Princess, Please Fall in Love with Me

Chapter 4 : The Rose, Unknown in the Shadows

"Lina was very kind to me, always taking care of me. I liked her a lot."

As soon as I said this, the beautiful woman's expression suddenly relaxed.

The Duke's face was filled with disappointment in himself, but in his unnoticed gaze, there was a hint of joy.

"If that's the case, go with the head maid to take that maid."

The Duke waved his hand helplessly, but I had already seen through his thoughts: an exceptionally capable illegitimate daughter who desperately needed his support, yet a fool easily swayed by a bit of warmth.

Yes, that's the kind of person I was...

Raising an enemy who could threaten his position at any moment was far less appealing than taming a loyal dog that could be controlled at will.

But would this loyal dog reveal the fangs hidden beneath?

Hmph, that depended on whether the lamb could tempt the wolf's nature.

At the Duke's signal, a servant soon brought a brand-new set of silver tableware, even the edges of the plate adorned with a faint golden pattern—this was the Duke's personal dining set, clearly permitted by him.

Seeing the beautiful woman's complex expression, it seemed my days ahead would only grow more troublesome.

But that was fine.

If it was just that fool Balesha, it wouldn't be enough to satisfy me.

An not entirely pleasant dinner thus came to a smooth end.

I took Lina with me to a new room in the attic of the Duke's mansion.

Though I was still subtly ostracized, it was at least much better than that old house.

"Miss, from now on, I'll take care of you exclusively! I'll live in the servants' room downstairs. You can call me anytime if you need anything."

Lina was thrilled when she heard she’d become my personal maid, with her wages nearly doubled, but for some reason, the other maids looked at her with gloating expressions.

No matter.

For now, she just wanted to take good care of this poor little miss.

She’d heard her mother had died early, and with so many scars on her back, it must have hurt a lot.

Seeing the occasional pitying glances directed at me, I sat at the simple wooden desk, smiling helplessly.

This girl was always so kind, no matter the time.

If it weren’t for her, I would have died long ago—but if it weren’t for me... Never mind, things are different now.

"Lina, you can go back. I need to rest."

After sending the maid away, I lay quietly on the bed, watching the bright moonlight spill across my window.

In my previous life, at this moment, I was probably still fighting dungeon hounds for scraps.

Heh, this time, I could finally protect the people I cherished.

As for those who got in my way, they could quietly disappear, just like in my previous life.

That night, I slept deeply, peacefully.

The next morning, Lina burst in with hot water and fresh clothes, only to remember she hadn’t knocked.

She cautiously stepped out, knocked again, and rushed back in.

"Miss, have you heard? The Master is taking you and Young Master Balesha to the Grand Palace for a banquet hosted by the Emperor."

I, who had been letting Lina fuss over me like a doll, suddenly snapped awake.

Taking the clothes she handed me, I dressed quickly and hurried downstairs.

"Loka, you’re up early."

Duke Victor had been waiting at the dining table for some time.

Though it was still far earlier than the Empire’s usual waking hour, I wasn’t sure if his words were praise or sarcasm.

"Good morning, Father."

Seeing Balesha arrive late, a trace of impatience flashed in the Duke’s eyes but quickly vanished as the royal attendant arrived, driving a glittering golden carriage.

"Duke Victor, please board the carriage with your children."

As the golden carriage slowly left the Duke’s mansion, traveling down a road paved with silver-white bricks, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia.

To showcase the Duke’s magnanimity, the man who had been locked in the dungeon was dressed up as a pampered child and brought here.

Of course, that was also when I first met her.

I told you, Yiwen Kelake, our paths would cross again.

Stepping into the bustling palace hall, it was even more crowded than the Duke’s mansion that day.

The upper echelons of society gathered here, many accompanied by children of similar age.

The nobles’ intentions were clear: today was the day the Emperor’s most favored princes would choose their companions—becoming a companion meant stepping into the royal family’s sphere of influence.

The Empress’s firstborn, the First Prince, backed by the vast power of the Clover Family; the twin children of a princess from a foreign alliance, tb he Second Prince and Third Princess; and the Fourth and Fifth Princes, tied to the wealthy Oak Family, whose maternal lineage was just below the royal family, the Duke’s house, and the Clover Family.

As for the Sixth Princess, perhaps no one remembered the orphaned child left by the naive girl deceived by the young Emperor—or rather, no one dared to acknowledge her existence.

"All my dear subjects have arrived, so I shall not waste time with pleasantries. I have summoned you to the palace today to select suitable companions for my beloved princes and princesses."

Golden hair, a lion’s radiant smile, wise and martial yet refined—this was how the world described the Austin Empire’s Emperor, Miles Kelake.

With that, the Emperor had the maids lead the princes and princesses forward, standing elegantly before the crowd to receive the admiration and loyalty that would one day be theirs.

Only in the corner, unnoticed, a small figure darted past, snatching a pastry from the table.

The nobles eagerly stepped forward, hoping to recommend their children to the princes and princesses.

Only Duke Victor silently observed his two children.

Balesha kept reciting his mother’s instructions in his mind, pretending to be indifferent, but his curious eyes betrayed him.

I, however, truly ignored the crowd, my gaze fixed quietly on the dark corner.

Unexpectedly, the First Prince ignored the flattery around him and walked straight to Balesha beside the earl, taking his hand.

Only then did a smile appear on the Duke’s face.

No need to guess—Miranda, the beautiful woman, came from the Clover Family, which was why the Duke had chosen her as his wife.

Naturally, Balesha was the predetermined choice.

Soon, aside from the First Prince, the other princes and princesses selected children from prominent families as companions, while lesser nobles left in disappointment.

The princes and princesses bowed to the crowd before joining the banquet.

The Emperor raised his glass, and the guests followed, toasting the continuation of the feast.

"Father, may I go explore outside alone?"

With his focus entirely on Balesha’s polite conversation with the First Prince, the Duke casually agreed to my request.

Keeping as low a profile as possible, I slipped past the lively crowd and exited through the back door to the palace gardens.

Seeing that familiar figure in the distance, my heart couldn’t stop trembling—or perhaps it was excitement.

I found you, Yiwen Kelake.