I! Cleaner!

"I was already very sincere."

After wiping the onion juice from the corner of her eye with the back of her hand, Princess Veronica blinked her reddened eyes and looked Leon directly in the eye, speaking honestly,

"If I truly wanted to use those words to force you into agreeing to marry me, I wouldn't have said them to your face. Instead, I would have arranged some 'coincidences' for you to discover on your own. Whether it's letting you hear about my father's arrangements for me from others or having you encounter Joshua several times while interacting with the Minister of Finance and the Queen, you would have figured it all out yourself without even knowing my involvement. The reason I didn't do so and chose to speak to you about these matters as openly as possible is out of respect for you and to demonstrate my sincerity."

"..."

*It seems like... there might be some truth to that?*

As Leon frowned in contemplation, Princess Veronica placed the onion slice she was holding onto the table and said, with a somber expression,

"Leon, what I said just now was entirely true. Without you, it's highly likely that after Joshua comes of age, I would be married off to a man I don't love, spending my life far away. Once I'm gone, these difficult reforms we've pushed through will mostly be halted except for those that maintain the royal family's rule. The entire kingdom will revert to a stagnant state. The reason I make this judgment isn't out of arrogance, thinking I'm the only one who can change everything. It's because I know my father and brother too well, and I understand what kind of people they are. For my father, the rule of the royal family surpasses everything. The true importance lies not in the kingdom as a whole but in whose hands the kingdom is controlled. Joshua has been deeply influenced by him and pampered by the Queen. I don't think he can become a qualified king."

"..."

*Indeed... Joshua's mind and character really aren't suited for being king...*

"So, I hope you'll reconsider."

Looking at the silent Leon, Princess Veronica, while guessing his thoughts, squeezed his hand with earnestness in her eyes and pleaded,

"I know it's unfair to you, but a marriage with you is truly the last opportunity for me, and even for this country. While it may seem alarmist, I truly believe that without you, whether it's my life or the country's future, everything will inevitably slide into the Abyss. I... I'm really out of options. Leon... I'm begging you, don't just push me away, okay?"

"..."

"I won't force you. If you want to refuse but can't say it, we can approach this differently."

After adjusting her coat, her face slightly flushed, the princess straddled Leon, wrapped her arms around his back, then buried her face in his shoulder and whispered into his ear,

"No matter what, the final decision is yours. Leon, if you still want to refuse, steel your heart and push me away. If you can't bear for me to marry someone else or haven't decided yet, then stay as we are. Don't push me away."

"If you stay silent, I'll take it as agreement to this approach. I'll start counting down... 5!"

"..."

*So… should I push her away or not?*

"4!"

"..."

"3!"

"..."

"2!"

"..."

As the countdown closed in, Leon instinctively raised his hand, grasped Princess Veronica's shoulder, and subconsciously pushed slightly. But at that moment, her hands, locked behind his back, tightened sharply, intertwining with full strength, her slender fingers turning white.

Feeling this intensity, Leon hesitated in pushing her away, concerned he might hurt her, and the princess's final countdown, filled with delight, echoed in Leon's ears.

"1!"

"Not pushing away means agreeing. Once you've agreed, you're not allowed to go back on it!"

"..."

*Even though… why does it feel like I've been cornered?*

"Let's go, time to rest."

After climbing off the somewhat hesitant Leon, the princess shyly glanced at him, then gently pulled him up from the chair. Her soft and slightly cool finger traced a teasing circle in his palm.

"Do you want to come in?"

Hiss...

No! Definitely can't go in! With this current situation, if I go inside today, I'm afraid I'll be devoured with no room for regret. Who knows, we might end up with our firstborn next year!

"Um... I'll stay out here for now."

Hastily withdrawing his hand, Leon averted his gaze and coughed awkwardly,

"I still have... um... some things to think about. I'll sleep on the sofa tonight!"

"That's not okay, is it?"

Secretly letting out a breath herself, Princess Veronica nodded lightly, then with a twinkling smile, said,

"If Anna wakes up in the middle of the night and finds you on the sofa, she'd certainly have a poor opinion of me as her sister-in-law. Why don't you just come in—"

"Enough already!"

Seeing the princess, who clearly wasn't prepared herself, continue to tease him, Leon took a deep breath, squinting slightly as he warned,

"If you keep going on, bear the consequences!"

Hmm?

Did the little man who I easily kept in check dare to challenge me?

Hearing Leon's warning, the princess raised her finely trimmed brows, then provocatively pushed out her full chest, smiling as she replied,

"Really? What exactly do you mean by bearing the consequences? Could you show me?"

*You're the one saying this!*

Hearing the challenge, Leon squinted his eyes, then, amidst the princess's surprised yelp, hefted her onto his shoulder and carried her inside. Before long, a series of panicked pleas echoed in the room.

"Wait, are you serious?"

"No no no! Aren't we... aren't we going too fast?"

"Ouch! Let's just stop here! Let me... let me prepare a bit more!"

"Alright Leon, I was wrong. I really was wrong! No no no! Don't! Mmm..."

From then onward, everything fell into place as it should, and ten months later, with a baby on the way, they were harmoniously married, their relationship loving—two kids in three years, three kids in five, by seven years...

"No no no, that's plenty! Truly enough! We really can't have more!"

Glancing out the window where two teams of boys and girls were playing soccer on the Royal Palace lawn, she looked at her husband, who appeared as handsome as that night, only now with a mustache, showing maturity.

Having been crowned Queen for several years, Veronica quickly tightened her nightgown, closed the gaping neckline, and placed a hand against the chest of the adult Leon, begging,

"I've been queen for so many years, but nine out of ten were spent pregnant. You have to let me rest for a few months! No no no! I really can't do it anymore! You... hmm? Why is your chest soft?"

"Ah!"

As Queen Veronica pondered, pinching her husband's soft chest muscles, the adult Leon suddenly blushed and, like a maiden, let out a squeal.

"Sister Veronica! You... you shouldn't touch like that! Hurry and wake up!"

Sister Veronica? Wake up?

Realizing the situation, the princess blinked hard, and the soft-chested husband before her wavered, transforming into Anna, who was covering her chest shyly.

Underneath her lay the large custom-made bed ordered by Leon, now a small sofa in Leon's apartment, with her wrapped in a blanket, sleepily lying on the sofa...

*So it was a dream!*

"Sorry..."

Shaking her head to clear away the lingering mature-rated dream, the princess, her hair in disarray, sat up calmly. She then cast aside the blanket and gave Anna a gentle smile, asking with composure,

"I just had a rather strange dream... Anna, what time is it?"

"It's already nine o'clock. Breakfast is on the table, and... um... are you really..."

Covering her chest and taking a small step back, Anna's eyes flickered slightly, yet she couldn't suppress her curiosity as she inquired,

"Are you really planning... planning to have two soccer teams worth?"

"..."