"You used to read books under trees a lot," he remarks.

Naturally, to keep myself busy so Lilian and you could spend more time together.

"Those calm me down. I do, however, prefer tranquility." My eyes strayed to the nearby tall oak tree as I answered.

Prince Lucas nodded with a hint of curiosity in his eyes as he glanced at me. "Which book has captivated your interest today?" he inquired, his tone displaying sincere curiosity. I don't find the right answer to this unexpected question. Seeing my discomfort, he chuckles and continues, "I asked you about the books a few times; you never recommend one."

Does he want to die in my hands, or what?

I smile forcibly, feeling a bit annoyed and eager to end the conversation as soon as I can. I said, "Well, there are so many amazing books out there that it is difficult to pick just one to recommend." "I believed that your highness had little taste in books I read." I add

He halted and turned to face me. "You are not here merely to meet me, are you?" he asks after a brief moment, displaying signs of discomfort.

When I read that light elements are highly intelligent, it did scream 'Lucas'.

"As is evident, your high-"

"Lucas," he says in between my speeches.

"Pardon?"

He raises an eyebrow as he waits for me to say his name. I would love to call you Lucas if you weren't such a two-faced However, I clear my throat and continue.

"Lucas, I must share a very significant announcement."

"Is it already that time?" he asks with a sigh. "We have already reached that point, then." A sense of sarcasm was visible in his voice.

"I would like to break off the engagement."

"How come?" He appears less than shocked. Was that something he had anticipated already?

"I-"

"Do you really detest me that much?"

"What? No. It is not like that. To put it simply, I have always considered you a friend, and I find it difficult to wed someone I do not want to marry."

"What then must I do to pique your interest in me?"

Is our dear Prince Lucas on weed again?

"Lucas, It is not something that can be accomplished by coercion."

"My intention was to exert effort rather than to use force."

Would he have behaved differently in front of Lilian if I had brought her along? What a two timing guy..

"That is not possible."

He gives me a long look before he lets out a sigh.

I inhaled deeply, trying not to lose my cool over my mounting annoyance at his silence.

"You will come running to me in no time," he says without thinking. Until you acknowledge that we were meant to be together, I will not give up."

I raise an eyebrow. "Pardon?" I say. He laughs sourly, as though rejection wounded his pride.

"I have the power to make you desire me. I can make you feel incomplete in my absence. And I promise that when I am through, all you will want is ME. I promise you, my lady, that you will eventually run to me." His piercing gaze made me shudder. My ears were filled with Lucas's voice. The words were harsh and cold.

"I apologize for being so impolite, but-"

he interrupts me before I can finish.

He leaned in closer, and his voice lowered to a whisper. "You will become envious and realize how much you depend on me for your well-being. Yes, I will ensure that. You will become anxious upon realizing that I am not by your side. You should reconsider before breaking off the engagement, my lady."

My patience wearing thin. "I have already made up my mind. If you could honor that, that would be greatly appreciated."

Did someone change the genre of the story? Lucas was a kind and considerate guy; where had he gone? It seems as though he is attempting to rile me up. the original Lucas Is not like this. however, did he actually? He claim to know better about my own feelings than I did and claimed that I would eventually reach out to him? What a fool you are.

Suddenly, Lucas chuckled. It was a cold and cruel sound that made me flinch. I was not sure if he was actually laughing or merely taunting me.

Then he spoke again, his tone dark and serious. "You cannot escape your feelings, my dear. You can pretend to be indifferent, but deep down, you know you can't resist me. Then it is time for you to learn what you are missing. You may fight it at first, but your resistance is futile."

It felt like a threat rather than a promise. as if he would do anything in his power to force me into the relationship with him. Could I have been so stupid as to underestimate him?

He somehow reminds me of Alexander at the moment even though I haven't met him yet.

but to be frank, I really wanted to slap him across the face for his arrogance. The way he spoke with such confidence made my blood boil. But deep down, I knew engaging with him would only fuel his ego further, so I controlled myself.

I shake my head, feeling a mix of anger and frustration. "Lucas, I understand that you're having a difficult time accepting it, but trying to manipulate someone's feelings is not the solution." His eyes narrow as he considers my words, but his stubbornness remains. "I don't care what anyone says. I'll do whatever it takes to make you desire me." He pauses, then continues, "You know damn well, you'll regret it. Not even the Empress will consent to it."

Oh My... Lucas isn't Lucasing anymore. Did he just say Damn? Royalties never use curse words that frequently but the way he said as if it was a regular word. Besides that, it seems like he already knows my limit, but who says I can't fight? What if the Empress is not persuaded by me? If there was one person who could charm the Empress, it was none other than Lilian. She is known throughout the court for her sweet charm and ability to persuade even the most stubborn of people.

"Please, Your Highness, do not go overboard." We've grown up together. To me, you are like a brother. I say softly, "I do not intend to hurt you." But he dismisses it with a laugh, saying, "Brother, my foot."

I decide it is best to end the conversation before things get heated further. I take a step back, maintaining my composure, and turn to leave.

Reasoning with him is futile.

What would happen if the engagement was broken off? Would Lucas take revenge? What else could he do to make me desire him? Nothing will work on me. Nothing..

He stops me abruptly by grabbing my hand, which makes me angry. As I forcibly yank my hand away from him, he stumbles back, and several ice spikes fly against him, frightening him. I get taken aback as well, as I see my power working on its own, depending on my emotions. Seeing that he was not harmed, I guess those ice spikes flew as a warning; what if they had greatly wounded him? I look at my hand and notice my ring is glowing, which I bought it a few days ago. It must be the ring that stopped the harm from happening, as this magic reaction was out of my will. Thank goodness I bought it.

My eyes dart to him. he looks just as terrified as I'm feeling. I freeze, unsure of what to do. His expression changes into guilt and sadness-that look I've seen before.

"I did not intend to cause harm." I said, biting my lower lip. He stands up gradually. What if he kills me now? What if he frames me and makes me face a bad fate?

I mean, he is one of the suitors. He is capable of this enough.

Still not sure what to do, I bolt from the scene.

Frozen-how absurd is that? Ice spikes? Seriosly? Now I have to run away to a mountain and sing, Let it go or shit?

Without waiting a moment, I get into the carriage and tell them to get home quickly.

How am I going to make things work out now?

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