Melisa's tears finally dried up after a few days had passed. With Alister gone, Melisa felt that she could finally focus all her attention on the affairs of the palace and completely abandon unimportant thoughts for the sake of her kingdom. Melisa spent all her time becoming the future queen that the Sigmund Kingdom wanted her to be. She looked perfect if one could ignore the fact that Melisa had not smiled since the last night of her encounter with Alister.
In the past, Melisa was quite good at hiding her feelings by appearing to love Alexius with all her heart. But after Melisa spoke with Alister at that time, the girl no longer seemed to be able to do the same perfectly. Even a fake smile was painful for Melisa. In the end, Melisa preferred to keep her mouth shut and show a calm expression whenever she met other people.
Fortunately, Melisa had worked hard enough to gain the support of the people of Sigmund's Kingdom. Her attempts to kiss their feet made Melisa's position slowly strengthen in the foreign kingdom. Although Melisa was not strong enough to gain the favor of the famous Alison family in Sigmund's Kingdom, gaining the support of the nobles under her was enough to make people no longer underestimate her existence in that place.
Day after day passed. Unnoticed, the day when King Dillion announced that he would hold a formal engagement party for his son finally arrived. Melisa still remembered how her palace was filled with gifts and congratulations for her engagement at that time. However, Melisa only glanced at them before she continued her activities without caring about the expensive gifts that people had prepared for her.
"...Your Highness."
Now, in the beautiful dress that the palace's stylist had personally selected for her, Melisa stood looking at her reflection in the large mirror in front of her. Melisa could see how her expression looked these days. Seeing her in person made Melisa understand why Teresa had been gloomy and worried all day. In that mirror, Melisa could only see the reflection of a girl with a cold expression that Melisa couldn't even recognize anymore.
"I'm fine. Today, my parents are coming to Sigmund's Kingdom. Their arrival is something I've been looking forward to for a long time. I have to look good when I meet them, or they might worry like Lady Violet did the last time we met."
Melisa shifted her gaze to look at Teresa before she continued her speech seriously.
"That's why, Teresa, I'm asking you to help me make my family's stay in the kingdom comfortable. You know you're the only one I can trust, right?"
Since Melisa's status was about to change from a potential fiancée to the crown prince's official fiancée, Melisa's servants multiplied until they were almost equal in number to the crown prince himself. Melisa also had everything thanks to the accommodation from the Sigmund Kingdom. But in the midst of her glory that made many women envious out there, Melisa still felt lonely until she could only trust in Teresa, who had always been with her since she came to the Sigmund Kingdom.
"I understand, Your Highness. If making your family comfortable is your wish, then, I will do my best to fulfill that."
Teresa always sounded sad when she had to do what Melisa wanted, even if her heart wanted to refuse. The old Melisa would definitely change her mind after seeing the conflicted expression on Teresa's face. But, ever since Melisa had closed herself off, her heart also seemed to have closed off as she could no longer feel the sadness of those around her.
"Good."
Melisa only said that one word before her attention returned to the reflection in the mirror in front of her. Melisa fell back into doll-like silence after she no longer had anything to say to the others. Melisa let the people move her body to dress her up like a doll, then led her out after someone from the main palace came to pick her up to go to the main palace.
"Your Highness!"
When Teresa saw that Melisa was really leaving to become the fiancé of someone who didn't love her, Teresa's heart was torn apart, until she didn't realize that she had just shouted to call out to her master who was leaving with someone else. Teresa was distraught when Melisa only stopped walking but would not turn her head to look at her. The girl also only paused for a moment. When Melisa heard nothing more from Teresa, the girl resumed her steps without saying anything.
In the end, Teresa could not stop Melisa from doing what she deemed necessary. Teresa could only stare in resignation as Melisa boarded the luxurious horse-drawn carriage that had been prepared just for her and left alone to meet her fiancé, who had been waiting for her arrival at the main palace.
***
As per the rules of engagement of the royal family in the Sigmund Kingdom, instead of parading with her fiancé when the engagement procession was over, Melisa was directed to parade through the streets of the capital by herself. Melisa walked through the streets of the capital with tight security from the troops that the kingdom had prepared long before the engagement day. Although the parade looked so festive and luxurious, Melisa couldn't help but think that she only looked like an offering when she was parading alone.
The rules of the Sigmund Kingdom forbade men to parade with their fiance because they were afraid of attempted murder when that happened. Which was then utilized by Alexius. That way, his commoner lover wouldn't know that the royal family who was getting engaged that day was her lover.
Melisa heard the sounds of crowds and lively music as her carriage made its way through the decorated streets of the capital. Although they were only going to have an engagement party that day, the festivities were almost the same as a wedding if Melisa were to return to the Kingdom of Cyrille. People cheered and praised as they saw their future queen in person. Melisa couldn't listen to anything. However, she was afraid that the cheers would turn into protests when they found out their future queen was just a puppet used to cover up their future king's selfish desires.
The parade went smoothly. After Melisa was taken around the capital, the carriage finally turned around to return to the royal palace again. The excitement that wasn't there before came to the palace grounds. Melisa saw how the nobles were waiting for her to pass by in the carriage before she finally stopped to be picked up by her fiancé.
After the carriage stopped, the carriage door was opened by Alexius, a man who never even appeared in Melisa's life after Melisa declared that she had closed her heart to Alister for their good. Melisa knew that Alexius was just afraid of Melisa trying to win his heart again after separating from Alister. Therefore, her expression looked even colder when Alexius extended his hand to help Melisa get off the carriage.
Seeing the complicated expression on Alexius' face, Melisa then proceeded to accept the hand so that she could get closer to Alexius.
"Your Highness."
Alexius looked surprised when she heard the low words that Melisa spoke so calmly. The man was even more surprised when he saw the look in Melisa's eyes that seemed like it couldn't reflect anything. Melisa looked down at Alexius before she continued her speech while making sure that no one could understand what Melisa was carefully whispering into Alexius' ear.
"I won't fall in love with you. Therefore, you can rest easy and continue using me as a shield, as per our original agreement, Your Highness."
Melisa separated herself from Alexius again after that. Without caring about the strange expression on Alexius' face, Melisa stared ahead to wait for Alexius to lead her into the main palace as her intended fiancé.