I Opened an Illegal Animal Hospital in Another World - Chapter 48
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
48
Chapter 12. Who Are You (1)
The orange juice I gloriously spat out soaked my skirt wet. Ah, this dress is new too.
However, I was as shocked as a protagonist hearing the secret of their birth, so it couldn’t be helped.
“You were quite surprised.”
Mother wiped it with a handkerchief, but since I had spilled almost a whole cup, one thin, delicate piece couldn’t handle it. Moreover, Mother’s tone was robotic. It was the caring version of ‘you were quite surprised.’ It meant there was no soul in it.
As I blinked in confusion, Mother gave up cleaning the orange juice, threw the handkerchief far away, and stroked my cheek.
“But Shana, you’re already 7 years old.”
“Isn’t the adverb before ‘7 years old’ strange?”
Usually it’s ‘still,’ isn’t it? I’m a kindergartener.
“You’re so adorable and pretty and cute, so it’s not strange that people covet you…”
“Mom, put away the rose-colored glasses for a moment…”
That’s not what you’re trying to talk about right now. And don’t do this in front of others, no, wait…
In front of me were the gorgeous Empress and her mini-me Raven, and Father nodding with a pleased expression at Mother’s doting remarks. I looked at Raven calmly and elegantly holding his teacup and felt a deep sense of alienation.
It must have been a story everyone knew except me. Sorry, Leon. I shouldn’t have teased you.
“Actually, marriage proposals have been pouring in from everywhere since you started taking classes with Prince Raven.”
“Wasn’t I 4 years old then?”
Or was it 3? Anyway, wasn’t I closer to a baby than a child…
“They ranged from 7 years old down to newborn babies. The most outrageous was Count Baris, who guaranteed his newly pregnant daughter-in-law would definitely give birth to a son. I wonder what he would have done if it was a daughter…”
Mother said this while laughing, but I couldn’t laugh. There was even a fetus among the engagement candidates…
“Of course we rejected that, so you don’t need to be so surprised, Shana.”
Father read my expression and reassured me. The rejection was obvious, but he seemed unable to imagine that the very fact this was real was the problem…
Learning that not only was I in 【Reborn as a Duke’s Only Daughter!】 but almost became 【Reborn Me, My Fiancé is an Unborn Fetus?! (Random Gender)】, I broke out in cold sweat.
“Why are you so surprised? You were already a celebrity from birth as the only daughter of one of only six ducal houses in the Empire, and the daughter of Anais, a 7th class mage. Naturally marriage proposals would pour in.”
“I was… famous?”
“Happy about it?”
Would I be happy?
“On top of that, you’ve been doing such conspicuous things lately, haven’t you? Not content with wandering around the plague-ridden slums, you smile brightly at just anyone, winning their favor.”
“Don’t describe me so strangely. Should I have gotten angry at sick people then?!”
“You didn’t need to smile at them unnecessarily. That’s why people started revering you as an angel.”
“Don’t package exaggerated praise for a cute child with strange words like ‘revering.'”
“They were about to make a statue of you soon, but we’ll see about that.”
This kid is casually saying terrible things. A statue, are they crazy…
“If you did all those conspicuous things but hoped not to become famous, that would be…”
“You’re the one who dragged me into it.”
“People might misunderstand. I went alone, I never asked you to come with me, did I?”
“When you go, of course I have to go too! Are you going to pretend not to know?”
I’m fine, but would I let you get sick? It was annoying how he played dumb when he obviously knew I would come looking for him.
“That’s right. It seems Shana doesn’t dislike it either.”
As I huffed and protested, Raven smiled and spoke. His smiling face looked strangely happy.
“Your Highness, jumping to conclusions is a bad habit. Shana simply has a kind heart that can’t abandon a friend, so please don’t misunderstand.”
Father said coldly.
“Didn’t the Duke accept it because he acknowledged that I’m the best option?”
“…”
“Anyway, Shana doesn’t dislike me either.”
“…”
Wait.
I raised my hand high. Mother and the gorgeous Empress looked at me as if I were cute. The gorgeous Empress spoke.
“Go ahead, Shana.”
“Um, I think I’m the only one who doesn’t know. Is my marriage partner by any chance Raven?”
“Oh my, didn’t we tell you?”
You didn’t, you know?
“You should have figured that out. Since I brought up marriage talks at a gathering where you were called, it’s obvious, isn’t it?”
“…We’ve had tea time together often…”
“But marriage talks never came up.”
Yes, you’re so smart. The gorgeous Empress spoke gently as if coaxing.
“Shana, do you perhaps not like Raven?”
“…He probably dislikes me too.”
“What are you talking about? I like you.”
I glared at Raven as if I could kill him. Read the room…
“It’s not an engagement, is it? You’re not a pervert who looks at a 7-year-old child romantically.”
Say no. Even if it’s true, we’re cutting ties.
“It’s not like I’m asking to get married right away.”
“Raven….”
“I won’t be here for the next 6 years, Shana.”
Raven suddenly became serious. As if anyone would be intimidated by his serious face.
“Wouldn’t it be troublesome if you forgot about me during that time?”
“I don’t have memory problems….”
“It’s obvious you’ll be running around freely causing all sorts of trouble while I’m gone.”
What’s this. I just got casually treated like a troublemaker.
“I’ll be anxious unless I tie you down, even if it’s just formally.”
“…Listen, Raven. No matter how much you try using your charm on me, it won’t work.”
“This works better on you than words.”
“….”
“Of course I’ll come back every vacation, and I’ll visit whenever I have time.”
After setting the whole mood like we won’t see each other for 6 years.
“Do you think I’d just sit back and watch useless things cling to what’s mine?”
“I’m too tired to even deny it anymore….”
Raven had called me his from the moment we first met, and while I used to try convincing him that I had human rights too, that surprisingly I was a person who couldn’t have possessive pronouns attached to me, now I just let it slide.
“Please watch your words, Your Highness.”
“My apologies, Duke. I momentarily forgot you were present.”
Father glared at Raven without hiding his expression that clearly showed he wanted to punch him.
“This is purely a shield engagement.”
“Something like a broken engagement wouldn’t help Shana’s reputation.”
“I have no intention of keeping someone who cares about reputation by Shana’s side, so you needn’t worry. Your Highness should focus solely on your studies without concern.”
“I have no intention of being a fiancé who neglects his fiancée.”
“If the Crown Prince hadn’t sent a marriage proposal in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened. So please don’t feel burdened and neglect her like a stranger.”
Ah.
Only then could I understand the whole situation.
The First Prince, Raven’s half-brother, was 10 years older than me. I didn’t know what kind of person he was since I’d never met him, but from what I’d briefly heard from Raven, he seemed like a caring but frail person.
Due to complicated circumstances, he hadn’t been appointed Crown Prince, but he was the Emperor’s eldest son.
Since a marriage proposal had come in, they needed a justification to refuse, and the most suitable method was to say I was already engaged to Raven.
‘They should have explained that first….’
So that’s why they asked me ‘Raven is better than a stranger, right?’ I nodded. It seemed Raven and Father also realized I had understood.
“How about you two take a walk for a while?”
The beautiful Empress suggested. Raven silently stood up and took my hand, and I obediently got up. Our parents didn’t stop us. There seemed to be more to discuss regarding the engagement.
Raven and I didn’t say anything to each other as we walked.
Only after we had moved some distance away from the adults’ table did Raven stop walking.
“Raven.”
“What.”
“I understand what happened, but are you really okay with this?”
Raven turned to look at me.
His face was beginning to show boyish features, still far from looking like an adult, but his calm golden eyes hadn’t changed a bit from the day I first saw him in this world.
“I’m only 7 years old so I’m fine, but you’re already 12.”
“So what?”
Raven’s voice sounded somewhat irritated. Is he already hitting puberty?
“While you’re at the Academy, you’ll want to have girlfriends, but having a fiancée would be inconvenient, wouldn’t it?”
“….”
“Oh, of course you don’t need to worry about it?”
“….”
“We’ll break off the engagement later anyway, so don’t worry about it and date around. Meet lots of people, make lots of friends….”
“Worry about it.”
Huh?
“You worry about it too. Since we’re engaged.”
“…But that’s your loss, isn’t it? I’m 7 years old? I’m a little kid?”
With his Western-like appearance, Raven would definitely start looking like an adult in just a few years. After all, aren’t teenagers slaves to hormones with explosive interest and curiosity about the opposite sex?
Would he really live without dating for the sake of a fiancée he’d break up with anyway?
‘He could still have romantic encounters without getting a girlfriend….’
But that would be too impure….
Raven said.
“I don’t care about other people. I’m not interested.”
It was a statement that could easily be misunderstood as perverted if someone overheard.
“You’re the only one who can understand me.”
“….”
So, that narrow world of his would only broaden if he met more people.
Raven was smart. So smart that he had grown into an arrogant person who neither acknowledged nor accepted anyone who didn’t meet his standards.
His world was narrow, and very few people had entered it.
Fortunately, it seemed I was inside it… But surely I wasn’t the only one, right?
“I only need you.”
This was just a child’s possessiveness toward a friend… right? It had to be, right? I forced myself to shake off the ominous feeling and smiled awkwardly. Once he went to the Academy and met many people, built friendships and even fell in love, he would quickly forget about someone like me.
…He would. Probably.
This arrogant prince needed to grow up quickly.
***
The next day.
“You did well.”
“Why are you here? You said you were busy…”
“I cleared my entire schedule before departing for the Academy to foster camaraderie with my fiancée.”
Don’t smile, I’m getting attached.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
