TL: The fun starts in chapter 3.
Chapter 2 – The Frosty Princess
[I am pleased to meet you, Lady Sara Griosta. I am called Mianna Elsette] (TL: This lady here is speaking formally and politely.)
Sara uncomfortably watched the flock of flamboyant dresses from a short distance away. She managed to see a young lady calling out to her amidst the bride candidates who were completely engrossed in the First Prince’s appeal.
The woman who called herself Mianna, was a n.o.ble’s daughter with a lovely air about her. She had silver eyes and rich black hair that was half tied-up. Of course, it was the first time they spoke to each other.
Sara looked at Mianna while being puzzled over lady Sara’s friendly smile.
[…… I am pleased to meet you] (Sara)
Even though she was cautious, she replied without being rude.
[Hahaha, don’t worry. I am not a love rival. Also, from the way I look at things, it seems you are not interested in joining the battle to gain the Queen’s seat….. right?] (Mianna)
[…….]
Sara’s eyes went wide as her words had hit bulls-eye.
Indeed, Sara could not refuse the invitation from the royal family, and as such, she reluctantly attended this place for the sake of her parents, but she had utterly no intention of marrying the prince.
And she did not expect that there was another lady who thought of the same thing, so she looked at her as though she was trying to peer into her heart.
Mianna calmly received the gaze from Sara’s violet colored eyes and said:
[Therefore, we can talk to each other about the things we’re keeping inside without any problems. I thought perhaps we could be friends, so I boldly called out to you, yes.] (Mianna)
[Well, is that so?] (Sara)
Sara relaxed her guard at Mianna’s carefree tone.
[Certainly…… To be honest, I don’t feel like aiming for the bride’s seat, are you the same as well?] (Sara)
[Yes! I came here so that I won’t embarra.s.s my father, and also to take the opportunity to observe the patterns of the relationships between the people here. Hey, may I call you Sara? You can call me Mianna. To be honest I’m bad at speaking like how a n.o.ble daughter is supposed to.] (Mianna)
Mianna’s shoulders shrugged while she giggled.
[Ara, I am the same too. Please treat me favorably too, Mianna. I’m often misunderstood in appearance, but I’m not that kind of refined lady.] (Sara)
[Haha. I actually thought you were someone like that. You are really stylish and I thought you trained your body appropriately. In addition, your cool att.i.tude was beautiful. Even though you have a reputation as an unattainable flower, do you really have no interest in romance?] (Mianna)
[Were you observing me from the start? You are quite right …… To be honest, I’m actually not good with men.] (Sara)
Sara sighed.
[Even though I’m not good at it, I understand that we have to be in a political marriage some day.] (Sara)
[That’s true. Since I’m born in a n.o.ble’s family I would have to get married some day….. If I was asked which I prefer, rather than me falling in love with someone, I would very much prefer to get information and observe people instead. It’s more fun to expose someone’s true colors and manipulate from behind the scenes.] {TL: Mianna changes from the formal Watakushi to Watashi here.}
Mianna was saying dark things that could not be imagined from her lovely appearance.
[My uncle is the prime minister. He often said, if you’re a man I will raise you to become the intelligence director. Isn’t this line of work really interesting? Even though I have the will and connection to do it, he said I ought to be satisfied with just watching from the sidelines just because I’m a woman. Ahh, it’s such a disadvantage for women!!] (Mianna)
No matter how you look at it, she was the prime example of someone who would make a man succ.u.mb to his desires to protect her, and was more likely to to be an aristocrat’s wife. When her words were mixed with sighs, it was funny enough for Sara to smile in spite of herself.
[Ara, I made the Ice Princess laugh.] (Mianna)
Mianna made a joking gesture.
[Mianna is interesting.] (Sara)
[Thank you. The atmosphere changed to a nice feeling when you smiled. Don’t worry about flirting with the guys, just smile a lot when you’re with me. They don’t deserve such a cute smile, especially when these men look at us women like they’re tools.] (Mianna)
[Thank you.] (Sara)
[I feel nice because you brighten up the place with your smile.]
Mianna gave a sharp wink and she lowered her voice when she saw a man walking closer to them from a distance.
[Look, he’s the younger brother of the king, Prince Reidrick.
It seems like he’s one of the judges for the brides’ selection too. Endaria’s number 1 Lady Killer, the youngest brother of the king. His face, his mind, his status are excellent, and in addition even his body’s marks are the best of the best, but the girls he decided on don’t last long in a relation.
Is he not a man with overflowing charisma? His body is discharging s.e.x appeal at the level of nearly causing a disaster! But I think he can’t stand the girls that revolve around him for some reason.
He’s even suspected to have a lover’s relationship with his male childhood friend Kite Windel, but the rumors died down after the latter got married. Don’t tell me he’s thinking of using this judging as an excuse to eat up the brides’ candidates one by one?] (Mianna)
Sara was nearly drowned from the amount of information coming from Mianna.
At the same time, her impression of Reidrick was going down greatly.
[Y-You seem to know a lot.] (Sara)
[Ufufu, it’s my hobby to collect information. It’s fun to go out to town in a disguise and collect the latest rumors by myself, and learn something that might be useful for this important night party’s guests’ background that they conceal. I generally did it as a child when an exclusive Information Officer was attached to my site, and I collected information during then.] (Mianna)
She seemed like an aristocrat daughter who had a considerably big hobby.
[The good information is bought by my uncle at a high price in order to get it. It’s a hobby that also packs in practicality. If there’s something that Sara wants to know, you can hear it from me. I’ll exchange it for the information that you have. It’s a huge service for my friends.] (Mianna)
Sara thought she became friends with an incredible aristocrat.
[It looks like Reidrick-sama is going to dance with every candidate! Wow, I’m looking forward to this—] (Mianna)
Mianna spoke excitedly and with antic.i.p.ation when she saw Reidrick talking to the aristocrat’s daughters and inviting them for a dance.
[Is Mianna interested in Reidrick-sama?] (Sara)
[Of course! He’s such a delicious target to observe, it’s worthwhile to spy on him—. I can talk a lot while dancing with him, and I can wring everything out and exploit it. Sara too, if you dance with him and notice something, tell me about it, okay? Even the tiniest detail is also fine.] (Mianna)
『So it’s in that direction, huh.』 Sara thought to herself.
[I personally dislike a flashy guy.] (Mianna)
Mianna said that as her eyes sparkled like stars, then attached an innocent face and approached Prince Reidrick.
[It’s my pleasure to meet you, my lady] (Reidrick)
[I’m Pleased to meet you, Prince Reidrick. I am Mianna Elsette.] (Mianna)
[Elsette, you say……. Are you the prime minister’s—?] (Reidrick)
[Yes, I’m his niece.] (Mianna)
[For the prime minister’s beautiful niece to come here, you are as lovely as a light crimson rose tonight.] (Reidrick)
[Why, such flattery. How many flowers has the prince plucked tonight? Or perhaps I wonder if your highness’s charm has made the budding flowers bloomed all by themselves. You’re such a sinful knight-sama, the ignorant me who knows not the ways of the world can’t hold my own to you, oh what should I do?] (Mianna)
[Oh, that’s harsh. The beautiful rose has cute thorns and is giving me deep pains in my chest.] (Reidrick)
Reidrick holds his chest lightly and bends his body, casually bringing his face closer to Mianna.
[Oh Fairy of the rose, you are so cruel for causing my chest to stir up so much. Please dance with this pitiful man for one song and fulfill his dreams for a short time.] (Reidrick)
[Certainly, with pleasure. It would be the wonderful Sir Knight who’s making me dream.] (Mianna)
Mianna took his hand that was presented before her.
Sara who was watching them, sighed spontaneously and felt thoroughly astonished at the barbed exchange from the two people. She saw a splendid match between a man and a woman who was trying to gain the upper hand.
She could not do something like what Mianna did to bargain. If she really had to dance with Reidrick, she wanted it to end quickly.
On the other hand, there were also a man who were trapped by a ring of women. He was prince Shuudel. The earnest him was finding a suitable bride amongst the gathered aristocrat’s daughters, and was interacting with them with enthusiasm.
The prince with silky golden hair and a pair of bluish-purple eyes, had a sincere smile on his well-featured face. The ladies thought that he was a sufficiently attractive husband candidate even if he did not have any ident.i.ty on him.
With the exception of Sara and Mianna. Sara watched the crowd attentively from a small distance. She was not looking down at the women who were swarming the prince. Rather, she envied the lovely girls who had their fast beating hearts attracted to the prince. It was something that she was unable to do.
When she knew nothing about romance, and getting married with a stranger without love, having their bodies sticking to each other, then being pregnant with children……
Sara’s body shook with disgust.
She suddenly realized something.
『Ahh, I’m going to give birth to a boy—』 (Sara)
[Are you alright, my lady?] (Reidrick)
[Prince Reidrick?] (Sara)
Before she had the chance to think, there was a fine looking man who stood before with a bright smile, and she found the words ready at her mouth.
[It’s my fortune to be called by such a beautiful woman who attended this evening party, Lady Sara.] (Reidrick)
[You know of my name, your Highness?] (Sara)
[Certainly. I wish to speak to the famed beauty of the Griosta Border just this once, my lady.] (Reidrick)
Sara looked at the man with a charming smile and pleasing words to the ears.
Her purple eyes which were right in front of him bore through Reidrick who felt like he was being shot with sharp arrows.
[……..] (Sara)
[What’s wrong, my lady? Is there something on my face?] (Reidrick)
[No.] (Sara)
She said and became silent.
The cold silence hung over the two of them.
[Then my lady, would you grace me with a dance with your beautiful self to mark our acquaintance?] (Reidrick)
Glancing at Reidrick’s outstretched hand, Sara wordlessly placed her fingertips on it.
When he grabbed her fingers, she trembled.
But it was not a refusal to dance. Sara stepped into the hall as she was escorted out.
Sara’s dance was perfect.
He had a favorable impression as she did not wear any perfume. In fact, that was some kind of sweetness emanating from her which tickled Reidrick’s heart deeply.
However, while he escorted Sara back, Reidrick thought 『I feel like I’m dancing with a doll.』
The evening ball’s dance allowed a man and woman to link arms with one another, and their steps made their bodies become closer, until they subconsciously drew into each other arms with their hearts growing closer in a single moment. It ought to be so.
However, Sara’s dance did not transmit that feeling at all as though her entire body was made of ice. A rigid body with an expressionless face. It was beautiful indeed, but it was a frozen beauty.
『What is with this woman…』 (Reidrick)
Endaria’s popular n.o.ble who made any girl fall for him observed the woman beside him puzzledly. (TL: リア充死ね)
『There’s no emotions shown from her at all….. I feel nothing except the fact that I’m being treated like a chair or a vase. But there’s some trembling from her fingertips as if she’s tolerating something. That thing that was transmitted over, is clearly…… rejection.』
[Iyaaaa, this monster!] (Reidrick)
(TL: いやあああ — Said Reidrick.)
[Anyone, please throw out this monster!] (Reidrick)
There was a voice that shrieked like a girl in Reidrick’s head and he shook it off.
Sara, who saw the eyes of her dance partner suddenly changed in that instant, and she promptly flashed her eyes open and shook off his hand with a strong force and stepped away from him.
[Lady Sara?] (Reidrick)
[….. I don’t feel well. Please excuse me.] (Sara)
She spoke quickly with trembling words and she bowed her head sharply and crisply before bringing it up. Reidrick was shocked by her excessively blunt rejection and said nothing, and she fled away with a quick pace.
Reidrick who was left behind in the dancing area alone, narrowed his eyes in unhappiness as he was showered with curious gazes around him.
[…… I see. I understand clearly why she’s called the worst woman now.]
Reidrick mumbled to himself as he completely removed his fake mask of “Charismatic n.o.ble”. (TL: I have mixed feelings on the subsequent punishment Reidrick is going to get in the next few chapters.)