Chapter 54: An Engagement between a Capture Target and the Princess

“I’m pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Macbeth Grene, Duke Grene’s son.”

“Nice to meet you, Macbeth. I am Serena, the Second Princess.”

The reincarnated princess and a capture target introduced themselves before my eyes, and I’m here for some reason. An old man sitting in-between these two as if to mediate as they introduce themselves. It feels surreal, but I kept silent and quietly watched to see what the princess would do.

“And so? Why did Serena-sama invite me here?”

“Oh? I think you know this already, but that’s not a very gentlemanly thing to ask.”

“Sorry, but besides family, I attend to others as little as possible.”

“Fufu, I really like that about you… Now then, Macbeth.”

With a smile, Serena-sama continued.

“I’ll get straight to the point. Won’t you get engaged to me?”

“… Hah?”

“Won’t you get engaged to me?”

“No, I heard you just fine… But, why?”

“That’s easy. After you drag your father down from his position as Duke and as Prime Minister, you will have to shoulder both.”

Put simply, that’s too heavy a burden for a child to bear. As expected, Macbeth wouldn’t be able to do it on his own. He let out a sigh and replied.

“So, ‘if you and I get engaged, you’ll have the Crown’s backing,’ is what you mean?”

“You’re quick to understand, that’s fantastic. As I thought, you truly are qualified to be my fiancé.”

“… But is there any merit for you to offer that?”

“Merit? Ahhh, that’s simple. I like you.”

“… Huh?”

“I like you.”

Macbeth stared, flabbergasted. Well, if she says it so suddenly, of course he’d be confused. After staying frozen for a while, Macbeth hesitatingly replied.

“Uhm… today is the first time we’ve met, right?”

“Oh? Well, that’s true for you.”

“?”

There’s no way Macbeth would understand. This is the first time they’re meeting and he’s suddenly being told “I like you.” That said, I have an inkling of why she would say that.

“Well, if you count memories from your past life…”

Macbeth looked confused at my muttered words, but Serena just winked at me and answered.

“Aren’t you the same?”

“I can’t deny…”

The Otome game we played in our past lives. Serena probably likes Macbeth because of her knowledge of him from it. Well, although I get it, it will be hard for Macbeth to understand that love.

“I asked Duke Fall here to witness this engagement. When Macbeth eventually becomes this country’s Prime Minister and succeeds his father as head of the Ducal House of Grene, I hope that Duke Fall will aid us as much as possible.”

“Well, if it’s for my daughter’s friend Serena-sama and Macbeth-kun’s sake, I’ll cooperate to the best of my ability.”

Or rather, if the Princess takes one of the capture targets, then the trouble that Laurier will face in the future becomes that much less.

“Serena-sama… you won’t have an affair?”

“Of course.”

“Will… will you love me?”

“Yes. Unconditionally.”

“Will… will you stay with me forever? You won’t die like my mother?”

“I will be by your side until the day you die. So… you don’t need to worry.”

The Princess gazed at him gently with eyes like she was soothing an abandoned puppy.

It’s a beautiful scene, but I can’t help but think that this result is yet another of the Princess’ calculations, so I felt a chill run down my spine.

In that manner, I somehow saw the engagement between those two, but… I’ll keep it a secret that I thought to end it early and return home to pamper Sasha.