“Wear this?”
Annette was bewildered, having never fussed over clothes like this before. Laid out in front of her was a light pink dress adorned with lace and frills.
The one-piece nightgown she had worn earlier felt quite airy and was a burden in itself, but this dress made her realize that the nightgown was comparatively modest.
“It looks even prettier than the ones Bridget used to wear when she was young…”
The dress gleamed with a subtle sheen, indicating the use of high-quality fabric, and felt incredibly soft to the touch.
The Alcan Empire, known for its inherited powers, was also famous for not having princesses born in its royal lineage. Considering that the current Emperor and Empress only had a prince, Annette wondered where such a dress for a young girl could have come from.
“Empress Charlotte thinks you will look very cute… Ah, sorry!”
Realizing her mistake in speaking so informally, the maid hurriedly covered her mouth and then spoke more solemnly.
“She personally selected it, saying it would suit you very well.”
“…I see.”
Annette, used to being the subject of mockery and contempt, found no rudeness in the maid’s words. She nodded in understanding, accepting the dress as it was personally prepared by the Empress herself.
‘It’s not like I can demand other clothes in this situation, anyway.’
Given the complexity of the child-sized dress, Annette reluctantly asked the maids to help her get dressed. She felt embarrassed about her emaciated body, revealing her ribs, and avoided their gaze while being dressed. Soon, the maids had trimmed her long hair that reached down to her buttocks, into a pretty style.
Annette, adorned for the first time by the careful hands of the maids, thought blankly.
‘…Is this some new form of torment?’
“Let me introduce myself again. I am Charlotte, Empress of the Alcan Empire.”
Annette, having just changed into her new attire, was led not to an audience hall or a parlor but to a banquet hall.
The table was lavishly set with everything from easily digestible health foods to luxurious dishes that made one’s mouth water. Lost in the sight, Annette snapped back to attention at Charlotte’s voice.
Startled, she looked up, only to see the Empress burst into laughter.
Charlotte, who hardly looked like the mother of an 8-year-old son, smiled refreshingly.
Feeling ticklish inside at the sight of the Empress smiling at her, Annette blushed and apologized.
“Sorry.”
“No need to apologize. It’s natural to be hungry after your journey from the kingdom. Please, have some.”
“…Thank you.”
Annette nodded more comfortably at Charlotte’s words.
However, unaccustomed to such a lavish spread, she was at a loss as to what to eat first. Moreover, having always dined alone in her tent during campaigns, she found it awkward to eat with someone else.
‘It’s a relief that the Emperor isn’t here…’
Then Charlotte started with the steaming soup. Following her lead, Annette carefully scooped some soup with a spoon and brought it to her lips.
Swallowing the soup, she felt its rich flavor fill her mouth. The warm, smooth liquid seemed to relax her already weary body.
Gradually, her guard seemed to lower.
Annette glanced at the Empress, now taking a bite of the fresh salad.
Charlotte met Annette’s gaze and smiled gently, her eyes softening. In her eyes, Annette found no trace of contempt or hostility, rather a mix of something akin to affection. Having lived a life surrounded by negative views, Annette was more sensitive to this and felt perplexed by it.
She felt sorry for even briefly suspecting that Charlotte was mocking her. Annette was unfamiliar and confused with this strange, foreign emotion swelling in her chest, so she lowered her eyes again and cautiously took another spoonful of soup.
“When it’s just us, feel free to call me Charlotte.”
“Cough, cough…!” Annette, taken aback by this sudden closeness in her manner of speaking, choked on her soup. Charlotte offered her a handkerchief, while continuing firmly.
“We’ll soon be family, after all. It’s good to be close, isn’t it?”
Annette’s eyes widened at that.
‘Family?’
She had come to the empire to marry Harzgent, the Grand Duke, but she never thought she would gain a family. Charlotte’s awkward smile upon seeing Annette’s stunned face suggested she realized her mistake.
“The Emperor apologizes for being late.”
Lucius strode into the banquet hall and sat next to Charlotte, apologizing.
“Sorry for my tardiness. I was confirming the princess’s identity to report urgently to Harzgent. The Grand Duke…”
Lucius paused, noticing the unusual silence between Charlotte and Annette.
“What happened?”
“Nothing at all, Your Majesty.”
Fortunately, Charlotte broke the awkwardness first.
“What did the Grand Duke say? Surely he must be rushing here upon hearing that Annette, the Knight of Heyworth, has arrived?”
“Well, about that…”
Annette felt a chill run through her as she watched Lucius hesitate. Her heart, which had been beating fast as if she had turned into a child, began to slow down.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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