“Then, is the life you dream of one where you marry the person you love according to the policies of the Sharon Count family?”
Letticia was slightly surprised by the question, which completely lacked the assumption that she would love Matthias. However, she still nodded.
“Hearing it put that way, it does sound a bit grand… but yes, that’s correct. I want to marry the person I love and continue working as the promotional model for the Sharon Count family. There’s really no one else in our family who could take on that role.”
“But don’t you have a younger sister, Lady Lenoa?”
“She’s studying to be a designer. I don’t think she has any intention of entering high society.”
“If she doesn’t enter high society, then how does she plan to get married? I’ve heard that in the capital, people marry for love, but if she doesn’t participate in social circles, she won’t have the opportunity to meet anyone.”
“That’s only if you’re introduced officially at social events. But you can still get to know people personally without attending high society gatherings. You could meet someone at work, for example. My aunt and uncle met that way and got married.”
“……….”
Seraphina looked stunned, as if she had just experienced cultural shock.
It seemed more shocking to her that a noblewoman could fall in love outside of high society than the fact that Letticia was not aiming to become the Crown Princess.
‘Well, I suppose it’s understandable if she’s not used to hearing about working women.’
Even in the capital, noblewomen with careers made up less than a quarter of the population—and that figure included traditional professions like governesses.
Among the old nobility, there were still conservative families who preferred to marry off their daughters or send them to convents rather than educate them and encourage independence, as they did with their sons. The western regions, even more conservative than the capital, would naturally follow such practices more strictly.
Fortunately, Seraphina seemed to collect herself after finishing her cup of tea.
“I apologize for showing such a reaction. I thought I had studied the culture of the capital well, but it seems there’s still a lot I don’t know.”
“Well, it’s still more common to find marriage prospects through high society. It’s understandable if you weren’t aware.”
“That’s very considerate of you to say… Then, do you intend to continue living as a part of the Sharon Count family even after you marry?”
“Yes. My brother is my father’s successor, but I am my mother’s heir.”
As Letticia nodded, Seraphina fell silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, before eventually smiling in understanding.
“I see. Then it makes sense that you wouldn’t be aiming for the position of Crown Princess. The Countess must be very proud of you—for being so thoughtful and serious about your responsibilities and future.”
“…How should I put this? You’re accepting this rather quickly. The fact that I don’t want to be Crown Princess, I mean.”
Letticia unconsciously muttered the words, her mind drifting back to the conversation she had with Ariette during their boat trip.
“In the end, though, who you marry is entirely up to you, isn’t it? You, more than anyone, would know who you truly love.”
When Letticia said she had no intention of becoming the Crown Princess, Ariette had simply responded that, regardless of what others thought, Letticia would marry the person she loved.
Seraphina seemed to have a different perspective, yet she also did not question, ‘How could she not want to be Crown Princess?’
In contrast, Letticia’s friend Dayna and Princess Judith, whom she had known since childhood, were baffled and needed time to process why Letticia wouldn’t want to be Crown Princess. But why did Ariette and Seraphina accept it so easily?
‘If the transmigrator and the original characters can understand each other, then Her Highness Judith should be able to as well—she was in the original story, after all.’*
If someone argued that Ariette and Seraphina were simply benefiting from the “original heroine and villainess buff,” there would be little to refute. However, it still felt like an oversimplification.
As she pondered this, Letticia looked at Seraphina, who responded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Well, different people have different dreams and aspirations. Just because others want to be Crown Princess doesn’t mean you would automatically feel the same way.”
“Still, many people assume that it’s the most likely desire.”
“That’s inevitable. Marrying the Crown Prince means becoming the future Empress who will rule this empire alongside him. Of course, His Highness is personally charming, but the power and prestige that come with the position are tempting in their own right.”
“…To me, that actually feels like a huge burden.”
When Letticia grimaced, Seraphina’s eyes gleamed with interest.
“A burden, you say…? What makes you think that?”
“There’s just too much work involved. Managing high society, overseeing the royal household, hosting diplomatic delegations, keeping up with political affairs and international relations… On top of that, even a single careless word could turn into an international incident, so I’d have to constantly watch what I say. No way—I would absolutely hate that. Responsibility like that is just unbearable for me.”
Letticia, who had been venting her frustrations based on her knowledge of romance fantasy novels and the royal court, suddenly stopped when she saw Seraphina’s expression.
Her previously composed, doll-like smile, which had seemed slightly indifferent, now carried a spark of life.
“Lady Sharon, you truly are a wise person.”
“…Huh?”
All Letticia had done was complain, so why was she suddenly being called wise?
As she stared in confusion, Seraphina, who had been calm until now, suddenly spoke with passionate conviction.
“You’re absolutely right. The position of Crown Princess is far too high for someone to admire it solely for its glamour and elegance. As the future Empress of this nation, one must possess the necessary sense of duty and resolve, and they must actively develop the skills required for the role. It’s not just about wearing the Imperial Treasure, the Lily Tiara, during the wedding, or honeymooning on a royal island, or using palace funds to order new dresses while flaunting authority in high society.”
“T-that’s… true…”
“So, if someone truly wishes to become Crown Princess, they must be prepared to live as royalty and take on all the responsibilities that come with it. But in reality, too many people dream of marrying His Highness without considering any of that. It’s truly unfortunate. According to scripture, when people see a fruit tree, they first think about the sweetness of its fruit rather than the fact that they need to plant the seeds to grow another tree. I believe that saying is quite fitting.”
After listening to Seraphina’s lament-filled speech, Letticia slightly regretted bringing up the topic.
What had triggered this passionate reaction?
‘Was Seraphina always like this in the original story? I barely remember any inner monologues about her…’
From what Letticia recalled, the only things she knew about Seraphina from the original work were that she antagonized Ariette over the position of Crown Princess and was ultimately chased out by her own brothers after making some insulting remarks.
Ariette’s high-society debut had been orchestrated so she could meet Matthias, and Seraphina was merely the villainess who served to push that relationship forward.
Now that Letticia understood the derogatory terms Seraphina had used in the original story, it was unlikely she would say such things again. However, if she still ended up antagonizing Ariette, it would be a headache for Letticia.
One was the daughter of a major noble family in the east that controlled half of the empire’s wheat supply. The other was from a western noble house, a descendant of the former royal family, and one of the only two Great Lords of the empire. There were very few people with the status and influence to mediate between them.
‘If I just stand by and do nothing, people will definitely come to me, begging me to do something about it.’
If someone picked a fight with Letticia directly, she could handle it as she saw fit. But breaking up a conflict between two people who outranked her in status?
That would be like diving straight into a mud-slinging match.
‘What if I just married Ez and went on a honeymoon for the entire autumn…? No, that’s impossible.’
There was no way Sharon Jewelry would schedule a promotional model’s honeymoon during the social season, no matter how much Letticia begged Patrick with childish acts of persuasion.
And even if she somehow managed that, getting the workaholic Matthias to grant his aide a nearly three-month-long vacation? That would be beyond character-breaking—it would be more believable that someone had possessed Matthias’ body.
Fortunately for Ezkhiel, Letticia’s impulsive plan to rush into marriage had fallen apart before it even got to the planning stage.
However, that didn’t mean the problem was solved.
Deciding to test the waters, Letticia cautiously asked,
“…But in the end, the Crown Prince is the one who decides on the Crown Princess, isn’t he? It’s possible he might choose someone who doesn’t meet your standards. What would you do then?”
“I don’t think that will happen. From what I’ve heard, His Highness doesn’t intend to take an unqualified Crown Princess.”
“Well… that does seem likely.”
At least, that had been the case so far. Even when she had danced the waltz with the Crown Prince, he had spent a long time talking about the qualities necessary for a Crown Princess.
‘…Wait a second. In the original story, he never mentioned any of this to Ariette!’
He had been so picky about filtering out candidates based on strict conditions, but once he actually fell for someone, suddenly none of that mattered?
It wasn’t as if Letticia had ever wanted to be Crown Princess or had feelings for Matthias, but she couldn’t help but find it all a bit irritating.
🍓; *Reflecting on why certain characters—specifically Ariette and Seraphina—seem to easily understand and accept Letticia’s perspective, while others, like Judith, struggle with it.
