Bang!
" You useless fiancée!!! "
With a pretended startled I looked at the door that was just getting hard pushed from the outside by the crown prince who was in anger. His chest-thumping with a wave of boiling anger toward me.
" Oh my, your majesty? I didn't know you were here. "
Daisy looks at me in stunned, I bet she knows that I'm pretending to be shocked, well, I'm informed that he was my guest after all, yet I ignored him and calmly enjoyed my tea here after having my breakfast.
Calming while sipping my tea, I got up and politely bowed at him with a smile.
" I am honored to see the future sun of the Castella empire. Please have a se... "
" Shut up. "
Oh? he just walked past me and sat on the sofa without waiting for me to invite him to do so, huh? he even ignored my greeting too. Wow. Was he always such a rude person? I wonder why my old self can fall in love with a bastard like this. I sympathize with myself.. Isk, Isk.
Taking a seat before him, I quickly asked a maid to get tea for him. I know he was getting annoyed with me just by looking at his fierce golden eyes. I calmly continued to sip my tea again, afraid that this hot tea would become cold if I didn't drink it now.
" You woman... Everyone was asking me where my fiance is because she never appeared at the palace to come and visit me like usual these past few days! "
" What have you been doing lately until you dared to ignore your duties as my fiance, huh? Despite my busy schedule, I still make time to meet you, and instead, you. Here, calmingly sipping your tea, taking a rest like it was nothing important to you?! "
I stared at his eyes that were shaking in a rage of anger, he looked at me like he wanted to eat me alive. I smile as a response to his piercing glare.
" Please pardon me, your majesty. Due to my health lately, I can't properly play my part as your fiance. Please forgive me. I do feel bad about this matter but I couldn't do anything because this is my own body condition. As a future empress, I needed to have a healthy body so the people around me don't judge my abilities. "
The crown prince looked down at me with his sharp eyes after I had explained my condition, he crossed his leg in a bad manner and sipped his tea to calm himself. Well, he can't deny my reason if it about my health.
For a while, he silently looks at me bored. I'm starting to doubt, was he wanting to come here only just so he could scold me about this matter like this? I smirk while sipping my tea, kind of enjoying this moment myself.
" You know I love to read romance novels, right your majesty? "
Noelle leans on his chair in annoyingness with my sudden question, looking at me with his piercing gaze.
" So what? "
I looked at him and placed my head on my palm, stared at his dumbfounded face and made me feel it was kinda funny.
" Let's play a game, shall we? "
In goosebumps with my sudden act, he makes his body backward a little from me, distances himself from my suspicious smile.
" What game? "
Oho. At least he gets interested in my childish question.
" Well, in those romance novels I've read, I found out that all the female protagonists always end up with the male lead every time they have a contractual relationship between them. I have been thinking that should we have the same method in our relationship as they do, well you know, to deepen our relationship more? "
Speechless, he looks at me with his dumbfounded face again. Trying to guess what I was trying to say to him, I know he must be thinking about what kind of relationship we had that I mentioned about. Whatever, I don't mind it at all though.
" What do you mean by a contract relationship? "
Claire placed her head on both her palm, cutely stared at his stunning face. Well, he indeed had a stunningly good looking face but only that's what all good about him though.
" I mean, I wanted to have a contract with you, your majesty. To deepen our relationship more. so, would you play this game with me? "
Noelle leans on his chair with a crossed arm, his arrogant face looking down at me while smirking. Maybe was thinking about his freedom from me in this forceful engagement.
" It's childish yet quite interesting, I'm interested in it, what is the condition then. "
Claire, with an eager heart, smiles at him while taking some sweets from a plate from the center of the table.
" It's a contract, both of us must follow the rules without breaking it, your majesty. let me said my condition first. "
" Then, say it. "
" Very well, your majesty. "
I lean on the chair, look straight at his shining golden eyes.
" I know that you don't love me, your majesty. If I found a man that will love me wholeheartedly in only a month, I will be the one to ask to break this engagement off in front of the emperor myself, I will let you marry someone else you love. How about that? "
We both felt terrified to face the emperor to break these engagements so I would make those conditions my opportunity in this contract.
His face suddenly shows an expression of interest with my suggestion, making me think that this will be going smoothly. He knocked his finger on the table while looking at me with a smile.
" Then, what will I get if you fail to find a man in only one month? it should be something that would make me more interested in this game, right? "
I crossed my arm and smirked, my heart felt like it would get truly free from this man at any time.
" My property in this household. "
" Pardon? "
I stared at his face, stunned by my sudden statement.
" You can have all of my property in this household if I fail, your majesty. doesn't that make you more interested in this game? "
" Are you being serious right now, lady Romanoff? "
" Of course I am your majesty. you know I am always serious with my own words, right? "
Noelle nods and clasps his hand together in calmness and places it on his knee. I know he was such a greedy man.
" I like a risk contracted like this, very well, it only will last for a month though, it's not like you will succeed with that straight face of yours. Well then, I will let you do anything you want, lady Romanoff. in return, don't bother me as long as this contract remains between us, how about it? "
I nod as a response, even though he said something humiliating about my face but I only mind his last sentence, finally, those words eventually came out from his own mouth. My heart thumps in an eagerness when I'm only thinking that he will let me be although it only lasted for a month. I've risked my life so I need to turn it into a successful plan no matter what.
"..."
" Wait. "
I was stunned, my eager heart changed into anxiety from his sudden words. What? What are you trying to say? What the hell are you gonna tell me now?
" What would I need to say if people were to ask me about your absence at my palace? Wouldn't they feel weird with us if we were going to avoid each other for a month? "
I let out a relief sighed, while sipping my tea to calm my anxiety, I looked at his wondered face again.
" Don't worry yourself about that matter, your majesty. I will spread a rumor about our game, 'it a game that would deepen our relationship', people wouldn't mind it if they were to think about it like that. That's all up to their judgment, your majesty. We will do a thing to our heart's content. It's alright. just act according to our contract rules, your majesty. I will handle the rest myself since this is my suggestion at first. "
Suddenly Noelle gets up from his seat, walks toward the door without any notices to do so, I look at him in wonder at his rude actions.
" Your majesty? "
" Since you've been eager to make this contract relationship with me, let's get it started now, shall we? Let's don't see each other for a month starting now. "
After he decided that matter himself, Noelle left the Romanoff mansion without waiting for my response, whether I agreed to start it or not. I smirked at his action. Well, what kind of a terrible person he is, I shouldn't mind it then.
Now, what is the most important part?
I, Claire Stella Romanoff, have to release myself from that man cage with my own efforts! It's freedom!!
I get up from my seat and dance in a weird pose, well it's my victory. I should enjoy it to my heart's content!
" My lady? Are you alright? "
While worried about my sudden dances, Daisy came to me with a surprised face. I bet she was thinking about what makes me make weird poses like this. I hold her hand with a bright smile.
" Let's go celebrate it, Daisy! "
Daisy is dumbfounded, look at my eager face. She felt weird with my sudden action toward her after the crown prince had left the mansion.
" Celebrate about what? did the crown prince perhaps finally ask for your hand in marriage, my lady? "
" .....what? "
She's the one being excited now while I'm stunned with her nonsense guess. Eww. I wouldn't become this happy if that bastard were to ask me for my hand, perhaps I would jump into those cliffs again if that guy really were to ask me that nonsense one day.
With a disgusted face about that matter, I frown at her.
" It's not about that! anyway. Let's just go before you make my emotions swing, Daisy. Just silently follow me, you can do that, right? let's go, let's go! "
I pulled her hand to make her follow me. I wanted to celebrate this freedom at a famous sweets cafe in the capital. This is my first step to run away from my miserable future. I can do this, fighting Claire! fighting!
Now, the last thing I need to think about, who would be the best candidate to become my fake partner? I should suggest a big amount of money to make that guy act as my partner naturally. Well, I have my own personal rule now.
I wouldn't tie myself down with one man no matter how stunning that guy can be!