RETURN OF THE FEMALE KNIGHT

74. Our First Night

Lalisa, fatigued after meeting many of the guests at the reception, returned to the corner where Jungkook was sitting alone. Her eyes were still fixed on Roseanne and Jihyo however, and when Jungkook spoke he was noticeably annoyed.

"You leave the groom alone on the first day of marriage?"

Lalisa turned her gaze towards a disgruntled-looking Jungkook, but his argument was flawed. Most of the people around here were anxious to hear his every word, but the overwhelmingly hostile atmosphere he was exuding kept them away.

"I thought you wanted to be alone. Isn't that why you intimidated everyone away?"

"It's true that I don't want others to approach me, but that doesn't mean I want to be alone. I want to be with you."

Lalisa was taken aback by his forwardness. Despite his petulance, he did want her company after all. She hesitated, then softened her expression.

"...I see. I didn't realize you were waiting for me. You said you wanted to introduce me to some people, right? Shall we go see them first before the reception is over?"

The most important task she had at the reception was to strengthen their position as a crown prince and a princess. Jungkook smiled and spoke in a quiet voice.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm being trained by you."

"Trained?"

"Yes. You talk in such a soft tone, like everything will be alright."

So he wasn't expecting things to turn out alright? Why? She stared at Jungkook confusedly, but he rose from his seat without an explanation and held out his arm for her to take.

"There's only one important person we have to meet, and then we can get out of here."

Jungkook suddenly leaned in close to her, whispering so only she could hear.

"...Tonight is our first night."

Lalisa's red eyes widened. The terms of the contract marriage stated that they wouldn't share a bed until after she became empress.

"What are you—!"

But before Lalisa could finish her retort, Jungkook took her hand with a mischievous look and pulled her away. She belatedly realized that Jungkook must have been playing a prank on her. Come to think of it, just because it was their first night, it didn't mean they would sleep together.

'...He scared me.'

Lalisa stared at Jungkook ahead of her. She was determined not to be swayed by him, but she could feel as if she were falling into his pace.

And the bigger problem was...

She was gradually getting used to it.

*

Jungkook brought her to meet an elderly gentleman and a younger boy who appeared to be his grandson. Lalisa looked at them curiously, as she didn't recognize them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you again, Lord Krauss."

Lalisa's eyes glimmered when she recognized the name. If she was correct, the person before her was Count Evans, head of the Krauss family, and his grandson Jaehyun, his successor. Evans and Jaehyun both bowed respectfully.

"Hail the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire. "

Jungkook gestured them to raise their heads, and Lalisa calmly opened her mouth to speak.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am—"

She almost introduced herself as Lalisa Blaise, but remembered that she took her husband's last name now. After a brief pause, she smiled and continued.