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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: A Test and a Warning
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After all, it was Calius who escorted me from the party yesterday, so it was only natural for him to check if I had made it back safely as a matter of courtesy.
Calius's visit today was far from rude or improper; in fact, it was the act of a gentleman.
If anything, it was Andrea’s reaction that was excessive.
‘So there really is something between them.’
Seeing Andrea wear an expression not just of dislike, but of utter disgust.
What on earth did Calius do to Andrea?
‘Whatever it is, it's good news for me. Especially since he hates him that much.’
Seeing Andrea's reaction made me want to applaud my decision to choose Calius.
‘How furious will Andrea be when I marry Calius?’
To think that I, who once found marriage so dreadful, could now look forward to it like this.
Because of my request for him to reprimand the marquis himself, Andrea made a flimsy excuse.
“Tell him Her Highness the Princess is not ready to receive guests, and that he should come back another time.”
I didn't bother stopping the maid who left to carry out Andrea's order.
There was no need to. Because…
“What is the meaning of this!”
“You cannot enter without permission!”
The sounds of the guards causing a commotion outside could be heard.
“I'm coming in, Your Highness.”
The door burst open—
For Calius had appeared.
For a moment, I thought Kal had appeared before me.
‘They really do look alike.’
His well-proportioned features and the delicate shape of his eyes immediately drew one's gaze. The golden irises within them were strikingly similar to Kal's.
Of course, Kal had a playful and innocent side that couldn't be hidden, despite his tendency to act like an old soul. Calius, in comparison, was far more mature, and the overwhelming intensity in his eyes set him apart.
“My greetings, Your Highness the Princess. I see His Highness the Prince is here as well.”
With the eyes of a predator that made one's heart clench, he looked back and forth between Andrea and me.
In that time, no one in the room dared to speak.
It was as if the intimidating aura emanating from Calius had frozen time itself; everyone was still.
They said he had weathered countless storms on the battlefield for a long time. Perhaps that was why.
It felt as if a great wolf had just sauntered into the room.
Calius, having spent so long on blood-splattered battlefields, felt like an unstoppable warrior.
He slowly walked toward us. His gait was disciplined and without any extraneous movement.
‘Wow…’
Compared to the lavishly dressed Andrea, Calius wore only a simple, black formal suit of a basic design.
And yet, as he approached, his large, solid frame looked like a beautiful sculpture, making him appear magnificent.
‘They say the person makes the clothes, not the other way around.’
Was it just my imagination, or did Andrea look like a small, pathetic stick figure next to Calius?
I found myself staring at Calius for a long while before I snapped out of it and realized he was looking at me too.
As I flinched in surprise, he, who had been creating such taut tension, broke into a grin, his eyes curving.
‘What the…’
The moment he smiled, the frozen atmosphere thawed, and it became easier to breathe.
Andrea must have sensed it too, for after being unable to utter a word, he belatedly flared up.
“M-Marquis Rodrian, in the imperial palace, it is proper etiquette to announce your visit to a royal's attendant and wait for permission to enter!”
Calius replied nonchalantly.
“You just left me standing there. I came in to ask how long I was expected to wait.”
At that absurd and shameless answer, Andrea let out a scoff of disbelief.
“Now that you know, you should wait quietly outside until you are summoned!”
“I am Her Highness the Princess's guest, not here to see you, Your Highness.”
I quickly cut into their conversation.
“Marquis Rodrian, my brother has something important to say to you. Your timing is perfect.”
“To me?”
Calius looked at Andrea. His gaze was menacing.
Andrea's Adam's apple bobbed nervously.
“W-Well…”
“It's because Marquis Rodrian gave me flowers yesterday, and my honor was tarnished!”
I spoke for Andrea, then sought his agreement.
“Isn't that right, Brother? What was it you said? That because of a single flower, people were whispering that I was promiscuous, that the princess can't conduct herself properly?”
“Ch-Chloe, Chloe!”
Andrea hurriedly tried to stop me, but Calius stepped in.
“If there is anyone who dares to assign such an insulting meaning to a gift of flowers, I will take responsibility and eliminate those who have tarnished Her Highness's honor.”
Calius stared intently at Andrea.
“Shall I bring you their heads as an offering, Your Highness?”
He looked ready to draw his sword and bring back the heads of the nobles at any moment.
Seeing this, Andrea, perhaps afraid things would escalate, turned to scold me instead.
“Chloe, I didn't mean it was actually happening, just that it *could* happen. You must speak precisely.”
“But you just said you were going to give a stern lecture to Marquis Rodrian, the very person who tarnished my honor…”
Calius crossed his arms, an amused expression on his face.
His powerful muscles, which looked as if they could easily snap Andrea's thin neck, bulged as though they would rip through his sleeves.
“Chloe!”
Andrea hastily cut me off, then glanced at the clock on the wall and forced an awkward smile.
“I completely forgot I have a very important appointment. I must be going. Excuse me, Marquis. It's a very important appointment.”
***
“Pfft!”
Out in the garden with Calius, I finally let out the laughter I had been desperately holding back.
‘There's going to be hell to pay later.’
I could already picture Andrea nagging and blaming me endlessly.
But I was so amused at the moment that I didn't regret my actions.
Laughing until tears welled in my eyes, I apologized to Calius.
“I'm sorry, Marquis. That situation was just too funny.”
“It's quite all right.”
Calius seemed to have a rough idea of what had just happened, but he wasn't laughing.
He just stared intently at me as I laughed.
‘…?’
His gaze felt heavy, so I cleared my throat a couple of times and averted my eyes.
“Shall we continue our conversation from yesterday as we walk?”
I lowered my voice so the maids following to keep an eye on me wouldn't hear.
“At this distance, no one should be able to hear our conversation.”
“I imagine not.”
But even as we walked, Calius's gaze remained fixed on me.
‘…?’
Why was he staring so intently? As if I were some kind of spectacle.
I touched my face to check if something was on it.
‘It seems fine.’
I considered asking him to stop staring.
But while I didn't know the reason for his stare, I didn't sense any malice in it. On the contrary, his gaze was endlessly serene.
‘Is it just a habit?’
Since his gaze felt void of any intention, it seemed less like he was being rude and more like I was being overly conscious of it.
In the end, I decided to feign ignorance and brought up another topic.
“*Ahem,* have you decided to accept my proposal?”
“Yes. I'd like to hear your plans. I've looked into it and found you already have a fiancé.”
“That is a bit of a problem.”
“Indeed. But the bigger problem is that I have the blood of Ronheim in me.”
Even without a fiancé, given the mainland's hatred for the people of Ronheim, it would be difficult for me, a princess, to marry Calius.
My father, the empress, and Andrea would all vehemently oppose this marriage.
Not for my sake, but for their own.
‘Accepting someone from Ronheim as a son-in-law would be a disgrace to the imperial family's honor.’
A royal marriage is a union of families for political gain.
Viscount Felsus was proceeding with our marriage arrangement on the promise of giving the imperial family an enormous sum of money.
They would never allow a marriage that brought no benefit to the imperial family.
‘Of course, I did ask Calius for a gold mine as a wedding gift, but that would be entirely mine, not the imperial family's.’
I intended to keep the gold mine a secret.
Therefore, there was no way the imperial family would permit this marriage.
I had considered that much when I first brought up marriage to Calius.
‘That's why I have a plan.’
I, who had been walking side-by-side with Calius to avoid his gaze, turned to face him directly.
He was still staring at me. Without looking away for even a second.
To him, I spoke haughtily.
“I told you yesterday. I'm willing to enter this unprofitable marriage because I believe you can take me as far away as possible.”
“And?”
“That means getting me out of the imperial palace is also part of the deal.”
“Aha.”
“I proved my intelligence and potential to you yesterday. Isn't it only fair that you now show me something in return?”
The clever plan I had devised. It was to entrust to Calius the things I couldn't do myself.
I don't have to do everything by myself to get my revenge, after all.
“Show me your abilities. Show me that you're someone I can bet everything on.”
At my haughty gaze, Calius simply chuckled as if caught off guard, his demeanor relaxed.
“It seems you wish to test me.”
“I need a capable partner, too.”
His eyes curved gently.
He nodded more easily than I expected.
“Very well.”
“Good.”
His unwavering gaze, which never left me, seemed to have a strange effect on me. For some reason, my face felt itchy.
‘His gaze is so distracting I can barely breathe. Is he trying to kill me with awkwardness?’
I was so conscious of it that I swallowed dryly and nearly choked.
As I tried to resolve my internal turmoil without showing it, Calius spoke.
“However, what I was curious about wasn't how we would get others to approve of this marriage.”
“Then what is the bigger problem?”
Had I missed something?
Calius gave me a peculiar look, as if asking if I truly didn't know.
“Your Highness, are you truly all right with me being from Ronheim?”
“I knew you were from Ronheim from the very beginning, Marquis.”
“Are you certain you've considered it fully?”
“Are you worried I'll regret it?”
“Once you go to Ronheim, there will be much to endure. Are you confident you can survive in a harsh environment you can't even imagine? Furthermore, you will also hear the whispers people here direct at me.”
It seemed he didn't want me to take my marriage to him lightly.
I was a little surprised to find a hint of concern for me in his words.
There was no reason for him to be worried about me.
‘Is he doing this because he's afraid I'll whine and try to run away later?’
Yes, that must be it.
‘There's no way he's worried about *me*.’
He must be worried it'll become a hassle for him.
Calius didn't know. He didn't know what kind of married life I had endured for ten years.
I suffered Viscount Felsus's violence every day, and when I finally fell asleep in terror, I dreamed of being beaten to death by my husband.
And in the end, I was murdered by Andrea, the man I had relied on my whole life. I died with the painful realization that the one who had isolated me and made me miserable was the very person I had trusted.
‘There is no future worse than that for me.’
Having already hit rock bottom, could there be any lower for me to fall?
“Don't worry. I'm not thinking of this as some lighthearted trip or vacation.”
At my firm words, Calius raised an eyebrow with interest, then leaned down to meet my eyes.
“In that case, let me give you a warning in advance.”
“…What is it?”
Startled by the sudden closeness, I stumbled backward, and he caught me firmly, whispering in my ear.
“Do you really think the rumors about cannibalism are just baseless gossip?”
“…!”
