Chapter 32: CH 32

“It has been a while, Your Highness, Second Prince. Now, if you’ll excuse me–”

I curtsied and tried to run away, but prince Edward held my arm firmly.

Please let me go!

“Don’t be a stranger, Julianna. I told you to call me Edward, didn’t I?”

“Did that ever happen? We haven’t seen each other in months, after all.”

We hadn’t seen each other since he had summoned me… officially speaking.

One could never tell where prying eyes might be, and yet… I wondered what this black-hearted prince was thinking when he said that.

“Woah… I’ve never seen older brother Ed have a nice chat with a woman outside of our relatives before!”

That reminded me… His Highness Michel was here!

I glared sternly at prince Edward.

“It’s all right, Julianna. Michel and Side Consort Claudia are on our side. Besides, there’s no one around but us.”

“Indeed. However, I would like you to think about distancing yourself from me. “

“Why? I think this is the right distance I should keep with a beautiful young lady. You’re very lovely, Julianna.”

Then prince Edward took my hand and dropped a kiss on it.

The soft touch of his gloved hand made me blush involuntarily.

“W–What are you doing!? Regardless of your status as a prince, you can’t just kiss someone like that without their permission!”

“I will not be judged for doing that if it’s to my prospective fiancée.”

“Yes, you will be!!”

“Then I will take full responsibility and settle the matter by marrying Julianna.”

“I won’t! More importantly, I don’t want that!!”

I quickly withdrew my hand and swiftly moved away from prince Edward.

“Julianna is older brother Ed’s fiancée?”

“Yes, Michel. She’s your future older sister.”

“Wow! I would be happy if Julianna became my sister. But… I don’t get to see my married older sister Shelly very often…”

“Julianna will be living in the palace, so you’ll be able to see her all the time.”

Prince Edward had a broad, wicked grin on his face.

That bastard! I was only a potential fiancée!

A. Potential. Fiancée!

It wasn’t finalized… And yet he was using His Highness Michel to gloss over that?

“Prince Edward, it is not a definite matter, so please stop stating it to His Highness Michel as if it were a fact.”

“How stubborn of you. But I want Julianna as my queen.”

“I know that. I have the blood of both the royal family and a great noble house running through my veins.”

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“Do not misunderstand. I don’t care about your lineage – a queen who is only good because of her blood is a hindrance. I want a queen capable of defending the country, who will have my back as I’ve hers. And… I only hope that she is also the woman I love.”

Prince Edward approached me again and touched my hair, his eyes burned as he looked at me.

No matter how much I didn’t want to be conscious of it, he… really loved me.

I was born for prince Edward.

From when I turned ten and learned the truth, I was ready to marry him. Even though there were many candidates, I knew prince Edward was the best of them all. I had decided, then, that even if our marriage would be loveless, I would hide the fact that I was Lia for the rest of my life; and only love the child I would bear with all my heart.

But who could have predicted that my secret would be exposed, and that prince Edward would love me?

I–

“I – I’m not ready to love you or to be loved by you…”

I told prince Edward with a soft, tiny voice as I bowed my head.

Prince Edward evidently heard, for he gave me the most serene smile I had ever seen. Not his usual devilish one, nor his ideal prince’s smile, but a smile I had never seen before.

“…That’s good enough for now, Julianna.”

Prince Edward dropped a kiss on the locks of hair locks he had been holding on to.

That expression was so not fair!

Trying not to show my red face, I asked him something in my usual tone.

“You came looking for His Highness Michel, didn’t you? You found him, so I have no further use, do I? The ceremony should be starting soon, so I will take my leave.”

I didn’t want to endure this unbearable atmosphere any longer!

“Older brother Ed, I would like to talk more with Julianna.”

“You’ve grown quite fond of Julianna, haven’t you, Michel?”

“Yes! Yes, but I won’t interfere with your love life, Brother. Kiel told me that anyone who interferes with someone’s love life will get kicked to death by horses. I don’t want to die yet! I want to serve this country!”

“I see. I have such a good little brother.”

Prince Edward patted His Highness Michel’s head. However, his gaze was not affectionate, instead filled with wickedness.

…I swear, this man was having the time of his life.

“Your Highness Michel, that will have to wait for another time. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Your Highnesses.”

“Ahh, I will see you again at the ceremony and the soirée.”

I curtsied and quickly dismissed myself.

I felt an unpleasant gaze from behind me, but I did my best not to pay any attention to it.

I refuse to be pushed around by the black-hearted prince anymore!

Author’s Notes:

I believe we finally got a development worthy of the romance tag!!

I can’t tell you how many times I wondered if I should remove the romance tag (I changed it from romance genre to literature genre in the middle of the story). …It’s been a problem for me as an author as well because the two of them have never been sweet to each other.

We’ve had nothing but pawn declarations, false love letters, and dreadful dates until now, lol.

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