After that, she kept asking Kiehl though his thoughts were pretty firm.
â âItâs okay. Because the Crown Princess doesnât have to be the person I like.â
Rather than him, she was the one who was not okay. Bella lay down in the middle of the garden, which she had cut down and left bare.
âUwaaahh!â
Even if she tried to run away, she couldnât get her heart out. At the same time, she thought about taking it outâregardless of whether Kiehlâs was hurt or notâbut she couldnât.
â âCan Bella kill me?â
She still remembered her trembling hands when she grabbed Kiehlâs neck in the Demon Realm.
ââŠI canât.â
She was just looking at the sky while organizing her thoughts, and her long silver hair appeared like clouds and called out to Bella.
âWhat are you doing here?â
Shuria would never give up on being the Crown Princess. She was not a woman to miss this chance like a fool.
âShould I approach it emotionally?â
Bella asked, thinking it was her last move.
âDoes the Lady like Kiehl⊠His Majesty?â
âYes? His Highness is the only person who fights with me.â
âAhâŠâ
âOh, Iâm sorry.â
Right. That wasnât what she meant.
âMiss Bella fights with me, too. I am very happy these days.â
âDo you like that kind of man?â
âNo? Not at all.â
The answer was so quick that Bella thought she hadnât asked the question properly.
âWhy?â
âWhy? WellâŠ. His HighnessâŠis it a little too gentle?â
What was wrong with our Kiehl?
âI was more attracted to those with a slightly rough impression. The impression that they had gone through a lot of hardships.â
Kiehl grew up with his share of hardships, too.
âStill, he had a good time in the mansion, so he probably didnât go through that lot of hardships.â
Even though Bella wanted to refute Shuriaâs words, she asked back sweetly as she endured the remarks.
âThe Lady then⊠Is it okay to marry without love?â
âWell. Marriage is to do what is favorable to the family.â
Perhaps, it was because she had been a daughter of a Duke since she was born, that was why her thoughts were like this.
âDoesnât the Princess want to have a relationship with the person you like?â
At those words, Shuria smiled.
âI wish Miss Bella would do that.â
âMe?â
âYou belong to the Duchy. You can go whenever you want.â
Suddenly, somehow the atmosphere seemed to be focused on Bella.
âWhat kind of man do you want to marry, Miss Bella?â
âŠMarry?
âI never really thought about itâŠâ
âIf possible, I would like to find you a mate before I return to the Imperial Palace.â
âWell, I just want to be alone.â
âOh, why?â
She had never thought about it. What kind of marriage was it to a demon?
ââŠI canât connect with humans.â
âWhy? The person named Jenkins said that his father was human.â
Bella got her body up.
âCome to think of it, thatâs right.â
She didnât ask⊠In fact, she was not interested â because she thought it was rude.
âSo, it wasnât banned at all?â
Bella thought she had inherited most of the power of the Demon King, but it seemed that there were still things she didnât know.
âWait a minute, if I sleep with someone, wonât that person become my companion?â
For Bella, the Demon King, marriage was almost like choosing a partner, even if it was a normal demon.
âAnyway, I canât get married.â
Bella cut it off so firmly that Shuria was surprised.
âHmm. Then, donât Miss Bella have an ideal type?â
âFirst of all, tall and handsomeâŠâ
âItâs like a ready answer.â
The question of her ideal type had been asked by Iwer for a long time, so now the answer came automatically.
âEven if you wonât get married. You need to find a lover.â
âHaha.â
All of a sudden, Shuria asked a little cautiously.
âMaybe, brother⊠Is he close to Miss Bellaâs ideal type?â
âAh, no. My preference is a little moreâŠâ
It was then.
âYour Highness. How are you?â
As Shuria quickly stood up and greeted him, Bella looked behind. Looking up from underneath, the handsome Kiehl was standing there.
âMy taste is this one.â
From the beginning until now, her undisputed favorite. When he was young, he was cute, but now, he wasâŠ
âWhat were you talking about?â
âWe were talking about Miss Bellaâs ideal type.â
âAha. I wonder, too.â
As if she had been caught naked, Bella stood up hastily with her ears turned red.
âI-I have to go take care of the kids.â
As she stood up, she bumped into Shuria though she didnât say sorry, and moved on with her steps.
âWhere are you going?â
âT-to feed the kids!â
They were not even animals raised by demons. Still, Bella couldnât even correct the strangeness of her own words and left.
âWhy is my male lead too much?â
Thinking so, she hit her own cheeks with both her hands as she walked.
Watching her back, Kiehl coughed embarrassedly.
âDid I interrupt you?â
It was the same for Shuria, who was also embarrassed. It was a conversation that wasnât particularly secret, but why was Bella running away as if it were a secret?
âHaa. I donât know what Bella is thinking. Did she tell you to go to the Imperial Palace with her?â
Shuria shrugged her shoulders.
âDid you find out where Sir Juan heard of that?â
When Juanâs name appeared, Shuria remembered what he had just said.
âYour Highness. Apart from that, there is something I want to ask you.â
âWhat?â
âI understand that Your Highness is in love with Miss Bella, but Iâm a little worried that it might interfere with state affairs.â
âAre you talking about patriotism, or are you trying to laugh at me like Sir Juan?â
âOh. Is brother laughing at you?â
Kiehl let out a long sigh.
Since then, Juan has constantly provoked him.
â âYou grew up like a brother and sister, would you look like a man?â
He would just say one word out of nowhere?
â âHow much regret would it be if you found her and lost her?â
Would it go on like this?
âIâm on the verge of reaching my limit.â
At his words, Shuria laughed, amused, and moved closer to Kiehl.
âOf course, it is patriotism. I am the Crown Princess?â
ââŠLady Shuria.â
âKeep your promise, Your Grace. You know how to separate public and private, right?â
Kiehl crossed his arms and stared at Shuria.
âAnyway, I guess it runs in the Cruelle family to talk while being sarcastic, right?â
âYou know that? Your Highness is no match.â
Hearing those, Kiehl laughed after a few days. He continued to be bothered by Bella, and when he saw Shuria, his heart was relieved.
* * *
The more she thought about it, she couldnât think of a better way to do it.
âDriving me crazyâŠâ
No matter how much she reread her novel, and no matter how much she looked at the situation, the answer seemed to be the least desired.
âWould it be better to come along to the Imperial Palace and change the situation?â
âŠAlthough she did not want to be involved in this novel anymore.
âYes⊠If I just dodge it, it might twist strangely again.â
âŠKiehl coming to the underworld and giving up his bride.
It was a story she never knew.
âIf I had just possessed a normal role, I wouldnât have had to worry about this.â
If she had just lived and died, it would be over. It was a life where heaven and hell were decided when it was finished.
âWhere did Pur go?â
Bella tried to carefully reflect on her determination as she touched her fluffy fur a little. Back at the mansion, Pur would be mimicking a teddy bear in Bellaâs room, but not now. The bear doll Pur from another world was quite popular in the Cruelle family, so she was surprisingly easy to find.
âWhat are you doing here?â
Perhaps, it was nice that every maid passing by said she was cute, so Pur was just standing in the path they passed every day.
âAck! I love Missâ kiss the best!â
Pur was sweating as if caught in the wind.
âNo. You can just like someone elseâs kiss more.â
Pur was being sincere, but as if it felt like she was being pushed away so she held Bellaâs waist and wept.
âI was wrong! Please forgive me!â
âNo, why are you like this?â
As the passing maids glanced at them, Bella was perplexed. It was like being a naughty adult who made a child cry.
âStop crying. Iâll give you a kiss.â
At those words, like having a mute button, Pur stopped.
âSo sly⊠Pretending to be naive.â
The next moment, Pur turned her back slightly and poked her butt.
âPlease, do it on the butt.â
In the Demon Realm, when she was putting the obedience oath and she had only given her once, and since then, whenever she had time, she stuck out her butt.
âNo. Didnât I say it back then? Iâll only kiss your butt once in your bear life.â
âHnngg.â
âPlease, canât you just take a kiss in a normal way?â
At that, she reached towards Pur and lifted her vigorously.
âWhy are you so light? Are you skipping meals?â
âNo? I eat five meals a day?â
âWhat do you eat so much?â
âPrincess eats like that, too!â
âHey. I eat only snacks in between.â
Bella gave a light kiss on the forehead, and Pur hugged her tightly.
âPrincess is my favorite!â
Bella held Pur tight and rubbed her face against her fur. Even in the underworld, whenever the smell of blood fluctuated, she sniffed the scent of this fur and barely found peace.
This smell reminded her of many things. Especially the teddy bear that she bought for her nephew in her previous life. She had never seen that before, but it made her imagine her sister holding the teddy bear and her nephew on her lap.
And, her nephewâs waved his hand towards Bella.
â Aunt is over there. Letâs say hello to Aunt
All her memories of living as a person flashed in front of Bella.
âAre you crying, Princess?â
â⊠Are you crazy?â
Bella sniffled her nose slightly and hugged Pur tighter.
âIf all the demons were like you, it would be more bearable.â
Still, she couldnât stand it, so she had no choice but to move forward.
* * *
Bella stood in front of Shuria and spoke firmly.
âI want to go to the Imperial Palace with Lady, too.â
She made up her mind.
As much as possible, she decided to wrestle with the Duke to prevent Shuria from becoming the Crown Princess.
âIt was a pity she was my favorite, but Shuria is a villainess anyway.â
Whatever it was, she would make Shuria the best villainess. At the same time, she would push Rosanne as much as possible. Even though she hated Rosanne, she would still push her.
Bella made a firm decision.
Meanwhile, Shuria, who was looking at her, alternately recalled what Juan and Kiehl had said.
âIsnât this power? One word from me can change everything.â
It would be odd if this situation was dizzying and funny, with all the wins and losses in her own hands. However, Shuria liked the taste of that power.
She smiled and tilted her head slightly to her side.