27 Securing the Status of Royalty

The commanders led me to the Emperor's chamber they knocked for me and his voice answered, the two gave me a look of approval before opening the double doors.

"Uncle?"

I walked inside while the door closed behind me,

The Emperor is sitting on a high back sofa chair he ushered me to sit on the long sofa at the side,

"Did you enjoy your meal?"

"It was delicious"

My eyes travel at the two older gentlemen that are standing at his side, he gave a faint smile.

"First, before we get into the discussion, I want you to meet my aid and the Chancellor of the Empire"

That means this two are important figures,

"I am Chancellor Ivan Galanis, a pleasure finally meeting you, princess"

An elder brunette man with a monocle said bowing gracefully towards me, I nod at him remembering that I shouldn't bow to anyone.

"Nice to meet you too"

"I am the personal aid or butler as you call it, Theodoros Remis is my name, a pleasure meeting her royal highness"

A blond-haired man who has white streaks in his hair followed suit with the introduction and gave a graceful bow as well,

"The pleasure is all mine, nice to meet you both"

"Now that all of you are well acquainted, let me ask you first Seraphine"

"Ask me?"

"What are your thoughts about marriage?"

Never thought of it or even cross my mind, since I plan on living until I'm an old person, but then again. I AM an old person now,

"Marriage is…"

Maybe I need to answer him from a different perspective,

"Marriage is binding, it is beautiful when you married the right person"

"Have you ever been in love before?"

Why is he asking me these questions?

"Yes, although it didn't last since I'm not up to people's standard, they dump me when they conveniently see another pretty girl"

"That's shameful of them, beauty is not always on the outside appearance it is also inside"

"That doesn't apply in my world, if it does it's as rare as seeing a blue moon"

"It is not a rarity in this world, my dear niece"

That's Great?

"How do you feel being engaged to someone?"

"Um...What?"

"You heard me" I stared at my Uncle

"Seraphine I've arranged an engagement for you, you will be officially crowned as Princess of the Sun Empire as well as be engaged to King Kristopherson of the Sky Kingdom"

"E-Engaged?"

"Yes"

Being thrown into another world check,

Being confused at what kind of people here check,

Being a sudden princess double-check,

Being someone extremely important check,

Now being engaged to a KING,

Why is my life turning out like a novel?! I m like a protagonist.

"I can't believe this"

I covered my face with my hand groaning,

Honestly, I don't care that I'm not being graceful or princess material in front of my uncle, the chancellor and his aid, I'm not going to fake being happy about what's happening,

"...Seraphine, do you not like the idea of being-"

"Stop," I said cutting him off

I know that a normal person wouldn't be able to cut off the Emperor like that, but I need a minute to process everything again.

"Take your time"

The Emperor will offer an explanation as to why, there will be an engagement, right?

"What's the reason for this sudden, fixed engagement?"

"To further strengthen the Empire"

"How is this going to strengthen the Empire?"

"May I provide the explanation, your majesty?" Chancellor Ivan, chided, my uncle nods.

"Please explain"

"Two royalties that have unified through marriage symbolises unity and peace"

"...Okay?"

"By providing a symbol of unity, the surrounding Empires that want to claim this Empire will be wary, of us"

"Not to mention, you will also help King Kristopherson in a way, he wants to join our family, badly," my uncle says

"Why would he want to join our family?"

The Emperor chuckles,

Why is he chuckling? I don't see the mirth in what I've said.

"He wants to join our family since, our family is authority itself, by marrying into our family, that means he would finally have the control, trust and honour of the nobles in his Kingdom"

"Do I look like an object, to just be handed down to another Kingdom?"

"You are not an object princess, he specifically requested you"

"That's suspicious"

"His majesty objected when he proposed an idea in marrying into the Armaclei Family, but he insisted" Theodoros the aid says.

"We don't even know each other for him to specifically request me"

My Uncle gave a hearty laugh, a look of confusion crossed my face, why is he laughing at what I've said?

"Apologies my dear niece," he wipes a stray tear in his eyes using a handkerchief, the aid produced, "you really are my niece no doubt"

"Thank you?"

"There is nothing wrong for a royal or a noble to request someone for their hand in marriage, but the kid is desperate. I understand his desperation in a way, since he does not trust the surrounding nobles, the nobles are also pushing him to marry their daughters in which he doesn't fancy"

"He saw their daughters at some point, right? He never even saw me once, but if he is that desperate then, I'll think about it"

"Seraphine" my uncle calls out.

My posture straightened at his call,

"It is not just for his sake, being engaged, then married to you, it is also for your sake as well"

"Really?"

"To safeguard yourself here in this world, you must publicly be crowned princess being engaged to King Kristopherson additionally strengthens your status, not just a crowned princess of this Empire but the fiancé of the King of the Sky Kingdom as well, you have two powerful pillars behind you"

"Give me one more reason to agree to this"

The three gentlemen looked at each other,

Then my uncle spoke.

"This is for your survival as well, Seraphine"

When he said those words I was fully convinced to agree to this fixed engagement,

"Alright" replying to his words, nodding in agreement.

"You really are your father's daughter"

My uncle had this look of reminiscence, while we are talking.

"Your father also said those words when he found out he got engaged to your mother, without his consent"

"My exact words?"

"No, but he argued with our father your grandfather, his opinion turned around when he saw your mother and interacted with her"

"Hahaha"

"History repeats itself, but please do not run away, my dear"

"I don't think I can"

"We all need you"

The pressure and the burden on my shoulders are heavy, but I need to bear with it.

"I'm surprised that you didn't argue the idea of marriage as much as I imagined that you will do"

"Being angry isn't my personality, unless you pushed me to the edge of my annoyance then I'd shout at you, but you all provided a valid explanation as to why I needed to marry that King, you provided more explanation to me than my parents ever combined when I ask questions"

I ranted at the end of my statement,

"Did something happen in the human world?"

"A lot, but mom already told me everything when I was in a trance fighting the Behemoth"

"The reports of the commander is true then, you fought with a Behemoth"

"I thought I'd die back then" I nervously laughed.

"You will have a reward in eliminating a Behemoth, Seraphine"

Money! I need it! Maybe I can ask him for a little money so that I can pay Elinna?

"Uncle…?"

"Yes?"

"Sorry if I'm asking this, out of the blue, but can you lend me a bit of money to pay for Elinna?"

"She is already being paid as your lady-in-waiting, starting" he corrected himself "to get paid, since she recently started working, why do you need to compensate her more?"

"I feel like I need to" I gave an awkward smile

"No need, she is working in our Palace already, her wage next month will be enough as payment, you don't have to worry about anything"

I still need money though…

"As for the issue of you needing money"

Huh?

"Every royal has a stash of money and a fair share of it, I will give you money tomorrow after I have arranged the papers and talked to the accountant that handles the money of the royals,"

"Thank you~"

"You don't need to thank me, that is the Armaclei family's money, we need to handle money wisely that is why I cannot give it to you hastily"

"I understand, I'll wait"

Silence engulfed the room afterwards…

It wasn't an awkward silence, it wasn't a comfortable one too…

Just silence,

My eyes wandered around the room, while I wait for him to say something, or he waits for me to say something.

"Is that?"

A family portrait above the fireplace, I stand up from the soft sofa I was sitting and went towards it,

"Is this your family Uncle?"

"Yes, the red head is my wife"

"She's beautiful"

The Empress, my aunt, has red hair, emerald eyes and beautiful features, she looks like a celebrity model, she's carrying a little blond girl whose smiling at the camera, I reckon that's Phoebe, there's also a young male in between the couple who looks serious, their children both have blond hair and blue eyes that they inherited from uncle, uncle looks like he didn't age a day in his life, he still looks like the person in the portrait.

"You never aged"

"Our bloodline has a very slow ageing process, Seraphine"

I'm lucky then, I said to myself, seeing this portrait, I realise I haven't seen the Empress.

"Where is the?"

"She is no longer with us"

"Sorry"

"It is alright"

"What about my cousins? Where is that boy and Phoebe?"

"Your cousin Aeilus, Is currently on a mission, as for my daughter Phoebe, she is ill bedridden"

"Right, Right! She said that! How can I help her?"

My Uncle stands up suddenly engulfing me in an embrace.

"Whoa!"

"Thank you, I am in debt to you my dear niece"

"No need to say you are in debt, we are family, I'm happy to help my cousin, if this means she isn't a floating ghost girl anymore, then that's great!"

"G-Ghost Girl?"

"She's the one who beckoned me to come here, I'm not blaming her,"

"N-No it's fine! How did you meet?"

"At a dream"

He looked serious while, I explained what happened in the dream and my world,

"I helped her with those shadow things, now, since I'm here, I want to help her in any way that I can"

"Let's go to doctor Edgar"