My Fiance Keeps Trying To Raise Me

“You want me to wear this?”

 

Annette was embarrassed, not knowing that she would complain about her clothes in this way, something she had never done before. In front of her was a light pink dress with lots of lace and frills. In fact, the one-piece pajamas she wore earlier were quite light and uncomfortable, but when she looked at this dress, she realized that she was a very demure woman.

 

‘I think it’s a lot prettier than what Bridget used to wear when she was younger…’

 

She could tell that it was a high-quality fabric just by looking at it because of its subtle sheen, and when she touched it herself, the softness it felt in her hands far exceeded her expectations. The Arkan Imperial Family was famous for not having a princess for generations, perhaps due to the power passed down from generation to generation they considered her hands precious. The only child of the current emperor and empress couple was the crown prince, so where did these children’s clothes for girls come from…?

 

“Her Majesty the Empress thinks the princess will look very cute when she wears it… Oh, sorry.”

 

At that time, the maid who was answering Annette’s question quickly covered her mouth as if she had made a mistake and spoke with a stern look on her face.

 

“She handpicked it and sent it to you because she thought it would be a great fit.”

 

“…okay.”

 

It wasn’t rude at all to her, who was used to hearing her words mixed with ridicule and contempt. Annette looked puzzled at her apologetic maid, then nodded her head. She said that she was prepared by no one else but the Empress herself, so she could not refuse.

 

‘It doesn’t make sense to ask her to bring other clothes when she is in a situation where she has to borrow them.’

 

Even the children’s dresses looked so complicated that Annette couldn’t bring herself to wear them herself, so she ended up asking the maids to help her with the clothes. After being served with her eyes downcast, embarrassed by her thin body with her ribs exposed, her maids immediately trimmed her long hair that reached down to her hips into a nice length.

 

Annette thought idly as she was decorated with the careful hands of her maids for the first time in her life.

 

‘…Is this perhaps a new kind of harassment?’

 

* * *

 

“Let me introduce myself again. I am Charlotte, Empress of the Arkhan Empire.”

 

Annette, who had barely changed her clothes, was guided to a banquet hall, not a throne room or a drawing room.

 

From healthy foods that were easy to digest to gourmet dishes that would make your mouth water just by looking at them. Annette, who had been mesmerized by the gorgeously decorated table, suddenly came to her senses when she heard Charlotte’s voice. As soon as she looked up in surprise, she said, “Foot!” And she burst out laughing. Like the emperor, it was the refreshing smile of a woman who did not look at all like a mother with an eight-year-old son.

 

Seeing the Empress keep smiling at her, she felt something tickling in her, so Annette blushed and apologized.

 

“Sorry.”

 

“Well, you worked hard to get here from the kingdom, so it’s natural that you’re hungry. Hurry up and listen.”

 

“…thank you.”

 

Annette, who had been embarrassed by Charlotte’s words, nodded her head with a much more relaxed mind. But since she was not immune to these fancy tables, she couldn’t figure out what to do first. Moreover, since she had been eating alone in the barracks even when she went on a subjugation campaign, it felt awkward to eat face to face with someone like this.

 

‘It’s fortunate that there is no emperor…’

 

Then she started to eat the steaming soup first. Annette followed her quickly, scooping up her soup slowly with her spoon and bringing it to her mouth.

 

Gulp.

 

As soon as she put it in her mouth, the flavor filled her mouth. As her warm, soft soup slowly slid down her throat, her already tired body seemed to relax even more. Like that… Has vigilance also gone down?

 

Annette glanced at the Empress putting a refreshing salad into her mouth. Charlotte met her eyes and smiled again, gently rolling her eyes. There was no trace of contempt or hostility in her eyes. On the contrary, it seemed like there was something like affection mixed in. Perhaps because she had been surrounded by negative views her entire life, Annette sensed it more keenly and felt embarrassed. For a moment, she felt sorry for her for doubting that she might be making fun of her. Annette lowered her eyes again, feeling a strange and unfamiliar feeling welling up in her heart, and took a spoonful of her soup and carefully put it into her mouth.

 

“When we’re alone, you can feel free to call me Charlotte.”

 

“Cluck, clack…!”

 

She was startled by the way he spoke that closed the distance between her in an instant, and when she coughed, she gently handed her her handkerchief, but spoke as if Charlotte was pushing her.

 

“We will soon become one family, so it would be good to stay close.”

 

Annette’s pupils widened at that.

 

‘One family.’

 

Although she came all the way to the empire to marry Grand Duke Hargent, she never had the slightest idea that she would have a family of her own. Charlotte, seeing Annette’s mesmerized face, smiled awkwardly, wondering if she had made a mistake.

 

“Your Majesty the Emperor is entering.”

 

Lucius, who entered the banquet hall with great strides, sat down next to Charlotte and apologized.

 

“I am sorry for being late. Now that her identity as princess has been confirmed, I hastened to deliver the news to Grand Duke Hargent…”

 

He continued speaking naturally, “Hmm?” And she tilted her head. She sensed a strange silence between Charlotte and Annette, who were sitting at the table in the middle.

 

“What happened?”

 

“Nothing happened, Your Majesty.”

 

Luckily, Charlotte broke the ice first and asked,

 

“More than that, what did the Grand Duke say? You say Lord Hayworth is here, and he’s leaving at once?”

 

“Um, that’s…”

 

Annette instantly felt her head turn cold as she looked at Lucius hesitating to answer. Her heartbeat, which had been beating fast as if she were a child, gradually slowed down. A warm bath, an elaborate table, and friendly attitudes of people. For a moment, she had a big misunderstanding due to the unfamiliar treatment.

 

‘As if I were a welcome person…’

 

She was not Bridget, the treasure of Hayworth and the princess loved by the people of the kingdom. But Annette struggled to keep her back straight. Even though she was not Bridget, she was a princess who came as a representative of the Kingdom of Hayworth, so she wanted to show a confident attitude.

 

As a result…

 

“It is said that Grand Duke Hargent is away due to subdue demonic beasts. He probably didn’t expect that Hayworth would send a letter of engagement to the princess. First of all, I relayed the message to the Grand Duchy, but I don’t know when the subjugation will end… It will probably take some time before he comes to the capital.”

 

“I see.”

 

Even after hearing him say that her fiancé-to-be would not be coming to see her right away, Annette was able to nod her head resolutely. Lucius, on the other hand, looked embarrassed at her calm response, saying she wasn’t even expecting anything, let alone being disappointed. Charlotte, who had spent a little more time with Annette, guessed her thoughts first and spoke.

 

“Lady, the Grand Duke will definitely come to the capital as soon as he hears the news.”

 

“I am fine, Your Majesty.”

 

Annette gave Charlotte a small smile as she tried to console herself.

 

“The appearance of demonic beasts is always sudden. My subordinates… No, I heard that the Hayworth Royal Knights also quickly went out to suppress them some time ago.”

 

In fact, Annette thought that Grand Duke Hargent lied because he didn’t want to see her. But she said that because she didn’t want to disappoint someone who had an unusual interest in her. Of course, it wasn’t completely false. After she retired, the Hayworth Royal Knights, which had begun internal reorganization by electing a new leader, went on a subjugation a few days before the Empire requested an alliance.

 

“Thank you for your understanding, princess.”

 

“Because I also have experience subduing demonic beasts.”

 

Annette lowered her gaze and muttered humbly.

 

“I don’t have the honor to see him because I look like this anyway.”

 

“…hmm?”

 

Lucius made a dumbfounded noise at Annette’s words. Charlotte’s expression also became puzzled. Lucius burst out laughing, thinking that if Cardin heard, he might die of injustice.

 

Annette asked, thinking his reaction was just to hide his embarrassment.

 

“Now that the story has come out, I’d like to ask, is it true that I looked like this when I was found?”

 

The atmosphere, which had been relatively soft, suddenly became rigid. Lucius wiped his smile and nodded his head.

 

“I received a report that a young child had collapsed after leaving an envelope with the imperial emblem engraved on it to the soldier guarding the castle gate. If it weren’t for the engagement pledge in the envelope and the princess’s red hair, we wouldn’t have dared guess its identity.”

 

Since it was the answer she had already expected, Annette sighed slightly and looked at Charlotte.

 

“You asked me if I could explain what happened.”

 

“Yes. Can you explain?”

 

“No, actually, I don’t really understand the current situation either. Although I faced a demonic beast on the way to the empire, I don’t know why my body changed like this…”

 

“Is it perhaps because of the demonic beast’s blood?”

 

“…Maybe so.”

 

This was the first time she had ever been hurt this badly, except when she injured her wrist while subduing demonic beasts. Now that she thought about it, while coming to the imperial palace, she felt like her heart was hot and her blood was strangely pulsing, so maybe this phenomenon was related.

 

‘Either that, or I really am the seed of a demonic beast…’

 

Annette hung her head, thinking that if that were the case, she wouldn’t know how to tell the Alkhan Imperial Family. At that time, Charlotte muttered in a worried voice.

 

“I heard that I had to step down from my position as a knight due to an injury, but I guess my condition was really bad. So much so that I lost my sword.”

 

“A sword?”

 

“Yes. They said that the man who had fallen in front of the castle gate was taken straight to the imperial palace, but there was no sword in sight.”

 

“Well, I didn’t bring a sword.”

 

“Yes? You said you didn’t bring Rubellino?”

 

“Yes, I will step down from my position as leader and return it to the royal family… Rubellino?”

 

She knew that her sword was sometimes said to be a poison that would never dry out the blood of a demonic beast, and that it was called ‘Rubellino’, meaning red poison. But she never thought that name would come out of the empress’ mouth.

 

—————————————————————

Translator Note: