Chapter 2

“Why aren’t you going after him?”

In the past, as soon as Christof’s face darkened, I would stay by his side and apologize to cheer him up.

But I had not moved one bit.

I raised the wine jug and smiled at Harald.

“Since you said my wine is good, it’s obviously more important for me to pour more for you.”

[You look so pretty when you smile. Harald is going to melt.]

[He’s blushing. He can’t handle it.]

[Spill the wine on yourself. Seduce him.]

I stole a glance at Harald. I did not notice anything different about him. Did he really like me?

As the thought crossed my mind, my hand trembled, and some wine spilled onto my front.

Summer clothes were already thin. The fabric stuck to my skin. The pink lining underneath faintly showed through.

“You!”

His eyes widened. He quickly pulled out his silk handkerchief and handed it to me to cover my chest.

He turned around and gave everyone else a warning glare.

[Haha. Anyone who dares look this way will have his eyes gouged out.]

“Go home and change your clothes.”

[Man. Louisa finally came over, and now Harald has to send her away.]

I froze.

“Your place is too far from my house. I’ll catch a cold with these wet clothes the whole way.”

Harald let out a cold snort. “Tch, Christof’s place is right there. Go change there.”

[Uh-oh. He’s jealous.]

[Did that backfire?]

He thought I was using it as another excuse to get close to Christof.

I admit that I had caused trouble on purpose quite a few times over the past few years. I had also used Harald and others as props just to appear in front of Christof more often.

But I truly was not meaning it that way.

“Can’t you just find me a room?” I tugged at his sleeve and looked at him pitifully.

“Huh?!”

He had a grim expression and was about to say something harsh when I sneezed.

“Follow me!”

[Look at how worried he became!]

[So Mr. Ladies’ Man is actually... a total cinnamon roll?]

[It looks like our baby girl finally came to her senses today!]

I did not like bringing servants whenever I went out.

The clothes Harald sent were gorgeous but complicated to wear. I struggled for quite a while to put them on.

When I opened the door, Harald was leaning against a pillar, looking back at me with a strange expression.

“You...”

Without explanation, he pushed me back in front of the mirror in the room.

“Do you really think you can go outside looking like that?”

He skillfully picked up a wooden comb and helped me fix my hair.

[Oh, I see. He just doesn’t want anyone else seeing how cute his wife looks, even when she’s a mess, huh?]

[Aw, he knows how to comb hair, too. Did he practice in secret?]

[Is this what a womanizer turns into after becoming a husband?]

[Come on, Harald. Get it together. Why are your hands quivering?]

I peeked at him through the mirror. His face was red, and his lips were pursed tight as he focused intently on styling my bun.

“Your Highness, I didn’t know you had such a sweet, domestic side. You really are the son of the king’s favorite.”

“Shut up.”

He tugged at my hair as a warning. I obediently stopped talking.

His late mother, Queen Mary, was the king’s favorite.

After she died, Harald started acting out and became more unrestrained. The king turned a blind eye to it. That was also why neither the courtiers nor the commoners dared to offend him.

The room fell silent.

After he did my hair, I let him fix my clothes. My eyes remained fixed on the constantly changing words in the air.

According to those words, Christof had been lukewarm toward me. After I had loved him one-sidedly for six years, he eventually married me and made me his queen.

But after he ascended the throne, he deliberately caused me to lose my child.

Eventually, he had my entire family executed on false charges.

I was given a cup of poisoned wine and died under house arrest in a remote tower.

As for Harald, after the incident, he rushed from his fiefdom to the capital. He sought justice for my family.

At court, he pointed his sword at Christof, but he could not bring himself to kill him.

In the end, Christof exiled him. He fell ill and died in the northern wastes.

He was once a fine young man who dressed in gallant robes. Ultimately, he passed away in a remote wasteland.

I felt a jumble of emotions.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. Harald stepped back and walked around me with satisfaction.

“See? I’m pretty good.”

I looked into the mirror. The hairpin, updo, and clothes were flawless. He was even more skilled than the servant who personally attended to me.

[He’s so proud of himself, haha! He really has a knack for serving others, too!]

I tilted my head and smiled at him.

“I guess you really do have a way with women. You’ve even got talent for this.”

His expression changed.

“What are you even saying? I’m not like that!

“I have very high standards. I’ve never touched any of those girls.

“That was all just for show. Just for show!”

[He’s freaking out. He’s totally freaking out!]

[Haha. That serves him right for being such a show-off before.]

I slowly grew to believe those floating texts as I watched him defend himself until his face turned red.

He really did like me.