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Chapter : 9
“Please sign this.”
“…….”
I tapped the paper, which was decorated with gold at the edges, with a tap tap.
“Hurry up.”
“This is suspicious.”
Startled!
‘Could it be… he noticed?’
Was he aware that this was a signature meant for Duke Rikesis?
I watched nervously as he picked up the paper, examined it back and forth, and said with suspicion:
“You’re not planning to use my signature for some sort of revenge, are you?”
“R-Revenge? What could you possibly do with this?”
“Like putting a curse on someone. Using it as a talisman.”
“…….”
I was speechless at something I had never even heard of, but I couldn’t admit I intended revenge, so I quickly replied:
“I was just asked to do it.”
“By whom?”
“My younger brother’s academy friend. Since Your Highness is called the hero of the empire, it makes sense that he would have respect for you.”
“Strange, though. I’ve never been asked for my signature before.”
‘…Well, that figures.’
The Crown Prince really does carry that icy, glacial expression, so most people would never dare ask for his autograph.
“Your brother-in-law’s academy friend… who exactly?”
“……I’m not really sure.”
At that point, I realized my mistake.
‘Ah… right, the Crown Prince and Luark don’t get along well.’
Especially, Luark always gets agitated whenever called “brother-in-law.”
I couldn’t even imagine someone asking Luark for the Crown Prince’s autograph—let alone the Crown Prince agreeing.
‘I should have said it was Schuna’s friend, not Luark’s!’
I regretted it, but avoiding eye contact now would be just like revealing the lie.
So, I widened my eyes and tapped the paper again.
“Hurry up!”
“…….”
The Crown Prince glanced between me and the paper again, let out a small sigh, and finally took out his pen.
‘…’
I somehow felt mocked, but the important thing was the signature.
‘Yes!’
Watching the elegant strokes forming on the paper, I secretly smirked.
‘The person getting this autograph isn’t Luark’s friend. He’s my fiancé!’
“Here.”
The Crown Prince, unaware of anything, held out the signed paper, and I reached for it happily.
“Wait.”
“……?!”
But he pulled the signature back, leaving me grasping at empty air.
‘Is this some kind of Turkish ice cream trick?’
After an indescribable silence:
“Do you have conditions, perhaps?”
I asked irritably, and the Crown Prince replied in a cold, formal tone:
“We’ll make it a contract.”
“…….”
Crazy.
[All plans for the next two weeks canceled]
…But that wasn’t all of the Crown Prince’s demands.
[Morning: Be examined by the palace physician.]
[Notify the Crown Prince when leaving the palace.]
[During duties—]
[Before sleep—]
……
‘Crazy. Ten clauses for just one signature?’
I crumpled the contract and threw it at the wall, then asked the maids:
“Where did Duke Rikesis go?”
“He… he went to the annex and changed out of his disguise.”
I nodded, relieved.
‘I’ll meet him early tomorrow morning.’
So I decided to rest in my chamber for today and looked at the maids…
“…….”
“I heard you nearly collapsed yesterday.”
“…How dare you betray me.”
I muttered ominously, and the maids leapt in protest.
“No! It wasn’t that!”
“Betrayal?!”
“L-Let me explain!”
And then the scolding began.
“When Your Highness and the Duke were together, you ran into the Crown Prince…!”
“When he saw us, he looked for Your Highness first…!”
“His calm demeanor made me so angry…!”
The five or six maids all spoke at once, dizzying me, but the content was clear.
‘It was venting disguised as reporting.’
“Your wife collapsed, so take care of her NOW!!”
They were blaming the Crown Prince, exaggerating my health issues, which is why I had been suffering from him today…
I sighed deeply.
“I’ll sleep early today, so prepare the bathwater.”
“Y-Your Highness.”
“Quickly.”
“…Yes.”
At my urging, the maids slumped their shoulders and left.
Honestly, I should have enforced more discipline, but…
‘I just want to rest.’
Even for the brief moment the bathwater would be ready, I wanted to lie on a soft bed.
‘I need to get to my chamber quickly.’
Just as I stepped into the hallway,
‘Shall we go to the chamber?’
Whoosh!
‘No need to go to the chamber. Let’s start immediately.’
Whoosh! Whoosh!
As I turned my head rapidly, I realized:
‘It’s an auditory hallucination.’
I stood there trembling for a moment.
‘Perhaps even now, the Crown Prince is enjoying time with the concubine.’
…And yet, what?
‘Worrying about one’s wife is a husband’s duty.’
‘…Ha. Well, that works.’
The silver lining was that the Crown Prince did recognize me as his wife, just as I considered him my husband.
Which meant…
‘I can repay this wound, this betrayal, this humiliation!’
The next morning:
“……?”
I rubbed my eyes.
‘A gym…?’
It made sense; I had never seen men in just their underwear walking around my palace.
‘Ah, even if this is the annex…’
“Oh, heavens.”
“How indecent!”
Even the maids were shocked. The Rikesis knights, walking around half-naked, froze.
“Ah, Crown Princess! Good morning!”
At that familiar, cheerful voice, everyone turned around.
‘Gasp.’
Muscular arms wielding an axe,
Chest muscles straining from unbuttoned tunics,
A body that was hardly modest, yet a sincere smile.
‘Incredible…?’
I stood there stunned, then jumped back.
No, I must focus!
“Duke Rikesis. What… what is happening here?”
I asked, looking around. The Duke blinked once.
Then, glancing at both his knights and me, he jumped in shock.
“You perverted fools!”
His face flushed red as he explained the embarrassing scene:
“T-The knights were in private training! The northern style of training made this place unbearably hot…”
Even so… being part of the royal household and walking around untidy like this!
‘…Well, not bad?’
On second thought, it wasn’t all bad.
Since the Crown Prince had imposed conditions on my autograph, I was restricted from outside activities.
Revenge might have been delayed… but
‘Luckily, I brought Duke Rikesis to my chamber first!’
While the Crown Prince wandered outside, I would move around inside.
I smiled slyly as the Duke begged humbly:
“I’m truly sorry for tainting your eyes!”
“It’s fine. But since it seems hot, I’ve instructed the attendants to operate the air conditioning in the annex.”
“Gasp!”
At the mention of air conditioning, the Duke’s eyes sparkled.
‘So it really was hot.’
Clenching his fists, he declared:
“Being able to serve in such a wonderful place, I must do my best! That’s why I chopped the firewood myself!”
“Firewood?”
‘The Duke doing chores?’
“Keeping the fire for the lady warm is a great honor for northern knights! As long as Cardmael Rikesis is here, Your Highness will always remain warm!”
‘…His word choice is a little odd.’
But it didn’t matter.
‘Hehe!’
I couldn’t stop smiling.
It finally made sense why the lady in old tales would feed Dolsoe steamed rice.
