Smiling at Alicia, Kate looked at her with an expression that indicated she couldn’t fathom what Alicia was thinking.
Two weeks later.
Alicia headed to the palace to meet Princess Valerie.
Sitting face to face in a meeting room within the palace, the two remained silent for a while.
Princess Valerie, still smiling politely, was the first to speak.
“I’m sorry, Miss Lancaster. I called you here.”
“No, we should match it with the princess’s schedule. I’m the one making the request this time.”
“Yes. Shall we hear it then?”
Princess Valerie smiled leisurely, waiting for Alicia to speak.
“Yes, Your Highness. First, for this betrothal, there’s something the princess must give up.”
“Give up?”
Alicia smiled at Princess Valerie, who was tilting her head in confusion.
“Yes. Renouncing the nationality and princess status of the Valorian Empire.”
“What?”
Shocked by the unexpected news, the princess stood up from her seat.
“It’s outrageous. Do you even know what you’re talking about right now?”
“Yes, I do.”
Despite the princess’s angry tone, Alicia calmly responded without changing her expression.
“Count Russell is the commander of the Britannian Empire’s knights and has extensive experience in fighting monsters. It’s impossible to transfer that experience to another country, especially the Valorian Empire.”
“What?”
“His Majesty the Emperor also shares the same opinion on this matter.”
“You .”
“Oh, by the way, I heard that Valua is sending a sorcerer in exchange for data sharing. Is that correct?”
In response to Alicia’s casual question, the princess, glaring at her, remained silent.
“It’s fortunate that Your Highness is a sorceress. I heard you played a significant role during the museum incident last time.”
“Why bring up that now?”
“In the future, depending on how much Your Highness contributes to monster extermination as a sorceress of the Britannian Empire, His Majesty the Emperor mentioned considering data sharing with the Valorian Empire.”
“······.”
“It’s really fortunate, isn’t it? You may have to give up your nationality, but you can still do something for your homeland.”
While smiling, Alicia looked at Princess Valerie with a bewildered expression.
The princess, who was gripping the table, involuntarily clenched her fists. She had casually thought that Alicia might ask for money at most, but the unexpected proposal caught her off guard. However, she was also a Valorian princess of the Great Empire. She couldn’t be easily swayed like a mere noblewoman from Britannia.
Just as the princess was about to speak, Alicia spoke first.
“Please sit, Your Highness. There’s no need to be so upset.”
“······.”
Princess Valerie took a small breath and slowly took her seat. Revealing emotions at the negotiation table was akin to losing. Of course, Princess Valerie was unaware that she had turned herself into a subject of ‘negotiation’ from someone who had made a ‘demand’ on Alicia.
Meanwhile, Alicia, realizing she could now speak on equal terms, smiled leisurely. Not liking that smile, Princess Valerie, suppressing her boiling anger, finally spoke.
“You’re right. This is a betrothal.”
Princess Valerie had already put away the politeness meant to cover her inner thoughts. If she were to deal with this wicked woman sitting in front of her, she had to be the ‘princess.’
“In the Britannian Empire, you can make such demands. But in a betrothal, nations exchange mutual benefits. So, what does the Valorian Empire gain?”
“Oh my, Your Highness. It seems like you’re having a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding?”
“I mentioned last time that today I would talk about the compensation I’ll receive. It’s not the compensation for the betrothal, but something personal that Your Highness will give me.”
“What? How dare you make such a joke. Do you not know who I am? What if it becomes a diplomatic issue?”
Threateningly discussing coercion, Princess Valerie slammed the table.
Facing the fierce gaze of the princess, Alicia smiled.
“Didn’t Your Highness tell me to step back for the peace between Britannia and Valua and the harmony of the continent?”
“So?”
“So, I’m considering my response from a just perspective. Of course, Your Highness may consider the continent, but I, having a limited view, can only think about Britannia.”
“······What if I can’t give an answer? Will you not quietly step back?”
Looking at Alicia, who remained silent in response to her question, the princess smirked as if to ridicule her.
“Do you know how much I underestimated you? I’m the Valorian princess. Whether it’s the engagement or whatever, I can break it off anytime.”
“······.”
“I would have preferred if you had demanded money instead. You, quite maliciously, acted, but now you won’t get anything from me.”
Alicia, silently enduring the words pouring out of the angry princess, sighed as if acknowledging the inevitable.
“Of course, I expected Your Highness to react like this.”
“What?”
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
