What Your Majesty Desires - Chapter 3.1

It had only been a month since Thalia had come up to this stone tower with Marilyn, flaunting how fortunate Marilyn was.

She had asked if Marilyn knew what a great honor it was to marry the prince of a great empire, and if she hadn’t reluctantly yielded the marriage to Marilyn because her mother wanted to keep her by her side for a few more years, Marilyn would never have had such a good opportunity, so she should know how lucky she was.

There was no way such a princess would suddenly commit suicide.

Marilyn still couldn’t understand the situation, but she couldn’t keep arguing with him.

Marilyn hurriedly lifted the hem of her dress. A thorny path awaited her the moment she stepped out, but it seemed better to leave quickly than to endure this heavy awkwardness.

“What was your name before you were adopted?”

But he seemed to have many more questions to ask her.

Hernis’s earnest gaze, as if he hoped she had another hidden alias, was disconcerting.

“Have we met before?”

Could he have some memory of another woman who looked similar to Marilyn?

He persistently scrutinized her face, as if trying to find some resemblance to someone he knew. But it was no use. No matter how expectantly he looked at her, she was not the person he knew.

“I am meeting the Prince for the first time today.”

“I see.”

“Yes.”

Marilyn almost felt sorry for his disappointed expression. To overcome the awkward atmosphere, Marilyn pretended to look outside the curtain, avoiding his gaze. He stood silently for a moment, as if trying to sort out his thoughts, and then composed himself.

“Is there only one escort knight?”

But it felt like a stray spark was flying to another place for no reason. “Your only escort knight seems to have the shakes.”

“The shakes?” Unable to understand his words, Marilyn tilted her head with a puzzled expression and looked at the top of the curtain. She had felt a breeze around her for some time, and Aiden’s hand holding the curtain was trembling.

Aiden’s affection for Marilyn, whom he usually cherished dearly, was fully revealed.

“To think that a man with the shakes is standing here as the princess’s escort knight, one can see the level of the Dextin Empire.”

“Your Highness?”

Aiden’s hand was trembling even more than before because of Hernis, who kept provoking the self-esteem of someone who was just standing there. It was all because of him, but Hernis looked at him with even more contempt.

Marilyn couldn’t actively defend Aiden because his life was in Hernis’s hands, and she closed her mouth in a subdued manner. Perhaps he didn’t like the sight. “I should go.” Hernis brushed down the middle of the curtain as if clearing away a trivial cobweb and went outside first. “Ugh!” At the same time, Aiden fell to the floor along with the curtain, purely because of that.

“What is this!” Aiden, who had lost his composure, immediately threw down the curtain and glared at Hernis, but Hernis simply passed by as if he wasn’t worth dealing with.

“Aiden, are you okay?”

Worrying about Aiden, Marilyn also hurried out.

But soon, when she saw two knights walking towards her, Marilyn stood up awkwardly. She would be dragged out in a very unsightly manner now. But Hernis, who seemed to be going straight out of the bathroom, frowned slightly and turned back.

“Since she is a princess, escort her carefully.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As soon as he said a word, the attitude of the knights who had come to seize Marilyn completely changed. The knights quickly withdrew their hands, which they had extended to bind her, and stood on either side of her as if they were escorting her.

And Curtis, who had been about to stab Aiden in the back, quickly walked from the door and looked at her very gently.

“Princess, I will escort you.” His tone was very polite. Marilyn blinked with a dumbfounded expression at the suddenly changed treatment.

Even if it was just a formal courtesy by his order, Marilyn could pretend to be more composed if she was treated like this. “Alright.” Marilyn, who had been hesitating, nodded her head like a princess.

“This way.” Curtis pointed the way even more politely with the side of his hand.

Thanks to Curtis, who guided her without urging her, even though she couldn’t walk fast due to nervousness, she was able to nod slightly to him, whom she met at the door. “Princess!” At that moment, Aiden staggered up and made eye contact with Marilyn.

“Thalia’s suicide has nothing to do with the Princess. Just answer that it is regrettable at the trial.”

She had already promised to be executed obediently, so how could she say that? “You can say no if it’s not true. No one can harm the Empire’s princess without grounds.” No. Anyone could harm her without grounds. She had been more powerless than anyone her entire life, and she had lived without protecting anyone around her. Several servants and nobles who had been kind to Marilyn were all demoted or suffered hardships. In particular, the Ripey family had to endure enormous disadvantages after Aiden volunteered to be her escort knight.

And today was the worst day of all. According to the original schedule, Aiden should have arrived at the Ripey family’s country house by now, having finished the family’s pending business. He should have been safe from the invasion of the Gler Empire army by sheer luck.

But Aiden stubbornly turned his horse back and came here again. Because of Marilyn.

What was she to him? “Aiden.” Marilyn called Aiden softly with the feeling of a criminal. She should have sent him home before this happened.

“Say you will defect.”

“Princess?” “Live, somehow.

That’s my last order.” It was the first time.

She, who had no power, presumptuously used the word ‘order’ to Aiden.

“Promise me you will. Aiden?”

If he didn’t like the order, she could ask him as a favor. “I can’t close my eyes in peace if you come to save me and die.”

“But, ha? I will.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” Aiden nodded reluctantly. She couldn’t tell if he was just saying it since he couldn’t make eye contact, but she had no choice but to believe him.

“Princess, this way.”

“Okay.” Before leaving, Marilyn bent her knees slightly and gave a final bow to Hernis.

And she followed Curtis obediently as he pointed the way. Soon, Marilyn stood in front of the wide-open tower door. Looking down at the spiral stone staircase connected to the tower door, Marilyn swallowed bitter saliva.

The spiraling stone staircase looked to Marilyn’s eyes not as a path between ‘inside and outside’ but as a path between ‘life and death’, and her vision felt unfamiliar. Should she be happy? Anyway, her wish to get out of here had been fulfilled.

Marilyn straightened her shoulders even more and stepped down the stairs, which resembled a cliff, without complaint. In an instant, all her senses sharpened as if she were standing on ice.

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