I’m Supposed to Be the Neglected Princess in the Future, but Something Seems Strange... - 9 - The Future of the Neglected Fiancée Is Holding a “Welcome” Sign – 2

“What do you mean by moving rooms?”

Rose looked confused, not understanding what Raphael was saying. He replied with a gentle smile.

“You’re going to move into the room that Lea used to stay in.”

“What!?”

“You’re going to help me look for Lea, right?”

“Well, yes, but…”

She couldn’t understand why that meant she had to move rooms.

Raphael crossed his long legs and spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“My room is at the front of the ship. This one is at the back. That’s far, isn’t it?”

“……”

(So what?)

Rose didn’t care if her room was far away. In fact, she preferred it that way. That’s because the room next to Raphael’s was Lea’s, and five of Lea’s maids were staying there. Plus, there were three guards as well. If they saw Rose, they would definitely glare at her.

The second princess, whose existence the king refused to acknowledge, was disliked by the castle staff too.

Besides, the king had ordered Rose not to leave her room under any circumstances. If someone saw her wandering around, it would be very bad. Going near Lea’s room was completely out of the question.

Maybe because Rose wasn’t nodding, Raphael continued.

“We’re working together to find Lea. It would be more convenient if you were nearby, right? Also, there might be clues in Lea’s room. Even if I’m her fiancé, it’s not right for a man to go through a lady’s room. But you’re a woman and her sister. Isn’t it fastest and easiest if you move in?”

When he said it like that, it kind of made sense. But even if they found Lea safely, if the king found out she had moved rooms, Rose’s future could still be ruined.

The king was always ready to lock Rose away. The only reason he didn’t was because it would look bad to others. But if he found out she had disobeyed his orders, Rose’s life after leaving the Princess Lea ship would be no different from the future where she became a cold, cast-aside wife.

When Rose stayed quiet with a serious look, Raphael offered her an orange cake and asked gently:

“Is something else bothering you?”

Rose hesitated. Should she explain her situation? If she didn’t, Raphael probably wouldn’t understand. But even if she did tell him, would he believe her?

As she hesitated, Raphael suddenly pressed a piece of orange cake to her lips.

When she looked up, he smiled at her. Slowly, she opened her mouth, and he popped the cake in.

(Since earlier… why does he keep trying to feed me sweets?)

“Is it good?”

Of course it was. Rose gave a small nod.

The cake was full of orange liqueur and had orange peel mixed in. It had a rich, fresh orange flavor. It was really delicious.

Raphael smiled brightly. He looked so happy that it was hard to believe this man could one day lock her away in a tower as a cold, unwanted wife.

Still, the future in her memories had been right so far. She couldn’t deny those memories, and the difference between what she remembered and what she saw now was very confusing.

(But… maybe the way he is now, if I tell him, he might believe me…)

Even if she escaped the fate of being a cast-aside wife, if her father did the same thing to her, it wouldn’t matter.

Finally, Rose shyly explained why she couldn’t move into Lea’s room. Raphael stayed quiet and listened carefully. Slowly, his face grew stern.

It was the same scary face she remembered from the future. Rose shrank back a little without meaning to.

“…He told you to stay locked in your room for a whole month? Did he really give that order?”

Judging by his reaction, he didn’t believe her. The king was very cold to Rose, but he was known as a wise ruler. It was hard to imagine such a king giving that kind of command to his own daughter. Of course he would doubt it.

(I messed up…)

Not only did he not believe her, now Raphael probably thought worse of her. He had smiled so kindly until now, but his face was cold and serious. Seeing that hurt Rose’s heart.

She wanted to avoid the future where she became a cast-aside wife. But the Raphael she had met here had always been kind…

“…I should look into this.”

Raphael muttered, but Rose didn’t hear him. She was too downcast.

As she looked down and clutched her dress tightly, something soft suddenly touched her lips, and she flinched in surprise.

When she looked up, Raphael had returned to smiling again.

“Next is a macaron.”

He pressed a small macaron into her half-open mouth.

As the scent of pistachio filled her nose, she bit into the macaron with a crunch. Sweetness spread through her mouth like happiness.

“It’s fine. If I say it’s my order, the King of Gridor won’t say anything. So come to the room next to mine. And if he does say something… well, that’s easy. Just come to my country.”

He said it like it was as simple as visiting someone’s house, even though it clearly wasn’t. Rose couldn’t help but laugh a little.

“Ah, that’s right. Keep smiling like that. Your honest smile, like a child’s, I like it more than I expected.”

Raphael gently touched Rose’s cheek with a soft look. Her heart thumped hard.

(…Did he just believe me?)

With the sweetness in her mouth and Raphael’s smile before her, Rose didn’t know why—

But she suddenly felt like crying.