Episode 2

After that little inconvenience, it wasn't long before the prince arrived. He was a young man a few years older than her, probably around 17 years old based on what she remembered. When the prince entered, he was revealed to be a handsome young man with a kind smile, blonde hair, and blue eyes—the kind of man every woman would desire.

He introduced himself politely to Katerina, who reciprocated, moving to the tea table where the young prince wasted no time in complimenting the desserts. Katerina remained calm, and when the prince praised her good grades, she graciously thanked him. The prince noticed the girl's disinterest in him; it was the first time he had encountered a girl who seemed unconcerned with winning his attention.

"I also heard that you were named a saint last year. You must be excited."

"No, I don't see that title as something exciting." she replied seriously.

"Perhaps you say that because you feel a lot of pressure from it, right? The people at the temple are strict."

"The temple sent me a tutor, but I don’t think it’s that much pressure, at least not for now." she responded calmly.

"Yes, I've been told that you're responsible in everything; I guess that’s why nothing is difficult for you, unlike me. Sometimes, it’s boring to attend classes." he complained.

"You’re the future emperor; it’s normal for your classes to be challenging. But what kind of emperor do you plan to be? You should know everything about your country"etiquette, war strategies, and of course, you should be an expert swordsman.

"I don't need to be a strategist; war isn't for me. If there is a war, my younger brother will be the one to lead the troops."

《Coward》she thought to herself. It was obvious he was weak; she could sense his very low mana level.

"Your brother will then be a brave warrior; it’s admirable that the second prince would command the troops if there were a war." she remarked excitedly.

"It’s not that big of a deal. Being emperor isn’t easy either; you have to deal with foolish nobles and maintain strong alliances."

Katerina remained silent. Though only 14, she could tell the prince disliked being overshadowed by his younger brother.

"You’re right, but in my opinion, an emperor must also know how to handle a war. If not, how will he protect his country? He can’t just rely on his army; he must be a good leader and guide his troops to victory." she spoke seriously.

The prince looked annoyed by the girl’s words. No one could have imagined that a little girl would dare to strike at the pride of such an arrogant prince. Seeing he could not argue any further, he simply mentioned that he was running late for an important class and hastily left, anger etched on his face. The marchioness noted that the prince quickly took his leave, feeling irritated, surely her daughter had done something to upset him. But when she entered the drawing room, Katerina was drenched in tea, and the prince's cup lay shattered on the floor.

"What happened here? Surely you were rude to the prince." she shouted in frustration.

"Are you saying it’s my fault? I will inform my father about this." Katerina replied calmly.

"You won’t say anything. It’s clear that you are to blame for what happened. Go change, and tomorrow you will send a letter of apology."

Katerina just smiled mockingly at her mother and jumped off the chair to run toward her father’s study, although her mother caught up to her and grabbed her arm, making the girl scream.

"Enough! You won't disturb your father over something foolish." she scolded.

"Mom, you’re hurting me..."

"What is this racket?" the marquis opened the door.

Immediately, the marchioness released Katerina, but the marquis noticed the girl’s stained clothes, and even her hair looked wet.

"Katerina, what happened? Wasn't the prince supposed to come for tea?"

"Father, the prince was rude and threw tea on me." the girl covered her eyes with both hands while sobbing.

"Husband, don’t listen to her. She must have been disrespectful to his highness. I’ve already told her to send an apology tomorrow," the marchioness excused herself.

"Shouldn't it be the other way around? She is your daughter, and you're excusing the prince for his behavior towards her. I think you're mistaken. Just because he is a prince doesn't mean he can act like that. I can't imagine how he will treat her if he marries her," the marquis was furious.

"But husband, the engagement is important; it’s an opportunity for our family to rise in status."

"Enough. I know what’s important for my daughter, and the most important thing is her safety."

The marquis asked Katerina to go to her room, and she complied, accompanied by two maids, while the marchioness stayed behind to argue with the marquis, furious about how he was undermining her authority over their daughter. It was crucial for her to advance socially because, despite the family’s prestige, they were still merely a marquis family. If Katerina married the prince, it could elevate their status, and she would be known as the mother-in-law of the crown prince himself.

The marquis preferred to end the discussion and forbade her from continuing to blame Katerina for what happened. If the prince could not respect his daughter, then for him, that young man was unworthy of her, having behaved in a despicable manner toward a girl of 14.

"Throwing tea on someone is not very mature or respectable. I don’t see how you can think your daughter is to blame," he shouted angrily.

"Because she has become a rebel; she should improve her manners and the way she speaks. I will find stricter teachers for her," she replied.

"That would do nothing. My daughter has the right to choose. We are no longer in times when you could force her to be the slave of a despicable man. If you continue with this attitude, I will make sure to break that engagement."

The marchioness fell silent, and unable to say anything more, she left the room, furious. Even her maids told her that the marquis was being unfair to her.

Katerina was in her room after a bath and changing clothes. She threw herself onto the bed while laughing, remembering how she had just heard the marquis scolding the marchioness on her way up the stairs.

"That woman deserves it for being so annoying," she smiled mockingly as a cold mist appeared around her hands with just a wave.

It was incredible to be in a place where magic was possible; this would give her a great advantage in her quest to achieve her goals.

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