CH 19

“I don’t think someone who knows that came to congratulate me before the wedding.”

“……”

When Daniel replied as if it was not a big deal, Tahar’s forehead wrinkled lightly.

I thought the grand duke would harden his expression if I brought up the story of Frey or forced marriage, but the reaction was lukewarm than I expected.

‘I don’t think je like that princess.’

The grand dukes of Prause, who protect the order of time, have had good and gentle dispositions from generation to generation.

There was no way that Frey, who had forced him to marry because it was not enough to be abusive to him, would not have been charged with the castle of the Grand Duke.

never.

“”It’s common for nobles to marry an unwanted marriage, but few situations are as forced as yours.”

Tahar paused and looked at Daniel with pity.

It was quite funny that even the Grand Duke of the North, who was considered the second-in-command of the empire, could not disobey the emperor’s order.

‘If I ascend the throne, this person will also be under me.’

Then it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have him in advance for the day I sit on the throne.

Besides, isn’t he a being with divine power?

It was a long-term piece that would be useful if, after taking the throne, a situation arises in which the divine power must be used.

Originally, I was planning to use Count Vliette’s daughter to approach him, but things didn’t go as I wanted because of the right of absolute obedience.

That was why Tahar had located Daniel late at night.

“Grand Duke Prause. You probably know that quite a few unsavory things happen at big events like the royal wedding.”

Daniel looked at Tahar with impassive eyes.

His dark blue eyes were burning with the will to do something unsavory.

‘Are you thinking of ruining the wedding?’

Members of the royal family faction made every effort to break the right to absolute obedience, but it ended in failure.

However, if something unsavory happened at the sacred wedding, in which even the high priest took part, it could have been an excuse for divorce later.

The Crown Prince and the Duke of Zelon would inflate any small mistake by Frey and treat it as a huge flaw.

He just has to find fault with it.

Then the marriage will end quickly and neatly as he hoped.

‘But why…..’

Daniel crumpled his forehead into small pieces.

For some reason, I saw a scene of my future self, who had been holding onto Frey pathetically, glaring at me with eyes full of resentment.

Am I finally crazy? 

Daniel made a hard face.

Tahar asked him as if to confirm.

“Grand Duke Prause. It suits you to belong to the royal family faction.”

Tahar’s eyes contained a smirk.

It was because Daniel did not refuse even though he told her that he would help him divorce Frey the moment he sat on the throne.

Tahar passed Daniel after giving a satisfactory interpretation.

“Then Grand Duke, see you at the messy wedding.”

“……”

After Tahar leaves.

Daniel, who couldn’t hide his displeasure, summoned his magic and spoke to Luke.

“Tell me, Your Highness the Grand Duke.”

“Tomorrow, take a special look at the prince and his aides to see if they show any suspicious movements.”

“What?”

It was as if he was asking why he was saying that.

Daniel’s expression wrinkled as he did when he saw his future self clinging to Frey.

“I think the prince sees Prause as a guard dog.”

* * *

The day of the wedding that will finally save this world from ruin has dawned.

As usual, I was stretching on the bed, the maids approached me and bowed their heads.

“Princess, would you like breakfast first?”

“I have prepared water for washing with rose petals.”

“Tell me when you want a bath.”

After my mother died, Emma was the only kind maid to me, but now there are six of them in front of me.

‘Looking at she polite attitude, she must have had some fun selling the dress?’

Looking at the eyes that sparkled under the darkened eyes, it was clear that they had all sold dresses with Emma the night before.

You’ll be tired from not getting enough sleep, but you’ll be very satisfied to have the equivalent of several years’ salary in your hands in just a few days.

‘As expected, there is nothing like riches to please people.’

I seemed to have successfully learned that I was a woman of bad temper but a neat deal.

“Yes. I’m glad that everyone seemed to happily accept my parting gift.” What about me?”

When I asked, the maid who served me pointed to the thick pocket.

I also liked that it was heavy to hold, so I had to put it down on the table quickly.

I took out a gold coin and looked at the price with an affectionate look.

The calculation was just right.

‘That would be perfect for an emergency fund.’

I asked them to put the money in a magic bag to take to the North and started enjoying the luxury.

I only moved my fingertips a few times, and the maids washed and dressed me with their skillful hands.

‘Wow, even the maids, who had always wanted to go to the queen’s palace, suddenly changed their attitude.’

Money is good.

There was no point in feeling unfair about why they didn’t take care of my convenience earlier.

It was obvious that The Crown Prince and Queen were opening their eyes, and if they came to help me, their career path would be blocked.

No matter how much my father favored me, the queen’s hand was more everywhere.

I wonder if the maids, who are in charge of the queen, are paying attention.

‘Thanks to that, it will be comfortable until I leave the imperial palace.’

{Tok-tok}

A small animal knocked on the window as I was looking to the point where the dress was barely fit.

“Huh? Is it a lizard?”’

It looked like a lizard with wings attached, but it was very cute with a red, smooth and soft body.

Although his expression was sullen.

It was only when I saw the horns on either side of its head that I was able to identify this animal.

‘Seeing that it looks like a dragon, it must be a messenger from the Grand Duke Prause.’

I had also heard the story that dragons followed the Grand Duke.

“come in. Did the grand duke send it?”

His nod.

The red serpent nodded briefly and held out his feet tied with a small note to me. I opened it and checked the note.

[Be careful not to let anything unsavory happen at the wedding. – Daniel Prause.]

The elegant handwriting was clearly Daniel’s.

I looked at the note for a moment and stroked Imugi’s head with my fingertips.

{Imugi: a small dragon like a snake.} 

“You can communicate with Grand Duke Prowse, right? Tell him thank you for caring.”

“Kyung.”

oh, that’s cute

Daniel, who might not have much of a crush on me, I had a guess as to why he sent such a note.

“Did you find any circumstantial evidence that someone would slander me?”

Grand duke Prause’s judgment will be more accurate than mine without any source of information.

If so, it was necessary to write down a number in advance so that no matter what the opponent did, he would not be harmed.

I stroked Imugi’s smooth, soft cheeks a few more times and took out my pen and paper.

After writing a note and tying it to Imoogi’s leg, I whispered in a low voice.

“Deliver this to His Majesty the Emperor. Can you?”

“What?”

“This paper was custom-made by me, so it smells good. Even my father will know I sent it when he sees the paper and handwriting.”

“…..”

“It is beneficial to the Grand Duke. please.”

“Kyung.”

After persuading, the Imoogi answered as if he understood, and flew out of the window.

Somehow, with a face that seemed to say that he hated me.

‘Come to think of it, it seems that there was a red-haired knight following the Grand Duke.’

If you’re the duke’s servant, it’s understandable that you hate me.

After getting ready, I got up from my seat wearing a simple dress.

“Princess Frey, are you going to the garden where the bride is waiting?”

“no. I have a place to stop before that.”

I headed to the garden where the queen used to invite acquaintances to have tea.

* * *

In the luxurious garden attached to the queen’ palace, the women were enjoying their tea time.

One of them spotted me approaching and quietly covered her mouth with a fan.

The distance wasn’t too far, so sadly, I could hear all of their words.

“Oh, Frey is here.”

“Did she think we would welcome her if she showed up on her wedding day?”

“To be greeted in the morning by the daughter of a concubine…..I am worried about today.”

I didn’t like the whispers that seemed to pierce my chest with a cold awl, but the faces they saw were really painful.

[“Your mother doesn’t seem to come to see her children’s faces even during holidays.”]

It’s so similar to the cynical eyes that looked at me when relatives gathered for holidays in my previous life.

[“It’s been a day or two to celebrate holidays with a child abandoned by her parents”]

Once the family gets together, I hear more harsh words, so I might hate family gatherings, but I found it really funny too.

I liked the chatter that started when people gathered.

Whenever I felt the invisible bond and warmth between family members, my heart ached and tears welled up.

Of course, my family didn’t allow me to feel that way.

[“What are you staring at? If you look at it like that, do you think I can even give you pocket money?”]

I couldn’t say it even more when he insulted me with such words.

You guys don’t treat me as a family, but I don’t hate being in the same space with you

It’s heartbreaking because this warmth is not mine.

‘ If I said that out of my mouth, I would have only gotten ridiculed.’

My heart ached as I remembered how miserable I had been during my most sensitive teenage years.

But even in such a depressing experience, there is always something to be learned.

Thanks to that, I was able to know how to treat people who did not acknowledge me as a member.

“Fray, you’ve walked far.”

As soon as I reached a distance I couldn’t ignore, the queen wiped her mouth in displeasure and replied.

Yes, I know very well that you regarded my mother as an eyesore.

However, the emperor turned a blind eye to the queen and poured his love into his wife because of the greed of the queen and the duke Gelon to devour the imperial family.

“You killed my mother and my brother who was in the way.”

In addition, the queen even recommended tea to induce infertility to me, who was about to get married.

So I could be alone.