episode_0046

John paused for a moment at her straightforward words. He hadn’t expected her to say something like that.

“…I see. I am honored that Her Highness the Princess was pleased with it.”

However, John simply answered in a calm voice. His expression was almost expressionless, and his confusion was hidden deep in his blue eyes.

“You don’t seem to like it very much. Isn’t it rare for me to like something this much?”

This was his first time meeting Lariana and he didn’t know anything about her, but John knew right away.

She is quite fickle.

And, as expected from royalty, he is extremely arrogant.

“I don’t expect much from the beginning. For now, I’m just satisfied with having time to get to know each other. Hehe.”

Lariana put down her teacup and continued speaking calmly, as if the story had already been concluded.

“So, how about being my man?”

She said with an elegant smile.

“Becoming the princess’s man, isn’t it a glorious opportunity to share in the glory of the royal family? I think it’s worth accepting.”

As she said, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for John. How many chances would he have to be born the third son of a baron and be connected to the princess?

“To be honest, I want to refuse.”

But John had Francia. Even without her brilliance, even without the Duke of Perbace, he would not have betrayed her.

“Ho, that’s an interesting answer. I didn’t expect you to reject it right away.”

Lariana’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“What is the reason?”

“Because I have a lover.”

“Don’t want to betray your lover?”

“Yes.”

Lariana felt even greater interest in John’s unwavering, deep blue eyes.

“Hmm, okay. Actually, I said this half-jokingly. We just met, so it doesn’t make sense to start dating right away, right?”

Lariana winked at John, squinting one eye. Even her sly expression was breathtakingly beautiful and eerie.

“I won’t worry about this, since time will solve it. Even the Harsen Special Wizard will be upset when he sees me. If we continue to meet, he will naturally open his heart.”

Her words were full of conviction, as if she foresaw that in time John would come to her.

John didn’t like that assurance, but he couldn’t confront Lariana about it.

“Did I rude you too much?”

Lariana tilted her head slightly, her expression slightly showing her displeasure. Her golden hair flowed down.

“Rather than being rude, I feel a little embarrassed that you suddenly called me in and said this. After all, this is my first time meeting Your Highness the Princess.”

Lariana raised the corners of her lips slightly.

“So you don’t understand why I’m acting like this?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… How should I put this.”

She tapped her lips with her index finger and smiled brightly. It was a refreshing smile that suited her light-hearted attitude.

“Your Majesty, are you looking for a wife for me? I will probably marry a prince or a high-ranking nobleman from another country. But I don’t want to marry like that. I want to choose the man I will spend my life with.”

Lariana is now twenty, having just passed her birthday. Despite being the princess of the empire, the reason she is still unmarried at this age is because of her stubbornness.

“So that’s why you chose me?”

John asked with a hardened expression.

Lariana slowly leaned forward, closing the distance between herself and John.

“Yeah. We’re really good for each other, right?”

She would be happy to choose the man she would marry, and John would gain immense wealth and power through the glory of the imperial family.

If he were a normal man, he would have accepted her offer.

But relationships shouldn’t be created like that. A relationship where A and B are clearly defined is bound to collapse quickly.

I had no intention of betraying Francia in the first place.

“Your Highness’s choice is an honor that I deserve. However, my mind has already been made up.”

John’s voice did not waver an inch.

“I can never betray my bond with Princess Pervace.”

Even though he hardened his expression and firmly refused, she did not give up digging.

“Hehe, don’t decide right away, think about it slowly. I didn’t necessarily intend to get a definitive answer right now.”

The feelings Lariana had for John at the moment were nothing more or less than curiosity and interest, but the fact that she had such feelings made him special to her.

“I don’t think I can give you the answer Your Highness wants, but I understand.”

When John nodded with a firm face, Lariana smiled as if she was satisfied with that alone. After all, it was important to squeeze in at the beginning.

“Okay. Now, shall we enjoy tea time?”

As Lariana lightly rang the small bell with her fingertips, a refreshing sound spread throughout the garden. Soon, servants appeared, breaking the silence of the garden, and set up inlaid teacups on silver trays.

The steam rising from the car carried an exotic scent. The faint scent of flowers and herbs tickled my nose.

“Exotic scent, right?”

“That’s right.”

Lariana smiled faintly.

“Hehe, I brought this for this day. The more special the first meeting, the better.”

As the servant poured the tea into the teacup, Lariana closed her eyes and sniffed the scent.

“We’ve already talked about the heavy stuff, so let’s just talk about small things from now on.”

“…Yes.”

After that, John had to continue the boring conversation with her and tell Lariana many stories.

The meeting with the Third Princess Lariana Rosino… as you can see from the content of the mission, wasn’t very good.

It was because there was a unique arrogance among those at the top of power who thought the world revolved around them, and it was obvious that they were after them.

‘It’s become quite a nuisance.’

As soon as Cassis, who was attached to Francia, was struck down, the Third Princess immediately followed suit. Johan sighed inwardly while talking.

I knew that connecting with the heroine of this work wouldn’t be smooth, but wasn’t it just too rough?

But now, I couldn’t give everything up, because I had truly fallen in love with Francia.

John had to try to please Lariana with a reluctant smile.

“As expected… I really like smiling.”

Lariana, who was absent-minded, clumsily put down her teacup. Johan, who had been quietly observing her hand movements, immediately took out a handkerchief and placed it on the table.

“Please be careful as hot tea may splatter.”

His speech was calm, but his actions showed his meticulous consideration for others.

“Uh… Thank you.”

Lariana, who was admiring John’s face, took his handkerchief and wiped away the tea that had splattered on her. She felt good about the small consideration.

“…I’m sorry for being so absorbed in the admiration. But it’s my fault that Harsen’s special wizard is so handsome. You know? I can’t take my eyes off him.”

Lariana, who was saying the same thing as Francia. Johan couldn’t help but laugh as he thought of her blushing bright red.

It was not a forced smile with sharp eyes and the corners of the mouth turned up, but a soft and natural smile with even the eyebrows curved.

“Ah… I laughed sincerely.”

Lariana felt her breath catch in an instant. A refreshing smile that matched the garden of swaying flower petals. Time seemed to stop around him.

It’s stuck.

That was the right expression…

“…Isn’t it okay to laugh?”

John tilted his head as he looked at Lariana, who had frozen like a stone.

His face was completely unaware of what he had done.

“Ahem… It’s not like you shouldn’t laugh, but I think you should be careful. You shouldn’t seduce a woman without warning, right?”

Lariana awkwardly fixed her ticklish neck for no reason, then smiled faintly and shrugged her shoulders.

“Then I have to always keep a blank expression.”

“When you talk to me, you just have a blank expression and a forced smile, so I think that would be okay?”

Lariana squinted one eye.

Her sly demeanor was a way of hiding the fact that her heart was pounding. It was a mindset that she would never give the initiative to the other person.

“Huh huh…”

Lariana smiled slightly and cautiously turned her gaze to the teacup. To be honest, just now was dangerous.

Should I say that I feel more attracted to someone who didn’t do that before?

After seeing only forced smiles, I felt captivated by his genuine smile.

‘…Should I be a little more serious?’

As we spent this pointless time together, a longing to slowly get to know him began to bloom in my heart.

The feelings that started out as a simple joke were turning into real feelings.

“Ahem.”

Lariana, who had been staring at the teacup, cautiously raised her gaze. She saw Johan Harsen staring blankly at her.

When I saw him, my heart started pounding and I started to feel excited. At first, I didn’t feel that way, but once I started to be conscious of it, I was conscious of it until the end.

“…Okay. Let’s end our meeting here for today. Thank you for coming such a long way, Harsen Special Wizard.”

Lariana, who thought she couldn’t do it anymore, got up from her seat with an awkward smile.

If we kept talking like this, I might end up falling for him.

“Yes. It was an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”

John smiled and stood up from his seat as if he had been waiting for those words.

Lariana strangely disliked the sight, but her heart had already melted at the sight of John’s smile, so she couldn’t say anything.

“…I’ll call you again next time.”

“Yes. Please call me anytime.”

She smiled lightly, but her eyes were not on John. He was still smiling brightly like before.

The more she thought about that smile, the more her face felt hot. Her heart wouldn’t stop pounding. If this continued, her face would turn bright red.

“… … .”

John felt something strange when he saw Lariana suddenly become passive, but he didn’t bother to delve deeper into it.

“Then, let’s go now.”

He straightened his clothes and greeted Lariana politely.

Lariana watched the back of Johan as he left, and carefully brushed away the cold feeling of the teacup that remained on her fingertips.

‘…This is the first time I’ve been so easily manipulated.’

Lariana pouted, resting her chin on the table. She was so embarrassed that she thought she was such an easy woman, that her heart was moved by a mere smile.

Of course, there was meticulous consideration and an undeniable elegance in it…

Still, she couldn’t allow herself to be easily overcome with laughter.

‘He was a more dangerous man than I thought.’

He is a man who can touch women’s hearts with just his eyes and smile. How many women’s tears are shed in his shadow?

Lariana suddenly wondered about that.