(reminder: the chapter is a little bit longer then th other ones but important for understanding ♥️ enjoy reading it)
He stopped abruptly and adjusted his posture.
Irene kept her eyes on the book before her, but her mind was elsewhere.
For the first time, she was hearing these details.
That meant everything had been planned from the beginning.
Her recognition.
Her debut ceremony.
The sudden announcement of her engagement.
None of it had happened by chance.
As for the real reason behind Valerian's dissatisfaction...
She knew it perfectly well.
It was not simply because she was unknown to the nobility.
It was because she was the daughter of a servant with a tarnished reputation and was not considered fully noble like her siblings.
But George deliberately ignored that fact out of respect for her.
For that reason, Irene said nothing, though she felt a quiet sense of gratitude.
The man continued as though nothing had happened:
"That is why the King officially acknowledged you during his speech at your debut ceremony. After that, negotiations proceeded far more smoothly, and they accepted your selection without further objections."
Then he closed the book before him.
"Thanks to this agreement, Eiscard and Valerian will exchange lands and holdings without the use of force for the first time in many decades. Many regard it as a historic step forward in relations between the two kingdoms."
Then he looked directly at her.
"Therefore, you must preserve this marriage no matter what happens. I will not paint an unrealistic picture for you. Living there as a princess from Eiscard will be a sensitive matter for many people, and I believe you understand why. Even so, you must remain strong and not allow yourself to become overly affected by it."
Irene paused for a moment.
Then she answered calmly:
"Yes. I will fulfill my duty toward the kingdom to the best of my ability."
Satisfaction appeared on George's face.
The lessons continued for many more hours afterward.
They moved from the history of the kingdoms to the most influential noble families.
From ancient wars to modern alliances.
George explained while Irene carefully wrote down everything she considered important.
Eventually, her hand began to ache from so much writing.
At last, George closed the final book.
"I believe that will be enough for today."
He gathered several books from the table and placed them in front of her.
"These books discuss the families who participate in Valerian's Royal Council."
Then he added:
"Study them carefully. Tomorrow we will discuss them in detail."
He rose from his seat.
"For today, this will be sufficient."
Irene immediately stood.
She bowed respectfully.
"Thank you for the lesson, Sir George."
The man smiled and quietly left the library.
After the sound of his footsteps disappeared among the shelves, the library returned to its usual silence.
Irene looked at the pile of books before her.
She felt exhausted, both mentally and physically.
But time was not on her side.
And there had never been room for rest in her personal dictionary.
So she sat down once more.
Pulled the first book toward her.
And began reading with intense concentration, as though every page she turned might determine her future.
Even after returning to her quarters, Irene did not allow herself a moment of rest. Sitting at her desk, she pulled out her notes and began reviewing everything she had learned that day. Every now and then, she added new notes of her own, rewriting the names of noble families, their histories, and their alliances until she had them memorized thoroughly. She was not doing this merely because George had instructed her to study. The knowledge itself would prove valuable to her plans in the future. Every name she memorized and every political relationship she understood could bring her one step closer to the Royal Council and make it easier to earn the trust of the nobles once she arrived in Valerian.
The hours passed one after another while she remained buried beneath books and papers. She compared information, added small notes beside important names, and tried to absorb as much knowledge as possible in the shortest amount of time. Time was not on her side, and she could not afford the luxury of hesitation or delay.
Eventually, exhaustion began creeping into her body. She closed the last book she had been reading and lay down on her bed without even realizing when her eyes had drifted shut. It was not long before her weary body surrendered to sleep, one of the books still resting on top of her after slipping from her hands.
But her sleep did not last long.
She awoke abruptly, breathing heavily, beads of sweat covering her forehead. Her heart pounded violently within her chest.
Once again...
That nightmare.
The same nightmare that had haunted her for years.
With difficulty, Irene sat up and took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself. She then reached for the glass of water beside her bed and drank slowly until some of her composure returned. The night was still far from over, and silence filled every corner of the palace.
Opening the drawer beside her bed, she pulled out a small container holding the sleeping pills she had been taking for a very long time. She stared at it briefly before swallowing one of the pills and lying back down. Closing her eyes, she waited for the medicine to take effect.
The nightmare was unpleasant, yet Irene did not hate it entirely. Every time it returned, it reminded her of the true reason for her existence and of the goal she had never once forgotten.
Revenge against her father.
Revenge against Arxon.
As her consciousness gradually faded beneath the effects of the medicine, she eventually drifted back to sleep.
The following morning, Irene arrived at the royal library slightly earlier than usual. She had awakened early as she always did, and after reviewing some of the notes she had written the previous night, she decided to head to the library before her instructor arrived. Sitting in her usual place, she spread before her numerous sheets filled with the names of noble families, their alliances, and their histories, reviewing them one final time before the lesson began.
Only a few minutes passed before the library doors opened and George entered. The moment his eyes landed on her, his eyebrows rose slightly in visible surprise. Approaching the table, he said,
"Ah, good morning, Princess Irene. It seems you've beaten me to the library today."
Irene closed the papers she had been reviewing and offered a faint smile before explaining that she had been revising what she had memorized the previous day. George nodded in approval, took his seat, and said,
"Very well, then. Let us begin."
The lesson started normally enough, but it did not remain that way for long. George began asking question after question regarding the families that sat on Valerian's Royal Council—their histories, prominent members, old alliances, and current political ties. At first, he assumed Irene had memorized only the most important points. However, the deeper his questions became, the greater his astonishment grew. She answered without hesitation, recalling names, dates, and details with remarkable precision. More than once, he found himself checking his own notes just to ensure that he had not made a mistake.
As time passed, his surprise gradually turned into genuine disbelief. After nearly an hour, George finally closed his notebook and stared at her in silence for several moments. He looked as though he were searching for the proper words to express what he was feeling.
At last, he spoke.
"Honestly... I don't know what to say. In all my years of teaching, I have never met anyone capable of learning at such an extraordinary speed. You've managed to memorize the history of every noble family involved in Valerian's Royal Council in less than a single day. That is truly remarkable."
A small, modest smile appeared on Irene's face, but George was not finished.
Shaking his head, he added,
"Perhaps I finally understand why His Majesty chose you specifically for this marriage."
A faint smile touched Irene's lips, one whose meaning was difficult to decipher.
I believe your conclusion is mistaken, Sir George, she thought to herself. It seems you were not given all the information regarding the true nature of this marriage...
George paused to think for a moment before continuing,
"In any case, thanks to your diligence, we'll be able to move directly on to the third lesson."
Irene gently shook her head.
"I think the credit belongs to you. You were the one who selected the appropriate books and guided me toward what I should focus on. Without that, I wouldn't have been able to memorize all of this so quickly."
George could not help but laugh softly. She possessed an extraordinary ability to learn, yet she still insisted on giving credit to others with such humility.
As he looked at her, he found himself thinking something he would never dare say aloud. How could the King so easily part with a girl like this? Throughout his many years as an instructor, he had taught the children of countless nobles and even several members of the royal family themselves. Yet he had never encountered anyone who possessed such a combination of memory, comprehension, and analytical ability. In fact, he was convinced that she surpassed most of her siblings whom he had previously taught by a considerable margin. Perhaps, had she been born the legitimate daughter of a queen of pure royal blood, she might one day have become one of the throne's strongest pillars and one of the King's greatest assets.
But such thoughts were meaningless now. Her future had already been decided, and her destination was Valerian—a decision from which there was no turning back.
George let out a quiet sigh and pushed those thoughts aside. Opening a new book, he said,
"Now then, let us begin today's lesson."
The lesson continued for many hours afterward, moving on to new subjects concerning Valerian's history, political structure, and influential noble families. Irene listened attentively and recorded every important detail while George explained everything he believed necessary before her eventual departure.
As the days passed, Irene's life settled into the same routine. She would rise at dawn, make her way to the royal library, and spend long hours surrounded by books, maps, and documents. Once the lessons ended, she would return to her quarters to review what she had learned and add new notes to her growing collection.
And while the days slipped by one after another, the date of her departure for Valerian drew ever closer.
____________________
After yet another long lesson, Irene remained in the palace library for several extra hours. Books were piled before her on the table, and her note papers were scattered between the open pages. She did not feel the passage of time as she moved from one book to another, reviewing what she had learned over the past few days and jotting down new notes whenever she encountered important information.
When she finally raised her head, she realized that night had fallen long ago. Most of the candles had burned down, and the library had become quieter than usual. She let out a weary sigh as she closed the last book, then slowly gathered her papers and stood up from her seat. Her head felt heavy from excessive study, and all she wanted in that moment was to return to her room and sleep.
She walked through the quiet corridors until she reached her wing. She reached for the handle and opened the door, but she froze in place immediately.
Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at what was before her.
Her room was filled with boxes.
Large and small boxes, some decorated with luxurious silk ribbons, and others wrapped in elegant fabrics bearing royal colors. They were placed on the table, next to the sofa, and even near her bed, as if someone had decided to turn her room into a gift warehouse.
She blinked several times, in disbelief.
Then, she slowly closed the door behind her and stepped inside.
"What is this...?"
She whispered to herself as she approached the nearest box.
She bent down and began searching for a label or an attached note. She flipped the lid, then searched between the ribbons and decorative papers, but she found nothing. She moved to another box, then a third, then a fourth.
Nothing.
Anxiety began to creep into her heart gradually.
The only time she had received gifts before was after her official debut before the nobility, and all the gifts had carried the names of their senders and clear congratulatory messages.
But these...
They bore no name.
She felt her heartbeat accelerate.
She set one of the boxes aside and stared at the rest in confusion.
"Who sent them?!"
"Why is there no name?!"
She swallowed hard, and then a thought crossed her mind that made the blood drain from her face.
What if it's a secret admirer?
She felt a chill run through her limbs.
No... no, this is impossible! But what if it is true? What will happen to me then!
Thump, thump.
What if news reaches the King? What if he misunderstands the matter?
She imagined for just a moment Arxon's reaction if he thought an unknown man was secretly communicating with her, and her stomach tightened in fear.
At that very moment, a knock sounded on the door.
Irene flinched violently, nearly dropping the box she was holding. Then a voice came from outside:
— Her Highness Princess Irene, His Majesty the King requests your presence in his office immediately.
The box she was holding under her arm dropped from the sheer surprise and hit the floor with a muffled thud.
Her face went completely pale. She froze in place.
To be continued....