Princess, Please Fall in Love with Me

Chapter 12: Roses, Inherently Armed with Thorns

Ugh… my head hurts so much, where am I?

It’s like I dreamed that the Sixth Princess was…

“Don’t move, let me sleep a bit more…”

A lazy voice spoke from behind her, startling her so much that she quickly scrambled out of the covers.

Turning, she saw Yiwen, dressed in pajamas, tugging at the hem of her nightgown with a hint of morning grumpiness.

So, these past few days, I’ve been sleeping in her bed?

I even let her hold me in her arms without a shred of caution? And I didn’t even resist!

In my past life as Loka, I was always vigilant, even in sleep.

The slightest rustle would jolt me awake.

My dagger was always by my pillow, and if anyone approached from behind, my body would instinctively react.

Despite fending off several ambushes and assassinations, those nightmare-ridden nights left me with psychological scars, relying on drugs to cope.

Yet now, in the arms of my former nemesis, I slept so soundly.

“Ugh, you’re up early. What’s wrong with you?”

Yiwen rubbed her sleepy eyes.

As she opened them, she saw Loka’s expression of existential doubt.

Pulling back the covers, she slowly got out of bed, her golden hair cascading by the window, shimmering with vibrant colors under the sunlight.

“The Duke’s residence now suspects you were abducted by assassins. The beautiful woman even shed a few tears in front of the Empress.”

Hah, those tears—probably crocodile tears.

“If you’re still feeling unwell, stay here a bit longer. No one will come in.”

Yiwen stood before the floor-length mirror, taking a seemingly new dress from the wardrobe.

She nonchalantly shed her clothes and slipped into the dress with ease.

Loka, still dazed, stared blankly.

Realizing it was rude to gawk while Yiwen changed, she quickly shut her eyes and burrowed back under the covers.

Yiwen pulled her out, pressing her forehead against Loka’s, feeling the cool touch.

For some reason, Loka’s face flushed.

“Your Highness, what are you doing?”

“Hm, your fever’s gone. Rest a bit more, and someone will take you home.”

Yiwen calmly stepped back, finished dressing, and deliberately tidied her long hair in the mirror.

Normally, she’d let it fall messily, but this time, she had no need to pretend in front of anyone.

Yiwen suddenly turned, smiling at Loka.

While Loka was stunned, Yiwen leisurely left the room, leaving Loka dumbfounded by the bed.

“Miss Loka, I am the one Her Highness instructed. You may call me Kafu.”

A steady old man stood respectfully at the door, his gaze only meeting Loka’s when she stepped out, otherwise fixed meticulously on the corridor.

Such a composed demeanor, from his appearance and age, didn’t seem like a servant sent by the Emperor.

He felt more like a butler long-serving a noble family.

Sensing Loka’s scrutinizing look, Kafu nodded.

“This old man is Her Highness’s servant, previously attending to her late mother. I’m afraid I can say no more, but you can trust me completely.”

Since he insisted on mystery, Loka didn’t press further.

She casually opened the palace window.

With a pigeon whistle, under Kafu’s astonished gaze, a tall figure dropped from the sky into the room.

“Don’t be alarmed. We’re all Her Highness’s people. That won’t change. I have my secrets too.”

With that, their figures vanished from the room, leaving only a breeze stirring the curtains.

“Lycan, next time, don’t use such a flashy thing. All that glittering gold—we’re on a covert mission.”

After the last mission, Loka had casually complained about Lycan carrying her.

Back at the Black Market, Lycan had “purchased” a chair from the polv brothers.

That gaudy, gold-glittering decoration was fine in daylight, but at night, Lycan carrying it was like a chandelier from the palace ceiling—impossible to miss.

“Yes, Master.”

After Lycan’s figure disappeared, Loka looked at the Duke’s residence gate, just steps away.

She pushed it open unhurriedly.

With the heavy sound of the redwood door, the gazes of several people in the hall locked onto her.

“You actually…”

The Beautiful Woman looked at her in disbelief, words faltering.

“Loka, my daughter, the beautiful woman said you were abducted by assassins. Is this true?”

Duke Victor’s face showed no joy of reunion, only a questioning, skeptical stare.

The implication was clear: the Duke’s residence wouldn’t tolerate a daughter abducted by assassins, even if she was unharmed, even if nothing had happened.

Noticing Balesha’s gloating expression, Loka merely returned a faint smile.

“No, Father, I wasn’t abducted by assassins.”

In Loka’s account, she was attacked by assassins, knocked out by poisonous mist, and collapsed in the garden.

She was nearly poisoned to death, but fortunately, the sixth princess arrived in time to save her and settled her in the palace.

“She’s lying! I clearly saw her…”

“In the poisonous mist, I couldn’t see anything, and my body was swaying. How did you, Madam, know I was taken?”

The beautiful woman was speechless.

She hadn’t even checked on the girl during the retreat—how could she know where Loka was?

“Then how do you explain your disappearance these past few days? You must have been held by assassins!”

The Duke’s gaze darted between the two, finally settling on Loka.

It seemed, compared to his unfamiliar daughter, he chose to believe his wife’s deception.

“Someone, the young lady is tired. Take her away.”

The Duke made his decision.

Two unfamiliar servants grabbed Loka’s arms.

Under cold, mocking stares, she was led to that familiar dungeon.

Dark, damp, and cold.

In her past life, she didn’t know how long she’d spent there, without light, surviving on moldy bread and murky water.

As the dungeon door slowly closed, the last light faded.

In the darkness, only the sound of dripping water echoed.

Yet Loka lay leisurely on the hard wooden bed.

The beautiful woman smiled, pouring the Duke a glass of rich wine.

Looking at the somewhat useless Balesha, but hearing he’d met the First Prince and the Empress, the Duke’s expression softened.

Suddenly, the Duke’s residence gate was pushed open again.

A tall, elderly servant respectfully escorted a smaller girl into the hall.

Under curious gazes, the servant presented a golden letter symbolizing the Emperor’s decree.

“By the order of Emperor Miles, in recognition of the Sixth Princess Yiwen’s contributions, Loka Alva, daughter of Duke Victor, is appointed as the Sixth Princess’s companion.”

Yiwen gracefully held her skirt, curtsying to the Duke and the beautiful woman.

Her golden hair gleamed in the sunlight, her purple eyes flashing with confidence.

“Greetings, Your Grace. I’ve come for my person.”