The Prince Is Dead, So Let’s Start Over Everything Again! - Chapter 2.7

‘Ah! Come to think of it, Hariella is indeed the villain.’

Well, anyway.

That day too, the effect of my acting was excellent.

Countess Lurupel, turning pale, embraced my shoulders.

She reassured me, saying she would send a letter of rejection to the 3rd Prince right away, so I shouldn’t worry.

I, who had been lying face down on the dining table as if collapsed, hurriedly raised my head again.

No! I don’t intend to completely reject it this time!

I want to meet him once to figure out what kind of person he is before deciding whether to get engaged or not!

“I, I want to meet His Highness the Prince once!”

“Hariella, there’s no need to force yourself. We’ll handle this marriage talk at our level…….”

“No! It’s someone Mom and Dad approve of, right? I’m scared to decide on an engagement right away, but I want to meet His Highness! Then I might be able to know what kind of person he is, right?”

Thinking about it now, I think I forgot to replace ‘I’ with ‘Hari’ in my haste at that time.

Perhaps that’s why the effect of my words wasn’t particularly great.

Count Lurupel answered with a furrowed brow and a disgruntled tone.

“Are you suggesting we invite His Highness the Prince to Ludbekia Palace while withholding our response to the marriage proposal? ……Hmm, it’s not impossible, but it might appear arrogant.”

Countess Lurupel also seemed displeased with my suggestion.

I hurriedly bit my tongue again to force out more tears.

“……Mo, Mom. Dad. It. Seems. This. Is. Difficult. For. You. Too.”

The movements of the Lurupel Count couple came to a sudden stop.

“I’m. Sorry. Hari. Just. Thought. Mom. And. Dad. Could. Do. Anything…….”

Count Lurupel was the first to react.

“Hariella! What are you saying! This father can of course do anything for you!”

“……Even inviting His Highness the Prince to Lurupel?”

“Of course. Isn’t that right, dear?”

Count Lurupel sent a look to Countess Lurupel, seeking her support.

“……It’s not impossible.”

After a brief silence, Countess Lurupel also expressed her agreement.

“Really? Can you promise me?”

“Yes. I promise.”

“Wow. Hari. Loves. Mom. And. Dad. The. Most. In. The. World.”

I smiled as innocently as possible and hugged the Lurupel Count couple in turn.

Seeing their youngest daughter cutely acting spoiled, the Lurupel Count couple smiled contentedly.

They looked at each other with meaningful glances, then nodded slightly.

“Well. Thinking about it again, your idea is quite usable. It’s been years since the royal family visited Ludbekia Palace. It might be time to send an invitation.”

“I think it’s a good idea too. Hosting His Highness the Prince would further stimulate the territory’s economy. I wonder who our Hariella takes after to be so clever?”

“Of course, she must take after you, dear.”

Ha ha, ho ho.

Laughter blossomed at the Lurupel family’s dining table.

I also awkwardly smiled along with the Lurupel couple.

It was like a scene of a harmonious family straight out of a textbook.

At this point, one might wonder.

What on earth did the original Hariella, who grew up in this affectionate environment, eat wrong to become a villainess?

“But it would be better to break the bad habit of interrupting when adults are speaking.”

I felt like I was the only one who understood what was happening.

***

Anyway.

The first culprits who made my worries from last night pointless were the Count and Countess Lurupel.

And the second one was…….

Well, let’s turn back time for now.

This morning.

That is, the morning right after the day I received the contract from the 3rd Prince.

Anna urged me as soon as the day broke.

“My lady! My lady! Wake up quickly!”

“Mmm…… Anna, just 5 minutes…….”

“1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ding! 5 minutes have passed! Hurry! You need to rush. His Highness the 3rd Prince has invited you to breakfast!”

“What? To breakfast?”

Even as I was being washed and dressed by Anna’s hands, I was under the pleasant delusion that ‘This little one must be eager to see the contract.’

Inviting a guest to breakfast was that rare of an occurrence.

Having managed to secretly bring the contract with me without Anna noticing, I walked briskly while contemplating how to naturally dismiss the servants at the dining table.

However, upon arriving at the dining room, there were two more people than I had expected.

Surprisingly, they were none other than Count and Countess Lurupel.

The ominous feeling started from that moment.

“Hariella! My little fawn! Did you sleep well last night?”

“……Yes, good morning, Dad.”

I nodded awkwardly to Count Lurupel, who greeted me with a boisterous voice.

“Hariella, I understand you’re happy to see your father, but shouldn’t you greet His Highness the Prince first?”

And immediately, I was scolded by Countess Lurupel.

No, I was just responding to Count Lurupel’s greeting…….

I felt very wronged, but it was a much better choice to belatedly greet the 3rd Prince and Countess Lurupel rather than pouting like a child.

“I’m. Sorry. Hari. Was. Too. Shy. Good. Morning. Your. Highness. And. Mom.”

I quickly tried to act cute before Countess Lurupel could nag further.

As I fidgeted with my fingers pretending to be shy while wearing a smile like a good child, a pleased smile appeared on Countess Lurupel’s face, which had been stern until then.

The 3rd Prince even dropped the fork he was holding.

A sharp clanging sound echoed through the dining room.

When our eyes met, the 3rd Prince blushed and lowered his gaze.

This must all be because I’m too pretty, right?

Sigh, should I become an actor after the next regression?

It would be a tremendous loss for this country if someone as talented as me were to be stuck in a remote territory.

“Ah, good morning, Miss Lurupel…….”

The 3rd Prince greeted me in a crawling voice.

“Yes, Your Highness. Good morning.”

I returned the greeting appropriately.

“Ho ho. I’m overjoyed that the whole family is having our first meal together like this.”

“Indeed. How wonderful it would be if Takardo were here too.”

“Takardo…… You must mean Young Count Lurupel.”

“Yes. He’s my inadequate son. If the opportunity arises, I’d love to introduce him to Your Highness. He may not be as excellent as Your Highness, but he’s a child who doesn’t embarrass his parents wherever he goes.”

Soon, cheerful laughter began to fill the long dining table of the palace.

They were exuding an atmosphere of intimacy as if they had known each other for years, not just a day.

As if they had come to some sort of agreement.

“The whole family……?”

I easily noticed that there was a word that didn’t fit in their conversation.

At the same time, I sensed that the ominous feeling that had been brushing the back of my neck had become reality.