I Just Wanted to Call Off the Arranged Marriage With the PrincessโSomeone I Could Never Possibly Be a Match ForโBut for Some Reason, She Took a Liking to Me and Is Now Closing in on Me
I blinked in surprise at the girl who suddenly barged in.
โLet me join your group.โ
So this is like joining a club? Or rather, I wasnโt even trying to recruit anyone.
Aisia, who had come to greet us, looked completely unfazed. When I turned around, Iris was sitting up, glaring at me with a terrible look on her face. It was the kind of expression someone with poor eyesight makes when they strain to seeโthat sort of face.
The blushing girl notices that stare and flinches, her shoulders jerking. A small-animal-like reaction from her petite frame. It gives the impression of a squirrel or somethingโฆ so?
โUhโฆ the cat or tiger behind the school building?โ
โRoar!โ
She mimics a growl with her claws extended beside her tiny face. She was already red to begin with, and now sheโs getting even redder? If sheโs embarrassed, she shouldnโt do that. She probably wanted me to remember, though.
It was just the other day. Even someone as forgetful as me remembers that much. I remember, but I canโt help but stare intently at that cute, tiny face with all its little features.
โU-umโฆโ
โSexual harassment.โ
โYeah, sexual harassment.โ
โArenโt you being a bit harsh?โ
Did I do something that bad?
She was already small, but now sheโs hunching her shoulders and making herself even smaller. Her neck and ears are turning redโdoes she have a blushing disorder? Sheโs not going to faint, is she? Her complexion is starting to worry me.
โW-well, I didnโt see your face when we met before.โ
โThen how did we even meet?โ
โLike, with a tree trunk between us, back-to-back?โ
โโฆโฆDoes that count as meeting?โ
I donโt know.
Back then, she was curled up, hiding her face. Doing that meant she didnโt want me to see her face, so I never expected her to come meet me face-to-face.
โWait, how did you even know what I look like?โ
I donโt remember her seeing me when I left, though.
โAh, wellโฆโ
The girl turned away, looking awkward. There, a prince was standing there, making the air sparkle with his exquisite smile.
โShe told me about you yesterday. I thought there might be a chance, so I introduced you. Was that a bad idea?โ
โItโs not bad, but how did you figure it out?โ
โWhen I thought of a silver-haired guy with a bad attitude who skips class, I couldnโt think of anyone else.โ
โDid you just just say something mean?โ
โYouโre cool, though.โ
She was trying to brush it off with a compliment. Sheโs doing this on purpose, isnโt she?
I propped my chin on my hand and glared at her, but her smile didnโt waver. It wasnโt exactly a poker face, but the stiffness was similar. Right now, more than the trouble sheโd dumped on me, I needed to figure out what to do with this girl.
I turned my face back to her.
The girl, whose blush had faded slightly, clenched her hand on her skirt.
โMy name is Lucian of the Magnolia Viscount family.โ
โAh, yes. I heardโฆ Iโm so sorry!โ
The girl bowed her head sharply. Her long chestnut-brown hair bounced like a ponytail before falling back into place. Itโs good that sheโs energetic, but isnโt she a little too nervous?
Just as I was worrying, she straightened her back as if her earlier flustered demeanor had been a lie. Her posture was so beautiful, as if a core of strength had suddenly run through her body, that I couldnโt help but be impressed.
She adjusted the skirt sheโd been holding with her fingertips and gave a demure bow.
โI am Lunaria, the Seventh Princess of the Kingdom of Selene. Please call me Lunaria, Lord Lucian.โ
โAh, nice to meet youโฆ..?โ
What did she just say? This girl.
Something about being the princess of the Kingdom of Lunaria. What kind of joke is this? But when I look at her face, she has a sincere expressionโshe doesnโt look like sheโs lying.
She looked at Aisia and nodded.
Finally, she turned to Iris and, with a slight, awkward nod, received her affirmation.
Seriously? A princess.
Iโve got my hands full just dealing with my own countryโs princess, and now the princess of a neighboring country has come barging in too. Why are people Iโd normally never have a chance to interact with gathering around me like this?
I feel like cursing this so-called โfate.โ
โUmโฆ should I call you Princess Lunaria?โ
โYou donโt need to use a title. And as for how you speak to me, just keep doing what youโve been doing. Itโs totally fine.โ
โThen Iโll just call you Lunaria.โ
Iโve got her on the record.
Now she canโt complain about it later. Iโm a bit bothered by Iris, who keeps shooting me daggers with her eyes, but since the princess gave her permission, itโs fine. I donโt care.
Sheโs nodding happily, so I must be right.
โSo, Lunaria, do you want to join Princess Irisโs factionโ?โ
โโฆโฆ? Um, I thought you were in Lucianโs faction?โ
โWho told you that?โ
Lunariaโs gaze shifts modestly toward Aisia.
You again.
โIt wasnโt me, was it?โ
โOfficially, itโs Princess Irisโs faction, but in reality, itโs your faction, isnโt it?โ
โWhy would that be the case?โ
โBecause I decided to join this faction since Lucian is here.โ
โโฆโฆYou didnโt decideโyou created it, didnโt you?โ
Also, donโt say things like that to me. Go tell the young ladies who absolutely adore you. Thereโs no benefit whatsoever in trying to woo someone like meโIโm just the third son of a viscount.
At this point, I donโt care who the leader is.
โYou want to join a brand-new, half-baked faction that just formed yesterday or todayโone that doesnโt even have a plan?โ
โYes.โ
โWhy?โ
Lunariaโs cheeks flushed again.
She pressed her fingers together and glanced at me from under her eyelashes. Is the reason really that embarrassing?
โBecauseโฆ I wanted to meet you.โ
โโฆIs that so?โ
Is she imitating Aisia?
She still has a childlike air about her, but that only serves to enhance Lunariaโs beauty. Somewhere between child and adult. If a princess exuding the unique charm of someone still growing up said something like that to me, it wouldnโt be strange for most men to take her seriously.
She really should choose her words a little more carefully.
If it werenโt me, I wouldโve taken her seriously.
โWhat about Iris?โ
โโฆโฆWhy are you asking me?โ
Why, indeed.
โItโs better if she feels comfortable, right?โ
Iris probably canโt relax if there are too many people around.
It wouldnโt work if Iโm fine but Iris isnโt. I donโt know about Aisia. It seems like sheโs the one who brought her here in the first place, so she probably wouldnโt object.
โโฆโฆโ
The cushion in Irisโs arms collapsed.
She stared intently at Lunaria like a wary cat. Lunaria shifted her amber eyes and shook her body slightly.
โWell, I guess itโs fine.โ
โโโ!โ
Iris plopped down onto the sofa and, lying on her back, closed her eyelids as if falling asleep. Her attitude was dismissive, as if it didnโt matter, but for Lunaria, simply receiving permission seemed to make her so happy she could have jumped for joy.
โThank you so much!โ she said, offering Iris a smile that bloomed like a bud opening. As if adjusting her sleeping position, Iris rolled over on the narrow sofa and turned her back to her. Sheโs quite nimble.
โEveryone, nice to meet you!โ
โNice to meet you,โ โLikewise.โ
My reply and Aisiaโs overlapped.
Iris was also waving her hand loosely, fluttering it in the air.
โShe said โnice to meet youโ.โ
โYes!โ
Her voice was full of bounce.
Whatโs so great about joining a faction like this? The only ones here are the viscountโs sonโwhoโs nothing more than a spareโthe princess, and the dukeโs daughter.
โฆโฆHuh? Come to think of it, arenโt they top-tier in looks? Add the princess of a neighboring country to that, and wouldnโt this be a faction everyone envies, if only for appearances? If anything, Iโm the one who stands out too much.
โโฆโฆโฆโฆMaybe I should leave this factionโฆโ
I muttered under my breath, half-seriously, and a cushion flew right at my face.
ใใโใโใโ
โHave you finally decided to take Iris, my son!โ
Itโs been a while since Iโve seen the old manโฆ His Majestyโs presence is suffocating.
On the way back from the academy to the mansion, for some reason the carriage headed toward the royal castle, and before I knew it, I was led into His Majestyโs chambers, surrounded by the butler and maids. From the front and the back. Looking back now, I wonder if that wasnโt just an escort.
Iris must find it annoying too; sheโs scowling as if to say, โEnough already.โ
โYour Majesty, youโre so loud.โ
โHahaha! father is shocked by how rudely his daughter treats him.โ
He doesnโt seem the least bit shocked, judging by his energy level.
Does this guy just have too much free time?
Normally, an audience with His Majesty wouldnโt be this easy. Ah, but wait. Was I summoned this time? Though, I feel like she said something strange.
โI have no intention of accepting it.โ
โWhy not? Did you decide to get engaged?โ
โWe arenโt engaged.โ
Where did the conversation go off the rails?
At my words, His Majesty stroked his chin and said, โThatโs odd,โ then looked at his daughter sitting next to me.
โIris asked me to prepare an engagement ring.โ
โโฆHello, Iris?โ
I shot her a glare, asking with my eyes, โWhatโs going on here?โ
Iris glanced at me for just a moment, then started ordering tea and sweets from the maid. Seriously, what are you doing, trying to start a tea party so casually?
Look at me.