Chapter 26
Even though Gaia’s words were as sharp as a dagger, Pri didn’t seem particularly shocked—it was something she had experienced many times before.
She already knew her sister disliked her. She was well aware that she had never had anything handed to her just for existing. Among the royal family of the Ezan Kingdom, Pri was the princess with the least—if she had anything at all, it was all earned through her own efforts. But her sisters never acknowledged that.
All she could do was quietly endure their tantrums. That was the role she had always played.
So Pri suppressed her feelings, forced a smile, and carefully changed the subject.
“I’m happy to see you, but… it seems you’re not.”
But today, she didn’t want to be like that. Especially here, of all places, she didn’t want to just accept it anymore.
She had been hurt so many times that she had come to believe she was someone it was okay to treat this way.
Stupid Pri. Simple-minded Pri.
Useless and worthless. That she was nothing without her sisters.
She was the third daughter—so of course she had to make sacrifices for them. And if she didn’t, then she was a bad child.
Those words didn’t only come from her sisters.
Her father was the same.
It was common for royalty to be married off to other countries or noble families for political gain.
But there had to be limits. And for the people of that kingdom, those limits were always crossed when it came to Pri.
The king of Ezan saw his daughter as nothing more than a bargaining chip.
Though the kingdom was known as the land of gold, with an abundance of it, gold was also the root of its greatest problems.
There was so much gold, and nowhere to use it.
If they could sell as much as they mined, Ezan wouldn’t just be called the land of gold—it would be known as a wealthy nation.
But it was a small kingdom, and exports were often blocked.
So even with all that precious gold, Ezan never grew into a major power.
That’s why Pri was about to be sold off as the seventh concubine to the head of the largest merchant group in a neighboring empire.
“We raised you so prettily until now—the least you can do is repay us this way!”
There was no room for argument.
Everyone pressured her in the same way. She didn’t even have the strength to say she didn’t want it. She believed she was someone who didn’t deserve to resist.
If the old merchant leader hadn’t died of old age—if he had lived just one more month—Pri would have been the seventh concubine and a widow.
Remembering that, and seeing the hostile look Gaia gave her, Pri’s face suddenly hardened.
Gaia shouted, as if irritated by her reaction.
“Stop pretending. If you were really happy to see me, you would’ve come to find me right away.”
“…You made it so clear you hated me the moment we met… I couldn’t.”
“Excuses. Are you talking back now? You really are hopeless. Who told you it was okay to speak like that? Actually, never mind. I don’t even want to hear your voice anymore.”
“Sister.”
Usually, Pri would’ve backed down by now, but this time, she called out to Gaia again. Gaia’s lips trembled.
“And I wasn’t the one who looked unhappy—you were. You frowned as soon as you saw me. You even scoffed.”
“I didn’t. It was you, sister… you just walked away like that…”
“Am I misremembering, then? Seems you’ve forgotten what happened in Ezan. Your memory was always bad. Always wrong.”
Pri’s confident gaze wavered helplessly.
Even as a child, this happened often. Her sisters always belittled her, calling her useless and inferior. And every time, Pri crumbled. She knew she couldn’t win against them emotionally.
“Your memory’s always wrong. I’m tired of correcting you.”
“Sister, I’m certain that day—”
“Enough. I know you’re just going to say something ridiculous again. That you’re right? You’ve never been right. I’m always the one who gets hurt because of you. Even now. I was actually happy to see my sister, but you ruined it. Why do you think I didn’t come to see you?”
Pri hesitated, her lips trembling.
“Is it… my fault again?”
“Yes. I didn’t come see you because I was disappointed in you. You didn’t even welcome me.”
So that’s it. It was the same, again.
She was always the emotional loser. She was the sensitive one, the one who overreacted.
And so Pri gave up on herself once more.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I should’ve come to see you first.”
“You always just say that. You never change. Someone like you shouldn’t even have been born!”
The breeze that had felt so pleasant—
The lightness she felt today—
Because she was so happy, the fall into despair hit even harder.
Pri’s expression froze.
“…What did I do that was so wrong?”
“Existing was wrong. I want to shut that mouth of yours. You’re not even sorry, are you? You just say you are. You’ve always been like that.”
“No, that’s not true—”
“I know. I hate those eyes, too. The way you look down on everyone. That’s why people hate you. That’s why I ended up here.”
“…Sister, really… really…”
“What?”
“You came here because of me?”
“That’s right.”
“Why?”
“Do I have to explain everything to you?”
Because of her promise with Argent, Gaia couldn’t say any more.
“Anyway, it’s your fault. Everything. Seeing your face makes me so angry I can’t stand it. Get lost. Just thinking someone like you is my sister makes me sick.”
If she said it that strongly, it had to be true.
That one misunderstanding, that one secret, weighed heavily on Pri’s chest.
‘So what he said was true… She really hates me that much… Maybe she was brought here by him. The way she’s reacting… it has to be forced.’
What Argent had said—she had hoped it wasn’t true, but it seemed it was close to the truth.
Was she no longer needed? Now that her sister was here, would she just be cast aside?
Would all the happiness and warmth she’d found here disappear like a fleeting dream?
Pri let out a deep sigh, then slowly relaxed her frozen expression.
“I’ll go now.”
“Get it together, Pri. I don’t know what nonsense you’ve been told here, but you’re an idiot. No one’s going to love someone like you.”
“……”
“Only family will ever accept and understand someone like you. Got it?”
“…Yes.”
As always, Pri had to tuck her tail like a scolded puppy.
She thought she’d found some freedom here—but no. She was still trapped in her family’s cage.
“Then get out. I want to rest.”
“…Okay.”
“And if you happen to see that man, tell him to give the medicine I mentioned to the physician.”
“…What medicine…”
“Just do what you’re told!”
“……”
Startled by her yelling, Pri hesitated, then nodded heavily.
“Yes.”
What more could she say?
Unlike when she entered, bright and cheerful, Pri left with her head low and shoulders heavy.
“Lady Pri.”
Normally, she would’ve turned toward Ian’s voice—but not this time. Without even looking, Pri walked as if in a trance.
The attendants nearby noticed the shift in her demeanor but said nothing. Pri didn’t explain. She simply walked with a blank expression, like someone else entirely.
‘Why did she tell me to pass on the message? If she was brought here to replace me, then she’ll do fine on her own. Why me…’
Before long, Pri had returned to her own quarters.
But she didn’t go to her room—she stood quietly in the cool, shaded rear garden.
For a long time.
“Did something happen?”
“……”
“Lady Pri.”
Concerned, Ian approached her cautiously.
“Yes.”
“I will always be by your side. Ready to listen, whenever you need.”
“Thank you.”
But she said nothing more. She simply sat in the garden for a long time.
The air had turned cold. Ian grew worried she might be chilled.
“I’ll bring you a shawl.”
“Would you?”
“Yes. Please wait just a moment. I’ll also ask some knights to stand guard, just in case.”
Worried, Ian kept looking back as he left—but Pri never looked at him.
She only sat there, quietly stroking a small stuffed doll she had taken from her pocket.
A doll Ian had given her. Somehow, touching it made the ache in her chest ease ever so slightly. So, like a habit, she kept fiddling with it.
She didn’t know how much time had passed when she heard footsteps approaching.
Unlike when Ian had left, Pri finally turned her head, drawn by an unfamiliar scent.
“You…”
“What a disappointed face you’re making.”
It was Argent.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you. But you’re not like usual today.”
“…I didn’t expect to meet you here.”
If she had, she would’ve hidden somewhere he couldn’t find her.
“You don’t seem happy to see me.”
“…I’m not sure.”
“I wasn’t going to come.”
But he had no choice. She looked so sad.
Argent reached out, as if to brush the wind-tossed hair from her face, but stopped short.
This meeting—wasn’t it always going to go like this? Didn’t he already expect how it would end?
‘And yet here I am, worried about you again.’
