So Mean

"If it's appropriate?" Larkin's brows lifted, seemingly remembering something. It was as if those words were not much of an excuse anymore. He could remember someone who had been so daring just because she wouldn't be punished. He had no idea if Artie was thinking about something along that line, but it being inappropriate?

Nothing would probably shock the plains anymore.

However, he didn't open it up himself before leading her out of the gowns gallery. He didn't wish to open his own can of worms in front of Artie Shen. It might create a misunderstanding between them, and never would Larkin risk being regarded as someone who actually looked back on his days with that certain despicable person. "Then, let us wait for the seamstress's advice."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to check which one belonged to that princess..." Artie didn't mean to speak loudly, but she had already spoken before realizing that she had thought out loud. She jerked her shoulders a little, not daring to take a look at Larkin's face. However, she did wonder what kind of expression he was making by then.

'Princess… hm, it seems that she does know a thing or two...' Larkin didn't actually show any interesting emotion. His eyes were still as clear as they were ever since they got here in the gowns gallery. He wouldn't dare take her here on his own if he would be harboring heavy feelings towards someone's wedding dress.

Larkin held the door open and waited for her to ask again, but Artie had gone out of the room as if expecting no answer from him. With a slightly contented smile on his face, he closed the door before they left the immediate vicinity of the gowns gallery. "You'd be disappointed. I burned it."

Artie twitched at his answer—especially when he said he burned it. However, she just heard him continue in a strange passive tone, too strange for his words that were full of spice: "A woman like her had no place in these plains. Everything that reminded the people of her was taken away, decimated into ashes, and scattered to the ground like loose soil. I assure you, you need not see her as a reference."

"I see… I was just wondering what kind of wedding dress did you approve of..."

"I did not approve of her dress. Neither do you need any approval from me."

"You say that, but at the end of the day, you're still going to glare if you find it ugly." Artie pouted her lips as she walked side-by-side with Larkin along the wide hallways of the castle. Unlike Larkin who was walking ever so gracefully, she was prancing on her steps and bouncing just to stall her speed. "I don't want you to avoid me on our wedding day. I have to be the most beautiful in your eyes on that day; I can't have an 'ugly' wedding dress."

Larkin somewhat paused when he heard what she just said. He stopped walking and reached out to take hold of Artie's arm. He then pulled her towards him, trapping her in an embrace with his arm circling her relatively small waist. His naturally cold eyes stared down at her wide ones, only for them to curve a little as he smiled warmly at her.

"Don't you have faith in your beauty, Artie?"

Artie blushed wildly as she was pulled and pressed against his firm body, colliding him so strongly even if he didn't mean it. However, she only showed a skyward smile even if her projected expression was uncertainty. "I do, but with all those big names coming to a Larkin Ellis's wedding, I have no confidence to be the best face out there… especially when princesses might go abounding, don't you think?"

A deep laugh came from him, his other hand caressing her head. "The kingdom and I only recognize one princess, and that woman is my niece. As for the rest, they had been around me for so long. If they are capable of bewitching me, then why weren't they the one in my arms right now?"

He leaned down to plant a kiss on her head. "Don't think too much about the ceremonies. You're still the one I chose to be around me, Artie."

'Kyaaa! If this was a real game, I would have rolled around my bed all day just thinking about this scene!' Artie squealed inwardly freely as she stifled her noises. She only hugged Larkin and pressed her face against his chest to hide her beet-red face again. Nothing good came from her showing off that beet-red face to him.

However, Larkin's hand still descended on one of her ears to rub the lobe as if reminding her that he could see it… and could imagine it just from the redness of her eyes. It's just that… Artie only chose to mewl again, pressing herself against him some more as if trying to phase inside his body just to hide.

…

The archduchess's entourage marched across the hallways, with Artie thinking seriously about the design of her dress. She had even tried her best to draw it as a clearer picture for the seamstress. However, Artie was not an artist in this world and in the old one; her skills could only make her cringe in disappointment.

In one of the wide rooms of the castle, Monique led the archduchess inside. Artie looked around as she walked in, noticing how brightly-lit the room was and how wide the space in the middle was. Moreover, there was a small stage in the center while racks of dresses and robes were on the sides. It seemed like a fitting room.

"Ah, yes, the new archduchess!" From a corner came a stern-looking middle-aged woman. Her hair was grayed, and her face was bony and angular. Her nose was tall, and yet her eyes were the most golden ones that Artie had ever seen. With her slender fingers, the woman held onto her measuring stick. "Please pray tell, what kind of outrageous request do you have for me this time, hm?"

"...why so mean?" Artie couldn't help but spout out as she frowned at the middle-aged woman. This woman seemed to be a comic-book villain mother-in-law or step-mother, but she didn't seem to be as important as a real guest of the castle. The only basis for this assumption was that Artie didn't see any cup or kettle—even a tea table—in this fitting hall.

"???" The woman twitched and then gestured for the maids-in-waiting to leave. She waved her hands and hushed at them when Monique tried to say something. In the end, she kept on doing so until all the maids had gone away. She then reached out to grab Artie by the chin and glared down at her.

To Artie's surprise, the woman's face suddenly changed into a horrifying picture of a shrieking gray lizard with sharp teeth. Her golden eyes had turned into thin slits, with red rings appearing around them. In a shrill voice, the woman hissed at Artie.

"Angel."