Yeu-ju's first love was taken away, Chapter 12
"I'm sorry, but I have no intention of living a false marriage."
"I'm telling you to think rationally. If we break off the engagement like this, it will be the fourth time. What man in the world would want to marry a woman who has broken off her engagement four times?"
I could feel the strength in his hand that was holding me. I frowned and tried to pull my wrist free.
"Let go of this. I'll call the palace guards to chase you away if you don't."
"Then I'll escort you only until today."
Wilhelm looked quite desperate.
I smiled and said to him,
"Why? Did Tatiana stop meeting you because of the rumors of our broken engagement?"
His body jerked as if I had struck a nerve.
"If that's the case, I have even less intention of agreeing to your request. What benefit would I get from agreeing to this? Rumors would spread that I foolishly brought a cheating man to the ball."
"Princess, why are you so negative?"
"I'm not being negative. You and Tatiana are living in a flower field. I'm sorry, but I'm extremely realistic and extremely objective."
I pulled my hand out of his grip.
Wilhelm's eyes met my wrist.
"Isn't that Titi's thing? Surely you didn't steal it to imitate her?"
For some reason, Wilhelm reacted sensitively to my bracelet.
I decided to provoke him. Looking at his affection level, I spoke.
"It's not Tatiana's, and I'm not imitating her."
"Don't lie. She told me this was a precious thing that only one in the world exists."
His words were true. It was precious.
Tatiana probably didn't think there could be two bracelets with such abilities.
"If you thought that imitating the Grand Duchess would change my mind, I'm sorry. She's the only one for me."
"Is that not too harsh to say!"
The butler, who had been holding back behind me, stepped forward.
Having served the Pionia Duke's family for a lifetime and raised Karina since childhood, he couldn't tolerate this insult.
"If you continue to insult the Princess, I will call the palace guards immediately."
At the butler's signal, the Duke's knights, all armed with swords and guns, climbed the stairs.
"I will step back today. Let's properly continue this conversation another time."
Wilhelm acknowledged his disadvantage and stepped back.
"There won't be a next time. Our engagement is over."
I was fed up. I couldn't understand why he was being so clingy.
My heart sank, and my whole body felt cold.
Noticing my gaze, Wilhelm quietly turned and walked down the stairs.
'What? Why is the affection level rising?'
Surprisingly, Wilhelm's value, which had been heading towards negative, increased slightly.
And at the same time, I felt bad.
Could he really believe that I was imitating Tatiana to win his heart?
I took off the bracelet and handed it to Lily.
"Put it back in my room. Let's leave now."
"Yes, Miss. The Duke is waiting for you with bated breath."
I nodded and got into the carriage.
The carriage headed quickly to the palace.
I looked out the window at the cityscape passing by and organized my thoughts.
Tatiana really seemed to want Wilhelm as her lover.
And surprisingly, she thought all the male leads belonged to her.
'Maybe Tatiana is also a possessed character?'
It was the most plausible theory.
But there were awkward points that made it hard to believe she was possessed.
For example, her obsession with the Emperor, who wasn't a target of affection.
'If she knew the original story, she wouldn't be so obsessed with Aster, who is just an illustration passing by.'
Judging without fully understanding the other person was the most dangerous thing.
I thought I knew Tatiana well after knowing her for a long time.
But this incident made me realize I didn't know her at all.
I just thought of her as the female protagonist in the game.
I came to my senses at the coachman's words and got out of the carriage.
Father, who had been waiting for me at the door, approached.
Perhaps because of Wilhelm's sudden appearance, my body had been tense. When I saw Father, my strength left me, and I slumped to the ground.
"Karina? Are you feeling unwell? If so, I'll tell His Majesty and we'll go back."
I shook my head at Father's worried words.
I had always run away from the lovers Tatiana had discarded.
But I wouldn't do that anymore.
"I'm fine. I really want to attend today."
"If that's what you want... But don't overdo it."
With Father's support, I got up.
I straightened my back and headed for the Great Hall.
The servant bowed slightly as I stood in front of the ornate door.
"The Duke of Pionia and the Duchess enter."
With a loud announcement, the gilded and jeweled door opened.
I winced slightly at the dazzling light from the ballroom.
And in that light, I saw a man smiling at me.
When our eyes met, I smiled softly and walked towards him.
But Father, who was holding my hand, stood rooted to the spot, not moving.
I turned to look at Father.
His eyes seemed a bit dazed, which looked a bit strange.
When I called him cautiously, Father turned his gaze, startled.
Even the hand holding mine was trembling.
"Huh? No, no. Nothing. Let's go to His Majesty first. The ball can't start until you and His Majesty dance, right?"
I was about to question his suspicious behavior, but I didn't have the chance.
Tatiana entered my field of vision.
But something seemed off.
She looked very different from her usual confident self.
Daniel and Andrew were also there, and the atmosphere felt a bit awkward.
Only Aster smiled at me as if nothing was wrong.
"Welcome, Duke. And Princess."
He approached me in one swift motion and smiled.
His smile was so bright it felt awkward, and I couldn't help but laugh nervously.
Aster was the first person to welcome me like this at a ball.
It felt strange to be welcomed by someone.
Perhaps noticing my strangeness, Aster looked worried.
Father and I followed his lead to the head table.
Daniel tactfully avoided us, but Tatiana stood there like a statue.
I nodded lightly to Andrew and moved slightly to the side with Father.
"I am grateful to all the nobles who have attended today's National Foundation Day. Please enjoy the day to the fullest as a reward for your hard work."
Aster, standing on the podium, announced the start of the ball.
Then he descended the podium and walked towards me.
He swept his shining blonde hair back, and his mysterious purple eyes gazed at me.
My heart strangely fluttered.
It felt as if time was moving slowly, like a scene in a dream.
I could clearly see every movement of Aster as he slowly approached me.
His elaborate uniform, decorated in red, white, and black, gently fluttered with his movements.
He knelt in front of me, lowering his body.
Aster raised his hand, pulled the corners of his mouth into a sweet smile, and asked,
"Would you like to dance the first dance with me?"
I felt a ringing in my ears.
It was a planned dance, and our relationship was based on necessity, yet my face flushed.
I tried to hide my trembling heart and placed my hand on his.
Then I saw Tatiana glaring at me as if she wanted to kill me over his shoulder.
I smiled at her, gently held his hand, and walked onto the dance floor with Aster.
The music started, and we began to dance, slowly circling.
"You look happy, Princess."
"Yes, much more than I imagined."
"I have some good news that will make you even happier."
Aster spun me around and pulled me closer, whispering,
"Before you arrived, the Grand Duchess said it was her birthday."
Tatiana's birthday wasn't on National Foundation Day.
What was she thinking to lie like that?
"And she asked for the first dance as a birthday gift."
"Of course, I refused, but it's a bit disappointing that you didn't see the Grand Duke and Duke Malphion's expressions at that moment."
I was stunned by Aster's words.
Even if Tatiana's mind was a flower field, could she do something like this?
Asking for the first dance with her husband standing right behind her.