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As a woman in the noble world, it’s almost inevitable to face the fact that one day, you’d get married to any man who’s willing to pay for your dowry.
You hated and also were grateful for the fact that ever since you were young, you had heard the whispers of the maids walking passed you whenever you were heading to your brother’s palace.
“The First Prince will probably be the Commander for the Royal Knights so the royal family wouldn’t lose face.”
“Then what of the Princess?”
“Isn’t it obvious? She’ll get sold to some nobleman who’s willing to pay for her–”
“[Name].”
You remembered how warm your brother’s hand was as he grasped yours, snapping you from your daydream. Was it a daydream? Or were you imagining the nightmare you’d have to accept as life if you were to be sold off to some nobleman?
Alberu looked at your pale face and having heard the conversation between the maids, he can tell why you were like this. He glared at the maids and they immediately turned away from him, scurrying to escape the situation.
“It’s okay,” he had said to you at the time, placing both hands on your shoulders. “I’m going to be King and make sure you find a good man.”
You forced yourself to smile and have a little hope. Things were bleak for you and Alberu back then. The King was neglecting the both of you and so was the palace staff. Your future didn’t look very promising.
“I will be getting help from Aunt and the others.”
Things were still bleak, but both you and Alberu had been slowly growing in the shadows of your abandoned palaces with the help of the Dark Elves. You both chased away the rest of the staff and filled them with the Dark Elves, storing dead mana in obscure places to avoid being caught as cautionary steps, and training and studying in secret.
Tasha had helped you with etiquette and taught you the important things of being a woman, and a sentence that came from her mouth one evening had perhaps changed your way of thinking.
“I guess that is understandable,” she had murmured after you had professed that you were scared of being sold off by your father. “But, [Name], you should know that those circumstances can be avoided if you are in the position that no one can touch.”
That was also one of the reasons Alberu had worked so hard for.
“Aunt Tasha, please help me train as well.”
Though you were inferior compared to your brother, your agility and flexibility were not something anyone can scoff at. You learned to blend well with the night scenery and keep your footsteps light.
Your swordsmanship was lacking but they were enough. What stood out about you the most was your knowledge.
You were invested in socio-culture and spent your days learning about the state of affairs of the Roan Kingdom and the other foreign countries, learning about their history and myths.
It was to the point that you were appointed to be the royal family member to greet and accompany the respected foreign envoys. You make sure to leave a good impression on them, name-dropping Alberu to make sure they remember him as well, trying your best to dim out your half-brothers’ existence in the foreign envoys’ minds.
Then you became more well-known in the social circles of the capital, easily dominating the harsh groups with your charisma and knowledge. You had perfected your manners as a noblewoman and were seen as someone worthy of being a Princess.
Since Alberu was more engrossed in political affairs, you began to look for the rising power in the capital – power that they gained through their money and businesses. You managed to make connections here and there and it didn’t take long for you to finally be able to sit by his side in events, now having your own people by your side.
When Alberu was finally named as Crown Prince, you remember the night the two of you sat together in his study with soft smiles on your faces.
“We made it,” you have said to him. “You made it.”
Alberu then smiled. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
After that, marriage proposals came your way like waves of tsunami. Perhaps anyone else would be delighted if they can see whether or not a powerful man had asked for their hand in marriage, but bitterness had settled in your heart and refused to leave.
You remember which family had been supportive of your half-brothers at first but quickly changed lanes when your brother was named Crown Prince.
“No good,” you had murmured, crumpling up a letter of proposal. “If it’s this easy for them to turn away from my half-brothers, God knows what would happen if something happens to my brother.”
You focused on helping your brother and strengthening your own position. You want to be someone who these men cannot be so easily sending letters to you. They should know their place before trying to reach out to you.
“Are those letters of proposals?” Alberu asked with a grin. “Did you do this without looking at them again? What if there is a man who can won over your heart?”
You had simply poked the burnt paper on the fireplace with a poker, blue eyes glinting as they watch the fire engulf the letters of those who had the audacity to claim that they fell for your beauty and wit when all they wanted was a connection to the future king.
“Men are trash.”
You heard Alberu let out a defeated sigh. You know this was because he had claimed that if you were to have a child, he would make that child his heir because he was not interested in getting married.
You scoffed. Getting married means you have to admit that you had the blood of the Dark Elf within you, and that was something no one else can know.
Yes, men are trash except for your brother.
No one can be like your brother.
However, there’s someone who’s quite similar to Alberu.
His name was Cale Henituse, the trash eldest son from the Henituse county.
You knew all about him. You know about everyone in this kingdom. He was a drunkard and causes trouble everywhere he goes, throwing bottles and yelling like he had lost his marbles.
When you met him for the first time, you were baffled.
This was someone called “trash”? This person who had just saved the lives of so many people with an ancient power?
You didn’t like the fact that you were proven wrong, so when Alberu went over to visit the recuperating Cale Henituse, you followed him.
‘Something is odd about him,’ you thought, wanting to frown because you can see a part of the bed that seemed to be dipping more than the rest of it. 'Is there something there?’
“A weak young noble who stepped out for his kingdom…” You began to say slowly, glancing at Cale with your sharp blue eyes.
Cale then stared at you for a moment as you speak. You seem to be analyzing him, eyes sharp and cautious.
In the novel, you were someone like that. You stood behind your older brother and had been someone to genuinely care for Choi Han after seeing that he was a kind man. You were a bit older than the original Cale Henituse and carried a sense of elegance.
Your fan spans open, hiding the lower part of your face, eyes curved into crescents and Cale jumped a bit. That smile was not genuine. You were cautious of him.
“That sounds good, doesn’t it, oppa?” You turned to Alberu and your older brother laughs. “Haha, yes, it does.”
“You’ll receive all rumors regarding you and reports of the current situation through your butler tomorrow,” Alberu added. “You should look through them.”
The room went quiet for a moment with both you and your brother staring at the red-head on the bed. Your brother feigns a cough. “Ahem... One more thing.”
Your eyes trained back on Cale as he waited for Alberu to continue. “You are… human, right?”
You see Cale’s face turned genuinely confused. “… Of course?”
“My brother is so childish.” You immediately covered for Alberu. “He’s asking such odd questions.”
“Of course the Young Master is human,” you began, smiling at Cale.
Alberu coughed. “Ahem. Right, we’re all humans here.”
You wanted to groan hearing him speak.
Your first proper meeting with Cale was quite honest – at least for his side, with him admitting that he would like to have money as a reward for himself instead of other things.
“That’s a good choice, Young Master Cale,” you praised him, snapping your fan close and Cale jumped a bit at the sound.
Right. You were also a kind of businesswoman, so of course you’d agree with his choice. That’s how you knew the man was so easily slipping in lies every time he opens his mouth as he talks to your brother.
Even as your brother headed to leave first, you stopped and turned to Cale.
“Young Master Cale Henituse,” you called for him, grinning. “I hope we can get more acquainted as time pass. I’m very interested to get to know you more.”
Cale knew you were suspicious of him and was perhaps even hostile, but he simply smiled at you and spoke, “It’s such an honor to know that the esteemed Princess is interested to get to know this humble citizen more.”
You did not show disgust openly like Alberu and immediately left. Instead, you smiled at him sweetly and said, “Please get your well-needed rest, Young Master Cale. I will make sure to spread the word regarding your… heroic actions.”
It wasn’t long until Cale found out he had been named as Young Master Silver Shield because Princess [Name] Crossman had spoken so passionately about him in her social gatherings.
Though somewhere along the years of joining arms with Alberu and you, Cale had grown close and familiar to you as well.
He liked that you were reliable and smart. He can easily trust your judgment and believe in whatever action you’ll take because he knows that despite being driven by selfish reasons, you had the goal of supporting your brother and providing the best for the citizens of the Roan Kingdom.
You were an admirable woman and because you were older than him, you’d always pamper him whenever you can. He appreciated that you were even supportive of his slacker dream even though everyone else seems to think it was ridiculous or he was lying.
Surprisingly, you were also a woman who loved leisure time and because you know Cale loved a moment of rest as well, it usually ends up with the two of you spending the day together with Raon.
“Haah, so this is where you’ve been…”
Cale turned to Alberu who was walking up to the gazebo he was under with you sitting across.
“What’s wrong?” You questioned him casually, picking up your teacup from its saucers.
Alberu sighed. “The Rohas family mentioned to me about sending a marriage proposal to you but you haven’t replied for two weeks. Did you burn them all?”
Cale blinked. “Burn?”
You sipped your tea peacefully, ignoring Cale’s look. Alberu glanced at you for a moment before turning to Cale, “She’s been doing it for years. She burns every single letter asking for her hand in marriage.”
“It is easier for disposal and saves firewood,” you countered.
“My dear dongsaeng here is a Princess but worries over firewood.” Alberu dramatically sighed as if his pride was hurt.
You let out a small laugh, shaking your head as you place your teacup back to its saucers, unaware of Cale’s reddish-brown eyes that were looking at you.
“Are you not interested?” asked Cale, genuinely curious. At the same time, he found himself unable to imagine you being with another man because the only men he had seen you with were your own brother and Cale himself, sometimes Choi Han.
You smiled at Cale. “What about you, Hero? Are you not interested? I’ve been hearing that the letters of proposals are increasing every day for our dearest Cale Henituse.”
“I asked the Duchess to reject them all,” Cale answered honestly, ignoring the 'Hero’ nickname you had called him with.
“Hm, I bet all the ladies weep in misery when they knew you rejected them,” you say with a teasing grin. “I know I’d be miserable if I’m one of them.”
Silence engulfs the three of you after you say those words. The sound of birds chirping and leaves rustling was deafening as the wind danced with them, the three of you staying still.
You were the one to speak first. “I have an idea–”
“No.” Alberu immediately cuts you off. “I don’t want to hear it.”
“Cale, listen.” You turned to Cale, seeing that he’s already focused on you. “What if we both pretend to date?”
“I knew it!” Alberu exclaimed. “Absolutely not!”
“It’s just pretend,” you say with a pout. “We’ll just spend time more frequently in public, make everyone misunderstand, and maybe the marriage proposals will lessen down for the moment.”
“It is a temporary solution,” Cale said.
“If I am seen with you in that light, people wouldn’t think of it as a superficial relationship,” you began to explain. “It would imply that you have received the Emperor’s permission and it might just be serious.”
“But it isn’t,” Alberu added quickly.
“We’ll do it until I found someone suitable to marry,” you replied, turning to Cale with a smile. “How about it? If I found that person, you can slack off as much as you can afterward. I can guarantee people wouldn’t go near you because they will think you are heartbroken.”
It was a ridiculous idea and so cliche, but the promise you had given to him once you found someone to marry was very tempting.
“Dear sister, what happened to 'men are trash’?” Alberu questions with a frown. “Have you forgotten your goal to live as an independent woman?”
“Men who acknowledge that they are trash are usually far from it, and I am doing this to get to my goal,” you stated, still staring at Cale. “So, what about it, Cale?”
“All I have to do is spend the day with you more frequently, right?” Cale asked, which earned him a nod from you. “Then I suppose it’s alright.”
“I don’t remember agreeing to this,” Alberu piped up.
“Because it is mine and Cale’s decision,” you say, taking out your hand to Cale. “Looking forward to working with you once again, Young Master Cale.”
Cale grasped your hand, giving it a firm shake. “It’s an honor, Your Highness.”
Alberu covered his face, murmuring; “I have a bad feeling about this.”
Cale stared at the elated expression on your face and thought to himself,
Surely everything will go smoothly, right?