My Fiance Keeps Trying To Raise Me

“Ugh, Ugh.”

Annette coughed in embarrassment and thought back to how she had been before she had changed.

Even then, Annette’s hands were not as rough as Cardin’s.

‘I am called the seed of the devil, so I am born with monstrous resilience, and the Grand Duke is the Alcan royal family, so I must have received the blessing of God.’

It was strange that the beginnings were different, but the results were similar.

Well, it wouldn’t be more amazing than now that I met that kind of person in this kind of relationship.

“Oh, it’s really small…”

At that moment, Cardin, unable to suppress his emotions, muttered without realizing it. Even after he took her hand and put his forehead on the back of her hand as a gesture, his small hand still didn’t let go as if it was amazing.

Annette raised her eyebrows at that.

He loved her, pretending not to be the emperor or empress, but being a child. But this one seemed to be enjoying it too much without any intention of hiding it. Maybe that’s why her pride was a little hurt. Although she couldn’t pinpoint it, she was particularly dissatisfied with Cardin’s attitude of treating her like a child.

Annette’s gruff voice suddenly came out of her mouth.

“I’m not this small.”

“Huh?”

“As you already know, I’m 24 years old.”

After saying that, it really felt like a childish tantrum. But Annette tried to keep her chin up straight. Not forgetting that the man in front of her was two years younger than her.

“I know.”

Cardin nodded without saying anything to Annette’s words.

She suspected that he might be answering playfully, but the eyes looking straight at her were serious without any mischievousness.

Annette’s cheeks warmed at that cool nod.

She knew his age so well, but she was showing such affectionate behavior, and somehow it felt strange that she wasn’t just a child…

‘That can’t be.’

For a moment, Annette felt like she couldn’t control her expression, so she quickly pulled her hand away from Cardin. Then she said what had been bothering her the whole time.

“Please get up.”

After seeing Cardin slowly get up and move his knees, Annette sat back down and took a moment to catch her breath.

She had been feeling like she had been swayed by the Grand Duke ever since she had met him.

After taking a calm breath, she regained some of her composure.

Annette looked at the man sitting neatly on the sofa opposite her, looking straight at her.

Seeing his straight gaze, she remembered what he had said a moment ago.

‘Me… the one who will be with me for the rest of my life.’

Did he really think that?

Annette wanted to ask. But she didn’t have the courage.

‘He might have said that in front of the emperor who arranged the marriage.’

No, that was much more likely.

She was afraid that if she said it out loud, she would be caught and embarrassed for having high expectations.

It was out of character for her to be afraid of confronting something like this.

Fortunately, Annette had a way to gauge Cardin’s intentions without having to ask him directly.

It might have exposed her even more and made her feel even more ashamed… … .

‘This is what I was going to say anyway.’

Annette took a deep breath and opened her mouth.

“Your Highness, I’m embarrassed to say this, but I don’t know much about politics and I’ve never been in high society. I don’t know how to handle things as the mistress of a family, and I’ve only lived by swinging my sword.”

Even at the moment when it was abandoned as useless, it was no different from being revived as a knight by the Alkan Empire’s proposal for an alliance.

“Fortunately or unfortunately, it is said that the possibility of holding a sword again has arisen, but I don’t know when my body will return to its original state. So…”

Annette swallowed hard.

“Right now, I can’t possibly fulfill any of the duties and roles of the Grand Duchess that Your Majesty expects. Ah! Of course, if Your Majesty doesn’t want it, I didn’t intend to demand any rights from the beginning.”

Annette drew a clear line, fearing that she might misunderstand that she was being presumptuous.

At that moment, Cardin’s mood, which had been quietly listening, changed.

“Wait a minute, Princess. What are you trying to say now?”

“Yes?”

“You’re saying that you’re going to break off the engagement now… Do you think I would accept that?”

Annette was taken aback by Cardin’s trembling voice, as if she was extremely shocked.

The strangely felt tone that seemed angry but also clingy only made her doubt her ears.

Seeing Annette blinking slowly in embarrassment, Cardin spoke more urgently as if he was even more impatient.

“Princess, you already signed the engagement contract.”

He looked at the document the emperor had left on the table in the reception room.

It had not yet been notarized by the temple, but it seemed as if he believed that this had already tied him and her together as one destined being.

Annette was startled by Cardin’s agitation that could be clearly felt even through the mask.

“Your Highness, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Is that so?”

Annette was a little embarrassed by the resentful look in his eyes asking why he had lowered herself and talked so long about not being able to play the role of his wife.

“I said it because I was afraid that Your Highness might ask to call off the engagement, not me. Right now, I can’t fulfill the role of the Grand Duchess, and I have so many shortcomings, but I would like to ask you to please continue the marriage proposal.”

And Annette, who really wanted to get married, put aside her pride and added to persuade Cardin.

“If you promise me just that, I will do my best in whatever Your Majesty wishes. Even if you tell me to live like I’m dead, I will, and even if you have a mistress, I won’t mind…”

“Now, wait a minute.”

At that moment, Cardin, who had been dazed by Annette’s words, stopped her.

Every word that poured out to him was shocking, but the last word in particular made him come to his senses.

He gritted his teeth and asked as if he was holding back his anger.

“Are you telling me to have a mistress right now?”

“Yes? That… I didn’t really ask you to.”

“That’s what I meant. It means that it doesn’t matter if I have a mistress.”

Annette was a little surprised by the voice that seemed both sharp and angry, but she answered calmly.

“Yes, I don’t care. If you want, I can take the illegitimate child as my child…”

“Enough.”

No matter what Annette said, Cardin raised his hand in a hurry because he couldn’t listen any longer.

He buried his face in his hands, feeling miserable as if the world was falling apart. At that moment, he didn’t know whether he should be thankful that Annette couldn’t see the distorted expression behind his mask, or regret that he couldn’t convey his true feelings.

“Princess, how could you say something like that…”

He had been waiting for her for so long. Of course, Annette didn’t know anything about his feelings or the circumstances. So Cardin knew very well that he had no reason or right to resent her. However, he was deeply saddened and shocked that she had no expectations of her marriage partner.

“There are so many things to refute from start to finish…”

Cardin, who had raised his head while washing his face, asked Annette, who was looking confused at his reaction.

“First of all, can I ask why you thought I would break off this engagement?”

“Yes?”

Annette thought Cardin’s question was really strange.

She thought he was teasing her, but there was no playfulness in his blue eyes. That made her even more confused.

To be honest, the Alkhan Empire had first proposed this alliance, but Annette thought it would only benefit the Hayworth Kingdom and not gain much from it. Rather, it would be a loss. Of course, Queen Esther and Bridget seemed to think that the Empire had taken all the losses in order to make the marriage of the ugly Grand Duke happen, but well.

Aside from his looks, he had everything: status, power, wealth, and honor. It was a matter of finding a bride for a man who had everything.

She could easily find a wife from not only the high-ranking nobles of the Empire, but also from kingdoms other than Hayworth. Rather, there must be quite a few who are waiting for the opportunity.

If she hadn’t been there, no matter how much Bridget cried and made a fuss, King Hayworth would have sent his beloved daughter away in tears.

That’s why Grand Duke Harzent had the right to take the bride he wanted.

If he said one word, Annette would have to return to Hayworth.

She hated that so much, and even though she knew it was mean, she tried to pretend not to care and lowered herself first, so why on earth…

“Your Majesty, are you really asking because you don’t know?”

“Yes. I don’t understand why you think I would break this engagement.”

Annette frowned at Cardin’s words.

“I’ve told you all along. I became a child, and again!”

“Again?”

“Again…”

He wouldn’t want her as his bride.

No, not only him, but no one would want a seed of evil like her.

“…”

Even though it was something that everyone knew, she couldn’t say it out loud.

Annette bit her lips and thought that Cardin was a little cruel.

She guessed she couldn’t hang on any longer now.

Annette, half-giving up, opened her mouth.

“I think it’s right for His Highness the Grand Duke to ask me to change my fiancée to Bridget. I think he wanted her from the beginning…”

 

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Translator Note: