Chapter 05
“What? What is this commotion about?”
My father cast a chilling gaze at the court official who had burst into my birthday banquet without permission. Upon hearing my father’s question, the official cried out urgently.
“A crack has appeared in the rear barrier of the West Palace! It is being repaired quickly, but the Monster Birds are running wild, so Lord Rokshan must come immediately!”
In an instant, chaos erupted in the banquet hall. My father’s face was filled with clear shock.
“What? A crack in the barrier? No signal went off, so how!”
“The Tower of Void is currently investigating the cause! Her Majesty heard the news on her way here and has moved urgently. The movement of the Monster Birds is unusual, and she ordered that Lord Rokshan be brought at once, so please hurry!”
My father’s eyes instantly turned sharp.
“Kuncha, please look after Asphodel.”
“Don’t worry and go quickly; I will be with the children.”
“Adel, I will be back soon.”
Without wasting a moment, he entrusted me to the Third Consort, who was closest to him, and left the banquet hall like the wind.
“A crack in the barrier! I have no idea what is going on.”
“Indeed.”
Standing where my father had left, I remained still, holding a gift box in my hands. People buzzed noisily. I was familiar with their lack of tension. Despite this unprecedented disturbance, it seemed no one actually believed the barrier would break and allow magical beasts to invade the Imperial Palace.
“Goodness, what an ominous sign to happen specifically on the Third Princess’s birthday.”
“My thoughts exactly. Ever since the Tower of Void took charge, there hasn’t been a single problem with the barrier…”
Some talkative people glanced at me and whispered while my father was away. My father, Rokshan Hyserion, was from a prestigious family, as the subordinate of the Fourth Prince who came to assassinate me had mentioned, and he held almost all of my mother’s favor. Because of this, he often drew the caution and jealousy of my mother’s other consorts and their supporting factions.
Furthermore, to speak with a bit of personal bias… Unlike his elegant and beautiful appearance, which resembled a white heron, he was the top-ranked Divine Beast Summoner and a great hunter of magical beasts in Lozantina. Whenever magical beasts crossed the border and caused trouble, it was always my father who stood at the forefront to wipe them out. Watching him cut through the wind while riding a divine beast was quite cool, even to me.
To put it simply, he was an orchid when dressed, but a beast when undressed…
Ahem.
It was a bit inappropriate for a daughter to say, but it was an objective collection of evaluations from others. Anyway, that’s not what’s important right now.
“Good grief, this boring banquet is just going to get longer.”
I had been dazed by the aftermath of returning to the past once again, but I snapped out of it at the sound of a voice. A boy who had been making it obvious he was attending the banquet against his will was standing near me, frowning in disapproval. He was the nine-year-old First Prince, Euclied.
“In the first place, I don’t know why such an annoying banquet was held to call everyone together for something as trivial as a yearly birthday.”
Lines that I could now recite perfectly, down to every single syllable, flowed from the First Prince’s mouth.
‘Wow, I really did regress.’
It was time for the character introductions, which felt like a game tutorial. In the Lozantina Imperial Family, there were four princes and three princesses. Among them, the First Prince Euclied was a handsome boy with blonde hair and green eyes—the typical image of a prince on a white horse. It would have been nice if his personality was as warm as his elegant appearance, but he was cold and heartless.
‘I feel like you’re always wearing a mask. If you don’t even show your true heart, do you really think you can win someone over with such fake kindness? Give up on such vain expectations.’
He was the one who had thrown those bone-aching words at me. Of course, novel readers went wild over the sight of such an arrogant guy being hooked by the female lead and transforming into a kind older brother.
‘I was like that too back then… though that’s all in the past.’
For reference, he was also the brother of the female lead who was brutally murdered by the final villain at the end of the novel. But now, in his young and healthy state, First Prince Euclied clicked his tongue in frustration.
“If I knew this would happen, I would have just stayed in my palace to practice swordsmanship more. I wasted my time for nothing.”
“I agree. Like Brother Euclied said, I’ve never seen such a boring birthday banquet.”
A pretty boy standing next to Euclied with a prim face cut in as if he had been waiting.
‘Right, I knew you would show up this time.’
Second Prince Rubelio, who had long light pink hair and light purple eyes. He was dressed so flamboyantly that it was hard to tell who the guest of honor was. Rubelio was a rare character in the novel who was never won over by the protagonist, Asphodel, until the very end.
“Furthermore, for a crack to appear on today of all days in the barrier that hasn’t had a problem since the Tower of Void was built… Asphodel, are you sure you haven’t brought some unclean energy with you?”
This was because the role assigned to the Second Prince Rubelio was that of a mid-boss level villain, mainly responsible for causing conflict within the palace during Asphodel’s childhood. To be more specific, you could say he was in the “villainess” position—jealous of the female lead, picking fights at every turn, and plotting petty schemes. Usually, in romance fantasy novels, this role is taken by a sister, but here, the Second Prince was very active.
“It’s so coincidental for something like this to happen on your birthday. Ah, do you even know what the word ‘coincidental’ means? Is it too difficult a word for a child who still needs to drink milk?”
He was only a seven-year-old shrimp himself, yet listen to him talk. Second Prince Rubelio was arrogant and held his head high. His hobby was wandering around Asphodel and picking fights whenever he was bored.
“Everyone, stop being like that to Adel. She must have been very surprised by this sudden event.”
The last to appear was the Second Princess, Alexia, with blonde hair and golden eyes. Among Asphodel’s half-siblings gathered there, she was the only one who took my side. She had blonde hair cut short to her ears and active clothing. With her refreshing features and playful impression, she was someone whose gender was hard to tell at a glance—in a way that was the exact opposite of Rubelio.
“And anyway, since Father Rokshan has gone, nothing bad will happen. Right, Adel?”
As she spoke to reassure me, her grinning face looked more like a mischievous child than a princess of a nation. But one shouldn’t be fooled by that appearance. During my first possession, she was one of the hardest characters to win over, second only to the Empress Mother, La Belika. That refreshing, puppy-like charm wasn’t everything she had.
Anyway, these three siblings who just took turns speaking their lines are all main characters of the novel. There were other older sisters and brothers not present, but they aren’t very important, so let’s skip the explanation for now.
‘Whether it was those guys or these guys, it’s all the same—none of us were close.’
“Princess, it seems the birthday banquet will be delayed a bit. Shall we sit and wait until Lord Rokshan returns?”
Just then, Margaret, the head maid who looks after my overall life, approached.
“Wait a moment, Margaret.”
After telling her to wait, I moved my small body quickly.
“Adel, what are you doing? Why are you putting that in there?”
Second Princess Alexia tilted her head as she watched my actions. It was understandable that she found it strange, as I had suddenly shoved the gift box I was holding under a cabinet next to a pillar in the banquet hall. Seeing me, the First Prince frowned slightly, and the Second Prince sneered.
“What, are you trying to play a childish game of treasure hunt?”
“Tsk, this is why children are a problem. Well, if you really beg me to play with you, I might consider it once?”
What is he talking about? I have no intention of playing with you guys either. It’s just that this spot is a safe zone, you idiots.
Boom!
Crash! Shatter…!
“Kieeeek!”
The event began before the words were even finished.
“W-what is that?!”
“Eek, what is that thing!”
Suddenly, a loud roar echoed from outside, and a white mass flew in, smashing the windows at the top of the banquet hall.
***
“Kyaaaaak…!”
A monster with a torn-open mouth roared fiercely, baring its maw. I had expected it, but no matter how many times I see it, the introduction is always intense.
“It-it’s a Monster Bird!”
“My God, has the barrier actually broken?!”
The people were horrified. As the Second Prince said earlier, this was the first time a magical beast had invaded through the palace barrier since the Tower of Void, which was responsible for the barrier’s protection, was established. Of course, Asphodel’s father, Rokshan, had gone to provide support to drive away the beasts while repairing the barrier, but unfortunately, the disaster happened before he could even arrive.
I clicked my tongue.
‘I should have realized sooner that this was the foreshadowing for that random monster invasion that happens later.’
