Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]

Seraphina's POV

King Orion's smile broadened, his approval evident as he nodded.

"I'm glad to hear that you and Darius have taken the time to get to know each other before making this decision," he said smoothly. "It's important for a future royal couple to have some level of understanding."

I kept my expression neutral, nodding slightly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," I responded. "Darius and I had the opportunity to talk, and we both realized that we could get along really well."

King Orion nodded in satisfaction.

"I'll inform the appropriate channels to release the news of your engagement," he continued, his voice steady, like a ruler making an official decree. "By tomorrow, all of Aldoria will know that you are the future princess of this kingdom. The people will be eager to celebrate this announcement."

I could already picture the headlines.

Prince Darius Announces His Engagement to Daughter of Late Koran Hook!

The idea of my name being plastered everywhere—of people talking about me, judging me—made my stomach churn, but I didn't let it show.

Even though I had already accepted this outcome, hearing it out loud still made my insides feel slightly weird.

Future princess—a title that didn't suit me in the silence, and a title that thankfully wasn't meant to last.

Still, I gave a small nod, maintaining my composure.

Then, the King's expression turned slightly more serious. "Now that your engagement is going to become official, I hope you understand that you'll now have a responsibility to the royal family, Seraphina."

That caught my attention. I wasn't surprised to hear it, but I was curious.

"What exactly does that mean, Your Majesty?" I asked carefully.

King Orion leaned forward slightly, his piercing gaze settling on me.

"For starters," he said, "you must ensure that you do not involve yourself in anything that could be deemed a scandal."

I frowned slightly but nodded. That was… expected.

"The reputation of the royal family must remain spotless," he continued. "And any mishap on your part could put us in a precarious position since you're now seen as a part of us."

His tone was pointed, as if he was giving me the opportunity to confess something now before it could be unearthed later.

"If there is anything in your past that could be deemed a humiliation by the public," he added, "it would be best to inform us now so we can protect you before the media gets hold of it."

I swallowed, keeping my expression calm. The King was being… careful, and I could tell that he was testing me, trying to see if I had anything to hide.

Which, of course, I did, but nothing that could be traced back to me, and certainly not something I would admit to him.

I shook my head, my voice firm but polite.

"Your Majesty, I assure you—I am not the type to get into trouble," I said evenly. "So I can assure you that the royal family won't have anything to worry about when it comes to me."

Darius let out a quiet chuckle beside me, and I saw him smirk from the corner of my eye.

King Orion, however, held my gaze for a long moment before nodding.

"Good," he finally said.

But even though he looked pleased, I could tell that he would be watching me very carefully from now on. He steepled his fingers together, watching me carefully before continuing.

"There is one more responsibility you must uphold once the engagement is officially announced," he said, his voice calm yet authoritative.

I braced myself.

"As Darius's fiancée, you will be expected to attend a few royal events," he explained. "These gatherings are crucial for maintaining the public image of the royal family, and your presence will be required."

My stomach clenched at the thought.

I had spent most of my life avoiding any kind of social interaction outside of what was absolutely necessary, and now, I was supposed to parade myself in front of an audience as the future princess of Aldoria?

Just fantastic.

The king sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I am aware that you are still in school—in a different kingdom, no less. While I would have preferred otherwise, I understand your situation. However…"

I knew what was coming.

"You will have to deal with flying back and forth between Aldoria and Elmeria whenever your presence is required," he finished.

I fought the urge to groan.

Of course I would. I hated the idea of constant travel, and I especially hated the idea of having to stand in front of crowds, smile, and pretend I belonged in a world I had no intention of staying in, but I also knew that I couldn't refuse.

Not if I wanted to keep up this illusion, and not if I wanted to make it out of my situation alive. If I was going to be using the royal family, then maybe I deserved this as karma and no longer had any reason to feel bad.

I forced a smile, keeping my tone as polite as possible. "I understand, Your Majesty," I said. "I'll do my best to attend these events as often as I can."

The king nodded approvingly, though I could see the way he analyzed me—like he was trying to figure out if I truly meant it.

I didn't, but he didn't need to know that. Instead, I shifted the topic. "Is there anything else, Your Majesty?" I asked, hoping to wrap this up as quickly as possible.

King Orion exhaled, folding his hands together.

"For now, that will be all," he said.

Then, his expression darkened slightly.

"But before I forget, once your engagement is made public, you may begin to attract attention—including from the press."

I tensed.

"As uncomfortable and as upsetting as this may sound, you might even start being followed by reporters—even all the way to your school."

I tensed slightly but kept my face neutral, even though I was spiraling on the inside.

"The media will be looking for anything on you," he continued. "So I strongly advise you to be careful at all times."

I exhaled slowly.

The thought of reporters digging into my life, trying to find dirt on me, made me want to crawl into a hole, and it wasn't just about the fact that I wasn't really planning to marry Darius.

It was about the fact that I had something to hide, even though it shouldn't even be something this serious. Unfortunately, though, it was a secret that would ruin a lot of things for me if it was exposed, and for my own sake, I'd rather my real business wasn't out there for public consumption.

So instead of expressing my discomfort, I didn't let it show. Instead, I simply nodded and responded with, "I understand, Your Majesty."

Even though inwardly…I was already mentally preparing for the storm that was about to come.