Chapter 21
***
Belzer.
It was a territory near the lower part of the Ronde River that crossed the continent’s center. It had wide, fertile plains, clean water from the mountains, and was close to a port city.
Naturally, it used to be a place where people lived.
No—more than that.
It used to be a very good place to live.
‘That is… until the cursed land appeared right past the forest.’
“Won’t monsters jump out or something?”
Rivan shivered as he looked at the ruined village.
Broken windows, collapsed roofs, and broken fences… All that remained were traces of where people used to live.
A dead land.
But for Ryan, the man confidently walking ahead, it was the perfect place to live.
No people.
Probably full of wild animals.
Monsters that show up regularly.
‘Perfect place to hide and train his powers.’
Ryan probably cheered inside when he got this land after being released from prison—though he only pretended to complain on the outside.
“I found it! Our sweet home!”
Ryan suddenly shouted in joy as he spotted a three-story mansion down the old village road.
“…That place looks haunted.”
Rivan commented flatly.
I agreed.
It looked like a noble’s house from long ago. Definitely better than the one-story houses nearby, which were all destroyed…
Caw! Caw!
Just then, a creepy crow call echoed through the air.
I looked up at the mansion again.
‘A haunted mansion…?’
The door was open. The attic window at the top was missing. Parts of the stone walls were cracked and covered with ivy.
“How is it? Nice, right?”
Ryan seemed pretty happy.
When we went inside… It actually wasn’t too bad. Aside from the dusty old furniture and dishes making the place feel spooky, it wasn’t terrible.
“Let’s start cleaning.”
Rivan said seriously, pulling out cleaning tools.
***
The two men were clearly experienced in physical labor.
Swish, swish, swish!
Ryan opened all the windows and fetched two buckets of water. Rivan gathered all the trash and threw it out. They split the cleaning areas, holding dusters, cloths, and brooms. They didn’t waste a single moment.
‘I already noticed on the guest ship with those perfect blanket folds…’
They were clearly men who had served prison time.
As I watched the house become cleaner and cleaner, I realized something.
I’d lived such an easy life, born into a rich family with a good house. I never had to do anything.
But now?
If I don’t clean the house myself, it stays dirty. No maids to wash me. No cooks to feed me. If I don’t earn money, I’ll starve.
It’s obvious, but I hadn’t fully realized it before.
“How does it feel going from a princess to a maid overnight?”
Ryan teased me while scrubbing with a rag.
“Not bad. It’s satisfying to see the place get cleaner.”
I answered honestly as I stood on a short ladder and wiped dust from a window.
“If you’re done there, take a break. I’ll handle the rest.”
Squeeze.
Ryan wrung out his rag and looked over.
‘Hmm.’
Ryan may have lost everything overnight, but I’m sure he had his “prince” days too.
Did he never want to go back?
Even with his amazing powers, he gave it all up for something bigger.
‘It’s amazing a man like that ended up with a daughter like me.’
In this second life, I also decided to live that way.
But… I also don’t want to give up on having a good home, lots of money, or loyal servants.
I want to be a princess again.
But this time, with my own strength.
No regrets, no consequences.
But before all that…
“Dad, is there anything you wanted to do after getting out?”
“What?”
Ryan turned around while wiping the window frame.
“Not revenge. I mean, now that you’re free, is there somewhere you want to go? Something you want to eat?”
In the first timeline, Ryan probably didn’t rest at all. He must’ve focused only on revenge after 12 years in prison.
Even now, he’s probably planning to burn his youth in revenge.
“Or maybe something you want to have? Anything you want to try?”
I wanted to give Ryan a chance to breathe. To not live a life consumed by revenge…
“Hmm.”
Ryan frowned and thought hard about my sudden question.
Then, he said,
“…Dating?”
“?”
Slip—
“Hey!”
I nearly fell, but Ryan quickly caught me.
“Seriously? You can’t keep your balance on a tiny ladder like that?”
“It’s not that. I was just… surprised.”
“Surprised that I want to date?”
“…Yes. That answer was totally unexpected.”
Should I not be surprised?
Ryan’s still human after all.
And a man in his prime…
‘Did he have a lover in the first timeline?’
I’ll never know. But back then, it didn’t matter whether he did or not.
The Bassenberg family didn’t even remember he existed.
‘But this time…’
Dating?
He wants to date?
***
Everyone feels love at some point.
But in our family, everyone—including myself—had to marry the partner chosen by the head of the Bassenberg family.
Still, we were free to date before marriage.
Why was the Duke so generous about that?
Because he knew.
Love makes people weak. And a lover became an easy weakness to exploit.
Since our family was full of corruption, naturally, some children resisted.
Instead of punishing rebellious kids with beatings or torture, the Duke had a more effective method.
He targeted their precious lovers.
The ninth son, Richard, had his lover go missing. The tenth daughter, Krista, saw her lover collapse from sudden poisoning.
There was no proof, but I, Bania, knew the Duke was behind it.
In the end, both gave in and followed the Duke’s orders to protect their lovers.
“Daughter.”
“Yes, Father.”
That day, the Duke called for me.
“I heard military police raided the second auction house.”
He didn’t even look up as he wrote on a document.
“Elliot’s auction house?”
My older brother Elliot, the second son, was running all kinds of illegal businesses.
The worst was the secret auction house where anything illegal was sold.
“How did the imperial forces know? He needs tighter security.”
I said calmly.
Even though I was the one who leaked the auction details to my lover.
“Bania.”
The Duke set down his pen and stood up.
He was huge. When he stood right in front of me, I flinched without realizing.
“Stop seeing that man.”
“…!”
He knew everything.
He knew I gave information to my lover and sabotaged the auction.
“I didn’t kill him, and I let you act out, because…”
“…”
“I didn’t want you to resent your father. You are more precious to me than the others. You’re worth several times more.”
I slowly raised my head.
“But how much longer should I tolerate this?”
His face was cold.
“He’s ruining you. Do you really want me to kill him? Would that make you come to your senses?”
“…”
“Should I burn that pretty face of his? Or feed him to wild beasts? Or—”
“F-Father, please stop…!”
I couldn’t take it anymore and stopped him.
“I-I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”
“…”
“I won’t do it again. Never again…”
“Good.”
The Duke smiled and gently wiped the sweat from my forehead.
“That’s my good daughter.”
***
“Big bro— no, Father, please don’t.”
I said politely.
No surprise there