A smile was on Callid’s lips as he returned to the royal palace. He felt good, as if he had won against Derick, seeing his flustered expression. Even if it was childish, he couldn’t help it. That was his honest feeling.

‘The Sellon Marquis family…’

He seemed to not want to get involved in the struggle for the throne.

Originally, Derick had no desire to enter the marquis family, and if he became the heir, he would inevitably be involved in the struggle for the throne that he so hated, so from Derick’s perspective, the option of entering the marquis family would be unthinkable.

Callid also didn’t feel the need to persuade someone who clearly didn’t want to.

This was a matter where trust was important, after all.

‘Still, connecting with the master of Lunes is a big achievement.’

Derick had said he would help, using Bellia as an excuse.

His evasive behavior was a bit vexing, but it wasn’t a bad answer, as it meant the weight was tipped a little more towards this side when weighing between the first and second princes.

Of course, it wasn’t very pleasant that he answered mentioning Bellia’s name.

“Hoo…”

Callid leaned back fully against the backrest, crossing his arms.

Just recalling her name made him miss her.

‘It’s serious.’

Somehow the symptoms seem to be getting worse.

But Callid smiled and closed his eyes.

Thinking that he should go see Bellia right away as soon as he arrives at the royal palace.

The library was quiet, which Bellia liked very much.

Since she was young, she preferred enjoying quiet time alone rather than noisy environments.

Today too, she was reading a book in the library to avoid the bustling atmosphere, when suddenly someone brought a chair in front of her and sat down, staring at her intently.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“How am I looking at you?”

Bellia, unable to say that he wasn’t looking at her with a face that seemed to say he was dying of love, pressed her lips shut. Then she changed the subject.

“How did the trip go?”

Though Callid clearly noticed that she deliberately changed the subject, he went along with Bellia and began to answer.

“Well. As expected.”

“Is that so? How was he when you met him?”

Bellia’s body leaned slightly towards him, as if curious. Callid replied in a sullen voice, seeing Bellia show interest in another man when she had no reaction to seeing him earlier.

“He seemed smart.”

“Ahaha. What’s that? You’re stating the obvious.”

Derick is someone who runs an information guild.

To say he seemed smart after meeting such a person.

Bellia said with a voice still tinged with laughter.

“He will take our hand. I’m planning to meet and persuade him soon.”

“He didn’t seem like someone who would listen just because you persuade him.”

“Hmm. Derick is a good person, so he might listen if I earnestly persuade him?”

When Bellia answered in a playful tone, Callid’s eyebrows raised.

“You think he’s a good person?”

“Of course.”

“Why?”

“When I met him then, he had a good impression?”

Bellia swallowed many stories she couldn’t tell him.

So she tried to pass it off as a joke, but Callid abruptly asked.

“…Then what about me?”

“Huh? Ahahahaha.”

Bellia burst into laughter at the sudden question.

He often showed jealous behavior in unexpected moments like this.

“Bellia. Why aren’t you answering?”

“Hahaha.”

“Hm? What do you think of me?”

She thought it was a bit cute how he urged for an answer in a very serious tone. The question that didn’t suit him at all was also amusing.

Come to think of it, he was like that when he kept bringing flowers last time too.

How does he always do such unexpected things?

“Well, you’re a good person too.”

When Bellia answered, stifling her escaping laughter, Callid’s expression became gloomy.

Bellia, deciding to stop teasing him now that she had laughed plenty, opened her mouth seriously.

“I have a way to persuade Derick. I know his weakness.”

“Are you going to blackmail him with his weakness?”

Bellia burst into laughter again at Callid’s question.

She wasn’t usually prone to laughing, but why did laughter keep coming out like this?

Bellia felt that his actions kept seeming strangely cute.

“Blackmail? I just know what he wants most right now, and I think I can help solve it, so I’m just going to ask him.”

Though she spoke lightly, it was as good as confirmed in Bellia’s plan. Derick would never be able to refuse her request.

In her previous life, Derick had shown goodwill towards her first and treated her well. She remembered feeling very grateful for Derick’s kindness, as few people showed goodwill to her after being abandoned by the emperor.

She felt a bit guilty about being so calculating towards him now, but since this would actually be a miraculous gift for Derick too, Bellia decided to proceed shamelessly.

“More importantly, are the engagement ceremony preparations going well?”

“They say a representative from the empire is coming.”

“Who did they say was coming?”

It would be nice if it was someone she knew.

The emperor would surely send someone who supported Raul.

Since the first prince was already here, and Raul had lost face by being rejected by Bellia, he wouldn’t want to create a situation that would give Callid even more advantage.

“Marquis Sellon.”

“That’s quite a coincidence.”

When she changed the topic from talk of his son, the father appeared.

“He’s just coming to boost Raul’s morale, so there’s no need to worry much about it.”

Bellia agreed with that statement.

“More importantly. Did you try on the dress I sent?”

He seemed to be referring to the engagement ceremony dress he had sent recently.

He kept sending various gifts. First a necklace, then shoes, a bracelet, and even a dress. His excitement for the engagement ceremony was palpable, so she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

“Yes, it was very pretty. But Callid.”

Bellia hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“It’s not common for the person getting married to personally take care of all the clothes like this, is it?”

“What does that matter?”

Bellia was even more flustered by Callid’s brazen response.

“No, I mean… If you take care of even such small details, in people’s eyes…”

Bellia tried hard to explain, but she soon stopped speaking when she met Callid’s gaze that genuinely seemed to say ‘so what?’

“Never mind. Thank you.”

Thinking that the embarrassing and shy feelings were her share.

Three months had already passed since Callid came to the Ronica Kingdom.

Though it was a short period, many letters were exchanged after she received his proposal, and the wedding date was set for next spring.

“It’s fortunate that we can at least have the engagement ceremony in the Ronica Kingdom.”

Closet said, sprawled very informally on the sofa.

“What? You’re not planning to come to the wedding?”

“Of course I have to go.”

Unlike the affirmative words, the voice that gave the answer lacked enthusiasm somewhere.

Bellia laughed out loud, looking at Closet like that.

Thinking of her younger sister who had been complaining throughout the engagement preparations, she kept finding her cute.

“Do you dislike me getting married?”

“Nooo.”

“It doesn’t seem like you like it though?”

“Well, my heart just feels a bit noisy.”

Closet answered elegantly, imitating their mother.

But since her posture was still sprawled on the sofa, Bellia burst into laughter.

“Woo!”

Closet puffed up her cheeks, looking at her sister who seemed very excited without understanding her feelings.

“You’re not going straight to the empire after the engagement ceremony, right?”

The leaders of the Ingot Empire and Ronica Kingdom decided to split many things evenly between the two places for an equal alliance relationship, without leaning towards one side.

Since Callid, the person getting married, was already here, they decided to hold a simple engagement ceremony in the Ronica Kingdom earlier, and then have the wedding ceremony in the empire later.

‘The wedding is next spring… There’s not much time left.’

Still, it seemed the emperor considered the alliance with the Ronica Kingdom more important than expected.

‘Well, there’s also the joint gold mine investigation… From the empire’s perspective, it would be much more beneficial to keep the internally solid Ronica Kingdom close.’

Bellia coldly assessed the situation.

She remembered that in her previous life too, when she first went to the empire, the emperor had treated her extremely well.

‘That was also because I was Raul’s wife, but…’

It was certain that there was also some calculation regarding the Ronica Kingdom.

In the first place, if the Ronica Kingdom had been an insignificant small country, the emperor would not have approved the marriage at all.

‘He must have carefully chosen and married off the most helpful place to empower Raul.’

Bellia’s only worry was the fact that she was marrying a son the emperor cared for.

She had wondered if her treatment would change because of that, but it seemed his political stance was neutral.

‘There’s no need to waste energy on unnecessary things.’

If the emperor continued this attitude, she probably wouldn’t suffer much disadvantage even after arriving in the empire and living as a prince’s wife. For now, the tag of being a princess of the Ronica Kingdom would be more meaningful than the name of being Prince Callid’s wife.

Bellia preferred this level of attention rather than receiving too much. After all, it would be more convenient to scheme with fewer restrictions on movement.

“…I have a few more things to prepare. Once that’s finished, I’ll have to go to the empire right away.”

Closet abruptly sat up from her sprawled position.

“You could just send the second prince and stay here until the wedding next year, sister.”

Closet felt increasingly hurt by her sister’s attempts to leave as soon as possible, wondering why she was in such a hurry to go to the empire already.

“How could I do that?”

Closet turned her head away sharply, seeing her sister smile without understanding her feelings.

Then she hugged her knees and buried her face.

“…If I had known sister would get married so quickly, I should have said the second prince was no good too.”

“What?”

Bellia let out a hollow laugh.

“Why are you rushing into marriage like this?”

Closet grumbled to herself.

Bellia was dumbfounded.

“Closet. Do you know how old I am when you’re saying this?”

“Tch.”

Sometimes she was so mature it was worrying, but looking at her now, she was still a child.

“Thinking conventionally, I’m late in getting married.”

“What’s late! Even elder brother isn’t married yet!”

Closet unnecessarily brought up Herald who was just minding his own business.

“Well, elder brother will probably get married soon too.”

“…Sister doesn’t know anything.”

Closet muttered with a sullen expression, as if Bellia not understanding her feelings was vexing.

Then she let out a big sigh and asked.

“By the way, will the first prince come to the engagement ceremony?”

Closet looked very curious.

After all, it was practically the same as Raul being rejected by Bellia. Many others seemed very curious about it too.

“Who knows.”

Given his personality, he would surely come, right?

On the surface, he would pretend to be a nice person, laughing and congratulating his brother’s engagement. Then he would grind his teeth behind the scenes, building up anger towards Callid.

“Come to think of it, it’s funny if the first prince comes, but it’s also strange if he doesn’t…”

“He’ll probably come.”

Because he’s a person who cares most about his public image.

‘Someday I’ll reveal that mask to everyone.’

Bellia ground her teeth.