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chapter 02
The Annoying Little Fiancé
Time passed swiftly as Serena lived her days as Serena Astell, and before she knew it, the day of the engagement ceremony had arrived.
The white dress embroidered with the imperial family’s golden crest was roomy enough even when Serena stood with her back perfectly straight.
“You look truly beautiful. To think that the little baby has grown up so much,” Anna said, gazing at Serena—who towered well above her—with the same affection she once reserved for a child.
“Don’t cry already. It’s just an engagement ceremony.”
If there had been even one person in her past life who had affirmed her existence like this, would she have been able to stand tall without shrinking herself?
“The Duchess really should have seen this… I’m just so overwhelmed.”
Serena’s mother had died during a difficult childbirth. The Duke, who had loved her deeply, never remarried, and as a result, Serena became the last heir of House Astell.
“She must be watching over us somewhere.”
“Oh my… Miss, you’ve truly grown so mature lately.”
In her past life, she had never felt loved by her mother. Nor had she ever had a family that cared for her with such attentiveness and affection. In some ways, Serena resembled her past self—but in others, she was entirely different.
“You’ve been studying etiquette diligently, and you don’t even break things around the mansion anymore.”
“You said eighteen is considered an adult. This is only natural.”
Serena had undeniably changed. Her habit of hiding behind curtains and playing alone was gone, as was her reluctance to wear dresses because of her large frame. Even the fitting of her ceremonial attire—which Anna had secretly worried about—had gone surprisingly smoothly.
“Yes. You’ve become an adult.”
Anna’s intuition was correct. The soul residing within Serena had lived more than twice the span of a normal life—of course she would be different.
But that also brought its own complications.
“Well… my fiancé isn’t an adult, though.”
“Miss!”
“What? It’s true. No matter how much he’s the Crown Prince, fourteen is hardly old enough to be called an adult.”
By gathering memories and information right up until the engagement day, Serena had managed to organize the situation she was walking into.
First: the person she was to be engaged to today was Crown Prince Lucas Tern of the Empire—a fourteen-year-old boy blessed with noble blood and exceptional talent.
Yes. A boy.
“A four-year age difference between spouses is quite small.”
“…Even when the woman is older?”
“Of course.”
Perhaps this was common sense in this world, but thinking that her partner was only fourteen made reciting engagement vows feel deeply unsettling.
“He’s only fourteen.”
Not even old enough for middle school. Bringing such a child into an engagement felt absurd, and her excitement over wearing ceremonial attire suddenly seemed embarrassing.
“The engagement was rushed because His Highness is about to head to the battlefield. You know that.”
“It’s fine. He won’t be fighting on the most dangerous frontlines.”
It was common for imperial men to go to war.
“They say His Majesty did the same in his youth.”
“I was worried, but you truly listened carefully during the palace etiquette lessons.”
“Yes.”
Serena replied without hesitation.
“If I treat everything as an opportunity, I want to give it my all.”
No matter how she looked back, her past life had been painfully unremarkable.
People constantly told her to work harder, and sometimes she even believed she had—but she hadn’t truly given her all.
“I don’t want to regret anything later.”
If she had devoted herself to even one thing in life, she might not have felt such regret at the moment of death.
“That’s well said. Truly my daughter.”
Serena’s father, who had been standing behind the door for some time, nodded approvingly. The seasoned head maid Anna bowed and stepped back.
“Father…”
Though he had a wanderer’s spirit, the Duke was a warm man. His towering presence made it easy to understand why Serena was so sturdily built. Even when smiling, he was intimidating enough to frighten most people.
“Accept the greeting.”
As Serena lifted her skirt and bent her knees slightly as she had learned, the Duke furrowed his thick eyebrows. His expression stiffened like solid rock.
“My goodness…”
Serena wanted to say those words herself. A massive man crying was unsettling.
“Marienne, are you watching from the heavens? Our daughter—our brave daughter—has finally learned proper etiquette… Come now, stand up.”
Her father’s hand was warm as he clasped hers.
Though his face was unfamiliar, she could feel genuine affection in his blue eyes—eyes just like her own.
“I was worried you wouldn’t survive in the imperial palace. But now I can rest easy. Such graceful manners… I’m deeply moved.”
Just how had this duke raised his daughter? To be moved to tears by etiquette she’d learned in three minutes?
“I even thought that if you were still hiding under the blankets when we arrived, I’d tell His Majesty this engagement was impossible.”
…Oh no.
Had she known the engagement could be canceled, she might have held back a little.
“Father, even now—”
“Oh, Serena. You’re really calling me ‘Father’ now. Earlier I wondered if my ears were deceiving me.”
The Duke pulled her into a tight embrace. The unfamiliar warmth and affection made Serena freeze.
“You’ve grown up. You don’t even headbutt me and make me bite my tongue anymore.”
When he released her, Serena stared at him in disbelief.
This man… no matter how much of a wanderer he was, had he raised his daughter like some wild beast?
“Well, you were still young back then. Ten, was it?”
“Nine years old, Your Grace.”
Anna answered calmly, having returned at some point. The Duke burst into hearty laughter.
“Ah, was it? Well, time hardly matters between family.”
Seeing his relaxed expression, Serena finally understood her upbringing.
He was clearly a good man—but not exactly a good father.
“Um… Father. What if we postponed the engagement, or canceled it altogether?”
“Why?”
“You said earlier that if I were still in bed, you’d tell His Majesty—”
“That was a joke.”
The Duke replied without changing his expression.
“His Majesty and I were lord and vassal—and comrades on the battlefield. Besides, we settled this engagement through a wager. It can’t be undone.”
“A wager…?”
“Yes. There’s little entertainment on the battlefield, so we made bets.”
He smiled nostalgically, clearly enjoying the memory.
“You bet… on me?”
“I had just received word that my wife had given birth to a daughter. I doubt His Majesty expected to lose.”
Serena blinked slowly.
“Haha. And four years later, His Majesty gained a Crown Prince. Destiny, I suppose.”
“…So because His Majesty lost the bet, I became the Crown Princess-to-be?”
“Exactly. It was a legendary match.”
In other words, the Emperor didn’t win Serena as a prize—he accepted her as payment for losing.
Meaning: Serena herself was the penalty.
“Later, the Grand Ducal House asked for you—but I couldn’t overturn such a legendary wager.”
The fragments of Serena’s past painted a life that was anything but smooth.
No—rather, it was unfortunate.
And the cause of it stood right in front of her.
“Good heavens!”
The Duke suddenly stepped back.
“What was that? I felt killing intent for a moment… My imagination?”
It seemed his battlefield-honed instincts were still sharp.
“Anyway, I’m just glad my daughter grew into such a—well—a flower-like beauty. This is a joyous day! Now then!”
The Duke admired his daughter, now nearly his equal in size. He never imagined that the daughter of Marienne—once a fragile flower famed as the Empire’s greatest beauty—would grow into someone so formidable.
“After the engagement, I must formally greet His Majesty, then depart.”
“You’re leaving again?”
“Yes. This time, we’ve found clues to excavate ruins from a previous civilization—out west—”
As the Duke rambled on, Anna subtly shook her head.
“Though the engagement is today, marriage is still far off. From now on, you must take care of the ducal estate and the Astell territory.”
With that decisive declaration, Duke Roger Astell swiftly removed himself from the room.
He must have noticed Serena’s clenched fist beneath her ceremonial sleeves.
A wise decision.
Soon after, a grand imperial engagement ceremony was held at the capital’s largest cathedral.
The Pope himself stood at the altar, with the Emperor beside him, radiating authority.
“Today, in the name of the great and divine God, I preside over the glorious engagement of His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince.”
All eyes shifted—not to the altar, but to the end of the carpet, where the future Crown Princess stood.
“Serena Astell, step forward.”
Following etiquette, Serena advanced with a white veil covering her face. She could only see her feet. Perhaps because of the small shoes, her feet already throbbed painfully. When she finally reached the altar, she saw the Crown Prince’s shoes.
“This sacred engagement fulfills the beautiful vow once made between His Majesty the Emperor and Duke Astell, and follows the will of God—”
As the Pope’s speech dragged on, Serena’s feet grew numb. Then she heard murmurs among the guests—the bride is a bit…—and anger welled up anew.
“Crown Prince, you may now lift the veil and kiss her forehead as proof of the engagement.”
Contrary to expectation, the veil came off awkwardly.
More accurately, he tried to remove it in one motion—and failed.
“Well… you only need to lift half of it,” the Pope whispered.
But the Crown Prince’s rough hands ultimately tossed the veil behind her head.
“Your Highness, as this is an engagement, a kiss on the forehead is not strictly required—”
Once the veil was fully lifted, the reason became obvious.
Serena’s fourteen-year-old fiancé was far smaller than his peers, with sharp, unfriendly eyes.
He didn’t even reach her shoulder.
“A kiss on the cheek… or even the back of the hand will suffice,” the Pope hastily amended after noticing the glaring height difference.
And height wasn’t the only issue.
Serena carried the freshness of a woman just coming into her own, while the Crown Prince looked like nothing more than a small boy.
I’m engaged to a kid like this…
With black hair and black eyes—traits of House Tern—today’s Crown Prince would one day become a noble figure. But that day was far, far away.
“The lady doesn’t look pleased.”
Serena hadn’t frowned or smiled, yet the Crown Prince’s words were sharp.
“Can’t blame her. She’s tall for no reason and ruined the engagement.”
She already knew she was tall by this era’s standards.
As if it’s my fault you’re small.
She was used to such treatment from her past life, but hearing it from a bratty boy smaller than herself sparked unexpected anger.
“Your Highness, the engagement kiss must be completed for the ceremony to conclude,” the Pope whispered kindly.
“Disgusting.”
Lucas muttered while looking up at Serena, forcing his voice deeper like a grown man.
Serena wanted to retort—but that would only prolong the ceremony.
“Then, as proof of the engagement, please kiss the back of the lady’s hand.”
The Pope pressed on desperately. Serena swallowed her pride.
“Your Highness… please, the back of my hand.”
She said it in resignation, staring at the boy who barely looked older than a child.
Lucas sighed deeply, scowled dramatically, and brushed his lips against the back of her hand—just barely.
And thus, the engagement ceremony came to an end.
