CATB Chapter 29

"What... what?!"

At my words, the king who had been gently touching the diamonds on the table spun around sharply, and the remaining two men shot up from their pretty velvet chairs where they'd been watching me and the king like spectators. My, quite spry for their age. They say old age doesn't die. How enviable.

"What do you mean by that? Are you still in great pain? Then I'll send the royal physician to you!"

"No, Your Majesty, my mind is perfectly sound. I haven't gone mad."

"Then why are you saying you won't do it! And what do you mean by 'from now on'?!"

The king shouted, unable to hide his excitement. His face, which had been benevolent just moments before, contorted like a demon's, but it wasn't particularly frightening. I had already experienced countless people who got angry when things didn't go their way.

However, back then I was a powerless, penniless orphan who had no choice but to endure and bear it all, but the current me had no need for such behavior.

Why should I? I'm strong and wealthy, so why should I?

So I deliberately met the king's eyes.

It was partly to give the king some time to calm down, and partly to remind him once again that I was a beast. As I stared at him expressionlessly, the king unconsciously took a step back and glanced at me nervously. Then he opened his mouth. His voice was considerably calmer than before, though still tense.

"...How... how can you say such things!"

"Your Majesty, wasn't my magic left unbroken?"

"...Didn't you say your magical power remained intact! Has it perhaps disappeared?"

Even in this situation, cheers to the king for worrying about the loss of my abilities. It would be difficult for a person to be so persistent.

"I too considered Your Majesty's command an honor and did my utmost. I thought I would live my entire life as a beast, after all. But now that my body has changed like this,"

"Wh... what do you mean by that?"

"This young lady has developed a desire to live as a woman. You understand, don't you? Aren't you the very Majesty who always felt sorry for me?"

I drooped my eyebrows into a pitiful expression and looked at the king. His face, flustered, began to turn ashen.

"No, I didn't mean it that way..."

"I know, I know. Of course you only wished the best for me. After all, Your Majesty is my father. Doing one's utmost for one's child is a parent's proper duty - I fully understand Your Majesty."

He seemed not to notice the sarcasm since I didn't put any particular emphasis on 'after all.'

"But Your Majesty, I am no longer a beast. Aren't you seeing that right now? Do I look like that furry creature from before?"

"Well... no, you don't, but..."

"So now I too want to wear pretty dresses and live happily like other young ladies. My marriageable age is approaching soon - who would want to take a woman who goes around killing people on battlefields?"

"Alexa, if that's what worries you, I'll take responsibility for your marriage..."

"No, I too want to find my own happiness now. I don't want any more forced engagements like with the Marquess. Didn't Your Majesty see how the Marquess treated me?"

Looking at me with such contempt - anyone who didn't notice that would be an idiot.

I looked at him with an expression that dared him to say otherwise, and the king reluctantly agreed.

"The Marquess does have some of those tendencies, but that's just men who aren't good at expressing..."

"No, I don't want to be treated that way anymore, regardless of men's characteristics or whatever. If he ultimately agreed to the engagement, why did he look at me like that?"

"Well, it wasn't exactly an engagement that reflected the Marquess's wishes..."

The king pointed out carefully.

Oh my, look at him pretending he didn't force it when he was my accomplice.

"None of that matters. What's important is that the Marquess didn't refuse, and so we were an engaged couple. If he really hated it, he would have hanged himself!"

A look asking 'do you really think that?' came my way, but I pretended not to notice. Fortunately, the 50-centimeter iron plate I had prepared on my face was thick. What do I care what I say about some absent Marquess?

"I hate him now too. If the Marquess glares at me one more time, I want to bite his throat out, that's how despicable I find him."

"...Well... biting someone's throat seems rather extreme, don't you think?"

"Well, that's how much I dislike the Marquess. Now that I'm no longer a beast and have become sufficiently beautiful, I don't need to cling only to the Marquess. Don't I have enough qualifications to marry a man a million times better than him?"

The king's face changed to a shit-eating expression, but at my final words he quickly turned the horse's head back toward the destination.

"I understand. Then if you grant my request, I'll pair you with whatever young lord you desire this time as well. Would that work?"

I shook my head slowly, annoyingly so. Making the king's patience explode was also one of my small plans for today.

"I refuse. I don't want forced love anymore. I've realized that true love comes like fate in a single moment."

"Huh?"

The king looked at me with a face that said 'what kind of idiotic nonsense is this now?'

I tried to put on a dreamy expression. I had to look stupid.

"Your Majesty, do you know the genius writer Charles Perrault of the Aepylle Empire?"

"Who is that now? Alexa, this isn't the time to talk about writers..."

"No, Your Majesty. You absolutely must hear this. Charles Perrault is a writer who creates very beautiful stories. How about making him a Pellipe royal writer while we're at it? His skill at crafting tales is truly precious beyond measure. Your Majesty must see him... no, that's not it. I read his latest work, Snow White... no, wait!"

"Why?! What's wrong! Did that writer tell you not to grant my request?"

"No! Your Majesty, what are you saying - I've never even met him."

As I looked at the king as if he were pathetic, I could see veins bulging on the king's forehead for a moment. Since I wasn't getting to the point, his patience must have reached its limit.

"Reading his book made me realize it. Charles Perrault was sending me a very important message."

"A message? But what would a novelist have to say to you in the first place? Let's stop this talk now..."

"No, that writer's story is my story, which is why this is so important. I finally realized it!"

Everyone was looking at me with puzzled faces, so I added an explanation.

"The beautiful princess in the novel fell into a deep sleep due to an evil witch's spell. Then one day a prince from a neighboring country discovered her and awakened her with a beautiful kiss, and the two fell in love and lived happily ever after. Your Majesty, isn't that truly moving? It was such a beautiful story that I read it over and over again."

"My goodness, Alexa! Let's discuss that book later. Right now we need to talk about something more..."

I suddenly cut off the king's words again. The king's brow furrowed with displeasure, but today I had to act silly, so I pretended not to notice and continued speaking. Boy, your words are going to keep getting cut off today.

"The princess in the book was talking about me, Your Majesty! The evil witch casting a spell on the beautiful princess, and the princess falling into a long sleep outside the palace - isn't it really similar? I thought it was a story written about me. Later I realized that was actually true, ho ho ho."

The king began looking at me like I was completely insane.

"While I was rejoicing over those subtle similarities, I realized it!"

"...What did you realize?"

"That love comes like fate!"

"..."

Silence fell over the office.

"I've decided to believe in fate now. The knots of artificially connected relationships can only come undone. That's why the Marquess and I didn't match. Love is..."

The king and duke stared at me with dumbfounded expressions.

"So no matter what young lord Your Majesty pairs me with in the future, if it's not fate, it will be of no use."

"..."

"And I don't like it because it's not romantic. I want to wait for the man who will come to me like fate. You'll let me do that, won't you?"

As Alexa looked at the king with eyes like Shrek's cat, the king was momentarily at a loss for words. How should he even respond to this... Had she finally gone mad, or was she mad with innocence? The reason why Alexa, who had always been obedient and followed orders, was refusing his command was such a trivial reason. The vein on his forehead was drawing 'if you weren't my child, I'd punch you in the face.'

'What nonsense about fate,' the king muttered inwardly.

However, to say no would make him look like a quite petty father. This was the first request that Alexa, who was after all his official daughter, had ever made. If he refused this, he might plant unnecessary seeds of suspicion in the child. The king frowned with his aching head. His mouth closed firmly as he considered the pros and cons of granting her request.

The office was suddenly wrapped in silence. Alexa was simply waiting quietly for the king's answer. However, it was the trembling fools beside them who broke that silence.

Having just heard Alexa's girlish reasoning, they underestimated Alexa's intelligence. A mysterious confidence began sprouting in their hearts that they could probably send her on the subjugation by being a bit more guilt-inducing and then browbeating her gently.

"That's unacceptable! Then who will deal with the monsters! It's work that only the Princess can do!"

"Are you planning to abandon the country for a man, Princess!"

"If you think of the royal family and His Majesty, you shouldn't speak such words lightly!"

"As everyone knows, His Majesty has always thought only of the Princess. Just because the magic has been broken doesn't mean the Princess should be ungrateful and run wild like this..."

"Count Abigail."

As she watched the count who was charging at her with bulging veins in his neck despite having seen her for the first time today, Alexa spoke low. The count hesitated at the low, thick voice that was 180 degrees different from the gentle, delicate voice she'd been using with the king. The fact that the king and duke simultaneously drew in their breath was a small secret only they knew.

"How insolent. I'm speaking right now, am I not? Are you daring to interrupt a conversation between His Majesty and myself?"

"Ah... that's not what I meant..."

"Has His Majesty, or have I, ever given you permission to speak?"

"Princess, but this isn't a personal chat - it's about a major affair of Pellipe Kingdom! I have sufficient qualifications as well."

Thinking Alexa was at a loss for words, the duke slipped in.

"I also agree with the count's opinion. Princess, please reconsider what you just said. If you knew how much Pellipe needs you, you couldn't say such thoughtless words. The Aepylle Empire is still watching our country like a hawk, and there are constant small conflicts occurring at the borders. If the Princess is someone who understands loyalty, you cannot abandon your duties like this just to find your own love..."

The king watched with satisfaction as the two nobles rushed at me like moths to a flame.

Well now, was this why you brought them along?

"Have I ever failed to be faithful to my role even once?"

At my sharp voice, the duke stopped speaking.

I straightened my shoulders. The play was progressing smoothly.

"To be so shameless... wearing human skin, how can you be like this! Do you people have no conscience? I fought enemies at the risk of my life while you were playing cards in warm rooms. When your daughters were wasting fortunes on expensive dresses and giggling at parties, I was wearing heavy armor, swinging swords, and getting covered in blood!"

"Well, anyway the Princess doesn't need armor..."

"So now you're saying I didn't suffer because I'm a beast! Count Abigail!"

"No, no! That's not what I meant!"

"I don't want to hear it! I've been watching, and you're insufferably arrogant!"

"Princess, please calm down."

"Right, Alexa. You seem too excited right now..."

I thrust my chest forward with all my might and snorted.

Ugh, if snot comes out in this situation, I'll be embarrassed, so I need to be careful.

"Calm down? Calm down? Duke, did you just say calm down? Do I look like I'm going to calm down! You can't even judge the situation and just run your mouth first - you, a duke in name, are no different from that bastard!"

Who said the magic was broken? Only my appearance had truly changed. Using instinctive detection to get past the princess's insulting language, Duke Manuela looked at Alexa with anxious eyes.

Still, when she was a beast, she only vented that violent nature on servants and subordinates, and at least outwardly obeyed in front of nobles like himself. But after her appearance changed, whether her liver had come out of her belly or her original personality was showing, the sight of her beginning to run wild even in the king's presence felt familiar. No, rather, her personality seemed to have gotten even worse.

"What did you people just say to me! You're telling me to go to war again and fight with rough and tough men just when I've finally returned to this proper form? What if my fate sees me and runs away! If I can't get married, will you people take responsibility!"

"Princess, you don't need to worry about marriage. Who would dare refuse the Princess? The Princess just needs to choose and everything will proceed smoothly."

Duke Manuela tried to appease Alexa with the gentlest voice possible. Despite everything, she was still at an innocent age, so he felt he could sufficiently coax her.

"Really? You're saying I can choose anyone?"

Just moments ago she was going on about fate and such, but when he dangled a good bait, she bit right away. The duke secretly laughed at Alexa inwardly. He felt sorry for whatever young lord would be chosen by the princess, but that wasn't his concern. Anyway, if he could just coax this stupid princess well and send her off, his work for today would be done. As the duke's desire to go home early quickened his heart slightly, his sweet talk became more affectionate and cunning at the same time.

"Of course. When the Princess returns after carrying out this subjugation, you will be a hero. Everyone will want you and look up to you. Captain Harman of the knight order that the Princess has wanted for some time, and countless intelligent and beautiful noble young lords will all prostrate themselves at the Princess's feet and worship you - what is there to worry about?"

Then Alexa looked directly at Duke Manuela's face.

And slowly meeting his gaze, she grinned wickedly. At that smile, Duke Manuela suddenly felt deeply uneasy.

"Really? Then you're saying it would be fine if I chose Prince Hiphayne? I saw him at the last hunting competition and he's become quite handsome."

At Alexa's sparkling gaze, the duke's face, which had been wearing a picture-perfect smile, froze solid.

'Did you think your son would be safe from my clutches? How ridiculous.'

"...Ah... well, Hiphayne is still lacking in everything and would be utterly insufficient to be the Princess's match. Please withdraw those words..."

"That's fine. Who's perfect from the beginning? Actually, I rather like that human side of him more!"

The duke's face crumpled like paper. No matter how much he needed Alexa for his political purposes, it wasn't enough to offer up his son. However, the king was delighted. As long as he could send her away somehow, the king wouldn't hesitate to screw over his right-hand man.

"Yes! Yes! Prince Hiphayne is very clever! Alexa, do you like the prince? If you just go on this subjugation and return, immediately..."

"Your Majesty!"

Duke Manuela cut off the king's words. Thinking he might really end up with the beast as a daughter-in-law if things went wrong, his face had turned yellow in that short time.

"Hmm? What can we do, Duke? Alexa wants him. Shouldn't we show a beautiful example for Pellipe?"

"That's right! I absolutely won't go unless it's Prince Hiphayne!"

Watching the father and daughter who were suddenly in perfect harmony, the duke who had been gnashing his teeth signaled to the count with his eyes. It was a murderous look telling him to do something about this worst-case scenario. The count, who had been in cahoots with him, carefully began to speak. Having never met the beast before, the count's inflated liver had not yet been treated.

"Princess! Can you still call yourself a true princess of the royal family after saying such things!"

Where did this dog bone roll in from again?

As Alexa glared at the count with fierce eyes, he flinched for a moment, then opened his mouth under the duke's even fiercer gaze. Not having seen the beast's form, the duke from the same faction was still more frightening to him than the female Alexa.

"Are you avoiding His Majesty's sacred royal command simply to marry a man! Have you thought about how much danger our Pellipe will face due to the Princess's selfish actions just now! You're causing great harm to Pellipe's survival!"

"What?"

At Alexa's razor-sharp gaze, the count hesitated and stepped back.

"Did you just dare call me selfish? Pellipe will be ruined because of me? Do you really want to die?"

She walked toward the count step by step, feigning tremendous anger. The thunderous voice brought the climax of the drama.

"Is our Pellipe such a weak country that it would be shaken by the absence of a girl not even of age? What exactly have you people been doing! What have you done as senior ministers of the royal court! You've eaten that much of my country's salary while I sacrificed my youth to protect it - you should earn your keep!"

"Pr... Princess... please calm down... please... please calm down..."

"Calm down? Do I look like I'm going to calm down? You maggot-like creatures who can't do your own jobs properly - who are you lecturing right now!"

"Princess, you seem too excited."

"Duke, you couldn't answer right away either! Are you having other thoughts? You were planning to deceive me and His Majesty by saying you'd let me marry the prince while planning to wiggle out of it!"

"No, how could I do such a thing?"

"Don't lie! Then will you give me Prince Hiphayne?"

"...But... that's!"

"Look at this! You're lying again right now! I can't trust you people! You selfish creatures! On the surface you pretend to care for me and His Majesty while you're all cracking pumpkin seeds* behind our backs!"

The three excluding Alexa couldn't keep up with the rapidly deteriorating situation at all. Alexa's thunderous shouting reminded them of the beast's former impact. The king, who came to his senses first, tried to sort out the situation. However, Alexa was still too immersed in the drama.

"Alexa, these people only offered sincere advice for your sake. I too think your thinking is too hasty..."

"Advice? Is this what you call advice?"

Alexa cut off the king's words with heavy sarcasm.

"Why are you saying such things too, Your Majesty! I thought you at least would understand me!"

"No, it's not that..."

"Then you'll let me do as I wish, won't you? You'll let me marry whoever I want, won't you?"

"Well, that... uh, well, of course I'll do that for you, but..."

"Your Majesty!"

The duke called out to the king loudly. If the person the princess wanted was his son, that absolutely could not happen. The king wavered under the duke's sharp gaze and withdrew his position.

"Well... it might be a bit difficult in the current situation... no, anyway, didn't you say you were looking for fate, Alexa?"

"So the person who has come to me like fate right now is Prince Hiphayne!"

"Your Majesty! Please guide the Princess properly!"

"Well... sigh... really..."

The king broke out in cold sweat between Alexa and the duke. Alexa took a step forward.

She had to strike first before the duke, who still hadn't regained his senses from the marriage attack, could say anything.

"Why do your words keep changing! Aren't you Pellipe's supreme ruler! Give me a definite answer!"

"Well, it's not as easy as it sounds..."

"Who would dare object to what Your Majesty says? If Your Majesty says to do this, it will be done, and if you say to do that, it will be done!"

"Your Majesty! The Princess's words are too extreme. We beseech you to clearly distinguish between public and private matters as Pellipe's supreme ruler!"

"That's right, Your Majesty! What Princess Alexa is demanding is not truly the path for Pellipe!"

Then Alexa turned toward the two nobles. Her razor-sharp demeanor was just like the former beast, making the duke gulp down his saliva. It seemed like that monster might jump out and strike their heads at any moment.

"Oh ho, now I see you people were the problem. With those slithering tongues, you've confused His Majesty's mind and clouded his judgment! If you were loyal ministers, you should be ready to accept everything His Majesty says without question, but you keep dodging this way and that... You people are the ones who made the country into this mess! And then you try to blame me?"

Anyone could see she was throwing a tantrum because her demands weren't being met. But no one dared say that directly in this situation. The first person to speak would be the first to lose their head.

"This won't do. If I leave you like this, you'll continue to sow discord beside His Majesty as you do now. That will be of no help to our Pellipe's prosperity. As a member of the royal family, I will surely execute you today!"

Alexa drew a sword from her waist. It wasn't the usual longsword but a dagger about the length of a forearm, but it was sharpened to a keen edge and perfectly usable.

"Eek!"

"Princess! Please... please calm down!"

"Alexa! You can't do that! You can't kill them!"

"You people need to taste something hot to truly learn the proper way of being ministers."

It couldn't possibly be the proper way of being ministers.

It was probably just venting anger at having her demands rejected.

They'd heard her temper was foul, but they never knew it was this violent.

As the glinting blade came toward their necks, the count trembled violently. The duke beside him wasn't much different. He thought surely she wouldn't kill a duke like himself, but with such a menacing aura, he couldn't be certain.

Watching Alexa approach them snorting and walking with heavy steps, the duke and count thought for a moment:

'F*ck, we messed with the wrong one.'

Translator Note:

*'Cracking pumpkin seeds' (호박씨 까다) is a Korean idiom meaning to scheme, plot, or have hidden selfish motives while pretending to be innocent or helpful. Like casually snacking on seeds while secretly calculating personal gain.