Everything went well with Baron Hesroeder nobility. Within the next two days, they were cleared of charges, and I was sure that the perverted prince had used some underhanded methods. I didn't know what, and neither was I interested. Because the prince had taken a liking for my lady. And after two days, he had personally come here to propose marriage.

One thing retailers never did was kill their customers and steal their own sold goods. It was somehow beneath them to perform such a degrading deed, but I didn’t really have a choice here. We had sold our kingdom to the second prince, but he was not satisfied with it and craved for something he shouldn’t. My lady was above these horny mutts of the realm, and she was destined to rule and not succumb.

The prince was ogling at my lady when the family had gathered to welcome the blue-haired handsome guy, and I didn’t even need to mention the elated mood of Marlica. The Marquis was quiet, probably wondering what benefits he could leech from this engagement. The two sisters weren’t home since the weekend was their quality time with their significant halves. Ignorant halves, I correct.

“I met her two days ago,” the prince said, blatantly staring at my lady, whose gaze was affixed to me, as I was standing behind the prince, close to the wall. She never took her eyes off me, and I started feeling uncomfortable because that very gaze had seen through this undead.

“Her presence graced my door,” he said, albeit not saying which room, “her countenance shrouded in a strange gleam that blinded me at first sight. I felt her warm gaze melting my frozen heart that was in search of love destined to stay with me for eternity. Not thousands of suns could compare to the beauty she eludes, and not thousands of kingdoms can quench the yearning I have for her. She and she alone can fulfill the longing in this prince’s heart.”

He was fondling some of his concubines at the time, so I couldn’t fathom when he had time to gaze and think of all these poetic descriptions. Perverts always had a way around their words.

“It was then I realized all the beautiful concubines of my harem wouldn’t compare to her. Nor the courtesans, who are well known for their splendor. I don’t find the scar on her face repulsive, for it is her eyes that have entrapped my long-lost heart. This prince wishes to marry your daughter Marquis, and I am sure I will regret it for eternity should I let go of her hand and let some other men have it.”

Was he praising the concubines or the courtesans? Because it didn’t really seem like he was complimenting my lady.

It was evident that his marriage had something to do with his grand scheme of usurping the throne. I had no idea what evil ideas the Yvenaught spies in the kingdom had spewed into the head of this bastard, but they would never come to fruition. That much was guaranteed, given my lady’s cold stare.

Despite my urges, I couldn’t kill this man. The reason was simple as my lady never once said she didn’t want to get married. She could certainly have a better future, and it was a favor she deserved for entertaining this bored undead all these years. I could always find different amusements in this life, and it didn’t have to be serving my lady. Bread could keep me going for more than a millennium and blood for two more. But once she crossed the threshold today, then a path of bloodshed and gore would await her for the rest of her life.

We undead were heartless, whether you believe it or not. Nevertheless, as long as my lady didn’t want me gone, she would have her wishes fulfilled. Subjected to the condition that she kept this undead entertained.

“No, your highness,” Marlica beamed. “It is our honor to comply with this marriage. She has quite the reputation in the Academy, but she is an adorable child at heart.”

“Am I, bitch?” my lady asked, her eyes moving away from me for a split second before settling back. “How come you never said it before?”

Marquis’s face contorted, but Marlica’s smile didn’t waver. True noblewoman, indeed.

“She loves to tease her stepmother, your highness, and her language can be a bit crude. But she is a soft person at heart. I can assure you that you will have a harmonious life with her. Life has been harsh to her, but thanks to us, she has grown up to become a fine young lady. She loves to spend her time in solitude, so you don’t need to mind her reclusiveness, your highness,” Marlica continued in the same cheerful tone, her bubbly eyes staring at my lady fondly.

The prince laughed, and I couldn't bring myself to admit that it sounded melodic. “She’s everything I want in my wife, lady Marlica. I’ll send over the betrothal gifts in a couple of days, and we can move ahead with the marriage after she graduates–“

“She won’t graduate this year, so you can push the date earlier,” the Marquis interrupted without even glancing at my lady.

“Then this prince thanks Marquis,” the prince smiled politely, licking his lips, my [Devil eye] looming closer to his face. “Lady Letitia, would you show me your courtyard?”

My lady got up and walked to my side without glancing at her retailers. The family was literally selling her, so I couldn’t find a better word for them.

“Then follow us, your highness,” she said and stuck close to me as we walked to the western courtyard. We didn’t enter her room, instead led the prince to the recently cleaned guest room, thanks to our tacit understanding.

This sounded fun because the prince’s annoyance in my presence couldn’t be any more apparent. Thanks to Beth and Casey, this room was clean, albeit I hadn’t cleaned the sheets they slept in. And there was no bread perfume either, so it smelt weird, not enough for the prince to openly complain about it. His royal guards– three in number with the mustache guy still with a full mustache–followed us and now stood outside the door, the prince raising his eye in question at my presence in the room.

“Which peasant dares stay in the same room as this prince?” he finally snapped, unable to keep his pretense.

“He dares because I need him beside me, all the time, even in my bed, your highness.”

His expression flickered lightly, but he moved closer to my lady, his hands almost gripping her chin. I held his hand, earned a fist across my cheeks, probably for the sleeping part. The guards rushed to the room, holding their swords over my head, as I lay sprawled on the ground. I hadn’t expected the punch, so I was on the floor after rolling, with evident blood dripping from my broken lip. That punch was powerful thanks to the bastard’s [Strengthen] spell.

“This servant is sinful, your highness,” I genuflected. “But my lady doesn’t like to be touched.”

My voice had hardly stopped echoing when my lady pulled me by my arms, pushing away the swords with her bare hands. They started to bleed, a precise cut visible on her right arm and left palm, but she wasn’t bothered about it.

She kissed me. No, I wasn’t delusional nor horny. She really did and bit my broken lip so hard that her lips bathed in my blood, and it trailed down the sides of her mouth. I wiped it softly with my thumb, and she licked my fingers before pulling me by my collar and licking the blood flowing down to my chin. I didn’t have a beard, as you know, so it must not have felt unpleasant. Probably.

Now, if you are wondering if my blood can make you undead, perish that thought. Not even my heart can make you one, and it will start beating in your abdomen once you eat it, working its way out back to my body, leaving you dead and surely mutilated.

She turned to the prince. “I detest being touched by anything other than my mongrel,” she said, her voice calm, not befitting a maiden who had just indulged in intimate lip bite with an undead. “So, I cannot marry you, your highness. Because I don’t indulge in adultery.”

The prince’s face contorted because this was probably the first time someone had rejected him on the face. Nevertheless, he was known as scum for a reason, and a smile surfaced on his lips, watching my lady with unconcealed lust in them.

“I like you even more, lady Letitia,” he moved closer, and I stepped in front of my lady, earning another hard punch. I’ll get at him thousand times; I berated and stood rooted, not even moving my face by an inch. That [Strengthen] was nothing compared to my [Cardina Garch].

He pulled back his hand in wonder, but his guards stood before me now. My lady held my tailcoat lightly, and it was a big no for bloodshed. I silently cast [Heal] on my lady’s arm and palm as I noticed the bloodstains on the plain carpet of the floor.

“It’s all right,” the prince said, laughing. “This prince likes hard women, and if you already have experience in bed, it makes marrying you more worth it. Train her well, peasant, for I need her more than to just warm my bed.”

He walked out, patting my shoulders and leaning closer to my ears. “You can just watch helplessly as I ravage your woman, peasant. It will be all the more thrilling to have you to watch me do it.”

I sighed as he walked past me with disgust in his eyes as if I was a rotting corpse. Metaphorically, I was, so I couldn’t really blame him for that.

I touched my lips, the faint warmth of tickling blood lingering on them, apart from the tender feeling of my lady’s lip. I didn’t use [Heal] on myself because I didn’t feel like using it.

Am I acting like a creep? Well, you don’t get to meet an undead every day who gets kissed or bitten, so forgive my ignorance about the ways of the world.

My lady was staring at me, and when I turned to her, she just snickered and walked out of the room.

“Wipe that blood from your lips and don’t heal my wound,” she said, pausing at the door. “And remember what I said. I don’t need your love.”

I nodded and smiled brightly. “What should we do about the prince, my lady?”

“Is that even a question?” she walked back from the door and pulled me by my collar. “Anyone who disrespects you or your lady is courting for death. So, chop his head and hang it on the front gates. And if his beloved concubines stop you, hang them beside him.”

“I understand,” I said, keeping a grin off my face. “Please look forward to it, my lady. I’ll make him grovel before freeing him from his misery.”