Episode 1
“I, the Second Princess of Leella, pay my respects to the Emperor of Habib.”
“Yes, you’ve arriv— cough, cough!”
I’d heard the emperor was old, but having him cough instead of answering my greeting left me completely lost.
‘My name is Lirin Rostell La Farka.’
The second princess of the defeated kingdom of Leella, who arrived in this empire just today.
Rosa must have coaxed the envoy with saccharine words, but in truth, the Empire was quite lenient toward us.
‘Among all the nations defeated in the Pyra Alliance, none received surrender terms as simple as ours.’
Unlike other countries that were practically stripped bare and forced into vassalage, we were only given one condition:
Offer one of the two princesses.
‘Judging by how they considered Rosa and me equal, they must have misunderstood something.’
We didn’t bother correcting that misconception.
Of course not.
What if they demanded Rosa instead?
I am nothing, but Rosa… Rosa is different.
‘My sister Rosa is a prophet chosen by God.’
Trying to look concerned, I bowed low and asked,
“Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell?”
Cough, cough!
Instead of answering, the emperor crooked his finger.
As a princess who grew up without luxury, I wasn’t so proud that I’d defy an order over something like this.
So I simply did as I was told and approached.
Just as instructed.
But when I crawled closer on my knees and finally looked up at the emperor lying on the bed—
“Ghk!”
He suddenly grabbed his chest and collapsed forward.
“Your Majesty?”
Instinctively, I supported him and shouted toward the door.
“Some— someone! His Majesty is ill! Someone, quickly—!”
Seeing his lips turn blue, I even wished I could die in his place, but of course, that didn’t happen.
‘How could it?’
All I, Lirin Rostell La Farka, possessed was good health.
Guards rushed in, pulled me away from the emperor, and shouted,
“What did you do to him?!”
“N– nothing! I didn’t do anything!”
I really hadn’t.
All I’d done was greet him…
The emperor coughed and died right there, and I was dragged to an underground prison as his murderer.
‘…This can’t be happening.’
Bang!
Thick iron bars blocked my view.
I clung to the cold, grimy bars and pleaded.
“It wasn’t me! I didn’t do anything!”
Naturally, no one listened.
They threw me into a dark, damp dungeon wearing nothing but a thin shift.
I didn’t even have a dagger— I didn’t even have a hairpin sharp enough to stab someone. They took everything I wore, even my dress.
‘What am I supposed to do…?’
I was overwhelmed with fear.
Dying because of a false accusation was bad enough, but what worried me even more was—
‘Rosa’s prophecy was wrong.’
Rosa Rostell La Farka.
My twin sister, identical to me in appearance.
A prophet chosen by God since she was fifteen. Leella’s pride.
She couldn’t see every future, but the futures she did see determined whether our tiny kingdom prospered or perished.
‘And not once— not once— had her prophecies ever been wrong.’
We only retreated at the right time and survived the war because of Rosa.
We surrendered under lenient terms because of Rosa.
And the reason I came as a hostage without fear…
“Lirin, the emperor is obsessed with his Third Empress. She is jealous and possessive— he won’t even look your way. Once he forgets about you, take frequent walks in the back garden.”
That was what Rosa told me.
When I asked why I needed to walk there, that ridiculous sister of mine had giggled.
“Because the Crown Prince will fall in love with you at first sight.”
It was less like a prophecy and more like a fairy tale— too sweet to be real.
“And always carry your sachet. You know it’s a lucky charm.”
Even that precious sachet Rosa gave me— taken away.
‘Rosa, are you watching? The emperor died. If I’m framed for murder… our kingdom will be in danger.’
I curled up in the windowless cell and silently called her name.
I trembled with fear the entire night.
I didn’t know how much time had passed when I heard polished shoes approaching.
Step, step.
I opened my eyes just enough to see the glossy toe of an immaculate boot.
Something dropped to the floor.
‘My sachet…’
I stared at it, stunned, and slowly lifted my gaze.
Long legs. Perfect imperial uniform. A blue cloak. Skin pale even in a dungeon, steel-gray eyes, hair the color of moonlight.
I had never seen him before, but there was no mistaking him.
‘Crown Prince Shaid Joseph Valenhayer.’
The man Rosa said would be my destined love.
Instead of strolling through the garden, I was crouched in a prison cell.
A second prophecy that didn’t come true.
With a voice smaller than an ant, I murmured,
“I… I didn’t do anything. I didn’t hurt him.”
Shaid didn’t answer.
He just stared silently, then sat down on the damp stone floor.
He picked up my sachet, squeezing it lightly.
He must’ve found no evidence that I killed the emperor.
‘He’s trying to make me confess.’
If I could confess, I would. But I was innocent.
Then suddenly, he spoke.
“Siarel.”
“…What?”
“That’s the name of the herb inside this sachet. Are you aware of that?”
Oh— the herb inside the sachet?
I blankly shook my head.
I carried it because it smelled nice. I knew nothing about plants.
“Coughing, breathing difficulties, cardiac arrest. Even a single leaf can cause those symptoms if ingested. In some cases, inhaling it is enough.”
“I… I don’t understand. It’s just a sachet. I’ve used the same herbs since I was seven…”
Shaid loosened the string and poured the contents into his palm.
A pile of dried leaves.
I watched nervously— then something impossible happened.
Hiss.
Smoke. Burning skin.
My eyes widened.
“Siarel grows in the northern mountains of Habib. Its scent resembles that of Mercure, but touching it causes immediate chemical burns. It is a deadly poison.”
“That’s… that’s impossible.”
I stared at the leaves in his blistering palm.
“You know what I want to know?”
He dusted off his burning hand.
“Then how are you perfectly unharmed?”
Blisters already swelled on his palm.
I crawled forward and grabbed some leaves between the bars.
My hands trembled as I opened one. It was curled, shaped like a tiny palm.
‘This is the same herb I’ve always carried.’
The sachet was embroidered with my name in childish, uneven stitching.
Done by seven‑year‑old me— no one could imitate it.
‘It’s definitely mine…’
I crushed the leaves gently.
They turned to powder. They didn’t burn my skin.
I opened my mouth to insist on my innocence, but Shaid spoke first, voice cold.
“…You’re resistant to poison.”
“What?”
“I— I’m not. I don’t have anything like that.”
Shaid gestured to the guard.
The guard casually picked up the leaves and rubbed them between his fingers, just as I did.
That strange smell…
As he brushed the powder off, pieces of his skin peeled away.
Just that brief contact created raw, bleeding flesh.
‘What is that…?’
Horrified, I stared at my unblemished hands.
Smooth. White.
Too perfect. Too untouched.
“Go get treatment.”
The guard hurried away.
In the distance, he coughed— the same horrible sound the emperor made before he died.
Shaid turned to me. His gaze was sharp.
“A healthy person does not die from a small exposure. More importantly— were you unaware of your resistance?”
I should have answered. I should have said I didn’t know.
But I was too stunned.
‘I’m resistant to poison?’
And didn’t even know?
That means I survived years of constant exposure…
“Do you have healing powers? Some people with strong regenerative abilities gain resistance naturally.”
I shook my head frantically.
“No. I—I don’t have any abilities. Nothing.”
“Have you ever been sick?”
I blinked.
No. I’d never been sick.
But not because of magic— because I was just… healthy.
“Have you ever been injured?”
He asked again.
“You said you’ve carried this sachet since you were seven. Since then, have you ever been wounded?”
No.
There were times I could have been hurt, but every time—
Rosa was hurt instead.
My twin. The one with the weaker body. Protecting me.
“Who gave you the sachet?”
I flinched.
My throat closed.
“You replaced the herbs every time the scent faded. Yet you don’t even know the plant’s name. Who filled it?”
I couldn’t answer.
The person who gave me the sachet—
Were they trying to kill me?
Or did they already know I had poison resistance?
“Lirin, we don’t have much time. Tell me.”
The person who embroidered my name with hands identical to mine.
The person who replaced the poisonous herbs year after year.
The person who protected me all this time.
It was—
“Your sister, wasn’t it?”
I stared at Shaid, trembling.
“Princess Rosa offered you as a concubine before we even demanded terms.”
Concubine?
No— Rosa said that would never happen. The Third Empress would never allow it—
“You’re going to die for someone who abandoned you?”
Rosa… would never…
Rosa. My twin sister.
I came here for Rosa.
‘I have no abilities. She is important.’
If she survives, Leella survives.
I could give myself up. Even be a concubine. Even die.
But Rosa…
“You’ll be happy. I saw it. Everyone in Habib will love you.”
Did she have to deceive me to that extent?
One apology—
Just one—
and I would have died for her.
“Princess Lirin.”
Through blurred vision, I saw Shaid stand.
Footsteps approached, followed by a sharp, furious voice.
“Your Highness, what are you doing? Why hasn’t she been executed yet?!”
Shaid rose, leaned close, and whispered urgently.
“Say it was your sister. Say you didn’t do it. Now.”
I couldn’t.
Even if Rosa abandoned me…
I could not speak her name.
If I did, the empire would use me as a witness to crush Leella again.
I might hate Rosa.
I might resent her.
But because of her, thousands lived.
‘I am… still a princess.’
Rosa must have foreseen this, too.
Me, dying silently without naming her.
“Lirin!”
The iron door creaked open.
“If you won’t do it, then I will!”
A woman in black mourning dress stormed in, soldiers behind her.
The Third Empress. The emperor’s last love.
She ripped a sword from a guard’s belt.
“Die, you wicked thing!”
The blade plunged into my heart.
As pain tore through me, Rosa’s face appeared in my mind.
My twin, smiling as she sent me to die.
Tears ran down my cheeks.
‘Dear God… if I am reborn…
please, let me not be born a twin princess again.’
Darkness swallowed me.
