The Munchkin Princess Wants to Run Away Chapter 2

Cedric recalled the princess examining the contract.

Contrary to the Empress’s concerns, she had carefully reviewed the contract with a serious and composed expression.

She asked several times about any ambiguous or incomprehensible clauses to make sure she understood them, and she wanted to negotiate the terms she considered unfavorable to her.

She was different from the Empress’s description of her as someone too inexperienced to handle real-world situations.

Even when pressured to live quietly, she had obediently nodded, and there had been no trace of worry or shame on her face.

Her calm and cautious demeanor, so different from the rumors that she suffered from an inferiority complex because she had failed to receive divine power, had left a lasting impression on him.

“That’s a relief, then. That child has grown up, and now there are many things she even hides from her own mother.”

The Empress gave a bitter smile, saying that no matter how much children grew up, they still felt like little children to their parents.

Cedric silently drank his tea. He had no intention of playing along with such nonsense.

This marriage had come about because Justin, the Crown Prince, wanted it.

If not for the benefits granted to the ducal household, he might have postponed the marriage for a while longer.

Marrying a princess would grant them various tax reductions and privileges for fifteen years. In fact, considering those benefits, he could even tolerate the princess causing a scene in the ducal household.

‘But if I don’t establish clear boundaries, there’s no telling how she might behave.’

The princess might be well-behaved at first, but someday she could decide to use the ducal household’s power as she pleased.

He certainly wouldn’t stand by and watch the princess ruin his family, but Cedric couldn’t simply trust a princess who was surrounded by rumors.

“Please take good care of the princess.”

“Yes. We can discuss the wedding attire and jewelry with Her Highness and decide on them again, can’t we?”

“Do so.”

Although she was displeased, the Empress knew she could no longer be greedy, so she reluctantly backed down.

After exchanging farewells, Cedric left the Empress’s palace and headed straight for the princess’s palace.

“How did it go?”

“We’ll discuss the arrangements with the princess.”

At the Duke’s words, Marcel swallowed nervously.

The princess’s palace was a detached residence tucked away in a remote corner of the imperial palace.

A place no one ever visited.

The last time the princess had visited the ducal residence alone to negotiate the contract, Marcel had been unable to conceal his bewilderment at her excessively plain appearance.

She had been wearing an old, modest dress, yet the princess looked like a precious porcelain vase imported from the East.

Her wrists, exposed beneath the short sleeves of her dress, were so thin that, with a little exaggeration, they were no thicker than the brooms used by the maids.

He had even worried whether the fragile-looking princess would be able to get along with His Grace.

“Are we allowed to enter?”

“Her Majesty the Empress gave us permission, so I don’t see why not.”

Cedric gazed at the princess’s palace in the distance.

“For someone they supposedly cherish, haven’t they left her somewhere far too neglected?”

At Cedric’s scathing remark, Marcel gave an awkward smile.

Everyone who knew the situation was aware.

They all knew how the youngest princess, who had failed to receive divine power, was treated within the imperial palace.

In fact, it wasn’t just the imperial palace. The entire high society looked down on the princess.

‘Even if she didn’t receive divine power, she’s still a princess. That means she possesses all the advantages that come with marrying into the imperial family.’

A satisfied smile crossed Cedric’s lips as he looked at the shabby detached palace.

He recalled those who had mocked the princess for failing to receive divine power and being torn into the imperial family.

After all, once the princess married, her divine power would gradually disappear.

Therefore, Cedric preferred a princess without divine power over one whose power he couldn’t reliably control.

He had no interest in the insults spewed by those beneath him. What mattered to him was the substance of things.

In fact, thanks to people’s prejudices, he had been able to acquire the princess and secure benefits for his family.

“At least I know this isn’t a marriage born of love.”

After entering the princess’s palace, Cedric looked around and spoke.

“They don’t even have guards stationed here. Isn’t that going a little too far?”

Although they had entered the princess’s palace, no one came to stop them.

Marcel sighed as he examined the corridor. Dust had accumulated in every corner, as though the place had not been properly maintained.

“Could it be that there are no servants here?”

At his aide’s question, Cedric turned his gaze toward the corridor. His ears caught the faint sound of laughter in the distance.

He strode toward the direction of the sound.

“Where are you going?!”

Startled, Marcel hurried after the Duke.

“Look at this! Goodness, I’ve never seen such big, plump fruit!”

As they pushed through the bushes beyond the garden, they heard an excited woman’s voice.

“Fortunately, the fruit seems to have grown because of the rain we had recently.”

“It looks so juicy and sweet.”

Cedric watched the princess casually wiping the fruit against her dress after a maid handed it to her.

Crunch.

The sound of the princess biting into the fruit reached Cedric’s ears.

She was wearing an even more worn-out dress than the one she had worn when she visited the ducal residence, and her blue hair hung loose and natural.

Crunch, crunch. The sound of the princess biting into the fruit echoed through the garden. Cedric followed the sound as he walked forward.

Rustle.

A large foot stepped on a branch. For a moment, silence fell over the garden.

“Who is there?”

A man who appeared to be the princess’s attendant cautiously called out toward Cedric and Marcel.

“I’ve come to see Her Highness the Princess.”

Cedric stepped into view and bowed to the princess.

‘Why is he here?’

Ivanna’s eyes wavered ever so slightly at Cedric’s sudden appearance.

He hadn’t seen her eating fruit she had just picked from a tree, had he?

“What brings you here?”

Ivanna spoke in a dignified voice to conceal her embarrassment.

“There are matters concerning the wedding that we need to discuss.”

“Wasn’t the Duke supposed to take care of that himself?”

He had been the one to tell her not to concern herself with it.

She had no complaints about that arrangement, so she wouldn’t have minded if the wedding were small or made her look unimpressive.

But why had he suddenly come here?

Ivanna studied Cedric with suspicious eyes.

“This isn’t something we should discuss outside. It would be better to go inside.”

There were only Solar and Anthony in her palace, but there was no need for the Duke to know that.

With no other choice, Ivanna led him inside.

Walking ahead of the Duke, Ivanna tried not to grip her skirt too tightly.

She glanced down discreetly and was relieved to see that her clothes were shabby as usual. When she lived in the imperial palace, she had deliberately worn old and worn-out clothes.

Ivanna Snow Windsor, who had failed to receive divine power, was poor and miserable within the imperial palace.

The beginning of her poverty had been the very nanny she trusted most.

The woman who whispered that she loved Ivanna every morning and kissed her good night every evening, the person Ivanna had believed would stay by her side for the rest of her life.

She had begun by gradually stealing the smallest things.

When Ivanna asked about the missing rings and necklaces, the nanny told her she had sold them because the budget for maintaining the palace had been reduced.

At some point, Anthony became the only one who entered her room to clean it.

When Ivanna tilted her head in confusion, the nanny told her that the other maids had quit because the palace’s situation had become even more difficult.

She told Ivanna not to worry because she would take responsibility for everything.

Young Ivanna had believed every word the nanny said.

Unlike the family members who had abandoned her after the day of the divine power ceremony, the nanny would surely stay with her until the very end.

But the situation gradually worsened.

The amount of food brought from the kitchen decreased, and as Ivanna grew, her clothes became shorter and tighter.

Only then did Ivanna realize that something was wrong. She tried to meet her parents, but no one would see her.

By then, the nanny and the other servants had already stolen the palace’s belongings and budget and fled.

In the end, only Solar and Anthony remained by her side.

Ivanna used her authority as a princess to report their corruption to the Imperial Judicial Office, but no investigation was ever conducted.

A princess in name only, abandoned by the imperial family, had no power.

A princess’s authority came from the affection and attention of the Emperor—in other words, the person in power.

Her life had changed completely after the day of the divine power ceremony.

Consciously trying not to look shabby, Ivanna held her head stiffly upright.

“Come in. Anthony, bring us some tea.”

The tea she had ordered Anthony to serve was made from herbs that had grown well this spring and had been picked and dried. It probably wouldn’t be so terrible that it was undrinkable.

Swallowing a sigh, Ivanna sat down on the sofa.

“Now, please tell me why you’ve come.”

Ivanna asked, putting strength into her eyes. Even if this marriage was a losing deal for her, she had no intention of letting him get the better of her.

After all, the Duke was the one who had shown up without even notifying her in advance.

“Her Majesty the Empress said that this was the wedding attire you wanted.”

‘The attire I wanted?’

Hadn’t he said he would take care of everything related to the wedding himself? Ivanna quietly studied his face.

His sharp, fierce eyes looked no different from before.

“I don’t have any particular requests.”

That was all she could say. After all, the bride herself didn’t even know the wedding date, so there was little else she could do.

At her answer, the Duke fell silent.

What on earth had the Empress told him?