That Piece Of Trash Was Me - Chapter 241
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 241
One of the essential elements of a male protagonist is timing, and one of the essential virtues of a female protagonist is also timing.
Could it be thanks to my status being elevated from worthless life-bottom trash hopeless villainess to female protagonist?
I felt that what I could call instinctive intuition, my sensitivity had become much sharper than before.
“Oh my? That person is…!”
Thanks to this.
“It’s His Highness the Crown Prince!”
I was able to predict the entrance of one male protagonist almost exactly.
Even though I had expected it, when Ferdinand actually entered through the entrance, my gaze became fixed.
Since even the Emperor and Empress had dressed perfectly for this place, he too, as the Crown Prince, was in completely different attire than usual.
It was overwhelming.
Purple silk that cast a subtle luster under the crystal chandelier light. The suit tailored perfectly to his body flickered with secretive shadows every time Ferdinand moved.
Golden tassels swayed on both sides of his broad shoulders, and his left chest was filled with golden medals that no one else in the Empire could wear.
I seemed to quite enjoyably scan places like his long extended legs and arms, and firm hands.
As if wrapped in a strange excitement, like when viewing a beautiful work of art.
And then…
My gaze stopped right there.
Because Ferdinand was staring intently at me.
“…”
Even the question of how long he had been watching was meaningless.
Ferdinand seemed to have been fixing his gaze on me continuously from the moment he entered this banquet.
“Who is His Highness looking at like that… Oh my…!”
“It’s the Grand Duchess.”
“My goodness, the rumors must have been true…”
I didn’t avoid Ferdinand’s eyes. No, I couldn’t avoid them.
Because I felt like my entire body was tightly bound by his gaze.
“…”
I, who had been blankly receiving Ferdinand’s gaze, belatedly offered a light silent bow according to the Grand Duchess’s etiquette.
And when I slowly raised my head.
My heart lurched for a moment and even my fingertips stiffened.
Because Ferdinand, that arrogant and cold red-eyed Crown Prince.
Was politely returning the greeting to me…
* * *
“Father.”
Leon stood with his arms crossed crookedly and opened his mouth. His eyes were glaring terrifyingly at the Crown Prince.
“Isn’t our child too young to get married?”
Similarly, beside him, Marquis Aster was glaring at Ferdinand while emanating a similar chill.
“Too young indeed. She still has soft down, what marriage. I think the Imperial law should be torn up and rewritten.”
“I think so too, Father.”
Leon said with his thick eyebrows furrowed.
“In my opinion, women should be over forty to be at an appropriate age for marriage.”
“I think the same.”
“But that bastard… no, that guy… No, why is that thing looking at my younger sibling like it wants to devour her?”
“When a meteor falls from the sky, even training priests come running barefoot to examine it.”
“I learned that stars are originally much hotter than imaginable. What if that thing gets burned to death with its hands and feet all scorched? My younger sibling is more tender-hearted than expected and would be shocked.”
“We should evacuate her to a safe place to prevent that.”
“I’ll go bring her, Father.”
“Leon. I’ve never seen Tulia listen to you, wouldn’t it be better if I go?”
“…”
Lisian tilted his head while listening to the father and son’s conversation.
Unlike his father and Leon’s blazing gazes, Lisian was holding back laughter.
He examined Ferdinand, then cast his gaze beyond him.
The people in the Grand Banquet Hall seemed to not have noticed yet, surprised by the Crown Prince’s sudden appearance, but numerous servants were streaming in through the entrance.
Their common feature was that they were all carrying large boxes.
Made from the finest ebony with edges decorated colorfully with pure silver and pure gold, and lustrous pearls.
Red garnets were embedded in the center of the boxes, making the boxes themselves look extremely expensive.
Naturally, what would be inside those…
“I learned that stars are originally much hotter than imaginable. What if that thing gets burned to death with its hands and feet all scorched?”
Would be courtship gifts carefully chosen after much deliberation by a man who decided to willingly endure heat that would risk his life and worship one woman for his lifetime.
* * *
“But Tulia.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
Suddenly, a conversation I had with Ferdinand not long ago flashed through my mind. It was in the carriage heading to the temple to steal the Poop Star.
“Stopping by the temple doesn’t seem like a very good coming-of-age gift.”
“Abandon your preconceptions, Your Highness. I really wanted to visit this temple.”
“Even if I’m not satisfied with it, is that okay?”
“I’m the one receiving it, so it’s fine if I’m satisfied, right?”
“It’s too modest.”
I wasn’t one to refuse when he said he’d prepare expensive gifts on his own.
I had said that if he prepared them himself, I would gladly accept them.
“Then Ferdinand. Can I ask for one more thing?”
“Anything.”
“A proposal.”
“…What?”
“A proposal from you. At my coming-of-age ceremony, in front of all the nobles.”
“…”
“Can you give me a proposal as a gift too?”
At that time, Ferdinand had an unusually dazed expression.
I waited for interrogation-like questions about why I needed the Crown Prince’s proposal, whether I would accept if he proposed, and if I accepted on the spot, whether it would be sincere…
But Ferdinand actually didn’t ask anything.
He just looked at me quietly and gave only one response.
“Gladly.”
Ferdinand didn’t say anything more after that short answer.
That silence was strangely welcome.
Perhaps it was because this was almost the first time those mineral-like red eyes looked so warm, making my heart feel restless.
Now, this remarkable man who was absorbing the gazes of countless people did not have the same warm look in his eyes as he did that day.
A being born solely to receive worship from all noble and lowly existences.
Ferdinand approached me with the cold, expressionless face befitting his position.
“Grand Duchess Tulia Frazier.”
Ferdinand, who had stopped in front of me, knelt on one knee and looked up at me.
The Grand Banquet Hall, which had been filled with joyful laughter and chatter, fell silent in an instant. Even the soft melody that had been playing continuously now held its breath.
“Will you marry me?”
Ferdinand held no flowers in his hands.
However, he held a dazzlingly brilliant large diamond tiara.
A historic tiara that throughout the generations of the Briyang Empire, only the Crown Princess could wear…
Looking down at the tiara with a somewhat dazed feeling, I almost let out a laugh.
Because I had to take back my words about there being no flowers.
The Briyang Crown Princess Tiara, an enormous precious artifact whose value could not be dared to be estimated.
A diamond the size of a child’s fist was decorated in the very center, and countless diamonds formed the shape of the tiara like stars surrounding the moon.
This beautiful tiara, with its central diamond rising prominently among the small and countless diamonds, was so delicate and magnificent that one could not take their eyes off it.
It was truly a treasure worthy of being called a national treasure.
Incongruously with that brilliant and enchanting tiara, several red roses were tightly wound around it.
“Did you weave them yourself?”
I asked without realizing it. A faint smile appeared on Ferdinand’s lips.
“Yes.”
Red roses. The flowers of romance and sincerity that signify a marriage proposal.
In the history of Briyang that I had learned, there had never been a Crown Prince who proposed by weaving roses into a tiara.
It meant that he, Ferdinand, would be unique.
Spring day. My heart tickled as if countless butterflies were whispering. I laughed.
Even though this was a proposal I already knew about.
Even though I had devised a meticulous plan in my head to use this situation.
Yet strangely, my heart was pounding.
I smiled and lightly bowed my body.
“I accept.”
I accepted the tiara that Ferdinand was offering, yet strangely seemed to be dedicating to me.
Then he rose from his position and kissed the back of my hand.
“Thank you.”
At that moment I knew.
This man who seemed to have a heart like permanent frozen ground, who in any situation.
Even when he was slapped by Empress Carmi in his childhood, never changed his expression.
The fact that he had just been genuinely nervous.
And the fact that this made my heart flutter even more.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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