreadable, making it all the more frightening. Princess Erita, who seemed to have a nasty temper, continued to try to trample on me.
"You can't be serious, you know? You're not going to be of any benefit to him, nor are you anything special."
Nothing special. Neither her nor me.
Suddenly, warmth touched my cold fingertips.
Someone came and held my hand warmly.
Noah, who had taken my hand with his warm bare hand, was looking down at me with his glove in his mouth.
“How long are you going to be out in the fresh air? Your hands are frozen.”
Noah, who had put his glove on my hand, glanced at the Princess and then turned his head again.
Princess Erita, who was looking this way, raised her eyebrows as if her mind was twisted for another reason.
“Noah, you’ll abandon her someday, right? Like me.”
“I never had it or threw it away.”
Perhaps because no one was watching, his words to the Princess were incredibly rude. "Does he have two lives?" he asked, looking down at me with a charming smile. A shadow formed at the corners of his lips.
"Princess."
Noah spoke in a charming voice, completely different from when he spoke to Princess Erita.
“Princess? How dare you... in front of me.”
Her face twisted into a murderous grimace as she realized the words weren't meant for her. Noah raised his hand, as if to show me what he was holding.
“It’s cold, let’s go inside, honey.”
My mouth fell open in shock at the unexpected remark.
“...Honey?”
I stuttered and asked back at the sudden remark.
“What’s wrong with being married? Do you like me?”
“No... I just want to be a Princess. I can’t stand it.”
I flinched at the unfamiliar title.
Noah exaggeratedly shook my hand, his face beaming with joy.
“Then let’s leave that woman alone and go.”
“You mean that woman?”
Princess Erita's voice rose slightly at the cold title that contrasted with mine.
Noah still looked at me with joyful eyes.
“Actually, I don’t even remember the name. What was it?”
“Don’t be a tease, you little rascal!”
Princess Erita, her face flushed red, finally let out a curse in a stern voice.
“Oh my god, she’s a liar and her mouth is dirty.”
I almost agreed out loud at Noah's mocking words.
The Princess sighed and narrowed her eyes fiercely.
“You insulted me. When I return to Medea, I will tell the Queen everything.”
“Yes, let’s do that. We can leave now.”
Noah tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. The princess, meeting his eerily piercing gaze, clenched her teeth and stepped back.
The Princess, who had been looking at my face closely, giggled as if she realized something.
"You're the daughter of Admiral Belford, the one he took hostage. What a fun new toy. Are you even considered family in the first place? Your dark hair and appearance make it hard to believe you're Belford. A woman abandoned even by her own family. Haha, how much fun would it be to make someone rely on you and then mercilessly abandon you?"
How do you know that? I remembered people asking me if I was Medea. I tried to hide my expression.
She smiled happily, her face intoxicated with a sort of triumph. I stared silently at the Princess, her beautiful yet filthy expression. It was a possibility I was fully aware of, and Noah's gaze was unreadable, making it all the more frightening. Princess Erita, who seemed to have a nasty temper, continued to try to trample on me.
"You can't be serious, you know? You're not going to be of any benefit to him, nor are you anything special."
Nothing special. Neither her nor me.
Suddenly, warmth touched my cold fingertips.
Someone came and held my hand warmly.
Noah, who had taken my hand with his warm bare hand, was looking down at me with his glove in his mouth.
“How long are you going to be out in the fresh air? Your hands are frozen.”
Noah, who had put his glove on my hand, glanced at the Princess and then turned his head again.
Princess Erita, who was looking this way, raised her eyebrows as if her mind was twisted for another reason.
“Noah, you’ll abandon her someday, right? Like me.”
“I never had it or threw it away.”
Perhaps because no one was watching, his words to the Princess were incredibly rude. "Does he have two lives?" he asked, looking down at me with a charming smile. A shadow formed at the corners of his lips.
"Princess."
Noah spoke in a charming voice, completely different from when he spoke to Princess Erita.
“Princess? How dare you... in front of me.”
Her face twisted into a murderous grimace as she realized the words weren't meant for her. Noah raised his hand, as if to show me what he was holding.
“It’s cold, let’s go inside, honey.”
My mouth fell open in shock at the unexpected remark.
“...Honey?”
I stuttered and asked back at the sudden remark.
“What’s wrong with being married? Do you like me?”
“No... I just want to be a Princess. I can’t stand it.”
I flinched at the unfamiliar title.
Noah exaggeratedly shook my hand, his face beaming with joy.
“Then let’s leave that woman alone and go.”
“You mean that woman?”
Princess Erita's voice rose slightly at the cold title that contrasted with mine.
Noah still looked at me with joyful eyes.
“Actually, I don’t even remember the name. What was it?”
“Don’t be a tease, you little rascal!”
Princess Erita, her face flushed red, finally let out a curse in a stern voice.
“Oh my god, she’s a liar and her mouth is dirty.”
I almost agreed out loud at Noah's mocking words.
The Princess sighed and narrowed her eyes fiercely.
“You insulted me. When I return to Medea, I will tell the Queen everything.”
“Yes, let’s do that. We can leave now.”
Noah tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. The princess, meeting his eerily piercing gaze, clenched her teeth and stepped back.
“...He’s a real madman.”
She let out a brief curse, then tried to keep a straight face and entered the ballroom. She seemed to possess everything—Princess status and beauty—but perhaps the world is fair, and her quirky temper was proportional to her. Perhaps it was because she had grown up to be a precious Princess without any hardships.
“Noah, were you dating the Princess?”
Princess Erita's words felt like a thorn in my throat, and I finally spat them out. He tilted his head and asked a question.
“The Princess is Diana?”
“That woman.”
“No, I’ve never dated anyone. I have high standards.”
Noah looked straight at me and answered expressionlessly. The smile he always had when dealing with me was gone.
“Shr said you wanted to get married first.”
"I refused several times when she asked me to marry her, saying she would renounce her right to succession. I guess she's the one who remembers things the other way around."
Why am I asking questions like an interrogation? Even if it's true, it's none of my business. He answered my questions without hesitation and took my hand.
“It’s cold, so come inside.”
Led by Noah's hand, I returned to the ballroom and sipped warm tea at the dessert table. My chilled body felt a sense of relief.
Perhaps because Noah had already declared himself engaged, no man had approached me, invited me to dance, or even talked to me. It felt more like a blatant marriage announcement than a social debut.
Noah bent down toward me and extended his hand. It was the polite gesture of a gentleman inviting me to dance.
“Princess, from now on, you will only dance with me. No one else.”
In fact, I was looking forward to it. From the moment I stepped into the ballroom, all I could think about was him inviting me to dance. I even agonized over what expression to make and what to say.
"Great."
It was a concise answer compared to the long agony.
Reminding myself of his blunt nature, I placed my tiny hand on his, and Noah's mouth curved in satisfaction. It was our first dance, so my back was stiff and I was a little nervous, but Noah, with his aristocracy to the core, skillfully led the way.
“What if I step on your foot? Everyone is watching.”
Noah made a kind face as if to reassure me of my worries.
“I’ll step on it too. Then you’ll think it’s because I’m bad at it.”
“...I’ll try not to step on it.”
The melody of the music played by the orchestra gently filled the ballroom, and the surrounding noises faded away.
As if we were the only two people left in the world, all my senses turned towards the place where I was in contact with Noah.
Noah's dark blue eyes, staring down intently, made me want to believe that this present reality was real. Even though his hand was wrapped around the small of my waist, it felt strangely warm, even though it was over my clothes.
Despite his extreme possessiveness, Noah was staunchly guarding his lines, never touching or manipulating anyone. Perhaps that's why the area around my waist where his hands touched felt even more ticklish.
***
“I came to see you because you said you were going to save my younger sister for me.”
Celine, wearing a simple white dress and hat, sat on the reception room sofa, gazing at Lieutenant Colonel Groenendaal with moist eyes. She had visited the headquarters building where he worked. The Lieutenant Colonel, dressed in his officer's uniform, sat opposite her, listening intently, his gaze fixed on her.
“Yes, Miss Claire. Please speak.”
"That's not for me. You want to inherit the dukedom? I don't care about your title."
The lieutenant colonel, sitting upright like a soldier, looked at her silently.
"I've always liked you, Lieutenant Colonel. I saw you by chance four years ago when you visited my school and fell in love with you at first sight. So, don't go."
Celine's eyes, as she passionately confessed, gleamed, then clouded over, and tears fell from her large eyes. She looked so beautiful and pitiful that no man could resist her confession.
A normal man might have immediately declared he would abandon the operation. But the lieutenant colonel's strong, sharp eyes held no wavering.
He called her in a soft voice.
“Celine.”
“Did you just call my name?”
Her green eyes, once filled with tears, grew wide with emotion. The lieutenant colonel took a handkerchief from his arm and wiped her tears away.
“Don’t cry.”
“You’re not going, are you? Yes?”
The lieutenant colonel smiled kindly as he watched Celine nagging like a child.
“Isn’t she your precious younger sister whom you cherish?”
While Lieutenant Colonel Groenendaal's long, fierce eyes softened somewhat, Celine's gaze, realizing his decision, grew colder and colder.
“I will come back with your younger sibling on Christmas Day, December 25th.”
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