Chapter 301: Episode 76. Inderella

As we gathered in the drawing room, I realized how difficult the situation was now.

Min Ah-rin, Park Geon-ho, and Kwon Jeong-han, who were mentally controlled and thought they were a stepmother and older brothers. And even Woo Seo-hyuk, who thought of me as a prince.

I was worried about Kim Woo-jin and Fox, who I couldn't even figure out where they were. Since we had all met, those two must be somewhere.

"Ahem, first..."

Min Ah-rin, who sat across from me and stared at me, let out an awkward cough and opened the door.

"I'm here to find someone who danced with me at the ballroom."

"Prince, please use informal words."

Ah, right. I forgot again.

In response to Woo Seo-hyuk's point, I realized that I had used honorifics again, so I quickly corrected it.

"...I'm here to find him."

"Pfft..."

Cheon Sa-yeon, who was sitting next to Min Ah-rin, turned his head slightly and let out a laugh. That jerk.

"You think the person who danced with you at the ballroom is our maknae."

"Yeah."

It felt like thorns were sticking out of my tongue when I tried to speak informally to Min Ah-rin.

Min Ah-rin blinked her eyes as if contemplating for a moment and tilted her head slightly.

"Prince, may I ask you a question?"

"Spe... say it."

"Is there any reason you want to meet someone who danced with you?"

The reason. I just came to meet Ha Tae-heon.

But even if I said that to Min Ah-rin, who became a perfect stepmother, she couldn't understand. Above all else, there was a lie I told Woo Seo-hyuk who was standing behind me.

Cheon Sa-yeon and Ha Tae-heon watched the unfolding situation with interest without intervening. Anyway, the two SS-rank guys weren't helpful every time this happened.

In the end, I decided to use the brazen trick I used to persuade Woo Seo-hyuk once again.

"I will get married."

"Pardon?"

"I am looking for him to marry me."

When I answered seriously and firmly, Min Ah-rin glanced at Ha Tae-heon.

"Marry? Didn't you just see him once at the ballroom?"

"Love at first sight."

"Oh, my..."

Looking at Min Ah-rin, who was surprised while covering her mouth, my conscience ached a little, but I couldn't help it. Didn't the Cinderella fairy tale end when the prince and Cinderella get married?

'To finish this fairy tale, I have to marry Ha Tae-heon in the end. It was like it had already explained what I'm going to do anyway.'

While suppressing the embarrassment and arranging the plan step by step, I lifted my head at Min Ah-rin's words.

"But he might not be our youngest, right?"

"What do you..."

"It could be someone else. Is there any way to check if the youngest is certain?"

What is this. I'm the one who danced myself. Woo Seo-hyuk intervened when I was unable to respond and speechless.

"There is man's glove we picked up from the ballroom. You can check it out with this."

"No, why are you..."

"Didn't all the other nobles wear it? We can't just skip this part without doing anything here."

"That..."

That's true. Since Ha Tae-heon was the owner of the gloves, I just didn't bother checking with other nobles.

I was at a loss as to how to fix this, but Ha Tae-heon, who was sitting with his arms crossed, opened his mouth.

"I will do as many tests as you ask. If the glove fits my hand, there's no problem, right?"

Seeing Ha Tae-heon's dignified attitude, Woo Seo-hyuk frowned slightly.

"If the party is okay with it. Woo Seo-hyuk, bring the glove."

I was relieved inside and ordered Woo Seo-hyuk. This wasn't a bad development.

As long as Ha Tae-heon received the glove and wore it, I would be able to get married without any major problems. That was the time I thought.

"Isn't it meaningless to only test the youngest?"

Cheon Sa-yeon, who had been quietly watching, intervened for the first time.

"Glove test, I want to participate, too."

"What?"

What is this kid talking about now? Why do you suddenly want to take a test?

Cheon Sa-yeon, who looked at me, curled his eyebrows and smiled, spoke again.

"This is a great opportunity to marry our handsome prince, but if I don't challenge myself, I will be sad. Don't you think so, second child?"

"As expected, Hyung and I get along very well. I was just about to say that I would participate too."

"I want to do it, too. Rumour has it that all the other nobles have also tested it."

When did you hear that rumour? When I saw Cheon Sa-yeon, Park Geon-ho, and Kwon Jeong-han, who were smiling with similar faces, I got a headache.

Min Ah-rin, who looked at the three of them happily, asked me.

"As the oldest said, I would be sad if only the youngest is tested, so I want the children to get tested as well... is it possible?"

"Umm..."

"Actually, I want to do it myself, but it's a pity that it's men's gloves. Of course, if the Prince is okay with me regardless of the gloves, I'm fine too. What do you think?"

"......"

A cold sweat ran down my back.

I couldn't tell if Min Ah-rin's attitude, who was good to everyone except to Ha Tae-heon, was just because she was a stepmother, or if there was another reason.

Unable to withstand Min Ah-rin's pressure, I eventually surrendered.

"Everyone from the oldest to the youngest will be tested. Before that, I want to talk to the oldest and the youngest separately. Is there a place where we can have a quiet conversation?"

"Then I will empty the drawing room here. We will be down on the first floor, so please finish talking and come down."

"Woo Seo-hyuk, you should go out, too."

When I spoke while furrowing my brows, which was constantly gaining strength, Woo Seo-hyuk quietly left the drawing room.

After Woo Seo-hyuk, Min Ah-rin, Park Geon-ho, and Kwon Jeong-han left and as soon as only Cheon Sa-yeon and Ha Tae-heon were left, I immediately rushed to Cheon Sa-yeon.

"Do you want to keep things complicated?"

"Ouch."

Cheon Sa-yeon, who was caught by the collar for the second time, pretended to be terribly sick.

"I didn't make it complicated. It's sad to be misunderstood like that, Yi-gyeol-ah."

"If this isn't getting complicated, then what is it? I'm already uncomfortable because Woo Seo-hyuk-ssi thinks I'm a prince."

"To make you uncomfortable, you used to treat other people's secretary very well. Giving orders is also natural."

"Now since the fairy tale is Cinderella, you know that Ha Tae-heon-ssi and I have to get married to escape from here."

"Then you must know that not only Cinderella, but her sisters try on her glass shoes. It would be safer to follow the contents of the fairy tale as much as possible."

"...do you really need to pay such attention to detail? It wasn't Hansel and Gretel."

"At that time, there were only three people. And to meet Kim Woo-jin, who we don't know where he is, it would be better to follow the fairy tale."

I stared at the smirking Cheon Sa-yeon and slowly let go of his clothes.

It's annoying, but Cheon Sa-yeon's opinion was right. In order to reduce the risk and meet Kim Woo-jin, I had to think about even the smallest details of the fairy tale.

I'm so tired. I sighed and looked back at Ha Tae-heon.

"How about you, Ha Tae-heon-ssi? Even if other people wear the glove, in the end, Ha Tae-heon-ssi will have to marry me."

Ha Tae-heon, who was staring intently at the quarrel between Cheon Sa-yeon and me, answered my question as if he was talking about the weather.

"That's a pointless question. How can I hate it?"

I blinked my eyes without knowing what he was saying, but later I understood the meaning and was a little perplexed.

"Ugh... I'm glad you don't hate it. Let's go down, put on the glove, and move on to the wedding. After we get married, the fairy tale can end right away, so let's proceed slowly. You have to find Kim Woo-jin as well."

I awkwardly turned my gaze away and left Cheon Sa-yeon the last request.

"I understand wearing the glove because you have to follow the story, but nothing more than that. You know? Everyone is under mental control, so if a problem arises, it will be more difficult to fix it."

"Of course, I know. You don't have to worry."

The appearance of Cheon Sa-yeon with a bright smile was very uncomfortable, but for now, I have no choice but to believe him. I gestured to the drawing-room door.

"All right. Let's go down now."

* * *

As we went down to the first floor, Woo Seo-hyuk, who was waiting with the others in the central living room, beckoned to a knight waiting nearby.

Then the knight came with a black glove on a luxurious purple cushion.

"Who would go to wear first?"

"I'll go first."

Cheon Sa-yeon was the first to come. Cheon Sa-yeon's white, clean hand gently slipped into the glove.

"Hm, it doesn't feel bad."

"......?"

Of course, just like in a fairy tale, I thought that the glove wouldn't fit anyone except Ha Tae-heon, so I opened my mouth when I saw the glove fit Cheon Sa-yeon's hand.

"It's not perfect, but this is good enough?"

"Wa, wait a minute."

"I'm the second."

Park Geon-ho suddenly intervened and wore the glove Cheon Sa-yeon took off.

Park Geon-ho, who had hands more similar to Ha Tae-heon than Cheon Sa-yeon, also wore the glove without difficulty.

"It's good? Rather, the fabric used is quite good. It will be quite worth it."

"Wa..."

"Am I next?"

Without being able to stop it again, the glove passed to Kwon Jeong-han. With a smile on his face, Kwon Jeong-han, who was wearing the glove, turned his hand around.

"There is a little left, but it's not loose enough. It looks just right on the outside, doesn't it?"

After Park Geon-ho and Kwon Jeong-han were seen wearing the glove without too much trouble, I turned my eyes to Cheon Sa-yeon.

Don't worry? When I gave him a death glare, Cheon Sa-yeon slowly avoided me. Meanwhile, Ha Tae-heon, who received the glove from Kwon Jeong-han, also tried wearing it on his hand. Of course, it fitted perfectly.

"I've never seen anything like this before."

Woo Seo-hyuk, who saw them wearing the glove with me, also showed a strange look.

Other noblemen I had stopped by before coming here either didn't participate in the ballroom, were middle-aged or older, or had small or thick hands that didn't fit the glove. This was the first time all four people, including Ha Tae-heon, wore the glove.

"There's nothing we can do. If this case..."

Cheon Sa-yeon, who had been ranting not to worry, changed his attitude and looked shy and asked me.

"Choose one of the four of us, Prince."

The eyes of four people shining brightly under the living room lights were focused on me. All four of them waited for my choice with their eyes full of anticipation.

"Oh my, this is fun."

Min Ah-rin, who was watching behind, applauded and liked it. But I wasn't very happy and immediately opened my mouth without thinking for a second.

"Cinderella."

"......"

"......"

"......"

A brief silence settled down at my cold, chilling answer.

It didn't matter whether the three people got hurt or not. I didn't want to deal with these annoying and bothersome bastards anymore.