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
โHmm, well, whatever. Either way, itโs just a matter of sooner or later.โ
Thatโs not okay.
Couldnโt you give it a little more thought? Itโs my life, too, you know.
Of course, my inner voice didnโt reach His Majesty, and he pulled out a small box. Inside was a surprisingly simple silver ring, lacking the flashiness one might expect from royalty.
โIs this an engagement ring?โ
โThatโs right. A treasured heirloom passed down through the royal family for generationsโโ
โIโll pass.โ
Like Iโd ever accept something like that.
โโNot that, but itโs something my wife and I used to wear when we were young.โ
โThatโs still a heavy burden, though.โ
You shouldnโt be using that for your daughterโs engagement. Even if youโre going to give her a ring, couldnโt you find something a little lighter, emotionally speaking? Not that Iโd ever wear it, though.ใAn engagement ring? Weโre not even engaged.
โIs it not to your liking?โ
โPlease keep that, Your Majesty, along with your memories.โ
โThen, which would you prefer: this, or getting a ring yourself?โ
โWell, obviously Iโd get my ownโฆ ah.โ
The Emperorโs face lit up with a look of triumph.
I glanced over at Iris, who was grinning mischievously, and realized Iโd been skillfully led into this.
โYou tricked me, didnโt you?โ
โI havenโt put it on yet.โ
He taps my left ring finger lightly.
Well, if itโs an engagement ring for His Majesty and the Queen, of course itโs better to get one myself. But I donโt even need an engagement ring in the first placeโwhy am I being made to choose?
Itโs just a word game.
I could just yell that this is cheating and invalid, but the other party is, after all, His Majesty. If it were just Iris, I wouldnโt mind, but Iโm torn about whether I should just brush this off. Honestly, Iโm even starting to wonder if it was right of me to refuse the engagement with Iris just because I โdidnโt likeโ it.
That Father and daughter are both grinning like idiots.
I used to think they didnโt look alike at all, but maybe they actually have some similarities after all.
I let out a sigh.
I guess I gave in, or maybe I was just careless.
โFine, fine, I get it. Iโll just have to get the ring ready, right?โ
โGood, youโre being cooperative.โ
โEven though you didnโt give me a chance to resist.โ
Without warning, we were whisked straight from the academy to the royal castle.
I didnโt even have time to brace myself. They came here to finish me off from the start, didnโt they?
โBut Iโm going to decide for myself whether or not I wear the ring, okay?โ
โGo ahead.โ
It was a casual reply.
I never sense any passion in Iris. Sheโs basically detached. Sheโs a princess like a winter night. So why on earth would she want an engagement ring? And why now, of all times?
ใใโใโใโ
โโShe said she wants an engagement ring. What do you think?โ
Instead of the salon, Iโd come to the back of the school building for lunch break today. Iโd called Aisia over and was discussing what happened yesterday.
Her face was smiling as usual, but the corners of her mouth were twitching. Is she feeling under the weather?
โโฆโฆโฆโฆWhat do you mean? I mean, umโฆ do you know what โtactโ is?โ
โSomeone once told me at a party I went to a while back that Iโm fundamentally rude.โ
โI guess so.โ
I donโt get why sheโs so convinced.
She looks unusually tired; maybe the student council is a lot of work. Should I help out sometime? I donโt say it out loudโIโd be in trouble if she took my polite offer seriouslyโbut I am genuinely worried.
But right now, I want her to listen to my problem.
โFirst of all, are you two even engaged?โ
โNo, weโre not.โ
โThen I donโt think itโs necessary.โ
โI agree.โ
โโฆโฆHavenโt you reached a conclusion yet? What exactly is this consultation about?โ
Aisia, sitting next to me with her back against the tree trunk, looks confused.
โBecause His Majesty and Iris said they wanted it.โ
โYou couldnโt refuse?โ
โโฆCouldnโt you refuse, Aisia?โ
โNo way.โ
Well, then itโs impossible.
โBut I thought you would refuse. I thought you were the type who didnโt care about that sort of thing.โ
โWhat kind of type?โ
โThe type who can say โnoโ to things you donโt like.โ
Was I wrong? She hugged her knees and tilted her head.
The sunlight filtering through the branches reflected off her icy eyes. It was a glow unlike that of a gemstoneโone that held a fragility, as if it might melt away at any moment. Unable to keep looking directly at her, I turned my face away from her.
โโฆโฆI got tricked into it after some negotiations.โ
โI see.โ
She didnโt seem to be taking me seriously.
Deep, deep inside. It felt as if the part of me I usually hide was being scratched by her nails.
โI think you should just do whatever you want.โ
Suddenly, she took my hand.
Her skin, translucent in the sunlight, was cold enough to remind me of snow. But her voice lacked its usual neutral, low tone; instead, it held a feminine warmth and richness.
Like a princess, Aisia smiled.
โIโm sure that will be the ending I desire.โ
โโฆโฆNot me?โ
โOf course not.โ
As if she were a different person, her demeanor shifted back to that of a prince.
โIโm allowed to put myself first, arenโt I?โ
ใใโใโใโ
Today, I decided not to take the carriage and to walk home instead.
Iris saw me off without saying much; she just said, โSee you,โ and walked away briskly. It was a simple farewell. I still donโt quite understand the distance between us.
Sometimes she touches me, other times she doesnโt even notice me.
Maybe itโs this kind of freedom that makes things difficult.
My decision to go home alone wasnโt based on any particular plan. I just felt like walking and wanted to be by myself. Lately, Iโve mostly been with Iris, so I havenโt had much time to myself.
I donโt find that suffocating, but I suppose I need some time like this too.
โMaybe I should grab a drink at the tavern for a changeโฆ?โ
Just as I was thinking, โThat might be nice,โ and trying to blend into the bustling noise of the town, a head of black hair caught the corner of my eye. Could it be? Did Iris beat me here? I thought that would be scary in its own way, but it wasnโt her.
For starters, the height was different. She was much shorter than Iris and wearing a maidโs uniform. Even in the crowded capital, black hair was rare, and when combined with a maidโs uniform, I could only think of one person.
โIf I recall correctlyโฆ Irisโs younger sister?โ
No, or was it someone who looked like her younger sister?
I think her name was Lilium. Since it was before we entered the academy and we hardly spoke, my memory was hazy, but that was probably it. That girl was arguing with a man who looked like the shopkeeper right in front of the tavern.
Or rather, the man was ranting at her one-sidedly, and Lilium looked completely terrified. Iโd stumbled into a messy situation. I was inwardly groaning, but even I wouldnโt just stand by and watch a young childโsomeone my acquaintance cares forโget into a fight.
โWho would sell alcohol to an unlucky child like youโโ
โUnlucky? What did you say?โ
When I spoke up, a stern face turned toward me.
With a low, threatening voice and a scowling expression, that tough-looking guy was certainly intimidating. But that look only lasted a moment; when I looked down past his neck, his eyes widened in surprise.
โIโm sorry to have shown you such a messy scene. Is there anything youโd like to buy?โ
His attitude changed instantly, and he flashed a sales-pitch smile that seemed to say, โHere I am!โ
โWhatโs up with that?โ I thought, but then it hit meโit must be the uniform. Schools in the capital are places where nobles attend, unless youโre a scholarship student. Wearing a uniform probably means he recognizes me as a nobleโs child.
Is this like an ID card or something? I tugged at the collar, and it snapped into place.
Huh?
A smile spread across my face. I ruffled Liliumโs black hair as she looked up at me anxiously, then turned to the old man at the bar and ordered with a smile.
โThis girlโs my little sister. I asked her to run an errand for meโis that rude or something?โ
It was kind of amusing to watch his tanned, tough-looking face turn pale right before my eyes.