I Don’t Want to Be Loved (Web Novel)
chapter-27

Chapter 27: I’m A Crichton

The silver-haired woman, she shook her head and said, “No, I won’t.”

“Why? Come on, pick one,” the princess said.

“Do it yourself.” The silver-haired woman turned away and refused the princess flatly.

Because the king loved his daughter wholeheartedly, her words and commands was akin to the king’s orders. She was known for her hot temper and none could placate her excerpt the royal family, her relatives, and the nanny. And so, none had the guts and boldness to speak to the princess in a manner unbefitting their image.

Helena burst out in laughter and stood up from her chair. “I was merely jesting. Don’t tell me you thought I’d make you lots jump and drown into the lake in this freezing weather.”

The young nobles laughed awkwardly and thought, ‘You’re the type to do that.’

Helena crossed her arms. “Of course I won’t do it. Since Rhia said so, we’ll be stopping here.”

One gentleman blushed at her words. He was the cause of their suffering for his veiled sarcastic remark earlier that said, “Is Rihannan truly an Arundell spy?”

Had Rihannan chose to turn his life upside down, well… he did not want to imagine what the princess would do to him and what the future would entail.

“Oh Lord, what’s all this?!”

A shrill voice rang out from behind and all turned their heads at the same time and saw the princess’s nanny stare at them with a look of astonishment.

“What is all this? What is happening?”

The sons and daughters of the nobility looked a hot mess. Muds and leaves clotted their face and their clothes torn and tattered. They looked like a commoner laboring in the field all day. The nanny thought this was the princess’s doing and immediately grabbed a hold of her.

The nanny reigned her annoyance and spat out, “Well, what are you all doin’ here? Scram!”

“Yes!”

And they scattered.

Helena looked back at the nobles without a remote sign of emotion, complaining rather that she suffered from emotional distress.

“Princess, follow me this instant. You too, Rihannan!”

On the way to, the nanny drowned Helena and Rihannan in the language of nagging, a discourse Helena despised.

“Why must you do this, princess?” She scolded Helena.

And she rebuked Rihannan and said, “And you, why did you help the princess rather than stop hear?”

As the nanny grew ever-so-bold placing the blame towards Rihannan, Helena burst out into a fit of anger.

“I had planned to do this from the very start! If Rihannan hadn’t been present, who knows what might’ve occurred.”

“Goodness, princess, you can’t continue to act like this.”

And then she nagged. She nagged and she nagged, but eventually, she had to let go. Rihannan and the princess needed a break under the pretext of tea time.

“Rhia, you know that I played Kiritte intentionally to have Ashton suffer. Why didn’t you choose him when you were given the chance?” Helena said as she stuffed her

mouth with sweet cookies.

“Because I do not want to.”

“Why? You’ve been provoked all this time. They continue to ask of your allegiance between Chrichton and Arundell for the naval battle. I’m sure it’s a shadow in your back,” Helena said.

Rihannan smiled softly. “It’s true that I’m a half–blood, but it matters not to me. I don’t care much what Ashton has to say. No matter what they think of me, I’m a Crichton. I’ve long forgotten Arundell.”

There exists a certain firmness in Rihannan’s light sky-blue eyes; Helena sighed gazing at it.

“Yes, I know. You loathe Arundell more than anyone.”

“Yes, so don’t worry. Ashton’ll continue to talk like always, but I’m sure he’ll be more quiet and even more so when the naval battle is over,” Rihannan replied.

“Yes, we’ll win this time again.” Helena lifted her teacup and smiled. “Our Crichton fleet would never lose to Arundell, after all.”

Helena’s smile beamed with arrogance and confidence. Crichton had never lost a battle in the sea. Not now and not ever.

Rihannan lowered her eyes and listened to Helena’s words full of pride. Helena was right. Crichton would win the naval battle. This was absolute truth.

Long ago, Crichton consolidated itself as a naval power while Arundell was known for its dominance in land. And though Arundell and Crichton border each other, rough terrains often separated the two nations and made the journey by foot difficult. So back and forth travel often occurred via seafare route.

Arundell bordered many countries and their surrounding land had a vast rich resources whereas Chrichton built their wealth on sea trades. Both Crichton and Arundell had long maintained an alliance with so few military clashes, but conflicts had always occurred at a local level. One example was Arundell tasting bitter defeat at the hands of Chrichton in the naval battle. Arundell’s skills could not defeat the experienced Chrichton, the strongest player in the sea.