What Your Majesty Desires - Chapter 1.1

A gaze that felt like the price of a broken engagement. The westernmost stone tower, the most secluded within Dextin Castle. Marilyn was, as usual, trapped at the top of the tower.

“Ah!” The maid, who was pouring hot water into the tub with a glug glug sound, paused and looked at Marilyn. “Is it too hot?” She was asking, though she probably knew it wasn’t. I’m the one who worked my bones all day to fill this damn oak tub, there’s no way Marilyn, who does nothing but loaf around, would complain about this temperature, was the unspoken sentiment. “Shall I add some cold water?”

“No, it’s fine.” Marilyn, forcing a nonchalant expression, met the maid’s sullen eyes and reached out a slender arm to take the thin gauze from the maid’s hand. “I’ll do it myself now.” It was a signal that she wouldn’t bother her anymore, so she could leave.

“You’re always so fussy.” But the maid’s lips were even more twisted than before. “Do you have some unsightly scars you don’t want anyone to see? You always insist on bathing alone.”

“It’s nothing like that.” She had neither the energy nor the desire to explain. Marilyn cut off the maid’s words, placed the gauze on the bottom of the tub, and rolled up the hem of her chemise in the water. She just wanted the maid to leave quickly. “Don’t stay in too long.” It was hard to tell who was the princess and who was the maid. The maid placed the bucket of rinsing water thud next to the tub and went straight out of the curtain. “I’ll bring your change of clothes soon. Finish before then.”

Perhaps worried that Marilyn would dawdle and prevent her from going to rest early tonight, the maid kept a close watch on Marilyn until the moment she left the bathroom. “Alright.” Marilyn wasn’t sure if she had heard her or not. Watching the bathroom door slam shut beyond the curtain, Marilyn murmured to herself. Right. You have every right to be angry. She nodded slowly with a calm face. She hated this emotion that rose up so awkwardly, threatening to bring tears. To simply wallow in unhappiness was like betraying the grace of Emperor Rodri, who had taken her in as his daughter after she had become an orphan overnight. But to be offended by the maid’s tone or attitude, she understood the maid’s position, having to serve as the mistress of the one with the least power in Dextin Castle.

Just hold on a little longer.

The one thing that gave her hope was: [I’m sorry. The Empress’s will is too firm…]

Empress Deborah, who had always regarded Marilyn as a thorn in her side, had finally won her power struggle with Emperor Rodri and would soon strip Marilyn of her status as a princess.

A month ago, when Emperor Rodri had personally climbed up to the tower to apologize, saying, “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect your status as a princess,” Marilyn couldn’t manage her expression at all. She was too happy. [I’m fine.]

Unable to dare to be rude in front of Emperor Rodri, who was so sorry he didn’t know what to do, Marilyn tried her best to appear calm, but in reality, her heart was thump-thumping because she wanted to be kicked out as soon as possible.

It seemed like things were going smoothly. The reason things were delayed was because of a marriage proposal from the Gler Empire. The Empress said that she was not yet ready to marry off her own daughter and wanted Marilyn to marry in place of Princess Thalia. That was out of the question. She had endured for over ten years, living like the dead, just waiting for the day she could escape this castle, but now, just days before her demotion, she was suddenly supposed to marry a stranger?

If the prince of the Gler Empire hadn’t had a portrait of Princess Thalia and wouldn’t have been able to tell that they were switching people, it might have really happened.

Deborah Empress eventually had to give up her plan due to the ministers’ reasonable argument that a great empire like Gler would surely know what the bride looked like, and if the truth were revealed, they would not be able to avoid war with those cruel people.

Peace had also come to Marilyn, who had been forcibly receiving bride lessons in place of Princess Thalia for over a week.

Today, a distinguished guest from the Gler Empire would arrive, and tomorrow, the engagement ceremony between that guest and the princess would be held, so perhaps Marilyn would be formally notified of her demotion the day after tomorrow and be able to put an end to this prison-like confinement. She wouldn’t have to be stabbed by the Empress’s sharp eyes anymore. The days when she couldn’t even wander around the castle for fear of false rumors that Emperor Rodri’s illegitimate child had entered the castle were now over. Just two days. If she could just hold on for two more days. Ah, I need to wash quickly.

Marilyn, lost in thought, raised her head and looked around. Remembering the maid’s words to finish before she returned, Marilyn pulled the chemise, soaked with water, over her head.

Even when she was alone, this time was always tense. Marilyn carefully looked down at her bare upper body. It seems like the blue light is gone.

Or maybe not. At night, light would inexplicably rise up near her chest, as if there were fireflies inside, and at one time, she had even thought she was a witch.

I guess it’s okay during the day. Fortunately, it looked perfectly normal now. With a slightly lighter heart, Marilyn wiped her body with the gauze. Each time she moved the hand holding the gauze, the steaming bathwater gently slosh sloshed, making a clear sound. For a while, only the sound of water was heard. “Aaaagh!” It was until the maid’s scream suddenly came from outside.

Just a month ago. Deino, the capital of the Gler Empire. The incident occurred at the victory celebration banquet of the Gler Empire. In the Gler Empire, which had never lost a war since the reign of the current emperor, victory celebration banquets were a very common event.

But that day was a little more special because… “Your Highness, it is an honor to meet you.” He had been going to the battlefield since he was seven years old and had made a great contribution to increasing the territory of the Gler Empire by nearly tenfold, or rather, it was almost entirely his own contribution.

The great Second Prince of the Gler Empire, Hernis, had returned.

As the territory expanded, he had to go further for expeditions, and the minor victories he achieved along the way were replaced by simply sending victory reports.

He had returned to the capital of the Gler Empire for the first time in two years to attend the upcoming 70th birthday banquet of his father, Emperor Asterion.

“I heard that the siege warfare you fought this time was truly amazing. Could they have dared to imagine that those solid walls would collapse?”

“I heard that everyone ran away with their tails between their legs when they saw Prince Hernis, whom they had only heard rumors about, standing on the collapsed walls?”

“That’s right, if they had come in advance and begged to give up their land, our Prince Hernis wouldn’t have treated them so harshly.” “His Majesty was very pleased to have obtained fertile land.”

“Really?”

“Yes. He was so proud.”

No matter how much the ministers praised him until their mouths were dry, Hernis pretended not to hear them, but he turned his head and reacted to the story of his father.

Then, unintentionally, he saw Crown Prince Kaulus sitting over there with a sour expression.

He could tell that he was annoyed because people kept flocking to Hernis, but couldn’t he manage his expression a little, especially since his father was watching?

“Your Majesty, how reassuring it is to have the wise Crown Prince and the brave Prince protecting the empire so strongly.”

Support What Your Majesty Desires