Chapter 20

“Arthur, what are you thinking?”

“I think we look pretty good together.”

“…I can’t deny it.”

“If Mary had reached out to me like you, it would have been different.”

Arthur spoke to her as if he were sure.

Does that mean Mary wouldn’t have died? Or is it just that she wouldn’t have been killed by Gray’s hand?

……If not, isn’t Mary dead in Arthur’s hands?

She was confused. The more she listened to Arthur, the more she felt lost. There is no law that everything he says is true. But even though it couldn’t be, she wanted to believe it in the corner of her heart.

Do I want to live like this? Do I want to grab a little hope? Do I really want that? she’s not sure actually. This was what she meant.

She asked herself a question. She asked herself again and again what choice she should make if she could live in the face of death, and if she could really live, would she be confident in living in this body?

……Did Arthur hold her hand to die?

“Did you want to save Mary? Or, did you want to die?”

“…….”

Arthur didn’t answer her. He thought about something and smiled beautifully at her.

A false smile. The expression that others always showed to her even when she lived as herself. It was a heartbreaking smile that she knew too well.

“I don’t know if it’s both.”

“Then why are you doing this to me?”

“You acknowledged my existence for the first time, and didn’t you reach out your hand first?”

Arthur got up from his seat, kissed her forehead lightly, and looked out the window.

His expression quickly hardened and soon felt like the surroundings became freezing cold.

“You’re the one who came to me and not to Gray. So it doesn’t matter what heart the Princess came to me with.”

“Archduke Arthur.”

“A guest is coming. I have to get ready, so I’ll send the maid.”

Arthur swung out of the room even before she finished talking.

What does he mean a guest here who is so secret that he didn’t even tell her where to come?

She got up from her seat and looked out the window. A wagon with Archduke Arthur’s coat was seen entering the castle.

“Did my father send it for me?”

However, something felt wrong to conclude. There is no reason to leave the imperial wagon and ride the Archduke’s wagon while riding here.

Knock, knock.

Soon after, the maid knocked on the door and came in. And she left her body in their hands and hoped that the grooming would end in a daze.

The maids handled her body very carefully, whether they heard her story, and tried their best not to touch her mood.

She liked everything they prepared as if they knew everything about her. Arthur seems to have studied Mary deeper than expected.

Is this the right word for research?

She doesn’t matter. She wasn’t Mary, but this body was Mary and she liked it all as a result.

The dress, which he prepared, was also a luxurious velvet fabric with blue color as if he had listened to her words that she hated red.

“Princess Anastasia, I will take you to the parlor.”

Tired to answer, she nodded and followed the maid.

Seeing that she was dressed up like this, it must have been her guest. Gray was the only one who would visit her.

And her prediction was exactly right. Gray, who seemed a little confused in front of her, was losing his mind, lying upside down.

Why are you bringing him if he’s going to be like this?

And Carl was also seen trying to pull himself together next to him. Only then did she approach Carl with a little quick step.

“Carl.”

“…Hwang, here you are Princess.”

“Did Archduke Arthur call you?”

“No, I have something to tell you.”

Carl pulled himself together in her voice, shaking his head hard from side to side and frowning. She was in that state when she come here…Was it…?

Gray was still distracted and struggled. She watched his ridiculous appearance with her arms folded.

“You have no cheek.”

“Princess Anastasia, has.”

Gray, who grabbed his throbbing head, grabbed the sofa, and struggled to come to his senses, quickly came up and tried to hug her.

Smack!

“Did I allow you to touch my body?”

“……I’m here to pick you up. Let’s go back together.”

“Huh, why should I do that?”

She sat on the sofa and ordered Gray to sit on the tip of her chin. Gray sat down and looked at her unwillingly.

She could see anger toward her behind his eyes. He managed to suppress his feelings with an expression he wanted to ask as if why was she here.

Carl stood still next to her and watched the situation.

‘You’ve done it, but you don’t even show up.’

Arthur, who disappeared without explaining anything to her, did not show his face even after Carl and Gray came to their senses.

It was as if to give her time to choose to do whatever she wanted.