My Fiance Keeps Trying To Raise Me

“Shit!”

Annette, who was trying hard to cover up her protruding stomach, heard a strange sound. There was no way such an unreasonable sound would come out of the mouths of the Empress and the Empress Dowager, who seemed to be the epitome of virtuous ladies…

However, the Empress Dowager’s maids and the Empress’s maids, who were standing against the wall like still lifes, showed no signs of making a mistake.

Suddenly, Annette, who was rolling her eyes and looking for the owner of the sound she heard, caught something that should not be ignored. It was none other than the Empress Dowager, clutching the handle of the teacup so tightly that the veins on the back of her hands stood out.

Why did she suddenly feel uncomfortable?

Annette, who was trying to guess the reason, realized with a gasp.

‘Oh my god! When we went out to conquer, we even shared a dry biscuit, but I can’t believe I ate all this by myself!’

It was clear that as the sweet dessert entered her mouth, her brain melted like sugar along with it. Otherwise, how could she afford to give…!

She never thought she had a strong appetite, but when things turned out like this, she had no choice but to admit it. In the meantime, she was not greedy because she was only exposed to tasteless food.

Annette, who was belatedly blaming herself, managed to pick up an intact cookie from the devastated table.

“Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager.”

As soon as she called, a sharp gaze struck her.

Annette squeezed her eyes shut and held out her hand.

“These cookies… It is very delicious. Her Majesty, please try it too.”

It may not have been a big deal to others, but for Annette, it was an act of great courage. Strangely enough, she felt like she wanted to look good to the people of the Arkhan imperial family.

All this time, she had lived without caring about what others thought of her and what she was like. No, she could only bear it that way.

‘Why…’

That was when Annette cautiously opened her eyes, not even knowing if she was really just for the sake of the alliance as the princess or if there was another reason.

“Ugh!”

The Empress Dowager, her face suddenly turning red, grabbed her front lip and fell down next to her.

“Your majesty?”

“Your majesty!”

Seeing the people running to her in surprise, Annette jumped up and immediately tried to approach the Empress Dowager. But Charlotte, who was sitting next to her, stopped her.

“My, let’s go and rest now.”

And her approaching entourage had one of the maids take her out of the house. The way she restrained Annette as if preventing her from approaching the Empress Dowager. Because she looked like the people of Hayworth Kingdom who avoided her, calling her the cursed seed of her demonic beast. Annette had no choice but to leave the Empress Dowager’s palace following the guidance of her maid without saying anything.

* * *

“Princess?”

Annette, who seemed to be following along well, stopped at some point and did not move, so the maid who was ahead of her turned to her and asked.

“Princess, why are you doing this?”

“Excuse me…”

“Yes, please tell me.”

“Does Her Majesty the Empress Dowager usually have any problems with her health?”

Annette carefully studied the maid’s expression as she asked that question. This was because she thought that since she was still from a foreign country, she might not be honest about the inner affairs of the imperial family. And she immediately noticed the look of disapproval on the maid’s face along with her momentary puzzlement.

She said that the Empress Dowager had no chronic illness.

“It’s okay if you don’t answer if you’re having trouble.”

Annette saved the embarrassed maid who hesitated to tell her that it seemed like the Empress had fallen because of her. And the maid, Serena, was taken aback when she saw Annette, who looked like she already knew the answer.

Although it was technically Annette’s fault, the Empress Dowager did not fall for the reason she thought. However, she could not reveal her identity, position, and boss without permission. Above all, her master was the Empress, so she was even more concerned about the Empress Dowager.

While Serena stamped her foot inwardly in regret as she looked at Annette, who had lowered her gaze with a completely stunned expression, she thought that she must offer her advice to the Empress to resolve this misunderstanding.

“Ha…”

Annette’s heart was very heavy at the thought that the Empress Dowager had fallen because of her. She probably didn’t like her from the first time she saw her.

She couldn’t believe that she, as a dignified member of the royal family, may have had a crush on her because she treated her thoughtfully without showing any signs. Moreover, she must have been so shocked to see that she was holding out the remaining cookies after eating them without any courtesy.

Annette felt very pitiful about herself. The thought of going back to his room and being alone like this already made his heart feel tight.

“Hey, maid.”

“My name is Serena. Princess, please speak comfortably.”

“Uhm. Serena, is there somewhere I can go for a quick walk right now?”

Perhaps because she had been confined in the villa for a long time, Annette did not like being in a closed place. She would rather pitch a tent, camp out, and sleep more comfortably.

When she listened to the noise of the subordinates outside as a lullaby, she felt as if she was an ordinary person belonging to the crowd.

“If it’s an unreasonable request, you don’t have to grant it.”

She was so frustrated that after spitting out her words, she felt like it was okay. This was because it occurred to her later that the Empress did not allow the courtiers to enter or leave her path while going to and from the Empress Dowager’s palace.

If you walk around like this and get noticed by others, you may get in trouble. As expected, Serena was hesitating to answer.

“It’s really okay. Let’s go to the room quickly.”

“Hey, princess!”

“…?”

“There is sponsorship not far from here, so I think it will be okay. It is a place where only members of the royal family can enter.”

“Yes? But, if it’s a place like that, I can’t go in…”

“No! Her Majesty the Empress commanded that the princess should be treated as a member of the royal family. So I’m sure it will be okay.”

Originally, getting permission was the first thing to do, but Serena said confidently.

Because she knew very well how much favor the empress whom she had served for so long had for the princess before her eyes. Of course, she was also bothered by the sight of the small, young-looking princess withdrawing her harsh words with her upset face.

“Then… please.”

In the end, Annette was guided by Serena and headed to the support.

As she went, she remembered the Empress’s command and felt strange. Just as the Emperor said that she was a member of the imperial family, did the Empress really think of her as part of the family?

‘Why do you never seem to think that I might not be able to return to my original body?’

The two seemed to believe that they would become engaged to Grand Duke Harzent without any doubt whatsoever, regardless of their status. To the point where Annette became anxious despite her firm belief.

‘Ah…’

At that moment, Annette wondered why she felt this anxiety. And she realized why she wanted to look good to the people of the Arkhan Imperial Family. She thought it was simply because she was worried that her body wouldn’t come back and that the alliance would be broken, but that wasn’t the case. She realized this just one day after waking up in the Empire.

This place was different from Hayworth Kingdom. Here, no one frowned at her or averts their eyes when they saw her.

Her red hair, which King Hayworth hated as much as her red eyes, was also praised by her maids, saying it was a special color rarely seen in the empire. Like an ordinary person, not the seed of a cursed demon beast… Her hope that she might be able to talk and live normally continued to grow in her heart.

‘Maybe I can live here without being despised anymore.’

Of course, she didn’t have the absurd idea that everyone would like her. Just not feeling the familiar hostility was enough.

The most positive emotion she had ever received in her life was sympathy. It didn’t matter to her that he didn’t see her as herself, but as the person who would become Grand Duke Hargent’s wife.

‘It’s already happened many times.’

The newborn baby was so pretty and adorable that Sarah would put herself through all that trouble. It’s all about loyalty to the queen.

Even the commander of the previous royal knights.

‘Does subduing demonic beasts seem like a joke? Queen Seon, who was in good health, died after giving birth to her princess. She doesn’t deserve to be happy, but she doesn’t deserve to throw her life away carelessly either. So please go back.’

He hated her because she was once the queen’s bodyguard.

‘I thought wrong. He must have wanted the princess to be happy…’

And because of that, she handed over her position as bodyguard to him.

Annette had never been recognized as an independent person. So it didn’t matter. All she wanted was to become Grand Duke Hargent’s companion as soon as possible so that she could continue to stay in the Arkhan Empire.

‘Even if he hates me…’

“This is it, princess. No one will be inside, so feel free to look around.”

Serena, who led the way to the entrance of the back garden, said that the emperor was attending to government affairs and the crown prince was in class, so no one would come, so please rest easy and that she would inform the empress at the Empress Dowager Palace of her visit to the back garden and come.

Annette, who was left alone, quietly entered the back garden.

 

 

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Translator Note:

Next week I won’t be able to release this story, so see you the week after that!