Chapter 6
“Angels really are blonde… so handsome…”
I grinned as I looked at the angel’s face. The angel stared at me with blood-red eyes, then finally spoke.
“Hey.”
Wait… the angel’s eye color… why is it—
“Not coming to your senses?”
It’s exactly like Richard’s, isn’t it?
“AAAAAH!”
I snapped back to reality as if doused with cold water.
I’m not dead yet, am I? I’m still in my room, and Richard’s still right there?!
“Your Highness!”
At that moment, the sound of multiple footsteps rushed into my room.
“Your Highness! Just three seconds! Please, just wait three seconds!”
The man at the front shouted at us—or rather, at Richard.
I didn’t recognize him at first. With a sword at his side, he looked like a knight.
Knight, kind-looking face, brown hair braided to one side.
A man with a braid… there’s only one person who fits that description. I knew immediately who he was.
Luke Saiton. Richard’s personal knight.
The poor guy who only gets two or three hours of sleep a day cleaning up Richard’s messes.
In other words—he’s sane!
The only hope to calm this madman had appeared!
“Hey, am I a dog?”
Gulp. I covered my mouth in shock. Did I just… speak my thoughts out loud?
“Wait three seconds? You’re going to talk like that?”
Luckily, that wasn’t it. Richard glared at Luke, his voice a deep, growling tone—honestly very dog-like—but I was too scared to even think for fear he’d read my mind.
“And you.”
Richard’s gaze shifted back to me.
“You’re Lucilia?”
I nodded stiffly. My whole body was tense; if I spoke, I’d probably sound ridiculous.
“Seventeenth Princess?”
Nod, nod.
I nodded again, sneaking a peek behind Richard. Behind Luke were two knights, probably Richard’s, and a few of Opal Palace’s servants.
Wait… my servants are here? The master is about to be cut down, and you’re just standing there?!
I glared at them, full of anger and resentment.
Then Richard spun around.
Whoosh.
A beautiful flash of red danced before my eyes.
“AAAAAH!”
“Your Highness!”
I looked down in shock. Something rolled and bumped against my foot.
A familiar face.
Light brown hair, slightly darker eyes, always with a sulky little frown, and a tiny beauty mark under her lips.
Her name was Laura. My maid.
Well… not anymore. Her neck had been cut off. Haha.
“Your Highness, please!”
The sharp voice jolted me back to reality.
In that brief moment, Richard had already killed two more, leaving only the last servant. Luke had drawn his sword to block him.
“AAAAAH!”
The servant didn’t waste the opportunity and ran out.
Richard swung Luke’s sword aside and tried to chase the fleeing servant, but the other knights blocked the door. Luke stood firm in front of Richard, ready to stop him with his own body if necessary.
“Your Highness! Why are you doing this?! These people are neither assassins nor soldiers! They’re ordinary servants!”
“Ordinary?”
Richard laughed like a madman.
“Don’t you see them?”
He pointed—and it was me.
I flinched and stepped back.
“They said the Seventeenth Princess is twelve? Do you think that looks twelve? Even beggars on the street eat and dress better than that!”
Uh… that’s a bit harsh…
A small, silent protest ran through my mind, but honestly, I was startled.
He suddenly started killing my servants, and it seemed like it was because of me.
“You want to live after making the princess of the Esperusa Empire look like that?!”
I was treated worse than a beggar, denied the respect I deserved as a princess, and even the lowest servant in Opal Palace harassed me…
Because I was abused, Richard was angry.
It was a strange feeling. Something welled up deep inside me.
“But even so…!”
“Shut up!”
Richard’s sword began to glow with red energy. Luke tried to intervene, but Richard was faster.
Bang.
With a loud crash, Luke was slammed into a corner. The sword he held shattered like glass, scattering shards everywhere.
Richard pointed his sword at the door.
“Move.”
Anyone could tell the unspoken addition: or die. The knights hesitated, then stepped aside to let Richard pass.
“I’ll kill them all.”
He muttered this as he left the room, his voice grim, his eyes unfocused. Anyone could see he was completely unhinged.
“No!”
I ran after Richard. I nearly slipped in the blood but somehow managed to keep running out of the room.
“Your Highness!”
I screamed at him, but he staggered down the corridor without reacting.
Seriously? He’s mad at me, yet he’s ignoring my voice?!
“Your Highness! Prince Richard!”
I ran while Richard walked, the distance between us growing. Just as I thought I’d never catch up, he finally stopped.
“Your Highness?”
Hearing that, I went pale.
It was Miriam. The youngest maid in the palace.
The first child to ever smile at me.
I screamed with all my strength.
“Richard-ssi!”
A miracle, perhaps.
Richard, who looked ready to cut down anything in sight, visibly hesitated.
I ran desperately and stood between Richard and Miriam.
“Brother, please.”
I’m scared of dying. Even now.
But I couldn’t let Richard slaughter everyone, especially a child who had never harmed me.
And since he was mad at me, he wouldn’t kill her. Right?
I appealed to him.
“Stop it.”
“Why?”
Richard’s red eyes flashed dangerously. Facing them head-on felt like I might faint.
“Are you stupid? Are you completely empty inside? No pride, no nothing?”
He shouted at me.
“These bastards made you like this! Starved you! Abused you! Made you less than human!”
“Miriam didn’t!”
I shouted back.
Thankfully, Richard still seemed capable of listening. His threatening aura softened slightly.
I seized the opportunity.
“And if all my servants die, I die too.”
“What nonsense.”
Richard’s anger reignited.
“These bastards? You die if they die? How dare they threaten a princess?! Worthless little brats like them?!”
“No!”
I shouted desperately, refusing to be intimidated.
“These people are my lifeline! They tell my older siblings that I’m powerless and insignificant, and by doing that, they protect me!”
I paused mid-sentence.
Richard’s expression looked confused. He had no idea what I meant.
Of course, he wouldn’t understand this way of life.
I swallowed a bitter laugh and spoke slowly.
“The people you just killed were all spies sent from other palaces.”
“What?”
“They were sent to watch me. Laura was sent by the Eighth Prince, the other two by the Tenth Princess…”
I turned to look at Miriam, who flinched behind me.
“By the way, where did you come from?”
“Huh? Y-Your Highness, I…”
Miriam stammered, flustered.
Poor girl—how could she survive a life as a spy with such a weak poker face?
I clicked my tongue and turned back to Richard.
“She came from somewhere else too. Different senders, same as spies.”
Richard’s face twisted as if he’d encountered a complicated math problem.
“Then… should I kill more?”
He frowned for a moment, then lifted his head with a bright expression.
“Ah! Are you going to torture them? Keep them alive?”
Why would anyone torture people, you madman?!
I didn’t shout; I forced a calm expression. Words alone wouldn’t convince Richard.
“I won’t kill them. No torture. I’ll let them live and continue watching me.”
I looked him directly in the eye.
“That way, my other older siblings won’t kill me.”
Richard’s eyes widened.
“I have no interest in the throne, and I’m not capable of taking it. I want everyone to know that. Otherwise, I’ll die.”
Richard looked shocked. His surprise and frustration were written all over his beautiful face.
I smiled bitterly.
“You wouldn’t understand, Brother.”
Richard’s life was all about fighting. He survived by eliminating any enemy in front of him.
A way only he could do. A life carved out through sheer violence.
I didn’t expect him to understand my way of survival.
“I’ve just lived this way. And I’ll continue to live this way.”
I just wanted him to understand that.
“So please, don’t cause more trouble in my palace. I’m asking you.”
Richard had barged in and completely ruined my life plan.
He hesitated to respond, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly.
“You…”
Finally, he said:
“How long do you think you can last like this?”
I didn’t answer.
“For now, it’s fine. No one has the upper hand, so no one will bother with a small fry like you.”
I admit, I was impressed.
A genius swordsman but not bright—this was Richard from the original story.
Yet he had sharply assessed the situation.
“But the balance will break soon. In a few years, a bloodstorm will hit the palace, and kids like you will be swept up first! Weak, easy to use kids like you!”
If circumstances were different, I might have applauded him.
His prediction was chillingly accurate.
Exactly three years from now, a massive bloodstorm hits the palace. The first caught in it is someone like me.
Imelda Bel Esperusa.
The heroine I trust and follow.
“How long do you think you can last?!”
Three years. Exactly three years. After that, our heroine will come riding on a white horse like a superhero. Amen.
I said this solemnly in my heart, like a devoted priest.
Everything Richard said was correct—but only that far.
Imelda survives the bloodstorm of the throne struggle. She awakens and begins the path of a conqueror.
But I couldn’t tell Richard that.
I stepped closer, slowly, and took Richard’s sword-hand in mine.
He flinched slightly at the sudden contact.
“Thank you for worrying about me, Brother.”
