TBCPA 06

Chapter 6

“Something you’d like to request? You can just give an order more comfortably.”

Mansion head maid Linda said with a gentle smile.

I fidgeted with my fingers and went, “Hmm.”

“Actually, I’m planning to become the Crown Princess….”

“Oh my goodness, really?”

Linda looked shocked. But soon her expression darkened.

“His Highness the Crown Prince….”

Normally, saying I wanted to become the Crown Princess would be considered an honor to the family, but Kadelos’s current condition wasn’t exactly good because of his curse.

Linda seemed to think I was just an ignorant child who liked the idea of becoming Crown Princess. She looked unsure how to respond, hesitating awkwardly.

“I don’t care about the curse. But as you know, I don’t have parents to support me….”

“Little lady….”

Linda and Sebastian looked at me with pity.

But I was actually being very realistic.

“There’s no backing I can rely on except the Emperor and Kadelos.”

Of course, that was only after becoming Crown Princess.

I didn’t expect Kadelos to love me dearly. For now, he still seemed somewhat soft because he was young, but his personality was naturally cold.

In the original story, Kadelos’s first love was the heroine—the Saintess—so I didn’t dare to expect anything beyond my station.

‘If I want a stable life in the imperial palace, I need people loyal to me.’

So I decided to bring two people who would be absolutely loyal to me into the palace.

“If I really become Crown Princess, I want you two to come with me to the Crown Princess’s palace.”

There was a high chance they wouldn’t become head maid or head butler, and life in the palace would require more careful maneuvering.

So if they accepted my proposal, it would be purely because they truly cared about me.

“If we send you alone, I won’t be able to sleep at night from worrying about you every day.”

“As servants, it is our duty to follow our master’s will.”

Despite my worries, they accepted without hesitation.

“Thank you….”

I replied awkwardly, then glanced around nervously before suddenly jumping into their arms.

Imperial Palace — Two Days Later

“Hello!”

I had come to visit Kadelos’s palace again. Only two days had passed since last time.

“Hmm….”

Kadelos greeted me with a slightly reluctant expression, as if he hadn’t expected me to come.

It was evening, so he probably hadn’t been on guard.

Regardless, I smiled as brightly and sweetly as I could.

‘I’ve already decided how to handle this.’

I would stick to him shamelessly.

My plan was to completely throw him off balance.

“Your Highness, did you know? I bought something with all my allowance….”

As I spoke with my hand near my mouth, Kadelos’s expression grew more serious, as if expecting something important.

“I heard from palace gossip that there’s a garden nearby that couples should visit.”

And the moment I said that, Kadelos returned to his usual “this is ridiculous” expression and turned his head away.

“You should look for something more reasonable.”

“Why? I’m in the middle of courtship. What could be more reasonable than that?”

I tilted my head innocently.

Then I clasped my hands tightly and stomped my feet slightly.

“Let’s go together, okay?”

“No.”

“People should go on walks sometimes. Your bones will rot away.”

“…Are you serious?”

Kadelos frowned.

His gaze subtly drifted downward.

I followed it and noticed his strong wrists compared to my thin ones, then closed my mouth.

Right. Saying “bones will rot” to someone blessed by a dragon was a bit much.

“Still, please come with me. We’re in a relationship where we’re supposed to take responsibility for each other, so we should at least go on a date.”

I insisted while hopping slightly in place.

Suddenly, the tips of his ears turned bright red.

He’s embarrassed, huh.

“…No.”

“I even gave you my first kiss—mmph!”

I leaned in closer to whisper.

And then—

Kadelos immediately covered my mouth.

His face had gone completely pale.

“What kind of things are you saying so casually…!”

Aww, what a cute reaction.

I smirked internally and deliberately made muffled sounds.

“Ummph, mmph!”

Startled, Kadelos quickly removed his hand.

Honestly, even I thought I was being quite annoying, but he didn’t treat me harshly.

“Fine. We’ll go, okay?”

I immediately brightened up.

“Okay!”

We left the palace.

The moment Kadelos stepped out of the Crown Prince’s palace, everyone around was visibly shocked.

It made sense—he almost never left his chambers. He was practically in seclusion.

“How much further is it?”

“Just a little more!”

I held onto his sleeve tightly and walked energetically.

‘I hope my surprise isn’t ruined.’

We soon arrived at our destination.

“Wow!”

I gasped in pure admiration.

A white bench stood elegantly under a small pavilion. Between the pavilion’s pillars, red blossoms of crape myrtle swayed beautifully.

“It’s pretty, right?”

I ran over and sat down, asking him.

Kadelos sat beside me naturally and nodded.

“It’s not bad.”

“I knew it! I knew you’d like it!”

I clapped happily, then signaled to a maid standing nearby.

“I have something to say here!”

“What… is it?”

I stood up abruptly, leaving Kadelos sitting there.

Then I instructed the maid to untie the ribbon at my waist.

I spun around.

And then—

A banner appeared:

‘Prince, please marry me ♡’

It was embroidered into the ribbon, which had been wrapped around my waist and tied like a normal bow.

“Your Highness! Please marry me!”

“…Are you serious?”

“Yes! One hundred percent serious!”

I sparkled my eyes at him.

I stretched out my arms and legs dramatically so he could see better.

Kadelos pressed his hand to his forehead as if he had a headache.

Then he raised both hands and calmly refused.

“No.”

“W-why!”

“I have no intention of getting married.”

Why?! Why not?!

I sighed deeply.

Maybe surprise confessions weren’t his type.

Next time, maybe I should try gifts instead?

“We’re supposed to take responsibility for each other….”

“Can you stop saying that?”

“But it’s true.”

I puffed out my lips.

“W-we can just say it was our first time and pretend it never happened…?”

“Pardon?”

What kind of nonsense is that?

As I frowned and glared at him, Kadelos let out a faint sigh and lowered his head.

A brief silence fell.

And then—

‘Huh?’

Something appeared in front of me again.

Today’s Advice.

I didn’t know why it kept appearing so irregularly…!

‘If I don’t check quickly, Kadelos will get suspicious!’

I glanced sideways. Kadelos was still silently looking at the ground.

[Today’s Advice: Make a potion immediately to increase your luck!]

What? Make a potion right now?

Here? In this empty place?

I looked around in confusion.

Even an alchemist can’t create something from nothing. I needed at least a base liquid… something.

‘It wouldn’t tell me for no reason.’

I bit my lip and whispered to Kadelos.

“Your Highness, are you thirsty?”

“Thirsty?”

He frowned, then nodded slightly and gestured.

A maid nearby approached, and after Kadelos whispered something, she handed over a bottle of juice.

“Here. You wanted it, right?”

“That’s not it, but… thank you, Your Highness!”

I exaggerated my gratitude with sparkling eyes.

Kadelos awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.

He really was kind and considerate, just not used to dealing with people.

“I’ll show you magic now!”

Although he was cursed by the Black Dragon, Kadelos still possessed the blessings of the remaining four dragons.

So he should be able to see the flow of mana I used in making the potion.

‘Here goes…!’

I gripped the glass bottle tightly with both hands and moved my mana.

Slowly, Kadelos’s ears—and then his entire face—turned bright red.

Inside the bottle, bubbles of mana formed into words:

‘Prince, please marry me ♡’

I had used mana flow to send yet another proposal into the bottle.

The letters made of bubbles slowly faded away.