Chapter 10
That night, the full moon rose.
“Haahhh…”
I sighed for the umpteenth time while looking up at the silvery moon, as big as my head.
After that, mealtime was a cycle of my boring objections and Richard dismissing them as nonsense.
At first, I tried to argue politely, but Richard ignored me so much that later I ended up shouting.
Richard didn’t get angry. He didn’t try to calm me. No matter what I said, he just kept urging me to eat.
“Try this, try that, why aren’t you eating? Have you tried this before? Do you know what this is? Your chef can’t make this, right?”
It was really childish behavior. Using food to assert dominance—so petty.
But what was even more frustrating was that all the food Richard brought was indisputably delicious.
Especially when I took a bite of the whipped cream cake for dessert, I almost thought, “Forget Solea or anything else, just give me your chef!”
If this was all a strategy, Richard must be a genius, far beyond what the original story suggested.
“If you need anything, contact Ruby Palace.”
After the meal, Richard said this and left.
I mumbled a vague response and then shut myself in my room, continuing my unanswered worries.
“What should I do…”
My plan to quietly endure three years, then be carried along by the heroine and walk only on a flower path, was now completely, utterly destroyed.
Until yesterday, there had been hope. Nearly half of Opal Palace’s servants had died, but Luke had promised to prevent rumors from spreading as much as possible.
But now, that was over.
Richard had already decided to bring me into his faction. He came in broad daylight and even showered me with gifts. Luke couldn’t protect me anymore, and probably wouldn’t even try—Richard wouldn’t allow it.
By now, the palace must be buzzing with rumors. That Richard had recruited a little-known princess.
I groaned and clutched my head.
At this rate, I can’t follow the original story anymore. Three years later, the awakened Imelda only recruited weak, powerless princes and princesses. She would never come for someone like me, who’s on Richard’s side.
Ah… first, I should even worry about surviving the next three years. If anyone hears I’m aligned with Richard, there are plenty who would kill me without question. Haha…
“Please… let me live…”
I hugged my pillow and buried my face in it. A pleasant floral scent lingered. Not from the pillow, but carried in on the spring breeze through the open window—acacia flowers.
Soft air, a big shining moon, rich floral fragrance. On this perfectly beautiful night, I was worrying about how to survive just one more day. How miserable.
“Maybe I should just side with Richard?”
I thought it over, and at this point, this seemed like the most realistic strategy.
In the original story, Richard lost to Imelda. But if I remembered the original correctly, I might be able to put Richard on the throne. Knowing the future is a huge advantage.
“But… that’s…”
I sighed again, for who knows which time.
“For now… it’s scary.”
I wasn’t ready to jump into the middle of political battles. Assassination risk would spike, and I had to consider that Richard might change his mind and abandon me.
Plus, there’s a fatal flaw in this strategy.
If I make Richard emperor, there’s a high chance both Imelda and Tristan—the original main characters—will die.
I loved the original <13th Princess>. A lot.
I loved Imelda, who overturned everything with her own ability under unfavorable conditions, who kept her kind heart in a palace gone mad.
And Tristan, who stayed by her side until the end, saved by her—oh, how much I loved him.
If you think there’s a gap in the affection between Imelda and Tristan, that’s an illusion.
Still… is it really okay to kill everyone just to save myself?
“What should I do…”
I threw that question into the empty air, knowing no one would answer.
“What’s wrong?”
Someone answered.
“Kyaa!”
I jumped like a startled rabbit.
“Ahaha, scared?”
A clear, bell-like laugh reached me. I stiffened and lifted my head.
Someone was sitting on a tree branch outside the window.
Hair silver and cold as if cut from moonlight, eyes blue and shining like gems. Dressed in pure white, the man was incredibly beautiful, almost unreal.
“Hello, Lucilia.”
He smiled as he said my name.
His smile was like magic, holding me captive. I couldn’t move a finger, only stare.
Because he was so beautiful, I knew who he was.
Frozen in place, I thought: I’ve crossed an irreversible river. And now I’ve met this one too.
“Hmm?”
He tilted his head slightly, curious. That motion snapped me back to reality.
No time to lose focus. Because once again, I was in danger of dying.
The only consolation was that the more crises I face, the more used to them I become.
“Welcome to Opal Palace.”
I nodded lightly and greeted him.
“Brother Rudolph.”
The fifth prince, Rudolph Sol Esperusa.
Master of Sapphire Palace, the empire’s greatest magician.
Wait, is his mother the current master of the magic tower? Then he’s not yet the greatest, but second to the greatest.
Anyway… what matters is this:
The second of the original story’s top three villains had appeared. Can I even cry?
Rudolph looked surprised when my lips uttered his name, seemingly unaware of my conflicted feelings.
“How did you know? This is my first time seeing you.”
Before turning fifteen, princesses and princes of Esperusa cannot attend social gatherings alone.
Some royal children are presented to society in their mother’s arms before they can even walk, but that’s not common.
Princesses like Lucilia, without strong supporters, losing their mothers early, with no influential relatives, were usually confined to the palace until age fifteen.
Lucilia had never attended an official event, so it made sense she didn’t know Rudolph.
I didn’t answer. I just smiled at him.
Rudolph studied me carefully, as if his gaze had a tactile presence. I shivered as he inspected me.
Rudolph lying about seeing me for the first time was probably a lie. He often fooled others, but that innocent, mysterious appearance is deceptive.
Rudolph Sol is a notorious liar. That curious expression, that faint smile—fake.
He doesn’t feel emotions. He understands them with his head, but rarely in his heart.
Richard likes fighting and winning; he laughs when he wins and gets angry when he loses.
Rudolph, however, has only one driving “emotion,” or something resembling one: curiosity.
Rudolph is an empty doll, nothing but curiosity.
So, if I don’t want to die, there’s only one way:
I must pique Rudolph’s curiosity. And never satisfy it.
“I have a question too, brother.”
So I said.
“Did you come to kill me?”
A slightly bigger smile appeared on Rudolph’s lips. I almost collapsed.
His eyes weren’t laughing.
Rudolph’s eyes, devoid of laughter, were colder than midwinter glaciers. Touch him and you’d freeze instantly.
“We both have questions.”
Rudolph rose from the branch and stepped toward the air. Of course, he didn’t fall awkwardly.
He walked through the night sky toward me, each step elegant, like a fairy.
“Then shall we do this?”
Standing right by the window, Rudolph spoke. His gaze carried a faint, reassuring smile. Better a fake smile than the icy one earlier.
“We’ll do the three questions of Carlyle.”
I bit my lip and lowered my head slightly.
The three questions of Carlyle is an old Esperusa tradition. Two people take turns asking three questions and answering them.
Questions must be answerable with “yes” or “no,” and once, one can refuse to answer. Most importantly, all answers must be truthful.
Truth is often verified by magic.
In old stories, three enchanted candles are lit. One candle is extinguished per question; if the answer is a lie, the candle remains lit.
But Rudolph goes beyond simply verifying truth. He stakes his life on this game.
I took a deep breath, head bowed.
So far, everything was as expected.
I had predicted this from the moment I saw Rudolph by the window. Precisely, I had guided myself here. It mirrored the scene where Imelda met Rudolph in the original story.
He greeted me almost identically, so I answered as Imelda did.
But from here, things differ.
Imelda had suddenly been chosen by the male lead, drawing attention. That wasn’t a major problem.
The male lead was a slave, and only a few perceptive siblings, including Rudolph, suspected it was part of a plan.
But now, I had been asked by Richard to come under him. Rudolph may already see me as an enemy.
Naturally, the three questions will differ from the original story. I must handle this crisis alone.
It’s a lie to say I’m not scared, but just surviving without Rudolph killing me gave me some courage. I had succeeded in sparking his curiosity.
So I must be brave. Running away in fear would end everything. I’ve come this far; death is the only other option.
I looked up at Rudolph.
“Alright.”
At that moment, Rudolph smiled, utterly delighted.
Like a child receiving a box of chocolates, sweet enough to melt.
Incredible…
Insanity…
What is this beauty that makes you lose focus even before death? To know, come to the Esperusa royal family.
Following Richard, this was the second time I realized that overwhelming beauty could completely dominate reason.
Suddenly, I thought: I should become emperor using all original story knowledge, then watch my siblings every day without killing them. A perfect, happy ending!
A face like this is practically a national treasure. Throwing it away would be foolish. Who would waste a national treasure?
“I hate liars. So if you want to do the three questions with me, you must stake your life.”
Rudolph’s soft voice brought me back from my drifting thoughts.
Right… wasting a national treasure is foolish, but letting that treasure be a psycho machine that enjoys killing—that would be foolish too.
I collected my scattered thoughts and answered:
“I’m not a liar. So I’m willing to stake my life.”
