Princess, Please Fall in Love with Me-Chapter 52 : Chapter 52

Chapter 52 : Behind the Scenes, The Extras Are Not the Ending
Not long ago, in the palace’s waiting room, to emphasize the ceremony’s grandeur, all the princes and princesses had been arranged to wait there in advance, until the others finished presenting their gifts before making their entrance.
Yiwen held her gift box and sat quietly on a chair, while unkind glances were cast her way.
The First Prince stared at the exquisite gift box in her hands with clear dissatisfaction, while the Second Prince, though silent, occasionally glanced over.
"Hey, you, let me see your thing."
The First Prince suddenly swaggered over to the Fourth and Fifth Princes, who were playing nearby.
The two merely glanced at him, then turned away to continue their activities.
Rebuffed, the First Prince tried to inspect the gifts of the Second Prince and Third Princess, but both brushed him off.
Furious, he approached Yiwen, who completely ignored him.
"Get lost."
"You!"
The First Prince suddenly smirked maliciously and knocked the gift from Yiwen’s hands.
The jewelry inside flew out and landed on the floor.
Yiwen looked at him coldly, while he acted indifferent.
"What, angry already? With someone like you—"
A sudden slap left him dazed, followed by another from Yiwen.
Seeing his incredulous expression as he clutched his face, Yiwen spoke coldly.
"Have you still not grasped the situation? Do you think I’m still that helpless Sixth Princess you could mock and bully at will?"
Looking at the curious twins nearby and the two siblings quietly observing the situation, though Yiwen addressed the First Prince, her words were clearly meant for more than just him.
"Now, I am the daughter of the Emperor’s former Empress, the granddaughter of Saito's Grand Duke. In practical terms, you even have to address me as a Royal Sister, understand, Kleo?"
Faced with Yiwen’s oppressive response, the First Prince was too nervous to speak, only retreating repeatedly.
The other princes and princesses showed surprised expressions.
Though they had heard rumors, when Yiwen actually said it, no one could have imagined that the frail girl before them would be their Royal Sister.
Especially the First Prince, who had planned to use his status and background to dominate these siblings, hadn’t expected Yiwen to outrank him not only in lineage but even in age.
No, he had to find something to retaliate with.
Seeing the crudely made jewel, the First Prince suddenly burst into laughter, pointing at the gift that was utterly embarrassing.
"You dare present such a gift? Aren’t you afraid of humiliating yourself in front of everyone?"
Yiwen ignored his provocation, stood up on her own, and followed her designated servant, slowly walking into the banquet hall.
When the First Prince gleefully presented his gift and ran to his mother to take credit, the Empress’s gaze remained fixed on Yiwen’s gift box.
Only when the First Prince revealed the truth did a smile appear on the Empress’s face.
But Yiwen’s sudden twist made the Empress and First Prince’s expressions darken instantly.
The Empress glared at the First Prince, her eyes full of questioning, as if asking why he hadn’t followed the plan.
"Yiwen, you’ve truly given me an enormous surprise!"
Emperor Miles held the gem radiating colorful light, his eyes unable to suppress astonishment and joy.
He raised the gem high, showing it off to those around him, and the nobles curiously examined this exceptionally unique jewel.
"Hahaha, everyone, let the banquet begin! Tonight, everyone must enjoy themselves to the fullest!"
At the Emperor’s command, the orchestra played cheerful music.
Everyone shed their solemn expressions and began enjoying the long-prepared feast.
Even the Emperor couldn’t help but step down from his throne, mingling with the crowd to share in the joy.
"You really went all out to give him such a precious gem?"
Loka quietly sidled up to Yiwen, curious that Yiwen had made such a grand gesture.
A gem like that was something even the Emperor himself might not obtain.
"Have you heard the story of the midnight chime?"
"The fairy told her everything would return to normal at midnight—oh..."
Yiwen quickly stuffed a pastry into Loka’s mouth, signaling her to be quiet.
At that moment, a maid suddenly passed by them, accidentally bumping into Loka before hurriedly apologizing and leaving.
"She doesn’t look like someone from the palace. What’s wrong with you?"
"I... have some matters to attend to. Can you handle things here, Your Highness?"
Seeing Loka’s solemn expression, Yiwen held her hand to reassure her.
Loka nodded and slipped away through the lively crowd, leaving the banquet hall and rushing toward the Duke’s Mansion.
She tightly clutched a note in her hand, with a bellflower hairpin tied to the other end.
"Come see me alone, without anyone else. You know the consequences."
Loka broke through the window into the familiar reception room.
The Duke leaned against the sofa with a smile, as if he had anticipated this moment, leisurely pouring himself another glass of red wine.
"Where’s Lina?"
She had thought Lina would be safe under the protection of the Grand Duke’s men at his mansion, but she hadn’t expected the Duke’s reach to extend even to the Grand Duke’s side, even kidnapping Lina.
"No rush. I’ve already had your little maid settled. As long as you obediently agree to my terms—don’t return to that banquet tonight—I’ll let her go."
"What do you mean?"
Loka’s dagger was already hidden in her right hand.
The moment he let his guard down, she could take his head.
But in an instant, the Duke disarmed her and firmly pinned her down.
"I thought you’d have learned to behave, but you’re still as rude as before."
The Duke suddenly kicked Loka hard, sending her crashing into the wall.
A wave of intense pain made Loka instinctively curl up.
This was the interrogation technique the Duke had mastered in her previous life, her recurring nightmare.
She weakly supported her abdomen, glaring with hatred at the Duke’s blurry face.
No, her consciousness was starting to fade... Damn bastard...
The Duke grabbed her stubbornly resisting face, issuing his final ultimatum in a gentle, threatening tone that seemed to freeze the air around them.
"This is your last chance to act willfully. If you obediently inherit my position, none of the things you don’t want to happen will ever occur, my dear daughter."
The Duke took her dagger and pinned her to the wall with it, then gazed at the moonlight gradually obscured by clouds, took the coat from nearby, and slowly left the room, leaving only his final words.
"Don’t defy me, or your fate will be the same as that dear little princess of yours."