A Blend of Romance and Fantasy Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was a clear spring day, not a single cloud in the sky.

Like South Korea, Singcester had four distinct seasons—the difference being that spring and autumn lingered much longer.

A warm breeze drifted across the terrace. Sitting at the tea table, I looked past the neatly arranged desserts and turned my gaze toward Erdan.

He’s really handsome… my dear brother.

His soft pink hair shimmered as though it carried the scent of fresh blossoms, and his green eyes, calmly scanning documents, reminded me of grass swaying in the wind.

“Charlotte?”

Erdan noticed my stare and lifted his head.

“Yes?”

“Your nineteenth birthday banquet is coming up soon, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. Just one week left.”

“We’ll be receiving distinguished guests, so we should begin preparations.”

As I casually popped a macaron into my mouth, I mentally reviewed the guest list.

Then—

“I heard the delegation from Blake will be led by the Sixth Prince.”

My hand froze midair.

“…What did you just say?”

“The one attending your birthday banquet is Prince Leonard Blake.”

Did I invite him?

My expression stiffened, and Erdan leaned closer.

“What’s wrong? Did he offend you in some way?”

Erdan was usually gentle, but he showed no mercy to anyone who treated me poorly.

Seeing his expression harden, I lightly tapped the back of his hand.

“No, nothing like that. I’ve never even met him.”

“Then is it his reputation? I’ve heard the Sixth Prince is rather cruel.”

“That’s not it either.”

“Then what is it?”

“I’m pretty sure I invited His Highness Prince Alex—the Third Prince.”

“What I mean is, the Sixth Prince is coming in his place.”

“Why?”

“Perhaps he wants to establish ties with Singcester. It seems he has ambitions of becoming emperor.”

Now that I thought about it, I vaguely remembered something like this from diplomacy class.

The Blake Empire was infamous for its brutal succession struggles, with the First and Sixth Princes as the strongest contenders.

At the time, I’d been too focused on changing the original story to care—but now something felt off.

In the original novel, there was no Sixth Prince in the Blake Empire.

And more importantly, the Third Prince was supposed to become emperor.

The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I felt, and my hand tightened into a fist.

Erdan smiled softly and set his documents aside.

“Why the sudden interest in Blake?”

He reached out and gently brushed my hair.

“Don’t worry about that empire. It’s a dangerous place. Besides, it’s far away—we hardly interact with them.”

He wasn’t wrong.

The Blake Empire lay far beyond the Kingdom of Servi—a distant land, about as far as South Korea was from the United States.

Unlike peaceful Singcester, it was a land constantly at war.

To the north stretched an icy sea, to the south barren rocklands, to the west towering mountain ranges, and to the east a dark forest teeming with monsters.

Each region was ruled by a different imperial prince, all locked in an endless struggle for power.

“They’re fundamentally different from us, Charlotte,” Erdan said. “We are sacred people, blessed with divine power. They don’t possess even a trace of it.”

“But I heard they carry dragon blood. That’s why they have superhuman strength and powerful magic.”

“Even so, they’ve inherited a cruel nature from it. That place would never suit you.”

Erdan leaned closer and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead.

“I will never send you there.”

“Your Majesty…”

“Don’t call me that. I’ve told you before—I prefer ‘brother.’”

“You really are something, brother.”

In the end, I smiled just like him, warmed by his gentle touch.

Right… there’s something called the butterfly effect. Since I’ve transmigrated here, even distant events could have changed.

“Brother, these macarons are delicious.”

I finally ate the macaron I’d been holding. The sweetness melted across my tongue, sweeping away my thoughts.

“Princess! Princess! Look at this!”

The moment I returned to my residence, I was greeted by a mountain of marriage proposals.

“They’re sending them directly here now?”

“Well, if they send them to the royal palace, His Majesty filters them all out.”

“His Majesty really dotes on you, Princess.”

Nineteen years old.

In South Korea, that would mean burying yourself in books—but here, it was different.

It was the age to enter high society, dance at balls, and find a suitable husband.

“Princess! Even Marquis Orpheus, famed for his beauty, has sent you a letter!”

“Oh my.”

Orpheus was so handsome it felt like the author had gone overboard designing him.

Whenever he appeared at a ball, women would blush and swoon.

Of course, I was no exception—I’d even drooled once, which is why I always carried a fan.

To think a man like that proposed to me… Being pretty and rich really is the best.

I stroked my chin thoughtfully.

“If I have to choose just one man, I’ll need to be careful.”

“Indeed. With your birthday banquet approaching, princes and heirs from great nations will all be in attendance.”

Abigail, carrying refreshments, spoke elegantly.

“It would have been nice if a duke had sent a proposal.”

“Just wait a little! I’m sure the Myers ducal house will send one too!”

No, Dorothy. That’s never happening.

My connection with Cedric ended the moment I rescued him from the Belusium slave market after transmigrating.

Normally, this is where you’d clean him up, care for him, and build a bond.

But I simply returned Cedric to the Myers family and focused on saving myself.

After regaining stability, he immediately enrolled in Elysium Academy.

Three years later, he returned as the continent’s greatest holy knight—his emotions completely restrained.

In the original story, he later meets Aurora, regrets everything, and finds true love.

But I had no interest in being coldly treated by a stoic man from the start.

“Forget about the duke. Who else, besides Marquis Orpheus…?”

I flipped through the proposals with a smile—

Then paused.

“This is…”

“My goodness! That’s the Blake imperial crest—the First Prince’s!”

A deep blue emblem, adorned with a snowflake, flanked by crowned snow leopards, and inscribed with his name.

“They said the Sixth Prince is coming, but the proposal is from the First Prince?”

“Their power struggle must be quite intense.”

So the Sixth Prince has no intention of proposing to me?

Curious, I searched through the stack again.

As expected—nothing.

No letter from the Sixth Prince.

“Hm… none from the other princes either?”

“…Princess.”

Dorothy narrowed her eyes.

“Don’t even think about marrying into Blake!”

She raised her voice, then shuddered.

“They say it’s practically being sold off! People claim thirty die every day in that palace!”

“Why are you shouting? When did I say I’d marry there? I’m just wondering why the First Prince sent a proposal, but the Sixth didn’t.”

“He might propose in person.”

Abigail calmly stepped in.

“You can refuse him then.”

“Alright.”

Still… the Sixth Prince.

Even with Erdan’s reassurance, the sudden appearance of someone who didn’t exist in the original story felt deeply unsettling.

Why has the story changed… even in a distant place like Blake?