Episode 9
Reina, abandoning her hesitation, eagerly dug into the mont blanc with her fork.
Kaiden, watching closely while sipping coffee, chuckled.
“Looks tasty.”
“Yes! It’s delicious. Have some, Duke.”
“I hate sweets.”
Reina, taken aback by his firm refusal, asked,
“Then why prepare so much?”
“I didn’t know what you’d like, so I told Ben to get a variety.”
“All this is for me?”
“Yes. So you can eat it all, Princess.”
Kaiden smirked, as if her surprise was trivial.
Reina’s eyes wavered as she scanned the towering dessert tray.
“But it’s too much for one person.”
Even one tier seemed filling.
Her look, as if he planned to burst her, made Kaiden puzzled.
“Well, to me, it looks like you need to eat more.”
He gestured, estimating her height, prompting her to bristle.
“I’m fully grown!”
“That? You’ve got more growing to do.”
Kaiden muttered seriously.
His genuine tone made Reina glum.
‘Am I that skinny?’
In her past life, he’d often called her a shriveled cucumber.
Glancing at her wrist, she grew gloomier.
Though fleshier than before, compared to his thick wrist, hers looked tiny.
His towering height made her feel even smaller beside him.
Reina muttered rebelliously,
“…You’re rude like it’s breathing.”
“I hear that a lot.”
Her retort deflected, she was speechless.
“What are you doing? Eat.”
Outdone by Kaiden, Reina refocused on the desserts.
When she was too full to continue, Kaiden got to business.
“Now, let’s discuss our marriage. Fair warning: the North is harsher than you think.”
Likely meaning not to expect princess treatment.
But Reina, who survived a decade underground on the brink of death, cared only for freedom.
“That’s fine.”
“It’s not that simple—”
“If food’s scarce, I’m fine with one meal a day. I can go days without eating.”
Her casual reply chilled the air.
Sensing the shift, Reina looked up to see Kaiden and Ben’s stern faces.
Kaiden asked coldly,
“Did the palace starve you?”
“What?”
“No, not that I know.”
Ben’s firm answer made Kaiden glare at Reina, more menacingly.
“Did you think I’d starve you?”
“No! I just wanted to show my resolve…”
Realizing his misunderstanding, Reina tried to clarify, but it was too late.
“That resolve isn’t needed. What lunatic tells his bride to eat once a day?”
Reina nearly mentioned fasting but held back, fearing his anger.
“…Sorry.”
Her sullen apology softened Kaiden’s expression.
“Anyway, discuss supplies for the North with Ben. Since His Majesty approved your departure, tell Ben if you need anything.”
“When do we do the oath?”
“That can only happen in the North, so tell me if you change your mind.”
“Change my mind?”
“If you do, what can I do? You couldn’t return to the capital alone, so I’d lose nothing.”
Kaiden’s nonchalant reply made Reina gape.
“You mean you’d trust me without the oath?”
Her touched expression puzzled Kaiden, who glanced at Ben.
Her reaction was far from what he expected.
He asked Ben, uncertain,
“Didn’t I just threaten her?”
“You did. Scarily.”
Ben answered matter-of-factly.
A threat, yet she’s happy.
Is she mad?
Unable to fathom Reina’s reaction, Kaiden tilted his head.
“What’s with her?”
Ben smiled kindly at his genuine curiosity.
“Well, maybe she likes threats… Kidding.”
His jest earned Kaiden’s glare, and Ben quickly backtracked.
Kaiden sighed, her odd reaction undeniable.
‘Does she not fear threats? Or is the oath just a means to prove her resolve? To make me trust her?’
Either way, her desperation was reckless.
Her resolve was too heavy to be just escaping royal harassment.
Kaiden eyed Reina warily.
She was unlike typical noble ladies.
Most tried to impress or feared him.
Proposing unannounced already set her apart.
Reina was different, oddly familiar, almost disconcertingly so.
“Anyway, until the farewell party, I’ll visit often to stage dates.”
“Great.”
“I use informal speech with close people. As a married couple, we should. Is that okay?”
“Great… Wait, informal with close people?”
Reina parroted, then widened her eyes.
In her past life, he’d used informal speech from the start.
Her startled look, like a rabbit meeting a wolf, was oddly cute.
Kaiden covered his upturned lips, saying,
“Yes, to fool the Emperor, we must fool everyone.”
“Fine. Let’s do it.”
“Then drop the formalities first.”
“No, I’ll do it when I’m more comfortable.”
“…So only I use informal speech?”
Kaiden asked, bemused, and Reina offered an alternative.
“Can I call you by name instead? And you call me Reina?”
“If you wish.”
“Yes, Kaiden.”
Reina’s swift switch widened Kaiden’s eyes.
She’d longed to call his name in her past life, but he couldn’t know.
“…You’re good at that.”
Kaiden let out a disbelieving laugh.
Her refusal of informal speech yet ease with his name was intriguing.
Reina continued,
“About the monster…”
At the mention, Kaiden’s face grew serious.
* * *
Thereafter, Kaiden frequently visited Reina at the palace.
Strolling or enjoying tea together, their engagement became widely accepted.
With the Emperor openly favoring Reina, the once-obscure princess became the most famous overnight.
