Chapter 48

Aristine turned her head at the sound of the door suddenly being opened.

‘The maids are back already?’

The maids had been getting on each other’s nerves and left the room angrily so she didn’t think they would come back for a while.

However, the person who entered the waiting room was completely different from what Aristine expected.

“You…”

It was her.

The woman that was with Tarkan in the mirrored surface.

The woman who Tarkan whispered to, that his heart would not change.

“Greetings to the Princess.”

Dionna bowed gracefully and gave Aristine a soft smile.

“I am Dionna. I met you briefly before, perhaps you remember?”

“I remember. You poured me tea.”

“I am honored you remember me, Princess.”

Dionna bowed her head again. She was afraid that if she didn’t, she might expose the warped expression on her face.

The princess looked more beautiful in the wedding dress than she expected. The men who saw her for the first time today would fall in love and also fall into despair. Because the moment they fell in love, Aristine became someone’s wife.

‘…His Highness Tarkan’s wife.’

Dionna clenched her fists tightly.

“I see, and what business might you have with me, young miss?” (Aristine)

At Aristine’s words, Dionna raised her head and smiled.

“Well, of course, I’m here to congratulate Your Highnesses on your wedding.”

As Dionna spoke, her sea-blue eyes grew slightly wet.

“The two of you… look really good together.”

Her faint smile wavered softly like a candle in the dark.

Anyone could tell she wasn’t just congratulating them. Her smile seemed to imply a very messy and muddy love triangle. She smiled like a tragic heroine who was telling her man’s wife that she was wishing for their happiness while sadly stepping away.

‘Your husband and I have something very special between us. A very deep story that you don’t know about.’

It felt exactly like that.

But all she said was congratulations. And you couldn’t ask more about it because she said the two of them looked good together.

No smile would make a new bride more uncomfortable and uneasy than this. However, she picked the wrong opponent.

“Thank you.”

Aristine nodded indifferently.

For the sake of politeness, her gaze was on Dionna, but she wasn’t focused at all.

‘…What the?’

Dionna was startled when she saw Aristine look completely unconcerned. Considering what happened at the last welcome banquet, she knew the princess was not that oblivious.

‘She must have understood the underlying meaning of what I said…how come there’s no reaction?’

It shouldn’t be like this.

Dionna began to speak a little more bluntly. She had to tell the princess exactly what kind of person she was to Tarkan.

“His Highness Tarkan and I have practically grown up together.”

A sensual smile arose on Dionna’s face.

“His Highness’ mother and my mother were close friends. So were my brother and His Highness.”
Dionna’s gaze grew distant as if she was reminiscing about that time and her expression turned affectionate and sad.

“His Highness’ mother showed me so much love…”

His mother wanted her to be her daughter-in-law and treated her very well. That was the nuance behind those words.

“Because of that, His Highness has always taken great care of me and cherished me.”

Their relationship had been special since they were very young. The relationship between their families was so good that it wouldn’t have been strange for them to get married.

‘Right. That’s how it was.’

Dionna was captivated by her own words and thoughts.

She was special to Tarkan.

‘But someone suddenly came between the two of us…!’

The sight of Aristine adorned in a wedding dress and sitting proudly in the bride’s waiting room could not be more offensive to her eyes.

‘That seat should have been mine…!’

However, Dionna skillfully hid her emotions and spoke sweetly to Aristine.

“His Highness normally doesn’t have any women around him because of his cold-hearted nature.”

Then she added, “Your Highness the Princess must have experienced it too.”

She was saying the cold-hearted Tarkan must have treated Aristine coldly.

“It’s different for me since I’ve known him for a long time but—”

Having said that, Dionna glanced at Aristine.

Aristine didn’t have any reaction.

Initially, she didn’t seem to be paying attention to Dionna but now, she looked completely uninterested.

You will be treated coldly by your husband but I’m special to your husband. He treats me well.

Even though she had said it so blatantly, the princess—.

Dionna was strangely anxious.
She moved closer to Aristine and continued to run her mouth.

“I never even imagined that His Highness Tarkan would marry Your Highness the Princess.”

She was crossing the line even further.

Then as if pulling away, she waved her hand earnestly and added, “Ah, I didn’t mean anything else. It’s just that Irugo and Silvanus have been enemies for such a long time that I didn’t expect a marriage like this to happen.”

Dionna was now standing right in front of Aristine.

She looked right into Aristine’s eyes and spoke forcefully, one word at a time.

“For the sake of peace, the marriage between Your Highnesses must be successful.” Then her red lips parted to ask, “Isn’t that so?”

Tarkan’s only love is me but for the sake of peace, he has no choice but to marry you.

Right? Go ahead and say yes.

That was exactly what her question sounded like.

Even though the Princess hadn’t shown much reaction so far, she wouldn’t be able to bear it after this.

‘I can’t let you get married like this without any issue.’

Dionna’s eyes were tinged with delight as she imagined the Princess’ incoming hysteria.

‘Go on, get angry, scream and cry for all to see.’

While such thoughts were running through Dionna’s mind,

‘Oh…’

Aristine was in pure amazement.

‘Is this supposed to be interesting…?’

Frankly, there was nothing more boring and unexciting than hearing someone brag about their boyfriend. There were times when she saw people showing off their lover in the Monarch’s Sight and that was exactly how she felt.

If they were facing death while having the love of the century, she might find it interesting.

‘Bragging about your lover is always…’

Filled with the boringness of a promised victory.

No effect, no intrigue, no meaning. [1]

‘Why did Dionna come all the way here to do this?’

Who asked about the lovey-dovey story between the two of them?

She didn’t ask, nor was she curious.

‘Honestly, I was wondering how long she was going to talk so I just kept silent but…’

Whether Dionna was oblivious to it or not, she kept running her mouth without getting tired.

‘I’ve heard people like to show off their love all the time, regardless of when. So, this is why.’

Aristine was not interested in Dionna, nor was she interested in the relationship between Dionna and Tarkan.

So no matter what Dionna said, or what nuance was implied, she had no intention of consuming her mental faculties to dissect every little thing and pay attention to them.

It was enough for her to do that in the political circles or while doing business.

To Aristine, Dionna only meant one thing.

That is, whether Dionna as Tarkan’s lover could really become a negotiating card for Aristine to use while negotiating with Tarkan.

Apart from that, she had no other interest.

She wasn’t worth Aristine wasting time to think of the deeper meaning of her words.

Dionna would never even imagine that Aristine had judged her that way.

Right now, she was looking at Aristine anxiously, waiting for Aristine’s response.

‘Hurry up and get angry!’

Upon receiving that gaze, Aristine decided she might as well empathize with this boring story.

After all, the woman’s eyes were earnestly desiring a reaction so ignoring it felt kind of weird.

‘Besides, whether Dionna is my business partner’s lover or someone special, it will be better to treat her well, right?’

Socializing was so hard.

While thinking that, Aristine returned Dionna’s smile.

“Thank you, I will be sure to have a successful marriage as you said.”

Dionna’s lips stiffened at the words that were completely different from what she expected.

She forced a smile on her lips and emphasized what she said.

This time with no subtlety, “Yes, a marriage is usually a union between a couple who love each other but this marriage is for ‘peace’ rather than anything else, so you have to succeed.”

“Mn, I know very well that my marriage with Tarkan is not a simple union between a couple but a union above all others for the goal of world peace.”

Aristine nodded earnestly.

She hoped the discussion would keep going in this direction rather than the boring lover brag.

‘Hah…!’

Dionna looked at Aristine’s tidy face and grit her teeth fiercely. Even though she tried not to, her jaw couldn’t help but clench.

‘What, is she saying her marriage is on a different level from ordinary people or something?’

The blue eyes looking at Aristine froze over heavily like the winter sea.

‘Her marriage is on a different level so I shouldn’t interfere?’

Nothing could drive Dionna crazier than those words.

Even if Tarkan’s marriage with the Princess was called off, Dionna could not stand it.

Even if Tarkan ended up marrying her, their marriage would not have this kind of special meaning. It would just be a normal royal wedding.

The only reason this marriage was so special that it drew the world’s attention, was because it was a union between Aristine and Tarkan.

A marriage that ended hundreds of years of enmity and hostility, and love that arose.

What else could be more heartrending than this?

The protagonists should be Tarkan and herself.

Not Aristine!