“Arcadia, come over here.”
I walked a few steps and stood next to my mother, and the king looked at my face intently, as if trying to find something that resembled my father.
I stared directly at the king’s face. The king, with his ample build, looked so different from my father and relatives. The only similarity was the deep green color of his eyes, which resembled mine and my father’s.
I thought to myself: Did this man’s father really kill my grandfather? If so, what feelings does the king harbor toward my father? Regret? Or perhaps suspicion?
“I heard you have a daughter, but she appears to be dressed as a boy.”
After a moment, my father responded to the king’s question.
“There are certain circumstances that led to this.”
In fact, there had been an attempt this morning to put a long wig on me and dress me up. However, the wig kept falling off, and the dress I wore for the first time was too uncomfortable. After nearly tripping over the hem a few times, Dad suggested we just go as we usually do.
“Karim, I don’t quite understand your intentions. Protecting and governing the northern territories is difficult for a man. You know this better than anyone, so why would you want to entrust it to such a fragile girl? You both are young; don’t you have plenty of opportunities to have children?”
Well, it’s because my father doesn’t want my mother to have any more children. He’s not a man who thinks of women solely as vessels for childbirth!
I held back the urge to retort. Yes, I must endure. After all, this man is a king.
“Arcadia is not a fragile child. She is stronger and more intelligent than anyone. She is more than capable of being my successor.”
I was truly moved by my father’s response.
Just as my heart began to swell with emotion, the queen, who had been silent until now, spoke up.
“The Grand Duke Iskas is indeed wise. Whether it is a son or a daughter, if they are suitable for that position, I agree that they should be entrusted with it.”
As soon as the queen said this, the atmosphere suddenly became tense. The king frowned, clearly showing his discomfort.
I quickly realized the reason.
The current king and queen had been childless for a long time. Their strained relationship was part of it, but they had also made efforts to have a child, yet nothing had come of it.
About seven years ago, the queen finally had a child at a late age after much difficulty. Naturally, the entire nation rejoiced at the queen’s pregnancy.
The problem arose because the king’s mistress, Baroness Kaz, was also pregnant at the same time. Both women gave birth around the same period. The queen had a daughter, while the mistress had a son.
With this situation, the issue of succession became complicated.
Although there had never been a woman as king, debates arose about whether to place the princess on the throne or to recognize the baroness’s illegitimate son as the heir.
Amidst these discussions, some even suggested it would be better for the young Grand Duke Iskas to become the successor. Then, the king made a significant announcement: he would adopt the baroness’s son and make him a prince.
The queen naturally strongly opposed this decision. However, in the end, everything went as the king desired. From that point on, the two women became bitter enemies.
“Hmm!”
The king expressed his discomfort with a short, forceful cough. While I was rolling my eyes in a prickly situation, the king spoke.
“I feel sorry for that child. If raised well, she could be a good match for the prince.”
I looked at the king in disbelief for a moment. Excuse me, but I’m only six years old!
I had found the duchess’s nonsense amusing yesterday, but the king’s suggestion now felt incredibly unpleasant. It was clear that the king’s plan was to fill the prince’s legitimacy gap with me.
Even if my mother’s status is low, royal blood flows through my veins. And while the prince’s biological mother would remain a mistress for life, my mother was, after all, the official Grand Duchess with the king’s permission.
So, the king thinks that a union between me and the prince wouldn’t be bad for him.
Suddenly, my head was spinning from this unexpected matchmaking when my father’s voice rang out.
“Arcadia will marry the man she desires. I have no intention of making her a pawn in a political marriage.”
I was startled by the anger in my father’s voice and turned to look at him.
Sure enough, his face was as cold as ice. I was feeling quite intimidated when the king said,
“Karim, you may not believe it, but I am very grateful for your decision this time. With this opportunity, we could not only settle old matters but also improve our relationship. Don’t you think so?”
The king’s voice sounded a bit weary.
From his words, I realized that he had another purpose for wanting this marriage. He hoped that the union between the prince and me could reconcile the two feuding families.
However, my father responded with barely contained anger.
“Arcadia is only six years old. Such discussions are far too early. Please do not impose any more regarding my daughter’s marriage.”
“Karim.”
After briefly glancing at me, he turned his gaze back to the king.
“This is not a matter for a child to hear. It would be best to send Arcadia away now.”
The king nodded. I bowed to him and left the audience chamber first.
As soon as the large doors closed behind me, I let out a deep breath. The atmosphere had become tense, and I realized I had been quite nervous without even noticing.
The attendant who had brought me out instructed some maids. One of the maids approached me.
“Please follow me.”
The maid guided me somewhere, and I walked through the palace following her.
Feeling lighter than before, I finally began to notice the decorations within the palace. Inside, I silently exclaimed,
Wow, they really slathered gold everywhere!
The interior decorations were so extravagant that they dazzled the eyes. The walls were adorned with gold leaf, and the crystal chandeliers on the ceiling reflected the light, making everything sparkle.
In comparison, my father’s townhouse in the capital was almost like a temple.
That place was purchased when my father began to actively engage in social circles.
For a grand duke’s residence, its size was quite modest. When hosting balls or parties, a larger space would be necessary, but my father believed it wasn’t necessary.
When my father, who had previously lived in the northern Grand Duchy, suddenly appeared in the social scene and even bought a mansion, the nobles’ reactions were nothing short of enthusiastic.
It was a signal that the unmarried grand duke was seeking a bride, making it an unparalleled opportunity for families with daughters. Of course, the outcome was somewhat disappointing, as my father’s attention was focused on the heroine.
Lost in various thoughts, I walked through the lavishly decorated interior and stepped into the garden. After walking a short distance through the delicately cultivated garden with its low shrubs and flowers, I encountered a group of boys my age.
They were both dressed in riding gear, likely having just been on horseback. As they chatted, the two boys stared at me intently.
One of the maids approached the boy on the right and said, “Your Highness, this is Arcadia Iskas, the child of the Grand Duke of Iskas. His Majesty has ordered that you should make friends with her while her parents are in the audience.”
After the maid stepped back, I plastered a businesslike smile on my face and looked at the boy who was the prince.
My first impression of the boy was that he looked like a high-quality cat. He had golden hair that looked like it was made of pure gold, and shining golden eyes.
The slight upward tilt at the ends of his eyes gave him an even more feline appearance. In short, he was truly beautiful, like a doll.
Just as I was about to greet him politely, a voice laced with mockery rang out.
“Arcadia? Sounds just like a girl’s name, doesn’t it?”
It was Persis Castoria.
The first words to come from the doll-like prince’s mouth.
“I hear your mother isn’t even a noble? The rumors say your origins are unclear, like you just rolled in from somewhere.”
At the prince’s following remarks, the boy next to him chuckled and laughed.
I wiped away my earlier business smile and glared at the prince with a cold expression.
…This brat?
“You’re not someone I’d want to be friends with, so get lost!”
At that, one corner of my lips curled up. What this kid didn’t know was that while I could endure a lot, I would never tolerate anything concerning my mother.
“And who do you think you are?”
I smiled coldly and glared at the obnoxious prince.
“You, of all people, are just the child of a mistress.”
The prince’s golden eyes widened in shock. He puffed up as if he had received a tremendous insult and walked toward me. Without warning, he slapped my cheek.
Slap!
“How dare you! Who do you think you are?”
Persis shouted at me, trembling with anger.
“Kneel down and apologize to me right now!”
I couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief. It’s astonishing how these noble and royal brats can be so utterly lacking in manners.
I lifted my chin and said, “This is self-defense.”
“…What?”
“It means you deserve to be hit by me, you fool!”
Wham!
I delivered an uppercut to the prince.
