A Lifetime Contract (Rewrite)

Chapter 2

Cale, or dare I say, Cecilia is now busy with the preparation for the Crown Prince's birthday party. It will also be the day their engagement will be announced. She just hopes things won't go south.

"Young lady- I mean, princess no!" Anny, Cecilia's maid, quickly grabs her from taking off the dress. It would be considered rude if not for the fact that Cecilia is Cecilia.

Pouting, Cecilia frowned at the older female. "No, princess. You need to be the center of attention, you will be the Crown Prince fiance."

Cecilia sat down with her hands over her chest. Clearly protesting. Anny can just sigh then rubs her temple. "Princess, I know how you hate this type of dressing, but please? Just for today."

"Urgh..." Cecilia couldn't fight against those pitiful faces of hers and she also understood the importance of the day. She just really hoped the Crown Prince wouldn't be so sudden as to propose to her. 'I will get my revenge.'

Cecilia sighs. "Fine...but as soon as I get home, you will be helping me take it off."

"Of course, princess." Anny is happy, she is. It's been her dream ever since she took care of Cecilia since child whenever late Lady Jour came to visit. Thinking of her makes Anny feel a bit emotional. Princess Cecilia really does look like Lady Jour.

The resemblance couldn't be denied.

Finishing the torturous hours of dressing up nicely, Cecilia finally got to escape from the hand of the older female. She ran towards where her uncle was. They will be going in a carriage so she is heading towards the main entrance.

-

"Announcing, The Archduke Dheos Thames with his daughter Princess Cecilia!" The announcer shouts out their name as the two pairs of now father and daughter make way inside the palace.

"...Jour said Thames was a fallen lower nobles."

The two walk towards where the Royals are and ignore the whisperings and gossiping around them by the other nobles. They aren't very important. Cecilia, in particular, ignores the eyes from her biological father and the rest of the Henituse who doesn't know of the Thames.

As soon as they arrived, they could see the calculating gazes from the Queen who also didn't know about them. The King, however, just stood with a bright smile, the same like the Crown Prince has.

"You have come, dongsaeng." He said. Not so loud, but not so quiet either. Almost everyone can hear his words and that is what the King intends.

He then walks next to Dheos and the two pairs turn around to face the other nobles.

"My sworn brother had asked me to hide their status for a while because my niece Cece has had a weak body since birth. Today is a glorious day. I announce the return of the Archduke Thames and the recovery of Princess Cecilia!"

At first there's hesitant sounds of clapping, but then it got merrier over time. Cecilia can see the twitchy eyes from her uncle and she just hides her disgusted feelings by hiding her face.

She knows this is all just an act, but the two old men really do whatever they want. Cecilia can see the King signal to the Crown Prince to take place beside her then waits for the noises to silent.

Cecilia can see the confusion from the Crown Prince's eyes but he hides them well and just does what he is told to do. 'Did the King not tell him about my disguise?'

"I would like to congratulate the Crown Prince on this day of his birth, I would like to give him a gift." The King's servant then walks towards him and hands him a small box. One for him to hold and the other is for Dheos.

"I would like to announce the engagement between the Crown Prince Alver Crossman with Princess Cecilia Thames." The Crown Prince's eyes shook for a bit but he tried to keep himself calm by accepting the engagement ring and wearing it. Cecilia did the same.

The Nobles all congratulate the two but Cecilia can feel the dislikes from those who support the other princes. Before they have to talk with them, Cecilia nudges at the Crown Prince for a bit.

"Oi, it's me, Cale." Cecilia whispers. King Zed and Dheos are taking a while to give their speech so the two have a bit of time to talk. The Crown Prince's eyes darted towards her.

"You look...akhem- different."

"I know. I thought His Majesty already told you about the plan."

The Crown Prince held back his sigh but Cecilia could see tje confusion and surprise from his face. "Call me Cecilia, act like I'm your childhood friend who is sick. I'll tell you the rest of the plan later."

The Crown prince nodded his head then also let her to call him alver. It'll be hard to explain if she calls him by his title. People would suspect their relationship isn't so close as told.

Once the two old man's speeches are done, it is now the time for the now engaged couple to interact with the rest of the nobles. It's boring, but they have to endure it.

Over time, their energy begins to dissipate when the Henituse take their turn to converse with them.

"Ah, the Henituse. I admire your years of contribution in our kingdom. Years of protection made me look up to your knights." Alver brings out his glib tongue and the Henituse all feel the effect.

"Yes, thank you, your highness." Deruth said. He then turns towards Cecilia who had been stiff around them for a while. Luckily no one noticed, except Alver.

"You look just like Jour..." Deruth accidently let out, making Cecilia even stiffer. Since she is holding hands with Alver, he can feel it. He tries to interfere, but she beats him to it.

"Yes, I've been told how similar I look with aunt Jour. How is cousin Cale, Count Deruth?" Now is Deruth's turn to get stiff. Nobody knows about the trash's disappearance because the Count hid them well. He covers them by telling people Cale is sick, but the two know it's not true.

"Yes, Cale is getting better but he is still weak." Such a shameless fool he is to lie about this matter. No one will care if the trahs's disappearance is made public, so why bother hiding it?

Cecilia nods her head then acts as if she is tired. Her head falls towards Alver who holds her up, supports her and he understands her plan.

"I apologize, my fiance may have recover but her body is still weak." Alver excuses himself and brings Cecilia inside. They stayed in silence until they reached the Crown Prince's office. There, Cecilia begans to tell him their plans.

Since this is the first time the Crown Prince's birthday is held in the main Palace, people speculate that he will be the King and want to change their support from the other two princes to him. Some may still not do so, and the threat will be even greater but they can handle it.

Announcing their engagement as a gift from the King would increase the subject's trust in him. Seeing as he is favored by the King despite the rumors he is not. Although Alver felt bitter, he accepted it.

Furthermore, the two will need to act close whenever they are out of the Crown Prince's palace. Rumors are scary if it's bad, but it is useful if you are smart enough to control it.

The Queen also can't do anything to pair him with her choices anymore. Though, she might still try to pair him, to break their engagement by making her doll to be close to him and seduce him. But Cecilia trusts that Alver won't fall easily. He is, after all, still hasn't trusted anyone including her.

Alver does have a question. "Why are your appearances so different?"

"Magic." Cecilia answers and she refuses to say anything further. He still hasn't figured out she is truly a girl. He must've thought this disguise is better than a missing or sick trash after all. He just accepted it.

***

Gonna speeding things up. Tbh, this will be either 10 chapters or less. If it's kore, than that surely is a surprise.