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“If it’s not too rude, could you take the Prince and I there tomorrow…………?”
The Empress Dowager nodded as if she had heard her wish. She couldn’t hide the smile on my face as she turned her head towards Edgar.
“Grand Duke, please introduce the Princess and the Prince to the city of Luperca tomorrow. I will provide the carriage for you.”
“Mother……”
“You forget that more important than negotiations is the generous hospitality of foreign guests!”
“…… I understand. I’ll do that.”
Edgar replied in short words and dropped his gaze sadly. The Princess was an unwanted marriage partner. His predetermined fate only made him feel suffocated.
Edgar quickly lifted the teacup in front of him and took a sip. Brianne sat and stared at him, his expression stiffened.
A white face with golden hair. Emerald eyes. A gentle smile, and a sturdy build with strong shoulders that looked good in his white uniform.
He was a perfect sculpture, a perfect thing in itself. But how could he not even look at her?
Of all the women she had seen in the Delta Kingdom, Brianne was proud to say that her appearance was by far the best of them all.
Her sharp eyes were like a cat’s, capturing people’s vision. Her charming voice made men stop in their tracks.
When she raised her slender hand and gently placed it on her chest, all the men jumped on it as if they would give her everything they had.
Brianne kept her expression nonchalant, but she couldn’t quite accept the emotionless gaze of that man sitting in front of her.
For a moment, she recalled in her mind the secret orders she had received from her father, the King of Delta.
“Capture the heart of Grand Duke Edgar and solidify the marriage alliance with the Delta Kingdom.”
In fact, the trade negotiations were just bait. She came here for one reason and one reason only.
Brianne gave a fishy smile to the man in front of her, unbeknownst to anyone else, and her heart fluttered at the thought that he would be in her hands after all.
She turned her eyes calmly to meet the Empress Dowager, who was staring at her as she sipped at her tea.
Brianne raised the corners of her lips as best she could in a quick response. Soon Edgar’s gaze fell on the clock on the wall. Then he shifted his gaze to the woman sitting across from him.
Edgar brightened a bit, and his voice sounded calm.
“I’m afraid the time to report to the Emperor is approaching. I must leave first.”
Brianne replied softly.
“I can only thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to see me.”
“Then I’ll pick up the Princess and the Prince around this time tomorrow.”
Edgar greeted her politely and then left the audience chamber. Then Brianne immediately raised her eyes and looked at her watch.
“I was having such a nice talk with Your Highness that the time flew by. The Prince has been waiting outside for a long time, so I must now get up.”
Then Patricia widened her eyes apologetically.
“Oh my, how rude of me.”
“No, Your Highness. Thanks to you, I had a great time. Thank you for even preparing the carriage for tomorrow.”
Brianne didn’t lose her adorable expression until left the audience chamber, even her lips cramped.
She left the Empress Dowager’s palace and made her way to Prince Oscar who was waiting for her in the garden.
When she saw Oscar, she changed her expression coldly. Brianne did not hide the insidious smile spreading around her mouth as she showed her true colors.
‘I see the day has come for this empire to bow at my and Oscar’s feet.
Brianne, trying to stifle the excitement boiling up inside her, hastily used a fan to cover her mouth and made eye contact with the Prince.
“Oscar, when are you going to learn how to be polite, I’ve taught you thousands of times!”
Her thorny gaze made Oscar wince, as it always did.
“I’m sorry…..”
Brianne pulled hard on the child’s shoulders. Then she murmured lowly with a cold stare.
“You are the one who will lead this empire in the future. You must keep in mind the intentions of me and His Highness the King, who brought you here for that purpose. Do you understand?”
“Yes….”
Brianne clicked her tongue as she watched Oscar, who dropped his gaze.
“I told you not to look down like that. I’ve told you many times that you must never look weak in front of the nobles. Are you listening well?”
“Yes, yes!”
“Pathetic. When are you going to abandon that grim look? Tsk tsk.”
After spitting out the words with all her might at the child, Brianne finally lowered her raised eyes.
“Now, walk in front of me. If you repeat today’s mistake in front of the Empress and the Emperor, you will be beaten to a pulp.”
“Yes….”
Oscar, who had been faltering and flinching with only his hands clasped together, jerked under her sharp gaze and quickly walked forward.
But then, Oscar fell backwards as a child suddenly jumped out from behind a tree.
Brianne rushed over, grabbed Oscar and stopped him.
“Oscar!”
“My hand, my palm hurts…………”
Soon her vision was filled with the red fresh blood running down the plump palm of Oscar’s hand. Brianne glared at the child again with bloodshot red eyes.
Not only was his white shirt and pants a mess from the mud, but the smell of horse manure all over him was so strong that it tickled her nose, as if the boy was a servant working in the stable.
The child had hurt his knees, and his pants were ripped open, with fresh blood coming out from them. Brianne bit her lip at the sight of the shabby child.
“I can’t believe you hurt the Prince like this. Do you want to die!”
Her eyes wide opened as she grabbed the child by the chest. The blue-eyed child looked at her, blinking his eyes, holding only his knees as if in pain.
“Where do you work?”
“….”
The child didn’t answer, just closed his eyes. Brianne’s mouth went up crookedly.
“Do you think that will absolve you of your sins? Take the lead. If you don’t, I’ll take your life right here and now.”
At the threat to his life, the child just stood in tears.
It was then that the necklace on the child’s body caught her eyes. Brianne immediately broke out into a fishy smile.
“A dragon’s tooth necklace… ………… I can’t believe you’re wearing such a precious thing.”
Brianne ripped the necklace off the child’s neck, the child’s face a deadly color.
“Please give it back! Please!”
Brianne snickered at the child’s poor pronunciation.
“My goodness, you can’t even speak properly.”
“It’s a present my mother gave me!”
Brianne laughed hysterically at that. At that time, the voices of someone looking for the child began to be heard loudly.
“Where are you, Your Highness? Your Highness!”
“Where did you go? You’re going to get in trouble again today!”
“This is all your fault.”
Carius, who had just walked through the garden with Duke Denis, stopped when he heard voices searching for the Prince in the distance.
“Prince!”
Carius picked up the child as soon as he saw his son standing with a tearful face.
“Father…”
Brianne, who was standing there, quickly assessed the situation and covered her face.
The child’s face sank completely into Carius’ arms. Carius wrinkled his brow and asked.
“What’s the matter, Princess?”
Brianne was busy thinking when the cold gaze turned to her.
‘This kid is a prince……’
After finally grasping the spirit that was making her feel faint, Brianne hastily made up an excuse.
“His Highness suddenly ran this way and collided with the Prince.……….”
“The Prince?”
Brianne hurriedly stood Oscar up.
“This is Oscar de Helle, the youngest Prince and the next heir of the Delta Kingdom, who has joined the second delegation today. Oscar, pay your respects to the Emperor.”
Oscar spoke in a tense tone as he held his injured hand.
“I’m seeing the Emperor. I’m Oscar de Helle.”
Carius stared at Oscar, and quickly raised his head to look Theodore in his arms.
“So you were running recklessly and bumped into the Prince?”
Theodore nodded at his question. Brianne smiled at that and hurriedly returned Theodore’s necklace.
“I didn’t know it belonged to His Highness the Prince. Please forgive me.”
Theodore grabbed his precious necklace in his small hands.
Carius looked at Oscar. He looked about the same age as Theodore.
“I’m sorry, but please understand that Prince Theodore is still inexperienced in etiquette.”
He then summoned his aide, who stood behind him.
“It seems that Prince Oscar’s hand has been injured, so bring the doctors and have him treated.”
Brianne replied in a gentle tone.
“It’s nothing big. I’m honored by your concern, Your Majesty.”
Carius quickly averted his gaze and looked at Theodore, who was crying, and smiled affectionately.
“Why are your clothes like this? Stop crying. Your mother will be very surprised when she finds out.”
His smile caused Brianne to hold her gaze for a moment. Her pupils only contained Carius. Carius smiled and turned around with the child in his broad arms.
Brianne stared blankly at his fluttering cape for a long time. She mumbled to herself before she knew it.
‘It’s a warm smile, unlike your cold appearance…’
Carius wasn’t the one who would catch her eyes from the beginning. No, she didn’t pay attention to him, because he wasn’t the one she should be paying attention to.
Somehow her heart was tingling strangely.
Brianne put her hands on her chest, her cheeks flushed red with an unknown feeling.