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Chapter 69: Change
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Livya Priscilla was a girl who lived a perfect life in everyone’s eyes. First of all, she was very beautiful, and she also came from a high-profile family. No matter how picky she was as a lady, her elegant manners were always the object of admiration.
“Livya, you’re of marriageable age now.”
Livya raised her head. The woman discussing her marriage before her eyes was not her mother. She was none other than the Empress of the Empire. And what she said was too much of an overreach. But Livya responded calmly.
“I’m indeed old enough, but I still have a long way to go.”
The Empress laughed as if she had heard a funny joke.
“You? That’s impossible? You are the most perfect bride in this empire.”
“That is an undeserved compliment.”
The Empress treated Livya like her daughter and asked Livya about her marriage. And that attitude was really a burden for her. Because she knew what the empress’ intentions were.
“It’s beautiful to see your modesty. But, everything has its own place. Think seriously about it.”
Livya almost wondered who was supposed to think seriously about what.
“My son.., Enoch tends to lose his temper, but he has a good heart.”
Enoch was the name of the crown prince. The empress wanted her son and Livya to marry.
“Don’t you notice that Enoch likes you, too? You must know it well.”
The biggest reason why the empress wanted Livya to be the crown princess was her family. If Livya was the crown princess, the Priscilla family, who had always maintained neutrality, would surely move to the crown prince’s side. This was also the reason why the empress treated Livya as if she were her own daughter. Moreover, whether it was because she was wary of the appearance of the new prince, the empress’ invisible urgings grew worse.
“When a man and a woman in their prime stand together, what a perfect match, isn’t it?”
“That’s an overstatement, Your Majesty. How could I decide on my own marriage?”
“What could be more important than understanding the minds of the parties involved?”
Of course, Livya didn’t have much feelings for the Crown Prince. But she couldn’t say that in front of the empress. In the end, she could only make excuses like always.
“Yes, you’re right Your Majesty. But I’m still very immature, so I just follow my father’s will.”
The Empress looked at Livya with a secret regret.
After Livya ended her time with the empress, a sigh came out of her mouth as soon as she was out of the palace.
‘How long will I be able to surround myself with the words that I will obey my father’s will?’
Fortunately, her father, Duke Priscilla, respected her daughter’s opinion. He did not force his daughter to marry a man she did not like. To have such a father in a noble society where arranged marriages were common was a great fortune for Livya, at least. However, it would be a burden for her father if he had to continue rejecting the royal family’s secret marriage proposals. Because more than anything else, the biggest reason was there was no good reason to refuse.
‘I need to find another way soon.’
In all honesty, Livya knew the best way for her was to have a fiance. So she has been considering some of the bachelors who fit her family.
‘Are the Marquis Clovis and Prince Sigren about the same age?’
Objectively, each of them was not a bad partner option. However, if it was Prince Sigren, her father would eventually have to abandon his neutral position. And the Marquis Clovis
.
‘I don’t feel good about our personality compatibility.’
She had met Marquis Clovis more than once. Similar to herself, that guy always hid his innermost thoughts. She loathed their similarities. She was not a kind person, so definitely neither was he. They were the type of people who always weighed the pros and cons of something and were greedy. However, it was this type of personality that would enable a person to establish a great position in the noble society.
‘Well.’
Livya was lost in thought when she accidentally bumped into someone while turning the corner.
“Oh, excuse me.”
At the same time, the collided opponent grabbed Livya’s arm. After she balanced her feet, the hands immediately fell. Only then did she confirm her opponent.
“Prince Sigren.”
A ‘Who The Hell Are You?’ expression appeared on Sigren’s face, but soon disappeared.
‘That’s strange.’
It was not because she was very confident, but she was sure there were only a few men who didn’t remember her.
Livya pondered whether her prescient has started fading.
“My name is Livya Priscilla. I made a mistake—”
Sigren lightly waved his hand.
“No, it’s okay. Because I’m also in the wrong here.”
Saying so, Sigren pressed his own forehead firmly. Livya Priscilla. He seemed to remember that name.
“Ah, you’re familiar with Fiona
.”
“Sigren!”
Then, the voice of the person he just mentioned rang out.
When Livya heard the prince’s name, her eyes widened.
Sigren also seemed to be like, ‘Oops,’ after seeing Livya’s expression.
Fiona appeared immediately around the corner. She seemed to have run there in a hurry.
“As expected, you’re here. What I said last time—”
“Lady Fiona.”
Fiona paused when she heard Sigren addressing her as “Lady” and his warning tone, then she saw Livya. It was a late discovery. But she immediately changed her words.
“No, it’s. I’d like to have a word with you, I have something to ask
—”
Fiona cried inwardly when she found out that she was speaking completely without etiquette towards an imperial family member.
“Well, Your Highness, Prince Sigren.”
Sigren sighed silently at her awkwardness, but Livya pretended not to hear Fiona’s mistake.
“It’s been a while, Lady Fiona.”
Fiona couldn’t hide her embarrassment. “Long time no see, Lady Livya.”
Livya smiled. “I’ve heard that you’ve been sick after the hunting competition, I’m glad that you look healthy.”
“Yes, I’m very healthy now.”
Livya came out from the empress’ palace, so she wondered why she ran into these two. She glanced around and saw that the empress’s palace was already so far away. Looked like she had taken the wrong way.
‘Did I just walk while crazily thinking that?’
The other two were also staring at Livya, perhaps they also had similar questions.
Livya responded honestly, “I’m afraid I have lost my way.”
Fiona laughed softly. “It can happen. I also get confused sometimes.”