CHAPTER 3: FIANCE IS WAITING..?

Astheir gazed at the array of dishes before her. The plates held delicacies of unknown names, yet they were undeniably beautiful and enticing. She could have savored these precious creations, prepared by a highly skilled and renowned chef recruited by her family. However, her current circumstances prevented her from doing so.

With a sigh, Astheir released the spoon she had been holding. She was irritated by the intense stares that seemed to pierce through her. She looked up at the three figures standing before her, who had been in her room for days since she arrived at the mansion.

Who were these strange men? Her father, with his cold and stern expression, and her brothers, whom she struggled to describe. Behind them were stressed lackeys, carrying a stack of documents.

To be honest, the lackeys annoyed her as well. Their constant whispering, which sounded more like begging, was a nuisance. And every time they flipped through the papers, it sent a sharp pain through her head.

"When are you going to leave? Don't you have work to attend to?" Astheir asked, her voice laced with annoyance.

It wasn't just their unwavering stares that bothered her. It was also their constant presence, as if they were guarding her room to prevent her from leaving again. And they were right to be cautious. If it weren't for them, Astheir would have already found a way to open a portal back to her own world, where her beloved Mamita and friends awaited.

If it weren't for them, she could have been happy again.

"I sense that you want to leave," her father stated matter-of-factly. Her two brothers gasped in surprise, looking at her as if she had betrayed them.

"Are you?" Eizen asked, his voice filled with disbelief. Astheir looked at him flatly.

"No," she lied. "I just want to eat, rest, and live my life peacefully. I can't do that if you're always here, treating me like a prisoner."

Camill, her second eldest brother, retorted, "We have to. After we discovered that you can use some kind of untraceable magic to leave, we can't take any chances."

Astheir laughed. So they knew about her magic.

"And you think I don't know that you've installed some kind of magic nullification in this house?" she asked, looking at them. "Just leave me alone. I don't have the energy to run right now. I'm still not feeling well."

For a moment, their expressions softened, and Astheir thought they might actually listen to her. But then she remembered who they were.

"Then," her father coughed, "we shall take our leave."

Astheir let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you!"

Eizen, though reluctant, followed their father. Camill smirked at Astheir before leaving as well.

Just as Astheir was about to resume eating, she nearly jumped out of her seat when she saw Camill's face in her soup.

"Your fiancé is coming. You should stay," he said before disappearing. Astheir cursed under her breath.

Yes, they hadn't changed. Her father was still cold and unyielding. Eizen was like a younger version of their father, aloof and unapproachable. And Camill was still the annoying, irritating brother who loved to torment her whenever he had the chance. But there were times when she thought she saw a glimmer of change in them. Her father seemed more expressive, and Eizen was less reserved, at least around her. As for Camill, she wasn't sure. He was just an annoying magician now.

But wait... What did he mean by her fiancé?

Astheir smirked at the thought. The little boy she had been engaged to twelve years ago must surely be married by now. It was ridiculous.

She stood up from her chair and walked over to the window. She looked outside. It was early morning, probably around eight o'clock. She could feel that the day was already in full swing for everyone else, but for her, it was just beginning.

Astheir took another look around her room. It was exactly the same as the one she had left years ago. Spacious and pink, but devoid of any warmth or love.

She opened the window and laughed. "When I jump out, I'll go to the laundry room and change into a maid's outfit. Then," she laughed again, this time with a mischievous glint in her eye, "I'll sneak out!"

Astheir positioned herself at the window and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and jumped forward, expecting to feel the impact of the ground. But seconds passed, and she felt nothing. It was almost comical, considering her room was only on the second floor.

"Wait a minute..."

Astheir frantically opened her eyes and was met with the sight of a strange man with a frown on his face.

No. No. He wasn't a stranger...

"What the hell? Your Highness... Andrei?!"

"Do you have a death wish, my lady?"

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"We just left for a minute, and the next thing we hear is that you jumped out of your window and got caught by your fiancé," her father said, his voice filled with frustration.

Astheir sat on the couch, looking bored. She watched as her father's stressed expression deepened, and her brothers looked at her with disappointment.

"Yes," she replied simply.

She took a bite of the cookies that the head maid had brought and stared back at them. They glared at her angrily.

"What?" she asked. "It's not like I died. And besides, this isn't what we should be talking about."

"And what should we be talking about?" Camill asked, his tone laced with irritation.

Astheir pointed at the man sitting beside her, who was holding her hand as if they were a couple.

"Why is he still my fiancé?!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing through the room.

Everyone looked at her as if the answer was obvious.

"My engagement to you has not been cancelled, my lady," Andrei said, his voice calm and steady.

Astheir stood up and pulled her hand away from his. "No. No. You're the first prince. You should have been married three years ago!"

"Hush, Astheir. Don't speak to His Majesty in that manner," her father scolded, his eyes narrowing.

Astheir looked at her father in disbelief. "What?!"

"I am no longer the first prince, my lady. I have already ascended to the throne," Andrei said, standing up and approaching her. "With my ascension, I have made some changes to the customs, including the requirement to be married before taking the throne."

Astheir shook her head. "No."

She looked at her father and brothers, hoping for some support. But they just stared back at her with blank expressions.

Aren't they going to help me? she thought. Hello? Your daughter and sister has just returned home, and the first thing you do is hand her over to some man.

"We can't do anything about this," Eizen said, as if he could read her mind.

Andrei laughed. "Yes, they can't. If they try to interfere, I might just destroy this house."

Is he threatening me? Astheir thought, her heart pounding in her chest.

She shook her head. "You can't do this."

"Now, my lady. Your fiancé has been waiting patiently. Don't you think it's time you gave him a reward?" Andrei chuckled. "Like a marriage ceremony. Next week, perhaps?"

"What the fuck?!"