Chapter 46
“Why the hell did it take so lo…”
The Silvanus knights who had been waiting outside for a long time began to complain as soon as the door opened.
But the moment they saw Aristine come out, their words were sucked right back in.
Their mouths fell open and they forgot that they wanted to act annoyed. Their bewildered expression only lasted a moment and soon, they slowly looked at Aristine from top to bottom as if they were evaluating her.
They had to admit, her outward appearance was incomparably beautiful.
‘What a waste to give this to a barbarian.’
‘Should have let a noble knight like me treat her a little nice.’
Their eyes gleamed with lust and greed as they watched every step Aristine took. These were the people who made dirty jokes about her during her journey to Irugo.
When Aristine reached the carriage, the head of the knights deliberately stretched out his hand.
He had never done anything of the sort during that long journey. But now, he smiled shamelessly as if he had always been a respectful knight.
Back then, he simply didn’t want to touch the dirty princess but now, it was a different story.
Aristine acted like she didn’t see the extended hand and climbed onto the carriage by herself. No, she was about to climb.
And she would have if the head knight had not snatched her hand.
“…!”
The knight held Aristine’s hand tight and smiled insidiously.
“What are you doing?” (Aristine)
“I am only escorting your Highness, the Princess. Here, go on and enter the carriage.”
While talking, he touched Aristine’s soft hand in an unpleasant manner.
Aristine looked at what he was doing for a moment, then she looked up and stared at the Knight.
“How dare you touch the body of an Imperial Princess without permission.”
The Knight was startled by her low tone and dignified look which was peering straight at him.
This was the first time the Princess had asserted the authority of the Imperial family in this manner. The knight was taken aback and didn’t know how to react.
“What are you doing not going on your knees and begging for mercy this instant?”
The weight of that calm voice made the knight let go before he even realized it. And when he realized what he did, he felt ashamed.
To think he reacted like this at the words of a princess they ridiculed.
“Haha, Princess, you’re quite something. Don’t act like this all of a sudden when you know your situation very well.”
The Knight purposefully laughed exaggeratedly and looked down at Aristine arrogantly.
“Even the Imperial family has its own conditions.”
The eyes that looked Aristine up and down were filled with contempt, let alone any respect.
“Princess, you must think you’re Her Highness, the 2nd Princess, hm?”
The knight patted Aristine’s shoulder like he was showing off. As if he was saying she can’t do anything even if he touched her.
“Well, they treat you a little nice in Irugo and you’re marrying the Prince, so maybe you’ve forgotten who you really are…”
He chuckled and his mouth twisted in a sneer.
“Even so, he is still a barbarian.”
The knight rubbed Aristine’s shoulder with his thumb. The skin was surprisingly smooth.
“They are such savages, of course, they take good care of you, Princess.”
His eyes, which had only been filled with anger due to the blow to his self-esteem, began to fill with licentious emotions.
His gaze slowly swept over her prominent collarbone and slender neckline.
Aristine narrowed her eyes.
“You must really love your subordinate.”
“What…”
The knight frowned at the sudden and strange change of topic.
‘I knew the princess’ mind was a little off but…’
Aristine chuckled.
“Aren’t you acting like this because you want to be locked up together?”
At those words, the expression of the knight who had been belittling Aristine stiffened.
He was reminded of one of his men who was dragged to the dungeon while caked in blood. He heard that Tarkan made him that way.
《If I’d been there, that definitely wouldn’t have happened! 》
《Yes, we should have shown that barbaric bastard the skill of an Imperial Knight.》
《To think that coward took advantage of my absence… 》
He talked like that with his subordinates but frankly, he never wanted to face Tarkan.
He could tell just by looking at Tarkan.
‘That man is a monster…’
Seeing the Knight go pale, Aristine whispered in an amicable manner.
“I heard his nose was broken; imagine if it was ripped off, that must be fun to see. Or…I think some other place is pretty good too.”
Aristine’s gaze moved downwards. Or more precisely, to the knight’s crotch, “I think this part’s a better idea, what about you?”
Aristine smiled sweetly, looking as beautiful and pure as an angel. Even though what she was saying was ‘I’ll cut your precious third leg into pieces’.
The knight unconsciously covered the area between his legs.
His face fell and his expression went dark. Nothing had happened yet but his precious place already ached.
Aristine chuckled when she saw the knight shrink away in an unsightly manner then she climbed into the carriage by herself.
‘I don’t know how he’s survived so long without the ability to learn.’
Aristine sat down and exhaled softly.
You would think they would be more cautious after one of them ended up in that state.
‘I have to deal with the knights as well, soon.’
And she needed an excuse to do that.
‘Ah, it’ll be nice if they cause trouble on their own.’
She was worried that they might get scared after this and act carefully.
‘No, No. If they could use their brain like that, what happened just now wouldn’t have occurred.’
On the contrary, he might make even more noise because he was humiliated in front of his subordinates. He was the stupid type that would only think of restoring his trampled pride.
Aristine looked out the window.
The knights were parading around the carriage like they were escorting her. She could easily find the head knight’s face in their midst. Sure enough, he looked so outraged that he was almost heaving.
He seemed very ashamed by his pathetic reaction to her saying she would chop off his precious thing. It felt even more shameful because his men were glancing at him from time to time while acting like they weren’t.
‘Ohh, he looks like he’s going to explode soon.’
In a way, he was a very consistent person.
To Aristine, this was a good sign.
While she was thinking that, the carriage arrived in front of the ceremonial hall.
* * *
Inside the gorgeously decorated ceremonial hall, Dionna stood in a corner of the lobby, trying to manage her expression.
The plaza outside the ceremonial hall was filled with all kinds of people including reporters.
Even though she was indoors, the buzz and excitement were clearly transmitted to her. Everyone was looking forward to seeing the woman who would become the wife of the kingdom’s hero, Tarkan.
‘I should have been the one getting these expectations…!’
Dionna was the only woman close to Tarkan. The only woman Tarkan had by his side.
Originally, she would have naturally become Tarkan’s wife. Tarkan would become King, she would become Queen and they would reign over this country.
She thought there was no other possible future.
‘But the Princess of Silvanus of all people!’
Dionna’s expression didn’t change at all, but tightly clenched fists trembled.
“Oh my, Dionna-nim.”
The young misses who were chatting in the lobby saw Dionna and acted familiar with her. [1]
Dionna who was always composed and mature was the object of admiration of many young misses. Furthermore, Dionna’s older brother was a brave warrior who sacrificed himself in the battle of the plains to save his comrades. That story was famous enough to be sung by bards.
Everyone was moved by the noble sacrifice of that young warrior.
Needless to say, the prestige of Dionna’s family, the Count family of Pallaman increased because of this.
“Your Ladyships.”
Dionna greeted them with a smile as if she wasn’t angry just now.
“You look beautiful today. Aren’t you more beautiful than the bride?”
“What are you saying? Her Highness Aristine is a very beautiful person.”
Dionna elevated Aristine while giving a charming and relaxed smile.
“I’ve heard the Princess is beautiful. They said everyone was surprised at the royal audience.”
“But even so, she’s a Silvanian, you know.”
“So small, it’s unattractive…”
The young misses lowered their voices to a whisper as if afraid someone will hear.
“I probably shouldn’t say this, but I think someone like Dionna-nim suits His Highness Tarkan better.”
“Me too.”
Dionna didn’t say a word, but a corner of her lips charmingly curled upwards.
Translator’s Corner:
[1] Young misses are young noble ladies. Also titled/called ‘Your Ladyship’