Chapter 2
Count Shairk Payden had just returned from the Imperial Palace.
His face was colder than ever.
“Is Merni at home?”
“Young Master Ervin came to visit. They’re out taking a walk together.”
“And Grad?”
“He was talking with me just a moment ago, so he can’t have gone far.”
Countess Hilderia carefully studied her husband’s expression.
He left in such a good mood, saying it was only a matter of completing a few formal documents before the business would be approved. What happened?
The Payden family had recently entered a period of rapid growth.
After successfully producing perfume from flowers grown in their southern territory, they had expanded into cosmetics.
Until now, they had relied on other merchants to sell their products, but they were planning to establish their own trading company so they could manage everything from production to distribution.
Naturally, they needed the Imperial Family’s approval.
“Call Grad and Merni. I have something to tell everyone.”
The heaviness in her husband’s voice made Hilderia’s heart sink.
Why call both the children too…? Did something go wrong because we expanded the business too aggressively?
Trying to shake off the bad feeling, she rubbed her temples before summoning the butler.
A short while later, the family of four gathered in the drawing room.
Without a word, Count Shairk placed a gold envelope bearing the Imperial seal onto the table.
Grad silently picked it up and read the contents.
I wish to take a daughter of the House of Payden as my wife. Please grant your permission.
—Prince Rohen Schnader
“The Third Prince’s secretary handed it to me as I was leaving the palace.”
The count spoke with a sigh.
The humiliation of receiving a marriage proposal through nothing more than a secretary still stung.
“Rohen Schnader… the Third Prince? I heard he’d only returned briefly from the border army. Hasn’t he gone back yet?”
Hilderia’s voice trembled.
She was relieved it wasn’t their business that had run into trouble.
But a marriage proposal from Prince Rohen?
That was a disaster in itself.
If it had been the Second Prince, that would be different… but this? Impossible.
She frowned as a headache began to build.
“Is he proposing to Merni? That madman?”
Only after reading the letter again did Grad fully understand what it meant.
“I’ve never even seen the prince’s face. If this is a political marriage, there are plenty of families more powerful than ours. Why me?”
Merni was convinced there had to be some mistake.
She had never crossed paths with the Third Prince in all her twenty years of life.
There was no reason for him to suddenly propose to her.
The count closed his eyes and pressed his fingers against his forehead.
It was a habit whenever he couldn’t think of a solution.
“My goodness… a proposal from the Third Prince…”
Grad was the same age as the prince and knew plenty of rumours.
Whenever young nobles gathered, stories about the imperial princes were unavoidable.
Sometimes they sounded like legends.
Sometimes they were little more than gossip.
The Imperial Family was always the favourite topic of conversation.
And no one attracted more rumours than Prince Rohen Schnader.
A warmonger who sought out battlefields.
A ruthless killer feared even by barbarian tribes.
A pervert who forced himself on every woman he met.
In short…
He was known as a complete madman.
Rumours had circulated for years that even the Imperial Family had abandoned him.
People claimed he hadn’t joined the border army voluntarily before coming of age—he had been exiled there.
As if proving the rumours true, the Third Prince had disappeared from public view after that.
The rumours, however, never disappeared.
Recently, news spread that the Emperor’s worsening illness had forced the prince to return to the capital.
The noble society had been buzzing ever since.
Unfortunately, there still wasn’t any exciting new gossip.
“If this becomes public, high society is going to explode.”
Grad shook his head as if the very thought horrified him.
“What if… we refuse? If the rumours are true and even the Imperial Family abandoned him…”
“The approval for our business was delayed today. Whether that’s just a coincidence or not remains to be seen.”
The count spoke gravely.
“But regardless, he’s still an imperial prince. There is nothing to gain by refusing the Imperial Family.”
Only then did Merni become frightened.
“W-What should we do? Do I really have to marry him? Do I have to sacrifice myself for this family?”
She burst into tears.
“Say something! Please! Did Father offend the Imperial Family? Or did Brother somehow anger them?”
“…”
“…”
Neither Count Shairk nor Grad answered.
Whatever the circumstances, Merni was the one whose life would be affected the most.
“Sob… I-I’d rather… rather die!”
“Merni!”
Grad hurried over and tried to comfort his sister.
But the longer time passed, the louder she cried.
“Merni, calm yourself.”
At Hilderia’s calm voice, Merni’s sobbing suddenly stopped.
“There is no way I’m letting my daughter marry a madman.”
She looked firmly at her husband.
“You have another daughter, don’t you?”
“…!”
“We’ve spent years feeding her, clothing her, and trying to teach that ill-mannered child. It’s about time she became useful.”
Excitement crept into Hilderia’s voice.
The count’s lips curled into the faintest smile before returning to their usual expression.
Hilderia didn’t miss it.
Confidently, she delivered the final push.
“Accept the proposal and send Haila.”
“The letter doesn’t mention anyone by name. That should work.”
No matter how unwanted the Third Prince was, refusing an imperial marriage proposal was impossible for a mere count’s family.
At best, they could invent some excuse like illness.
But there was no telling how the Imperial Family would respond.
A feeling of triumph greater than any business success filled the count’s heart.
The Third Prince had long since fallen from power, and his reputation was utterly ruined.
The thought of using him to repay the humiliation he had suffered brought him great satisfaction.
“Invite Haila to tonight’s dinner.”
The count’s voice sounded almost cheerful as he gave the order to the butler.
* * *
The moment Haila entered the dining hall, Hilderia couldn’t take her eyes off her.
When did she grow up so much?
She had always thought Haila and Merni were about the same height.
Now Haila looked noticeably taller.
What has she been eating? Even her skin is glowing.
Her rosy cheeks looked healthy and full of life.
Sitting beside her, Merni’s complexion seemed pale in comparison.
The most shocked person, however, was Grad.
Among all the young noble ladies he had seen recently, none were prettier than Haila.
Her plain dress, free of any decorations, only made her pure beauty stand out even more.
Is… that really Haila?
Grad stared blankly until she sat down.
A thought crossed his mind.
Could Prince Rohen have seen Haila somewhere before?
Maybe she was his intended bride from the very beginning?
Come to think of it… why wasn’t there a name in the proposal?
The questions piled up.
Soon, he shook his head.
What am I thinking? He’s called a madman for a reason. I’m imagining things.
Merni had always envied Haila’s appearance, so today wasn’t much different.
Merni was slender with delicate features.
Haila, on the other hand, had graceful curves and striking facial features.
She could look adorable one moment and captivating the next.
If she ever entered noble society, she’d become popular immediately.
Of course, illegitimate children rarely appeared in high society.
But someone with beauty like Haila’s might have managed it.
To prevent even that small possibility, Merni had spread rumours that Haila was an ill-tempered, uncivilised girl.
Hilderia and Grad had also done everything they could to brand her as nothing more than a rude illegitimate daughter.
Fortunately, Haila had never made her debut, so almost no one knew what she looked like.
Yes… your looks are certainly worthy of becoming a prince’s wife.
Though I wonder how long that madman will let you live.
Merni couldn’t imagine Haila ever appearing in noble society again.
She struggled to suppress her smile.
She actually argued that the proposal wasn’t for her.
She’s so straightforward.
When Haila challenged their father by insisting the prince hadn’t proposed to her, Merni had almost felt sorry for her.
With that personality, she’ll be dead at the hands of that mad prince before long.
Only a few hours earlier, Merni had been crying in terror.
Now it already felt like a distant memory.
Count Shairk, who had gathered the family in panic, had completely regained his composure.
After returning to her room from dinner, Hilderia let out a sigh of relief.
She had secretly been nervous.
Haila wasn’t obedient.
She never hid her emotions.
When Haila argued that the proposal wasn’t even addressed to her, Hilderia’s heart had nearly stopped.
If she had continued resisting, there would certainly have been trouble.
“Thankfully, she’s eighteen now.”
“She’s old enough to understand her place.”
Suddenly, Hilderia remembered the old fortune-teller she had met ten years ago.
“This child will become useful to the House of Payden.”
“She will serve as the one who takes misfortune upon herself.”
“I’d stake my own life on it.”
For the first time in years, she remembered every word exactly.
When she first learned that the count’s illegitimate child was living in an orphanage, she had ignored it.
But curiosity eventually led her there.
It was outside that orphanage that she had met the old fortune-teller.
The old woman warned her that abandoning the child would only bring future disaster and urged her to take the girl in.
Hilderia had glared at her as though she wanted to kill her.
When Hilderia refused to believe her, the old woman even swore on her own life.
Compared to husbands who openly kept mistresses, her own husband had only fathered a single illegitimate child.
Taking that child in seemed like a small act of generosity.
And now…
Ten years later…
That child had finally become useful.
“I wonder…”
“Is that old woman dead by now?”
* * *
I thought the second time would be easier.
It wasn’t.
The feeling was just as awful.
Marie, who had been anxiously waiting in my room, hugged me tightly.
She must have heard the news from Madam Dona, the head maid.
“So it’s true? The Third Prince proposed?”
“Yes.”
Marie let out an even deeper sigh than I did.
“They’re sending you into hell instead of Miss Merni.”
“My life has never been easy.”
“But you’ve always endured everything bravely.”
“I’m sure we’ll find a way this time too.”
Tears finally rolled down her cheeks.
Yes.
This time… I really do have to find a way.
Holding my aching head, I collapsed onto the bed.
Marie changed my clothes and gently brushed my hair.
As I let her take care of me, the tension gradually melted away.
After helping me get ready for bed, she quietly left.
Finally…
I was alone.
A long sigh escaped my lips.
I couldn’t tell anyone about what had happened.
But…
This was still a chance.
A chance to live.
A chance to change everything.
Where should I start?
What if I simply refused to marry Prince Rohen?
If I ran away immediately and disappeared without a trace…
Maybe it was possible.
Then I’d never end up on the guillotine.
But…
Prince Rohen would still die.
Rohen Schnader…
The moment I thought of him, my chest ached.
“I’m sorry…”
“I couldn’t protect you.”
Those were the last words he left me before closing his eyes forever.
The two of us had only managed to learn that the terrible rumours about each other were lies.
We never truly had the chance to share our feelings.
Looking back…
There had simply been too many people trying to keep us apart.
Before I knew it, tears were falling.
If I didn’t marry him in this life…
Would I eventually forget these feelings?
Could I?
No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t find an answer.
Damn the Payden family!
No…
Damn that old woman!
For the first time, I resented the old lady who had brought me into this house when I was eight.
She had rescued me as an abandoned baby in the Payden territory and raised me until I was five.
She had cared for several orphaned children.
But when life became too difficult, she sent all the others to an orphanage.
Only I stayed with her.
I couldn’t ask her to keep raising only me.
Even so…
My longing for her was far stronger than any resentment.
Whenever life at the orphanage became unbearable and I wanted to run away…
She would always come to visit me.
Three years passed like that.
Then, without warning, the Payden family came to take me away.
I only learned much later that the old woman had been the one who told them I was the count’s illegitimate daughter.
“Life in the count’s house will be much easier than the orphanage.”
“At your age, having a warm bed and a full stomach is what matters most.”
Losing the old woman hurt far more than suddenly gaining a father.
As I remembered everything, the resentment faded.
More than anything…
I missed her.
“If it were Grandma…”
“Maybe she’d know what to do…”
