“Sickly Valterminster Duke graduated long ago.”

There it was again. Yuri Hsien’s eyes narrowed. She wasn’t evaluating Valterminster Duke. She just didn’t like it. He was still leaning against the terrace railing, enjoying the warm sunlight.

“The princess said so earlier.”

Princess, that word stung in the middle of her chest. She didn’t know why. It was a conversation topic she didn’t want to share. She quickly apologized and wanted to change the subject, but Valterminster Duke was one step ahead.

“The person I proposed to is not Yuri Hsien, but Windsor Princess.”

It was a strange thing. It was natural for a noble to see her as Windsor Princess. Because she was Windsor Princess.

Yuri Hsien had long struggled with conflict and selfidentity between Windsor Princess and herself, but that didn’t mean she was still agonizing. She had defined it once.

Yet, why did she hate to hear an order that had already been established once from Valterminster Duke’s mouth? At the moment when Valterminster Duke’s lips opened, Yuri Hsien, who had hastily searched her heart, found the answer.

Yuri Hsien knew this in her head, not her heart. She could only say ‘I am me’ rationally; her feelings were still asking ‘Yuri Hsien bears the attacks received as Windsor Princess, why can’t Yuri Hsien express any emotions as Windsor Princess?’

This incessant conflict was a doubleedged sword. It allowed Yuri Hsien to quickly regain her sanity and quickly suppress her emotions.

Thanks to this, Yuri Hsien had been able to endure the loss of Ulgen for a long time, and even after experiencing Hiscliffe’s betrayal yesterday, she could converse with the crown prince without any problem now.

But now a doubt arises.

‘Was this really… an advantage?’

Wasn’t it merely suppressing me, killing my emotions, nothing more than a brainwashing device?

Valterminster Duke asked.

“Does every marriage have to have a purpose?”

It was such an irrelevant conversation, and Yuri Hsien blinked in silence for a moment. She thought he would answer yes or no to the fact that he had proposed to Windsor Princess.

“I know that not every marriage is romantic.”

For a moment, Yuri Hsien’s body stiffened. Valterminster Duke had precisely spoken what she always thought. She felt exposed.

“But that doesn’t mean every marriage has to be barren.”

Valterminster Duke spoke such naive words. Her body, stiff like a dry branch, slowly relaxed.

‘Has he been recuperating in the temple for a long time, or living as a guild leader?’

He was not at all like a noble, and this would surely be a fatal weakness in the noble society he was about to enter.

Yuri Hsien thought she should correct or draw a line in the crown prince’s thoughts here. Because nothing is as dangerous as having someone with a fatal weakness by your side.

“That’s not bad. Living with at least one romance in a stern life.”
But why is that? Why doesn’t she easily open her mouth? Because she’s already made up her mind to marry? Therefore, at those naive words…… is that why her heart is pounding like this?

“How it will sound, I don’t know, but I want to marry you.”

Now it’s not “the princess” but ‘you’. As if Yuri Hsien were tied to the title “princess,” like someone who knows it.

All along, probing, and now, as if she’s found a gap, she comes right in, calling her ‘you’.

“Actually, I don’t care whether you hear this as Yuri Hsien or as the Windsor Princess.”

It’s a very bad and reckless statement. She wildly sends forth a wave of emotion that’s almost threatening. Yuri Hsien can only stagger helplessly in that wave. What’s strange is that this helplessness doesn’t feel that bad.

Benjamin smirked, looking at Yuri Hsien who couldn’t say anything.

“I only see you.”