Chapter 191. Engagement, Part IV

Translator: Khan

Editor: Aelryinth

Irene looked for a moment at the blue garden outside the window and looked back at Killian sitting mute. "Were you forced to marry for the seat of the Emperor?"

"You know I don't have to."

"But I was a little surprised to hear that you suddenly chose Princess Kiellini. Though I've been stuck in the corner of the Imperial Castle, I have heard of her great beauty."

When the story of Princess Kiellini came out, Killian's eyes, which had been cold and hard, softened. Irene opened her eyes as if she could not believe it. "You like her, don't you?"

Killian's face hardened again after Irene's surprised question. "There's no reason to get married if I didn't like her."

"Is that true?"

"What else do I need besides that? Fortunately, I don't have to have a fake marriage!"

Killian never called her 'mother', just her official position. Then, did he call her aunt? That was not it, either. He was more thorough than anyone else about her title, fearing that he might make a mistake when someone else was there.

"Do I look unhappy because I had a fake marriage?"

Killian laughed as he watched Irene drinking tea leisurely in a casual dress. "No. I know you're happy with your life."

"Yes, that's right. I'm very satisfied with my present life. At one point I was very resentful that I wasn't born as the daughter of the Kiellini family or the Dudley family. No, I was angry with the First Emperor, who decreed that he would never let a daughter succeed the duke's title, except for those two families."

She stared at Killian, who looked more like her, rather than her sister. "If I had a chance, I would have fought, willing to take any risk and would have taken up the position of the king of the Principality of Bertino. But I wasn't even given a chance!"

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Irene had been different since she was young. Unlike her older sister who loved to dress up nicely and be pretty, she preferred to ride a horse and fence with her cousin Louis Valerian. She naturally thought she would inherit the Principality of Bertino since there was no son, so she wanted to be a reliable daughter to her father.

"Irene, in the Bertino family, the Empire's servants, women can't inherit the succession. The only families to enjoy such glory are the families of Kiellini and Dudley."

Irene was furious at the words of the former Duke of Bertino, who was so muddy that he could not see his daughter hanging around, being covered all over with mud outside.

"It's unfair. Then let's be independent from Austern. We don't have to live as a dog of Austern in the future."

Outspoken words, manly conduct, enterprising thoughts; Looking at Irene who he felt sorry for everything, the Duke of Bertino deliberately spoke more sternly.

"Don't even mention it, Irene. You may be misunderstood if your words are leaked out that you are trying to rebel. On National Foundation Day this summer, the Crown Prince, Duke Martin, and Duke Martin's son will visit. Therefore, you should pay more attention to your actions and remarks than ever before. Do you understand? I'll have to decide who you're getting married to after this year's adulthood ceremony."

Irene jumped up and got angry at her father's words.

"I don't want to grow old and die as a woman who just has a baby and is controlled by her husband's words. Why can't a woman inherit the succession? I have to complain that His Highness is coming this time."

---

Irene was furious that she wasn't even given a chance from the start just because she wasn't born a man. As soon as she met the Crown Prince who would become the Emperor in the future, she protested against this inequality.

"I see. The lady's right. It's definitely unfair. But I can't help it because the title of succession is a special reward that the First Emperor only gave to honor the contributions of the families of Kiellini and Dudley."

Irene was disappointed with the Crown Prince's refusal, as if he didn't have to think about his ancestor's decree simply because he couldn't resist it. It was irritating that Bertino should give its allegiance to such a fool. But what was more disappointing was her future. She had to marry and have a baby at her father's command. Just thinking about it made her frustrated.

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"My dear, you have less than an hour left for the party, and you're not even ready yet. Oh, my gosh, look at your hair! How did your face get hurt again?"

Irene was still annoyed by the dinner and ball that would be held on National Foundation Day, and stayed unprepared, not wanting to see the Crown Prince again.

"You can't walk around like this, or there will be no marriage requests. Please at least try to look half as good as Princess Carmelia."

Irene pouted at the nagging of her nanny. "My sister and I were born with different personalities. Why do you keep putting me in the same mold and trying to make dough? If my sister is a white, fine flour bread, I'm a coarse and thick barley bread."

Irene's disgruntled defiance was quelled in five minutes by the nanny's rough hand. She immediately took her to the bathroom and put her in a dress to make her look good. The nanny huffed and puffed, "If you don't get a marriage proposal on National Foundation Day, they will choose a proper nobleman for you in Bertino and you'll marry him. This nanny can't bear it if you are married to a noble who is lower than our ladies. You should at least marry a noble from a Marquis or Ducal family. Please try harder."

Ignoring whether Irene pouted or not, the nanny threatened the maid who was waiting on her. "Pamela, you have to keep a good watch on her, so that the lady doesn't leave the party in half an hour. All right?"

Irene stared disapprovingly at the new maid who came in a while ago. She was very polite, but somehow she was irritating and displeasing. However, she was not a person who would say that she didn't like someone, and so didn't criticize her.

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"Oh, my God, little lady. You couldn't stand the short time and get out."

Irene escaped from Pamela's surveillance less than twenty minutes after entering the party hall, and fled to the old fortune-teller, Gren, who had set up a home on the top floor of Calen Castle.

"I've not been here lately, so she probably won't think I'm here."

She lined up the food she had secretly packed at the party. "You haven't had dinner yet, have you? My legs hurt; let's not go to the dining room and fill up with this."

After eating and drinking for a long time, Irene asked Gren, "Why are you sticking to the top floor, since you have bad knees? It's hard to go up and down."

"No one interrupts me. IfI'm here, both of you can visit outside of the nanny's eyes, and take refuge here."

Irene nodded as she thought of her nanny and Gren, who would go at it like cats and dogs whenever they met.

"You're absolutely right. Ah, if I could only become the king of the Principality, I could live here in this castle with Gren and the nanny for the rest of my life."

Thinking about her and her sister after they got married and left the castle, she was worried about Gren if she didn't know the nanny. With no heir, the Principality of Bertino would be ruled by Austern's interim ruler until the successor of her or her sister grew up and took over the Principality after her father died.

Of course, she wouldn't worry if her father lived longer than Gren, but unfortunately, if not, the lives of those who worked in the castle would be different depending on the mood of the new ruler. She was heavy-hearted thinking of that.

"Don't worry, miss. I'll be with you forever."

"I don't want to break up with my sister. No, I hate marriage. Why should I go to a stranger's house and be a family with them? I want to live with my family."

While stroking Irene's head as she lay on her knees and was complaining, Gren asked, "Miss, if you could save the life of Miss Cordelia, would you sacrifice your life?"

Irene l sprang up at the word. "Did you see something?"