MFTR 15

Chapter 15. “That I Wanted Only You as My Bride”
 “Haa, what kind of nonsense is that now?”

Cardin, who thought he had already been shocked enough by everything Annette had said, let out a deep sigh as if he had just been hit in the back of the head one more time.

“Why would I want something like that… huu.”

Unable to hide his frustration and disbelief, Cardin sharply questioned her.

“I clearly asked in the marriage proposal sent to Hayworth for a princess of noble blood to be my bride. When I received the acceptance letter with a princess’s name written on it, I was relieved, thinking, ‘At least the king isn’t so clueless that he can’t understand plain language’… But don’t tell me I was wrong?”

Annette’s mind went completely blank at those blunt words.

It didn’t just sound like he was saying he had wanted Annette, not Brigitte, as his bride from the very beginning—it was exactly that. That must be why he was so clearly offended and angry, even with the mask covering his face.

For some reason, her stomach churned with unease.

“I’m sorry. But he’s still your country’s king… and your blood-related father,” Cardin said, seeming to have calmed down a little.

“I-it’s fine,” Annette quickly replied. Honestly, she wasn’t at all bothered that Cardin was questioning the king of Hayworth’s intelligence.

What surprised her more was that it seemed not only the king had misunderstood the situation.

‘Was he really referring to me when he mentioned noble blood?’

Of course, the late queen had come from a long-standing noble family in Hayworth, and while the current queen, Esther, was of common birth… even so…

“Your Highness.”

“Y-yes?”

“You still don’t understand?”

“What do you mean…?”

“I’m saying, from the beginning, it was you, Annette Hayworth, that I wanted as my bride.”

“……!”

Annette stopped breathing for a moment.

Her mind spun in confusion, and she felt slightly dizzy.

“Maybe… perhaps you’ve mistaken me for someone else… right?”

The words she barely managed to get out sounded incredibly foolish.

“Or maybe… you don’t actually know anything about me…”

Still, on the slim chance that it was a misunderstanding, she asked—only for Cardin to chuckle lightly and shake his head.

“Your Highness, I probably know far more about you than you think. Do you know how much effort I put into making sure Hayworth wouldn’t refuse to let you go?”

When Annette blinked in utter confusion, Cardin leaned forward slightly, as if to share a secret.

“Even when I sent the proposal. My older brother said, ‘Since your reputation is already in ruins, just saying you want to marry a princess should be enough.’ There were widespread rumors that the king of Hayworth was so stupid, he wouldn’t recognize a real gem and instead treasured fakes.”

Though she heard yet another insult about her father’s foolishness, Annette didn’t care and focused entirely on Cardin.

He seemed pleased and continued.

“But just in case, I added a condition.”

In the event the king didn’t understand plain language—or if someone who didn’t know their place got greedy—Cardin had planned to repay it with direct insult.

He never imagined that small scheme would lead to misunderstanding the very princess he cherished.

“So, Your Highness…”

Annette, her voice barely above a whisper, asked, “Do you really… think I’m noble?”

Cardin looked at her in silence.

And then, in a rare moment for someone as arrogant as he was, he admitted it clearly.

It had been his mistake.

To Cardin, Annette wasn’t just precious—she was sacred. It felt only natural to attach the word noble when thinking of her.

Even rationally speaking, the late queen of Hayworth was indeed from a prestigious noble family. So if anyone in Hayworth had any sense, he figured there would be no misunderstanding.

Even his meticulous older brother had said nothing when he read the added condition in the proposal.

‘I should have realized her life must’ve been far harsher than I imagined… that those around her were even more shameless.’

He realized it too late—but the moment he did, he finally understood what it must have been like for Annette to accept this political marriage and come all the way to the Empire.

To say she would live like the dead, that she’d accept mistresses and illegitimate children from a man who didn’t even want her…

Cardin bit his trembling lip beneath the mask and barely opened his mouth.

“I… think you’re far too good for me.”

“……”

Annette’s expression grew even more complex.

It seemed like she didn’t know how to respond—or maybe she just didn’t understand.

“You don’t believe me at all, do you?” Cardin said bitterly.

And truly, Annette couldn’t believe it.

It felt like everything she knew about the world and how it worked was falling apart.

“Why… me…?”

Does he really think she’s noble?

Or how does he know her?

Or maybe… why does he even want her?

There were too many questions to ask—but she couldn’t bring herself to voice any of them.

Unable to understand it herself, she bit her lip, and Cardin, as if to lighten the heavy mood, asked in a playful tone,

“Would you like me to tell you a secret?”

“……?”

“I didn’t expect we’d have such an honest conversation right from our first meeting, but… I have a lot to tell you, too.”

Cardin, fiddling with his mask, stood and walked to her side.

“I wasn’t trying to trick you. I planned to tell you everything once we arrived at the ducal estate… but let me share just one thing now.”

Gulp.

Was it curiosity about the secret?

Or perhaps…

‘…He smells nice.’

Startled by the pleasant scent from such a close distance, Annette swallowed nervously and stole a glance at Cardin sitting beside her on the sofa.

Then, he whispered very quietly into her ear.

And a moment later—

“……Pardon?”

Annette blinked several times, then tilted her head in confusion.

She looked so adorable that Cardin couldn’t help but smile faintly.

Wearing a mask meant he didn’t have to manage his expressions—very convenient in a moment like this.

If he had shown his smile after saying something so serious, it would’ve only undermined his credibility.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I think I misunderstood what you just said…”

“If you understood that I’m an illegitimate child, then you heard right.”

Cardin repeated in a quiet whisper into her ear.

Then, her jewel-like eyes—eyes that always tried to avoid his gaze—began trembling as they quickly scanned his hair and eyes.

Golden hair, the mark of true Alcane royalty, and icy blue eyes just like the Emperor’s—all unmistakable signs of his lineage.

“B-but I heard you were the son of the Empress Dowager…”

“Oh, that? That was a lie.”

Cardin spoke casually, recalling the unprecedented deception he had pulled on the entire Empire and continent.

“Because royal offspring are rare, His Late Majesty had a casual affair and made a mistake. He never imagined the woman he spent just one night with would become pregnant. He couldn’t stain the royal name or kill a royal heir, so…”

More accurately, they coveted the power the child would inherit.

“So the Empress Dowager bore the burden.”

At the time, the Empress had just given birth to the Crown Prince and was still desperate for a daughter. When word spread that she was pregnant again, everyone—from courtiers to commoners—believed her wish had come true and celebrated it.

“If I had been a girl, it would’ve been even better. She desperately wanted a daughter.”

“Ah…”

Annette looked unsure of what to say.

She honestly couldn’t believe it. How could an empress of a vast empire like Alcane pretend to be pregnant for nearly a year to cover her husband’s affair, and then publicly acknowledge the illegitimate child as her own?

“She’s incredible, isn’t she?” Cardin asked cheerfully.

Still visibly shocked, Annette slowly nodded and looked at him.

Even with the mask, his tone, voice, and aura made it clear—he wasn’t pretending to be okay. He really was okay.

“My mother raised me as if I were her own. And I consider her my real mother. I’d be a horrible person if I didn’t. Despite her appearance, she’s terrifyingly devoted to her children—she even pressured her own family…”

Cardin, who had been proudly rambling about the Empress Dowager like a child, trailed off slightly and changed the topic.

“Anyway, I grew up happily with a good mother and a good brother. I’ve been really lucky.”

“…I’m glad to hear that.”

Annette replied almost unconsciously, knowing she had no right to say such a thing.

The moment Cardin revealed he was an illegitimate child of the emperor, she had pictured the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, who was known for cherishing his younger brother.

She had worried that their public displays of affection might all be an act—but now she was relieved to know it was genuine.

Cardin, seeing her like this, gave a small smile.

“You’re very kind, Your Highness.”

“Pardon? Ah, no…”

Annette’s face flushed bright red in an instant.

Her world had been full of people like Queen Esther and her children, so it was true—she had worried that Cardin might have suffered like her.

But more than anything, she felt relieved to learn that the kindness shown to her by the Alcane royals wasn’t fake.