Steeling my wavering heart with the polished pride and queenly education I had drilled into myself, I smiled.
“I don’t need a knight like that,” I said firmly.
“I don’t need a king like that either.”
I would never, under any circumstances, cry like this girl, biting her trembling lips and weeping with her adorable face. Never.
Her tear-filled, endearing eyes glared at me with contempt, piercing my dry, unwavering gaze.
“Do you think you’re some kind of god?” she spat.
Because, even so—
I am—
“I am the fiancée of the First Prince.”
“Eh?” Whose voice was that, I wonder?
It felt familiar, yet it could have been several people speaking, or perhaps it was even my own voice.
A voice so beautiful it could make anyone fall to their knees spoke once more, emotionless and clear:
“Shall I say it again? Fineria is my one and only fiancée, and she will be my one and only queen.”
“Eh?”
This time, Lady Eliza said it. And, silently, so did I.
“What? You seemed unaware, talking about gods or whatever, so I thought I’d enlighten you.”
“Yu… Yuri…?”
Ah, amazing. Lady Eliza was making a face I’d never seen before.
And what about my own face? Was it still composed?
I instinctively glanced behind me at my maid, whose expression was an astonishing blend of joy, surprise, and shock.
Oh, how rare it was to see her, now a fully trained maid, openly show emotion in public. But really—what nonsense.
“Fineria.”
“…Yes?”
Swallowing my confusion, I replied to His Highness as he called me by my nickname. His pair of peridot-green eyes locked firmly on me.
“For the record, I’ve neither permitted this girl to address me by my name nor to abbreviate it. I’ve merely chosen not to stop her.”
Isn’t that the same as allowing it?!
Somewhere in my mind, a part of me—like a stand-up comedian—screamed in frustration.
“…With all due respect, Your Highness, while I know you are a kind person, such behavior might lead some of your vassals to feel you are being disrespected. Your position—”
“Fineria.”
His single word silenced me as I repeated “stay calm, stay calm” in my head.
Looking around, His Highness’s gaze swept the room. His loosely combed silver hair radiated an indescribable allure, and his sharp eyes gleamed like the edge of a sword.
Even the jewels I adorned paled in comparison to the beauty of this prince. And then, once more, he looked at me.
A wicked smile played on his lips, his conquering gaze piercing me like a blade.
I’ve thought this so many times. So, so many times.
I promised myself—
I will never fall in love with him.
When the heroine appears, I will act as the villain. I will live, I will leave, and I will make my exit with pride.
I was prepared for it. I had resolved to watch Lady Eliza, who perfectly matched the heroine in my memories, stand beside His Highness. I vowed not to misstep, to withdraw gracefully, and to uphold my dignity.
And yet, here I am—a mess.
“Is your husband the kind of king whose resolve can waver so easily?”
How many times will I fall in love with this man before I’m satisfied?!
“Oh, don’t make such a cute face. It only makes me want to make you cry out of sheer stubbornness.”
His sly smile as he chuckled was so captivating it sent a chill down my spine. Behind me, I heard the cries and thuds of noble ladies fainting.
I refused to falter. I lifted my chin defiantly.
“C-Cute?!”
The word “cute” evokes images of something you instinctively want to protect—adorable, precious. As much as I hate to admit it, it’s a word meant for someone like Lady Eliza, the heroine, not for someone like me with sharp eyes and a dark navy dress, utterly devoid of girlish charm.
“With all due respect, Your Highness, your eyes must be mistaken. You’re the only one who would ever call me that.”
“Of course I am. If anyone else dared, I’d kill them.”
What’s with that rapid response? What’s with that sinister smile?!
I barely managed to stifle the squeak threatening to escape my throat.
“I don’t care what people call me, what my vassals think, or how anyone perceives me. If a king’s position or honor is so fragile that it can be shaken by such trivial matters, then what kind of king is he? As you said yourself, I serve my country. That is all. Which is why…”
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