The Troublemaker Daughter of the Grand Duke Wants To Live Alone

To Mary Conler.

Everyone gathered in the banquet hall raised crystal glasses in their hands and shouted in unison. Bright smiles adorned everyone’s faces.

As I gazed at my loved ones, I looked up at the sky through the banquet hall’s large windows.

Even though it was a dream, I felt like my mom in heaven was looking at me.

The moon, which seemed so distant earlier, was now close to the window. It felt like it was responding to my thoughts.

As my three brothers congratulated me enthusiastically, I glanced back at Demimore and Astina.

The silver-haired Demimore and the blonde Astina looked indescribably good together.

I couldn’t feel the heat in Demimore’s eyes as he looked at Astina, but it was gentle. For some reason, I felt a tingle in my chest.

“They look good together.”

“Oh? Oh, yes.”

Surprised by Rex’s words that seemed to read my thoughts, I answered more startled than necessary.

Rex laughed at my reaction as if finding me amusing. My face felt warm, so I wondered if the apple cider I was holding contained alcohol.

“Do you think the crown prince has a crush on Lady Astina?”

“…… what?”

Rex was looking at me, not at Demimore and Astina……, with a curious glint in his eye.

Since meeting Rex, this was the first time I had seen this mischievous glint in his eyes. Could it be that he’s thinking we’re in a love triangle or something?

“It’s not like that.”

“If you say so, then I guess not.”

Rex, who was grinning, approached Demimore and Astina.

He probably won’t say anything unnecessary, right? No, by the way, when did he become so sly?

Rex approached Demimore and Astina with a cheerful smile. I wanted to stop him from saying something to Demimore, but I found myself trapped in Hestia’s embrace.

I hadn’t seen Hestia for a long time, as she had been given a long vacation after Cheroke returned as a knight commander.

After the birthday party, Demimore and Astina decided to sleep over at the Grand Duchy.

While Demimore was given a separate room, Astina was going to share a bed with me.

It was our first time sleeping in the same bed, so she was very excited. Of course, I was also excited that I felt like I was going to fly to the sky, but I couldn’t fully enjoy it.

“His Majesty wants to see you.”

That was the story my father told me at the end of the party.

He didn’t look happy that he had to tell me this on my birthday, but I couldn’t help but be stunned.

My legs were shaking when I went to get the reward last time. However, I couldn’t refuse the Emperor’s request.

My father kissed me near the top of my head.

My head was already swirling with thoughts of Demimore and Astina, and now I was about to meet the Emperor, and I couldn’t think straight until I was in bed with Astina.

Astina chattered incessantly to herself as if pretending not to notice my confusion.

Watching Astina’s lips move incessantly, I finally came to my senses. It’s not polite to be so immersed in other thoughts.

“As expected, the Grand Princess’ birthday party was beautiful!”

“Your birthday last time was nice enough.”

“But it’s nothing compared to this! I was mesmerized by the fluttering petals.”

I was a little embarrassed because I had said that I wanted to have a “small” birthday party with my family but I was taken aback by the scale of this event.

Pink flower petals fluttering indoors in the middle of winter; there couldn’t be anything more surprising, yet I found myself staring with my mouth agape.

I looked away from Astina, who was chattering excitedly about my birthday party, and decided to ask her something I’d been wondering about, but hadn’t felt comfortable asking.

“Did the Marquis and Marchioness say anything special?”

“What do you mean?”

I knew Astina wouldn’t tell me easily, but the fact that she asked like she was genuinely curious made me feel even more embarrassed.

“About you being kidnapped……. because of me.”

At my words, Astina blinked and stared at me, then jumped to her feet.

Then she looked down at me, her disheveled blond hair falling into a messy mess. The way her eyes glowed in the darkness was a little scary.

“Oh, goodness! Have you been thinking about that all this time?”

Of course……?

As if she didn’t know I was thinking that, Astina kept repeating the words, Oh my goodness over and over again.

Then tears began to gather in her blue eyes. This time it was my turn to jump to my feet..

I fumbled around for a handkerchief and eventually wiped the corner of Astina’s eye with my index finger.

“Why is it because of you?”

“I know it’s because of me.”

As Astina continued to question me intently, I defended my guilt in a sulky voice. She made a muffled sound and then hugged me tightly, her blonde hair in disarray.

“It’s not because of you.”

“Astina…”

If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have been kidnapped like that, you wouldn’t have been betrayed like that by someone you thought was your best friend, and yet you can say it wasn’t because of me?

But Astina’s embrace was so warm and tender, I wanted to put those thoughts aside.

Astina kept me in her arms for a while, patting me steadily on the back.

“Mmm, Mary. You know, I think……. I mean, I’m sure love alone is beautiful, but I don’t know if it’s real love if you hurt the person you love. I don’t think it’s real love if you want to possess that person. I think the highest level of love is if you truly want happiness for that person…….”

“…….”

“I don’t think love is forced, and I don’t see how a love that hurts others can be love. A ship built on other people’s tears is doomed to sink.”

As I listened to Astina, I couldn’t help but stiffen at her last words.

The words Astina had once cried out in her dreams to Mary, who craved Demimore’s love more than her life.

I never expected those words to come back to me like this, so I could only freeze in place.

And I thought.

“Think about it. Were you ever happy when you thought of Demimore? Just having that person there, even just thinking about them sitting under the afternoon sun, did it make you smile?”

Astina added in the dream.

‘I feel happy when I think of Demimore. Yes, I am, even when Demimore is not necessarily by my side…….’

“So you weren’t loved by him. I’ll deny that outright. Mary, you’re a victim of Leo……. Yeah, we’re all victims of Leo, so you don’t have to feel sorry for everyone.”

“Astina…”

“You’ve been through a lot…….”

Calling Astina’s name, I stepped out of her embrace, and she brushed my hair back.

“I’m sorry for a lot of things, too. I mean, I know Leo did some bad, um, things, but I still haven’t gotten over the time you, Leo and I were together. I was really, really happy back then. I’ve always wanted to be friends with you…….”

“I’ve been so mean to you”

“Because you always seemed so strong…….”

“It’s all right, Astina.”

“Huh?”

“You can talk about that time. Now that it’s just the two of us, let’s continue to talk.”

Astina smiled brightly at my words. We laughed and cried for a while, then fell back into bed.

Astina cleared my mind, which had been complicated until now. As I settled in for a good night’s sleep, Astina kept nudging me.

“Um, Mary…….”

“Why? Do you have anything to say?”

“Since you shared something deep with me, I want to share something too…”

“What is it?”

I turned my head to the side to hear her properly, but she was stubbornly staring at the ceiling. I wondered what she was going to say.

“I think I’ve started to like someone…”

“Yes?”

“Shh, shh!”

Astina freaked out and stopped me as my voice grew louder. Oh, my… Am I allowed to hear this?

“Wh, who?”

“That’s not…….”

“Oh, sorry! I was just curious, so I asked without thinking. You can tell me later when you’re comfortable.”

“Yes, I’ll tell you first! He’s actually so close to you, so it’s kind of hard to tell…….”

I didn’t mean to pry, but I was so surprised I asked who it was and then regretted it. Astina will probably tell me later.

I looked at Astina’s flushed cheeks and remembered Demimore and her laughing in the banquet hall at her words “someone too close to me”.

‘Demimore?’

I never thought she’d share such a secret with me.

I didn’t know how to respond to Astina’s excitement, both embarrassed and happy that we were having this conversation for the first time.

Astina wheezed and fell asleep, but I couldn’t fall asleep easily.

The next day, Astina woke up with a frightened look on her face and asked me to forget her confession from yesterday.

She said she was swept up in the atmosphere.

As I watched her flee back, I was almost convinced that I was right. No matter how much I think about it, it’s Demimore that Astina likes.

“Did Astina go back?”

Astina was so frightened like that because Demimore is my fiancé. I finally knew what wish I should make to His Majesty.

Turning to Demimore, who had come out to enjoy the luncheon, I spoke in an uneasy voice.

“Let’s cancel our engagement.”

While I may not understand love, I’ve finally realized that owning a person is wrong.