"I don't know anyone who is more powerful than him," Harlow replied with a pout.
Julian smiled smugly. "I know it! That's why you will need my help. Hehehe… I know the method to break the oath that bound your mother and Raphael."
Harlow bit her lip. The man before her looked so confident and seemed to know what he was doing. And his confidence rubbed off on her. If she could break the oat, with Julian's help… well, Harlow was more than willing to do just that.
If she could help Julian find a way home, then that was a beautiful bonus for the princess.
"Well… are you in or out?" Julian grinned and extended his hand to her. "What do you say, princess? Are you up for more danger or do you want to simply go through with talking with this Demon King with your head bowed down?"
"Count me in." Harlow grabbed his hand. "I will work with you."
This time, it was the princess' turn to get the upper hand out of this deal with Raphael. She'd find a way to break this oath by herself and without doing anything that would help this Demon King.
It was going to be the best outcome she could imagine.
***
Later that evening, Harlow came to the demon king's throne room as promised. She stepped forward and looked at Raphael who was seated on his throne and looking at her with a rather gloomy expression.
"Thank you for coming here, Princess," Raphael greeted her with a simple nod. "Shall we discuss new terms in exchange for your freedom from the oath that your mother, Emmelyn Strongmoor made with me?"
Harlow shook her head. "No."
"What?" Raphael narrowed his eyes at Harlow and couldn't help but frown at her. "You've already threatened me with your death and yet you're still refusing to make new terms with me? Are you trying to embarrass me further?"
Harlow cleared her throat and looked up at Raphael with a nervous expression. She hadn't actually expected him to look fearsome when his cold gaze was directed at her. Suddenly, she was afraid she'd get turned into an ice statue.
"On the contrary, Your Majesty…" Harlow spoke quietly and then met his gaze. "If I could be so bold once more with you, Raphael. May I ask for a postponement about us breaking off the engagement between the two of us?"
Raphael's expression shifted into confusion and he looked at her. "Why is that?"
Harlow gulped for a moment but then smiled at him. "I still need time to think if this is actually a good idea. At first, I was completely upset about being promised to marry you… but this is like an arranged marriage, is it not?"
Raphael pursed his lips but didn't look that convinced. His brows were furrowed suspiciously as he gazed at her from head to toe as if trying to find something that made her change her mind all of a sudden.
"I suppose? But I cannot fathom why you would change your mind simply because you've seen a similarity between the two," he said coldly.
"I do not wish to blame my mother for what she has done," Harlow bravely smiled.
Raphael closed his eyes and recalled the situation in his memory. "She was in dire need to save her mother-in-law and did not consider anything else."
"Yes." Harlow nodded. "And I understand why she did that. I would have done the same."
"I… I thought you were upset about that." Raphael frowned at her and looked at the beautiful princess once more. "You even punched me in the face because you were mad at me."
Harlow continued to smile because, for the first time since she came here, she finally had the upper hand. It was satisfying to see the look of confusion written all over the demon king's face.
"It is not my mother's fault and, even though the circumstances that led me to become connected with you are far from optimal, who is to say that a marriage between the two of us will be entirely unpleasant?"
Raphael's eyes widened and he nearly leaped out of his throne. A certain light returned to his eyes and his lips curled into a smile that he couldn't hide even though he might have wanted to try.
"You mean to say that you want to give us… this marriage a chance?" he asked.
"Yes." Harlow nodded. "I wish to get to know you better and figure out if we could be a good match. Who knows? Perhaps it will work out?"
"It will work out," Raphael said happily. "I know it will."
Harlow shook her head and smiled teasingly at him. "Let us think about it some more, Your Majesty. I am not completely sold on the idea though so don't get your hopes up too much, okay?"
Raphael rapidly shook his head as he clutched the armrest on his throne.
"No, I won't hope… instead, give me a chance to prove to you that we could be husband and wife." He looked at her with a sweet smile. "Perhaps simply sending you gifts was too forward and I was unsure of how to become closer, but now that you're here? Things are different now."
"Uh yes, different how?" Harlow asked.
"I have the chance to actually spend time with you." Raphael was beaming, and the sight made Harlow feel a tad guilty for giving this man hope. He was fearsome, but why was he so gullible at Harlow's sweet words? The princess could only wonder.
Raphael continued his words. "You have heard countless things about me, both good and bad and I cannot do anything about those statements."
Harlow coughed. "Uhm… they were mostly bad."
Raphael rolled his eyes. Harlow waved her hand and pretended she never said anything.
"Whatever the case, this is the chance to see our true compatibility." Raphael cleared his throat. "I will make you see how the two of us were fated to meet."
.
.
_____________________
From Missrealitybites:
There is another secret why Raphael is so adamant to make Harlow his wife. I can't wait for you to find out layer by layer what is his real motivation.
PS: Thank you, Peaches1 for gifting a dragon to this book yesterday.. Hope you have a great time with your loved ones during the holidays.
