CHAPTER 07
Engagement?
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Four years had passed since I regained the memories of my previous life.
I was now ten years old.
One day, Father—the Prime Minister—returned home with an unusually serious expression.
“Father! Welcome hom— …Are you all right?”
“…Would you come to my study, my angel?”
“Can we come too?” my older brother asked.
“…Yes. Come.”
Concerned, my brother brought Yardral along as we followed Father.
Once we were all gathered, Father spoke.
“Cardinal’s engagement has been arranged.”
The air in the room instantly froze.
So it had finally come.
The first major event.
“Cardi is only ten years old!” my brother shouted. “What were they thinking?!”
“I already told the king I’d kill him,” Father muttered while holding his head.
Father!
You cannot tell the king you’ll kill him!
“The king?” I asked.
“Because your fiancé is the Crown Prince.”
“The prince…”
My brother’s expression darkened.
“Let’s kill him.”
“I agree,” Father said immediately.
The two of them were having a very dangerous conversation.
“Father, Brother, I’ll be fine.”
“Cardi!”
“If I marry a prince, I’ll be able to improve the kingdom the same way I’ve improved our territory. Political marriages are the duty of noblewomen.”
For the past four years, I had been quietly building support among our people.
Our lands were mostly rural farming villages.
The memories from my previous life had been incredibly useful.
After all, I had attended an agricultural university and specialized in rice cultivation.
The reason I later worked as a researcher for a medical company was simply because my expertise in crop improvement had made me valuable.
In any case, thanks to modern knowledge, I had helped improve farming methods throughout our territory.
I also made medicines and distributed them free of charge.
As a result, there was hardly anyone among our people who spoke badly of me.
If I ever found myself in danger, I was confident they would protect me.
I had spent years gathering allies through a mixture of kindness, practicality, and noble privilege.
“Cardinal,” Father said softly, “my angel. If you don’t want this engagement, I’ll find a way to stop it.”
“It’s all right. Being engaged to a prince is an honor.”
Looking toward my brother, I saw a frustrated expression.
“To think they’d give Cardi to someone like that…”
Someone like that?
What kind of person was this prince?
The typical arrogant noble?
Or perhaps a gentle and harmless type?
The next day, I would find out.
The engagement ceremony was scheduled to take place at the royal palace.
The moment I met the prince, I learned the answer.
“I heard you were Barthemic’s sister, but you don’t resemble your beautiful brother at all! I refuse to become engaged to such an ugly girl!”
…Let’s kill him.
Father and Brother, I completely agree.
Even the King and Queen looked pale.
Father and Brother’s faces twitched.
Yardral looked ready to cry.
Around us stood many important nobles and officials, each accompanied by their sons.
Every single one of them looked stunned.
“If you insist on marrying me,” the prince continued, “come back after you’ve dyed that disgusting blood-red hair into a proper color like your brother’s!”
That was enough.
I had reached my limit.
I smiled at Father and Brother, then slowly raised my right hand.
“Your Majesty, before I speak, I ask permission to state that everything I am about to say is entirely my own opinion and has nothing to do with my family.”
The King stared at me for a moment.
“…Permission granted.”
I approached the prince with a bright smile.
“You should know as well that what I am about to say reflects only my own thoughts.”
“So what?”
I smiled even wider.
“An idiot prince like you is the last person I would ever want to marry!”
The room went silent.
Completely silent.
“It’s horrifying to think that someone who doesn’t even understand the purpose of a political marriage is supposed to lead this kingdom someday!”
The silence deepened.
“You’re royalty, aren’t you? Yet you choose your fiancée based solely on personal preferences? You’re such an idiot that I almost want to punch you.”
The prince’s jaw dropped.
“You have a duty to protect this nation and its people, yet you understand none of that. Worse, you don’t even try to understand. You’re too foolish to discuss this with seriously. Therefore, this political marriage serves no purpose whatsoever. I reject it. That’s all.”
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The entire hall simply stared.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Father and Brother trembling as they struggled not to laugh.
Meanwhile, Yardral looked back and forth between us in complete panic.
“You insolent girl!” the prince finally screamed. “Seize her! Execute her immediately!”
Apparently, it had finally sunk in.
Suddenly, a figure dressed entirely in black appeared before me.
His face was hidden beneath dark cloth.
It was probably Kagerou.
“If you dare lay a hand on our princess,” he said coldly, “I’ll break your neck first.”
Whoa.
That escalated quickly.
I grabbed the back of his clothing.
“Not necessary. I can escape by myself.”
“…”
Kagerou looked down at me silently.
Then he vanished.
Unfortunately, before disappearing, he released enough killing intent to terrify everyone present.
Several trained warriors turned pale.
The Knight Commander’s son actually collapsed.
And at the feet of the knights sent to arrest me…
Several kunai were embedded in the floor.
Seriously.
Intelligence agents were basically ninjas.
“W-What was that?”
“Please don’t worry about it.”
“That’s impossible!”
Fair enough.
“Jace,” the King said sternly, “this is your fault.”
“Father!”
“Lady Cardinal, my foolish son has behaved disgracefully. Would you permit us to postpone the engagement?”
Wait.
Postpone?
Not cancel?
“Cancel it entirely!” Father demanded immediately.
My brother nodded in agreement.
“Don’t be hasty,” the King replied. “I like Lady Cardinal. I believe she would make an excellent future queen.”
“I agree,” the Queen added.
Somehow, the King and Queen had taken a liking to me.
Father and Brother looked deeply unhappy.
“Very well,” I said. “The engagement may be postponed until Prince Jace becomes someone who values the kingdom properly.”
“Cardinal, you don’t need to force yourself,” my brother said.
I smiled at him.
“It’s only postponed. If I still dislike him next time, I’ll postpone it forever.”
Father looked very satisfied by that answer.
In the end, the engagement ceremony was called off.
A good outcome all around.
“Prime Minister!”
As we were leaving, someone called out to Father.
“Former King,” Father replied flatly. “What do you want?”
The former king?
So this was the current king’s father—the prince’s grandfather.
“Don’t look so annoyed,” the old man laughed.
“What business do you have with me?”
“None. I’m here for the young lady.”
Me?
“Hello there, little miss.”
“H-Hello… Is there something you need?”
“For a daughter of Glamis, you’re surprisingly capable.”
“Be quiet,” Father muttered.
Father, that’s the former king!
Please be more polite!
“I’m Gald. Nice to meet you.”
“I-I’m Cardinal. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Gald.”
“And this is my son, Braud.”
Standing behind him was a handsome man with black hair and black eyes.
His features reminded me slightly of a Japanese person from my previous life, giving him a familiar and approachable appearance.
“My name is Braud.”
As he bowed, I immediately stepped closer.
Everyone around us seemed strangely shocked.
“I am Cardinal! I’ve heard many wonderful things about you. I’ve always wanted to meet you!”
“You’ve heard of me? Wanted to meet me?”
“I’ve heard that you’re exceptionally skilled in pharmacology! I’ve wanted to speak with you for a long time!”
My excitement reached maximum levels.
I grabbed his hand and shook it enthusiastically.
“Forgive her,” Father said. “Making medicines is her hobby. She’s read every paper you’ve written. But my angel shouldn’t go around grabbing strangers.”
“Father, please stop calling me an angel in public. It’s embarrassing.”
Father simply lifted me into his arms.
“I can’t help it.”
“Please try!”
“Yes, yes.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Who do you think you are?!”
“Silence.”
Father…
That’s the former king.
“Making medicines is your hobby?” Braud asked carefully.
“Don’t worry. I measure everything precisely, from ingredient quantities to room temperature.”
“I see…”
Father proudly added,
“I even built a sterile laboratory for her.”
Father’s parental favoritism was showing again.
At full power.
“What kind of medicines do you make?”
“Simple cold remedies and medicinal patches.”
Braud fell silent for a moment.
Then he spoke.
“If you don’t mind, would you allow me to observe your work sometime?”
Why was a royal family member speaking so politely to a child?
“Absolutely!” I replied. “I’ve written down a list of questions I’d love to ask you. Will you answer them?”
“Of course.”
What a nice person.
Lord Braud was a genuinely nice person.
And so, that day, I successfully secured a promise to meet with him again.
