“The Firefly Festival in Letiana is really worth seeing. Even people from other countries come to see it.”

Ariel stared intently at him as he remained silent, adding a bit of explanation.

“I apologize. It seems difficult to make time.”

Kaius considered for a moment, but decided against it. Now that he couldn’t make a clear decision about marriage, such things would only be a waste of time for him.

“Ariel? The Duke of the Empire doesn’t seem interested. Let’s go together.”

“Ludvian, I’m sorry but…”

As Ariel was about to refuse, Ludvian stepped forward, completely blocking her from Kaius’s view.

“Ariel, I advise you to think carefully once more before answering.”

Ariel, who was about to refuse again, felt a chill down her spine when she met his smiling red eyes. It was a threat. That if she refused, something unpleasant would happen again. A faint sigh escaped Ariel’s lips as she glared at Ludvian.

“Alright. Let’s go together… But not today.”

Frowning at Ludvian’s seemingly satisfied expression, Ariel took out her pocket watch to check the time. It was time to leave if she wanted to attend the delegation’s reception.

“Please step aside.”

As Ariel passed by Ludvian, who stepped aside obediently, and approached Kaius, her body stiffened. His face, devoid of any emotion, was breathtakingly calm. Ariel bit her lip to release the tension.

“I don’t have time for a conversation right now.”

After asking for understanding, Ariel began walking down the corridor leading to her bedroom.

Just because she had regressed didn’t mean Kaius had developed different feelings. He was a thorn deeply embedded in Ariel’s heart, and saving him was her responsibility and duty.

Even so.

His coldness hurt her a little inside.

As Kaius, who had been staring at Ariel’s retreating figure, turned around, he found Duke Beloas standing before him with a relaxed smile. How ridiculous. Finding the man’s behavior amusing, Kaius chuckled and leisurely left the North Palace.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Ariel, think about it again. He’s going to be your husband, you should show your true self.”

“Father, Mother, please trust me. I’ll go out like this.”

After a long argument, Ariel finally succeeded in persuading her parents and sat in her designated seat in the main palace’s reception hall. In her previous life, he particularly disliked her silver hair and golden eyes. After regressing, she had thought hard about it but couldn’t figure out the reason at all.

[Wife, I told you the time I would be coming out, didn’t I? I warned you to avoid that time.] [I had something to do for a moment.] [Can’t you do something about that hair? At least cover it with a cloak. You know I hate it.]

Because of that, she had been wearing an artifact that gradually changed her appearance for a year in preparation for today. Changing all at once would arouse suspicion, so little by little each month.

Her dazzlingly bright silver hair gradually turned to a deep gray, and her eyes slowly turned brown.

Only her parents, her maid Anna, and the court magician Edward, who crafted the artifact monthly, knew that Ariel had changed her appearance with an artifact.

With her eyes half-lowered, Ariel sat beside the King and Queen of Letiana, who were seated in ornate high-backed chairs. In the reception hall, guest chairs were arranged in rows with spacing, and small tables for light refreshments were placed next to each chair.

At the forefront of the delegation was Kaius. His appearance in formal attire was so splendid that it drew involuntary gasps. Although he was the sole dark presence among the various hair colors, he seemed to be the only one emitting light.

“I greet Your Majesty the King and Queen of Letiana.”

Kaius paid his respects in order, then approached Ariel. His night-like black hair and deep black eyes looked at her.

She placed her hand, covered in a thin lace glove, on his outstretched large hand. Throughout the time he kissed the back of her hand, his gaze was persistently fixed on Ariel’s eyes.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Princess Ariel.”

The low voice that resonated brought her mind back to reality. Seeing his dry lips with just the corners slightly raised, her body trembled slightly. She instinctively tried to withdraw her hand from him, but he applied a little pressure.

As she stared at him, Kaius released her hand with a silent laugh.

“Welcome, Duke Elbartan, the rising light of the Empire.”

She bent her knees slightly, giving him a properly courteous greeting. She hoped he would accept the deal, but there was no need to be servile.

“Please, have a seat.”

A servant stepped in at the right moment. Finally able to breathe easily, Ariel looked around. The left side of the king was always reserved for Letiana’s nobles. As her eyes swept across, she saw Ludvian. She couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of him, who had never attended such an occasion before. It was truly amusing. The sight of Ludvian being conscious of Kaius.

Ludvian slightly raised his hand to acknowledge her. Resisting the urge to turn her head away sharply, Ariel managed to put on a formal smile.

“I wonder if your night’s rest was comfortable, given the inconveniences you must have faced on your journey.”

Her father and Count Hamond, who came as the representative of the delegation, began their ceremonial conversation. The purpose of this visit was none other than for the engagement. However, in the past, he had requested to break off the engagement. Only, unable to go against the Emperor’s will, they ended up skipping the engagement and going straight to marriage six months later.

As Kaius began to drink the tea served by the attendant, he naturally recalled the contents of the letter. Princess Ariel, who offered to heal him and proposed marriage. Now that he had come to Letiana, he had to make a decision. Engagement or breaking it off, or straight to marriage as she proposed.

[I have a proposal for you.

Since neither of us wants this marriage, I suggest we skip the engagement and go straight to marriage.

Instead, I want the marriage to be a one-year contract marriage. We’ll divorce cleanly after a year.

If you accept this proposal, we can discuss the details separately later.

By the way, do you get injured like that often?]

He put down his teacup and turned his gaze to Ariel. But her eyes were directed elsewhere. Following her line of sight, he saw the red-haired man, Ludvian Beloas. It was that man again. A smirk escaped between Kaius’s lips.

If she likes another man in a situation where she can’t refuse a marriage request from a powerful country? Only then did he understand the princess’s proposal. She probably didn’t think he would demand to break off the engagement.

It was the best choice for her.

As he stared at Ariel, he saw her stiffened appearance. She had been like that since their eyes met while she was looking at Ludvian. But that was only for a moment. Soon she looked at him boldly.

Chuckling again, Kaius picked up his teacup once more to savor the aroma. Come to think of it, it was tea that helped with insomnia. Unknowingly, his eyes went back to Ariel. Somehow, he felt she must have prepared this tea.

His guess turned into certainty.

She pointed at his teacup with her finger and then took a sip. It was a signal for him to drink the tea. Kaius slowly drank the tea while keeping his gaze fixed on Ariel.

While last night’s encounter might have been a coincidence, the herbal tea good for insomnia was clearly prepared through research. A sigh escaped at the sight of her smiling at him.

Perhaps.

He thought he might be able to spend a year well with her.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Anna, this doesn’t seem right. It’s the wrong choice.”

The welcoming greetings in the reception hall had ended, and she had just returned to her bedroom, saying she needed to change into a dress for the banquet.

The dress Anna had chosen had bare shoulders as a basic feature, and the neckline was wide and deep, revealing a glimpse of skin in a precarious manner. Letiana’s dresses were mostly light and exposed arms and legs due to the hot weather. But this dress was even more so.

In short, from Ariel’s perspective, it was a dress that gave the impression of being nearly naked.

“Hah…”

A deep sigh rose from within.

“No matter what you say, it won’t do. There’s no time to change. All the young ladies attending the banquet will be dressed even more daringly than this, so this is the bare minimum.”

“It’s okay to be late. Let’s change. Okay?”

“I’ll get scolded by the Queen. Just this once, please? Yes?”

As Ariel was about to cross her arms and stand firm, disliking the dress and not intending to seduce Kaius with her body, a knock was heard.

“Ariel, let’s go now.”

Ludvian? I didn’t ask him to escort me.

“I think the Queen sent him. We’re late. Hurry and go out.”

Anna pushed me out the door.

“I was supposed to go with Edward, so please go ahead.”

As it was basic etiquette for a lady to be escorted by a gentleman, I had asked Edward.

“I sent Edward away.”

As Ariel looked at Ludvian with an incredulous expression, his gaze started from her face and slowly moved downward.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“You dress up so beautifully and tell me not to look? That’s an impossible request.”

Ludvian smiled and extended his arm. Ariel knew that arguing with him would ultimately end up as he wished, so she linked arms with him with a small sigh.

“Let’s go now.”

“Wait a moment. This doesn’t seem quite right.”

Ludvian took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. How gentlemanly he pretends to be. Hypocrite. Thinking that the day to bring shame to his smiling face was not far off, she expressed gratitude with an even more hypocritical heart.

As Ariel began to walk side by side with him, her eyes sank into a cold gaze.