My half-sister, whom I saw for the first time in a while, was at the end of the hallway.

“What are you doing there?”

“Sister Bella!”

Chloe, the second princess with her eyes wide open, looked back at me with her blue hair fluttering like water.

A line of maidens lined up beside her politely bowed at me.

“I see you, the first princess. May Kamulita’s blessing and protection be with you, and the glory of the empire…”

“Oh, thank you.”

I was already tired of the greeting that was sure to continue for a long time, so I just stopped them in the middle of talking.

They were all aristocrats by name, but they immediately shut up without complaining about every word I said.

I was only a fourteen-year-old little girl, but the power of the imperial family’s name was so great.

“I was trying to punish this vulgar thing for defiling my eyes.”

Chloe had a triumphant face, just like a cat that cornered a mouse.

Hearing her voice, I shifted my gaze again.

Then a small girl standing in front of Chloe came into view.

This is the first scene I saw as soon as I had ‘that dream’. Could this be called fate in a sense?

“I’m seeing the first princess.”

When our eyes met, the child bowed to me quickly and greeted me.

It was the first time I had seen this child so close.

‘She must have turned 12 years old this year.’

Long black hair like ebony and dark golden eyes like amber jewels. Her body, crouching, looked very thin while clutching her skirt tightly.

Standing with her head down like a sinner, this girl was the illegitimate child of our father from a slave.

Nevertheless, fortunately, she has the most perfectly gifted characteristics of the imperial family and was also a child whom the other princes and princesses, including Chloe, hated.

Even so, it was certainly too much to punish her simply for being in a conspicuous place.

But a child, younger than Chloe, is just biting her lips and didn’t even make a word of protest. She didn’t even know that it was useless.

“Even so, I don’t feel so good since this morning, but a dirty thing is in front of my eyes. How dare you use the same path as the Imperial family, or is it that you don’t know me?”

This half-princess, whom Chloe is looking at with great contempt, is named Judith Kamulita. Being born with low origins, she has no middle name.

‘By fate, I’d soon be bothering this kid like Chloe.’

I looked down at the child with my head down and opened my mouth.

“This child is our sister whom our father has acknowledged, so I think she deserves to use this path.”

“What, what? What do you mean, sister!”

Chloe screamed when she heard me seeming to defend Judith. The people around us were also surprised.

Knowing and ignoring it, I looked back at Chloe and smiled casually.

“More than that, Chloe, I’m afraid you haven’t been feeling well since morning. It’s been a while since we met like this because I’ve been busy. If you don’t have any other plans, why don’t we go have tea and have a chat?”

I still have a pretty good reputation among the imperial family, so no one can easily turn down my request if I invited them first.

It’s the same with Chloe, she frowned for a while before finally accepting my invitation.

“Good, today’s tea time will be held in the first imperial palace.”

She has a pale face, but it was obvious that she was feeling better than before.

“Marina, take her to the palace.”

Before leaving with Chloe, I had my closest maid take care of Judith.

Before turning around, I met eyes with the child looking at me with open eyes. However, the child bowed her head as if she had been surprised, so it didn’t take long for our eyes to meet.

While walking back, a strong gaze seemed to be sent again down my spine, perhaps because of my mood.

Judith Kamulita.

According to the book I saw in my dream, that little girl behind me now was the heroine of this world.

And Judith’s half-sister, Arbella Leon Kamulita, was destined to be her biggest rival from the first day.

To add a brief explanation, she’s the villain who hated her sister for threatening her position and even touching forbidden magic.

And as a side effect, she became a horrible monster who knows nothing but slaughter and lose her life to a terrible end.

It was me, Arbella, who was not even worth such ridicule.

I let out a laugh mixed with despondency between my lips.

No, I can’t believe that such a miserable future is mine, and even worse, such a shabby kid like that would take all of what’s mine?

This is ridiculous.

I had a nightmare.

The setting is a glass greenhouse littered with dead birds’ bodies and empty cages.

A woman with long blonde hair woven in starlight hung down to the floor was crying silently with an expressionless face.

I couldn’t see her face in detail because of her long hair, but somehow she felt unfamiliar.

Woo, woo!

White, fine hands, which seem to have never done anything rough in their lives, grabbed the feathers of the black colored bird

Soon after, the piercing chirping of a bird spread throughout the greenhouse.

“Judith…… What I can’t have, neither can you.”

A mixture of hate and sorrow flowed from the blood-soaked red lips like a curse.

“So if I die without holding anything in this hand anyway…”

The woman painted a maddened smile on her beautiful face as she watched the bird struggling to escape her grasp.

“I would rather destroy this world so that no one can covet it.”

A red droplet fell like a teardrop under her chin, making it look like bloody tears were pouring out.

Finally, the woman’s face was seen head-on between the fluttering feathers.

It looked like me to a chilling extent.

...***...

“Ugh!”

I woke up with a strange breath that was not like a princess’.

“Have you woken up, princess?”

Like a meerkat, I stretched my neck and looked around hurriedly, feeling relieved that I am in a familiar bedroom.

Was it a dream?

It’s so vivid. It gave me goosebumps.

These days, I often dreamt of a blonde woman tormenting birds in the greenhouse, and while I took a nap, I saw it again.

“Marina.”

“Yes, princess. Do you want some cold honey water?”

Marina rushed up next to me as I called her in a dying voice under the blanket.

This situation has not been experienced for a year or two, so I pretended now.

I struggled to drink the honey water Marina gave me. I was under a blanket where cold magic was maintained, but my body that is like a ball of fire did not cool down.

“Princess…. If you'll be patient a little longer, you’ll get better soon.”

Marina comforted me sadly when she saw me who was weak.

It has already been about 10 days since I met with Chloe, one of my younger sisters, and had refreshments.

Just before that, I was seriously ill because of a fever and a vase, but now I'm already lying down like this again.

Oh, I’m dying. This useless body.

But this time, I was so sick because of my father, the emperor.

It’s been a while since I left my bed. but the day before yesterday, I had to use magic to make rain in the drought-stricken region of Finne.

“My father plans to eat all the bone marrow¹ until I die.”

“Don’t say that. It’s because you’re the best wizard in Kamulita.”

Marina now responded familiarly to my scathing remarks.

But an emperor who overworks his 14-year-old daughter like this. As a father, he is certainly not qualified.

Of course, I’m indeed the best wizard in our country.

I reflected on my excellence for a bit, but when I thought about what situation I am in now, my strength drained out of my body again.

Strong power comes with a price, so I often had to lie in bed because of my mighty power like now.

“How’s the child doing?”

“Do you mean the princess of the cold palace?”

The cold palace princess that Marina spoke of is Judith which she has seen last time.

The little child who was with Chloe.

Judith, the fourth princess, was born as a slave but was recognized as a daughter by her father because her black hair and golden eyes resembled the appearance of the first emperor.

But that’s all, and she was almost alone in the palace, living in a place called a cold palace without any interaction with others.

“It’s the same as usual. Except when learning the basics about being a member of the imperial family, it seems like her hobby was to read books quietly by herself.”

Marina looked strangely at me when I suddenly became interested in Judith.

It was understandable.

I used to ignore her as if she wasn’t there because I didn’t want to deal with a lowly slave.

The reason why I changed was because of a fever I had recently because of my chronic illness.

Then I went through a very strange thing that I couldn’t explain in any common sense.

It was a night when I was suffering from an extremely high fever that I thought my brain would melt. I still don’t know if I was asleep or fainted, but anyway, I lost consciousness, and when I woke up I was standing in a mysterious place.

Strangely, countless birdcages were hanging in the endless purple space in all directions, and something is sparkling inside that space like a brilliant star floating in the night sky.

I was overwhelmed by the mysterious sight.

The brilliantly sparkling cage blinked at me as if asking me to open it.

So I opened it.

I burst open the door of the most dazzling cage of all.

Then the bright light from the cage turned into a book with a golden cover and spread out in front of my eyes.

And……

The life of another person, whom I had never known before, became a phrase and suddenly squeezed into my head.

「Twelve-year-old Judith Kamulita thought she would never be happy.」

No…

No.

It wasn’t someone I never knew until now.

A princess who came from a slave whose name doesn’t deserve even half the price of it.

The imperial shame. My half-sister who I have never even talked to properly before.

Coming out of the cage and in front of me was a book with Judith Kamulita as its main character.

Oddly enough, there was even a plausible title attached.

...「The Shining World of Princess Judith.」...

The content was just like a childish love story that Chloe used to read.

The story of the book, which mainly consists of the growth and romance of the heroine, Judith, gave me goosebumps.

Isn’t it obvious? No matter how concocted this story is, who… Who would want to know the love story of a person who shared blood with you in detail like this?

If there’s such a person, it would be a pervert.

Anyway, when I cut out the unnecessary pieces of information, the plot of the book could be explained in one sentence.

「Judith, the heroine who lived in a cold palace as an oppressed princess that came from a slave, overcomes adversity and hardships and seized both love and power.」

The hardship and ordeal included the bullying of the half-brothers who regarded her as an eyesore.

For a moment, I was surprised by the strange reflection of reality.

I was amazed at what followed.

In particular, it was stated in the book that it was me, Arbella, the first Imperial Princess, which interfered with the flower path of Judith.

「Arbella, the arrogant First Princess, was one of the noblest members of the Imperial Family, and never treated Judith, who was born from a slave, as a human being.」

「However, Judith, who had been humble, became the best wizard in the middle of the story, surpassing other princes and princesses, from then on, Arbella became anxious to remove her from her sight.」

It was only for a moment that I felt embarrassed, and gradually, my anger began to rise.

‘What? What is this?’

There’s a degree of blasphemy against the Imperial Family, also, how dare you make me appear like this in a book?

Besides, Judith, who I have always looked down on, will later become a wizard who surpasses me and take everything from me?

Kamulita, where I was born, has a magical power that succeeded the generation of the ancient kingdom of magic, especially the magical power of the imperial family.

And it was I who was born with an unrivaled magical power among the great imperial families.

But who the hell dares to write a book that mocks me like this!

At last, at the end of the book, my defeat to Judith was not enough, I even ended up with a terrible death, and my blood pressure rose and grabbed the back of my neck.

Afterward, I was so furious and tried to tear up the book in my hand.

But unfortunately, I woke up from my dream before I put my thoughts into practice. After that, as soon as my fever went down, I went out of the palace as if I had been possessed by something, and met Chloe and Judith.

‘That’s such a stupid book.’

Naturally, I was going to snort and ignore such a dream.

According to the contents of that slime poop book, the little child who I had not even cared about until now is the main character of this world, and I was a wicked woman who would be ruined by tormenting her.

But does that make sense?

But, strangely, I kept feeling uncomfortable. So I decided to check it out and observed everything.

However, after a few confirmations, I was rather troubled by extreme emotional anxiety.

The incidents in which the wicked maids ignored Judith and made her fall into a fountain, and the other princes and princesses poured sticky glue on Judith’s head were all done as written in the book.

When I recalled the past 10 days, my fever suddenly rose and I chewed on the ice Marina gave me.

“By the way, Marina, you should go check on her from time to time.”

“Yes, I will.”

Marina answered without saying a word as if she would do anything at my command. Soon after, a voice of hesitation flowed from her.

“But, princess… I think you’ve changed a bit recently.”

Marina’s sharp words made my stomach ache. Even if I pretended not to be, I seemed to be caught secretly paying attention to the contents of the strange book I saw in my dream.

But I answered back as if nothing has changed.

“I guess I’m going to die.”

“Don’t say that.”

Suddenly, my mind got mixed up again.

“I’m going to take a nap. Get out of here.”

So I let Marina out of the room and closed my eyes.

Note:

It’s like she’s saying her father wants to work her to the bone until she dies.

As Marina took care of me, my fever went down as if it was washed away.

Of course, it is not an ordinary fever that I have, so after a while, I’ll suffer from it and I’ll be like a withered flower again.

“Princess, I’ve readied your bath.”

“Should I use a lavender scent for your bath?”

“I’ll use Bardas’ classic magic stone, which you like.”

“This is lime sorbet, it will be sweet with honey.”

“I’ll give you a rose oil massage.”

When I got up, the maids clung to me as if they were waiting.

I am accustomed to being touched by them.

As I immersed myself in the fragrant water with floating flower petals, my tired body Immediately felt refreshed.

“Haa…”

It’s heaven.

Isn’t this a completely honey-sucking¹ life?

When I saw my miserable life from Judith’s perspective in a dream, the things that I had taken for granted until now began to look different.

‘It’s a life in which you can control other people with just a tilt of your head when you don’t want to lift a finger.’

I was very satisfied with the feeling of receiving total body care from head to toe surrounded by people who were afraid that even a single nail or hair on her would be damaged.

I guess this is paradise.

“Thank you, everyone.”

“Princess…!”

As if passing by unintentionally, the maids looked at me with thrilling eyes when I greeted them, which I don’t usually do.

“It is nothing, princess.”

“It is our joy to serve you, princess!”

“I will continue to work with all of my heart for the first princess”

What- why do they like me so much?

Even so, sometimes- very occasionally, I used to say hello like this, didn’t I?

…Or did I not?

Is this really the first time?

I looked back on my life seriously for a moment, receiving the hands of the maids who became more caring than before.

Arbella, the arrogant first princess, was one of the noblest royal family members and did not treat Judith, who was born from a slave, as a person at all.

Meanwhile, the contents of the dream suddenly popped into my mind.

That book… What is its real identity? Could it be that I had a real foresight dream?

The book not only predicted future events from Judith’s perspective but also contained all sorts of personal information about Judith that I had not known before.

I can’t tell how surprised I was at the high ‘coincidence rate’ that I had checked over the past ten days.

“It’s creepy…”

“Are you cold, princess?”

At the unintentional self-talk, the maids next to me started to be concerned.

“No, I was thinking of something else.”

In truth, I didn’t know that the adjective “arrogant princess” attached to me suited me.

But I deserved it.

I am the first princess of the Kamulita Empire and was of the Dia lineage among the Dia bloodlines.

Not only was I revered as the reincarnation of an Empress, but I was the I am the purest member of the royal family with the Duke of Delphinium’s blood, one of the three major ancestral families that have continued to exist from the founding of the country to the present day.

What’s more, I was born with uniquely powerful magic power that even the most famous wizards couldn’t even measure the amount.

In addition to that, I have an outstanding appearance that everyone admires and a brain that is evaluated as clever, so it is not unreasonable to call me the next Emperor.

So, from the moment I cried for the first time, I had everything and nothing to envy, and if I wanted anything, no one got in my way.

As I walked and breathed, everyone looked up at me as they praised me. If I wanted anything, it immediately became my property without needing to do anything.

‘I am the greatest!’

‘I’m the best.’

‘I am the best!’

It was the thought I had when I was a kid with a healthy body and nothing to be scared of in the world.

I was also very proud of my lineage that I tend to put my other half-brothers not born to the empress, as below me.

But I did not do anything frivolous to show my inner feelings. Because I was a chosen superior human being, unlike others. So I thought that I should also know how to embrace people who are lacking. And in reality, I have lived as a tolerant princess.

However, in that crazy book, I am presented as an arrogant princess who is full of pride and vanity, in her superior lineage.

“I haven’t seen my mother for a long time.”

“Yes, I will prepare.”

After taking a bath, I impulsively prepared to go out.

Before leaving the room, I looked in the mirror in front of me.

Light gold hair, like sweet starlight, hung below her shoulders, and her long, sharp eyes were as blue as aquamarine jewels.

It was a splendid appearance that could stand out anywhere with clear features. My taste was more glamorous than subtle, so the clothes and accessories I was wearing were also dazzling.

But today, somehow, I felt a sense of incongruity in my appearance.

I left the room leaving behind the subtle feeling of bitterness that persisted in my heart.

...***...

As soon as I left the Imperial Palace, a dazzling light pierced my vision.

How much sunbathing is this?

Because of my chronic illness, I often lay ill whenever I have free time, so it has been a very long time since I have seen the sun.

Marina would have solved it well, but there were some unexpectedly canceled schedules this time, so I thought I would have to check it out in the evening.

Outsiders who knew nothing have thought that the reason I sometimes puncture my schedule like this without notice was due to my unruly personality.

It was intentional to some extent so I didn’t need to explain it. It would be better for the image of an arrogant princess to be overlaid rather than let the public know about my illness, which could be a weakness.

“The Empress is currently in her garden.”

“Then let’s go to her garden.”

After a while, we arrived at the Empress’ Palace and were guided to the garden.

It’s been a long time since I met my mother like this. It had been almost a month since I last saw her.

It was hard to see my mother’s face unless I came to meet in person or met her at an official event. This time too, when I was sick, my mother never came to check on my condition.

When I was young, I loved my mother so much that I almost lived in the Empress’ Palace. So every scene in my vision was familiar to me.

But after some time, I naturally stopped looking for my mother.

‘It was about two years ago that I stopped visiting the Empress’ Palace.’

It has been a long time since my mother stopped visiting my palace first.

Of course, from the very beginning, my mother and I did not have such an open relationship.

As her only daughter, from the moment I first saw the light of the world, I have received abundant affection. Such a mother began to change.

“Mommy!”

At that moment, my pace slowed down at the clear voice that lodged in my ear.

As soon as I entered the entrance of the garden, the delicate scent of flowers filled my nostrils.

“Millium, our prince. Isn’t it dangerous to run like that? And what if you get hurt?”

Following the clear chirping of a child, the sweet voice of a woman resounded in my ears.

Soon, behind the lush green vegetation in my sight, the protagonists appeared with voices tickling my ears.

A beautiful woman with blond hair and red eyes sitting at the tea table in the backyard, and a little boy running down the lawn with his golden hair fluttering.

Soon, the woman bent her knees and greeted the child who was running towards her warmly. Then the child opened his red eyes and smiled broadly at her.

“Mommy, it’s a gift. I made it just now!”

“Oh, what a beautiful wreath.”

“I’ll put it on you!”

Seeing the sloppy wreath that must have been painstakingly made with small hands, the woman laughed softly.

“Thank you, sweetheart.”

I no longer came close to them but watched the scene from afar.

“She was with Millium.”

“Yes, the prince suddenly visited…”

Those two were my mother, Empress Charel, and the third prince, Millium.

It was until Millium was born that I was the only child born from the Empress of Kamulita.

Millium is a young prince who is now five years old, and to me, he was my only brother with the same mother and father.

Watching the two of them full of affection, without realizing it, my stomach twisted a little. It was obvious that I was the one who came with a message first, but somehow I felt like an uninvited guest.

There was something I wanted to say to my mother when we meet after a long time.

‘Mother, I had a dream.’

‘I saw a nonsensical book there, and it said there that I didn’t live long and I died.’

As a daughter of my mother, I was born with everything and I was loved, but in the future, I will die alone and without anyone to sympathize with me, lying on the ground like a bug.

But isn’t it weird? The content of the book keeps coming back to me.

So…

‘That’s why I’m scared, Mother…’

“I feel so dizzy, I can’t stand it any longer. I will go back to my palace.”

In the end, I couldn’t get a single word out of my mouth and swallowed it.

“Pass the word to my Mother as well.”

“Aren’t you going to greet the Empress directly?”

“Not today.”

Seeing my Mother and Millium together, my taste buds went bitter.

Before turning around, it seems that my Mother’s eyes met with mine for a moment. But she didn’t call me.

I turned around and started walking back the way I came.

“Princess, it’s still a chance to see the Empress after such a long time, so wouldn’t it be better if we had refreshments and chatted together?

Behind me, Marina cautiously exclaimed.

“I’ll get a chance next time.”

I walked out of the garden without stopping even once and looking back.

Note:

Honey sucking here means having a good life compared to others