Chapter 3 – 【 His Princess 】 (Part 1)

Are you kidding me right now?

Even though she expressed her intention to attend the banquet, they sent people several times to get a confirmation, only to have her stand as a bridesmaid next to Princess Cristal as she receives a proposal.

Cedric looked down at Yuria, who was staring at Cristal while clutching a handkerchief tightly. It was unfortunate that he could only see the top of her head because she was standing so close.

He wondered what kind of expression Yuria has right now. She seemed unnervingly calm until she attended the banquet but perhaps it was the calm before the storm. Other than refusing dinner, claiming she had gained weight, every day had been smooth.

He had heard that a delegation from the Kingdom of Amal would be attending this banquet, but it was not unusual for allied nations to send delegations for celebratory purposes, so he did not find it strange.

But to think there was another purpose. As he listened to the prince of the Kingdom of Amal praise Cristal’s beauty, Cedric glared at Lahen. This situation must have been coordinated in advance, and Crown Prince Lahen must have been involved. However, he did not even give Cedric and Yuria a heads-up.

He must have feared that if he informed them, Yuria might change her mind and not come. It was clear.

“Will you marry me?”

The prince knelt on one knee, presenting a rose that seemed freshly picked to Cristal. Cristal shyly accepted the rose, and the prince kissed the back of her hand. The king and queen looked at them with satisfied smiles, and the attendees all offered their congratulations.

Under the lavish chandelier, it was a scene right out of a young girl’s dream: a beautiful princess and a prince seemingly in love. It was completely different from when Cedric and Yuria got married.

Although it was also a political marriage, Cedric never had the chance to propose to Yuria publicly. Their marriage was decided at the table and proceeded modestly. Instead of congratulations, they received criticism and pity.

It was as if they were trying to upset her on purpose. They should have given her a heads-up so she could prepare herself mentally. He wondered how Yuria is supposed to accept this situation. Even though they were born as princesses on the same day, they had a different fate. Life is truly unfair.

“…….”

When Cedric met Lahen’s eyes, he protested with his gaze. If Yuria were to avoid looking foolish, she should offer her congratulations to Cristal now, but Cedric could not blame her if she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

“…….”

Lahen avoided Cedric’s gaze. He had his own thoughts. It was true he had forced Yuria to attend, fearing she might be criticized if she wasn’t present at the royal wedding. But how could he expect her to offer congratulations? He planned to divert people’s attention to himself at the right moment.

“Congratulations, Cristal.”

However, the person in question was remarkably calm. From the moment she heard that an unmarried prince was part of the delegation, Yuria had predicted he would be Cristal’s match. Yuria even believed that only a prince from another country would be a suitable match for Cristal. After all, it was her twin, the pride of the Kingdom of Leusen. Yuria’s congratulations were sincere.

Despite their differences, Yuria and Cristal were twins born on the same day. They shared a bond that others couldn’t understand. Although Yuria had been hurt by constant comparisons to Cristal, she couldn’t bring herself to hate her.

“Thank you.”

Cristal carefully took Yuria’s hand. Her gaze was full of guilt. Yuria grasped her hand, indicating it was alright. No words were needed. This conveyed everything.

“Go to the prince. You are the star today; you should have the first dance.”

Yuria blankly watched Cristal walk to the center of the banquet hall. Though they both had blonde hair, Cristal’s hair shone brightly like sunlight, unlike Yuria’s dull hair.

Both Yuria and Cristal had green eyes like their mother, but Cristal’s eyes sparkled transparently like emeralds. People praised that no jewel could compare to her eyes.

When standing side by side and hearing those praises, the person praising would often hesitate upon seeing Yuria and hurriedly add that her eyes were beautiful too. It would have been better if they had just ignored her. She often wished she had inherited her father’s brown eyes instead.

“Our princess looks even more beautiful today.”

“That prince over there is lucky. To have our princess as his wife.”

“He seems to have fallen in love at first sight, doesn’t he?”

Everyone praised the princess’s beauty. In the past, Yuria also hoped that one of those compliments would be for her, but now she no longer made such foolish mistakes. In the Kingdom of Leusen, the unqualified “princess” always referred to her.

Yuria was always called “Princess Yuria,” and the youngest was called “the youngest princess.” “Our princess” referred only to Cristal. And today, the princess of the Kingdom of Leusen was dazzlingly beautiful. She had even become slimmer than before. Yuria unconsciously placed her hand on her stomach. Her dress, which had become tight due to her expanding waistline, bothered her.

She was already inferior to Cristal in many ways, and if she were also fatter, what then? As the lively dance music Cristal loved began to play, Yuria’s mouth went dry. The highlight of this dance was the man lifting the woman and spinning her around.

Yuria hated this dance because it revealed her weight to a stranger. Soon, disappointed eyes that couldn’t dance with Cristal would turn to her.

Then she would choose the man who seemed the strongest. That way, he would find her less heavy, and she would avoid the criticism of being shorter but heavier than Cristal, of not managing her weight…

“Princess.”

A low-toned voice fell on her hunched shoulders. The princess this voice called was not Cristal.

“…Cedric.”

His princess was always just one person, it was Yuria. Yuria took Cedric’s outstretched hand. A large hand, calloused and scarred. A hand extended only to her. A hand that reached places she couldn’t.

There was no need to hold anyone else’s hand. No one would find fault with her. If Cedric ever complained about her weight, it would be his fault. He was the one who forced her to eat dinner when she refused, and brought sweet desserts to her lips.

“…You look like you have something to say.”

“You are not allowed to call me heavy.”

“What?”

“I told you I was managing my weight. Who opposed me at every turn?”

Cedric paused for a moment before bursting into laughter. He seemed to think it was a joke.

“It’s not a joke.”

“Oh, I wondered what you were talking about.”

As they moved step by step to the music, Cedric recalled the final move of this piece.

“Do you think I can’t lift you, Princess?”

“You can lift me, but just try saying I’m heavy afterward.”

“You better not be scared of the height.”

Yuria whispered back that she wasn’t afraid of heights. As she matched steps with Cedric, she glanced at Cristal and the prince. He had quite a handsome face. Yuria had heard through the grapevine that the prince of the Kingdom of Amal was a handsome man. Seeing him in person, he was also tall. His smiling face seemed particularly kind.

But if he came to Ritano, he’d be called a weakling. Yuria playfully muttered to herself. The men of Ritano, who made their living by the sea, generally had robust physiques. In that place, a rough man was more valued than a fine-looking one.

Even the local nobles said that a man without a single scar wasn’t a real man. Charlotte said that Cedric benefited from his appearance. If Cedric had looked like a delicate young master, he would have had a hard time in Ritano.

In a way, it was only natural. If Cedric had slender arms and legs like that prince, how could he have fought off pirates? Moreover, Cedric was quite diligent in his physical training.

If they were stripped down, the difference between the prince and Cedric would be even more significant. No need to strip them, though. Even at a glance, Cedric was taller, had broader shoulders, thicker thighs, a better face, and denser hair.

“…Ah.”

As the music reached its climax and Cedric lifted Yuria by her waist, Yuria realized. At least for today, she wasn’t envious of Cristal’s choice of husband. Cristal always had the best of everything. Yuria was always jealous of Cristal’s possessions.

But now, she wasn’t envious at all. With a clear laugh, Yuria was lifted so high that her head almost touched the chandelier.

“Is this really that fun?”

Cedric had lifted her high as she asked, but he looked puzzled. Yuria nodded. Cedric might not understand, but since her debutante ball, this was the most enjoyable dance Yuria had ever had.

“It’s very fun.”

She felt she now understood why Cristal liked this music. It was a joy one couldn’t know without experiencing it. Yuria, struggling to explain, scanned Cedric up and down with a troubled expression.

“I wish I could lift you.”

“Don’t even bring that up. Just imagining it is terrifying.”

He doesn’t even want to think about her getting hurt under him. And if the Princess lifted him, that would feel strange in its own way. Cedric whispered as he handed a drink to Yuria, who was panting from just one dance.

Yuria sipped the sweet drink, avoiding the persistent gaze of Lahen from across the room. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to her brother yet. If Lahen hadn’t played a prank on Cedric when they first met, she wouldn’t have wandered for three years.