Chapter 5

He asked whether it was truly her again and again. Even after several confirmations, he still couldn’t believe his eyes.

Under the grease and dirt, her hair had been a lilac-tinged silver. Needless to say, he had already seen her eyes, which had shone bright even while she was still covered in dirt.

Her long eyelashes were like wings, her lips were plump like petals, and perhaps it was because she had just finished her bath, but he saw a rosy tinge in her cheeks that made him feel strange.

He took in the narrow line of her chin, her long neck, and her pale skin that almost seemed translucent.

Tarcan had never reacted to anyone’s appearance like this before. Not a single beauty that crossed the steps of the palace had once caught his eye. But the woman in front of him right now...

No, I’m just shocked by the abrupt change, he hastily decided.

Aristine questioningly stared at the two people who were frozen with shock, then shifted her attention elsewhere as she sat. She assumed the tea set on the table had been prepared for her.

Since no one offered to serve her, Aristine reached out to the teapot herself. That was when Diona jumped into action, grabbing the pot.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Imperial Highness.”

Diona bowed and rushed to pour the tea. She worried the princess had assumed her actions were a purposeful snub.

I can’t cause trouble when I’m around Prince Tarcan.

She glanced up to gauge the princess’s reaction, but Aristine only shook her head. Diona couldn’t read a single emotion from her blank expression. Whether the princess was offended or simply did not care was just as much a mystery as before, but her stillness gave her a strangely mysterious aura. The fact that someone’s neutral expression could be so attractive made Diona panic.

I was happy because the first princess was coming instead of the beautiful second one, but now...

This was no reason to celebrate. Though Tarcan had remained disinterested in women until now, she wasn’t sure how he’d fare once he began interacting with such a beautiful one on a daily basis.

He definitely reacted just now!

Diona’s grasp around the teapot tightened. The fact that Tarcan showed any reaction at all was rare. But he’d shown several different emotions since the woman’s arrival.

And he’s only barely seen her a few times!

Suppressing the surge of emotions within her, Diona bowed to Princess Aristine.

“Greetings, Your Imperial Highness. I’m Diona.”

“Hello.”

Even the princess’s voice was clear and bright. Diona forced a smile, but she couldn’t help but feel a shadow fall on her heart.

“You can go now.”

Diona’s hands paused midair at Tarcan’s words.

Go? You’re planning to spend your time alone with this woman?

Regardless, Diona effortlessly fabricated the perfect smile before she bowed and left the room. With the maids gone, only Aristine and Tarcan were left together.

Silence descended on the pair. Tarcan was the first to break it.

“Why?” he said.

“What?”

“Didn’t you come to see me because you wanted to talk to me?” he said.

“We’re going to be married soon. Do I need to have a reason to have a cup of tea with you?”

“Between us, yes.”

He’s more curt than I thought.

Aristine hummed as she thought through her next words. She felt like she’d be chased out if she attempted any small talk to lighten the mood. She was better off getting straight to the point.

“You agreed to the marriage though, right?”

Tarcan frowned as though he disapproved of the statement. Aristine gathered the arrangement hadn’t been his decision.

“I didn’t volunteer to marry you either,” Aristine mumbled into her teacup.

The scent that followed the waft of her breath against the tea was heartening. The tea slipped along her tongue and flowed down her throat. She’d never had such high-quality tea before. It was delicious. Very good.

She hadn’t been thrilled at the prospect of marriage... but this was good.

I’ll keep that a secret from Tarcan though.

“Well, fine. I didn’t come here to chat with you,” she finally said.

Aristine straightened her back and looked squarely at Tarcan. Since Diona was out, she had to bring up something more definitive than love or future children. Using his relationships to her advantage had been a second choice to begin with. Aristine was more confident in her own skills.

“I’ll be frank with you,” she said.

The golden eyes of a midnoon sun and the purple eyes of dawn at daybreak met and clashed.

“I’d like us to start a business together.”

My Fiancée Is Obsessed with Starting a Business. Should I Still Marry Her?

“A business...?”

Tarcan frowned in confusion.

“Wait, no! I’m not obsessed with being an entrepreneur.”

Aristine waved her hands in the air. From what she had seen with the Emperor’s Eye, people were always wary of entrepreneurs.

“I’m not asking you to lend me any money. I’m not asking for an investment either. I’m not suggesting that this business will be successful either! Oh, no, the item itself will be successful, but—”

Tarcan remained silent as she rambled.

“No, seriously. Really. So can you stop staring at me like that?”

“You’re not going to embezzle the palace’s allowance for your own use, are you?” Tarcan muttered, avoiding her gaze. “I think I’ll need to make some adjustments...”

The allowance given under Aristine’s name was meant to be hers to use as a royal. It seemed Tarcan was planning to control it so she couldn’t waste the funds on her entrepreneurial endeavors.

“No, no, nothing of the sort!” Aristine rushed to defend herself.

Tarcan’s eyes paused on her face for a moment. Emotions were finally displayed across her features. Her cheeks were even rosier than before.

It was fascinating. His mouth opened instinctively, and in spite of himself, he found himself quipping back at her, “So what? You want me to just sign here and fork over some money? All because you’re convinced you’ll hit the jackpot? Did you rehearse these lines?”

“I already said I wasn’t asking for money,” Aristine grumbled.

Her face hardly shifted, but her lips did stick out a bit. Tarcan noticed the subtle change.

“We’re now politically involved with each other through this arranged marriage,” Aristine began with a lifted finger, “so I thought it’d be best for us to have a mutually beneficial relationship. Not on a personal level... but as business partners.”

Aristine was careful as she selected her words.

She didn’t want to be treated like an obsessive entrepreneur when all she wanted was a strategic business relationship in place of a romantic one. She didn’t feel she had conveyed that well, but she had never had a chance to speak to many people, after all.

But my lack of experience doesn’t define me.

She refrained from saying that, however. She didn’t want to be misunderstood again.

“A mutually beneficial relationship,” Tarcan repeated.

How daring. No one had ever been brave enough to bring up anything of the sort to Tarcan before. The corners of his mouth rose. His smile was something fierce.

“That sounds like an ideal plan,” he said in a tone that indicated he didn’t truly intend to play along. “I can help you, but how will you benefit me?”

Tarcan’s chin lifted, and he looked down on Aristine. His golden eyes showed his sense of ease more than his arrogance.

“What can you do for me?” he repeated.

Aristine refused to lose her confidence despite Tarcan’s attitude. Instead, she asked him immediately, “What do you want from me?”

“For you to stay put and do nothing but breathe.”

“Oh my,” Aristine slowly exclaimed, lifting a hand to cover her mouth. “I’m grateful that’s all you want, but I’m surprised.”

But Aristine looked unmoved and unfazed.

“I don’t doubt that you mean it,” Aristine said, “since people can fall in love at first sight. But you know, our first meeting was, well...”

Aristine hadn’t bathed in a month when they’d first met, after all.

“Well, I do believe other people’s preferences should be respected,” she continued, allowing her eyes to wander up and down Tarcan’s body. “I assumed you were hinting at your predilections because you felt embarrassed by them. I’ve personally heard that a strong denial is as good as a confession.”

Tarcan felt his head throbbing as the woman continued to chatter away.

Just who was this woman?

He’d met countless people in his life of all ages and genders, but never a person like her.

“Whatever you’ve assumed, I didn’t mean it in that way,” Tarcan said.

“Right.” Aristine smiled and accepted Tarcan’s explanation.

“Tarcan.” Her soft, lowered voice curled around his name, and her long lilac-silver hair swayed with her movement. “Don’t you already have something you want from me?”

Her eyes had a strange glint to them as they met his.

Come on, now. Say what you want. I already have an idea of what it could be.

Aristine waited for Tarcan to speak. But all he did was look away with a frown after staring at her face for a moment too long. It was as though he’d seen something he shouldn’t have.

“What can you do with those thin arms? They look like they’ll snap if you lift a fork,” he grumbled. To the Ilugoans, Silvanians were all very thin.

But I’m average in Silvanus.

She was rather tall, considering the fact she hadn’t gotten sufficient nutrition.

“Don’t you think you’re underestimating me?” she said.

“You have nothing to offer,” Tarcan snapped. “You can’t call a one-sided effort a mutually beneficial agreement.”

He sat back after that declaration, then asked Aristine, “What’s the difference between asking me to help with your business that’s obviously going to fail and asking me to sign a blank check?”

He’s treating me like I’m some sort of scammer.

Aristine raised an eyebrow.

“You sound very confident that I have nothing to offer.”

“Because it’s the truth.”

I don’t like him.

Aristine tapped her teacup with her finger. She didn’t mind people disregarding her most of the time, but she needed Tarcan’s cooperation right now.

Hmph, will he still treat me like this after seeing how I handle things?

The moment she revealed she had the Emperor’s Eye, she knew the cold emperor and even Tarcan would warm up to her and start treating her favorably. But that only made her angry—and combative.

Shouldn’t he at least check what I have to offer before deciding?

The arrangement may have been made against Tarcan’s wishes, but the marriage hadn’t been her decision either. Since they had signed the papers, they were already political partners. This was a matter of showing her common courtesy now.

Ha! I’m going to make him beg to join my business venture!

Aristine’s determination renewed as she downed the rest of her tea.

“Fine, I suppose I need to prove my competence to you before you’ll join me at the negotiation table.”

Aristine set her cup down harshly and stood.

“Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“You need to see who you’re dealing with before you sign anything, right?”

* * *

“The princess wants to see me?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The king of Ilugo raised an eyebrow. He had planned to greet the Silvanian delegation officially the next evening to give them time to rest.

But why would the princess want to see me now...?

The second princess Yenikarina, who had been massaging the king’s shoulders, leaned down to whisper to him, “Why don’t you meet her? I want to see the princess in person too.”

The king’s eyes turned toward Yenikarina. He knew several of his children, including her, had already seen the princess at Tarcan’s palace. He knew what she intended by asking him to allow the Silvanian princess to have an audience.

I heard that instead of the second princess, they sent the first princess, who has been under confinement.

He had also heard she arrived looking like a beggar straight from the streets.

Yenikarina’s intentions were so obvious that he found them adorable. Instead of scolding her, he told the servant to let the princess in.

“I don’t see a reason not to. I’m not minding any state matters.”

“Oh, I’m so excited!” Yenikarina hugged the king’s neck as her face broke into a grin.

I can tease that filthy ugly princess in front of His Majesty now!

This would also hurt Tarcan’s reputation. Yenikarina’s mood soared at the idea of humiliating Aristine. If they stood side by side, she was sure the Silvanian princess would only make her look prettier.

Then His Majesty will love me more!

Yenikarina had been nervous because of His Majesty’s strong desire for a Silvanian princess.

But I don’t have to be nervous if they’ve sent a dimwit.

It was a relief now, but when Yenikarina was reminded of the nights she had stayed up in worry, her hatred of the princess increased. She was going to make the Silvanian princess pay.

Yenikarina nodded toward a servant, who nodded back.

* * *

The servant arrived at the queen’s palace.

“Hmm, I see.” The queen closed her folding fan. “I can’t intrude upon an unofficial meeting. I couldn’t overcrowd them.”

“Then...”

“Since my adorable Yenika is there, I’m not too concerned, but... it’s always better to have more people around, so send those three. It won’t be strange if they barge in since they always have so much free time on their hands.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The servant bowed and left.

A while later, two princesses and a prince headed toward the king’s palace under the orders of the queen.

As they traveled to their destination, they chattered to each other.

“I can’t wait to see our father’s reaction.”

“Right? I don’t know what he’ll think after seeing that beggar.”

“It’s that bad? She’s the direct heir of the Silvanus family, isn’t she?”

“Well, considering her pathetic state, the place must be a sewer, then.”

They giggled.

“Still, she must have bathed by now. I’m sure Tarcan scrubbed the dirt away to make her presentable at least.”

“Hmph, that wouldn’t have helped. Polish can’t fix something that was never there to begin with. She’ll still be as ugly as ever.”

“Right, she looked worse than her ladies-in-waiting. They looked much more impressive than she did!”

“I heard the Silvanian princess was a beautiful woman, but maybe all those rumors were about the second princess and not the first. Marten, you saw the second princess, didn’t you?”

“She was definitely beautiful. She had golden hair and a thin frame. You know, the traditional Silvanian beauty. I guess siblings don’t always look alike.”

“Well, they are stepsisters.”

“I feel so bad for Tarcan. He thought he’d have the Silvanian’s beloved second princess, but he got the filthy one instead.”

“I heard the first princess was confined because she’s ill.”

“Oh, wow, so there’s something wrong with her?”

Malicious glee filled the princesses’ and prince’s faces. They’d been so jealous when they heard Tarcan, their sibling born from a lowly mother, was arranged to marry a pure-blooded princess.

“Tarcan must be in quite the rush. Do you really believe the princess would want to see the king right now? Tarcan’s probably bringing her up to father because he wants to get it out of the way as soon as he can.”

“I bet they don’t know Yenika is with His Majesty.”

“Or that we’ll be visiting.”

“It’s going to be quite a scene.”

The three drew closer to the room as they chattered. When the door opened, they peered into the chamber with smirks on their faces.

Tarcan and his annoying aura was the first thing they saw. His back was to them. Beside him was someone with sparkling lilac-silver hair.

Wait, why is it sparkling...?