NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13
13
In the tea room of Duke Raymond’s mansion, a passionate and satisfied cry broke the silence of the early morning.
“Please believe me! Princess Charlotte, my love for you is like the dawn that ignites the sky, burning fiercely, incomparably hot! If only you would marry me, I am willing to offer you everything!”
The kneeling noble youth is Ryan Raymond, the sole son of the Grand Duke of the Lionheart Kingdom.
The woman who could make a man of his stature sincerely kneel and ardently plead, in the entire Lionheart Kingdom, there is only one.
Charlotte Reinhardt.
The little princess of the Lionheart Kingdom, the most beautiful ruby of the West.
Her red hair, as vivid as flames, complements her equally splendid crimson eyes. The girl is only 17, her figure just beginning to blossom, but her luxurious deep red military dress and short skirt already accentuate her dignity and nobility to the fullest.
The only regret is her somewhat flat chest.
Her legs, wrapped in black silk, are proudly crossed. The girl, with one hand supporting her cheek, looks down from above at the young man seeking her love, her brows slightly furrowed, and finally, she lets out a sigh of disappointment.
“Raymond, you won’t even call me ‘Your Highness.'”
Ryan Raymond lifts his head, a sly smile on his face: “Charlotte, with our relationship, there’s no need for such formality…”
Before he can finish, Charlotte’s gaze hardens.
An invisible pressure stirs with the wind, as if the air itself ignites.
Raymond’s frivolous smile instantly freezes.
Charlotte sighs again, slightly headache-stricken, covering her forehead.
Here we go again.
“Raymond, we’ve only just met for a day, are we that familiar?”
“……Then, Your Highness, about our engagement…”
Charlotte finally loses her patience.
Does this guy not know what ’emotional intelligence’ is? He even has the audacity to ask?!
Who proposes to a girl upon first meeting!
Charlotte takes a slow breath, finally letting go of the polite smile on her face, revealing her true self, and coldly declares:
“Let me be direct.”
“Raymond, you are not worthy.”
No man could be addressed with such directness and not be angered.
Raymond’s obsequious smile contorts on the spot.
“Your Highness, even if you are a princess, you can’t insult me like this!”
“What makes me unworthy? In terms of valor, lineage, appearance, conduct…”
Charlotte almost laughed: “You have the nerve to speak of conduct? Raymond, do you really think I’m unaware of your sordid affairs?”
“Insulting servants, oppressing the commoners, even harboring indecent designs towards young women, no way, no way, do you truly believe someone of your ilk is worthy of me?”
“As for the so-called valor, lineage, and appearance…”
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, a mocking curve forming on her lips: “Don’t make me die of laughter.”
Raymond’s face turned shades of green and purple as his disgrace was pointed out to his face. For a moment, rage surged within him, and he almost forgot his status and wanted to rebuke her, ‘Woman, you’re playing with fire!’
Alas, he dared not.
What made Charlotte renowned across the continent wasn’t her noble princess status, nor was it her beauty, which could rival the rarest of jewels.
It was her extraordinary talent.
Born with the awakened royal bloodline [Lionheart], her unparalleled talent amazed everyone.
In the future, she was destined to stand above all as the king of beasts, proud among her peers.
Faced with the princess’s gaze, proud as a lion, Raymond felt as if he was confronting a lion king standing tall amidst blazing flames, and instantly, his courage faltered.
Even if he were to fly into a rage, he would likely end up effortlessly toppled by Charlotte.
In the end, Raymond dared not do anything but slump back down, defeated and powerless.
Charlotte withdrew her gaze.
With a disdainful snort, she left as if she was tired of the air here, without a hint of reluctance.
————————————
“Your Highness, this is the 37th time you’ve rejected someone to their face, the 5th time you’ve reduced someone to self-isolation!”
Inside the princess’s boudoir, Charlotte’s personal maid, Lisa, donned a mask of agony.
“I’m begging you! Wouldn’t it be nice to be a bit gentler to those boys?!”
Charlotte was 16 this year. In Viseya, although it wasn’t quite the age to discuss marriage, it was time to mingle with boys.
At first, Lisa was optimistic.
With Charlotte’s qualifications, wouldn’t the high-quality men of the kingdom be at her disposal?
But she never expected Charlotte to be so discerning.
And so sharp-tongued.
It’s one thing not to fancy someone, but another to utterly drench them in scorn.
After a round of matchmaking, the royal family didn’t gain any allies, but they sure made plenty of enemies.
The proud young princess, when faced with her maid’s reprimand, lost her temper, hugged a large pillow, buried her face in it, and let out a muffled complaint: “So noisy…”
“But Lisa, this time it really wasn’t my fault!” Charlotte lifted her head to defend herself.
“What sort of man is that Raymond?! Frivolous and rude, and I’ve even heard he tortures maids in private, even beats children under ten…”
Charlotte’s mouth twitched: “Such scum should be hanged.”
“I don’t ask for my partner to be noble, but at least he shouldn’t be scum!” The little princess waved her fists, expressing strong dissatisfaction.
Hearing this, Charlotte’s requirements seemed quite reasonable.
However, having served her for many years, how could Lisa not know her mistress’s true nature?
The reason it came down to Raymond, that scum, wasn’t it because she looked down on all the previous matchmaking candidates!
“So, tell me, what kind of man do you hope to find?”
“Hmm~ In any case, he must be strong, handsome, and most importantly, like the protagonist in knight novels, noble in character, respectful to women, kind and brave, upholding justice…”
Charlotte has loved knight-themed romance stories since she was young.
As the saying goes, one always desires what they lack.
What’s so special about princes? They just have a better family status. As a legitimate princess, Charlotte really didn’t care for that.
“You said it yourself, ‘like the protagonist in knight novels,’ how could such a person possibly exist?!” Lisa couldn’t help but retort.
Identity, strength, it’s hard enough to achieve one of the two. Yet, this little princess has such unrealistic expectations for personality!
In this day and age, which noble young master isn’t full of vices? Even setting aside status and strength, there’s no man who meets Charlotte’s requirements!
“Uh…”
Charlotte knew she was at fault, her momentum weakened.
But she quickly emphasized again: “At least he must be a normal person, right?”
“The men of our Lionheart Kingdom are simply…”
Charlotte’s face showed sincere disdain.
From her matchmaking experience, there were only three types of men.
One is a sycophant, obsequious and hypocritical, preferring to please others and move themselves, yet unwilling to put in the effort to improve. Pitiful.
One is a greasy man. This type is extremely sleazy, full of crude jokes, unable to discern personal boundaries, acting as if they’re above everyone else, as if every woman would like him. Laughable.
The last is pure scum who bullies the weak, not even worthy of being called human. Despicable!
That Leann Raymond managed to combine three mutually contradictory types, was quite something.
“But, Your Highness, there’s no time for dawdling,” Lisa reminded.
“Next month is your 18th birthday, and you must have a dance partner before then.”
Hearing this, Charlotte’s gaze dimmed, she looked out the window, slightly weary.
On the bustling streets in the distance, young men and women could be seen holding hands, strolling in the sunlight, immersed in laughter and conversation.
It was a scene she was all too familiar with, yet forever out of reach.
“I know.”