Chapter 02
It had been a few months since I possessed Lucilia’s body.
At first, I thought living as Lucilia would be easy. The task was simple.
Live quietly, without attracting attention! How hard could that be?
The Opal Palace, where Lucilia resided, was small and a bit boring, but it was only for three years—hardly a lifetime.
I thought three years would fly by. That’s what I thought, but…
“I’m going to die…”
I mumbled while lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling.
It was an old, worn-out ceiling. On the left corner, the wallpaper had peeled off, revealing wooden beams underneath, which reminded me of something.
“Ah, I want fried chicken.”
Just as I muttered that while staring at a patch of wallpaper shaped like a chicken drumstick, my stomach let out a loud growl.
Grrrrrrgle.
I rubbed my eyes for no reason. The ceiling looked blurry—probably just my imagination.
“I’m hungry…”
I turned to my side and sniffled.
Ever since I possessed this body, I’d been suffering from chronic hunger.
Lucilia was twelve this year. The perfect age for a growing appetite. The kind of age where you clear an entire table of food and then ask, “What’s for dessert?”
But in such a crucial stage, the food Lucilia got was…
“Your Highness, it’s Laura.”
Just then, a maid entered my room, holding a tray.
Ah, something I learned after living here for a month.
In this Opal Palace, no servant knocks before entering my room. They all barge in, announcing their names in a blunt tone.
In any other palace, they’d be executed for that kind of behavior—but here in the Opal Palace, it’s standard procedure.
“Here’s your meal.”
The maid named Laura placed the tray on the table and left without so much as a bow.
Letting out a deep sigh, I sat down and sighed again when I saw the tray.
Hard black bread of questionable age, a soup so thin it was practically water, and a coarse salad that looked like it had been made with weeds from the front yard.
How is this fit for a princess?
Still, I was hungry, so I forced myself to pick up the spoon. But before I even tasted the soup, my face contorted in disgust.
“The smell…”
A sour, unpleasant stench rose from the bowl. It was obviously spoiled.
“Today’s a bust too.”
I tossed the spoon aside. The small spoon clattered against the tray.
“These damn beggars…”
I was so drained that even my curses came out weak. I mumbled my resentment to no one in particular.
“At least don’t embezzle everything.”
Normally, princes and princesses receive a budget from the palace for the upkeep of their residences.
The problem? There isn’t a single person in this Opal Palace actually working for Lucilia.
The servants here are each loyal to someone else. They’re stationed here only to spy on me.
The steward belongs to the 4th prince. The chef is under the 15th princess. The handyman is the second cousin of the 7th princess’s trusted aide… you get the idea.
Even for a lowly princess like Lucilia, they treat me as a potential threat, so they keep tabs on me. Gotta admire my shady siblings for their thoroughness.
Naturally, none of the servants care about doing actual work. They only care about reporting my every move to their real masters—and siphoning off palace funds.
Since there’s not much to report, they put all their effort into the second job.
Which is why my life turned out like this.
“I’m going out.”
Without hesitation, I threw away the food and stepped outside.
In contrast to my churning stomach, the weather was beautiful. A bright blue sky with fluffy clouds drifting lazily across it.
“Oh my, Your Highness! Where are you going?”
I flinched and stopped walking.
A maid with short blonde hair was holding a laundry basket and looking at me.
Was her name Mariam? Miriam? Something like that… She was one of the newer hires. Probably a couple years older than me. The youngest among the servants.
I tried to sound as natural as possible.
“Going for a walk in the woods.”
Hearing that, she beamed brightly.
“I see. Have a nice walk!”
She gave a polite bow and skipped off toward the laundry area, smiling cheerfully for some reason.
I stood frozen in surprise.
Did my maid just greet me? With a smile?
But a few seconds later, I realized the truth.
‘Ah, she’s trying to get close so she can extract information. I won’t fall for it.’
Somehow, I had become a cynical city woman—or rather, a city princess—who trusted no one’s kindness.
Guess that means I’ve adapted to the Espérusa royal family. At the cost of my original humanity.
The heroine needs to show up soon… I thought, trudging toward the woods.
The imperial palace of Espérusa, home to the Emperor and his kin, wasn’t just a building—it was practically its own region.
Centered around Solem Palace where the Emperor resided, there were many other palaces scattered across the grounds—so vast that forests and even rivers lay between them.
The Opal Palace, where I lived, was tucked away in a corner. Small and surrounded by forest, it was difficult for outsiders to reach.
At first, it felt like being exiled. But lately, I’d come to appreciate it.
Because I realized how blessed this forest truly was.
“Yah!”
Deep in the forest, I checked that no one was around, then lifted my skirt to my knees and tied it up with my belt to keep it from slipping.
And then I ran.
Through the empty forest, free.
I felt a thrill of liberation.
“Ah!”
While running, I came to a sudden stop. A white cluster was poking up from beneath a tree trunk.
“Mushrooms!”
I reached toward them, but just before I touched one, a strange sensation spread through my fingers.
“Ugh.”
I pulled back and reached again—this time the feeling was clearer.
My fingers tingled and turned cold.
Poisonous mushrooms.
“Tch. They looked delicious.”
As tempting as they were, I didn’t want my second life to end from eating mushrooms. So I walked away without a second thought. There were plenty more out there.
After a few steps, I found another patch—this time, they were safe. I happily began collecting them.
After months of barely surviving on garbage that couldn’t even be called food, I’d finally found a way to live.
By using Lucilia’s ability to feed myself.
At first, I tried scavenging within the Opal Palace. But the chef guarded the kitchen like a fortress. Even sneaking in at dawn yielded nothing—not even a slice of cheese.
Eventually, I turned my eyes outward. I remembered that Lucilia used to go for walks in the forest.
Maybe I’d find fruit trees if I was lucky?
That vague hope led me into the forest—and I was astonished.
The forest belonged to Lucilia.
I’d known she had a hidden ability. But reading about it and experiencing it firsthand were two different things.
Even the air felt different. The life energy in the forest was palpable. Tall trees and thick bushes that looked the same to others looked entirely unique to me.
A heightened sensitivity to flora and fauna.
That was the extent of my ability for now—but it was more than enough.
“Hup.”
After picking enough mushrooms, I stood up again. Using my folded-up skirt as an apron, I carried them as I walked.
Eventually, I arrived at a small, crumbling cabin.
Probably left behind by a forest ranger long ago, this place was originally discovered by Lucilia before I possessed her.
Lucilia had been scared of this rundown hut. She never came back after finding it once.
But to me, it was a perfect hideout.
I opened the door and stepped inside. The cramped, dark hut welcomed me. One wall was rotting, and it smelled musty.
Well, Lucilia was a princess, so of course she’d avoid a place like this.
But for me? This was nothing! I once lived in a semi-basement with all four walls covered in mold!
…Not that I’m proud of it.
Shaking my head, I lit the brazier. The fire pit and other random belongings had been left behind by the forest ranger, and I made good use of them.
While the charcoal burned, I skewered the mushrooms on an iron stick. When the flames were just right, I placed the skewer on a grate.
A pleasant aroma began to rise.
“Ahhh…”
The white mushrooms turned golden brown. Their juices bubbled on the surface, occasionally dripping onto the coals.
My mouth started to water.
A battle of will between hunger and restraint. After a few minutes, the mushrooms were perfectly grilled.
Charred to perfection, with a savory smell—absolutely flawless.
“Time to eat!”
Just as I opened my mouth for my first meal of the day—
KABOOOOOM.
A loud explosion shook the air.
“Eek!”
I curled up and covered my head. I had no idea what was happening—it was pure instinct.
What the hell? Did the brazier explode? But I wasn’t hurt at all…
When no second explosion followed, I cautiously raised my head.
“Gasp.”
And saw something absurd.
Half of the cabin was gone.
The wall that had been there moments ago was now a gaping hole. No—cleanly sliced away.
Through that wide-open space, someone was approaching.
The moment I saw him, a horrible fear gripped me.
He was just walking.
That was all—but it was terrifying.
His every move, every strand of hair, every step—was horrifying.
I wanted to run, but I couldn’t. I felt like if I moved even a little, I would die.
A man wrapped in a killing aura, more calamity than human, approached me.
“You.”
He spoke, and only after struggling to stay conscious did I notice the sword pointed at me.
“What are you doing here?”
Wh–who are you, sir…?
Trembling, I managed to lift my head. My eyes met those of the devil.
Eyes as red as freshly spilled blood.
Red eyes…?
“Gasp.”
I couldn’t breathe.
The 13th Princess was a novel about the main character, Imelda Belle Espérusa, ascending to the throne.
Where there’s a protagonist, there must be villains too.
There were minor one-off antagonists among her 18 siblings, and there were archenemies who kept the outcome uncertain until the very end.
Three major rivals tormented Imelda the most:
The First Princess, Leonor Dunn, known as the Iron-Blooded.
The Fifth Prince, Rudolf Sol, heir to the Mage Tower and future Archmage.
And the Twelfth Prince, Richard Khan.
He was unmatched in combat—not just among the royal siblings, but in the entire empire.
But in terms of personality, he was the most psychopathic of all the Espérusa bloodline.
A man who enjoyed war and killing, who felt most alive when taking lives. If he weren’t a prince, he’d have been executed as a serial killer long ago.
“I’ll ask one last time.”
And his trademark was those blood-red eyes.
“Who are you?”
