Chapter 14
Dylan cautiously spoke up.
“It’s not a union of noble houses, and it’s with someone you don’t even love…”
“I’ve never indulged in such luxuries,” Kaylen replied, lowering his head to skim through the documents again.
“Even high-ranking nobles, not just royals, rarely get to marry whom they want. And someone like me… there’s no way I’d ever have that chance…”
“Prince Kaylen!”
“Hmm, the numbers at the back don’t seem to add up. Looks like something’s in the back pocket. Check it once.”
Kaylen circled a few points on the papers with his pen and handed the stack to Dylan.
After opening his mouth a few times, Dylan took the papers and trudged back to his seat. Kaylen called after him.
“We’ll be busier with the marriage preparations, so finish what can be finished quickly.”
“…Yes.”
Dylan returned to his desk and focused immediately. Kaylen glanced at him and quietly chuckled.
“Consider it as having an extra, reliable one-year aide for the prince.”
As Kaylen climbed into the carriage, Eliana spoke.
Her words were so absurd that I wanted to see the expression on her face.
Looking back, I saw her confident, proud face beaming with self-assurance.
Did she not realize the situation she was in? Her baseless confidence was almost intriguing.
One year…
Eliana Ludd had been captured by the imperial guards due to Ferdinand’s scheme. Kaylen had bowed to the crown prince to rescue her.
As Dylan said, even if she testified about who she had seen that night, he could have escaped. But he couldn’t leave her be—he didn’t want to become like Ferdinand.
He despised innocent people being made scapegoats.
Once he rescued her from the imperial guards, rumors quickly spread throughout the capital.
The story that the young lady who got off the train with Kaylen had been caught at the station, and that Prince Kaylen testified he was with her that night, quickly grew exaggerated.
Before long, Eliana Ludd was portrayed in high society as a bold little cat, pretending innocence while seducing Kaylen.
But that wasn’t the only problem.
Ferdinand Liveriden—the crown prince—was rumored to be investigating the Ludd baron family. Kaylen knew this.
If he found out that Eliana had witnessed him at the arson scene and remained silent, the future of the Ludd family was doomed.
The fate awaiting her for seeing what she shouldn’t have seen was harsh.
Eventually, hearing that Ferdinand was even scheming to prevent Princess Florence from marrying, Kaylen decided to visit the emperor after careful consideration.
He had to choose a path.
He requested the emperor that he would marry her.
It was the first time he had ever petitioned the emperor.
Kaylen’s lips curved into a bitter smile at the memory of the emperor’s slightly surprised expression.
He lifted his teacup to take another sip. Drinking too much of this tea made it strangely difficult to sleep.
Just as he set the cup down, a letter arrived from the empress’s palace.
Apparently, he would have to have another cup of tea. The letter was about beginning preparations for the wedding starting the next day.
Bang, crash.
Lately, the surroundings had been very noisy.
“So noisy.”
Sitting in my room reading, I irritably closed the book at the loud commotion.
Today, too, the first floor of the townhouse was loud due to a visiting trading troupe.
The weather was hot, and now there was noise on top of it.
I tossed the book onto the table, stood up, and walked to the window. Today, there was no humid breeze.
Most people in the capital traveled to cooler regions during midsummer. My family was also planning to visit our estate…
I glanced at the pile of tea party invitations on the side and fanned myself.
The imperial marriage proposal had arrived at the Ludd townhouse, and many things had changed.
On the day it arrived, my mother clutched me and wept, saying it was a miracle for our baronial family to have a connection with the royal family.
It had become her habit to pinch my father’s arm when he grumbled about sending me off to marry.
Since marrying into the royal family required dedication, my mother had been busy from the very next day.
As a result, the trading troupe visited the townhouse daily, wearing the threshold of the door.
Because the wedding date had been set unusually quickly compared to other royal weddings, I had to endure frantic, hectic days.
Before I knew it, summer was ending, and the number of tea party invitations before me was countless.
I declined all of them using various excuses…
But when I saw the invitation from the Hernia family, I sighed deeply.
It was the second invitation from Princess Florence. Judging by her social standing, it was impossible not to attend.
When the male protagonist had given me the shocking news, my mind had raced through countless thoughts.
The Ludd baron family was modest with a small estate, leaving me no reason to refuse a royal proposal.
I had no choice.
If I was to marry Kaylen Liveriden, this was the only way.
I had to make him emperor quickly and then disappear.
Because I had seen what I shouldn’t have, the original story had gone awry. I was supposed to exit the protagonists’ lives, yet I ended up tied to the male protagonist.
If he didn’t become emperor, I would die.
I had to make him emperor.
This was war. War meant life and death, existence and ruin. All possibilities had to be considered.
Between wedding preparations, I reviewed the original story, organizing what I needed to know. One person came to mind:
Florence Hernia. The darling of the Hernia family and the Madonna of the capital’s young ladies.
In the original story, she had appeared as the villain who tormented the heroine. I remembered just how cruelly she had treated the heroine.
Ignoring this tea party invitation would bring about dangerous repercussions.
“What should I do…”
I bit my nails as an idea struck.
I jumped up from the window, sat at my desk, and slowly wrote a letter on crisp white paper.
Satisfied with the letter, I lightly sprayed perfume on it, folded it neatly, and placed it in an envelope.
The carriage raced along, the scenery flying past the window.
Keeping my eyes outside, I soon saw the estate in the distance.
I gaped at its massive size. Exaggerating slightly, it could rival the imperial palace.
The carriage passed the main gate and continued for some distance. Such a huge estate in the expensive capital! I could understand a fraction of the Hernia family’s influence.
The carriage slowed and finally stopped.
I took a deep breath, opened the door, and a distinguished older gentleman bowed.
“Welcome. I am Jeremy, steward of the Hernia household. We have been expecting Miss Eliana Ludd.”
He explained that Princess Florence was waiting and led me somewhere other than the main estate.
“Where are we going?” I asked as I followed him.
“Ah, I forgot to explain. My apologies. The Hernia estate has a glass greenhouse. It is warm in winter and cool in summer, and the princess often hosts tea parties there.”
A glass greenhouse.
The thought of seeing the iconic glass greenhouse often gifted by the male lead in romance novels made my nervousness lessen slightly.
After walking for a while with Jeremy, the greenhouse came into view.
Connected to the mansion, it was nearly the size of an average house. In fact, it was even larger than the Ludd townhouse in the capital.
“This way, please.”
I stood overwhelmed by the size. Jeremy urged me forward.
Don’t panic. Don’t panic.
As I followed Jeremy, repeatedly telling myself not to panic, laughter—light and musical, like birds chirping—echoed from beyond towering rose trellises.
I swallowed nervously. Crossing a bridge over a small artificial pond, I saw noble young ladies gathered under a gazebo.
“Miss Florence, Miss Eliana Ludd has arrived.”
At Jeremy’s announcement, the laughter stopped abruptly.
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Eliana Ludd.”
I slightly lifted the hem of my dress and greeted them politely.
Eight pairs of eyes fell on me. I forced a smile to hide my nervousness.
Then, the blonde woman sitting in the place of honor rose.
“Welcome, Miss Ludd. We’ve been waiting. It’s wonderful to finally have you here.”
It was Princess Florence Hernia.
