Chapter 4

Daria, the princess, gasped loudly, taking a deep breath. It seemed that Daria had not been informed of the conversation either. Her lovely face turned pale, and her usually strawberry-red lips lost their color, trembling.

Daria, with her golden hair, fair skin, and striking blue eyes, was the beautiful princess that everyone dreamed of. She was gentle and sincere, not a mere fantasy but someone who was truly beloved by the people.

Lilith shifted her gaze from Daria back to the king and asked the crucial question.

"Which one does the emperor desire?"

"From their side—"

"Sister! Such a question is unnecessary. Sister is essential to this country. Regardless of whom the emperor desires, I will go."

Daria interrupted the king, speaking with strong resolve. It was unprecedented for Daria to be so disrespectful, which only emphasized her strong will. The king remained silent for a while before speaking solemnly.

"They have not specifically requested anyone. Prince Jesarld is twenty-eight years old, so in terms of age, Lilith would be a better match. However, Lilith is known to be frail. Whether or not it is true, the perception is that Daria should be the one to go. Of course, this is assuming we accept the proposal."

Daria listened with her hands tightly clenched, and Lilith noticed her relax slightly at the king's last words. Therefore, Lilith decided to reveal something she had kept secret.

"Let's put the decision to accept or decline this proposal on hold for now, but if we do accept, Daria cannot go."

"Lilith?"

"Sister?"

"Because Daria already has someone in her heart. A fine gentleman named Arnaud."

"Sister!?"

"Daria! Is that true!?"

"So that's why you were hesitant about the engagement with Arnaud..."

"Sister, when did you see!?"

"Oh, Daria. You..."

"There's nothing going on yet! Arnaud is a gentleman!"

"Daria and Arnaud... I didn't realize..."

Lilith's bombshell statement caused chaos in the room. The king looked shocked, Prince Spiris questioned Daria, Prince Eam muttered calmly, and the queen was concerned about Daria's behavior as a lady. Daria, her face flushed, stood up and protested to Lilith while defending her honor to the queen.

"Anyway, I think Arnaud, who is twenty, and Daria, who is almost sixteen, are a good match. There should be no issues with this engagement, not just in terms of age. Besides, Arnaud and I don't suit each other. I've known that since we were young, but I just couldn't bring myself to say it. Arnaud intended to ask Father when Daria turned sixteen, right?"

"Sister! How did you know that!?"

"Don't worry. I only saw two scenes."

"Two scenes!?"

"I won't say more."

"Sister!"

Daria's flustered state, usually so gentle, was amusing, and Lilith couldn't help but tease her. Then, turning to the king, who was stunned by the revelation that his young daughter—nearly an adult and a proper lady—had a lover, Lilith resumed her serious expression.

"Father, if we accept this proposal, I will go. Since they are seeking an alliance through blood relations, we can include a doctor's diagnosis confirming that I have the physical strength to bear children in our response."

"Lilith! This is not a decision to be made lightly. Do you know why the prince has remained single? Well, to be precise, he hasn't been single. He was married once, but his wife died shortly after the marriage. Rumor has it that she couldn't endure the prince's brutality and took her own life."

"But it's just a rumor. As I've told everyone before, the Aeras Empire has conquered many countries and expanded its territory over the past few decades. Many criticize this, but the people living in the conquered lands are now very happy. The emperor only conquered countries suffering under oppression. That's why the empire continues to flourish."

"We understand what Lilith has taught us. There are other ways to know the world's situation besides dreams. However, as Father said, this is not a decision to be made lightly. Both Lilith and Daria are important to us. We want to explore all possible ways to prevent the invasion from Fontae, even if it means not forming an alliance with Aeras. However, you should know that the envoy from Aeras will be staying in the castle for some time."

"Spiris is right. Lilith, Daria, do you understand?"

"Yes, Father. Thank you, Spiris."

"I understand, Father. About Arnaud—"

"Forget about that for now."

"…Yes, Father."

After that, Lilith and Daria bowed and left the king's private room. They remained silent for a while, but eventually, Daria spoke to Lilith.

"Sister, can we go to your room?"

"Of course. I'm sorry for revealing your secret."

"No, I wanted to apologize too. Because Arnaud—"

"Daria, let's wait until we get to the room."

"Yes."

Silence fell between them again, but it was out of consideration for their surroundings, not because they were at odds. Once they entered Lilith's room, they had a long, private conversation.