ATIRPBT 01

CHAPTER 01

“…Why… Why is it you…?”

At my murmured words, she simply smiled.

Her silver hair shimmered like strands of fine silk, as if each strand had been delicately woven by a master artisan. And her ruby-like eyes sparkled with a sharp, calculating gleam.

At a glance, she looked like an angel. But considering this girl—my half-sister—is standing before me trying to poison me, the scene sent chills down my spine.

Choking, I spat out a mouthful of blood, my eyes filled with despair as I muttered again,

“Yevgeny… What did you just do to me…?”

As I looked up with trembling eyes, she wore a twisted smile.

“Please, Sister… Don’t call my name with that filthy mouth of yours.”

Her cold eyes, her voice laced with disgust—what was even colder was her expression as she looked at me.

The teacup in my hand had long shattered on the marble floor. I collapsed onto the shards.

‘Am I really going to die like this…?’

So this is how it ends—poisoned by my half-sister.

Tears of injustice streamed down my cheeks as Yevgeny, who had been staring down at me, covered her face with her hand and spoke in a falsely grieving tone.

“This is all your fault, Riri. You shouldn’t have coveted what wasn’t yours… I had no choice but to take it back…”

She then sat down on the floor, dramatically hiding her face.

I was the one poisoned, and yet she played the victim.

Unbelievable. I tried to glare, but my body, paralyzed by the poison, wouldn’t respond.

With my final breath, I spat at her, my voice full of venom.

“You damned wench.”

That’s when it happened.

Flash!

As if something inside me exploded, a searing heat radiated outward, engulfing both me and Yevgeny in a blinding light.

My eyes widened, and everything after that became a blur, like rain washing away a memory.

It was only natural—

“Milady—”

“Your Highness…!”

“Princess!!”

—Because I had clearly returned.

Mullin shouted.

“Are you planning to sleep all day?! If you’re late, what are you going to do?! Unlike you, Princess Lirien, I’m a very busy person with mountains of tasks!”

She busily tidied the bedding as I sat up, staring at her with a frozen expression.

‘What’s going on…?’

Mullin Merea, who had been dismissed five years ago, was standing right here.

“Princess, can’t you hear me? I brought your wash water, so hurry and wash up.”

“You… Why are you here? You were fired—”

…Wait.

As I spoke, I startled myself by touching my throat.

My voice… was soft.

Looking around, I saw my tiny hands and feet.

And Mullin, whose hair had been cropped short after her dismissal, now had hair flowing down to her waist.

It was as if I had returned to the past.

‘No way… I’ve gotten younger?’

“Wh-What is this…?”

I muttered in disbelief, but Mullin snapped irritably.

“Princess, why are you acting so strange today? You keep muttering nonsense and darting your eyes around. Don’t you feel bad making me work overtime like this?”

I didn’t feel bad at all.

I ignored her and asked:

“What year is it in the Imperial Calendar?”

“…Are you ignoring me right now?”

“Just answer. As long as you work as my maid, your job is to answer what I ask. Got it?”

Mullin’s face froze for a moment.

Thrown off by my unusual tone, she eventually turned away and muttered,

“Imperial Year 374…”

My eyes widened in shock.

“Imperial Year 374…? That would make me…”

I did the math and gasped, my fingers trembling.

“Ten years old…! This is the year I turned ten!”

I had returned a full eight years before Yevgeny poisoned me.

Was it divine intervention? A second chance?

Just as I was pondering it, Mullin, clearly annoyed, slammed the washbasin in front of me.

“Th—Thank…”

I almost reflexively thanked her, but then my eyes narrowed.

“What… is this?”

I pointed at the basin, and she smiled innocently.

“Your wash water, milady.”

But floating on top were suspicious particles, and an awful stench rose from it.

Definitely dirty rag water.

‘How could I forget?’

Mullin had been one of Yevgeny’s spies—personally “loaned” to me when I was eight.

A plant. A hidden maid meant to dig into every detail of my life to better control and destroy me.

She tormented me all the way up until she got fired—and even the maid who replaced her was one of Yevgeny’s.

‘She used to torment me just like this…’

Back then, I was young and timid. I endured it all.

But now that I had died and come back, there was no way I was going to take it lying down.

‘Which means…’

“Use it yourself. I’ll be generous today.”

“Wh-What? What do you—Kyaaah!”

I grabbed Mullin by the hair and shoved her head straight into the basin.

Splash!

Her scream echoed through the room. When she jerked her head up, dripping, I looked down coldly.

“I thought your right eye still had sleep in it. I was just being kind. Any objections?”

“That’s not the point! Why would you—!”

With a relaxed expression, I said,

“Unless you’ve lost your mind, you should know your place, no?”

“Wh-What?”

“You don’t seem stupid, so… maybe the problem is that empty head of yours?”

“Wh-How dare you say something so vulgar!”

She flushed bright red and trembled with rage. I couldn’t help but laugh.

Seriously, she’s this shaken up over this?

When I laughed, she snapped,

“What’s so funny?!”

I gave her a pitying look.

“I was just wondering if I should send a formal complaint to Yevgeny about you.”

“…!”

“She did ‘loan’ you to me, after all. If her handpicked maid bites her master… I think she’d want to know.”

Mullin’s face went pale.

Sure, she might bully me now, but I was still a royal princess.

“I heard a rumor. If you get kicked out by the ‘useless’ princess, you’ll be blacklisted in high society.”

“…!”

“Oh wait, not just blacklisted—‘exiled,’ wasn’t it?”

Her face turned yellow as she realized she had messed with the wrong person.

Yeah. You don’t want to be cast out by my hand, do you?

That was your warning.

Push me again, and I’ll make sure you’re erased from society.

“Don’t just stand there—go bring fresh water.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

Grabbing the basin, Mullin scurried out.

I watched her go and then stood, placing my bare feet on the cold floor.

Walking to the full-length mirror in the corner, I pinched my cheek hard.

“…It’s not a dream.”

The pain, the texture—real.

Even after pinching again, I didn’t wake up. My body slowly relaxed.

“This isn’t a dream. I really came back.”

But why?

Why was I given a second chance?

‘What if… it really was all a dream?’

What if Yevgeny poisoning me was just a nightmare?

Looking in the mirror, I saw myself shaking my head.

“No… if it was a dream, it wouldn’t have felt so real.”

It was like my organs were being twisted and squeezed, like a soaked rag being wrung out.

Even if it was a dream…

‘Maybe a god showed me the future because I’ve lived so foolishly.’

I looked into the mirror again, now smiling faintly.

Despised by servants. Ignored by the emperor.

Scorned by the empress.

Malnourished, smaller and thinner than other girls my age.

‘At least my eyes are nice.’

Golden—my only inheritance from the emperor. My one redeeming trait.

I turned as Mullin returned with fresh, clean water this time—properly heated.

In the past, they would’ve handed me ice water in winter and told me to wash with it.

I carefully washed my face, then looked at Mullin.

She tried to force a smile.

I smiled gently back.

Too bad for her—I’m not the same pushover anymore.

Hope you had fun tormenting me.

Because that ends now, Mullin.

“Do you want to be fired?”

“W-What…?”

She flinched, eyes wide. I said kindly,

“Shouldn’t you bring clothes too? Or am I expected to wander around in my nightgown? Surely you brought the dressing maids too, right, Mullin?”

Her face turned pale.

Why’d you try to challenge your superior? Now I have to remind you of your place.

I smiled wickedly as I watched her freeze.

One hour later.

I was dressed and ready, Mullin following behind me looking half-dead.

Rightly so.

Every second, I found a reason to scold her:

“No accessories match my mood today. Mullin, you choose something. But if you choose poorly, I’ll be sending Yevgeny a complaint—”

“P-Princess Lirien, how about this…?”

“Too gaudy. How long have you worked in the palace and still can’t get this right?”

Or:

“You picked the accessories, now pick the dress. But if you mess up, I’ll—”

“Th-This dress suits you best, Princess…!”

“Oh? Sorry, not feeling it. You really have no taste, Mullin.”

Or:

“You picked the dress and jewelry—how about the shoes? Pick the wrong ones, and I’ll personally run to Yevgeny and—”

“M-Mary Janes are trendy these days…”

“Ugh. Mullin, I don’t even own Mary Janes. Have you been asleep all these years?”

I harassed her so much, the other maids started whispering:

“Is it just me, or is Princess Lirien acting strange today?”

“Maybe she finally snapped. Mullin was kind of a bully…”

“But still, her personality changed overnight! She’s threatening Mullin now, like she’s someone else…”

Just then—

“Sis!”

A voice interrupted the whispers. A familiar blond boy ran over. I turned with a gentle smile.

“Emyn.”

Emyn Le Caliburg.

My younger half-brother by two years.

He hugged me, his green eyes shining. I held him close as he grinned.

As I patted his head, he looked up at me curiously.

“Sis, why are you all dressed up? Is it a special day?”

“No. Nothing special.”

“Then why are you dressed like it’s a royal banquet?”

‘Because after dying, I decided to do things my way.’

Of course, I couldn’t say that, so I just smiled.

I sent the maids away and walked down the corridor with Emyn, who held my hand tightly.

“Sis, you look just like Yevgeny today.”

I stopped cold. Emyn hurried to explain.

“I-I just meant… she always dresses up so extravagantly. And you looked so nice, I got excited…”

He looked up nervously.

He was one of the few people in this palace who knew the truth.

He knew Yevgeny hated me. He knew I took the fall for her schemes. He was the only one who ever stood up for me.

So I smiled, bittersweet.

“Really? What do I look like today, then?”

“Hm… beautiful! Way more beautiful than Yevgeny!”

“Even if you’re just saying that, thank you.”

“No, really! Way more beautiful!”

He fidgeted adorably. I reached out to stroke his cheek—

“Ah, Sister.”

I froze.

My hand stopped mid-air. I turned my head.

She approached, soft white hair tied into two perfect pigtails, flanked by her maids.

She stopped in front of us.

“Sister, did you sleep well? No trouble during the night?”

Yevgeny de Caliburg.

“…Yevgeny.”

“Yes, Sister.”

Speak of the devil…

She heard everything.

The way her maids were glaring at Emyn confirmed it.

He shrank back, fiddling with his sleeve.

She definitely heard it.

I sighed.

Yevgeny smiled sweetly.

I really, really wanted to punch her.