Chapter 20

Chapter 20

“Are you sure you want to call off the marriage?” one of the Duke’s aides asked.

“Well, what if those youngsters don’t want to? They’re not children anymore, they can make their own decisions.”

“His Majesty the Great Emperor must be grieving right now. He must have been excited to have a daughter-in-law from the House of Kandmion, and to have the national treasury filled.”

The Duke of Kandmion recalled the face of the emperor, a man who grew white hair at a young age. In any case, the palace expenses did cost more money than one could imagine.

“Duke. If you’re going to investigate Daryl, there’s something very important to note.”

“What’s that?”

“Look.”

“…What?”

“When I analyzed the men Raylene has been involved with so far, I believe she made an appearance first.”

At these words, the Duke of Kandmion widened his eyes in bewilderment.

The Duke recalled the faces of the men involved one by one. There was the Crown Prince, Lord Cassion, Ten and that Suin child, which Raylene had bought recently.

“There must be at least one decent man in the world who’s handsome, works well, and wouldn’t say a lousy word against my Lene.”

But that wish was near impossible.

The aides were dismissed for the day. The Duke didn’t want them to work overtime today.

***

The accident happened unexpectedly.

It was when I came back to my room after a walk with Harvey.

“Hey, you’re gonna have to go to a party or a salon.” Becky pestered.

“… I don’t want to.”

“You didn’t go to a single place last week!”

“But last week I did other things!”

I was set on playing and eating.

Becky pushed a tray full of invitations in front of me, quite impossible for me to attend all of them. The amount was overwhelming.

“It’s obvious that a Lady always goes to a party. Can’t we do that, My Lady?”

A sigh came out from my mouth. Now that I could enjoy my long ‘vacation’ I was thinking of wasting some money on my wicked nemesis.

But a party.. A party of all things!?

One experience was enough. I didn’t want to say “Ho ho ho” all day and wear an uncomfortable dress.

“Why?” I pouted.

I could imagine my expression without even having to look into the mirror.

Becky’s lips curled up slightly when she heard me outright disapprove.

“You need to exchange information with others and consolidate your position in society.”

“I’m already Princess Kandmion. Do I really have to do that?”

My family possessed a large amount of information, especially ones that were secretive. Also, my position was very firm.

“You have to consolidate and spread your intelligence. It’s also important to raise your reputation. You should also lead the fashion industry and maintain your social status as the center of attraction.” Becky declared.

“You want me to work?…… I don’t want to.”

I could feel my lips turning into a frown.

Still, eventually, I would have to face burdensome tasks.

“Raylene, what are you talking about?”

Harvey, who had been sitting next to me, pulled on the hem of my dress.

He was fidgeting with the fabric and seemed a bit anxious.

“Oh, it’s nothing important, right Becky?”

I looked back at Becky, but Becky wasn’t looking at me. Her eyes were on Harvey.

I swerved my eyesight from her to the child. He was trembling with panic.

When he turned his head due to a sense of anxiety, Harvey suddenly looked at Becky with an expressionless face, while biting his lips.

“Harvey?” I asked.

“Oh, I won’t disturb you, continue your talk.”

He then smiled, an expression I had seen when I first brought him here.

I focused on the snack I was eating, the soft sponge cake melting in my mouth.

This whole situation was quite strange, at least the cake was delicious.

******

“I’ll go.” I eventually said.

“Are you sure?” Becky murmured.

A glimpse of the previous Raylene’s memory told me she was a group leader. And so would I be.

The society of the upper class was made up of the emperor and the nobility, and in politics, the nobles fiercely fought for their own personal gains.

Yet the previous Raylene was an emperor-style single woman that was superior among all others.

On the other hand, Iris seemed to have become like the nasty nobles, like a vicious squirrel scrambling for dog food.

Rather than working as a team, the insignificant nobles often end up arguing with each other, while their opponent happened to be a true aristocrat.

I couldn’t allow myself, the princess, to become a useless sandbag because of the setting of the novel.

“Yes, just once.” I announced.

Becky brightly smiled at my words and brought the tray back to me.

The number of invitations was so massive, I was worried which party would be most beneficial to choose. In the end, I closed my eyes and randomly picked one.

I looked at the sender’s name on the envelope that I selected.

“Mrs. Baikal?”

Suddenly, I heard the piercing cry of a woman.

I turned my head in the direction of the scream, and the door immediately opened and the guards entered the room.

It was Lillian, a maid, who had her arms twisted behind her hack by Harvey…

“Harvey!” I gasped.

“Yes, Raylene?”

Harvey let go of Lillian’s arm with a cold stiff look, and the poor woman fled to the side of the room.

Harvey sat next to me again with a gentle smile.

“What’s with that look Raylene?”

“Why did you pin Lillian’s arm behind her back?”

“Was it wrong? I’m sorry. I promise I won’t do that again.”

As my hardened face staring at him, Harvey wiggled, clasping his hands together. His shoulders drooped downwards and a sullen expression fell upon his face.

Until now, I had never seen him hurt somebody, especially not with such a cold expression.

I let out a deep sigh. Harvey flinched.

“Sir Ian, please take Lillian to the doctor. I’m fine, so you can all leave now.“

“But Princess, you can’t leave such a dangerous man behind. It’s better if he left the room and so we could discuss the matter with the Duke.”

Sir Ian only assisted Lillian out of the room, and the other three guards remained. They all labeled Harvey as a “dangerous person.”

He looked sweet, yet it was crucial to note that he was capable of attacking someone.

I was torn between obeying the knights and the idea of dismissing them. My heart rapidly pounded.

I looked at Harvey, whose body was continuously contracting and expanding, like that one time in Noniwell district.

Hair began to grow out of the hands like a beast.

“Harvey, stop. Go back to the way you were.” I commanded.

He was showing signs of animosity towards the knights.

Harvey slowly turned himself back, his eyes looked at me in confusion.

“Guards, go guard the vicinity.”

“But Princess-”

“I asked you with grace. Are you questioning my judgment?”

“That’s not what we meant.” they stuttered, before turning around and heading towards the exit.

There was a clear sense of inscrutableness with every step they took.

“Harvey, I don’t want your apology. I just want to hear your explanation. Tell me, why did you do that to Lillian’s arm?”

“She patted my head…”

“That’s the only reason?”

He gave me an obedient angel-like expression as I stroked his head several times.

“I don’t want to be touched.”

We talked in the garden, and it seemed his actions were impacted by his past. He told me how it reminded him of the times when he lived as a slave.

I fully understood that he disliked humans and physical contact.

Although I didn’t know why he didn’t show me that kind of attitude towards me.

“It’s because I like you, Raylene.” Harvey answered upon seeing my expression.

He smiled at me.

“I just want Raylene to like me. I don’t like anyone else…”

“You just want to stay with me?”

“Yes!”

“Then you have to get along with the people I’m with. Otherwise, you can’t stay with me.”

Harvey immediately nodded.

This confirmed my inference. This child hated humans, except for me.

“I will. I’ll be nice to others, too.”

“What you do to me, do to others.”

“…I can’t do that.”

The tone of the speech suddenly changed.

“The most precious person to me is Raylene, how could I treat others the same? I just can’t.”

Hah! How precious. So precious! It wasn’t the right time, but I burst out laughing anyway.

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