Time passed and passed. Since Armin and Sasha left for the border and I met with the Prince, I hadn’t stepped a single foot outside the house.
Rumors had started to spread, saying that Vivian Roha—frail since childhood—had collapsed from the shock. The Prince seemed quite satisfied with the situation. He believed I had given up on everything and was obediently staying home to prepare for our marriage. That misunderstanding was extremely fortunate for me.
“Michelle.”
“Yes, my Lady?”
“The package didn’t come again today?”
“No, it didn’t. Nothing arrived for you today either.”
Ever since I sent the last letter, there hadn’t been a single delivery from Andre. I felt a creeping sense of unease, but I masked it with a calm nod.
Michelle tried to console me.
“I think it must be difficult even for Andre’s Trading Company to get such high-end products, considering how luxurious your tastes are.”
“Must be. I used to live for the joy of putting on makeup every day.”
Though I said it lightly, I couldn’t hide the bitter feeling in my chest. Was the transaction proceeding as planned? The border was so far away that it would take time for any news to reach me.
“My Lady.”
With a knock, the apprentice maid entered my room. While Michelle glared at her with a sharp look, I greeted her with a smile.
“What is it?”
“A letter arrived for you, my lady. I came to deliver it.”
“A letter? Why do you have it?”
Michelle’s voice was pointed. I gently stopped her.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
As the apprentice maid left and shut the door, Michelle threw a disgruntled glare at her back.
“She’s not even trying to be subtle anymore.”
“Right?”
“Yes. I’m the one who normally manages all letters addressed to you.”
As expected, the envelope she brought was the same kind I’d seen before—luxurious cream paper with gold embossing. The moment I saw it, I felt an overwhelming urge to tear it to shreds.
“My Lady, this is…”
“Yeah. It’s from Prince Zeta.”
He had his spy deliver his letter directly to me—unnecessarily, just to flaunt that I was under his thumb. The distaste in my mouth grew stronger.
I opened the envelope. A musky scent wafted up—he’d sprayed it with cologne.
Michelle’s lips twisted in a grimace.
“Scenting a letter with cologne… how refined of him.”
Since I’d told her everything, Michelle had come to despise Prince Zeta even more.
The more you dwell on someone you dislike, the more intolerable they become. I had once liked musky scents, but now, just because he’d used it on a letter, I suddenly couldn’t stand it.
As I read through the letter, my expression soured.
“My Lady, what’s in it? Why do you look so upset?”
“I keep waiting for the letter I want, and instead this comes… tsk.”
I wanted to tear the whole thing to pieces, but as long as his spy was still around, I had to restrain myself.
“It says the Crown Prince’s investiture will be held soon.”
“What? The investiture ceremony?!”
The content of the letter was aggravating in every way. He wrote how pleased he was that I understood him so well, how he believed I’d given up everything and was now dutifully preparing for our wedding. I could feel the smugness in every line.
“My Lady…”
Michelle looked like she was about to cry. Seeing her worry more for me than I did myself, I had to be the one to comfort her.
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not! None of this is okay… What are we going to do…?”
“Just because there’s a Crown Prince investiture doesn’t mean they’ll immediately name the Crown Princess.”
I could only hope that would be the case.
* * *
Contrary to my hopes that a letter from Andre would arrive soon, nothing had come from the merchant guild even as the Crown Prince investiture ceremony loomed near.
It felt like my throat was drying up from the tension, but I didn’t let it show. Instead, I had to act like someone looking forward to the ceremony with a calm and composed demeanor.
By now, even the apprentice maid was blatantly watching my every move, which could only mean she was reporting everything back to the Prince.
The investiture was only two days away. Only a select few from the most prestigious noble families would be allowed to witness the moment the new sun of the empire was appointed.
Normally, it’s not a place someone like the daughter of a viscounty family would ever be invited to. But of course, Prince Zeta had sent me an invitation anyway. A golden envelope was placed on a velvet cushion held by an attendant who stepped down from a gleaming golden carriage.
“They said to deliver this to the esteemed Lady Vivian of the noble House of Roha.”
“Hah…”
Seeing him kneel on one knee to hand me the invitation, I could tell what kind of rumors must already be spreading within the imperial palace. The overly formal honorifics made my skin crawl.
Attendants quickly began unloading the carriage. In no time, the front hall was filled with stacks of items.
“What is all this?”
“These are gifts from His Highness to Lady Vivian.”
“Gifts?”
“If I may relay His Highness’s message…”
The attendant spoke in an official tone as he quoted the prince.
“He hopes that you will adorn yourself beautifully with today’s gifts and attend the investiture ceremony.”
“…Ha.”
“Please accept the invitation.”
The golden envelope placed atop the velvet cushion was as heavy and gaudy as Prince Zeta’s feelings for me—and just as unwelcome. I didn’t want to touch it.
If it were up to me, I’d refuse right this moment. But when I saw my parents watching from a distance, their faces filled with unease, I realized that dragging this out would only make things worse. Forcing a smile, I accepted the invitation with a stiff face.
“It’s an honor for our family.”
“Not at all. I’ll report back that Lady Vivian gladly received the invitation.”
The attendant’s excessive courtesy was suffocating.
After the storm had passed, I told Michelle to bring me some sparkling water.
“Vivi…”
My mother’s face had gone pale, as if she’d seen a ghost. The prince’s blatant behavior had shocked her.
“What is all this…? This is how one would treat a fiancée, not just any lady.”
Now that the worst-case scenario was playing out before their eyes, my parents could no longer stay calm. They had always assumed the Empress was the one pushing for the marriage to vent her fury after being publicly humiliated, while the Prince himself was simply being considerate.
“Don’t worry.”
I quickly tried to reassure them. The apprentice maid was clearly watching them too. If anything slipped out now, it could cause problems.
“His Highness has been very kind to me.”
“But still…”
“I think he heard that I have been ill and is just being considerate. He’s a thoughtful person.”
There was no point in discussing it. My father, seeing my mother grow faint, helped her sit down.
“Vivi.”
“Yes, Papa?”
“If anything becomes too much…”
My father looked at me with such sorrowful eyes. He always had a knack for understanding situations without needing many words—he likely grasped exactly what kind of trouble I was in.
“If things ever get too hard, tell us right away.”
“I will, Papa.”
“Your happiness is what matters most to us. You understand that, don’t you?”
How could I not? His words—saying they’d take my side no matter what, even if it meant the family’s downfall—brought me to the verge of tears.
“Oh, come on. Really, everything’s fine. No need to worry.”
I forced a smile.
* * *
My mother, who had assumed that we would move forward with the engagement as soon as Armin returned, was so shocked by the Royal family’s interest that she couldn’t even get out of bed until dinner.
I, too, felt like I was spiraling into darkness as things were unfolding exactly as I had feared. There was still no word from Andre, and ominous reports of small-scale skirmishes at the border continued to appear in the papers day after day.
“Ha…”
The maids began carrying the Prince’s gifts, which were piled high in the front hall, into my room one by one.
“Looks like the royal family really does have a lot of money.”
Michelle, who was overseeing the moving of the items, let the comment slip as she stared at the mountain of gift boxes with a look of exasperation.
“Wasting tax money like this… What you spent before barely counts as indulgence compared to this.”
“Exactly. You’d think they’d spend their money on something useful.”
“You’re right, my Lady. If he was going to send gifts, he could’ve at least picked ones suited to the person receiving them.”
In any case, since I had received the invitation, I had no choice but to attend the investiture ceremony.
With a reluctant expression, Michelle began unpacking the large gift boxes—dresses, shoes, and more.
“His Highness clearly doesn’t know you very well.”
Prince Zeta had sent me a pair of narrow, pointed-toe heels with high, thin stiletto heels—shoes I’d never worn in my life because they hurt too much. On top of that, they were made of patent leather, stiff and unyielding.
“And don’t even get me started on this dress.”
“Ha.”
“If you show up in this, anyone would think you’re the star of the ceremony. Yikes! Look at this corset! Is this some new kind of murder method, trying to snap someone’s waist in two?”
The corset was the very embodiment of Prince Zeta—rigid, demanding, trying to force others into his mold without compromise.
Even the dress he picked made his intentions clear: a golden gown that practically screamed ‘I’m with the Royal family!’ to anyone who saw it. There wasn’t the slightest hint of consideration for me.
“How childish. Seriously.”
On the day of the Crown Prince’s investiture, only members of the royal family are allowed to wear gold. Just like only the bride can wear white at a wedding. To send a golden gown and demand I wear it to such an event? That was nothing short of staking his claim.
Sorry, but I had no intention of going along with his little game.
I turned to Michelle, who was hanging the dress on the rack.
“Go fetch that girl.”
“That girl?”
“That apprentice maid.”
“What?”
Michelle looked back at me with clear confusion in her eyes.
