Jenny, with tears like chicken droppings, still shook her head.
“You are strong…”
“… But this isn’t about strength. No matter how strong you are, being thrown to a barbarian horde is unpredictable.”
I shook my head, indicating that wasn’t the issue.
“You know one thing, but not the other.”
“Huh?”
“Think about it. Becoming a princess of the royal family. A princess, understand?”
“That’s honorable, but still! Marrying a barbarian for that, what kind of princess is that? It’s just…”
Jenny couldn’t finish her sentence. I stared at her silently.
“Like a woman in a brothel?”
She turned pale, trembling at the harsh words. I grabbed her elbow as she nearly knelt down.
‘What’s the big deal about this?’
In the underground world of Amtein, I knew women who were exploited by vile pimps.
Stealing from such pimps to secretly hand over to these women was a minor hobby of mine.
I gazed at Jenny’s youthful face in the mirror.
“If my mother hadn’t died for the Earl, I would’ve been sold to a poor farmer long ago. She disliked me, so she would’ve sent me anywhere for money.”
“Surely not! You’re so important here, why would they do that?”
I used to think that too. Important, despite my low birth, to the Lorenst family.
‘But that was a misconception.’
I shrugged.
“And anyway, you’re the Earl’s foster daughter now.”
“It’s just my mother’s legacy. She wouldn’t have wanted it.”
At my cynical remark, Jenny hesitated, confused.
“The Earl cares about you.”
“Does it look like that?”
“Miss…”
Jenny looked at me sadly. I responded nonchalantly.
“Sure, there’s some affection from growing up together.”
Although it was pathetically shallow.
Jenny’s face turned gloomy.
“Why sacrifice yourself for the Lorenst family, thinking like that?”
“Sacrifice?”
I burst into laughter at her question, and she looked at me wide-eyed. I stopped laughing and shook my head.
“I have no such intentions.”
“Then why?”
As I was about to answer.
Knock knock.
Our eyes met. The only person who would knock on my door at this hour was one.
Jenny hurried and carefully opened the door.
Hubert entered through the opened door.
“Igraine.”
Behind him, Jenny closed the door. Her fidgety expression, unsure about our conversation, was typical of her innocent nature.
I shifted my gaze from Jenny in the mirror to Hubert. He looked at me with an unreadable expression. Only then did I check my attire.
Wearing a translucent slip as pajamas, my body line was clearly visible.
As I put on a thin outer garment, Hubert coughed and approached closer.
“What brings you here at this hour?”
“Just wanted to talk.”
We sat across from each other at the round table. He avoided my gaze for a while in silence.
Jenny’s hopeful look made me almost laugh.
Does she think he’s here to revoke sending me as a princess?
If that’s her expectation, Jenny needs to develop a better sense of judgment.
‘Not that I’m one to talk.’
Hubert Lorenst is like a hyena with the feathers of a peacock.
“Didn’t you say you’re going to the palace early tomorrow?”
Meaning, state your business and leave soon.
Finally, he looked at me.
His appearance struck me anew.
Soft golden hair, intellectual green eyes, fair skin. A gentle demeanor that met all the requirements of nobility. His beauty was indeed impressive, capable of making anyone mistakenly believe in his kindness.
I gazed intently at the face that used to make my young heart flutter.
Similarly looking at me, Hubert coughed.
“I wanted to talk about today’s matter.”
“Speak.”
“Are you serious?”
“…….”
“Do you understand what this means?”
His green eyes peered into mine.
‘Crazy. Does he think I said yes without knowing anything?’
Yet, asking me this – is it out of concern?
‘No. He’s trying to probe my mind.’
Quick-thinking as he is. He might not know I died and came back, but I averted my eyes to avoid revealing my thoughts.
“What do you hope for?”
“What?”
I looked at his exquisitely formed hand resting on the table and said,
“Master.”
A term I used for him in my childhood.
“Do you wish for me to become a princess instead of Miss Aris?”
Hubert was silent. I wondered what he would say.
After a while, his lips, always meticulously poised, opened. Unknowingly, I leaned into his voice.
“You have no idea how I feel right now, Igraine.”
His voice, softly saying my name, brought back faded memories.
The daughter of a disregarded nursemaid and the kind master. A relationship I once mistakenly thought was ‘special.’
His soft voice, protecting me from my mother’s scolding, overlapped with his adult voice.
“It hurts.”
“…….”
“To have you say such things.”
“…….”
“Did I ask if I should send you to the palace instead of Aris? Igraine, would I do that?”
His face darkened, and a heavy sigh escaped through his slightly opened lips.
“The nobility’s mood is grim. Everyone’s looking for a scapegoat. The king expects our family’s support. In such a situation, it was hard to strongly oppose using someone from our family.”
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
