Chapter : 06
Leaving the embarrassment to Khalid, Axel—who didn’t have a care in the world—stroked his chin with one hand and muttered nonchalantly, “Well, I can learn your name as we go.”
“Where is the biological father?”
“You’re not planning on dragging me away just because I won’t answer, right?”
“Let’s just call it the price for the candy.”
“People call that a ‘forced sale,’ Prince.”
The golden carriage carrying the four of them passed through the downtown shopping district and was now crossing Wothering Bridge.
Wothering Bridge was the most heavily trafficked bridge in the capital, Ludwig, as well as a major tourist attraction. Perhaps because of that, there were many people dressed in exotic clothing, presumably foreign tourists.
Theo, seeing foreigners for the first time in his life, couldn’t sit still. His butt wiggled with excitement as he craned his neck to peer out the window.
Hailey thought it was a relief that Theo was preoccupied with the view.
“Don’t tell me the biological father—”
“I don’t know. I don’t know. You really are persistent.”
She doesn’t know the father? Axel wondered if she realized how strange that sounded.
Of course, even if she had lived a promiscuous life to the point of not knowing whose child it was, Axel didn’t care at all. As long as she played the role for one year, it didn’t matter what kind of woman she was.
“Then, do you have plans to marry?”
“Are you interested in me?”
“Do I look it? Well, you can think of it that way if you like.”
‘He’s lost it.’
Hailey narrowly swallowed the harsh words that almost flew out of her mouth. Theo was right next to her, and she still had enough reason left to know she couldn’t swear directly at a Prince’s face.
Hailey hadn’t given him a single helpful answer, but Axel had obtained all the information he needed.
He didn’t know who the child’s father was, but it didn’t seem like the man was planning to come looking for them anytime soon. She also seemed to have no interest in—let alone plans for—marriage.
The only person she showered with attention was that little brat.
Perfect, Axel thought to himself.
“My Lady—no, Miss Hailey.”
At the sudden formal address, Hailey, who had been fixing her gaze on Theo’s wiggling little bottom, turned her eyes toward Axel.
“Let’s get to the main point.”
At those words, Khalid, who had been sitting restlessly next to Axel the whole time, tried to stop him, saying, “Prince, you are being too hasty,” but Axel didn’t even pretend to listen.
Instead, with a confident face, he leaned forward slightly to meet Hailey’s eyes.
“I want you…”
“…”
“…to live as my wife for just one year.”
Good grief.
Khalid let out a groan and watched Hailey’s reaction. Hailey didn’t say a word; she just blinked and carefully scrutinized the handsome man’s face that filled her vision.
“On the condition, of course, that you definitely bring that child along.”
“…”
“And if you divorce me quietly after one year, I will compensate you handsomely.”
“…”
“I’ve been looking for a woman exactly like you. You are the perfect ideal I’ve dreamed of.”
It wasn’t a lie. To the current Axel, there was no better woman. A picture-perfect fake wife and a fake child. If it was a woman who didn’t lose a single word to that cheeky brat, she would likely be exactly to that picky old man’s liking.
‘She must be thrilled because it’s such a tempting offer, right?’
“…razy.”
Axel didn’t catch Hailey’s answer properly. He was about to ask her to say it again, but Hailey spoke first, kindly and with precise pronunciation.
“You crazy bastard.”
“…”
“Stop the carriage! Stop it right now!”
Screeeech—
Since Hailey was not a lady who waited patiently for an escort, the moment the carriage ground to a halt, she flung the door open herself and hopped out with the child in her arms.
‘Did I just get insulted?’
Prince Axel, who had never been rejected by a woman in his life, poked his head out of the carriage and stared at the back of Hailey’s head as she moved quite a distance away.
As if sensing his gaze, Hailey turned around and looked back at the golden carriage.
‘As I thought, my proposal is too good to let go.’
The woman, holding the child, laboriously extended a finger. Specifically, her middle finger.
‘What does that mean?’
Leaving Axel in a state of confusion, unaware that the gesture was an insult from another world, Hailey ran away like mad with Theo.
Queen Madeleine, the most noble woman in Zenobia, was in such deep distress this year that she wondered if she had been possessed by an evil spirit.
A few months ago, she was caught up in an unprecedented scandal of unknown origin, and now her only son had caused an accident that was impossible to clean up. Her insomnia grew worse by the day, and she never had a moment of relief from her fatigue.
Lately, she found herself looking back at the day she became Queen.
Originally, Madeleine had never intended to become Queen. She only ever planned to inherit the Grand Duchy of Winchester.
The reason she ended up like this was all because of an old pact between the Grand Ducal family and the Royal Family.
It was a promise made long ago between the House of Oter and the House of Winchester. On the condition of joining a daughter of Winchester and a son of Oter, Winchester’s autonomy would be largely recognized, and the family would remain distanced from the politics of the capital.
However, the Winchester line was very thin, and even when children were born, they were usually boys.
When the King at the time tried to reclaim some of Winchester’s autonomy using the excuse that the promise hadn’t been kept for a long time, Madeleine had no choice but to step forward. No one knew when another girl would be born after her.
In the end, Madeleine had to become Queen for the sake of her beloved Winchester.
“Your Majesty, Princess Anais has arrived.”
“Let her in.”
The marriage between the King and Queen was a union of political partners rather than love. The King respected the Queen and made an unbreakable vow to recognize Winchester’s autonomy forever.
Then, the King took a young lady he had been in a relationship with for a long time as a concubine.
Actually, Madeleine had planned to divorce at the appropriate time and return to Winchester. However, contrary to her wishes, Madeleine gave birth to a son before the concubine did, and the concubine—whom the King had intended to place on the Queen’s throne in her stead—passed away while giving birth to a daughter.
Thanks to that, the idea of divorce vanished completely, and Madeleine kept her position as Queen, raising both her son and the concubine’s child.
“I heard you skipped your meal again.”
“Because that boy caused another accident… My appetite was about to return, only to run away again.”
“I heard he broke a Count’s wrist? I heard the nobles protested as a group at today’s meeting. Though, of course, Brother didn’t even attend the meeting.”
Upon hearing that, the Queen placed her hand on her forehead as if her head were aching again. Seeing this, Anais ordered a maid to bring chamomile tea, which is good for stabilizing the mind and body.
“By the way, I heard a strange rumor. Is it true that you sent invitations to every unmarried noble lady in the country?”
“It is true. You should prepare as well. It will be the biggest banquet of the year.”
“…Surely you’re not planning to join in on Brother’s ridiculous plan?”
“What choice do I have? At this point.”
Axel was the type who, once he made up his mind, would charge straight ahead even if it killed him. Anais shook her head, thinking of her brother.
The Queen took a sip of the chamomile tea the maid brought and looked at the modest and calm Anais.
“If I had known things would turn out like this, I would have found a way to make you the first in line for the throne long ago.”
“…Do you really think Brother will never come back to the capital?”
To Anais, Axel was ‘the darkest human being in the world whose inner thoughts were impossible to read.’ That’s why she was certain this current stunt was just a whim. She expected Axel would return to the palace from Winchester in less than a year.
Axel’s words about giving his position to Anais or saying she would be a good monarch meant nothing.
The first Queen of Zenobia. The nobles would never just let that happen. It was a position that would vanish like bubbles the moment Axel expressed his intent to return.
“Even if that boy returns, do you lack the confidence to protect your own seat?”
Anais didn’t answer readily. It wasn’t that she lacked confidence. It would be a lie to say she didn’t have ambition.
There had been no hope, but she had worked hard to be helpful to Zenobia as a member of the royal family in any way she could. She didn’t have the heart to desperately try to take a position that clearly belonged to someone else, but the opportunity had arrived unexpectedly.
Anais wasn’t stupid enough to let an opportunity right in front of her eyes slip away.
“No. I will make it my position. However…”
Queen Madeleine was no different from a mother to Anais. Madeleine had raised the concubine’s daughter exactly like her own child. She gave them equal opportunities to learn, scolded them equally when they fought, and praised them equally when they both did well.
To Anais, Queen Madeleine was a hero and the person she respected most in the world.
“Do you believe I will be a good King?”
“Anais, if I didn’t believe in you, I would have stopped Axel from ever setting foot in Winchester by now.”
“…”
“Of course. I believe in you, without a doubt.”
Anais was momentarily lost for words, moved by the sentiment. She was going to be the Queen now; she must not show tears.
“You won’t be able to suppress them with strength like Axel does. But you are a clever child. Even if they ignore and look down on you because you are a Queen, slowly tighten the noose around their necks without them even knowing.”
End Of Chapter : 06
