My Fiance Keeps Trying To Raise Me

Samuel, who personally transcribed the message from the communication district and knew very well what happened, spoke with great pride.

“Your Highness! As your capable aide, I have prepared your departure in advance. If you return to the Great Siege like this…”

“Ha, what are you talking about?”

The Grand Duke, who spoke in awe, raised his head, brushing away his blonde hair that had fallen from the rain.

“They say the princess is in the imperial palace right now.”

The moment everyone flinched at the incongruous words that came out of his mouth, only the Grand Duke looked at the vice-captain next to him.

“Morton, I will go straight to the capital, so you can return to the castle, gather your personnel, and leave.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Um, Your Highness?”

Samuel was taken aback when he saw Morton leading the remaining knights, bowing his head without asking or questioning anything. It was a time when he had an ominous premonition and was hurriedly trying to get on his horse to chase after the knights. Suddenly, when Samuel, who was grabbed by the back of his head, turned his head, a creepy black mask was pressed against his face.

“You should go to the capital with me.”

“Yes? Why do I…”

“Since you are my capable aide, isn’t it natural for you to help me by my side?”

At that moment, Samuel sensed the hardships that would pour upon him.

“Ugh! Your Highness, please save me!”

If he had known this would happen, he would have sent someone else!

* * *

Meanwhile, Charlotte, who had repeatedly urged the Empress Dowager not to overdo it, came out into the hallway.

Serena appeared across from her, quickly approached her and bent her waist towards her.

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Serena? Have you already taken Lord Hayworth to his room?”

“Actually, the princess said she wanted to walk a bit, so I guided her.”

Serena said that Annette seemed so distraught over the Empress Dowager’s fall that she could not possibly send her to her room, and she asked for forgiveness for taking her under her wing without her permission.

“Well, I guess we all created a mess to avoid ruining her majesty’s first impression.”

Instead of reprimanding Serena, Charlotte praised her and quickly headed to her support to clear up the misunderstanding.

* * *

“Uh-huh! What are you doing without answering? “Who the hell are you?”

Annette, who had met all the remaining family members except her husband-to-be, felt a sense of regret for some reason, but then came to her senses. No matter how old he was, the prince, who had the patience of a child, was urging her to answer.

“Uh, so… that is…”

What should she say? That she was going to be his aunt?

Annette couldn’t bear to say that.

Although she hated to admit it, she looked like the crown prince’s age enough for the emperor to misunderstand. So he might not even believe it, and he might be shocked.

Annette, who thought she should leave her identity to the emperor and empress, revealed only part of the truth.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, I am a foreigner who was invited by the empire. I ended up staying at the imperial palace for a while.”

“A foreigner? No wonder…”

He thought the hair color was unusual.

After his nod, Mikhail asked sharply:

“But how did you come here?”

“Yes? That is…”

Should she say that she happened to take a wrong turn while visiting the imperial palace?

Avoiding to answer, Annette, who has never lied, hesitated to answer.

“No way!”

Mikhail shouted, suddenly making his eyes widen.

“You followed me because you fell in love with me!”

“…what?”

It was so absurd that she asked again. Mikhail took this as an answer and said, “As expected, Audrey was right!” He touched his forehead.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot accept your heart.”

“No, I think you misunderstood something…”

“No matter what, it’s no use. Because I already gave my heart to Audrey.”

Who the hell was Audrey?!

Annette urgently tried to clear up the misunderstanding, but it seemed that the little prince was no longer listening. He shook his head and sighed, “Whoa.”

The sight of his bangs blowing in the wind from his mouth was quite convincing, and Annette opened her mouth in a daze.

“Mikhail?”

“Uh, oh my!”

Charlotte, who had just entered the pavilion, saw her son with Annette and her eyes widened.

“Why on earth are you here… I understand it’s class time right now?”

He was surprised for a moment, but when the empress, who had become a strict mother, asked, Mikhail’s face, which had been happy to see him, suddenly stiffened.

“Well, that is…”

“You couldn’t have skipped class and been lazing around here, right?”

Mikhail lowered his head at the words that accurately pointed out the situation, and Annette felt a slight sense of guilt. For no reason, he seemed to have ended up in this situation because he said he wanted to take a walk in Huwon.

Even if it weren’t for her, she had no idea that the news that the crown prince had skipped class would have reached the empress’ ears this evening, and she was flinching as if she had been scolded.

“Oh my! This lady has done nothing wrong.”

As soon as Charlotte’s gaze reached Annette, Mikhail shouted.

Annette was a little moved when she saw the Crown Prince, who was so dispirited, take the initiative to protect her.

“Everything is, well the thing is…”

And she was startled because he tried to tell that bizarre story again.

Annette hurriedly opened her mouth as she watched Mikhail, who had been very confident in front of her, twist his body in a shy manner.

“Your Majesty, I guess I said I wanted to take a walk for no reason. Sorry. I also apologize to His Highness the Crown Prince. If I had known he was inside, I would never have come in.”

“That… It’s not for you to apologize.”

Since the only person at fault here was her son, who secretly skipped class, Charlotte glared at Mikhail. But…

‘You weren’t chasing me…?’

Mikhail’s eyes, which belatedly realized his mistake, shook as if there had been an earthquake. He was so surprised that she did not notice the Empress looking at her in horror, nor did she notice that she was calling Annette.

‘Oh my, I guess I’m embarrassed.’

Annette, who saw Mikhail’s ears fluttering open in an instant, swallowed a small smile. After the amazing misunderstanding was resolved, she found this kid to be quite cute.

Raon, who was four years older than Mikhail, came to mind even more. Raon, who was born as King Hayworth’s last child, started arguing with Annette every time he saw her and demanded more patience than dealing with a witch.

‘Compared to that bad boy, he’s really an angel.’

…Although he was the crown prince, he suffered from serious illness.

“He is at the age where you want to have fun. So please don’t scold him too much, Your Majesty.”

Annette, who was so kind to the young boy, forgot about her own condition for a moment and spoke softly. There didn’t seem to be much of a difference in height, but Mikhail, who was about to protest because he was embarrassed by Annette treating him like a child, stopped and looked at the Empress and Annette alternately. Although his mother usually showed respect to other nobles by using honorifics, she seemed to show a bit more friendliness to this girl from a foreign country.

‘Furthermore, you allow her to take a walk in the garden where only members of the royal family can go.’

This was when Mikhail, unable to contain his curiosity, opened his mouth without realizing it.

“Oh my, who is this lady…”

“Oh my, Michail. You have to be polite. She is someone who will soon become part of the family.”

A sound like a thunderbolt fell on Mikhail’s head.

* * *

‘I think His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was very surprised…’

‘It is better to be a little surprised than to be rude to the Lord. I will understand if you tell me the details later.’

Annette asked worriedly as she saw Mikhail stumbling out of the patronage as if in shock, but Charlotte answered indifferently. Not long ago she told Mikhail the good news that her uncle, Cardin, would soon get married. So his mind must be very complicated by now…

There were no words to explain in detail to her son, who was still young, and more than anything, she thought it would be okay for the mischievous boy to behave a little more quietly while Annette was staying at the palace.

Annette, who had previously found out that Mikhail’s level of delusion was enormous, became a little anxious, but that was only for a moment, and she quickly forgot about the Empress when the story about the Empress came out of her mouth.

‘So, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, she absolutely does not hate you. Rather, it is the opposite.’

‘But…’

‘If she really didn’t like you, would she have asked you to have tea together again? By the way, you said you would send me a surprise gift tomorrow!’

When Charlotte said that it was okay to look forward to it, Annette, who had been waiting for a while, eventually nodded her head. However, it was too early to feel relieved, so she vowed to look neat in front of the Empress all night long and pondered what kind of surprise gift the Empress had mentioned before finally falling asleep.

And finally the next day dawned.

 

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