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Chapter 3
“Fiancée? You mean you want to become the Crown Princess?”
“Yes. I… it’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
I clenched my fists and quickly worked my brain to convince the Emperor.
“Let’s hear it.”
Maybe because of the potion I had created, the Emperor was far more gentle than I expected.
“Wouldn’t it be better if I stayed close to His Highness the Crown Prince and observed him daily while administering the potion?”
“So you’re saying becoming Crown Princess and staying in the palace is the best option?”
I nodded at his question.
An unmarried young noble lady constantly staying near a man of the opposite sex would normally be a serious flaw.
So the most reasonable way for me to stay by his side was a marriage engagement.
“To work on lifting the curse, I need to see him often. In return, I’ll also receive the benefits of being Crown Princess until adulthood.”
“Why only until adulthood?”
“Curing the curse can’t be something dragged on forever. Everyone would get exhausted. So I think there should be a time limit.”
“And after you become an adult?”
“There’s no problem in breaking the engagement before the official adulthood ceremony. I’ll release His Highness then.”
The Crown Prince’s marriage system included two ceremonies—one in childhood and one coming-of-age ceremony when they become an adult.
The Crown Princess was brought to the palace early for education that noble families couldn’t properly provide.
In truth, it was also a system used to discard an unqualified Crown Princess later.
But for me, it was perfect. If the engagement was broken then, it would become a complete annulment.
I smiled as harmlessly as possible to show I wasn’t targeting his son.
The Emperor’s lips twitched.
“Do you really intend to lift the curse?”
“I should aim high.”
“There are those who say a cursed Crown Prince should be removed from his position entirely… and yet you want to become his bride?”
“I don’t care about the curse. I intend to break it.”
The Emperor looked at me for a moment with an unreadable expression, then suddenly laughed.
“Even I—his father—cannot ignore that curse. And yet you say you don’t care?”
I immediately understood.
He wasn’t indifferent.
He was deeply wounded by his son’s curse.
Right…
In the original story, Emperor Theodore loved his wife dearly and longed for a child.
But their child was born and immediately cursed by the Black Dragon.
The shock made the Empress weak, and she eventually died.
Even after that, the Emperor continued trying to save his son—but…
He could not possibly not hate the curse.
It was a tragic story.
But it had already been eight years since the Empress died. His emotions must have worn down over time.
At first, he probably believed every claim that someone could break the curse. But now…
If I weren’t a child, this conversation would have ended already.
Because only I knew the true condition for breaking the curse.
“True love’s kiss.”
That was the only way.
The Emperor sighed.
“I cannot decide this.”
I blinked. Why couldn’t he decide?
“Your bold proposal… should be heard not by me, but by my son.”
“Ah!”
“I will let you meet him. If you convince him, I will approve your proposal.”
It was a perfectly reasonable answer.
I nodded.
“Yes! I’ll definitely succeed!”
The Emperor’s mouth twitched again.
Maybe it was because I nodded so enthusiastically that my fluffy hair bounced like a small animal.
“A rabbit.”
“R-rabbit?”
Before I could understand, he stood up and left.
That was the end of our meeting.
Anyway, I did it!
Everything I wanted had been achieved.
I could hear Amanda screaming in the distance, but I was too happy to care.
As expected, the Ferdinand estate changed completely.
Thanks to the Emperor’s immediate intervention.
And so, the estate returned to the hands of its ten-year-old heir.
“Al, Alicia… do you remember that day? The day you came to live with us?”
My uncle tried to appeal to nostalgia.
“R, right. Risha… can’t we just forget about everything? Your aunt can’t even show her face anymore…”
My aunt tried to act pitiful.
“T-This is all a lie!”
My cousin tried denial.
“Why do I have to wear rags?! Give them to her!”
My cousin sister screamed while being dragged away by her parents.
I walked through the main hall in a luxurious child dress, step by step.
“You, you, you, you, you…”
I pointed at them one by one.
Then I got bored and waved my hand.
“You’re all fired.”
The entire household froze.
Then they all began crying and begging for forgiveness.
Of course they were shocked.
No one expected the situation to flip like this.
So no one ever helped Alicia at all.
No matter how much I searched my memories… there was truly not a single person who helped her.
I dismissed all the servants.
Then I clapped my hands.
The Emperor’s servants arrived—those sent directly from the palace.
The Emperor seemed to already consider me a candidate for Crown Princess.
Good.
Knowing the Emperor was on my side made everything easier.
Oh right—I should replace the relatives too.
“As the head of the family, I hereby command this.”
I puffed out my chest as authoritatively as I could.
From afar, I probably looked like a small sparrow trying to look fierce.
“From today onward, Uncle, Aunt, and their family will no longer be allowed to use the Ferdinand name.”
“You have committed serious crimes—abusing the head of the house, wasting the estate’s wealth, and failing loyalty to His Majesty.”
Each word was like a dagger.
My uncle struggled and shouted.
“Let me go!”
Useless.
The Emperor had already prepared for resistance.
Two imperial knights had been stationed here.
Only two—but they were enough.
This feels amazing.
Backed by the Emperor… power really felt different.
I walked upstairs proudly under their protection.
“Please! Alicia! I raised you all this time!”
Gregory’s desperate scream echoed behind me.
I turned slightly and replied:
“I? I grew up alone.”
Once the estate was cleaned up, the real task remained.
Going to the palace and convincing the Crown Prince.
At first, everything seemed smooth.
I even planned to offer potions as gifts to the Emperor and head straight to the Crown Prince’s palace.
How hard could it be to handle a 12-year-old boy?
That’s what I thought confidently.
But reality was very different.
“Who are you?”
In the Crown Prince’s palace, someone was sitting lazily on the large window frame of the corridor.
K-Kadelos!
Black hair darker than night itself.
Deep red eyes like the purest ruby.
Half-lidded gaze, relaxed—but with real killing intent hidden inside.
What? I thought a 12-year-old would be easy?
Stupid Alicia. Life isn’t that simple.
This man could kill me the moment he decided to.
He felt like a sharpened claw of a black panther.
The younger version of the Emperor I had seen before—but even sharper, more dangerous.
“Greetings, Your Highness. I am Alicia Ferdinand, head of the Ferdinand Count family.”
They really did resemble each other.
But this boy felt like the Emperor’s best traits were all concentrated into one body.
If I hadn’t met the Emperor first, I might’ve fainted right here.
“Who let you into this palace?”
His voice was cold.
It felt less like a question and more like a judgment.
“…I came to propose to Your Highness!”
“You?”
His eyes scanned me from head to toe.
Then he tilted his head.
“You’re too small.”
The brief interest in his eyes disappeared instantly.
I stood on my toes to look taller.
“I’m ten years old, you know!”
I smiled brightly.
He didn’t smile back.
If this continued, I would get kicked out immediately.
I rushed toward the window frame.
“I couldn’t come empty-handed, so I brought something. May I offer it?”
“Hmm…”
Maybe because he was cursed, he looked so emotionally exhausted.
I nervously pulled a small notebook from my sleeve.
He lazily reached out his hand.
He was curious—not about flowers or jewels, but a notebook.
“‘Marriage Contract Plan Between His Highness and Risha’?”
His eyebrow twitched as he read the title.
