“Let’s get married,” Celestia said, her voice trembling with excitement as the words tumbled out of her mouth. Her eyes sparkled with genuine enthusiasm, her emotions laid bare for Lucian to see. “I already told you I won’t leave you, and you won’t cheat on me. Not like I’d let you anyway. So…”
She leaned forward, her expression both playful and intense. “Choose a date.”
Lucian let out a long, exasperated sigh, running a hand through his hair. This girl was asking way too much. Didn’t he just finish telling her he wasn’t ready for a relationship? And yet, here they were.
“Look, Celestia,” he began, his tone a mixture of exhaustion and patience, “as I said before, I’m not ready for any relationship let alone marriage. I just… I’m not in that place right now. You understand, right?”
Celestia didn’t flinch, her gaze unwavering.
Lucian sighed again, rubbing his temples. “And let’s say, hypothetically, that I did agree. Even then, I don’t think we could actually get married. I mean, you’re a princess. This isn’t something that can just happen overnight. The royal family probably wouldn’t allow it.”
He paused, trying to muster more reasons. “And let’s not forget my reputation. I’m pretty sure I’m not exactly what they’d call ‘king material.’ It’d be impossible.”
Lucian trailed off, hoping his reasoning would land. But deep down, he knew he was grasping for straws, trying to find polite and logical ways to turn her down without outright rejecting her.
Celestia tilted her head, her smile widening into something mischievous. “You don’t have to worry about that,” she said casually, her tone light yet firm. “At worst, I’ll just give up my title as princess. Easy.”
Lucian blinked, stunned by the sheer boldness of her words.
“I’m not some little girl controlled by the royal family or anyone else. I’ll do as I like,” she continued, her voice gaining a sharp edge of defiance. “If they don’t approve, then screw them. Royal family or not, I don’t care.”
Lucian could only stare, his mouth slightly open as he tried to process what she was saying.
Celestia’s smile grew even more unsettling a mix of sweetness and something far more dangerous. “Of course,” she added, her tone turning almost playful, “if you want to be king, we can figure something out. Though, I’m guessing that’s not really your thing, right?”
Lucian, still caught off guard, answered instinctively. “No.”
It wasn’t until after the word left his mouth that he realized he’d spoken at all. His own response startled him like his body was reacting on its own before his mind could catch up.
She’s so good at this, he thought, feeling an involuntary shiver run down his spine.
“Wait…” Lucian’s eyes widened as the weight of her words finally sank in. “Did you just say you’d give up your title?”
He stared at her, his disbelief evident.
Celestia didn’t waver. “Of course,” she said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “I’ve already decided. You’re what matters, not some silly title.”
Lucian couldn’t help but feel a strange warmth in his chest. There was something incredibly sweet and caring about her words whether she truly meant them or not. He didn’t know if it was all part of her strategy, but the way she said it, the sincerity in her voice, made it sound so… convincing.
Still, he couldn’t shake the overwhelming confusion swirling in his mind. How the hell did things even get to this point? he thought, his brain struggling to keep up. She’s asking me to marry her and become a king? Wasn’t I just explaining why I wouldn’t do that? What the actual hell is happening here?
“Hey, hey, hey…,” Lucian interrupted, waving his hand slightly as if to slow things down. He let out a heavy sigh, leaning back in his chair. “I’m still stuck on that whole ‘giving up your princess title’ thing. You’re really just willing to leave all of that behind? Just like that?”
Celestia tilted her head slightly, a smile gracing her lips, though her expression remained oddly calm almost indifferent. “It’s nothing special, really,” she said nonchalantly, as if the thought hadn’t cost her a single second of hesitation. “What do you think being a princess gets you? nothing really.”
“A lot of restrictions and rules… and honestly, I hate them.”
Lucian’s brows furrowed. He could hear the sincerity in her voice, but it didn’t make it any less baffling. “Still, I mean, leaving all that behind”
” she interrupted, her tone emotionless and firm. “Do you know why I’m sitting here with you, in this restaurant, without a single person recognizing me? no one coming to greet me,no hi not even second eye if not for me being beautiful even if i said i am princess no one here will believe, ofcourse besides you since
She paused, her gaze meeting his, her smile fading slightly. “Being a princess isn’t what people think it is. It’s not some glamorous, fairy-tale life. It’s just being a bird trapped in a cage, never allowed to leave, never allowed to spread your wings. You can’t even imagine the things I’ve had to endure just because of that title.”
Her words hung in the air, a strange mix of bitterness and resolve.
“And that’s why I left all of that behind or at least, I’m ready to,” Celestia continued, her voice steady, her smile returning, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Just to break free of those restrictions, I became a hacker. I wanted to take control of my life, to destroy every single chain that tried to hold me back. I refuse to be some doll dancing on strings for others to pull.”
Her eyes glimmered with a fierce intensity, a fire that was impossible to ignore. ” I’m not that helpless little girl locked in a cage. I’ve changed,I’ve fought for my freedom, and I’ll keep fighting for it.”
Lucian stared at her, his mind whirring. He hadn’t expected such raw honesty from her especially not like this. He wasn’t sure what to say, but one thing was clear: Celestia wasn’t just a princess. She was someone far more complicated, far more determined than he’d given her credit for.
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “You’re really something else, you know that?”
Celestia’s smile grew, a hint of amusement playing at her lips. “I know,” she said softly.