The Unattractive Princess' Marriage - Episode 7

“I would like to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Sophina as my wife.” To be honest… I was happy, truly. That’s why the rationality that usually kicked in didn’t work.

“Embarrassingly, I fell in love at first sight at the last meeting.” To make excuses, when his eyes met Sophina’s, he smiled shyly, so she thought there was truth in that.

“I have already received an informal consent from His Majesty King Hydeland. But I want to hear the words from your own lips, that you consent to marry me.” She was swept away, captivated by the person she admired kneeling and taking her hand, and she nodded.

She misunderstood that a future like that of the admired couple, smiling at each other in a rural church, awaited her too.

“He’s Celsius’s confidant. It’s better to crush him.”

(“—Brother, you liar.”)

“Fortunately, she’s a princess who doesn’t need to be adorned. It wouldn’t work with the elder princess. That would cause a stir.”

(Even though I tried hard to be smart, nothing good came of it.)

“…Was it all a lie?” Sophina’s bl00d audibly drained from her entire body when she overheard Feldric’s words in the garden they had slipped out to during the banquet celebrating their welcome and engagement in Hydeland. She didn’t even want to think about how pathetic she must have looked. Her only salvation was that she didn’t cry.

Under the clear blue moonlight, Feldric, who quietly turned to look at Sophina, gave her the same gentle smile he had when he proposed just moments before. “—Did you eavesdrop and then accuse me of deceiving you? That’s quite a slander.” “…” How foolish was Sophina to think that smile would be followed by words of denial?

“Given who you are, you must understand that this marriage proposal is a political maneuver aimed at Shad.” “That… that’s true, but… then why, why go to all the trouble of coming to Hydeland and doing such a thing…?” “Such a thing? Did you mean saying ‘love at first sight’? It doesn’t mean much, I just thought I’d let you dream a little, since I had the chance.” She was completely betrayed, her thoughts dulled by the shock, and she made an even greater blunder. She knew, with a little thought, that such a question, no matter what answer came back, would only widen the wound. And that’s exactly what happened.

“In any case, it doesn’t change that I value you, and I want you to feel honored. But… I never thought someone like ‘the Wise Queen blessed by Edel’s blessing’s daughter’ would actually believe such a courtship speech.” “…! If you wish to be honored, I would recommend my sister, who is devoted to you, rather than myself.” “Oh, so you don’t like that it’s me? I think it’s quite unfitting for you, don’t you? You’re being told that everywhere.” Sophina, desperately praying to her deceased mother to keep her voice from trembling, glared at Feldric, who met her gaze with a cold look.

“It is precisely because I feel it is unfitting that I am telling you this.” (It’s a lie, you were so swept away just now…) The words she uttered, trying to hide her former presumptuousness, tore at Sophina herself with agonizing pain.

Miserable, ridiculous, and so pathetic that her tear ducts began to loosen, she lowered her face, and heard Feldric sigh.

“Shall I kneel again and say, ‘I’m sorry, don’t be so angry. I just wanted to show up your father and sister, who neglect you. Won’t you cheer up’…?” “—That’s an unnecessary concern! That’s incredibly rude!” “…You’re quite hostile.” Sophina bit her lip tightly and put strength into her eyes, glaring up at Feldric, determined not to cry, and he smiled faintly.

The cool early autumn night wind ruffled his hair, making it glow pale blue in the moonlight. Mixed with the chirping of insects, the faint sound of music from the reception palace behind them could be heard.

A cruel light flickered in his silent eyes. She was terrified. (Don’t listen, absolutely not.) She thought to cover her ears, but her body was frozen, unable to move.

“You seemed quite pleased just now, didn’t you? You’re in love with me, aren’t you? Isn’t that good, even for a princess like you?”

The words that spilled from his beautiful lips, still bearing a beautiful smile—that’s when she first learned that when shock is too great, even tears won’t fall.

(A bad dream…) Sophina woke before dawn and touched her cheek, scoffing at the wetness.

“…” On one side of the wide bed, Feldric was still sleeping. Carefully, so as not to wake him, Sophina slipped out of bed and opened the door to the adjacent room.

(…It’s not a dream, it all actually happened.) Her heart creaked. Approaching the window, she looked outside, and the scenery was different from her homeland’s garden, filled with colorful southern flowers.

It wasn’t long ago that there was a festival featuring these flowers. While all of Cazarena, including the palace, was lively, Sophina’s surroundings remained unchanged and quiet. During the seven days when all government affairs were suspended, no one visited, and she visited no one. All Sophina did was attend a sword fighting tournament and bestow a floral crown upon the winner. If she had to list an accomplishment, it would be that she, having too much free time, wandered around the palace with Anna and finally learned the full layout of the castle.

This is Kazak—the warmth of the sunlight streaming through the window reaffirmed that. She tried to hide the sadness she felt with a wry smile and took a deep breath of the warm air.

“Well then.” She deliberately spoke aloud in the empty room and forced a smile. This was Sophina’s usual ritual to lift her spirits when she felt down.

“Today, checking the income and expenditure report on the operation of the Royal Orphanage…” Two months after her marriage, just as she had proposed on their “first night,” Feldric began to give Sophina some of the work he was responsible for. They were mostly relatively light matters, unrelated to power struggles, but she was grateful for the opportunity to do something.

Thinking she had time and might as well start, she turned and caught sight of the uncleaned board game, Othello, and Sophina slightly frowned.

Last night, Feldric and Sophina played Othello. Since their marriage, he’s done so almost every night, and it’s not at all unusual for him to stay until morning, like today. Yes, more than ordinary, as if they were a very harmonious couple.

Sophina, who had been anxious in the early days of their marriage, had become completely accustomed to his visits. Thanks to him, Sophina was treated as Feldric’s beloved consort. Anna even tearfully said, “His Royal Highness Feldric knows Your Highness Sophina’s charm very well. If His Highness Celsius knows that Your Highness Sophina is happy, he will be very pleased.” That’s why she could never confess—that every night they engaged in conversations that felt like testing each other while playing Othello.

But, as Feldric had said before, such rumors seemed to be gradually fading.

First, he never accompanied Sophina to private gatherings. A theater outing with the daughters of Count Auberon, an exhibition by a famous Kazak painter patronized by Marquis Mireille, a tea party hosted by Her Highness Nashuana, who married into the Zalarnac family, a private invitation from the Duchess of Folderique—the number of times he deliberately refused Sophina’s company and went alone, as far as Sophina knew, exceeded five. In that case, no matter how often he visited Sophina’s room at night, people would begin to question it.

Furthermore, the fact that she had no personal guards and only a minimum of ladies-in-waiting besides Anna was probably enough to arouse suspicion. She heard the noble daughters gathered at the castle laughing that even His Highness Nashuana, Feldric’s youngest sister, who had experienced a period of hardship, didn’t have so few. Perhaps that’s why Anna, who had seemed happy serving her in her homeland, had become quite despondent since coming to Kazak, seemingly kept at a distance by others working in the castle.

Sophina, who was not originally sociable and had been taught by her mother to maintain a distance from others as a royal custom, became even more isolated after coming to Kazak. If Her Majesty the Queen, Feldric’s mother, had not occasionally invited Sophina to tea parties, she herself would have doubted whether she had truly married the Crown Prince of this country.

(My worth is only to fulfill the duties of a “Crown Princess.”) To distract herself from the pain in her chest, Sophina flung open the window. Startled by the sound, small birds chirped loudly as they flew from a nearby tree, and fresh air simultaneously flowed into the room. (Oh, I might have startled them.) Thinking that, she turned around and, as expected, Feldric came into the room, stifling a yawn.

“Quite the awakening, Sophina.” His golden hair was messy, his face sleepy—Sophina was impressed anew that even in such a state, he was still undeniably handsome. Recalling the rumors that his 25-year-old freshness and mature male charm blended together, she felt a sudden tension at the sight of his chest, glimpsed between his slightly unbuttoned nightwear. To hide it, she deliberately adopted a dispassionate gaze and looked at him over her shoulder. If anything had truly changed in the months since their engagement, it was Sophina’s acting skills.

“Isn’t it wonderful to wake up to the chirping of birds? And I need to reduce Forsun’s stress a little.” “That’s not cute chirping… I see, you’re still holding a grudge about losing Othello yesterday.” She tried to say it nonchalantly, but Feldric, who immediately caught on, grinned and bested her. (It’s frustrating in so many ways…) Perhaps because she failed to hide her emotions, Feldric finally let out a low chuckle and came to stand beside Sophina. That made her even more irritated. This irritation she felt now was probably part of his plan, and she didn’t want to fall for it, but…

“I won’t lose at Meskel.” Sophina had learned Othello from Feldric after coming here, and she had never beaten him. For Sophina, who had rarely lost to others in such games, it was a considerable humiliation. When she defensively brought up a game from her homeland, Feldric showed an obviously feigned look of sadness. “Hmm. It’s true that you were ‘not even close’ to my level in Othello. So, that’s how you’re going to try and break our promise. If you can have such a devious thought, I’ll surely lose to you next time.” (…He’s always so sarcastic.) Sophina frowned and looked up at Feldric, who was a head taller than her.

“I will keep my promise. It’s about the special exhibition at the Royal Museum, isn’t it?” “Yes, from 1 PM today. The director is quite insistent, saying ‘for the prestige of Kazak,’ and wants to borrow palace holdings.” The way he said, “That’s Sophina for you,” with a smile was even more irritating. His face was as captivating as ever, and Sophina pretended not to notice her strongly constricting heart. Come to think of it, besides acting, she felt like she’d gotten better at pretending not to see her own inner feelings.

“I already made plans to go to the theater with the Viscountess Centriott’s daughters, so you saved me.” “You are as always. I pray you don’t get stabbed someday.” Sophina replied, trying to appear exasperated, to Feldric, who laughed as if it were nothing.

Even after their marriage, he continued to associate with various women. From among them, a second or third consort would be chosen, and eventually, she would bear his child, the heir to Kazak. (This is a punishment from God or my mother, for being presumptuous and making the wrong judgment—) By telling herself this, she felt she had grown accustomed to the pain.

“…” Feldric, whose eyes met hers, softened his gaze. Telling herself it was her imagination, Sophina turned her gaze to the window.

The numerous buildings of the royal capital, tinged with blue, gradually began to be dyed by the morning sun. The eastern half shone brightly with orange-tinged light, while the opposite side cast deep shadows. People and horses began to move. Today, too, everyone in Cazarena peacefully began their own daily activities.

“…Beautiful.” Sophina narrowed her eyes and gazed at the scene. She wished Anna would soon knock on the door with breakfast.