Capitulo 02

Chapter 1. Strange World

Episode 2

That was the first time I thought this world was strange.

I expected an ordinary relationship, so I met an unknown man, and that’s what happened.

Was Tatiana a demonic woman?

Could it be that she approached my lovers with intentions?

I thought it was too much if it was true.

But my doubts quickly vanished.

For her true identity, which I thought unknown, was revealed.

Andrew LeBron Gloucester.

He was the half-brother of the current emperor and the imperial member who disappeared during the prince’s rebellion.

And the hidden male in this game.

According to the original story, with Tatiana’s help, he will regain the title of Grand Duke.

When I learned of his identity, I was overcome with despair.

Try as I might, I couldn’t get away from the original.

Shortly after I broke up with him, I learned that Tatiana was getting married.

This was how the original ended.

~*~

“I thought it would be okay this time.”

It’s been three years since the original ended, and Tatiana even got married, so I thought I wouldn’t have any more affairs.

But I was going to be stabbed in the back like this….

I drank the champagne from the glass as if to calm my bitter stomach.

There was a feeling of curiosity in the eyes of the ladies looking at me from afar.

‘You must have heard the news from somewhere.’

The news that Duke Pioneer’s only daughter had separated again.

Rumors were inevitable as I poured tea over Wilhelm’s head in the presence of the other guests.

Among them, someone finally approached who could not contain his curiosity.

“Long time no see, princess.”

“Long time no see, Countess Thierry, how have you been?”

Starting with her, people began to gather.

And I had been wasting my time with useless stories for quite some time. As we talked about this and that, Countess Thierry threw her fastball.

“The Pioneer Princess is really amazing. If I had to go through something like that, I’d be embarrassed to see the look on my family’s face.

She said it like it was a compliment, but one of the slightly raised lips was laughing at me.

I responded to Countess Thierry with a broad smile.

“In my family, from a young age, we are taught that we have to take responsibility for society as much as we enjoy wealth and power. It’s a place I attend in place of my busy father, so I have to put my personal affairs aside.”

“Oh, my goodness…”

“Besides, I said we should break up first, so there’s no reason to avoid it.”

It didn’t happen once or twice, so it wasn’t hard to handle. Knowing there was nothing to say, the topic of my breakup quickly faded away.

I responded to them moderately and got out of the position.

In fact, I didn’t even want to leave.

This banquet was held once a year for the emperor to invite powerful nobles.

My father was out of the country just in time, and I attended on his behalf.

“How awkward.”

I could feel Wilhelm watching me in the distance.

Besides, Wilhelm wasn’t the only one.

Ex-fiancé Daniel and Raymond would be around too.

‘I want to come back soon.’

When the audience with the emperor is over, I’ll escape the banquet or whatever.’

I’m back to drinking champagne.

Please, nobody talk to me.

“Karina!”

However, my wish was terribly broken, as usual.

“Karina! Long time no see, how have you been?”

A bright woman approached me with a soft smile, and as I entered, I felt the surroundings light up.

Just like the stage on which the protagonist appeared.

“Long time no see, Grand Duchess of Gloucester.”

“Oh, my. How can you be so formal between us?”

My stomach turned when I saw her smile and grimace.

“Come to think of it, you were engaged to Sir Wilhelm once upon a time! You were dating for quite some time, so why didn’t you tell me?”

I felt an eerie sensation at Tatiana’s words.

I didn’t want to say it, of course, since all three of my romances were ruined by her.

Besides, Tatiana was not ignorant of that fact.

“Are you worried that I might steal it again this time?”

“What?”

“Hey, I’m a married woman now. Don’t worry too much, okay?”

It was always like that.

The day after I broke up with Andrew, Tatiana kept talking as if nothing had happened.

I was the one who was hurt and having a hard time, but she acted like I didn’t have any of those feelings.

“Have you met Wilhelm without me knowing?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Tatiana seemed surprised by my question. Unbeknownst to me, it was because my voice came out curt.

“Hmm. Just because? If he marries Karina, we won’t be able to see each other often, will we?”

“Wilhelm thought otherwise.”

“Hey, that was just a joke.”

I didn’t know those words would come out of his mouth.

I deliberately pretended not to know and asked Tatiana.

“What do you mean?”

Tatiana told me the story they shared with an innocent face.

She told me that she wanted them to see each other often, and promised not to separate even after their marriage.

Then she joked that this would spread the rumor that her lover was Wilhelm.

“How earnestly Sir Wilhelm said he did not care that he was my lover. He was handsome.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, Karina. I’m very envious.”

Seeing her smiling face, I could feel the cord of reason in me being cut. What would have happened if Wilhelm hadn’t confessed to me first?

Perhaps the fact that the two of them knew each other, and the lover’s joke, would also have been found out by Tatiana.

Nothing could have been more irritating than that.

“I see.”

The cold anger began to boil over again.

But my head was cooler than ever.

“Titi has very little tact.”

I spoke kindly, but the content was extremely cold.

“Huh? Are you doing this because of the lover’s story? It was a joke.”

It was absurd to see her smiling as if she didn’t know anything.

“Do you really have to tell me the story? And why are you secretly meeting with my fiancé and talking about it?”

“We are friends…”

“Ah, so you wouldn’t mind if I met with the Duke alone with just the two of us?”

Her bright face turned cold at my words.

It was Tatiana’s new face, as if the emotion of anger had been neutered. It was all clear now.

It wasn’t so simple that I didn’t know I shouldn’t have done that.

Tatiana must have approached my lovers on purpose.

Her hostility toward me was so clear that I wondered how I had just discovered it.

“Karina. How could you do that to me? As your friend, I was worried.”

Wiping the anger from her face, she said as if I was wrong.

It wasn’t even funny.

I wasn’t the one to blame.

“Worried? You’re the only woman I’ve ever met with men around you, so who should be more worried?”

“Karina, I told you it was a misunderstanding.”

Tatiana began to be aware of the stares around her. Everyone was looking at us with excited faces. Reading only at pm tl.

Courtesy? Face?

That sort of thing had long since volatilized in my head.

“Misunderstanding”… okay. It was my fourth ex-boyfriend who confessed to me that he liked you. At this point, you and I are on bad terms.”

There were rustling noises all around.

It would be interesting to hear what rumors came out of people’s mouths.

At the same time, looks mixed with curiosity and disdain rested on us.

Tatiana was surprisingly pale.

Judging by her face, it seemed that it was Tatiana, and not I, who had been deprived of her lover.

It was rather nice to see the fidgety Tatiana.

“Karina, I didn’t mean to do that…”

“The Duke of Pioneer’s representative, please come in.”

Then, like a savior, the valet called my name.

“See you later.”

I walked out of Tatiana and out of the banquet room with the valet’s guidance.

Crossing a white marble hallway, I stood before a door adorned with gold and amethyst.

Now that the real purpose of coming here was coming to mind, I began to get nervous.

“Your Majesty, the representative of the Pioneer Duke, Princess Karina Pioneer, has arrived.”

“Come in.”

When permission was heard, the door finally opened.

“Greetings to Her Majesty.”

“Welcome, princess. This is our first meeting, am I correct?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

This was the first time I had personally met the emperor.

The young emperor was very different from what I thought.

Appearing to be in his early twenties, he looked younger than expected, and was more overwhelming.

Even just looking down, I felt a sense of intimidation that sent shivers down my spine.

“Come over here.”

I walked over and sat down across from the emperor. Then his misty appearance was forcefully recognized.

Gorgeous blond hair and purple eyes that symbolized the imperial family. Even his nose and fresh smiling lips. The emperor tightened his chin and looked at me with a relaxed face.

‘Good looking.’

It was not enough to say that he was simply handsome.

After the possession, I met many handsome men, but this feeling was different from the charms they had.

‘By the way, was he Tatiana’s first love?’

It was he who immediately rejected Tatiana’s daring proposal before the original play began.

She revived the memory of seeing him from time to time.

“Princess, Princess?”

“Oh, sorry.”

“That’s a different way of thinking in front of people? Were you thinking about the sadness of a broken heart?”

It was as if the rumor had already reached her ears.

I smiled slightly and replied.

“No, Your Majesty. I was just surprised for a moment that Your Majesty was more beautiful than I imagined.”

“I’m glad then.”

What is this relief?

There were many things I wanted to ask, but perhaps time was running out, so the emperor got straight to the point.

We had a brief chat about several outstanding issues.

We had similar views on several issues than I expected, so I was able to arrange them quickly.

The meeting ended by settling some matters that needed to be adjusted.

“Thank you for listening to me today, Your Majesty.”

When I looked out the window, a lot of time had passed.

“Is there any last thing you want to say?”

“No, Your Majesty.”

At my reply, the Emperor said with a playful expression on his face.

“I have heard that your engagement has been broken off. If your betrothed’s position is vacant, I would like to fill it.”