The Beloved Fiancée is likely to be the villain, so even if the heroine wins won't get the reward

Chapter 04: Vincent's thoughts

"No, no matter what you think, wasn't that woman too much for an idiot?"

"Your Highness Vincent, I hope you will never say what you really think in public."

"Of course, I wouldn't say that out loud."

"I was worried that it might spill out of your mouth at any moment, when seeing that scene I could notice your voice was so serious... it was clear how angry you were"

I turned my head and looked at him, who just bowed his head as if nothing were happening.
Looking at my really sarcastic personal assistant, I let out a deep sigh.

"It isn't funny."

"I'd like to say that's not the case, but it could be."

This matter, been bothering me every day since the event at the party concluded.
I even see it in my nightly dreams, whether I'm concentrating on a class or in the middle of a conversation with a friend.
Sighing, I scratched my hair.

"If I knew this would end like this, I would have been using my time to stay near Elizabeth."

"Moderate your delusions, sir."

"I'm not delusional!"

Biting the back of my lip, glared at the human behind me.
The silver hair flowed loosely backward, and dark ash eyes peeked out from the lowered eyelids.
Oh, why! You're my assistant, there's no reason for you to be so good-looking.

"It was not a good idea... Now I've to spend my free time after school, away from the royal palace, only with Harold in an empty classroom like this!
I don't understand... Those aristocrats were in such a hurry to get the play done...
they really didn't even think that the author of this idea will be arrested for impiety, and they will go to jail with her?"

"Well, you're here now because you didn't think about it too much neither."

"Did you think for a minute about what can have happened if I didn't do that? You know what I mean, Harold."

Harold shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.
Even if I don't hear it, I know what the wordless answer means.

I took out a pocket watch from my trouser to refresh my splintered mind.

A portrait of Elizabeth is inlaid on the back of the silver watch lid.
I updated it to the latest version at the recent entrance party.
The portraits I've of her from the past, are also arranged in small custom-made boxes, and have been carefully stored so that I can find and see them at any time.

"Elizabeth....."

The words that spilled from my mind were nearly inaudible but I shouldn't let them go out at all, because Harold watched with a somewhat disgusted face to me.

"I'm sure Lady Elizabeth would be very upset if she found out about the portrait on that watch, specially because she never authorized His Highness to have it."

"No, I'm sure certainly she won't mind, she doesn't care at all."

"Your Highness..."

He looked at me as if saying "poor little thing", that was also infuriating in its own way.

However, as sad as it is for myself, Elizabeth really wouldn't think anything of it.

The fact that his fiancé has her image tucked into a pocket watch, that's all.

She would probably say, "It's only natural because he's my fiancé" and that's it.

It would never cross her mind, that maybe I like Riza, or that I love her, that's why I want to see her face at all times.
Elizabeth believes that her relationship with me is just superficial, a political connection arranged, a docile forgiving wife in a political marriage where there's no love.
Also, she is so immersed in playing of that role.

....

My first encounter with Elizabeth dates back to when we were eight years old.
A marriage partner decided by my parents.
That birthday party, would be the first time I saw her, an 8-years-old girl of whom I only knew her name.
To be honest, I didn't want to see her.
I didn't care that much about my position as Crown Prince, something my mother always commented when was scolding me for skipping out on study time.
I had imagined that my fiancée would be a sharp-tongue woman that looks sweet and cute in front of other people... much like my mother.
However, it was a mistake.
It was the best thing that happened on my life.

"A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness Vincent. I'm honored to be on your presence.
The daughter of Duke of LeMontrievre, Elizabeth at your service.
There may be persons more fit for my position, but I will serve you with all my heart for the rest of my life, doing whatever is at my reach for this Kingdom's sake."

"It's the best thing that have happened on my life"

"...."

I couldn't say anything. I didn't know the lines that needed to be said in reply to that greeting.

My father came near me, when he noticed that I had turned red and stiff at the spot, while Elizabeth was stoically supporting the weight of her pompous dress and maintaining her posture of courtesy, waiting for my reply for several minutes already.
Meanwhile, I couldn't think about anything else but the fact that the tiaras and fresh flowers adorning her hair did not compare to the beauty of her face.

Seeing that, my heart stop beating, as I understood the complete mistake I did....
That night, I cried alone in my room.

There was no way that such a perfect dainty girl could be love a fiancé--... a man like me, and that thought made me so sad I couldn't stop crying.
And, when the morning was coming, I realized.
"It's love at first sight..."
As I said that, I made a vow in my heart and from that day on, I changed and studied hard to become a man worthy of her.

My parents were really happy about that.
They knew it was because of my meeting with Elizabeth, so my love for her was obvious.
In exchange for returning to my long-delayed "King's education classes" , I asked my father for a portrait of Elizabeth painted by the country's greatest painter.
After that, I practiced good manners until they became part of my body.
It was mandatory for a future King, not only academics' topic as imperial history but also administration, foreign languages and cultures, economics and a lot more.
All for Elizabeth.

Even though we were engaged, the royals and high ranking nobles were always busy, so we could only see each other once every several months.
Each time we meet, Elizabeth had grown more beautiful and sweet, and my love was growing with each word she said.
I lived dreaming with the entrance to the Royal Academia.
<<When I turned fifteen, I will be able to live in the same place as Elizabeth, at that school.>>

I wanted to devote all my free time to Elizabeth, so when the year was coming closer I worked harder on my studies than ever before.
A flaw in my grades or a bad attitude not according to the royal etiquette would mean less time to spend with Elizabeth....
Doing everything quickly, perfectly, and without any error, just when I thought I had finished my three years of hard work and had gained the necessary manners.

With a lot of enthusiasm, I thought I was ready for a beautiful school life.

But...

That mysterious romance novel has been released.