The Archduke’s Gorgeous Wedding Was a Fraud

“It’s true that I’m pretty, but I can’t just show anyone my crying face. It’s something precious, right?”

The princess smiled with her eyes as if she liked my words. Then she lightly brushed her hair back, which, frankly, looked pretty cool. It’s a different feeling from Ziontin.

Slim wrists and long fingers. The shape of the ears that were exposed for a moment also looked good, and the fact that the neutral outfit goes well with her was also attractive, creating a slightly dry atmosphere, unlike a glamorous one.

I picked up the tea that the princess poured for me.

“Thank you, your highness.”

“No, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Ah, the tea is really gooood!

I rolled the fragrant Earl Grey in my mouth and enjoyed the taste of the success of my mission.

It would have been good if the president of Lacius’ fan club, who was villainess no. 3, was also present. But anyway, I definitely drew the attention of an important figure, the princess.

‘But is that enough?’

My Life Preservation Project!

Number 2. Catch the princess’ eyes and get her attention.

First impressions are very important, so maybe a stronger shot is needed.

While holding a teacup and thinking about the princess I met in person, I decided to preempt the topic that would come up anyway.

“By the way, I heard that my groom-to-be is very popular?”

I opened my mouth like that in a calm tone, and put down the teacup on purpose, making a clacking noise. Then I observed the ladies exchanging glances with each other.

I continued speaking with full emphasis on the word ‘engaged’.

“I have a strong desire to monopolise. Even though we are only engaged for now, we are firmly committed to getting married. But today Lacius seemed quite anxious while taking me here to this safe palace.”

Ha.

I sighed deeply. I could feel the eyes of the princess on the side of my face as if she found this interesting, but I didn’t look at the princess this time. My target now was the ladies on this table. I will inevitably break their momentum and end it all here.

“By the way, can you tell me which ladies like my husband so much? I’m sure everyone here knows who they are.”

With a smile, I said “husband” this time. Then, in the end, a lady who could not stand it, finally said with a choked voice.

“Calling a man who is not yet married her husband—!”

“Ummm, did I?”

“What…! You just did—!”

“Is that so? I didn’t realize it. It’s a name we call each other, so it sometimes pops up even at formal events.”

I cut off her words and ended the conversation there. Of course, it was incredibly rude, but she wasn’t able to say anything. She was too surprised to do anything other than open her eyes up wide.

I giggled on the inside and outwardly displayed a sly smile.

Ah really. If someone holds a ‘make someone angry’* contest, I’m confident I’ll be number one.

*(Original was 속 뒤집기 literally ‘turn inside out’. An analogy, if you’re angry=your stomach aches/turns upside down.)

When the board is laid, you can run around like crazy, but it was a little disappointing that the board wasn’t laid out yet.

“The lady seems to have a strong desire for monopoly.”

At that time, the princess barged in.

“I am possessive.”

The blue eyes staring at me somehow seem to say, ‘I want to stuff* it.’

*(박제하다/Stuff= To skin an animal, apply preservative treatment to it, fill it with cotton then restore it to its original shape.)

I spit out the sentence that popped into my head.

“But you can’t stuff me. If a beauty like me can’t move or isn’t alive, it’s a loss to humanity.”

“What I want to stuff is the lady’s personality. How sad that it has no form.”

“That’s a relief. As long as my personality doesn’t change, the princess will inevitably like me.”

When I spoke confidently until the end, the princess smiled.

“I’ll watch you, so be cute. I’m generous, so I’ll forgive you for any trouble you’ll make.”

Yes!

If you’ve come this far, you can do whatever you want now. All I have to do is take one of the media companies that is in the princess’s grasp then stopping the remaining companies wouldn’t be that hard anymore. She wouldn’t expect me to do that anyway.

I smiled and stared straight at the princess.

“You can look forward to how much I can surprise the princess. It will blow away all your boredom.”

Only those who have done it know how much fun it is to engage in a push and pull conversation. Usually, it’s a kind of conversation that should only happen between lovers, but if the other person is the princess, there’s no reason for it to be bad.

‘At this point, I can now say that…’

I, Titania Oberon.

Felt a bite on the bait. Villainess No. 2 seemed to have been successfully caught.

* * *

The tea party ended just like that. The ladies who left the Imperial Palace gathered and burst into anger.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen a lady who lacks modesty!”

The first person to speak up grabbed a fan while panting. Then the lady next to her nodded and added,

“That’s right. She didn’t know how to be humble. She’s good at being arrogant.”

“Tsk, tsk.”

“And her smile is so pretentious! Did you see her smiling like that and taking the seat next to Her Highness? It made me speechless, ha!”

The most angry one was the lady, who had her seat taken by the lady they didn’t even know where had come from.

Her face turned red and she clenched her fist as if she wanted  to break the fan.

She couldn’t believe that she lost her seat to a lady from a household no one recognizes!

She was the type of lady who would not be satisfied just by writing promiscuous swear words in her diary.

“Uh… .”

However, someone cautiously expressed her opinion among the angry ladies.

“But they kinda match..?”

“Now what are you saying?”

“Well, don’t you also think so? Because the two of them are together, the color contrast is also… I was a little envious.”

Those who gathered here did not have a difference in rank. They all yearn for Lacius, and their titles and family wealth are similar. So everyone could talk freely.

After speaking up, the lady expressed her opinion while she was at it.

“Besides, her dress was very sensual—.”

“Ha! Is her dress important now?”

“It’s important. Sir Lacius might have liked that kind of dress.”

“……!”

“Does Sir Lacius’ fancy that type of woman? She is very proud and says with her mouth that she is pretty. Even in front of the princess, she doesn’t hesitate at all…… While us on the other hand were busy looking on awkwardly.”

The ladies, who had been preparing to disagree, in the end just closed their mouths tightly. Because it’s actually true.

The princess and lady Oberon were like darkness and flames. It was like watching a bonfire burn alone in the darkness where even the stars could not be seen throughout the tea party. They were so caught up in the atmosphere that they didn’t even manage to say a word.

The ladies chewed their lips while continuously fanning themselves.

So which shop did that dress come from? 

While thinking like that…

T/N: Hi! This is Choco, your translator~ I’m sorry for the long unannounced hiatus. Work made me a bit busy but I’m back now^^ I’ll try to update twice a week starting today so please look forward to it! Also, thank you for reading this series & waiting for the slow update🤧 I hope you enjoy this till the end.