Chapter 3✨

That's why I don't care about this. I'm beyond it." Rishe made sure to look him directly in the eye as she spoke. "You are an unnecessary element in my life."

Dietrich staggered back. His legs seemed to go out from under him,

and he crumpled. At that, the knights finally let go of their composure, laughing along with the courtiers.

"St-stop!" the prince wailed. "You are my subjects. This...this shows

such flagrant disrespect!"

"Dietrich, don't pay them any mind," Lady Mary said. "Lady Rishe,

is this cruelty necessary?"

"Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise." Rishe's attention moved to

Mary, making the girl's slender shoulders jump. She had no reason to worry; Rishe didn't bite. "I've been wanting the opportunity to speak to you, Lady Mary. You're strong. I admire you very much."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're a lovely girl who never fails to smile despite your troubles.

You don't put up walls around your heart, and you do your utmost to put others at ease. Even now, you bravely stand before me to protect the prince."

Mary's eyes were wide with confusion. Rishe picked her words carefully, attempting to diminish the girl's guilty feelings, if only a little.

"You need to marry the prince for your family's sake, right?"

"How do you—?"

Rishe had learned this truth in one of her past lives. Mary was born to a poor family, and she had studied like mad to be accepted into the academy to hunt for a husband. She intended to make sure neither she nor her brothers ever went hungry again.

She went on, "Remember this: you are the one in control of your life.

Don't sell it to anyone else. Can you trust a man who so easily discards the woman he's been engaged to since childhood? Do you truly believe he cares for you?"

Astonishment bloomed across Mary's face. She looked over at Dietrich, who hadn't bothered to stand up. The truth was... within a year,

Prince Dietrich would be in prison, his title stripped from him. He would plan a mad coup d'état against the king, attempting to provoke the citizens to war. His plan would be discovered in its early stages, rendering him a laughingstock across the kingdom.

"You must shape your future with your own hands—you mustn't

entrust your desires to others."

"My... my desires?

Rishe nodded.

Mary was looking at her like she was speaking a foreign language.

"But I'm their elder sister." Her voice quivered. "I must endure, no matter what. Otherwise, my brothers will never be happy."

"And you believe their happiness can only be achieved by sacrificing

your own?"

Mary gasped as she gaped at Rishe.

"You don't need to throw away your own future to protect those you love," Rishe told her. "No matter what path you choose, never forget that."

"My future?" Mary's voice went ragged, like she was barely

suppressing a wail of pain.

"I wish you a life where both you and your family can be happy,"

said Rishe.

Mary stood frozen in place, eyes gleaming like precious stones. Rishe

couldn't help but admire how pretty she was. She truly did wish her happiness. But right now, she needed to take care of herself.

"Well." Rishe suddenly broke into a smile, making Dietrich flinch. "I

think it's time for me to be on my way."

She regretted losing access to her room, but she knew her parents wouldn't let her in. Turning her back on the crowd, Rishe contemplated her next move.

"Wait, Lady Rishe!" Mary's voice rang out.

"That's right. You're not going anywhere, Rishe!" The prince joined her. "You won't get away with treating me like trash to relieve your own injured heart."

"Ugh, enough already!" Rishe's patience was fraying. "I don't have

anything else to say to you. Goodbye!"

"Knights, stop her!"

Reluctantly, the knights moved to tail Rishe as she walked briskly back down the path. She sympathized with them, but she wasn't about to let them keep her here. Rounding a corner, she sensed something uncanny. She stopped, the knights quickly catching up with her.

"My apologies, Lady Rishe. If you could please remain for just a—

whoa!"

Rishe grabbed the hilt of the knight's sword. Yanking it from his belt, she spun around and stood at the ready. Metal rang against metal as Rishe parried a blow. She glared at her would-be attacker as he stepped out of the shadows.

Arnold Hein!

"Well, what do you know." The man smiling so sweetly while their swords locked was the very man who had ended her life. "You do have some skill."

Metal screeched and slid, before Arnold sheathed his sword. Rishe

lowered hers. Neither looked away.

"Who the hell are you?" demanded one of the knights.

"Stand down, good sirs," Rishe said. "Your interference will only

make this worse."

This mostly served to befuddle the knights further. Rishe absolutely couldn't allow them to come to blows with the crown prince of a friendly nation. And they couldn't beat him-not even if they took him all at once.

Rishe had blocked his blow, but her arm was completely numb. To think he'd be even more powerful in five years.

He regarded her unabashedly. "Rishe, was that your name? Where

did you learn such swordsmanship?"

"I'm afraid I cannot say. Besides, you were clearly going easy on

me."

"Ha! You could tell?"

Arnold's manner was throwing her off. He seemed to be enjoying

himself. He's laughing. This monstrous prince is... actually laughing.

When she had met him in her other life, he was cold and merciless,

like a genuine monster. And yet here he stood, mellow and smiling.

The Emperor Arnold Hein I knew was twenty-four years old, so he's, what? Nineteen now? This is so weird. He's grinning like a boy getting into a scrape.

That attack had been good-natured as well, almost playful. It had muscle behind it but certainly not any lethal intent. He'd just wanted to force Rishe to catch the blow. She found it unbelievable that he could exude such an overpowering air of menace when he was just messing around.

While Rishe was focused on Arnold, Mary and Dietrich caught up,

seemingly recovered.

"Excuse me, my lord!" Mary squeaked. "I-I-I don't know who you

are, but kindly step away from Lady Rishe!"

"Yes, do as she says! Who the hell are you, anyway?!"

Don't tell me Prince Dietrich doesn't recognize one of his personal

guests.

Dietrich's interests did not lean toward diplomacy; he likely hadn't bothered to introduce himself to Arnold. Mary, for her part, seemed to grasp that Arnold wasn't ordinary. She stood up to defend Rishe, despite the tremble in her voice. In a better world, perhaps the two of them could have become friends.

"That's your ex-fiancé?" Arnold cocked a brow. "He's even worse

than I imagined. Pathetic."

Dietrich flushed. "I'll have your head!"

"Dietrich, I beg of you, contain yourself," Rishe said, then rounded on Arnold. "As for you, Your Highness-you know who Dietrich is, and you know what speaking carelessly could mean. Are you trying to pick a fight?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Arnold's brows lifted high, making him the picture of innocence. "Believe me, Lady Rishe, every word I speak is chosen with extreme care."

Finally realizing who Arnold was, Dietrich visibly paled. "Arnold?

He's the crown prince of Galkhein?"

Mary yelped. The knights stood down, shamefaced. The gossip-hungry neighbors who'd gathered to witness a scandal play out drew back in fear.

"He's the demon prince? The one who single-handedly destroyed a

whole order of enemy knights?"

"Watch your tongue, fool! Do you want him to do the same to you?" The two nations enjoyed peaceful relations, but Arnold remained the dreaded prince, heir to the throne of a former enemy. Current rumor wasn't as widespread as it would be in five years, but he was still regarded with distrust.

The onlookers stood rooted to the spot, too terrified to flee.

Well, this has devolved into a full-fledged disaster.

Rishe heaved a frustrated sigh. "Prince Arnold, to what do we owe this honor? Surely a crown prince would not draw his sword for a mere jest."

"I'm here on business," Arnold said. "But first, I must beg

forgiveness for my rudeness."

Huh, what do you know? Once he became emperor, he'd gladly behead any subject who so much as dared speak a word against him.

I guess at nineteen he still knew how to apologize.

If that surprised her, Arnold's next act completely obliterated her

sense of reality.

With a flourish, he fell to his knees.

"Huh?" Is this actually happening?

He was a man destined for an imperial crown. A man who would stand at the head of a military powerhouse and spread his rule across continents.

Arnold, known for his frigid pride, knelt to the disgraced daughter of

a duke.

And not only that— his head was bowed, looking nothing so much as a knight swearing allegiance to his lady. If it were anyone else, it would be a delightful, pious image. Instead, the assembled looked on in terrified awe.

Not Rishe, though.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. "Get up!"

"I'm apologizing for my baseless impertinence. Also, I'm asking

you..." He trailed off to take Rishe's hand, tugging her forward so forcefully she staggered. He gazed up at her.

Ugh. He's so beautiful. No matter how many times she looked at him, it didn't become any less disarming. Long eyelashes, arched brows, a noble nose. His bright blue eyes reminded her of the drift ice she'd seen in a northern kingdom, gazing out from a ship in one of her past lives. She knew she was dwelling on this to buy time, even as the reality before her sank in.

...to become my wife."

She froze, unable to process the words. "What?" Rishe glanced around, desperately searching the faces of the crowd. They all seemed as stunned as she felt. She looked down at Arnold again. "Your wife?"

"Yes, that's right."

"You want me to become your wife?"

"Yes."

Rishe couldn't speak. This was truly happening. It was real. It clicked

into place in her head, and she let out a strangled grunt.

What is going on? Why is this happening?

Shock lapped at her, fuzzing at the corners of her vision. He wanted to marry her. Arnold wanted to marry Rishe. Her murderer wanted to marry her.

Why is he doing this? He must have some ulterior motive, a broader

goal. But I have to give him an answer.

The onlookers were holding their breath as Rishe said flatly, "I reject

your proposal."

Arnold said nothing.

To be continued....

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