Chapter 52 (1/2)
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Shawn said proudly. He acted as if he had done something really good.
“You’re crazy. You… You’re out of your mind.”
Herietta was fed up.
“If it’s such a good position, then shouldn’t Princess Laysha take it?”
“Princess Laysha can’t. The person whom Velicia presented as the groom was Prince Bernard.”
‘Bernard?’
Herietta was not very good at social rumors. She was even oblivious to the news that was taking place in Brimdel, so she had no way of knowing about things that occurred in Velicia, a neighboring country. After reading her expression, Shawn explained,
“Bernard Chenchila Shane Pascourt. He’s the second prince of Velicia, and although he’s the prince, the rumors aren’t all that great. Thanks to him, his right to the throne was also taken away by the First Prince.”
“…”
Seeing Herrietta getting angrier, Shawn chuckled and added.
“Well, don’t worry too much. At least he’s not an old man in his seventies.”
“I still don’t understand your suggestion. Since he’s not a good person, I can understand His Majesty’s desire not to send Princess Laysha to him. But why me? If you think about it a little bit, there must be a lot of young ladies in this country who are much more suited to the position than me.”
“You’re not well known to the public. The problem is that young ladies living in capitals or large cities are too well known in society, and using commoners who had neither heard nor seen of the royal family has a huge risk of being discovered later as they are not educated as aristocrats. They could be educated, but it would take too much time.”
Shawn skillfully explained the reasons for choosing her. His story was so believable that upon listening to his explanation, Herietta almost thought that he might have been telling the truth and not a lie.
But it didn’t matter anyway. Herieta didn’t even have the slightest bit of heart to accept his offer.
“Don’t tell me you’re thinking that I’ll agree with you?”
“Why not? As I said before, this would be a great opportunity for you.”
“What is a good opportunity? Do I look stupid enough to take a risk like this? If things go wrong and my identity is revealed, how are you going to take responsibility for it? It’s not just me who’s going to be punished, it’s going to affect the whole Mackenzie family. Otherwise, I could be executed for deceiving the royal family.”
“So you just have to be careful not to get caught.”
“Do you think it’s that easy?”
Unable to stand Shawn’s reasoning, Herietta burst into anger. Even if she can’t get her thoughts through words, it should have worked to some extent. It felt like she was talking to a wall instead of a person.
“And even if I don’t get caught, I can’t accept such a ridiculous offer. So don’t waste your time and find someone else.”
“Well, you’re not in a position to disobey me either, are you?”
Despite Herietta’s stubborn attitude, Shawn did not lose his composure.
“Have you forgotten about the document I showed you earlier? And where is your poor little brother now?”
“!”
“On a battlefield where it is difficult for even an experienced military commander to stand against the enemies, how long do you think your little brother can hold a sword properly?”
Shawn whistled and muttered. Herietta’s face turned an earthy color.
“Are… Are you threatening me right now?”
“Yes. If you do not accept my offer now, your brother’s short life will end in Bangola sooner.”
“Do you think I’ll stay quiet enough to do that?”
“What would you do if you don’t stay quiet?”
“I will go to the capital immediately and report your conduct to the Crown Prince. Then he won’t leave you alone. You could be punished severely for deceiving the royal family.”
Herietta said boldly because she believed he would feel threatened if she offered to tell the Crown Prince the truth. However, contrary to her expectations, Shawn only laughed out loud with his head tilted back.