episode_0196

After hearing the story of Agnes’ first encounter with Prince Antonio, I could somewhat understand his sudden obsession towards her.

Thinking from Antonio’s perspective, it must have felt like a prince on a white horse… no, more like a sudden savior who appeared in a crisis and then disappeared like a phantom.

It didn’t really matter what Agnes’ intentions were. In Antonio’s mind, she would remain as the woman who saved him without revealing her name and then vanished.

Even though Agnes herself didn’t think much of it, hearing the explanation from her perspective, I could somewhat understand. Perhaps in Antonio’s eyes, the memory was exaggerated to a greater extent.

“If it’s Antonio, he’s not a bad guy… but…”

While he didn’t have ambitions for higher power, his upbringing had inevitably shaped him that way.

His basic nature was gentle, always wearing a smile that was hard to read. But even that mysterious smile was just a facade for personal gain.

He hadn’t betrayed anyone in the story, and aside from lacking in certain abilities, he was a decent guy.

Looking at it objectively, his lack of ability referred to his performance in the Demon King Subjugation Unit, not his personal shortcomings. Evaluating a person solely based on combat prowess wasn’t an objective standard to begin with.

“Well, it’s not like my evaluation of Antonio matters at this point.”

Even though the incident at the Snowball Masquerade Ball, where I and Edan participated, was indirectly related to them, ultimately it was a matter between the two of them.

Deciding their future was something they had to do themselves.

No matter how much I praised Antonio, if Agnes didn’t like him, it wouldn’t mean anything. And vice versa.

All I could do was listen to Agnes’ worries and offer some advice.

“What do you want to do, Agnes?”

“…Huh?”

“Even though the confession was a bit sudden, a confession is a confession. Running away won’t make it disappear, Agnes.”

“I know.”

With a complex expression, Agnes leaned against the railing, looking out at the scenery outside the palace.

The bustling Huangdo illuminated the dimming streets even after evening.

If she became the prince’s wife, she would see this scenery every day. It was understandable if her heart felt uneasy.

If I were in Agnes’ shoes, it would be a difficult decision.

“For now, I’ll confirm if what he said was sincere.”

“And if it is?”

“…If it is, then I’ll accept.”

“Really?”

“It would give you an advantage in the succession competition. If you get engaged to the prince, you’ll meet most of the qualifications the elders talk about.”

…Is she really inserting her succession issue into such an important matter?

I didn’t intend to interfere with Prince Antonio, but personally, I hoped Agnes would make a more careful decision.

If Agnes accepted the engagement with Prince Antonio simply out of ‘necessity,’ they might miss the opportunity to truly understand each other.

“I understand Agnes’ feelings, but… do you really need to make a decision right now?”

“…Huh?”

“Although you know that the engagement with Prince Antonio has many benefits for you, it’s still a step before choosing a lifelong partner. Deciding after just the second meeting seems too hasty, don’t you think?”

“…”

“Instead of thinking about getting engaged to Prince Antonio right away, how about taking some time to get to know each other a little more? Prince Antonio will be entering the academy next year anyway, so naturally, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to meet each other.”

Initially, Agnes had a skeptical expression on her face when she heard my suggestion, but she seemed to be genuinely considering it.

After all, she had benefited from my advice once before, and since it was coming from a close friend, it was more likely to resonate with her.

Her sincere desire not to miss out on this rare opportunity was clearly evident in our conversation.

“But what if saying something like that upsets Prince Antonio and he decides to break off the engagement altogether?”

“In that case, Prince Antonio would just prove to be a man who couldn’t handle it. Engagements with such people are bound to be unhappy from the start, so there’s no need to regret it.”

“Are you just casually talking about someone else’s story? Engagements with a prince are not something that is given to just anyone.”

“But isn’t that also true for Agnes? The opportunity to be engaged to the next Elizabeth’s heir and the future head of the Red Tower family is not something common, right?”

“The next Elizabeth’s heir… the next head of the Red Tower family… Yeah, that’s right. Your words make sense, Lily.”

…Her pride in herself was as certain as ever.

I had mentioned it once before, but in the original game, Agnes mostly had a solo ending unless she was involved with a hero.

In other words, she had to be at the level of a hero to have the qualifications to be with Agnes.

So, objectively speaking, it was almost as if Prince Antonio had been given an opportunity by Agnes.

Since Agnes had not yet participated in the Demon King subjugation army and had not been recognized as the next head of the Elizabeth family, this was the only time she could stand on equal footing with him.

“Love is a structure where the one who is more regretful always ends up losing. But if you accept a public confession like today without prior agreement, how do you think Prince Antonio will view you in the future?”

“…How do you think he will view me?”

“He will probably think, ‘This woman doesn’t mind even if I act rudely towards her,’ and from then on, he will act even more freely. Before formal marriage, he may try to sleep with you, or when spending time together, he may not care about what you like at all, or he may even bring in other concubines besides you.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. So, especially at times like this, you need to give a clear answer. First, firmly warn Prince Antonio, who made a public confession without prior agreement, and since you think the engagement is premature, suggest taking time to get to know each other first.

That way, he might realize on his own, ‘This woman is not someone I can easily manipulate,’ ‘I’m not approaching her just because I’m a prince, but because she genuinely considers me seriously.’”

“….”

“Of course, this is just my opinion, and it’s up to Agnes to make the decision. If I’ve said this much and you still accept the engagement just because the other person is a prince, then I won’t stop you.”

I tended to be a bit extreme in order to give Agnes a sense of urgency.

Demanding intimacy before marriage or bringing in concubines was almost impossible given the character of Prince Antonio as seen in the game.

Of course, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious in advance. Human nature was always inconsistent, and the change in Prince Antonio’s personality due to meeting Agnes two years ago could have led in any direction.

Just looking at Eden now, it was clear that the Eden in the game and the present were so different that they should be considered as entirely different individuals.

…In Eden’s case, it was a change for the better, but there was no guarantee that such changes would always be positive.

-Clang!

“Ah, I found you! You’re here!”

“Oh, Agnes, Your Highness! Oh, I mean, Your Highness Consort! You should return to the Sunflower Hall alone….”

At that moment, the palace guards rushed towards Agnes and me in the outdoor garden.

Judging by their exhausted appearance, they must have searched from the first floor up to here.

…Well, the timing isn’t too bad. We’ve already had the conversation we needed to have.

“Your Highness Consort Agnes, Prince Antonio is still at the banquet hall….”

“Don’t call me ‘Your Highness Consort.’ It’s not decided yet.”

“…What?”

“And don’t stick to my sides. I’m not going to run away. I needed some time to think.”

“Yes, I apologize!”

The guards quickly separated, showing respect for Agnes’s firm tone.

Although we weren’t officially engaged with Antonio yet, the fact that I caught his eye didn’t change.

I followed her back to the Sunflower Hall at noon, and as we walked, Agnes mentioned the conversation we had just had in the outdoor garden.

“They say that in a relationship, the one who loves more is at a disadvantage, right?”

“Yes, Agnes.”

“Keep that in mind. It’s Lily’s words.”

“Thank you, Agnes.”

“When I see you and Eden together, it doesn’t seem like a wrong statement.”

“…What?”

Before I could fully understand Agnes’s last words, she opened the door to the Sunflower Hall and entered the banquet hall once again.

From now on, I could only quietly observe what decision Agnes would make.