My Fiancée Hates Me

When we were young, Prince Erik would come to my home nearly every day to entertain me. Rather, I am going out of my way to entertain him. As if to prove his superiority, he often goes out of his way to challenge me in such things like music or painting. The Prince was not bad at really anything. It was just that he was not particularly better than me.

Still, to try everything just to beat your future wife in at least one thing...There is a level of pettiness one should reach before getting tired of it, yet it seems that Prince Erik is nowhere near that threshold.

I heard of him going to study abroad, so that may be why he is cramming in so much time with me before he leaves. I thought I would take a rest under my favorite tree.

"Milady is quite dull..."

I never thought that I would be caught in between the maids' gossiping and about me no less.

"What do you mean by that?"

"His Highness always spouts out mean words at her, but she doesn't even bat an eyelash!"

Everything Prince Erik says is opposite to his feelings, so I do not really need to respond much.

"Does that make her dull?"

"I would have cried or had at least some sort of reaction. She just takes in everything. Come to think of it, none of us have really seen her smile before."

"That would be impossible, right?"

"...I have never seen her smile either."

"She is a thoroughly trained young lady. It cannot be helped that she is excellent in whatever she does."

"It is still a bit unsettling how perfect she is. It's not like she is even human..."

Their words dug deep into my heart. I could not deny a single thing. It was all true.

"What a scary child..."

I could only curl up in one spot.

I am a dull and boring person. Am I really human?

"Arielle..." His Highness had called my name for the very first time.

I felt a burden come off of my chest when he said my name.

"...Ah, yes?"

"What's wrong?"

"You called me by my name..."

name is

thought that you would not

strange if I were continuing down that road considering that

me as your

so there is no reason for us to break it

dull, cold, and boring person...I think that is enough for

said as he pulled me up by my

feel happy when I am with him. If

that last meeting, Prince Erik and I were separated for a few years due to him going

he would ask me about my day or if I am eating well. Compared to him in person, he sounded

person I even less understand is myself. I developed a sense of longing

me a present. He would never take refusal as an answer. Such a strange person finds hobbies in buying women stuff as presents. I had told him that I disliked

sending me small trinkets that might appear worthless to someone else

slightly guilty but got over it rather quickly because

careful not to be too lean and tan during training. It is all so that I can be the perfect

decided to go with a simpler and more mature look. My body was going through some changes most commonly seen around my chest area. I needed more room to breathe. It was a good time to change my style

coming-of-age ceremony was rather glamorous as ever most likely due to the fact that the Crown

as a cold woman, they could still tell I

not hold myself back from entering the Royal Garden

several years after our first meeting. I was finally at

and playing with

by could not help but smile upon catching me in my anxious

How embarrassing...

a male's husky voice

voice I could never mistake no matter

grown man with a domineering height and broad shoulders, beauty flaxen blonde hair, and eyes like emerald

"Your Highness..."

approached me with long and

Prince Erik

got

is a bit

back, Prince Erik," I responded

said as he backed away

How shameless of him...

as a fiancée should,"

head back then if my dear fiancée does not miss me," he said as he started off towards the

like crying. I wanted to be more honest and

Highness must be

and turned towards

that I have