Carlos continued to spout nonsense afterward.
However, I was fixated on the words “remarrying the Grand Princess after the divorce” and didn’t really listen.
While a typical female lead would be shocked and saddened to hear the male lead planned to leave her for someone else, I clapped my hands instead.
“Jackpot!”
Carlos looked at me with eyes that questioned my strange reaction, but for me, there was no better opportunity.
Masera would meticulously use and protect me, and then even divorce me?
For a fake like me who didn’t know when I’d be exposed, it was the best ending.
If I could just survive until then, I could receive alimony, become rich, and then live abroad surrounded by hot muscular young men!
“Hehe, there are plenty of men.”
I muttered to myself, leaving the dazed Carlos behind and turning away.
Wait a minute. But if this is a healing romance… could this just be a misunderstanding that causes a brief conflict?
Besides, there’s no reason for the Grand Duke’s daughter, who wants for nothing, to want a divorced man.
‘…I still have to win the heart of the prickly cat, don’t I?’
Trying to analyze and think complicatedly gave me a headache.
Actually, I had been directly hit by the sunlight during the wedding, so my face was stinging, and my blood sugar was low.
“I need to go eat cake. Immediately.”
In the end, the conclusion I came to was that I needed to eat cake. I hurried my steps.
Looking back, from Carlos’s perspective at that time, I must have seemed like a glutton who, despite the shocking truth, was only thinking about eating cake, without any heartache.
* * *
On the way to the banquet hall after leaving Carlos behind, I encountered Major Rodriguez in his neat uniform.
“Congratulations on your marriage, Princess.”
He congratulated me with a slightly wistful smile.
It seemed he now knew that I was a princess of Bariesa.
“Are you going alone? I will escort you to the banquet hall.”
I felt a sense of distance, unlike before. Even the fact that his tone had changed from casual to formal was telling.
“We decided to be friends, so please treat me as comfortably as before. And it’s better to call me by my name rather than ‘Princess.’ Somehow, that title feels awkward, like ill-fitting clothes.”
At my request, the Major’s blue eyes widened slightly, then curved into the eye-smile I had seen when we first met.
“Yes, Lady Cynthia.”
My mouth didn’t stop moving the entire way to the banquet hall.
“A wild boar kept digging up the sweet potatoes in the field, so the angry village head tried to get a gun but ended up entangled with a gun-smuggling organization…”
“Ahahaha, hahaha.”
That was because he was the kind of man that chatterboxes loved most, one who followed the conversation topics that changed without context and had excellent reactions.
As we approached the entrance of the banquet hall, the Major suddenly stopped walking.
Masera was seen talking to a woman with waist-length black wavy hair.
“Why is the Brigadier General… escorting that woman instead of the Princess?”
I looked up at the Major, who was muttering as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Isn’t it because you’re escorting me Major, instead of the Brigadier General?”
“That’s true.”
“Yes, well. Let’s go in.”
I confidently passed by the two of them and entered the banquet hall.
Just in case, I didn’t even make eye contact.
In this way, I was able to avoid the misunderstandings and conflicts that usually occur in rofan novels and arrive safely in front of the desserts.
‘If I had to suffer through that drama, I would have fainted…’
I’m too tired to boil sweet potatoes to get cider. And sweet potatoes go with milk.*
“Then have a good time. I’ll be going now.”
Major Rodriguez paid his respects and left.
Regretting his departure, I was about to take a bite of cake alone at the table when people started approaching and talking to me.
Most of them were the wives of officers who were Masera’s direct subordinates, and ladies of my age.
“I heard that the Princess is blessed by the goddess of luck. Can you tell us about it? I’m curious.”
“I heard that the dress you’re wearing today is made of diamond thread? It’s so pretty.”
‘Wow.’
It was rare for people to approach and talk to me in a friendly manner.
Before being a disgraced royal, most people avoided me because they thought I was ominous based on my appearance.
It seemed that the influence of the matriarchs of the Rukanosa Dukedom, who were sitting across from me with motherly smiles, also had an effect.
But regardless of their intentions or inner thoughts, I was happy that people were approaching me to become friends, as I had always been alone.
“Snow White. Why don’t you try learning Medeian? Helene is learning it too.”
“That’s great.”
At Madam Verace’s suggestion, I immediately nodded.
It was an opportunity for me, who already knew Medeian, to be called a genius of language.
“Cynthia, are you sure? You had difficulty with traditional language.”
Helene was looking at me with a smile that combined ridicule and kindness.
It contained the message that I, a maid who hadn’t learned properly, shouldn’t act up, but I didn’t care.
“Isn’t that why I’m studying, because it’s difficult?”
“I believe you’ll give it your all, even if it’s hard. You’re such a hard worker.”
She took a sip of her tea, subtly criticizing me with elegant aristocratic language. Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she asked with a smile on her lips.
“Where did your husband go, leaving his bride all alone?”
“I don’t know.”
“Since he’s a soldier, he might be a bit insensitive. You should try to be understanding.”
“Alright.”
I was busy filling up on sugar.
“I saw him talking to Grand Princess Charlotte.”
Whether it was intentional or clueless, a certain lady blurted out words that didn’t need to be said.
Everyone seemed to know that Masera had received a proposal from the Grand Ducal Princess, and the atmosphere around us turned cold.
A lady who seemed to be one of Helene’s close aides excitedly chattered.
“Things like this can’t be helped in an arranged marriage.”
It was intentional. And it was obvious that she was pretending to be clueless.
“Everyone is someone’s precious and valuable person. Putting up with such things shouldn’t be the norm. And what does the Grand Ducal Princess lack that she would let herself get involved with a married man?”
At my question, the lady twisted her lips and replied.
“Leaving your bride alone in favor of another woman—”
Of course, I didn’t listen to everything. It wasn’t like I was asking because I was curious.
“How upset would the Grand Ducal Princess be if she knew she was being suspected of such a thing just for having a brief conversation?”
Looking at the flustered lady, I sighed and touched my forehead. Then, I put my hands together and gave a benevolent smile.
“You must have only met terrible people to have such expectations. That makes me so sad. I sincerely hope you can heal your wounded heart and meet a virtuous person who will revive your lost faith.”
The lady, who had been trying to stir up discord in any way possible, said in a voice that was red-faced and subdued.
“Actually, there were rumors that the two of you weren’t on good terms, so I was just worried.”
How did she know that? I firmly believed that our acting skills had improved, hadn’t it?
I was startled when I felt something suddenly pop out and wipe the corner of my mouth.
It was Masera with a handkerchief.
True to his nature, he was a man who couldn’t stand anything dirty, so he wiped the cream off the corner of my mouth with his handkerchief.
“You’re not a child.”
“How long are you going to treat me like your ‘baby‘ and take care of me?”
I turned his indifferent tone into a tsundere one.
“…”
He would have typically given a serious answer, but whether it was intended from the beginning, he quietly put the handkerchief in his coat.
* * *
30 minutes ago, in front of the banquet hall.
Masera, who was waiting to escort Cynthia, encountered Grand Ducal Princess Charlotte.
He had only conversed her a few times at past banquets.
“Brigadier General, congratulations on your marriage.”
“Thank you.”
“I recently heard that you are starting a development project.”
As they were talking about business, just like ordinary businessmen, he quickly saw Cynthia passing by him and entering the banquet hall.
Her expression was determined for someone who always smiled.
‘Did she misunderstand?’
Just as he was concerned, he saw Major Rodriguez following Cynthia inside. It was clear that they had come together.
‘Why is she being escorted by that man? I’m her husband.’
In the end, Masera was the one who misunderstood.
💟 Translator Notes 💟
sweet potato = frustrating/tedious/awkward
cider = satisfying/refreshing/cathartic
bro has become a tsundere 😀