#11. Different Thoughts
“She says such things so easily.”
Kalid smirked bitterly at what Belia had just said.
That too was something he couldn’t fully believe.
But…
Although he didn’t want to admit it, one thing was certain.
“No matter what happens, you’ll stay by my side?”
That one sentence shook him more than anything else.
“Yes. If you help me, I will be your perfect ally.”
It was the first time anyone had said that to him.
For a moment, her words tasted so sweet that Kalid felt like giving her everything he had.
‘How foolish.’
How much had he longed to hear those words—someone promising to stay by his side no matter what.
It was amusing that a childish, fragile wish he thought he’d long forgotten still lingered in his heart.
Of course, she wasn’t the one he had originally wished for, but no one had ever said those words to him before.
“…Why do you dislike Raul?”
Kalid asked.
“That alone wouldn’t explain my feelings,”
Belia bit her lip as if just thinking about it was terrible.
Seeing that, Kalid’s curiosity grew.
“You haven’t known Raul very long, right?”
If you counted the time from when the letters were exchanged, Belia and Raul had only met for about a month.
There were crazy people who would propose after such a short time, but Kalid found it very strange that someone could come to hate another so quickly.
Surely, that Raul must have been very devoted to Belia.
He always poured effort wholeheartedly into what he wanted.
“I have my own reasons,”
Belia held back her words.
Not yet, not yet.
“Besides, we’re now in the same boat. You kissed me in front of so many people — you wouldn’t just pretend it never happened, would you?”
Kalid nodded.
“I wish we could get engaged right away, but His Highness might find it burdensome for now…”
“Isn’t that already decided? So it doesn’t matter when.”
“Is that so?”
Belia smiled faintly, relieved by Kalid’s expression.
“It’s a bit silly to ask now…”
Belia hesitated a little.
“If we get engaged, I really won’t be able to back out. If you have someone you love…”
“I told you before I don’t.”
Kalid looked Belia over again carefully.
His slow gaze traced from her forehead down to her eyes, nose, and lips.
“I don’t go back on decisions I’ve made. Besides… watching the princess is quite entertaining.”
Belia’s cheeks flushed slightly under his persistent gaze, and she quickly changed the subject.
“Then please tell me if you truly find a lover. Once I achieve my goal, I’ll step aside cleanly.”
“…Didn’t you say you’d stay by my side?”
Kalid’s face suddenly hardened as he asked in a heavy voice.
Something in his hand was trying to slip away.
That fact unnerved him deeply.
“But if you truly find someone you love, I can’t just sit beside you as a fake lover.”
Belia’s calm answer darkened Kalid’s expression.
“If I had someone like that, what would you do?”
Would you still stay by my side then?
Hiding his feelings, Kalid locked eyes with Belia and pressed for an answer.
“Well… as long as I can reach my goal, I don’t care what happens to me after.”
Kalid was oddly struck by her answer.
Her indifferent attitude kept bothering him.
“I’m not such a cruel man. Whether I get engaged or married to the princess, once decided, one must keep their word.”
Though he didn’t mean it, a sudden surge of defiance made Kalid speak gruffly.
He was a man who didn’t hold many things tightly to begin with.
Nothing easily passed through Raul to reach him, so he was stubborn about what little he had.
‘Annoying.’
Kalid frowned as he looked at Belia.
“Thank you for saying that.”
Unaware of what he was truly thinking, Belia smiled brightly.
Her face brightened with the thought that she had completely grasped what she wanted.
“If we discover a gold mine, then we can prepare for the engagement right away.”
Kalid made a strange face as he watched Belia treat their engagement like a simple transaction.
“…Alright. Meanwhile, I plan to cause a little chaos to make Raul withdraw his proposal.”
Kalid explained his plan crudely.
“Showing ourselves publicly like we did today isn’t enough. Raul isn’t the kind to give up what he wants so easily.”
Belia knew Raul well enough to agree.
He was a greedy man, and Belia had a lot to offer.
Raul wouldn’t simply withdraw his proposal just because he saw that.
The conditions Belia carried would restrain his anger and force a smile.
Raul was the fastest man to calculate profit and loss.
“Do you have any ideas in mind?”
“How about I formally send you a marriage proposal?”
Belia thought over his words for a moment.
If the 2nd prince sent a proposal while the 1st prince’s was still pending, it would definitely cause a huge stir in both the Ingot Empire and Ronica Kingdom.
It was rare for two princes to propose to the same person simultaneously.
In that situation, even the emperor couldn’t force her to accept the 1st prince’s proposal.
Belia tapped on the desk and smiled wryly at Kalid.
“…Then the initiative would be mine.”
She who chooses which proposal to accept would be her.
Belia asked quietly, having thought it through.
“Could you get a proposal stamped with the emperor’s seal? I doubt he’d hand that out easily.”
“It won’t be easy. But through the empress, it might be possible. But first…”
Kalid lightly took Belia’s hand resting on the table and smiled mischievously.
“We need to strengthen our relationship more.”
That would give them a reason to persuade the emperor.
Not just a random proposal from the 2nd prince to a woman already proposed to by the 1st prince, but a romance story circulating in court about their deep connection, making it impossible to steal her away.
“Not bad.”
Belia already began imagining how to use the rumors to their advantage.
It was very satisfying.
“I’ll do my best to help with that chaos, so please count on me.”
They smiled knowingly at each other, thinking of someone who might get into trouble because of this.
Some days later, while preparing for an upcoming party, Belia hurried to her office after an unexpected summons from Herald.
She anxiously wondered if Prince Raul had said something about the proposal again.
“Welcome, Belia.”
“Brother, did Prince Raul say anything demanding an answer to his proposal?”
Belia asked urgently.
“Haha. No need to worry about that. I just called you because I had something to ask.”
Herald paused, sighed, then spoke cautiously.
“Belia, I heard you told His Majesty that you want to marry Prince Kalid.”
Ah, so that’s it.
She had been summoned to the king’s office to explain her behavior at the 2nd prince’s welcome ceremony.
She told them she was considering marrying Kalid, not Raul.
It seemed the news had reached Herald.
Belia nodded.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“…Did you plan this?”
Herald asked cautiously.
He didn’t want to suspect her, but it was suspicious that just after refusing to marry Raul, she suddenly mentioned marriage with Kalid.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, are you using Prince Kalid to avoid marrying Prince Raul?”
It was an accurate guess.
But Herald was also unsure as he asked the question.
His younger sister wasn’t clever or crafty and was quite straightforward, so she wouldn’t handle things like this.
“Didn’t you hear from His Majesty? I like Prince Kalid, brother.”
“Belia…”
“I’m serious. I want to marry him. That’s why I hate Prince Raul.”
Herald sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair, facing Belia’s stubborn expression.
“Honestly, I have to ask. Until recently, you had feelings for Prince Raul, so why did you suddenly change your mind? And when did you even meet Prince Kalid? What on earth are you thinking, Belia?”
“…Even if I explain, you won’t understand.”
The past where she chose Raul and everything that happened still felt vivid.
She loved him, became his wife, became empress of the empire, and then Ronica Kingdom fell.
Her father and mother, her brother and Closee, all died.
And in the end, she herself had to die a miserable death.
She swallowed those words firmly in her mouth.
Though she had grown accustomed to a peaceful, comfortable life, just thinking of that time brought up all kinds of negative emotions, especially anger.
‘No one would believe me if I said I went back to the past after all that.’
So she had no choice but to bottle up her feelings and make excuses.
“Please just think of it as my childish whim, brother.”
Belia shook her head lightly, and Herald sighed.
“…Your behavior has been strange lately, honestly, I’m a little worried.”
“There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
Belia’s behavior suddenly changed one day.
‘It was probably from the day she cried so hard.’
Herald had never seen his sister lose control like that before.
Belia was a bit cynical and slow to understand her own feelings compared to others.
Seeing her crying uncontrollably in such a crowded place nearly broke his heart.
And after that day, Belia began acting strangely.
‘She seemed to like the 1st prince.’
How could her feelings change so suddenly?
She was slow to realize her feelings, and once she gave her heart, it was hard to turn away.
Though Herald couldn’t understand why she hated the 1st prince so much, he couldn’t let his sister marry someone she hated that much.
“I was also looking for a way to refuse the proposal without causing friction with the empire. But you suddenly say you want to marry the 2nd prince, and I’m honestly a bit taken aback.”
Ah…
Even her brother was surprised by things she didn’t know.
Belia looked at Herald, a little stunned by the stories she hadn’t heard.
“But I trust you. I know you’re not someone who would do something reckless. Anyway, I’ll keep looking for a way, so try not to act so suddenly. My heart can’t take it.”
Herald said, clutching his chest playfully, making Belia laugh out loud.
“Thank you, brother.”
Belia looked warmly at Herald.
If all this is ever settled, maybe then she could tell everything?
Belia’s smile was a little lonely somewhere.
