CHAPTER 07
“First Princess, this way.”
“Mmm….”
With the maid’s help, I climbed onto the ivory chair, cold sweat trailing down my back. Right in front of me sat His Highness the Crown Prince, Evgeni’s older brother, and next to him—the Emperor himself.
“I had them prepare something the First Princess particularly enjoys.”
That’s what the maid said, but lamb steak wasn’t exactly my favorite. Still, what could I do? If they tell you to eat it, you eat it.
I picked up my knife and began slicing the lamb steak. A suffocating silence fell over the breakfast hall.
Servants, including Reynold, broke out into a cold sweat. Reynold cleared his throat awkwardly.
“But Your Majesty, it’s one thing to invite the Crown Prince, but why was the First Princess summoned to the breakfast table?”
My thoughts exactly.
‘Thanks to Reynold, I won’t have to ask.’
Grateful that he asked for me, I pretended to focus on cutting the steak as I glanced at the Emperor.
His cold eyes rolled lazily toward me—and met mine. I offered a harmless smile. Then he spoke.
“Because she’s like a frog.”
“…Pardon?”
“…Excuse me? Your Majesty?”
The words that came out of his mouth were completely random.
Shocked, Reynold and I took turns blinking in disbelief, repeating, “Excuse me?” and “Pardon?” like broken records.
But soon, I understood what he meant.
‘He’s telling me to know my place—or I’ll end up dead.’
Like the frog in that story who coveted a princess’s jewel and died for it.
We had spoken just yesterday in his office. The Emperor had given me something resembling a warning.
Not to provoke Evgeni again.
‘I was a fool to expect anything.’
Swallowing a bitter smile, I forced down the lamb steak. It felt like a rock in my stomach.
“A frog?! Your Majesty!”
Meanwhile, Reynold turned pale and whispered in Lius’s ear.
From his perspective, he couldn’t help but notice how sullenly Lirien poked at her food.
As he criticized, Lius looked unbothered.
“You know the story of the frog that coveted a princess’s jewel and died?”
“It’s a commoner folktale, isn’t it? Yes, I know it.”
Reynold frowned deeply.
The tale had been spread by nobles feeling threatened by the rise of commoners, essentially a warning: if you overstep your bounds, you’ll die like that frog.
A subtle way of saying: “Know your place.”
But why bring that up now?
Just as Reynold was about to voice his confusion, the Emperor paused his knife work and glanced at Lirien.
“She compared herself to that frog. I was warning her.”
He meant: “You’re a princess of the Estie Empire, not some lowly frog.”
‘…And how is a young princess supposed to understand that?’
Reynold looked at his liege with a mix of contempt and disbelief.
“Wouldn’t it have been better to explain it properly…?”
“Why?”
“From the Princess’s perspective, it would’ve sounded like a threat. Something like, ‘Step out of line again and you’ll be executed.’”
“Have you forgotten the greenhouse incident already? That child is sharp. She’ll interpret it the right way.”
Then he told someone to give her water since she seemed to be choking, but Lirien’s complexion had already paled.
Reynold rubbed his forehead.
‘It’s the way you say it that’s the problem.’
Even if he had a precious Second Princess, and could immediately tell what displeased her, he didn’t extend the same care to his other children.
Reynold looked sympathetically at Lirien, then glanced toward Lius’s brilliant silver hair.
“I have a question for you.”
“…Me?”
The Emperor wanted to ask the First Princess something?
Lirien’s fingers trembled with rare surprise as she looked at her father. Lius met her gaze with indifference.
Even the servants anxiously wondered what kind of question had warranted her being summoned.
“There’s a foolish faction stirring lately. Worse, many are beginning to follow them. Do you understand what I mean?”
It was a simple question, but because she had returned from the future, Lirien immediately grasped the context.
‘So this is when the anti-monarchist movement started taking root…!’
It made sense that she was summoned.
‘The Emperor must no longer trust me. In his memory, I always ran away. He’s testing me.’
A test to see if she had the qualities of a true princess.
The test had already begun. Lirien gulped and opened her mouth.
“I….”
Everyone turned to the small princess standing before the Emperor.
“Bring me some digestive medicine… please…”
“Oh! First Princess, you’ve returned!”
It seemed someone other than Myulin was attending me today. A woman with tightly tied brown hair approached.
“Is it your turn today, Ilia?”
“Y-You know my name?!”
“You’re one of my maids—of course I do.”
In truth, before I turned back time, Ilia had once reported Myulin’s suspicious behavior to me and got caught. After that, Evgeni had her removed.
I hadn’t seen her since—likely dismissed.
I smiled at her warmly.
“Ilia Barschen, right? How’s Baron Barschen doing? I heard he was expanding a business?”
She nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes! He’s pursuing a weapons business. If His Majesty approves, it should launch soon.”
“That’s wonderful. I’m sure it’ll succeed.”
When I played along, Ilia blushed. She was at least a head taller than me, but her demeanor was like a little sister.
Anyway, rubbing my bloated stomach, I said,
“By the way, I think I got a bit of indigestion from breakfast. I’m sorry, but could you bring me something for it quickly?”
“O-Oh no! I’m so sorry! I’ll be right back!”
Once she left, I collapsed onto the bed.
“How was breakfast with His Majesty?”
Ilia asked, and I put down my book, frowning.
“I’m not sure.”
“Huh? Why? Not even Princess Evgeni or Prince Isavel were invited! Maybe His Majesty finally recognized your value?”
She seemed thrilled—but my thoughts were different.
‘There’s no way the Emperor saw my value. It was a warning.’
He said I was like a frog.
He was telling me: if I didn’t want to be a useless pawn in the palace’s power games, I should stay still. And that question—about how to handle rebellion—was another test in disguise.
“Like Emen, he suspects me.”
“Why would His Majesty suspect you?”
“Because I gave him a reason.”
Time to lay low and avoid rash actions.
With that, I picked my book back up.
What I didn’t know was—
“Why was she invited to breakfast with His Majesty? Why not me…?”
Evgeni would come looking for a fight.
It happened like this—
Still nauseous from breakfast, I stepped out of the First Princess’s palace for a walk after a late lunch.
That’s when I ran into someone I didn’t want to see.
“P-Princess Evgeni! You’ll fall if you run like that…!”
“I need to ask Riri something!”
I had nothing to say to you. Honestly, I wish you’d just vanish.
‘I shouldn’t have come out—I ruined my day.’
I tried to hurry back inside before Evgeni saw me, but she rushed forward at full speed and grabbed my wrist.
Swoosh—!
“R-Riri…?”
Out of reflex, I yanked my hand away. Her eyes welled with tears as she murmured pitifully.
“Why… why did you pull away so harshly…?”
“I-I was surprised. You grabbed me so suddenly….”
“But I used to always hold your hand. Why are you acting like I’m something you shouldn’t touch?”
She always twisted words—then and now.
Suppressing my irritation, I ran a hand through my hair. Her maids, Lanya and Blemie, were rushing up behind her, so I quickly masked my expression.
I spoke coolly.
“What are you talking about? Anyone would react the same if grabbed out of nowhere.”
“…You’re overreacting.”
She pouted her lips.
I stared at her in disbelief. With tears in her eyes, Lanya and Blemie stood protectively behind her.
To an outsider, it probably looked like I was bullying her.
Clicking my tongue, I said to her maids,
“Can’t you see we’re talking?”
“Her Highness the Second Princess is crying. That’s why we stepped in.”
Blemie answered bluntly. I scoffed.
“Then I suppose our conversation is over. She’s clearly upset, so take her back.”
“R-Riri!”
As I turned, Evgeni broke free from her maids and blocked my path.
“Our talk isn’t finished!”
“Actually, we didn’t even start. Let’s not make a scene—go back to your palace.”
I hate this.
You don’t know this, but I was poisoned and died while talking to you in my palace.
Who in their right mind would want to speak with their murderer—especially under the same circumstances as before?
Some would call that foolish. I refused to be a fool, so I shook my head.
Evgeni’s face twisted.
“Let’s talk here then. It doesn’t seem important anyway. No need to go to my palace.”
“It’s not… important?”
“Right. Not really.”
You want to ask about this morning, don’t you?
And I was right. Her fists clenched and her teeth ground audibly.
“How is being invited to breakfast with His Majesty not important?!”
“It was just an invitation.”
“Why though…?”
“Why are you asking me? He’s the one who invited me.”
“Why did you go?! You didn’t have to!”
I frowned. How could a princess ignore a direct summons from the Emperor?
‘Please stop being ridiculous.’
Just as I was about to say something—
“Why were you the one invited to breakfast…? Why not me…?”
Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her face flushed red, and she began sobbing uncontrollably.
“P-Princess Evgeni…!”
“Dear heavens! Fetch the royal physician—immediately!”
She collapsed.
“H-hic…! Hah…”
Her breathing turned labored—likely a panic attack. The court physician stationed in my palace rushed out to check on her.
Eventually, even the Emperor himself appeared and carried her away.
I stood there, alone, watching everyone disappear into the distance.
“Well, I’m screwed.”
I muttered as I sat in a field after my garden stroll.
Evgeni fainted.
Not that I was particularly concerned—she had a habit of dramatic collapses to gain attention. But the panic attack afterward… that was the problem.
Evgeni’s health was as delicate as her appearance.
Before I turned back time, I had to follow her around like a shadow, taking care of her. I spent countless days being dragged into unwanted situations.
I knew all too well—Emperor Lius was soft on her when she had panic attacks.
I could already imagine how she’d twist the story and report to the Emperor.
Grimacing, I rubbed my temples.
“Knowing the future doesn’t make this a smooth path—it’s still full of thorns.”
Mocking myself, I plucked a wildflower and played a fortune-telling game with its petals.
Will the Emperor punish me—or let this go?
I’d find out once Evgeni woke up, but for now, I was shaken enough to put faith in superstition.
But that day… Evgeni didn’t wake up.
“Another batch of gifts arrived for Princess Evgeni today.”
On the fourth day after her collapse—
I glanced at Evgeni’s palace through the window, then turned to see Ilia’s somber expression.
Beside her, Myulin scolded her.
“Well of course, she fainted. Imagine waking up to a mountain of gifts—it’ll cheer her up.”
“Myulin, you’re working overtime tonight.”
“Huh?”
“Looks like dust built up in the empty rooms. Clean them all—alone. Got it?”
“Yes…”
Myulin slunk out, and Ilia laughed so hard she held her sides.
As I turned back to the window, I saw carriages lining up in front of Evgeni’s palace—luxurious, all carrying piles of gifts.
Among them were dukes’ carriages and even envoys from the temple.
I was about to sigh when Ilia’s face turned gloomy again.
As she quietly straightened my bedding, she said,
“Four days now. So many visitors. But wasn’t it not even your fault, First Princess?”
“She often collapses when upset. She’s the Emperor’s weak spot.”
“Even so, people are saying it was your fault…”
Probably Lanya and Blemie spreading those rumors on purpose.
‘They’ve always hated me anyway.’
I’d anticipated the gossip as soon as Evgeni collapsed, so I wasn’t too fazed.
Smirking, I gently brushed lint off Ilia’s cheek.
“Rumors can be silenced.”
“How?”
“Well, that’s what I need to figure out now.”
Until then, I just had to plan how to make Evgeni pay for this.
Most importantly—
“She never stays unconscious more than five days.”
