"…Are the duke and my fiancé here now?" I asked, the most urgent question of all.
"…Y-yes."
What now?
Oh, right.
"…Yes, I'm feeling sick. I feel a sharp ache in my chest. Please call a doctor," I said, placing a hand over my heart.
I just needed to get back to my room and hide until tomorrow night. Forget taking action now, survival first.
"…Please inform His and Her Majesty that I'm unwell, Apologize on my behalf… especially to my fiancée."
"…A-aaa…" Juliet was stunned. She didn't know what to say.
"…Why don't you tell us yourself, Your Highness?"
The voice behind me was soft, feminine, and dangerously charming.
Please, God… don't let it be her.
I turned my head slowly...and there she was.
"…Are you avoiding me, Your Highness?"
Dayuuumn.
That was the only word that came to mind.
How do I even describe her?
She was flawless...from head to toe.
Long, silky violet hair that shimmered with every movement.
Golden eyes that looked like they could read your soul.
And those lips, perfectly shaped, impossible to ignore.
Her posture was elegant, hands gently clasped in front of her.
Delicate fingers, a slim waist, and...well, let's just say the front didn't disappoint either.
She wore a simple blue dress, yet it looked majestic on her. Regal, even.
How the hell did that idiot prince leave this goddess for the heroine? He threw away a damn treasure.
I tried not to let my jaw drop.
"…".
"…Your Highness?" she asked, sounding anxious.
"…Uhmm (coughs)" I placed my hand over my mouth.
"…Of course not, why would I?" I denied instantly.
"…You look pretty lovely today by the way…" I added, trying to change the subject.
Then I saw her expression, eyes wide, staring at me.
"…Y-you wore it…?" she said in disbelief.
Wore what?
Oh no.
I couldn't afford to sound clueless.
I need to flee. ASAP.
"…Ha-ha-ha (nervous laugh), I gotta go! See you in an hour!" I blurted, turning to escape the scene I'd just created.
"…W-wait!" she called after me, but I was already halfway up the stairs.
Thankfully, thanks to the manhwa illustrations and Juliet's earlier tour, I knew the layout of the palace well enough to find my room.
"…Huff… now we turn left… huff…" I muttered, sprinting through the hallway.
Staff members gave me strange looks as I dashed past them.
But they wouldn't understand, this was a life-or-death situation. I needed time to think.
*Thud!
I bumped into someone.
"…Ugh, watch where y—"
I stopped mid-sentence.
I knew that face.
My fiancée's father.
My future father-in-law.
The one and only Duke of the Kingdom.
Leon Ben Heinz.
Silver hair, golden eyes, a white beard, and a scar on one cheek, rumored to be from a dragon's fang.
Sharp features, always ready for action.
He carried his sword everywhere.
The king's best friend.
Before becoming a duke, he was the kingdom's savior, a knight who slayed three dragons in one night. His legend still echoed through the land.
Bold in speech, cheerful in spirit, but calm when it mattered.
Honestly, he was the only character I liked in the manhwa, aside from the villainess, of course.
And luckily, I remembered his name.
In the original plot, before the pig's reincarnation, the prince and the duke's daughter were supposed to marry.
It was an arranged engagement, promised by the king and duke if they had children of the same age.
They were raised as childhood friends.
Funny how bumping into him brought all that back...not his daughter, but him.
"…Oh-ho-ho! If it isn't His Highness the Prince, my future son-in-law!" he laughed, placing a firm hand on my shoulder.
"…Eiiick," I groaned silently.
"Where were you going? The dining hall is that way, Your Highness…" he said calmly, though I sensed something beneath the surface.
"…I-I just forgot something in my room and was trying to quickly grab it a-and, u-umm…" I stammered, scrambling for an excuse.
"Hmm…?" He leaned in, inspecting me.
"I think you're hungry, Your Highness. Let's go eat."
And just like that, he grabbed my shoulder and dragged me toward the dining hall.
.
.
.