Asid, the guard knight who had been waiting in advance, quietly approached Khalid, who had left the castle after speaking with Velia.
“How was it?”
Judging by Khalid’s bright expression, it seemed like the conversation was quite enjoyable.
Asid was very curious about what they were talking about. But he doesn’t seem to have any intention of talking to His Royal Highness.
“Uhm. well.”
“Seeing you smiling, I guess you really liked it.”
“what. “It was bold.”
Even thinking about it again, Velia was so fearless.
She knew who she was… … .
‘what… … .’
She was the woman who would become her own lover in the future.
So, Khalid closed his eyes, thinking that he should be reminded to refrain from such dangerous actions.
“Have you heard the location of the gold mine?”
“no.”
“Didn’t you come all the way here to hear that?”
Asid asked back in confusion.
I don’t know how much manpower was put into finding the owner of the letter.
In fear that the First Prince might find out, the maximum number of people currently available went back to investigate the route where the letter was sent.
Through the combination of the production location of the sealing wax, which was obviously left on purpose, the place where the letter stayed, and the letters remaining on the letter, it was finally possible to determine that the sender was Princess Velia.
When Asid recalled how Khalid scolded him with cold eyes until he was sure of the sender, he felt a little depressed.
This is information I found out while receiving such harsh treatment.
“Perhaps the princess lied… … .”
“Asid. “Don’t pass it over for nothing.”
When Asid became suspicious of Velia, Khalid raised his hand to stop him.
“More than that, I will be making an official visit to the royal castle soon, so get ready.”
Did that happen in the end?
Asid nodded, thinking that he would have to make drastic changes to his planned itinerary.
“And I need to get the word out.”
If she spreads the word in advance that she is with the princess and her lover, it is certain that her boy Raul will be anxious to convince her before she visits her royal castle.
Thinking about how a guy who lives in his own ego would go to extreme lengths to win someone, somehow made me feel better.
Besides, it will definitely fail.
‘Sounds like fun.’
Looking at the situation she was in… … .
From now on, it will no longer be possible for Raul to follow the princess or attach someone to her to monitor her.
‘I should have done it properly so it wouldn’t be noticed. ‘You idiot.’
Anyway, he lives only for his own taste, so if you look at what he does, he is very sloppy.
Although he used his brain to some extent, his basic thinking was full of pride, and most of his operations were carried out without any consideration of his own failure.
Of course, Raul’s current position, receiving the emperor’s full support and protection, was absolute enough to more than offset all of that.
“What kind of rumor is this?”
“Princess Velia and I are actually in a very deep relationship. “So she couldn’t accept the 1st Prince’s marriage proposal, and she’s in a lot of trouble right now.”
ah. In addition to that.
“It would be good to add that I am desperately waiting for my lover.”
“… … yes?”
Now that we’ve joined hands, shouldn’t we help each other properly?
“I have a lot to do for my sweetheart.”
“Well, what… … ?”
What did you just say… … ? love? lover?!
Asid blinked to see if he had heard correctly.
“And I think I’m going to get married. “Please take note.”
“… … “Yes?!”
Asid shouted, completely unable to understand the context.
Marriage… … !
“Now, wait! majesty!”
Khalid, completely ignoring Asid’s cries that were almost like screams, continued walking with her with a smile on his face.
* * *
The rumor spread quickly.
The story is that Khalid, the second prince of the empire, and Velia, the first princess of the Kingdom of Ronica, are secretly continuing a secret relationship.
Their status was too great to be dismissed as mere gossip, so everyone was whispering about it here and there.
“sister!”
Eventually, the rumor reached Ronica’s castle, and Klose, who was surprised to hear it at a tea party with her friends, rushed into Velia’s room and shouted.
“I just heard some nonsense?”
Velia was sitting elegantly reading a book and raised her head when she heard the door suddenly open.
After confirming that the other person was Klose, she placed her bookmark neatly to mark the spot where she had been reading and closed the book.
“Klose. “Did I tell you not to run like that?”
“sister! “Is now the time to talk about that?!”
Klose was out of breath but did not stop talking.
“Now with my sister and the second prince… … ! Ugh! that!”
“… … “Have you heard any rumors that you are dating?”
Velia opened her mouth on behalf of Klose, who stuttered as if she didn’t know what to say.
“okay! that!”
“What is that?”
Klose pounded her chest in frustration at the sight of her older sister asking her question calmly.
“What is that?! They say there’s a rumor going around among the nobles now! “It must have spread to the empire too!”
“doesn’t care.”
Velia’s attitude was strangely calm.
“no way… … .”
Now that I think about it, the image of my older sister, who was busy trying to find a way to reject the 1st Prince’s marriage proposal, passed by.
Moreover, she remembers herself saying that the 2nd prince would be much better than the 1st prince.
I guess not… … .
Klose screamed, tearing out his head.
“You didn’t intentionally spread the rumor?!”
Velia shook her head.
“I didn’t start the rumor.”
okay.
Anyway, that’s true.
There’s no way he could have started this rumor himself… … .
“He must have paid it.”
“ah… … ?”
for a moment!
What, what?!
“Are you saying that the second prince started that rumor?”
“huh.”
“sister!”
Velia frowned and covered her ears at the sound of Klose screaming.
“My ears hurt. “Why are you yelling?”
“No, wait. wait for a sec… … !”
Velia said calmly as she looked at her younger sister who was confused and didn’t know what to do.
“There’s nothing to be so upset about. “It’s something that has already been agreed upon with the 2nd prince.”
“You’re not really saying that you have a relationship like that with the second prince, are you?”
“That’s right.”
Velia, who casually corrected her, got up from her seat and walked to the terrace.
The day was still bright.
The sunlight shining somehow makes me feel refreshed.
‘He’s trying to fulfill his contract.’
Here she says that although she would be very neat and nice if Raul retracted his proposal from her saying that she cannot marry someone with a scandal.
‘That can’t be possible.’
Because she was still coming every day to the point where it was annoying.
In that case, I feel sorry for Prince Khalid, but I think it would be better to quickly reveal that they are lovers.
‘How should I inform you… … .’
Actually, it bothered me that I thought about my relationship with someone so calculatedly. Because I felt that this behavior was no different from what Raul did to me.
But this is a relationship without love in the first place.
It was just a relationship where mutual interests coincided.
If so, it’s different from before.
Like Raul in his previous life, Khalid also tells Velia that other people have improved.
‘At that time, you can just leave cleanly.’
Divorce among the royal family was prohibited by imperial law, so she could go down to a country villa and live as if she were dead so as not to be seen by their eyes.
If only Raul could be cruelly defeated… … !
He was willing to go through that if it would give him back the hellish time he had been through.
“sister. You and the 2nd prince didn’t know each other at all until recently. No matter how much she doesn’t want to marry the 1st prince, she suddenly becomes her lover… … ! “This is going to be difficult to fix!”
Klose followed Velia to the terrace and poured out words at her bewilderment.
What on earth happened in that short period of time?! Also, how did she meet the second prince?
“don’t worry.”
In contrast to Klose’s shocked face, Velia’s expression was calm.
She smiled faintly and looked at her younger sister.
This time she won’t let anyone die.
To prevent such a terrible ending from happening.
Please let your precious family live a happy life.
“I have an idea.”
Because I do not plan to repeat that tragedy in my new life.
‘I’m making atonement to everyone.’
It is to undo the misfortune caused by her own choices.
So no problem.
Even if that means she has to sacrifice Velia’s life.
* * *
The rumors about Velia and Khalid were now growing out of control.
However, Raul still constantly visited Velia. He tried to change her mind by telling her what he could give instead of Khalid. At the same time, he did not stop secretly spilling gossip about Khalid.
“ha… … .”
Because she didn’t say it openly, to people who didn’t know anything, it would have seemed like she was just an older brother worrying about her younger sibling, but Velia knew.
That this is Raul’s typical method of belittling people in a very subtle way.
“So please think again about my marriage proposal.”
“majesty. I’ve said this many times… … .”
She tried to blurt out her refusal as if she was tired of Velia, but she cut her off with a laugh from Raul.
“Princess Velia. I am a very patient person. I can endure the waiting time to get you. So why not think about it more deeply?”
“I am… … .”
“You said she had Khalid in her heart?”
Raul continued to interrupt Velia. As if he was going to stop her from saying anything he didn’t want to hear in the first place.
“That’s because the princess doesn’t know much about him.”
A few days ago, she told Raul that Velia had someone in her heart. So she says that doing this to her is just a meaningless act.
Her tone was too strong to say she was just conveying her words, so it was more like a notice that she would reject your marriage proposal. But Raul didn’t stop.
“I know him well.”
“no. That’s the princess’s mistake. “We’ve only met once, haven’t we?”
Velia let out a shocked laugh at the sight of him asserting that it couldn’t be true, as if that was all I knew.
“Your Highness Raul. He is currently staying in the kingdom’s capital. Do you think I would have met him only once under those circumstances?”
Raul’s expression hardened at Velia’s words.
But he soon tried to persuade her again with a gentle smile.
“It has only been a month at most since the princess became acquainted with Khalid. “Why are you so quick to judge how deep your heart is?”
It had been less than two months since Raul had met Velia. It was funny that he talked about such a topic as if he were an exception.
“It’s a little strange for your highness to say that. In fact, it hasn’t been long since your Majesty saw me.”
If you pushed him this far, his expression might have changed at least a little, but he didn’t seem to have suffered any damage at all. Raul tugged at the corners of his mouth and spoke still sweetly.
“I love you with all my heart. That feeling is growing bigger and bigger. I am the one who will make her princess happy.”
lie… … !
Velia in the past had no idea that he was lying.
I was angry and resentful of that fact.
How funny it must have been for her to look at herself like that!
Velia contained her deep anger that kept coming out. Now is not the time.
Although Raul continued to persuade her with her appeals, Velia was adamant about her.
She stood up from her seat and said that she would end tea time, and conveyed her strong intention to Raul, who did not understand her at all.
“No matter what you say, I don’t think I’ll change my mind.”
Even with any sweet candy coating.
I will never choose you.
