I Will Become the Queen of the Enemy Country

“Regina, bring out the accessories from Jasmine’s shop.”

“Yes, Miss!”

Regina moved briskly with a bright smile as if she had never been gloomy. She probably had something to say, but she was holding back for Elise’s sake.

‘I should consider having a friendly person as a servant, even if I don’t tell His Highness.’

It was for Regina, rather than herself.

The afternoon was busy for the two of them. Regina took out all the dresses that Karan had gifted to Elise and pondered over them.

“How about a red dress for a strong entrance, Miss?”

Elise shook her head.

“I’ll still stand out even if it’s not too intense.”

“Hmm, then how about a blue dress to look cold? So they can’t even approach you because they’re scared.”

“There’s no need to look cold on purpose. Maybe not? Would there be someone who has a crush on me?”

It took a while to choose the color of the dress. Next was the accessories.

Elise thought that Jasmine’s accessories would be popular even in Tetris.

She chose Jasmine’s accessories without hesitation.

“An excellent choice.”

Passion flared in Regina’s eyes. That’s when they were more or less ready to attend the party.

Knock, knock.

Following the knock, Hira returned inside. At the questioning gaze, she spoke.

“The person in charge of the banquet escort has arrived.”

“Banquet escort?”

“In Tetris, instead of an escort, a servant does the escorting.”

It was a new fact she learned.

“Do they all bring servants?”

“High-ranking officials, heads of major families, and members of the royal family, it’s customary to bring servants.”

“Which category do I belong to?”

“As for Miss Elise Worton…”

Hira couldn’t answer promptly. That’s because she didn’t belong anywhere.

According to the etiquette of Tetris, she should have been assigned an escort.

However, they didn’t assign anyone to take care of her escort from above.

It meant that they still didn’t acknowledge Elise as Karan’s fiancée.

Nevertheless, the reason she got an escort was…

“The report is so long. Impatient people would die waiting. Step aside.”

Pushing the hesitating Hira aside, the person in charge of Elise’s escort entered.

At the appearance of a familiar face, Elise’s eyes widened.

****

While Elise was preparing for the banquet, Karan visited Melanie’s mansion.

“I heard you were coming. But it’s surprising. I didn’t expect you to come find me right away.”

Entering the reception room, Melanie sarcastically greeted Karan.

A man who had abruptly left for Bedrokka while the marriage talks were ongoing, returned bringing a woman.

Moreover, he introduced her as his fiancée and let her stay in the palace.

“I made my intentions clear, but it seems the message wasn’t delivered properly.”

Karan, who was looking out the window, turned towards Melanie.

Melanie frowned.

He was still the same. Before he left, and now, he was infuriatingly splendid.

“Did Your Majesty not consider that your intentions might be rejected?”

Melanie received the tray that the servant pushed forward. When the servant blinked, Melanie ordered, ‘Go out.’

The servant looked back and forth between Karan and Melanie, then quickly went out and closed the door.

“Please sit, Your Highness. The building is sturdy, so the ceiling won’t collapse.”

“The ceiling might not collapse, but there’s no rule saying water can’t pour down.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“I’m saying I’m going to be rude, Miss Melanie.”

“Your Highness, it’s already rude to come without saying anything in the first place.”

“That’s a very minor rudeness. Compared to the rudeness I’m about to commit.”

Karan, who was leaning slightly against the window frame, stood up. He had only grown a little taller, but it felt like the room was filled with him.

“Melanie, pack your things and leave. I command you as the general. Where would you like your assignment? You said you particularly hate water, right? Then it would be good to go to Magnus.”

Melanie Odilon, as the second daughter of the Odilon family, registered as a warrior in place of her brother.

She learned swordsmanship and consistently trained her physical strength, and although she was called up during the crisis, she didn’t roll around with ordinary warriors.

It was merely a ceremonial act. But for that ceremonial act to continue, the consent of the related parties was needed.

Especially the consent of the superior.

But what if that superior doesn’t agree and orders the warrior to fulfill their duty?

Melanie has to fulfill her duty as a warrior of the Tetris Kingdom.

If she says here that she won’t obey the order, even if Karan breaks a part of her body, she wouldn’t have anything to say.

“Your Highness, stop talking nonsense! This is an unfair command.”

“Is it not unfair for the Odilon family to ignore the nation’s call? Do you intend to claim rights without taking responsibility?”

Karan began to speak, treating Melanie not as a lady of the Odilon family, but as a warrior.

“That’s not just our family, isn’t it? Other families too…”

“Right. I understand your opinion. We’ll gradually solve that problem. So, you pack your things now.”

“Your Highness!”

He said he would be rude, and she was throwing a tantrum. Melanie’s hand, holding the teapot, was trembling.

“If you don’t like it.”

Karan, who had a smile at the corner of his mouth, suddenly wiped out his smile.

“Tell His Majesty properly. I have no intention of marrying you.”

“Marriage with Your Highness is not my will. It’s a decision made by my father and His Majesty.”

“Oh, is that so? You wanted to marry me even though it wasn’t your will? Then you have no reason to complain about the order that is not your will.”

Melanie closed her eyes tightly. She was caught in her own logic.

Melanie shot a look at Karan, not realizing that she was making a fool of herself.

Karan narrowed the distance with Melanie, step by step.

He took the teapot from Melanie’s hand and put it on the table. Melanie’s head slowly turned.

“So you should have stayed still. Why did you stir up the Queen Mother.”

The difficulty Melanie is experiencing now is what she brought upon herself.

Before leaving for Tetris, Karan and Melanie elegantly confirmed that they had no intention of engagement.

And Melanie promised to change the mind of the Duke of Odilon while Karan was away.

What did Karan give in return?

He made the man Melanie was secretly meeting live decently abroad.

“Without him, you missed the body? He didn’t have any abilities, but his body was quite splendid. Should I call him now? It would be quite a sight to bring him in front of the Duke of Odilon.”

The color drained from Melanie’s face.

Asking for that man was the biggest mistake of Melanie’s life.

The man, who seemed to give her everything, cut off contact as soon as he settled abroad.

Melanie’s situation changed. Then she became impatient. So she forgot her promise with Karan and chased after Tyllo.

She loved Karan and said she could do anything for him.

Then Melanie found out. The fact that Karan was bringing a woman to marry from Bedrokka.

[I’m fine with the second place, Your Majesty. Please let me work for Your Majesty, for His Highness. Please don’t ignore my usefulness.]

It was the Odilon family, who had sat on the throne just decades ago.

The daughter of that Odilon family didn’t even refuse the second wife’s position without any power, making Tyllo simply happy.

Thus, in the absence of Karan, Melanie had already been fluttering in the social world as if she were his wife.

Not only that, she also regularly paid her respects to Bennet.

Melanie’s changed attitude, which had been fierce, attracted people’s attention and favor.

In this way, Melanie firmly established her position as his fiancée. Melanie believed things would go as planned.

She didn’t ask for much, it was just the second place.

‘Didn’t His Highness hear about that?’

Melanie hurriedly opened her mouth.

“Your Highness, I don’t ask for much. The second place is fine. If it means I can’t be queen, then please take me as a concubine…”

“You’re dreaming, Melanie. I only marry once. So if you’re not going to keep your promise, pack your things tomorrow.”

Karan stood up as if he had finished speaking. Karan, who had been looking at the dumbfounded Melanie, looked at the teapot.

He was expecting a baptism of water.

It ended more blandly than expected.

“See you at the banquet.”

Karan left Melanie a bomb and didn’t give her time to recover.

There was only about two hours left until the banquet.

‘I can’t die of hardship in Magnus.’

She would be beaten to death by the Duke of Odilon.

Melanie stroked her stomach.

She must survive.

‘I have to use a trick.’

Melanie thought of the things she had to protect.

There was only one way, the way everyone lives.

****

“Rosh!”

Elise greeted Rosh happily and grabbed her hands. Rosh’s fingertips were frozen and red. She felt Rosh’s heart, who had come to find Elise as soon as she arrived without time to warm her hands.

“How did you get here? You must be busy.”

“When His Highness and Miss Elise came to the capital, I had to come.”

Upon hearing that Karan had left Bedrokka, Rosh decided to go to the capital.

It was because the reply to the letter she sent to Tyllo when Elise left for Bedrokka was ambiguous.

Tyllo showed interest only in the hot spring development project in Dex’s territory, without a word about Elise, who Rosh had praised a lot.

‘I knew she would be neglected.’

Neglecting her was like neglecting herself, who trusted and guaranteed her.

So she set out. Even if Trish worried a lot, even if Kram cried and said he would follow, she shook them all off and came to the capital.

‘I’m really glad I came.’

Otherwise, Elise would have attended the banquet without an escort.

Rosh remembered meeting James when she went to pay homage to the king.