Chapter 89 …
The Adopted Princess Hopes to Escape the Genre
Rashid casually responded to the sharp retort of the prince.
“That’s not it, but Lassetia is my friend, so I think I have the right to ask at least that much.”
“Being friends doesn’t give you the right to interfere in everything, Your Highness.”
Unlike when he was with me before, the prince now exuded a cold and decisive atmosphere. Rashid gritted his teeth at the prince’s biting words.
At that moment, the prince’s gaze shifted toward me, as if intrigued by my reaction.
‘Is he going to say something to me too?’
I tensed, wondering what words would come from his mouth. The prince, smiling slyly as if he had some scheme, asked:
“By the way, Princess, why are you speaking so formally to me?”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t we agree from the start to speak casually? I specifically remember allowing it for you, Princess.”
His choice of words and tone, which were loaded with ambiguity, made me instinctively frown. Of course, I quickly forced my expression back to neutral.
It seemed he was certain I was the person he had met in the forest. But what puzzled me wasn’t that.
Even when we were alone before, I had spoken politely in the same way. It looked like he had already been certain of my identity back then, so why, now, in front of Rashid, bring it up?
That alone was strange.
While I tried to gauge the prince’s intent, Rashid, clearly unsettled by the prince’s words, demanded in a sharp voice:
“Our first meeting?”
“Yes. It was a very refreshing first meeting. That’s probably why I couldn’t forget and kept looking for you.”
Though Rashid had asked, the prince turned to me with a burdensome smile and a warm voice. I felt uneasy at the prince suddenly becoming so syrupy.
‘What’s with him?’
It seemed intentional, but I didn’t know the reason, so I was even more flustered.
He spoke in a cheesy, over-the-top tone, like he had devoured ten sticks of butter, and I struggled to maintain a stiff expression. Seeing a child act so cocky was strangely amusing.
“Couldn’t forget and kept looking for you?”
‘Ah.’
But as I alternated between looking at Rashid and the prince, I quickly understood the real intent.
“Have you never seen the article? The one about the knight. The Cinderella of the Akaiya Empire.”
The prince was simply teasing Rashid. Well, it did feel satisfying when Rashid got teased in return.
“The prince said that girl died at the time, so it took longer to find her, right?”
‘…Did he really say she died…’
Seeing Rashid faithfully adhere to what he said without thinking made me let out a hollow laugh.
‘But aren’t these two a little too friendly to be joking around like this?’
Before I could dwell on that thought, Rashid immediately countered to meet the prince’s expectations.
“What was your intention in writing that article?”
“Well, it’s probably the intention you think it was.”
Rashid obviously knew, but the prince deliberately left the comment open-ended to provoke misunderstanding. He looked thoroughly entertained, and even I, who didn’t know the full context, could instantly grasp his intent. Yet Rashid, the target of the prank, seemed completely oblivious.
The prince, satisfied with the reaction, turned his buttery smile back on me and added another remark.
“Will you start speaking casually to me now?”
“Errian, enough.”
At that moment, Rashid stepped in front of me, calling the prince by name.
I almost had my eyes pop out. Can you really do that to the empire’s prince?
Startled, I instinctively grabbed Rashid’s arm.
Blind with jealousy, rebelling against a superior looks dramatic in novels, but in reality… it’s an instant ‘decapitation ending’!
“Rashid, pull yourself together. This is the royal palace.”
I whispered the warning just for Rashid. The prince, observing all of this, laughed again.
‘He’s laughing?’
“Hahaha. Rashid, the more overprotective you are, the more curious I get.”
“You’re completely not Lassetia’s type.”
I expected Rashid to get angry, but what was this development? Contrary to my worry, the two began chatting casually.
“Thanks for saying it for me… but can you explain what’s going on?”
I seemed to be the only one flustered by the seemingly friendly interaction. Rashid hesitated before answering.
“…We’ve known each other since we were children, so we act comfortably in private.”
So the prince wasn’t teasing just Rashid, but me too.
“Why explain it so complicatedly? Just say ‘friends’.”
“We’re not friends.”
Rashid’s firm answer prompted the prince to chime in.
“What do you mean by that? Don’t make the friend listening here feel slighted. Anyway, Princess, I was sincere about speaking casually. Our dignity is already gone anyway after all we’ve seen of each other.”
“My refusal was sincere too.”
“So you’re both firm. If she’s your friend, shouldn’t she be my friend too? In the forest, you treated me so casually. Why not now?”
‘Of course it’s because you’re not comfortable!’
More than anything, I liked the polite speech because it created distance.
But I couldn’t say all that truthfully. I had no choice but to soothe him gently.
“I’ll speak casually slowly. It’s too sudden for now. Today is the first time we’ve met, isn’t it?”
“Are you saying what happened in the forest never happened? Hmm… fine, Princess.”
Thanks to the prince’s compliance, I was relieved of unnecessary conflict. Whether it was because this was the royal palace or because my identity was revealed, the prince no longer gave off the childish rich boy vibe from before.
Back then, we hadn’t known each other’s identities or imagined we’d meet again, so he had shown a natural, raw side.
Seeing my relieved expression, the prince opened his mouth awkwardly.
“That article… my mother kept bringing up the engagement, so I had no choice. It bought time while searching for that person. Sorry if you had expectations, Princess.”
“Ah, I see.”
My response had not a gram of sincerity, which made the prince laugh. Seeing him laugh a little annoyed me.
‘You think it’s funny?’
At that moment, Rashid, looking annoyed, issued a dismissive order to the prince.
“Aren’t you busy? Perhaps you should go.”
“How dare you! Telling the empire’s prince what to do!”
Seeing Rashid completely ignore the prince’s words, it seemed clear that their closeness wasn’t a lie.
‘I don’t think I’m the first to be treated like this…’
If it had been Yuria, she would have spoken freely to the prince as well. So maybe I really am the first.
“I have some urgent matters, so I must leave. Princess, shouldn’t you be going too?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Alright. I’ll contact you soon.”
‘Don’t.’
While I was lost in thought, the prince hurried off as if being chased. When I wanted him to leave earlier, he hadn’t even hinted at going.
“Was he rushing to the bathroom?”
I muttered, watching his quickly receding figure. Rashid, as if accustomed, answered.
“Looks like Yuria is nearby.”
“Yuria?”
At that moment, as if to resolve my doubt, Yuria came walking toward us from afar.
‘Did he run away to avoid Yuria?’
“Where did our prince go? I saw him with you just now.”
“He said he was busy.”
“Well, he’s always busy. Even as a child.”
Here, I immediately realized the two weren’t close—and also why. The prince had been avoiding private encounters with Yuria, so there was never a chance to become close.
Even the arrogant, shameless prince couldn’t handle Yuria. Yuria, after politely checking, quickly turned her attention from him to me.
“Oh, Lassetia, you look so pretty today! That dress suits you so well.”
“Thank you. You look beautiful too.”
“This look is perfect. Do you want to meet my friends today? I narrowed down some candidates since you liked older men before.”
Yuria’s eyes sparkled as she held my hands. She hadn’t given up on introducing me to noble men yet.
Just as I was about to awkwardly refuse, someone called me from behind.
“Lassetia!”
