Chapter 9
“Welcome, brother.”
Richard entered Opal Palace, looking slightly annoyed. But he seemed better than yesterday. Today, it seemed he would speak before killing anyone. I thought calmly to myself.
“What is that on you?”
“Huh?”
Richard glared at the servants standing behind me.
“Do you think this is what a princess should wear? Why did you dress her in something that looks like a sack?”
Why does he keep picking fights with my servants! I hurriedly tried to stop him.
“Don’t be angry, brother! It’s just that I’m too skinny!”
Ah. That was a mistake. That was basically saying, “They starved me.”
Richard seemed to think the same way. He glared alternately at me and the servants. But unlike yesterday, he didn’t draw his sword immediately.
Irritated, Richard gestured behind him. Then the Ruby Palace servants outside the door started carrying in a bunch of things.
“Change your clothes.”
“Huh?”
The servants stacked boxes in front of me. I opened the top one.
A dress. A soft, fresh green, like a newly sprouted leaf—almost the same color as my eyes.
I blankly looked up at Richard.
“Is this for me?”
“Or should I wear it?”
I couldn’t help but imagine it for a moment. Me in a dress? With Richard?
…That would actually look incredibly, ridiculously good.
At that moment, Richard approached and slammed the box shut. He whispered in a terrifying tone:
“Don’t imagine it.”
Sometimes I suspect Richard isn’t human. How could he be this perceptive otherwise?
“Just put it on quickly.”
“Y-you’re giving this to me?”
I hesitated, embarrassed, and tried to refuse.
“I can’t accept this. It’s too expensive…”
“If you talk nonsense, I’ll cut off your servants’ fingers.”
What kind of person is this?
I was so stunned that I glared at Richard with all my strength.
The Ruby Palace servants flinched at my expression. Hearing that, I tried to force a smile. Richard snickered at me.
“So, just put it on and come.”
When I came to my senses, I was already in my room, with Miriam fussing over me as she helped me put on the green dress.
I covered my face and sighed deeply.
Ah, really, that brat’s smile is so stunningly beautiful it messes with your mind.
“All done…”
I stood hesitantly in front of Richard, wearing the dress.
It fit perfectly. Perfectly—so much that it almost felt wrong.
How did he manage to get a dress exactly my size in just one day? I wanted to ask, but I doubted he would answer.
Richard scanned me from head to toe. His scowl was still there, but it had gone from a 10 to about an 8, which made me relieved.
“Good morning, Princess. Did you sleep well last night?”
When the rude Richard didn’t answer, Luke Saiton, standing next to him, greeted me.
Luke’s voice was soft and calming, instantly relaxing anyone tense. He was the kind of normal person who could stop Richard, making him even more special.
I smiled genuinely at Luke.
“Thanks to you.”
He added, worriedly:
“Even with so much work, is it alright for you to be here?”
Knowing the original Luke, that question made sense.
In the original story, Luke Saiton was overworked. Under Richard, who hated political issues, he handled all strategies and cleaned up Richard’s messes alone.
He was described as emaciated, with sunken eyes, almost like a walking corpse. But since this was before the story began, he still looked lively.
Even after all that, his fate was to be defeated by the heroine’s older sister. Such a good person, it’s a shame.
“Serving the Prince is the most important task.”
“That’s unnecessary.”
Richard said with a crooked attitude.
“Just bring the food quickly.”
Maybe he was hungry and cranky. I called Matilda, who was waiting.
“Matilda, go and—”
But Richard stopped me.
“It’s fine. I’ll bring it.”
He gestured, and the Ruby Palace servants bustled in, setting food on the table.
I watched in disbelief. He brought it? All the way from Ruby Palace?
Opal Palace was far from Ruby Palace. Even just bringing food would be troublesome, but the dishes were even warm. Magic must have been used, or the plates had warming spells.
Come to think of it, Richard was very particular about food in the original story, too.
Royalty naturally worries about poison, but Richard’s caution seemed extreme. I remembered even at imperial banquets, he wouldn’t drink a single drop of water.
“Hey.”
“Huh?!”
Richard suddenly called me. Lost in thoughts about the original story, I jumped.
He seemed to sense everything remarkably, as if he could read minds.
Now, what argument is he picking?
“You, come under me.”
“Huh?”
I repeated in a dumbfounded tone. What did “come under you” mean? Was he offering to make me a servant?
“Richard wants to say—”
Luke cautiously intervened.
“Richard wishes to support Solea becoming the official heir. If you agree, Princess, we promise your safety and much more.”
My mouth dropped.
Solea is the official heir, the next Emperor.
In Esperusa, not only the Emperor but also his children participated in the Solea selection meeting. Everyone had an equal vote.
The tradition of siblings killing each other comes from this. Since promises were often broken, killing was simpler. Truly a family of lunatics through generations.
So, asking me to support Richard as Solea…
Simply put, he wanted me on Richard’s side in the succession battle.
Why did it come to this? I wouldn’t betray the heroine’s older sister to side with him!
While I was stunned, Ruby Palace servants quickly placed a bowl of soup in front of me.
“Eat something first?”
Richard said, picking up a spoon. His casual attitude irritated me.
I took a deep breath, trembling, preparing to scold him. I had said I wanted to live quietly yesterday; why this change of heart?
But the smell of soup made my anger melt like snow. In its place, immense hunger arose.
“I’ll eat well…”
I picked up the spoon almost in a trance.
Even though I had breakfast, my stomach buzzed as if nothing had happened. Growth spurts of young children—can’t fight it.
I took a spoonful of soup, intending to ask Richard if he was joking.
But as I swallowed, all thoughts in my head vanished.
“Just one more bite… hmm, another bite… okay, one more.”
Before I knew it, the bowl was empty.
Seeing the empty plate, I realized I had eaten silently, absorbed only in the act of eating.
“I, um…”
Embarrassed, I tried to speak, but Richard gestured to his servants. They cleared the soup and placed the next dish before me.
“Good to see you eating so well.”
A faint smile curved his lips.
It was surprisingly kind. Not just my impression; Luke behind him looked astonished.
I didn’t know how to feel, staring at Richard.
Why is he acting like this?
The Richard I knew was completely bloodthirsty, enjoying killing people. Violent, self-centered—a beast. That’s the Richard I knew.
But this man, smiling as if he was satisfied just seeing me eat… who is he?
“Eat plenty and gain some weight. Next time you come, if you look like a skeleton, the Opal Palace cook dies immediately.”
Hmm, that’s Richard Khan Esperusa for sure.
I steadied myself, holding the fork.
“Brother.”
“Yes?”
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll refuse.”
Richard frowned.
“You won’t gain weight?”
“No, not that! I mean your offer to have me come under you!”
I glanced at Richard, wondering if he’d get angry.
But he didn’t.
“You have no right to refuse.”
“Huh?”
He rejected my refusal.
“Why do I have no right?”
“Because.”
He picked up a knife from the table and pointed at me.
“You are weak and have no ability.”
I was speechless.
“You know what being weak means? You can’t live life your way. You do what the strong tell you, hate every moment, and die. That’s been your life, and if things continue, it will remain so.”
Richard’s fingers moved elegantly. The knife pointed at me, then dropped—onto the table.
No sound, like a silver knife sinking into soft butter.
“But I am strong.”
I… I don’t need a strength demonstration to understand…
“I can control a life like yours.”
Without effort, he withdrew the knife and placed it back, smiling.
“So, your life is mine now.”
I can’t even…
