Chapter 8

"Either enter the detached palace with His Royal Highness, or become a nobleman's concubine. Choose one."

A few days after that detestable woman woke up, I was forced to choose between two options by my father at home.

I was born in the mansion of a baron in the capital.

My mother was a commoner who worked as a maid in the baron's household, but she was taken as a mistress by the young master there. We didn't live in the main house; we lived in a separate house for the mistress.

This was because my father, who had inherited the title, had taken a legitimate wife.

Well, living in the separate house was more relaxed than the main house, which was stifling and required constant attention, so it was fine in its own way.

Our family was quite wealthy.

Even though I was a bastard, I was able to attend the academy for nobles.

In society, bastards are not considered nobles, but isn't that strange?

After all, I am the daughter of the baron, aren't I?

I have the blood of the baron's family, so I am undoubtedly a noble.

That's why I was able to enter the academy.

My father would often say, "You are a lovely daughter." He praised me many times as his "proud, intelligent, and beautiful daughter."

I inherited the best traits from both my father and mother.

I had the same blonde hair and green eyes as my father, and a beauty similar to my mother.

My mother was more of a seductive beauty.

So, when I was young, she told me, "Pretend to be ignorant." She said I would eventually have a troublesome body like hers, so I needed to take preventive measures. She would say, "If you show any weakness to men, they will take advantage of you, so you must be careful."

But, being too serious is also bad.

I had to be cute, not too smart, and someone who evokes a protective instinct.

She said that with such beauty, I would be desired by any family, no matter what my background.

So, I worked hard.

I learned the etiquette of the nobility, studied, and learned to dance, play music, and embroider. My mother would nag me to be as good as a real noble lady.

I wanted to eat lots of delicious sweets, but I had to restrain myself. A lady doesn't let her stomach get full from sweets. I even had to be careful not to eat too much at meals. Real noble ladies are supposed to eat little, she said. It's ridiculous. You can't move if you don't eat. Even when my stomach growled, I wasn't allowed to eat. It was for my future, she said. If I was fat, I wouldn't be attractive.

A tutor was assigned to me because real noble ladies have beautiful manners.

Walking practice? Standing practice? Movement practice? Dining etiquette?

What is that?

I had to walk with a book on my head. If I shook my head too much, I was scolded. And I wasn't allowed to swing my arms while walking. What was I supposed to do? I was trying to keep the book on my head from falling by swinging my arms! When I talked back, I ended up having to walk with a bucket of water on my head!

I was told there were different types of bows and had to practice them many times. The way to sit and stand from a chair was also very detailed. I seriously wondered if it had any meaning. It was just too ridiculous.

And when I was told not to change my expression, I didn't know what to do.

A real noble lady is supposed to always smile. Laughing out loud or opening your mouth to laugh is not allowed. You are supposed to smile by slightly raising the corners of your mouth and slightly lowering your eyes.

It's ridiculous.

That's not a smile.

What is "smiling pleasantly"? It's creepy. When I told the tutor this, I was scolded. Why was I scolded? I was just telling the truth.

When I started attending the academy, there was a girl who was the epitome of a noble lady.

A perfect lady, straight out of a textbook.

Alexandra Ugene, the Duchess of Hesse.

She was the fiancée of His Royal Highness.

Moreover, she was called "The Perfect Princess."

She was said to be the most perfect lady in every aspect—beauty, lineage, and blood.

Everyone praised her like a broken record.

They said she was a wise and ideal future queen who always smiled calmly.

It's ridiculous.

Isn't it?

Almost everything she has was obtained without effort.

If your parents are beautiful, you will be beautiful. Lineage and blood are determined at birth.

Even her smile, a thin one, seemed to mock people.

What is it?

She never showed her true feelings. It felt like there was a thick wall in front of her, or that the door had multiple locks. That woman is definitely evil! Yet, everyone is deceived. The true nature of that woman is not "The Perfect Princess." I can tell she is wearing many masks.

Why? Because I also wear the mask of a "lady."

However, she played her role perfectly, unlike me.

I didn't like that.

She was an unpleasant woman.

I didn't like that she acted as if she owned the place next to His Royal Highness.

Especially after she became his lover.

She became his fiancée just because of her good lineage?

If I were the daughter of a duke, I could have been the prince's fiancée, right?

Yet, that woman lectures His Royal Highness as if she is superior, even though she doesn't love him at all.

"Milly, are you listening!"

"I am listening. Please don't raise your voice so close to my ear. Please calm down, Father."

"...How can you be so calm in this situation?"

"Is there any reason to panic?"

"Do you understand that our family is at a crossroads?"

Here we go again.

This has been going on for a few weeks. He's taking it too seriously.

"Exaggerating much?"

"Exaggerating? ! How could you... try to hook His Royal Highness!"

"Oh, you told me to catch a big fish, Father!"

"There is a limit to everything!!!"

He's just surprised because it's such a big catch.

"Relax! I have love!"

This is important.

"That doesn't matter! What are you going to do!"

"It's obvious. I will go with His Highness."

I clearly told my father, who was asking an obvious question.

"Ba... ba... ba... boom!!!!!!!!"