Chapter 5
“I mean exactly what I said.”
I took a deep breath and spoke.
“This poisoning incident made me realize something. As Grandfather said, the palace is the safest place.”
Then I paused for a moment.
“But it is also full of danger.”
“This time, the Queen used deadly poison on me, and I still survived. She must think that’s infuriating.”
I put strength into my voice.
“An angry queen will try even more boldly to kill me now.”
One of those methods had been pushing Blanche from a high tower.
I think there was also one where she tried to burn her to death by setting a fire.
She really was a vicious woman.
“And I do not want to keep clinging to life while being treated like this, when I am a member of the Snow royal family.”
Maybe they felt the sincerity in my words, because both men went stiff.
They looked shocked, unable to say anything.
As I kept talking, my voice gradually grew stronger.
“What you are saying, Grandfather, is that I should stay in the palace where it is at least a little safer, endure it somehow, and then one day get married, throw away the Snow name, and leave. Is that it?”
The duke’s face twisted.
His lips pressed tightly together, and the muscles in his jaw moved.
“Princess.”
He tried to say something in return, but I did not give him the chance. I raised my voice and pressed even harder.
“Then who will be the next ruler?”
I took a big step toward him.
“Will you just leave things as they are and let the Queen become ruler exactly as she wants? Is the Snow royal family going to end like this?”
This time, Marquis Briard’s face stiffened.
…
The teacup in his hand trembled slightly. The tea rippled inside.
The Briard family probably could not accept anyone other than the Snow royal family taking the throne.
But what was the use of being angry about it, Marquis?
Do you have a method?
Do you have a plan?
“You and Grandfather are the same.”
I looked at them one after the other.
“You both hate the idea of Queen Phetra becoming ruler, but you still couldn’t find any other way, could you?”
“And after that, you tell me to just stay still?”
“Far away, there is one collateral branch of the Snow family…”
Marquis Briard started to speak hesitantly, but his voice eventually grew small.
I let out a mocking laugh.
“Ah, a collateral branch?”
A sneer slipped out.
“The nobles already ignore and reject even me, a direct descendant of Snow. Do you really think they would accept that?”
The marquis and the duke both fell silent.
A heavy silence filled the reception room.
Only the ticking of the wall clock broke it.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
I felt so frustrated in this situation that I thought I might go crazy.
Even if they actively supported and helped me, defeating that damned Phetra would still be difficult.
And yet the duke and the marquis were acting like this.
It made my blood boil.
“Fine.”
I lifted my chin.
“I admit that I have been passive until now. But not anymore.”
I took a deep breath and spoke firmly.
“I will become the Crown Princess. The heir of the Snow Kingdom.”
“The Crown Princess?”
The duke, who had only been staring at me until now, looked dumbfounded.
His eyes widened, and his mouth opened slightly.
…
Why? What is the problem?
I am the only royal left, and I am saying I will become the Crown Princess—
“Do you think becoming Crown Princess is some kind of joke?”
Duke Jeyan’s voice sank low.
“…What?”
“You have never received education as an heir.”
His gaze was sharp.
“And have you at least gained the trust of the nobles? You have never even stepped into high society. A princess with no achievements—what makes you think you can become Crown Princess?”
The duke fired back again, striking hard with every word.
He looked frightening.
His gaze became even sharper.
Then he struck the floor once more with his cane.
Bang—!
“If that is the kind of princess you are, then I myself would never support you as Crown Princess!”
His voice filled the entire reception room.
“A princess with no ability—how do you think you can become Crown Princess?!”
Ah.
This was bad.
My heart dropped.
I had come here planning to tell them to become my allies so we could all happily join forces and conquer the mountain called Phetra.
But instead—
they became a huge wall blocking my way.
I clenched my fists tightly.
My palms were so sweaty they almost slipped.
No?
I bit my lip, and I could taste blood.
I would not retreat.
I am not someone who gives up.
Walls exist to be climbed over.
If you stay trapped behind them, you are the loser.
You just need to find a ladder to climb over them.
…
Of course, I would have to struggle and struggle to get that ladder.
I smiled brightly at the duke, who was glaring at me with a face colder than the middle of winter.
The corners of my lips lifted.
But my eyes did not smile.
“I do have ability.”
If you say I have no ability, that is just insulting.
Do you know who I am?
“From now on, I’ll show you.”
Duke Jeyan frowned, and Marquis Briard looked puzzled.
In their eyes were both doubt and expectation.
And a little curiosity too.
Good.
If I had to prove my ability to my subordinates before I could become a true leader, then I would gladly prove it.
“I’m leaving.”
I waved my hand.
Haah, that drained me.
Seriously, persuading stubborn old men was unbelievably difficult.
Ignoring the worried duke, who kept nagging me, saying I absolutely must not do anything dangerous, and Marquis Briard, who looked like he was facing the hardest problem in the world, I climbed into the royal carriage.
The carriage door shut with a heavy bang.
“Princess, are you all right?”
Andy, sitting across from me, asked carefully.
I folded my arms and shrugged.
“Why? Do I look heartbroken?”
“What does heartbroken mean?”
“Never mind if you don’t know!”
I ignored Andy, who was glaring at me like she wanted to know what on earth I meant.
When I leaned my head against the carriage window, my forehead touched the cold glass.
Outside the window, the mansion gradually grew farther away. The fountain looked smaller, and the pillars became blurry.
“Just watch. I may not have power, but I do have ability!”
I shouted confidently, but everyone looked at me like, That princess has finally gone mad.
And honestly, that made sense.
What was the difference between me and a pretty canary that had only ever lived in a cage, chirping that it could hunt too?
But—
‘I’ll show them that even a canary can become the ruler of the sky.’
Just as I was thinking about where to make my first move, we arrived at the palace.
But the moment I stepped out of the carriage—
my eyes went wide.
My breath stopped.
‘Huh?’
Someone was waiting for me at the palace.
A graceful silhouette stood there with the sunset at her back. Her dark blue dress fluttered softly in the wind.
“Princess, have you been well?”
Her voice was sweet as honey.
“You look healthier than I expected.”
“Ah… yes…”
I answered stiffly.
Because the person waiting for me was none other than Phetra Snow.
My enemy.
The new queen.
“Still, it has not even been a month since you woke up, so going out must have been too much for you. Are you all right?”
Wearing a dark blue dress, she smiled elegantly.
A pearl necklace shone against her pale neck.
…
On the surface, she looked like a loving stepmother worried about her daughter.
But anyone who knew anything knew the truth.
‘She came here to warn me, didn’t she? To tell me to quietly wait for my death instead of going around meeting my allies and trying tricks?’
I knew it.
Andy knew it.
Even a fly passing by would know it.
Still, for her to personally come out here—
it seemed my leaving the palace had shaken Her Majesty’s heart more than expected.
I gave a light smile.
“I feel a little dizzy, but I heard Duke Jeyan had come to the capital, so I went to meet him.”
Of course, I was not dizzy at all.
But pretending to be dizzy, I kept speaking while looking into her green eyes.
“I guess the poison was really strong.”
I put on an innocent smile.
“Honestly, anyone who would use poison like that is trash even trash wouldn’t want as a friend. Don’t you think so, Your Majesty?”
A crack appeared in Phetra’s smile.
The corner of her mouth twitched slightly, and one eyelid trembled.
Her maids widened their eyes in shock and nervously looked back and forth between me and Phetra.
They were barely even breathing.
What a joke.
This palace was truly rotten.
Everyone in the palace clearly knew Phetra was the one behind the order to poison me, and yet they all pretended not to know.
The place where Blanche Snow lived was hell.
And not just any hell—
it was the very worst kind.
The atmosphere froze just because I spoke a little harshly.
But I calmly continued.
“Your Majesty, by the way, why didn’t you come even once after I woke up?”
Tilting my head, I put on another innocent expression.
“I missed you. I really thought I was going to die this time.”
…
I made a sulky face and pushed out my lower lip.
At the same time, Phetra’s eyebrow crooked upward.
It looked like even her neat makeup was twisting.
With faint lines appearing around her eyes, she answered slowly.
“I received daily reports that the Princess was recovering well.”
Phetra’s beautiful voice turned cold.
“As you know, I am very busy with state affairs. I am quite different from a princess who can simply rest all day.”
Oh ho.
Look at this woman.
As expected of someone trying to swallow an old royal family whole and become queen herself—
she was no ordinary person.
‘A true final boss.’
Mocking me openly, Phetra kept going as if she meant to crush me completely.
“When I heard that the Princess had gone out, I became so worried that I could not even focus on state matters.”
Her smile was elegant, but her eyes were far too cold.
“So please stay safely inside the palace, where I do not have to worry. I ask this of you.”
“I don’t want to.”
I cut Phetra off immediately.
The air froze.
The maids’ faces turned white, and even their lips lost color.
“Don’t worry about me. Please continue handling state affairs. I’ll do just fine on my own.”
“Princess.”
Phetra’s voice dropped.
“Ah, but if you really are worried, then you can stop doing state affairs and come go out with me instead!”
I smiled brightly and clapped my hands.
The corner of Phetra’s mouth twitched.
She looked at me like I was completely insane and wondered what nonsense I was talking about.
