Becoming friends with Orbis wasn’t everything. Who would have thought the Emperor and ministers would arrange a marriage!

No wonder the rain ritual felt uneasy, I didn’t expect such a butterfly effect to occur.

Though different from the original story she had read, Litania frowned as she vaguely remembered what she had seen in her dreams.

‘Even in the dream, Orbis didn’t want it, but the ministers arranged to send the real Litania as a bride.’

She thought it was just a nonsense dream because it was different from the original, but seeing this chilling accuracy, it might have been a premonitory dream.

Litania avoided the situation with the cliché phrase of asking for time to think and sent the head servant away.

This wouldn’t really avoid it, but it was to buy time.

‘What should I do? How can I avoid this?’

It’s impossible to persuade the Emperor who won’t even meet her.

‘Should I really run away in the night?’

As Litania was agonizing, clutching her head and groaning, Snow approached her side and held out a snack basket.

“Lady Litania, you look tired. Would you like to have something sweet?”

“Only you…”

“Pardon?”

The only option is to run away at night with Snow.

Diligent Snow.

Quietly courageous and bold Snow.

If we do business together, we should at least be able to make a living.

Litania took out a warm muffin from the snack basket Snow offered and took a bite.

Along with the warm sensation that filled her mouth, she felt a comfortably sweet taste.

Indeed, sweets are the best when stressed.

“Does it suit your taste?”

“Thank you, Snow. This is delicious.”

“I’m glad. I’ll bring some tea, so please eat in the shade.”

Thanks to the rain that had fallen for a while, the heat wave had subsided. A fairly cool breeze came through the open window.

But the summer sunlight was still threatening, so Litania sat on a bamboo chair on the roofed balcony and placed the snack basket on the table.

‘This is delicious.’

‘Snow is not only good at making dresses but also at making snacks. Should we open a bakery?’ She was thinking this when…

“Are you crazy? I told you not to get close to that monster!”

The Crown Prince had come.

‘Oh no. Why are you here again?’

Litania looked up at the Crown Prince with a half-eaten muffin in one hand.

Having crossed the sunlight without any servants, the Crown Prince’s face was slightly flushed.

Litania hesitated for a moment, then said what she felt she should say out of courtesy, even if she didn’t mean it.

“Would you like to sit here and have a muffin?”

“How can you eat muffins at a time like this?”

Why does he keep picking fights?

Even if he is the Crown Prince, I’m also a princess, isn’t it crossing the line to treat me so one-sidedly?

He doesn’t seem to have any intention of respecting me, is it right to keep giving in?

Litania felt a bit upset.

“It’s hard to swallow from the moment I see your face.”

“What… Hah, really.”

The Crown Prince sighed as if dumbfounded, glanced at the chair opposite for a moment, then strode over and crossed his arms.

“Marriage with that bastard, I thought you weren’t stupid enough not to know what’s wrong with that, even if you’re uneducated.”

“I don’t know where to start pointing out the issues, but first, I’d like to say that I haven’t expressed any opinion on this matter.”

At Litania’s words, the Crown Prince’s expression softened for a brief moment, then his brow furrowed again.

“You mean you didn’t want this?”

Who would want death?

…That’s what Litania wanted to say honestly, but to avoid giving life spoilers to the Crown Prince, she chose her words carefully.

“I’ve never thought about marrying anyone. I’m not interested either.”

“Then at least say you don’t want to.”

As if the Emperor who won’t even meet me would listen.

…That’s what she wanted to say honestly, but this time too, Litania decided to suppress her frankness.

“Everyone treats me like a fake princess. Do you think my opposition would have any influence on His Majesty’s decision?”

“…”

Having nothing to say, the Crown Prince closed his mouth.

She almost wanted to ask which side was truly stupid for not thinking of such a simple logic and rushing here to pour out criticism.

“The decision will be made unanimously by the bureaucrat ministers. If His Majesty doesn’t oppose, it will be difficult to reverse.”

“Yes, I’m glad you understand…”

“Just endure and wait for a few years.”

“Pardon?”

She was about to tell him to leave now that he understood, but the Crown Prince was still looking down at Litania with furrowed brows.

Judging by his face alone, he looks like someone who came to pick a fight, thoroughly angry.

“When I ascend to the throne, I’ll let you divorce.”

“…”

It seemed the Crown Prince was the crazy one after all.

‘Did he get heatstroke? Why are you deciding my divorce?’

It’s true that she’s afraid of marrying Orbis. It’s true that she has no intention of rushing towards the devastating bad ending of the original story.

It’s true that she was about to make a vague plan to run away at night with Snow.

But divorce?

“That bastard probably isn’t serious either. Don’t get hurt when the time comes.”

She might not get emotionally hurt, but she’s worried about getting other injuries.

Like becoming disabled, for instance.

‘Wait, isn’t this a different flag?’

A political marriage without love.

A married life that’s not sincere, continued with a promise of divorce after a few years.

In another romance fantasy novel, wouldn’t this be the perfect setup for love to blossom, leading to a happy ending?

“Divorce… That sounds good.”

“Right?”

The Crown Prince’s expression, which had been scrunched up like he’d bitten into a bug, relaxed slightly.

“Hmph, I’ll accept your thanks when the time comes.”

What thanks?

…Before Litania could ask, the Crown Prince turned and quickly left.

“What did he come here for anyway?”

“Indeed. As the Crown Prince, he should be doing his work, why does he keep hovering around our Lady Litania? It’s off-putting.”

“That’s disrespectful, Snow.”

“Have some tea, Lady Litania.”

Snow smiled brightly as she served Litania cool tea.

Warm and sweet muffins with tangy cold tea. It was a perfect combination.

Litania thought while eating snacks with Snow.

‘A plausibility can be covered by a greater plausibility. If I say something like “Please divorce me after 3 years” and engage in a contract relationship… Couldn’t I escape death and achieve a romantic ending?’

It’s unclear how far this would work with a divine dragon who doesn’t follow human common sense, but isn’t it said that if you can’t avoid it, enjoy it?

Litania decided to grasp the lifeline before her eyes.

The meeting with Orbis happened suddenly. It wasn’t unusual to encounter him as he would appear unexpectedly at her quarters even without her calling.

The issue was that this time, Litania had requested the meeting.

“You asking to see me first. How surprising.”

Yes. I’m surprised too.

…That’s what Litania wanted to answer, but she chose her words carefully.

“His Majesty the Emperor intends to proceed with our marriage.”

“Yes, I’ve heard.”

Orbis smiled brightly.

“To avoid any misunderstanding, I should say that this wasn’t my intention.”

Though she had some doubts, if he says it wasn’t, she had to believe him. Litania nodded.

From the Emperor’s perspective, there was nothing bad about forming a marital alliance between the imperial family and the divine dragon.

It was a kind of bonding, you could say. Alliances through marriage had been common in the past, so it wasn’t surprising.

Rather, it’s strange that this is the first time a marriage proposal has come up, hundreds of years after the divine dragon became the guardian of the imperial family.

Of course, the problem is that the moment you become the person involved, all that reasonableness turns into resentment.

“As I said before, I have no intention of marrying…”

“About that, Litania.”

Orbis interrupted Litania’s words with a gentle smile.

“If you have no intention of marrying, I think a marriage with me could be quite a good choice.”

…Is it because this dragon isn’t human? His way of thinking is strange.

‘I said I don’t want to marry, so why are you saying I should marry you? That doesn’t make sense!’

When Litania looked at him with surprised rabbit eyes, he narrowed his eyes and tilted his head.

“You said you don’t want to marry, but it would be difficult to go against His Majesty the Emperor’s orders. The only way to nullify the marriage would be for me to request it from the Emperor, but that would make the relationship with the imperial family awkward.”

That’s true. The Emperor would be most worried about that too.

“Where do you think the disappointed Emperor’s resentment would be directed? It wouldn’t lead to a good result for you. The final decision on the imperial descendant’s marriage lies with the Emperor. There’s a possibility you could be forced into an engagement with someone else.”

“Are you saying choosing you is better than an unknown man?”

“That’s not entirely what I mean, but if you marry me, there’s one thing you can definitely gain.”

“One thing?”

“Freedom.”

Freedom.

Freedom from the Emperor’s interference.

If she marries another man, as long as she stays within this empire, it would be difficult to escape the Emperor’s influence.

Especially if the partner is a noble. Despite usually being neglected as a fake royal, she would be called upon and used here and there as a princess when needed. Especially for a mistreated princess, it would be even more so.

“As long as you’re under my protection, you won’t have to deal with such tiresome matters.”