RETURN OF THE FEMALE KNIGHT

5. You're Lalisa Blaise

"Please marry me, Your Highness."

A look of shock flitted across Jungkook's face at the unexpected proposal, but it quickly faded. His brow furrowed as he looked seriously into Lalisa's eyes.

"I don't know what the rumors about me are, but I don't like men."

"P-pardon me?"

It was Lalisa's turn to be flustered. Although she hadn't expected him to accept the proposal from the beginning, this was an entirely unexpected response. Was there a rumor that Prince Jungkook liked men?

No, wait, didn't she look like a man now? Lalisa had forgotten about her appearance. Only her eyes were visible beneath the black armor, so it was natural for him to think she was man.

"Y-you misunderstand, Your Highness–"

"And even if I liked men, did you think we'd get married? You are so naive."

Jungkook's face was twisted into a sneer. He was right. Even if he had a taste for men, a marriage to a woman would be more beneficial for him. Love and marriage were different for the royal family.

"I meant–"

"If you think I am going to marry someone despite the prophecy, you are mistaken."

Jungkook was not that young, but there was a reason why he had not married yet.

It was because of a prophecy.

"The first person to marry the Crown Prince will spend their life in solitude. They will live an unhappy life before dying a miserable death."

It was one of the things that made the empire so politically turbulent before his death in the previous life. With such dark omens coming down, no aristocrat wanted to marry his own daughter to the crown prince. Not everyone believed the prophecy, but still no family dare set their sights on marriage, likely because of the influence of the few nobles who knew that the emperor was suffering from a serious illness.

If the emperor would pass away, there would be no relatives who would support Jungkook's claim as his mother was an obscure maid. The crown prince's fate was obvious if he could not keep the throne. High-ranking nobles who expected him to be stranded had no reason to be greedy for a marriage with a troubled crown prince.

There had been attempts by the emperor to connect Jungkook to a good family, but the emperor only wanted a daughter from a marchioness while the nobles had different self-interests. Even if a princess from another country who did not know the details was brought as a bride, the ominous prophecy would surely reach her.

There was only one way. Once Prince Jungkook completed his first marriage with anyone, he could marry any other woman on good terms. Lalisa was going to take a position that nobody wanted.

'Will I be lonely and unhappy for the rest of my life if I marry the prince?'

Lalisa did not believe in prophecies, and she had already spent her first life already so alone and so unhappy. Now that her second chance had arrived, she could bear any kind of suffering as long and she could protect her beloved family. No matter how unbearable of a hell it was, it was nothing compared to losing them.

"What a ridiculous idea. Is that the payment for my life?"

Jungkook looked strangely terrifying as he gave her a mocking laugh. If he wasn't already weakened Lalisa might've pointed a sword at him for her own ease of mind.

"Your Highness, if you laugh like that the wound will open."

"Shut your mouth. Your voice is disgusting."