A Daughter's Transformation
Cayena accepted the silk handkerchief from the attendant and gently wiped the emperor’s lips, naturally buying herself a moment to think.
‘Is he asking because he already knows the real culprit is Rezef?’
The emperor’s question was characteristically ambiguous, the mark of a seasoned politician. The original Cayena would have fallen straight into the trap. Instead, she answered with deliberate vagueness.
“Please look upon it favorably.”
Her tone was unusually soft.
Moreover, the relaxed smile playing at her lips did not belong to a girl who had only just come of age. The emperor found himself inwardly impressed.
‘Has this child always been so good at concealing herself?’
While he had lain bedridden, what exactly had changed in his daughter? The question stirred in the emperor’s mind.
‘Has she finally come to her senses?’
His daughter had changed.
A fleeting spark of interest flickered in the emperor’s eyes.
“Do you truly not care whether the real culprit is caught?”
If Cayena wished it, the emperor was willing to lend a hand in tracking down the true offender. There was no solid evidence yet, but the likelihood that Rezef was the culprit was high. It wouldn’t hurt to keep the boy in check while they had the chance.
‘Is he suspecting Rezef? If I make Rezef look bad for no reason at this timing, I won’t be able to use him.’
Cayena shook her head.
“The real culprit will be punished by Rezef. Compared to the gravity of the incident, the repercussions are small. Rather than planting resentment among the nobles, I thought it better to handle it this way.”
The emperor let out a small sound of admiration.
“Not bad at all.”
“I only worry that my foolish thoughts may have disturbed Your Majesty’s peace of mind.”
Even as she revealed the scheme she had orchestrated, Cayena attributed the credit to the emperor.
“Since you have trusted and waited for your immature daughter all this time, I must now fulfill my part.”
The emperor burst into laughter at her words. It seemed the children of emperors were born with an emperor’s caliber after all. He decided, with genuine pleasure, that he would reward his daughter.
“Now that I think of it, your coming-of-age ceremony is not far off.”
Cayena said nothing in particular and simply handed the bowl of tea water to the attendant. The emperor continued.
“It is time we began looking for a suitable match for you.”
A suitable match.
At those words, Cayena instinctively thought of Raphaelo Kedrey. It was almost a habit.
Yet she firmly suppressed the stirrings in her heart.
“Indeed. I will soon be holding my coming-of-age ceremony as well.”
In her first life, despite receiving countless proposals, Cayena had lived without a single fiancé, only to be sold off to Viscount Gillian in the end.
The emperor had shown no interest in her marriage until the day he died. Rezef had only stirred up competition for the position of imperial son-in-law. No matter how much they were called royalty, who could truly call this a family?
‘Am I really your daughter?’
Despite the icy feelings she harbored toward her father, Cayena asked with a gentle smile.
“Have you any particular young lord from a distinguished house in mind?”
Though he did not show it outwardly, the emperor was surprised. He had expected that the moment he mentioned a match, Cayena would immediately bring up Raphaelo Kedrey.
Had she answered that way, he would have been disappointed in her once again. But Cayena did not even mention the name of the Kedrey heir.
It seemed she had finally realized that her marriage was not a card to be spent on love or desire.
The emperor deliberately pressed the point to be certain.
“You devoted so much effort to Raphaelo Kedrey, yet you mean to say you would be fine marrying someone else?”
At the question, Cayena recalled her distant first love.
‘After all, I was never meant to be his partner.’
It would be a lie to say she had no lingering feelings at all. Even setting personal emotions aside, he would make an excellent husband.
However, Raphaelo would surely feel nothing but disgust toward Princess Cayena by now. She had no desire to cling to someone who hated her.
Besides, Raphaelo had to become her friend. His role was necessary for her successful marriage.
‘More precisely, it is the power of the Kedrey ducal house.’
Cayena composed her smile and spoke calmly.
“As I have no other sisters, how could I allow a fleeting emotion to ruin such an important matter? I will simply follow Your Majesty’s will.”
“You continue to surprise me today.”
The emperor spoke with magnanimity.
“We cannot choose your partner carelessly. Let us take our time and choose well.”
The remark was so extraordinary that even the attendants nearby forgot their duties, standing with mouths agape or drawing in sharp breaths.
‘Now, if I can only remove Rezef’s interest, it won’t matter who I marry.’
Having achieved her goal, Cayena offered a polite curtsy.
“I will ensure that I do not bring shame upon the imperial family, as you have shown me such consideration.”
The emperor nodded and gestured to the chamberlain. He intended to lie down and rest. Cayena bowed once more, gathered her maids, and left the emperor’s bedchamber.
“It seems that growing older has finally brought her to her senses.”
The chamberlain bowed his head at the emperor’s words and smiled gently.
“To think she has grown so splendidly already. How cruel time can be.”
“Enough with the flattery.”
The emperor gave a short, dry laugh.
Cayena encountered an unexpected person as she left the emperor’s bedchamber.
Her steps came to a natural halt. She could feel the maids approaching and the knights and attendants stationed nearby watching her closely.
It was only natural. The man before her was known as the object of Princess Cayena’s fervent, one-sided love.
Raphaelo Kedrey.
His pitch-black hair and crimson eyes were the symbols of the Kedrey ducal house. And Raphaelo had inherited those traits in their most striking form.
To Cayena, whose own coloring was entirely pale, his vivid presence had once been utterly captivating.
Even now, with the experience of what was effectively her third life, the seasoned Cayena could still see that he was an exceptionally handsome and magnificent man.
Raphaelo carried an aura completely different from other young noblemen his age. The heavy, sharp, and overwhelming presence of someone who had already experienced the battlefield, combined with his natural beauty and perfect physique, set him apart from all others.
Even Cayena, who had once been nothing more than an ordinary girl, had been drawn to his rare charm.
‘In my first life, I simply thought he was an impressive person.’
The Raphaelo from the novel was not merely a gentleman. He suffered from severe mysophobia, which made him find physical contact and social relationships with others exhausting.
In the original story, Olivia had embraced that obsession and germaphobia of his, and Raphaelo had fallen in love with her.
“Raphaelo Kedrey greets Her Highness the Princess.”
Raphaelo, who had been waiting in the antechamber, offered her a dry, formal bow.
Suddenly, Cayena felt a sense of relief. His reaction was not as negative as she had feared. It was fortunate that he only found her bothersome for now and had not yet reached the point of outright disgust.
She still had time to make up for her past mistakes. All she had to do now was avoid being rude to him. If she refrained from acting overly familiar or initiating unwanted physical contact, they could maintain a far better relationship than before.
In any case, she did not like the idea of being remembered by her first love as a terrible woman.
“Rise.”
Cayena put her resolution into action.
“It has been a while, Lord Kedrey.”
‘……Lord Kedrey?’
Raphaelo looked puzzled at being addressed with the polite title instead of the familiar “Rafi.” Come to think of it, even after spotting him, Cayena had not rushed over to cling to his arm.
He was not the only one confused. Everyone present was staring at Cayena with wide eyes.
‘What’s gotten into Her Highness?’
Wasn’t the princess supposed to be rude and utterly shameless?
Amid everyone’s bewilderment, Cayena glanced around and fell into thought.
‘Even though Raphaelo has arrived, no one informed me.’
At this point, she could clearly sense that her father was keeping Raphaelo in check.
“You have come to see His Majesty, I presume?”
“That is correct.”
Normally, Cayena would have persistently tried to engage him in conversation to win his attention. But she knew her role well.
She was the villainess, not the heroine.
‘I have finally realized my place.’
Cayena called for an attendant.
“Inform His Majesty that Lord Kedrey requests an audience.”
The Villainess Is a Marionette