"What I'm saying is·····."
Eyes deeper and darker than obsidian gazed at me.
The moment our two eyes met, my heart throbbed frantically, so I quickly lowered my head.
My face turned beet red. I'm sure my face looks like a carrot right now.
It's finally my long-awaited first meeting with Richt, I can't show him my humiliating side right away.
"The reason the Princess of Garten came all this way in person······."
Kkyaaak! Look at that voice!
That cold voice that doesn't seem to have any compassion, I like it, too!
With that voice, he said angrily but with a blushing face to the female lead, 'don't you know that I'm being like this because I fell in love with a woman like you?' If I could just see it even once before I die, I won't have any wishes anymore!
"Haa······."
A small sigh was heard distinctively.
It made me realize clearly.
My goodness······ I'm breathing in the same space as my favorite character right now!
We're breathing the same air! It's the best! It's exhilarating!
"I remember that I have explained the situation very well in my letter."
"Yes. I received the letter from the Grand Duke."
I've even earnestly smoothen the traces of the folds, read it two hundred thirty-seven times and memorized the contents, then finally compressed it inside a thick book to be cherished forever.
"Then what possible reason does the princess have to be here?"
His deep black eyes looked at me.
The slightly raised tail of his eyes seemed fierce but sexy.
And his sharp nose, not to mention, was the crystalline substance of his handsomeness.
His tightly closed lips were extraordinarily manly, it was dizzying to think what those lips would look like while grunting and complaining.
Even if that's so, his heart is considerate, tender, and kind!
Gulp.
I swallowed unknowingly.
Richt frowned a little as he had also heard the sound.
"T-That······."
Strangely, there was almost no voice that came out of her mouth.
Apparently, when I left, I told my father and Leon that I would make a splendid marriage proposal to the Grand Duke. It was I who even announced that the Grand Duke might get incredibly moved because of my wonderful proposal and even consider marrying me.
With a loud voice, I asked my father to be kind and generous to the person who will be his son-in-law, as a result, he'd provided a bunch of strawberries that Richt likes
However, at the moment, she doesn't know where that bold and courageous woman has hidden.
When Richt, who was currently in front of her eyes, asked, her lips were stuck as if someone had put glue on it.
"That······."
The beautiful black eyes were persistently looking at me.
My lips were dry, so I stuck my tongue out then moistened my lips. Though nothing seems to have changed.
"Ah, there! That!"
When I failed to speak straight, Richt's eyes narrowed.
Ugh····· He's my favorite character, but I can't say that he has a good personality·····.
He'll definitely get mad if I keep cutting my words!
But I can't remember any of the details of the proposal I practiced so hard. My head is literally blank out!
This can't be! I have to say anything.
"You, you're handsome."
····What kind nonsense is that?! I realized the mystery of my human anatomy.
My brain and mouth were connected in a straight line.
Under the pressure to say anything, what came out of my lips was related to his appearance.
"·····What?"
Upon unexpectedly hearing that he was handsome, Richt made an expression that says I'm saying something absurd on his face.
Yeah, that's ridiculous. I understand.
But even his absurd expression is also exceedingly cute!
"I, I mean, what I'm trying to say is····· cough!"
My voice cracked a little, perhaps because I was shaking in front of my favorite character, so I made my cough small and looked at him again.
"I received the letter sent by the Grand Duke. However, there is still a little room left for me, that's why I came here to see you."
"What do you mean there's room left? I think I explained it well enough."
"Yes. You explained it extremely well, but I'd like to make some corrections. First of all, the Grand Duke said I was too young. I am not that young."
"As far as I know, the princess is just 18 years old, who has just reached adulthood."
"That's right. I'm a proud adult."
"Do you know how old I am?"
"Yes. Born on the 15th of the 8th Month, Year 854 under the Fairspren Empire, you're 25 this year."
"······."
Richt became silent for a moment.
What is it? What else did I do wrong?
"You even know my birthday?"
"Well, of course······."
Was it something I shouldn't have····· known?
Honestly, I've been trying to keep myself from spontaneously blurting out the patron saint of his birthday, thankfully she didn't·····.
"You're going to be my husband, I should know that much."
Quickly glossing over, I smiled as much as I could.
In Garten, if I smile like this, everyone will immediately say, "Our Peony is so cute!"
"······."
When I saw Richt just staring at me quietly, it seemed like this style wasn't going to work on him.
"Aa~and."
So I decided to change the topic by force.
"I don't understand why you're worried about the diplomatic relationship between the two countries if we get married, when due to it, the friendship between the Fairspren Empire and the Kingdom of Garten will become even stronger."
"I guess the Princess doesn't know well, but I'm not just the Grand Duke of Fairspren."
"You are the brother of the emperor who inherited the throne of the empire, and also the lord of Stern State in the North, Grand Duke Stern."
"To be more precise, the traitor Grand Duke, the enemy who pointed his sword at the emperor. If the traitor and the princess of Garten get married, they may look down on Garten in the Fairspren Empire."
Is that what he thinks? Would someone be harmed if they mingled with him?
So did he always stay here alone without seeing anyone?
My expectation that he might be doing well in the cold north was shattered by his words.
"Who said that?"
I said in a fit of rage.
"It's not that someone said it······."
"His Majesty the Emperor of Fairspren wouldn't be such a narrow-minded man. He's very kind and generous."
Yes, it was said that the emperor was a man of honor, a man of righteousness, and a man of kindness.
"No matter how much he is the emperor······."
"Your grace is still alive, right?"
I stared at Richt.
The handsome face I had always dreamed of was looking back at me.
No, a face that looked better than the face I drew in my dreams was looking at me.
"I think that's enough evidence that His Majesty has forgiven the Grand Duke."
I expressed what I thought, just in case Richt would ostracize himself in this cold place and suffer alone, thinking that his brother and emperor, the male lead, hated him.
"Grand Duke Stern."
I peered at him calmly.
Only then did I remember a part of the proposal I had practiced.
"I will de~finitely make you happy."
"······."
Richt gaped at me silently. His dark eyes fluttered for a moment.
A woman who suddenly appeared and said she would marry him, suddenly said that she would make him happy. So it was natural that his eyes would waver.
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However, I am sincere about what I said. I really wanted to make him happy.
At first, I just wanted to see his face. I just wanted to present him some gifts.
I wanted to help him get a little more comfortable while eating what he likes, here in this cold place.
But when I met him, I started getting a little greedy.
I wanted to be around him a little longer. And as I watched him trapped in this cold and gloomy castle, looking like a wounded beast, then I started to wish he could be happy.
"Will you marry me?"
...
I know he already gave his heart and soul to the female lead, but I really want to make this man, who had a cruel and bittersweet fate, feel that someone cares for him.
At least now that the original story is over, he now has the right to be happy.
"Wow! The room looks good!"
I shouted as I looked around the room where my luggage had been moved in advance.
"What's good about it? Your room in Garten is much better."
Rachel complained as he looked at me sitting in the bed and testing the cushions. He was right.
This is narrower than my room in Garten, the color was dull and the furniture was plain, it also seemed that it receives only a little sunlight.
And, crucially, the fireplace was kindled, but there was no feeling of warmth. It was like the whole Stern Castle.
An ancient castle standing alone in the cold and harsh northern mountains.
The Stern Castle where they're currently in.
"Think about it again, Peony."
The word "discontent" was stuck in Rachel's face.
"What's wrong with you, brother?"
"What's wrong with me? Do you still treat me as your brother?!"
The bed creaked as Rachel abruptly sat next to me.
Um······ The cushions are not good.
"I can't believe he said to try being engaged for the meantime. No matter how much he is the brother of the Emperor, or even if he's the Grand Duke, how can he say to a princess of a country who wants to marry him to get engaged for the time being!"
"But it's still much better than rejection, right?"
I didn't have the intention of getting married in the first place, so I gladly accepted his engagement.
"What's better about that?!"
However, Rachel's expression slowly turns to being infuriated.
"Do you even know what he means by saying, get engaged for now? He implies that 'Since you're here, I have no choice but to get engaged, but I can't guarantee you a marriage.' That's what it conveys."
"But if you think about it, it's better than hearing 'Get the hell out of here.'."
"Are you crazy? I dare him to tell you that shit and I'll ask him for a duel!"
Rachel, an outright siscon, shouted hysterically.
"······If you do, you're going to lose, brother."
"······."
"Your opponent is a person who has a great sword skill and stamina, enough to serve as the Commander of the Knights of the Fairspren Empire·····."
"······."
"And you, brother, on the other hand, can only dream of becoming a knight commander. It's impossible for you in reality. Furthermore, it was harder to be the Knight Commander of the Empire than to be the Knight Commander of our small Kingdom."
"Wait, Peony, can you check this here?"
Rachel raised my hand and put it in the middle of his chest.
"It's somehow painful, like my heart suddenly got broken."
"Sorry. Does the truth hurt? I guess I shouldn't have spoken too realistically."
I gently removed my hand and placed it on my lap.
"Anyway, I think all is good, brother. I have become the grand duke's fiancé without any obstacle, and if nothing awry happens, I could get married."
"But if anything goes wrong, your engagement will be annulled, and your name will be stigmatized as the discarded princess."
"Um······ isn't it nice, I'll be famous? I will be like a heroine of a tragic love story."
"Peony!"
"Hehe! I'm kidding."
I smiled at Rachel, who has a very serious expression on his face.
"Don't worry, brother. Since Grand Duke Stern accepted me as his fiancé, he said that I was free to remain as long as I want here in Stern Estate. So while I'm staying, I just have to let Grand Duke Stern know how nice I am, right?"
"You, do you have some basis to depend on? Where did you get your confidence?"
"I depend on brother."
Rachel seems to be wondering what the hell I mean again. He looked at me with a frown.
I shrugged my shoulders looking at his expression.
"I'm right, though. Father and brothers always say that. Our Peony are so pretty, cute, nice, and the best."
"Because that's the truth."
I laughed again at Rachel, who answered with a serious face.
"Exactly. I'm pretty, cute, and kind, the best someone could ever have. That's why there's no reason for me not to be confident. Am I wrong?"
Rachel chuckled when he heard my answer. I grinned as I saw his smile.
"You used to be an utterly spoiled little girl, I didn't notice since when you became such an imposing lady."
Suddenly, Rachel's expression turned into a sad one.
The expression on his face was so mournful, as if a father looking at his own daughter who he raised on his own, and was now absolutely grown up.
"Was it last year? That you've been very ill?"
"Ah······ that time·····."
"I think you've grown up a lot since then."
That was when I transmigrated.
Perhaps······ maybe······ the Peony that Rachel knows, may have died at that time. No, she clearly died back then.
As a result, I am here.
If the voice I heeded was of the real Peony's, what I heard was definitely her will.
She said that if she dies, his father and brothers will be sad, and she wants me to live on her behalf so that they don't fall into grief.
"Haha······ People change especially when they almost die. Maybe that's when I started to grow up."
"You're right. Back then, the royal family was in a state of emergency for fear that you might really perish."
He reached out and fixed a few strands of my hair that went out of place.
The same shiny gold hair as his.
"Remember. You are the most valuable treasure of the Kingdom of Garten."
The person who asked me what do I depend on and where I got my confidence, said something that raised my self-esteem to the fullest.
"If you get tired of this cold north, come back to Garten any time. We'll always be waiting for you, and we'll be glad if you come back."
Rachel smiled very warmly.
His smile slowly warmed one side of my heart.