I was at a loss for words.

Do men really think that way?

“But I’ve never even met Casian in person.”

He laughed softly.

“Since he knew you, he would have sent the letters.”

I stared blankly at the letter.

A pile of letters.

‘Casian likes me…?’

I had never thought of it that way.

When I saw the letters in the locker, they weren’t love letters like the ones other boys had sent.

Moreover, we had never talked about such matters while exchanging letters.

“It seems he’s a timid man who doesn’t let Her Highness notice his feelings. He’s very careful.”

My face flushed with embarrassment.

So, have I been exchanging letters with a man who likes me all this time?

“But, but if what Hertian says is true, it would hurt Casian if I were to send him a marriage announcement, right?”

My words came out in a stutter.

“What does Her Highness think?”

In my confusion, Hertian threw a peculiar question at me.

“If he were to propose to Her Highness, would you abandon me?”

I couldn’t answer rashly.

If Casian, who likes me, knew my circumstances and willingly agreed to marry, then I would….

“I wouldn’t abandon you.”

I would still choose Hertian.

Because he didn’t have any lingering feelings for me.

“……I see.”

Hertian replied dryly.

Even though I gave him the answer he wanted, his face contorted strangely.

A mansion with an atmosphere as grand as it was dark and melancholy came into view.

The deep purple of the exterior and wallpaper reminded me of the dark hair of Violet.

The Sharfen Duke’s House.

This was the last place I visited before my wedding. I wanted to personally deliver the invitation to Violet, who had helped me.

“Lady Violet, have you been well?”

And a woman, fitting well with the mansion, ran towards me. She grasped my hand joyously.

“Princess Anette, have you been doing well?”

“Thanks to you, I have been well. Thank you for inviting me to the mansion.”

“I’m sorry I invited you so late.”

Inviting someone over meant a lot to Violet, who, being a bastard, had a limited social circle, even as the head of the duke’s house.

“Please, come in.”

Violet’s smile was as beautiful as a flower covered in morning dew.

If I were a man, I would have fallen for Violet, she was so pretty.

‘She’s fully opened her heart to me.’

There was nothing happier than that.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t thank you sooner for lending me the carriage that day, and for your help.”

I recalled the day I had visited the emperor.

Without her, I would have been unable to have a proper conversation with the emperor because of Serdis’s sabotage.

“I merely repaid a favor, nothing more.”

Violet only smiled pleasantly and warmly.

“Lady Violet. I have good news.”

To lighten the mood, I called her with a bright voice.

“What is it?”

“Just a moment.”

I handed her the white paper bag I had brought to deliver to her.
The Belladonna flower, imprinted on the babypink seal, was the crest of the Leangberia Earldom. Receiving the envelope from me, Violet didn’t hurriedly open it but calmly waited until I had finished explaining.

“I’m getting married. Your Highness.”

Her lovely eyes widened.

“Pardon? Lady Anette. Suddenly talking about marriage, what does that mean? I’ve never heard such a thing.”

Considering she had no close friends in the social circle, it was understandable she hadn’t heard.

“It’s an invitation. Please, open it.”

Violet must have been disappointed inwardly, having kept up a bright facade, knowing that Serdis liked me.

As a princess, there was a high possibility of her becoming a prince’s wife, but with the influential Serdis’ decision being absolute…

If he picked me, Violet, with neither power nor support, would be helpless.

However, what if I got married?

That would change the story.

“I’m surprised it’s an invitation.”

“It was a brief meeting, but I felt that it wouldn’t work with this person, so I decided to hold the wedding ceremony in a hurry.”

Violet’s gaze, trembling like a reed, shifted from my face to the invitation.

“You’re curious about who the other party is, right? Please, open it.”

She gently scraped off the seal with a letter knife that the maid, who was standing at a distance, had brought over, and took out the babypink invitation from inside.

The sun shone on her face as she looked at the invitation.

Having read the invitation with a calm face, she pressed the paper close to her face to confirm whether she had found Hertian’s name.

“Duke BlanDiche?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“The Duke was on the battlefield for two years and only returned a short while ago.”

She seemed to find it hard to believe.

In fact, Hertian hadn’t set foot in the capital as he had been roaming the battlefield for two years after receiving his duchy.

“I’m embarrassed to admit, but I fell in love at first sight.”

By now, I was proficient at telling lies.

“….Ah.”

Violet let out a faint sigh.

She was supposed to congratulate me on getting married to someone other than Serdis, as I expected. However, unexpectedly, she didn’t look very pleased.

“Your Highness?”

“Huhu…….”

Tears began to fall drop by drop from her eyes, which were like Lily of the valley flowers.

“I’m just so happy….”

She was sobbing with her eyes wide open and her nose running, a far cry from the elegance she had shown when we first met. I handed her the handkerchief I was holding. Hesitating for a moment, Violet buried her face in the handkerchief and lifted her head after a while.

“Please, teach me your secret too. Getting married to the one you fell in love with at first sight. Honestly, I’m envious, Your Ladyship.”

She really was a very adorable princess.