My Fiance Keeps Trying To Raise Me

Meanwhile, Lucius continued speaking.

“Yes. Because members of the royal family are born with powers for generations, their growth is slow when they are young.”

The tone in which he said that was quite meaningful, but Annette couldn’t really hear it because she realized once again that she had really become a child. Moreover, she never thought that her body, which she thought was 10 years old, would be similar to that of the 8-year-old crown prince, who was smaller than his peers…

Annette stroked her face with her small hand, thinking that if she had known this would happen, she should not have confidently answered that she was 10 years old.

Lucius, who could barely contain his laughter at that sight, rummaged around in his arms as if he had just remembered something and said.

“Now that I think about it, I had something to give to the princess, but I almost forgot.”

“…Is it a purification stone?”

Annette asked, immediately recognizing the identity of the small white stone with sacred energy.

“Yes. Since it is covered in the blood of a demonic beast, it needs to be purified, but it will be difficult to enter the temple with that body. Of course, you can tell them to be careful about what they say, but since it’s not the imperial palace…”

“I am okay. It would be safer if there were fewer people who knew about my current condition and… It’s better for me because I don’t have to be purified by a priest.”

It’s hassle-free and convenient.

Feeling embarrassed that she had revealed her honest feelings without her knowledge, Annette added softly. But she was truly glad that she didn’t have to go to the temple. It wasn’t simply that she didn’t want to publicize her condition. This was because every time she visited the temple in Hayworth Kingdom after completing the subjugation, the sight of the priests looking at her with disapproving eyes remained strongly in her memory. As she watched them clean up with an unwelcome attitude, she could clearly see what they were thinking.

‘The look in their eyes was as if purifying the demonic beast was a waste of holy power.’

At that time, she was very desperate for the Purification Stone, which was sold only at the Grand Shrine of the Arkhan Empire.

The Purification Stone was a masterpiece completed by Emperor Lucius using all the manpower from the temple and the magic tower, and it was rumored that it was made for his younger brother, Grand Duke Hargent.

‘It is said that the Grand Duke who went out to subdue the demonic beasts missed the purification period and ended up with an ugly appearance.’

Although the price was so high that it couldn’t be compared to the small donation made after being purified by a priest, the popularity of the purification stone, which could be easily carried, was so great that not only knights who went far away to subdue demonic beasts, but also mercenaries came to the capital of the Arkhan Empire. She heard they were going to stop by and buy it. However, the Royal Order of Hayworth was an exception. This was because the allocated budget was not very generous, and the royal family did not give permission to go all the way to the Arkhan Empire to purchase purification stones.

She was being uncooperative because she was their leader. So she felt more responsible and took the lead to deal with the demonic beast… Now that she couldn’t do that, she felt anxious about her remaining subordinates.

‘Could it be possible to ask for the Purification Stone to be sold at Hayworth’s temple?’

If that were possible, the royal family would have no more excuses. Even as she was thinking those thoughts, Annette found it difficult to say anything. Through this strategic marriage, the Arkhan Empire promised to provide military assistance in the event of an invasion by Bayendor on Hayworth.

And although she couldn’t even check her list, she learned from the chatter of her envoys that the empire had decided to send a huge gift to the kingdom.

‘Actually, I couldn’t even prepare a dowry…’

Of course, this was because the Arkhan Empire said there was no need to bring it first. However, since she was getting married as a princess, she expected that she would take care of the basics even out of concern for the empire. However, King Hayworth sent Annette to the empire truly empty-handed.

She was truly astounding to anyone who knew how Hayworth’s treasury had been filled up to this point. Annette, who didn’t know this, thought to herself.

‘Okay. The fact that the Empire reached out to us to form an alliance in the first place was an overflowing kindness, but it would be shameless to ask for more than this.’

And now that the knights have been reorganized, the royal family would no longer be harsh. That was when Annette, who believed that and shook off her regret, stretched out her hand to receive the purification stone handed to her by the emperor.

Stinging.

Her palms tingled as if static electricity had been generated in her hands. She looked at the Emperor in surprise for a moment, but Lucius was completely unfazed when he met her eyes and simply smiled at her softly. Rather, she asked as if she had been curious ever since Annette recognized the purification stone.

“There was no record of the Hayworth Royal Knights purchasing purification stones… Do you even know how to use it?”

“…Yes, I’ve received some as gifts before.”

Since it was not common to receive a ‘gift’ from someone, Annette slowly nodded, recalling the memory of her surprise at that time. And for some reason, she shut her mouth, pretending not to notice Lucius and Charlotte, who had curious expressions on their faces.

She didn’t know why, but for some reason she didn’t want to tell anyone about it.

It was then. The Empress’s maid who entered the banquet hall delivered her message from the Empress Dowager’s palace.

“Her Majesty the Empress said she wanted to have tea in the afternoon?”

“Yes, I heard that she added a request to bring special guests with you.”

Lucius frowned slightly at the maid’s words.

“Have you already told the Queen?”

“Yes, I had no choice… In a hurry to find…”

“Ah, well, in the palace…”

After asking for Annette’s understanding, Lucius and Charlotte began to have a small conversation with serious faces.

“As it is… That person might be very surprised…”

“But it can’t be avoided…”

To be polite, Annette turned her head and tried not to listen to what was being said, but she couldn’t help but prick up her ears because she was worried about the Empress Dowager’s message and the eyes of the Emperor and Empress who kept glancing at her. And Charlotte, who had just finished the conversation, spoke carefully, as if she were going to tell a difficult story.

“Lady Hayworth, I think you should come with me to see Her Majesty the Queen Mother in the afternoon.”

“Yes? But now my condition is…”

“She already know, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

Although the situation was somewhat expected, Annette felt her heart sink. It suddenly occurred to her that the Emperor and Empress had accepted her condition too naturally, and she began to worry. How would the Empress Dowager, the most smiling adult in the imperial palace, react?

She remembered the whispering conversation between Lucius and Charlotte, and her anxiety grew.

‘Maybe at this point, they might ask to change the bride.’

Annette sighed inwardly, remembering Bridget crying because she was immature and didn’t want to get married. But she made up her mind. The future was a problem, but she had to deal with it first.

* * *

“Are you that worried?”

“What?”

“I thought you were too nervous.”

Annette nodded her head at Charlotte’s words. To be honest, she wondered if she had ever been this anxious in her life.

‘I think I was less nervous when I first defeated the demon beast.’

Before her visit to the Empress Dowager’s palace, she broke the purification stone while completing her purification, and even as she redecorated with the help of her maids, her stomach was so upset. She was wondering what would happen if her body didn’t come back like this, and if Bridget didn’t finally break her stubbornness, and then there really was a problem with the alliance…

Annette was groaning with worry, and the maid who cut her hair in the morning seemed to notice that she was in pain, and comforted her by saying that her hair seemed to have gotten a little longer in the meantime. However, Annette was only grateful for her maid’s kindness, but did not notice any changes in her body.

“Ugh.”

Seeing Annette sighing like that, Charlotte briefly burst into laughter.

“Your Majesty the Empress is a good person. There are a lot more people than you might think but…”

But what…?

Annette looked anxiously at Charlotte trailing off.

“Anyway, there’s no need to worry too much. Of course, it’s your first time meeting the person who will become your mother-in-law, so you won’t be at ease…”

“Yes?”

At that moment, Annette’s eyes widened. Mother-in-law? Mother-in-law?

Now that she thought about it, she really was my mother-in-law, right?

She had come to say hello to the Empress of the Arkhan Empire, simply fearing that the alliance would be broken. But as she listened to the maid, Annette realized that she had come to give her first greeting to the mother of her future husband.

It was then that she felt her hair stand on end and she felt even more dizzy with nervousness than before.

“Her Majesty the Empress asks you to come in.”

The door to the Empress Dowager Palace’s reception room opened wide.

* * *

Thump thump thump. 

Her heart was beating wildly. Coming to the Empire for her arranged marriage, she was so foolish that she only now noticed that the Empress Dowager would soon become her mother-in-law!

Annette, who entered the living room unable to calm down her agitation, pushed her left foot back, lightly lifted the hem of her skirt, and bent her knees, as she had repeated in her head several times with the intention of not making a mistake this time.

She has to act as a princess.

…As expected daughter-in-law.

“Annette, Princess of Hayworth, greets Her Majesty, Empress Dowager of the Arkhan Empire.”

Fortunately, just as she was relieved that she had completed the greeting according to etiquette without making any major mistakes, Annette was taken aback by the quiet reception room with no response. It was a time when she could not bear to raise her head and endured the heavy silence with her gaze down.

 

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