At least twenty royal guards stood packed tightly in front of the eastern tower.
‘Why go this far…?’
It wasn’t as though they were imprisoning a criminal, so why deploy armed soldiers?
Strictly speaking, the princess had not committed a single act that violated the law.
That was why even Lucian had ultimately failed to stop her, and why even the Crown Princess had not been able to drag her out publicly.
If so, wasn’t this an excessive response?
Though there was no real need for it, Lucian escorted Ioret all the way to her bedroom door.
“This is my failure. I will make sure they are thoroughly disciplined so nothing like this ever happens again.”
“Do it the moment the sun rises tomorrow. No matter how insignificant I may seem, I am still of the royal bloodline. Tell them that if they repeat such disrespect, they will not escape punishment for insulting royalty.”
“Yes. Please do not concern yourself with the soldiers outside. If you need me, call for me immediately.”
“I understand, so you may leave now.”
After hesitating for a moment, Lucian finally turned around and left. Since she now had a maid attending to her, there was little more he could do.
Through the crack in the door, Ioret heard Lucian let out a troubled sigh.
‘Thank goodness… It doesn’t seem like he suspects anything.’
She had almost been caught together with Kylron.
Only then did Ioret finally relax.
The conversation she had shared with him just before the guards stormed in replayed vividly in her mind.
“Propose to me.”
The moment Ioret whispered those words, time itself seemed to freeze.
At such close distance that their breaths nearly brushed, Kylron’s eyes widened.
To the man who had gone completely rigid, Ioret softly whispered,
“Take me, a princess, as your wife and form a marital alliance with the Elovis royal family. A marriage alliance is far stronger than any treaty. And if the partner is a princess of flawless bloodline, would that not be ideal for you as well?”
“Are you serious?”
The muscles on Kylron’s face twisted strangely.
She could not tell exactly what expression it was. At first glance, it seemed as though he were suppressing a smile, yet at the same time it looked as if he were frowning in displeasure.
The guards, who still had not noticed them, headed toward the opposite side of the garden.
Ioret stepped away from him and smiled brightly.
“Am I not enough to satisfy you?”
Of course that was impossible.
There was only one thing holding back this man, the lord of the northern fortress: his low birth.
Because of that, Kylron could never rise into the mainstream of Kalande society.
And Ioret possessed the very thing he lacked—bloodline.
A legitimate princess of Elovis and second in line to the throne, with the royal family of Revia on her mother’s side.
Even across the entire continent, it would be difficult to find a woman born with a nobler status than Ioret. No matter what Catherine tried, that was one thing she could never steal—the inheritance left behind by Ioret’s mother.
If he married her, no one would ever be able to mock Kylron as some bastard of Kalande again.
In Kylron’s eyes, she herself was the ultimate prize.
Unable to take his eyes off her, he asked in a rough voice,
“Does the princess’s father desire that as well?”
“What do you think?”
Time was running short.
Some events from the past truly seemed impossible to change, for the guards who had been searching around the fountain were returning this way once more.
Ioret removed the man’s hand that still rested on her waist.
“If you wish to speak with me further, come to the tower on the eastern side of the royal castle by tomorrow morning. I will be waiting.”
The morning after the Foundation Day banquet came to an end.
An unusually tense atmosphere hung over the Crown Princess’s palace. Since early morning, its mistress had been in a foul mood.
Crown Princess Catherine had an excellent reputation among the palace servants. She was gentle, benevolent, fair in judgment, and clear in rewards and punishments.
Not only the elders of the royal council, but even the provincial nobles maintained close ties with her. There was no one who doubted she would become a wise ruler after succeeding the king.
However, there were rare days when the Crown Princess became unusually sensitive.
Whenever the matter concerned the king’s other children—her half-siblings—she transformed into an entirely different person.
The luxurious inner chamber was filled with shattered glass fragments.
“How dare that stupid bitch who doesn’t even know her place!”
Unable to contain her rage, Catherine hurled a vase she had grabbed. It struck the edge of the table and shattered loudly.
After dismissing all the maids and attendants, only one servant remained inside the chamber.
Red hair and golden eyes. A boy whose face resembled the king’s was cleaning up the broken glass scattered at Catherine’s feet.
The boy’s palms were covered in cuts from gathering the sharp shards.
“What are you doing crawling around like a worm? Get out!”
Even under her fierce shouting, the boy remained silent. His quiet obedience only irritated Catherine further. Even that red hair, so much like their father’s, made her grind her teeth.
“Why aren’t you answering me? If you understand, at least nod your head! Or do you think I’m laughable too? Is that it, Ahil?”
Her sharp hand flew toward the boy’s cheek.
Smack—!
The boy, Ahil, staggered and collapsed.
Catherine mercilessly stomped on the back of her half-brother’s hand with her shoe heel. The boy let out a silent scream.
“……!”
“This is why the uneducated are hopeless! Just because Father pities you, don’t start getting arrogant. Understood?”
Nod, nod.
The boy answered desperately with movements of his head. His right cheek had swollen badly.
In this palace, the only one who saw and heard Catherine’s true nature was that boy.
After throwing the boy out, Catherine wandered around the room biting her nails.
Ever since Ioret had appeared at the banquet hall without permission yesterday, every noble and envoy had spoken of nothing but Ioret.
The grandeur of the banquet hall Catherine had spent so long arranging, the dress and jewelry she wore, even the meaning behind the king entering alongside her—it all seemed forgotten.
After dancing the opening dance with Duke Benedicts, the envoys had competed to leave an impression on Catherine, yet some still searched for the vanished Ioret.
Catherine had never once lost in terms of public attention.
She had always been the protagonist wherever she went.
And to ensure that remained true, she had meticulously planted her people everywhere so conversations would naturally revolve around her.
Yet that bitch had ruined her stage.
The king, who had left the ballroom without even dancing, summoned Catherine that very night and berated her.
“What in the world is all this, Catherine?! You couldn’t even control one worthless princess, and this disaster happened. On Foundation Day, no less! How can I possibly trust you with state affairs now?!”
It was unfair.
The one who barged into the banquet hall was Ioret, so why should her own position be shaken? Why?
Why are you taking Ioret’s side, Father?
Swallowing the words rising to her throat and begging forgiveness had been unbearably humiliating.
She had spent ten years establishing herself as the sole heir in this royal family.
Because Queen Leila came from such an insignificant background, Catherine had started as nothing more than an empty shell of a Crown Princess—with no maternal relatives supporting her, no noble faction behind her, not even the people’s affection.
Meanwhile, Queen Charlotte had received overwhelming welcome from the entire kingdom the moment she married into Elovis. The same had been true for her daughter, Ioret.
Why? Why? What do I lack compared to them?
I was born much earlier. I’m far more beautiful and intelligent than Ioret!
So why does that bitch monopolize Father’s recognition, the nobles’ support, and even the people’s love?
All because her mother was some precious princess of Revia?
It was unfair.
She was the Crown Princess. Therefore, anything she herself could not possess, a mere princess like Ioret should not possess either.
That was why she decided to take everything away.
She wanted to see Ioret stripped of everything she had possessed since birth and dragged up to the execution platform before all the people.
Look well! The daughter of that Revia woman you praised so dearly is actually a traitor destined to destroy the kingdom!
The only queen worthy of this country is me. All of you were wrong!
As though entranced, Catherine repeated to herself,
“Yes, that’s right. Of course.”
Imagining her younger sister’s downfall made her feel slightly better.
No, it was still too early to kill her. Even if the marriage with Count Castlane ultimately failed, she could simply send her to the next candidate.
Smoothing out her vicious expression, Catherine pulled the bell rope. Maids entered and helped her dress.
Today was the day she would formally meet the envoys who had attended the Foundation Day banquet one by one.
It was an important day. Though the king had harshly scolded Catherine last night, he had not stripped her of the authority to receive the envoys.
‘I’m still far from losing Father’s trust. Until I inherit all the king’s authority, I must remain the good and capable daughter.’
After examining her flawless reflection in the mirror, Catherine headed toward the reception hall.
