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Chapter 9
“But what about this? Since you have already accepted the promise you made with the 3rd Prince, there is nothing you can do about it.”
It was a meaningful tone.
Diana, noticing the meaning behind those words, opened her eyes and blinked at the door.
“The carriage is ready. It is the biggest tea house on Parmandy Street, so go ahead.”
For that moment, Diana forgot a little bit of her sadness about Viscount Susfield and felt gratitude.
‘It must be a long burden for the Viscount to put me in front of Rebecca, when I haven’t even been engaged to Cayden yet. I wouldn’t be afraid to run away.’
“…What about father?”
“I have to go with Milard to see Her Majesty the First Princess. She’s going to want to ask me about this.”
In the next moment, Viscount Susfield opened his mouth with a face that seemed sharp at first glance.
“Diana.”
“Yes?”
“Even though I have arranged this meeting, you too know that this is the best chance you can get. So please be careful and do your best.”
Viscount Susfield seemed to be saying it was kind of a good word.
‘It’s crazy…’
Viscount Susfield must have pushed forward with this project, thinking that Diana could not go against his will.
Because before, Diana Susfield was obedient and submissive.
‘…Well, actually if I hadn’t returned, the Viscount wouldn’t have tried to marry me to Cayden in the first place.’
When she thought about it like that, a corner of her heart felt bitter.
Diana nodded her head and left the mansion, controlling her desire to just knock those people down.
Her wagon departed quickly. She glanced through the window and saw that the street was packed with people even though it was morning.
Parmandy Street was lined with high-end teahouses and dessert shops that catered to aristocrats.
Among them, she got off in front of the biggest store and was guided by the staff to a private room resembling a greenhouse.
“If you need anything, please pull the string next to it.”
Diana ordered a light refreshment and the staff withdrew.
She looked around her with a strange feeling.
‘I had never been here before my return.’
Rebecca said she didn’t want her to set foot on a ‘market floor’ like this, even though she’s at a place with aristocrats as their main clientele.
Rather, she brought the refreshments from this store to her residence with the authority of the royal family.
Diana also always enjoyed refreshments only in Rebecca’s drawing room, so it was her first time to come here in person.
Sunlight poured over a small glass dome made at a certain distance from the terrace.
Diana, who admired it, froze when she noticed the whispering coming through the door.
“Is that a girl?”
“Of course. Don’t those eyes look like Millard Susfield’s? Of course, she is prettier.”
“Looking at it like this, I can understand to some extent that His Highness the 3rd Prince fell in love at first sight.”
Pls read only at pink muffin tl.
“Is it the taste of the royal family?”
“Oh, my.”
Diana quietly applauded Madame de Sue for her work.
‘Thank you, Madame. I think your skills are taking part in the probability of this fraudulent play. I’ll ask the Viscount to raise the labor cost.’
It then became a little more noisy outside as Diana strengthened her will inside.
The moment she tilted her head, the door opened and Cayden came inside.
Diana opened her eyes wide as she saw him arrive much earlier than expected.
“Your highness? You’re here early.”
What surprised her was that Cayden said the same.
“Why are you already here? Yesterday I made you wait, so I wasn’t going to do that today.”
“There has been a very fierce battle since dawn… In the end, you are late again.”
“This… You’re the first one that made me record 2 losses. You can brag wherever you go.”
Cayden said playfully and sat across from Diana.
The look of his squinting eyes may seem frivolous, but it was nice to see him because he was the owner of such an outstanding appearance.
She smiled lightly at him and pulled the line to order more refreshments.
As the staff set refreshments for two and disappeared, Diana saw the door shut tight, and she spoke softly.
“Just before I left, the First Princess sent me an invitation, saying that she would have lunch with the Susfield family.”
Cayden’s face hardened at those words. He clicked his tongue and lowered his voice as well.
“I almost would have lost you. Were my actions not so convincing yesterday?”
“I don’t think so…?”
Diana spoke as she saw gazes beyond the glass dome from people looking at them with full interest.
Of course, it was stimulating enough that the 1st princess and 3rd prince chose their spouses from the same family.
But what most people liked more than that was the rumors.
An illegitimate child, almost given out by the family, captured the heart of the royal family with just one chance!
…This is a story that can spread enough even through the mouths of commoners who do not know much about the political situation.
In the current capital, Cayden and Diana were listening to something like ‘a pair made by chance and fate’.
Chance refers to Diana, and fate refers to Cayden.
“Anyway, I asked to meet you today to show that I am passionately courting you like a person I fell in love with at first sight.”
Cayden took a sip of the tea and grinned.
“I think we need a detailed discussion about our marriage. The same goes for the secret affairs between the couple.”
“Cool.”
Diana coughed in embarrassment at his words.
She looked at Cayden with a slightly puzzled face.
“Your Majesty…”
“Well?”
“Did it really have to be said in such an open place like that?”
“It’s an open place, so they wouldn’t think that we were negotiating the terms of our marriage contract.”
“You’re right, but is that really all?”
“Hmm. Actually, Diana, I wanted to see your reaction.”
Kayden grinned like a playful boy.
Diana shook her head and smiled as if sighing.
“Okay, I lost. You have 1 win and 2 losses out of 3 games. So, what do you want to do, Your Highness?
“I’m going to follow your opinion completely on this part.”
“My opinion?”
“Yes. How far do you want me to go? On the outside, we have to look like a couple in love, but if you don’t want to, I won’t touch you. There’s a way without contact.”
Diana’s lips were just chapped with an awkward face at the question.
A couple was accompanied by some contact.
She knew that much, and to some extent, she was determined.
However, it was true that it was embarrassing to ask, ‘How far is okay?’.
In the end, Diana answered honestly.
“Actually, I don’t know either. It’s something I’ve never experienced before.”
“It’s the same for me. Then we’d better check it out now.”
“What?”
At the same time as Diana asked again, Cayden slowly reached out and held her hand.
He raised his hands and put his fingers together, and asked seriously.
“How about this? If you don’t like it, tell me right away.”
“…It’s okay.”
Diana replied, trying not to flinch her fingertips.
At first, she was embarrassed, but it was necessary, and above all, Cayden had a serious face, so she decided to think of it as a kind of experiment.
“It’s okay to hold hands.”
Cayden muttered and he stood up and approached Diana.
He reached out, covering her appearance with his own body from people’s eyes.
“What about this?”
A hand with calluses lightly swept Diana’s earlobe and the edge of her neck.
Diana almost groaned, so she hurriedly took a breath.
In fact, it was not such a secret part, but she felt strange for no reason.
‘Am I such a ticklish person?’
She doubted inside and nodded in the sense that it was okay.
It was a little itchy, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
In fact, for Diana, she never ‘disliked’ Cayden.
Even when she was under Rebecca, Cayden was the one who she wanted to avoid. She didn’t dislike or hate him.
Cayden’s eyes subsided a little more. He took a mischievous smile and put his head close to hers.
“Then can I kiss you?””
Diana blinked still at Cayden’s face, which was just in front of hers.
When she didn’t talk for a long time in that state, he was embarrassed and raised himself in a disappointed manner.
“If you don’t like it, say it comfortably. I didn’t mean to do it in a place like this anyway.”
“I don’t hate it.”
“…What?
Cayden opened his eyes wide thinking that he had misheard it.