As Isabella said, the Emperor seemed to be very busy. As a result, I haven’t even met the Emperor yet, even though the engagement ceremony is right around the corner.
“……”
I lay in bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.
Now, there’s less than a day left until the engagement ceremony. Maybe that’s why, even though I’ve been lying in bed for an hour, I couldn’t sleep. My mind was clearer than ever.
It really starts tomorrow. Living as if I’m my sister.
Thinking that, strength filled the hand that was holding the blanket.
I felt unnecessarily nervous. I bit my lower lip with a vague fear of whether I could do well.
I just have to do well for just half a year. Just half a year.
I murmured softly and tightly closed my eyes, hoping for sleep to come swiftly.
How long had it been in that state when suddenly I heard footsteps from outside the door.
The footsteps, which were somewhat weighted, were clearly not Isabella’s.
Who is it?
I opened my eyes and got up from the bed.
There was no reason for someone other than Isabella to visit me at such a late hour.
Eventually, the footsteps stopped right in front of the door. And then, a calm low voice filled the void.
“Are you asleep?”
My shoulders flinched at the unfamiliar voice.
After briefly debating whether to respond, I cleared my throat and asked cautiously, “Who’s there outside?”
Silence. Then, instead of answering my question, the man outside hesitated for a moment before asking, “If you’re not asleep yet, may I come in for a moment?”
The casual tone suggested that the man outside was likely a noble.
However, no matter the status, it was inappropriate to allow entry into my bedroom at such a late hour. Doing so could provoke unnecessary rumors.
Intending to decline his request, I began,
“I’m truly sorry, but…”
“Just for a moment… I just want to see your face, even if it’s only for a brief moment.”
Speechless, I lost my words to his earnest plea. My mind whirled with countless questions.
Who is this person to make such a request? Do we know each other?
But I am not Selena right now, I’m Serbia; perhaps, he knows my sister?
As my head swirled with confusion, the man continued to speak.
“If you’re worried about unnecessary scandals, it’s okay. There are hardly any people walking around at this time.”
“!”
When did he read my inner thoughts?
I lightly rubbed my goosebumped forearms.
While I was doing that, the man added,
“And anyway, we are going to be engaged tomorrow.”
I weakly covered my mouth at his decisive words.
There was only one person I was supposed to engage with tomorrow. The emperor.
…My goodness.
I had never thought that the person standing outside the door could be the emperor.
If the person outside was the emperor, there was no longer anything to worry about.
“Just, please wait a moment.”
I hurried to the door, grabbed the handle, and before opening it, I checked my appearance once, then clicked the door open.
As soon as I opened the door, what appeared was a white silk shirt.
Starting from there and slowly lifting my gaze following his well-defined body, I finally reached the man’s face.
“……!”
Upon making eye contact with him, I was so surprised that I momentarily forgot how to breathe.
His platinum blond hair shone like sunlight, and his eyes were the color of violets.
Even though 11 years had passed, he wasn’t exactly the same as when he was younger, but it was undoubtedly him…Ruth.
But the person standing outside the door was the emperor… Could it be? I entertained the worst possibility and took a couple of steps back.
In retrospect, the demon I saw that day resembled Ruth.
Yet, why didn’t I recognize him?
What snapped me out of my thoughts was Ruth’s cold voice.
“Who are you?”
(TL/N: Ruth says this cuz in his eyes Selena was introduced herself with her sisters name Serbia but her appearance was her original self. This happened in their childhood)
“?”
His unexpected reaction puzzled me. Wasn’t Ruth the one who proposed to my sister first? Yet, this was his response.
“I’m not one to ask twice.”
He looked at me, who didn’t reply, with a chilly gaze, as if he was looking at a stranger. With a trembling heart, I decided to first address the situation and gave a response.
“I am the eldest daughter of the Obelton family, Serbia Obelton, Your Majesty.”
“Yes.”
Immediately bursting into laughter, Ruth strode forward and lifted my chin.
After staring at my face for a while, he eventually withdrew his hand.
“It seems I have brought the wrong person. You are not that child.”
As Ruth spoke, the color gradually drained from his eyes.
That child.
I felt a sense of déjà vu at the term and eventually recalled who I had introduced myself as to him 11 years ago.
“!”
A nameless emotion welled up so suddenly that I was momentarily lost for words.
It wasn’t just me who had remembered and longed to see Ruth all this time.
I nearly collapsed with joy, my legs almost giving way beneath me.
As I struggled to suppress the smile creeping across my face, Ruth said,
“This is clearly my mistake, so I will not blame you. Therefore, leave here first thing tomorrow. I will explain things to the others.”
Upon hearing that, I realized a fact I had forgotten.
I, pretending to be ‘Serbia Obelton,’ know that I am not ‘the child’ he is looking for.
Even now, if I reveal my true identity… The thought that casually crossed my mind was soon pushed to a corner of my head before it could even end.
Not only did I deceive the emperor and many others by pretending to be my sister, but I was also already guilty of insulting the royal family, and I didn’t want to disrupt the plan agreed upon with my family by making a unilateral decision.
Therefore, no matter what happened, I had to live as my sister until Ian and mother resolved the issue my sister caused and fully restored our family’s power.
“……”
As I saw Ruth walk away without looking back after telling me to leave, I clenched my empty hands.
If he left like this, it would be good for me since I wouldn’t have to deceive others by pretending to be my sister.
However, perhaps because he was my first love whom I had met after many years, or maybe because of unnecessary pride, a small and selfish desire made its presence felt warmly.
So.
“……Ru, no, Your Majesty, I would like to propose a contractual engagement.”
The moment I saw him holding the door handle, my mouth moved on its own.
It was because the thought that I shouldn’t let him go from here suddenly overwhelmed me.
Upon hearing my remarks, Ruth stopped in her tracks and turned around with a rigid face.
“What did you just say?”
Although pained by the vastly different look in her eyes, I managed to compose my trembling expression and spoke.
“I proposed we enter into a contract engagement, Your Highness.”
“Contract engagement?”
After showing a moment of confusion, he burst into a disbelieving laugh as if he had heard a joke.
His lips smiled broadly, but his dry irises were a stark contradiction.
“An interesting proposal, indeed.”
Seeing his hand fall away from the doorknob, I secretly sighed in relief. It was a sigh born from the temporary success of having caught his attention.
Now was the critical moment to make it work.
As I was firming up my resolve, Ruth approached me again, arms crossed and head tilted slightly.
“Let’s hear you continue.”
“If people were to find out I was cast aside on the eve of our engagement ceremony, my reputation would be completely ruined. Not to mention, the excessive rumors would surely block my path to marriage.”
I continued speaking calmly, swallowing hard due to my dry throat.
“So, primarily, I want to propose a contractual engagement for my future.”
“Hmm…….”
A faint interest sparked in the eyes of Ruth, who had been expressionless throughout.
I watched his pale lips slowly part, hoping for a positive response to flow from them.
But hopes were just that, hopes.
“So, to summarize, you’re proposing a contractual engagement to me to avoid any harm to yourself?”
Hearing his voice as cold as a snowstorm on a winter night, I bit my lower lip hard. Then, I suppressed the overwhelming sadness and forced a slight smile.
After all, I didn’t even have the right to be sad. This was all the result of my own choices.
“Primarily, yes. That’s correct. I am proposing a contractual engagement to His Majesty for my sake.”
“Then, I’m sorry to say, my lady, but I must refuse your proposal. I don’t engage in matters that don’t benefit me.”
With that, he curtly refused without a moment’s hesitation, his eyes curving into a smirk. It was a smirk reminiscent of an arrogant predator.
Yet, somehow, it also seemed like that of a child fearful of an unexpected variable.
…A predator and a child, what a discordant harmony.
A powerless laughter almost slipped through my parted lips.
I slowly closed and then opened my eyes, fearing that if I no longer saw the violet resembling violets, all the thoughts filling my head might disappear.
“Why…….”
As soon as I lifted my eyelids, emotions that I thought had been dulled over the span of 11 years revived quickly.
Trying to rid myself of these thoughts, I closed my eyes, but it seemed to only increase them, causing my brow to slightly furrow.
Feeling a dull ache around my chest, I took a deep breath when suddenly a familiar boy’s voice echoed in my ears.
“We’re going to play hide and seek from now on.”
“…….”
“You hide, and I’ll seek.”
The image of the boy who pretended not to see me crying and turned around overlapped naturally with Ruth standing in front of me.
“So do your best to hide, Serbia. No matter where you’re hiding, I’ll be able to find you.”
“Ah.”
I unconsciously let out a short breath.
The moment the un-faded memory completed, my heart pounded and my stomach churned simultaneously.
Thoughts of wanting to vomit what was inside and wanting to swallow it back down tangled together.
Ruth, who looked at my pale, sickly face with curiosity, asked, “What are you thinking about in front of someone?”
“…Nothing.” I deliberately smiled and left a vague answer. I couldn’t tell him that I was actually thinking about my childhood memories.
“How boring.” Ruth murmured softly and brushed back his fallen hair. “Anyway, if you’re done talking, I should be going now.”
“Not yet…!” I hastily grabbed his wrist as he turned to leave.
Ruth’s face grew cold as he looked down at my hand holding his wrist as if he had just seen some dirty contaminant accidentally smeared on him. “What is this supposed to mean?”
Seeing his eyes demanding an immediate explanation, I swallowed my trembling breath. Opportunities do not come at any time. Therefore, I did not want to miss the opportunity given to me at this moment.
“I clearly said it was a ‘primary reason,’ Your Majesty.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
There was a dry interest in his tone, which was intriguing.
“Yes. My story starts now.”
It was a good sign.
