The Perfect Bride - Chapter 35

Knock knock.

A noble lady, neatly dressed, knocked on the first-class cabin door.

“Come in!” A cheerful voice called from inside, as if waiting for her.

When the lady opened the door and stepped inside, the owner of the cabin sprang up from her seat to greet her.

“Oh, Sarah. You came at just the right time.”

The cabin’s occupant, who called the older lady by name so familiarly, appeared to be in very high spirits. She naturally linked arms with Sarah and led her toward the window. Her steps were light, almost like she was dancing.

“Look over there. I can finally see land. That must be Grand Batten, right?”

Her voice was full of confidence. Her lively blue eyes sparkled as she pointed at the strip of land between the sea and sky that peeked through the small cabin window.

Countess Sarah of Lange, Princess Sophia’s nanny, smiled warmly.

“Our princess truly knows everything.”

While speaking, Sarah took the opportunity to straighten Princess Sophia’s outfit.

Sophia gave a bashful smile at the affectionate touch. Her crescent-shaped eyes, inherited from her mother, Queen Alexandra, curved beautifully. With her silver hair and clear blue eyes—the traits of the Fossa royal family—Sophia looked like a princess through and through.

The princess was Sarah’s joy. Perhaps it was because she had raised her since infancy, but she considered the girl dearer than her own son.

“We’ll arrive at the port soon. You must be tired from the journey.”

“Not at all, Sarah.”

Seeing Sarah’s worried face, the lovely young woman shook her head firmly.

The princess of Fossa, who had grown up seeing, hearing, eating, wearing, and sleeping only the finest things, was bright and endlessly optimistic. She retained a childlike innocence that made her endearing at first sight.

“I was the one who said I wanted to travel to Ethena, after all.”

Ethena was the kingdom where her mother, Queen Alexandra, had been born, and also the homeland of Queen Violet of Grand Batten. Sophia was traveling there to see her maternal relatives.

Then came a letter from her beloved aunt, Queen Violet. At her urgent summons, Sophia canceled all her plans and boarded a ship immediately. Traveling by sea was the fastest route from Ethena to Grand Batten.

“How could I not come when Queen Violet says she wants to see me right away? I’ve also wanted to visit Grand Batten myself…”

Trailing off, Sophia blushed and turned to Sarah. “It must be because she wants to proceed with the marriage talks, right?”

“She surely means to.”

“I thought so.”

Sophia clasped her hands over her chest, her heart visibly fluttering, and gazed once more at the land visible beyond the window.

“I’m a little nervous. How many years has it been since we last saw him?”

Murmuring with excitement, Sophia was answered by a soft laugh from Sarah.

“You last saw Prince Ian when he visited Fossa, back when you were eight. So nearly fourteen years ago.”

“I hardly remember him, other than that he was very handsome.”

“He’s considered the most handsome man of the century and is known for his noble reputation, so there’s no need to worry.”

“The twins were so alike I couldn’t tell them apart till the end.”

“You’ll know the difference now.”

“If his portrait is anything to go by, he’s more beautiful than the god of love!”

Sophia was as giddy as a bride one week before her wedding.

Prince Ian and Princess Sophia had five years between them. Thanks to the ideal age gap, the two had long been considered natural marriage prospects.

“Sweet Princess Sophia. Hurry and grow up so you can marry the prince of Grand Batten.”

Everyone had said that since she was young, so Sophia had come to see Ian as her destined husband.

“Not only is he handsome. Even though the Astiers royal family lost much of its dignity because of the former Crown Prince Edward, the position of Grand Batten’s queen is still the most coveted among all princesses. Congratulations, my princess.”

“Oh, stop, Sarah. He hasn’t even proposed yet.”

“Oh, my princess.”

Sarah gently took Sophia’s shoulders and led her to the mirror.

“What man wouldn’t propose to such a lovely young lady?”

Her pale skin, untouched by sunlight, her vibrant pink cheeks, and her rare silver hair and blue eyes—all reflected in the mirror was a girl even she had to admit was very lovely. Sophia shyly curled her lips into a smile.

“He won’t still see me as a child, will he?”

“Of course not. Every prince in the world dreams of marrying you. Think of all the marriage proposals you’ve turned down.”

After her upcoming birthday, Sophia would turn twenty-two. Frankly speaking, she had passed the ideal age for marriage and was now at an age where it was considered urgent. A large part of the reason was because Queen Alexandra, who cherished her daughter, had kept her close by her side.

But Sophia remained carefree. More precisely, she had never truly worried about her future. Thanks to her status as a princess, she had always obtained whatever she wanted—whether it was an object or a person.

So marriage was no concern either.

Ian Astiers, Duke of Valdermar and soon to be the King of Grand Batten, would soon become her husband—what was there to worry about?

“What if Ian proposes to me the moment he sees me?”

Sophia was certain that during this visit, Ian would propose to her.

“Who knows. But it’s clear he’s been putting a lot of effort into preparing a proposal.”

“I want to be proposed to at the Oberon Palace. Oh, how should I answer? What should I say?”

Sophia giggled, murmuring to herself.

“Ah, I wish we’d arrive in Dwan already! How delightful it will be!”

Her cheeks flushed with anticipation.

Her boundless optimism, easygoing nature, and a sense of justice that could easily come across as meddlesome all stemmed from the composure of someone who had lived a life without loss.

Thanks to that, she had no trouble enduring the rather tiring journey with a smile. From disembarking the ship, to boarding a carriage, to changing trains several times before finally arriving at Dwan Central Station, she never lost her smile. She was a princess who received warm welcomes wherever she went.

But when she finally set foot on the platform of long-awaited, longed-for Dwan, she experienced the most bewildering moment of her life.

“My dear cousin Sophia, Charlotte will accompany you to the Oberon Palace. I have pressing matters to attend to.”

Her reunion with Prince Ian, which she had so eagerly anticipated, ended in less than ten seconds—quite different from what she had imagined.

“Then please enjoy your stay in Grand Batten.”

“Pressing matters? What could possibly be more important than escorting me?”

Flustered, Sophia missed the chance to speak as he turned his back and quickly disappeared.

Still, aside from Ian vanishing right away, everything else was just as she had pictured.

The stunning Ian and his sister Charlotte standing at the edge of a plush carpet to greet her, the soldiers in pristine white dress uniforms lined up to escort them.

The thunderous cheers and grand military band performance the moment she stepped out of the station. The citizens of Dwan waving the flags of Grand Batten and Fossa while calling out her name.

It was certainly the scene she had imagined… and yet…

Sophia froze on the spot, unable to climb into the carriage prepared for her. Watching quietly, Charlotte finally spoke, “Sophia, Ian is incredibly busy these days. I hope you’ll understand. Oh, I heard you’re fluent in Grand Battenese, is that correct?”

“Of course, Charlotte.”

“You’re quite fluent.”

“Thank you. …But for something to be more urgent than escorting me… that must be a truly significant matter, mustn’t it?”

Sophia asked with pure intent. The lack of sarcasm made it clear to Charlotte that Sophia had grown up exactly as she had been in childhood.

“Ian has been devoting himself to something lately.”

“Devoting himself?”

“Yes. Though he’s always shown no interest in women, he’s recently fallen head over heels for a young lady. He’s been courting her every day like a madman.”

“Pardon…?”

Thanks to frequent correspondence with Queen Violet, Sophia had become highly proficient in Battenese. But in that moment, she couldn’t grasp what Charlotte was saying. Was it the sound of the celebratory cannons that made her ears ring?

“The young lady is just the daughter of a humble baron, so Her Majesty is deeply distressed. Judging by how urgently she summoned you, she must be in need of comfort. I, unfortunately, am not the kind of daughter she can rely on.”

“Courting…? Are you saying His Highness has a consort?”

Having traveled from Ethena without rest, Sophia had no way of knowing about the hottest scandal in Grand Batten involving Prince Ian.

Up until now, Ian had never had a single scandal and was considered a national treasure among princesses. To think that national treasure had gone extinct overnight—Sophia was deeply shocked.

But the most shocking news was still to come.

“A consort? No, Sophia. Ian may seem that way, but he’s a one-woman man.”

Charlotte widened her eyes.

“He’s serious about marrying this girl, despite the difference in status. Who would’ve thought a man of the Astiers royal family could be so sincere in love?”

“Then… what about the proposal?”

Sophia, whose mind had been filled with thoughts of a proposal, blurted the question out like a scream.