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Chapter 54

Alexander covered his eyes with both hands. His head was a mess.

The crown princess-to-be, Michaela, was infamous for her jealousy. She had been betrothed to Alexander since childhood, and her envy knew no bounds. If Alexander so much as exchanged a few words with another woman, that woman would end up cursed within days.

So Charlier must have suffered the same way. But… the fact that she didn’t leave a strong impression in my memory means she must have given up quickly. Or maybe she was just that afraid of Michaela.

Alexander toyed with the mermaid’s tear pendant around his neck—a rare treasure in the Pignon Empire, with only a few in existence. He owned one of them.

Thanks to the mermaid’s tear Tiago gave me, I’m safe from retaliation. Michaela doesn’t have one, so if she casts a curse, it shows right away. But why do other women never think to do the same to her? Hmph. Guess she really is like a witch to them.

Thinking about his future fiancée gave him a headache. He knew married life wouldn’t be peaceful.

But I can’t cancel the engagement. The Pavillon family would explode if I did.

Michaela Pavillon. The Pavillons were the strongest ducal house in the empire. Many believed that if the Pignon family weakened even slightly, House Pavillon would seize the throne.

Alexander let out a sound of irritation.

“Tch… damn it.”

The attendant glanced nervously at him. Alexander covered his eyes with one arm and waved the other dismissively.

“If you have nothing else to say, leave me. I’m going to rest.”

“Ah, Your Highness,” the attendant said hesitantly.

“There is something else you should know. When Lady Charlier left the palace to return to Shyro, she was already addicted to curse orbs.”

“Well, well. That’s a mess. She must be quite something—going around cursing this person and that person.”

“And… it seems she is planning to get engaged to Young Master Leo.”

“Leo? From House Marbo?”

House Marbo was well-known in the imperial court—famous for using any means necessary to form ties with the royal family. Flattery, bribery… nothing was beneath them.

“Interesting. Charlier, addicted to curse orbs, and Leo, from a family that profits from them. They suit each other.”

With that, Alexander lost interest. He closed his eyes. The attendant, sensing the dismissal, bowed politely and left the office.

Alexander cracked one eye open, now alone. Sunlight streamed through the window, making the dust in the air sparkle.

“In the end, it’s all pointless. Such a bother. Ah—maybe I should visit Sophy. I’m bored.”

“This will be your room, Lady Delphine.”

An older maid stopped in front of a door halfway down an endless hallway.

When she opened it, a dazzlingly ornate bedroom came into view.

A chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling, which was decorated with gold leaf and painted masterpieces. Even the fireplace had delicately carved ornaments, like a work of art.

But what caught my eye was the bed, draped in green curtains.

Wow. That’s not furniture—it’s art.

The bed frame was decorated in ivory, and the bedding and curtains gleamed in a rich, bright green.

Drawn in, I stepped inside. Behind me, the maid and footmen carrying my luggage followed.

“We’ll set your bags here,” the older maid said, pointing to a low table. The footmen set them down and quietly left.

“Wow… it’s like a dream.”

It felt like I had stepped into a Disney movie. The palace I’d seen through the carriage window earlier was straight out of a fairytale.

The castle was built from rectangular red bricks, its roofs topped with blue, pointed cone-shaped towers.

Inside, long corridors stretched away from grand staircases, lined with famous paintings, sculptures, ornate ceilings, and chandeliers.

This is like the princess life I dreamed of as a kid.

I sat on the bed and felt the blanket—it was so soft, probably silk.

“House Ferrady’s castle and the Plerin estate are impressive, but… the imperial palace is on another level.”

What about the view?

I got up from the plush bed and opened the window.

“W-wow!”

The Pignon imperial palace stood on a hill, and from the window, the whole city of Bruniq spread out before me.

“So beautiful…”

As a port city, its colorful European-style buildings and sparkling sea made a breathtaking combination. Pointed rooftops of all colors and the deep blue ocean—it was like being inside a storybook.

“I just want to run out there right now. It’s like I’m finally in Europe, the place I only dreamed about.”

In the original novel, there was no specific country mentioned, and the historical accuracy was all wrong—but the view was still stunning.

I always wanted to visit Europe… and I guess this is how I’m doing it now.

Excitement tingled to my fingertips. I wanted to walk those streets and lock every new sight into my heart like a photograph.

I’ve got time before the ceremony… let’s explore the palace!

I changed into my simplest dress and swapped for comfortable shoes.

—Knock, knock.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

“Who is it?”

I opened it slightly—

Whoa… way too handsome.

In the doorway stood a man with blond hair and green eyes—the kind of “first love” face you’d see in a coming-of-age movie. His skin was porcelain smooth, his cheeks flushed like peaches, his emerald eyes sparkled, and his wavy blond hair looked soft to the touch.

Wow. The only other guy this handsome I’ve seen was Frederic. My breath nearly stopped.

I managed to speak.

“Who… are you?”

“Delphine? It is you.”

The man beamed like he was greeting an old friend.

Do I know him? No idea. But damn, he’s gorgeous.

He placed a hand over his chest.

“It’s me—Edward. We studied together at the academy. I can’t believe I’m seeing you here, Delphine.”

The man, Edward, smiled brightly.

Oh. Damn.

You know those movie scenes where a handsome man smiles and there’s a halo behind him, maybe a pleasant breeze? Yeah, that was happening in real life right now.

Dimples too? This guy is exactly my type—fresh, bright, and boyish. Delphine, you lucky girl. I’m investing in this stock immediately.

I had to say something, so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“Ah… Edward. My memory’s been fuzzy lately.”

Ugh. What was that?

Awkward, but he just laughed it off.

“Fair enough. It has been ages. Forgetting isn’t strange.”

His smile was as refreshing as the morning breeze.

Wow, even his personality is perfect. Is this the true male lead finally appearing? Delphine, you’ve suffered enough—this is your reward.

But I caught myself—good things never come so easily. I needed to gather some intel first.

“So, Edward, are you here for the coronation too?”

“I’m serving as a royal mage. I was originally going to become a priest, but my older brother took that role for the family, so I became a mage and scholar instead—researching magic for the empire.”

Oh my god. Perfect face, perfect personality, and talented? The sun has finally risen on Delphine’s life.

I couldn’t stop smiling.

Wait… Edward? Don’t tell me—Edward Trinity?

Suddenly, a line from the original novel flashed in my mind:

In Delphine’s life, there were only two men—Leo and Edward Trinity. Edward Trinity was her first love.

So this is Edward Trinity, Delphine’s first love. Wow, girl—you really only date gorgeous blondes, huh?

Her first love stood before me, radiating charm.

“Delphine, if you have time—”

I do. And if I didn’t, I’d make time. I barely stopped myself from blurting that out and just nodded.

“—want to explore the palace together? A lot has changed since you were last here.”

“Oh! Yes! I’d love to.”

Seriously, how does he know exactly what I want to hear?

Edward’s peach-soft smile was irresistible. Completely enchanted, I shut the door and followed him out.

“Delphine, of all the places we saw today, which did you like most?”

My human peach, Edward, asked with that fresh smile.

“Let’s see… we visited the library, the cathedral, and the ballroom. The library was amazing—like something out of Harry Potter with its high ceilings, endless books, and sunlight streaming in.”

“Harry… what?”

If he knew I was from another world, my peach would freak out. Better keep quiet.

“Ah—never mind. The cathedral made me feel peaceful, and the stained glass was beautiful. And the ballroom was the most luxurious I’ve ever seen—mirrors, decorations… everything was incredible.”

“So you liked them all.”

“Yep, I did.”