I happened to encounter that man on the balcony.
I considered that meeting to be fate.
Having never been drawn to any man before, the excitement I felt for him also seemed to stem from destiny.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one who felt this way, as the man also showed his interest in me from the moment we met. It was as if he had fallen for me at first sight as well.
What followed happened swiftly.
We entered an empty room in the Duke’s mansion where few people ventured, and we embraced each other.
Only after spending a night together did we finally introduce ourselves.
“…I apologize for the late introduction. I am Henderson Graham.”
Henderson Graham.
He was the head of the Graham dukedom, ostracized by society due to his status as a bastard child.
I eventually revealed my identity as well.
“I’m Riley Vale Lopez. Should I say I’m a princess?”
After that, Henderson and I began to meet regularly, and it wasn’t long before I discovered I was pregnant with Eddie.
When I confessed this to him, Henderson proposed to me in front of the lake, renowned as the most beautiful in the capital.
It was a summer night when the moonlight reflected beautifully on the water.
“Please grant me the opportunity to spend my life with you.”
Since I loved him, whom I met as if by fate, I decided to go through with the marriage despite my family’s objections.
I had no doubt that my future with him would be filled with happiness.
But how had my words turned out?
I recalled the recent events, which had been nothing short of tragic.
“Ha, haha…”
A sound that could be mistaken for a hollow laugh escaped my lips.
“It’s okay. I can start over.”
I steadied my mind and rubbed my flat belly.
‘As long as I’m with Eddie, I can be happy.’
So, now that I’m back in the past, what should I do first?
The answer came quickly.
I need to punish Helena for her deception.
‘And I’ll find out if the prophecy related to my father is real.’
If the prophecy the sorcerer mentioned turned out to be true, I felt I wouldn’t be able to forgive my father.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
What was I like seven years ago, when I was twenty?
At that time of year, I was rejecting all the marriage proposals that poured in.
I didn’t want to marry someone I didn’t know, and I was annoyed by the ambitions of those who sought my background as a princess.
Still, I didn’t dislike receiving attention, so I maintained my beautiful appearance.
I wanted others to desire me more. I adorned myself beautifully but ensured that no one could truly possess me.
I packaged myself like an unpickable flower blooming on a precipice, hoping to fall into a fateful love.
I longed to experience the ecstasy of falling in love at first sight.
If I were to meet such a person, I was prepared to dedicate my entire life to them.
The man who fulfilled my unrealistic wish was none other than Henderson.
Perhaps that was why I became so infatuated with him, unaware that his feelings were fading…
My deep thoughts were interrupted by Matilda’s voice.
“Your Highness! Are you ready?”
I called Matilda back, whom I had sent away at dawn, to help me with my grooming throughout the morning.
“What do you think?”
I gazed intently at my reflection in the mirror.
I looked even more beautiful than I had in the early morning.
“I looked beautiful. Thank you, Matilda.”
Matilda was relieved to see that I wasn’t asking any strange questions.
It wasn’t that I had gone mad.
The reason I was getting ready was to meet my father.
Around this time, my father would regularly summon me to urge me to get married. Today was no different.
I stood up from the chair where I had been sitting for a long time.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
“Father, it’s Riley.”
My father, who was in his study, allowed me to enter.
“Come in.”
I felt a chill at the sound of my father’s voice, which I hadn’t heard in a long time, and I took a deep breath.
As I stepped into his study, I saw him.
He had a commanding presence that belied his age, which was over fifty, an aura of authority that emanated naturally, golden hair that shone like the sun, and green eyes like mine.
A tall, middle-aged man whose gaze I could only meet by tilting my head upwards.
He bore the stature of a leader of a nation.
My father, Torres, who had wished for my child’s death, perhaps the “strong backing” Helena relied upon.
I offered him an awkward smile.
“I heard you called for me. Is there a reason?”
“I thought you would know the reason well enough.”
As expected, he had called me about marriage.
“I need to talk to you about that marriage you’ve been dreading.”
My father smiled at me with a coldness that froze me in place. The icy glimmer in his green eyes, which resembled mine, sent a shiver down my spine.
“I want you to connect with a legitimate royal bloodline. Remember that a bastard or a noble of unclear birth is absolutely unacceptable as your match.”
I simply nodded.
I had no intention of complying with that statement, but there was no reason to argue in front of him.
When I remained silent and just nodded, my father looked at me in surprise.
In the past, I would have insisted that I would handle my own marriage.
“You’ve thought this through well. The prophecy you received when you were young warned against entangling yourself with such lowly people.”
“Prophecy?”
The mention of prophecy from my father’s lips struck me like a heavy blow to the back of my head.
A sense of dread enveloped me, as if the sorcerer’s words were all true.
My father cleared his throat a couple of times.
As if he had let slip something he shouldn’t have.
“It’s nothing.”
“But…”
“More importantly, the second prince of the Ramsey Empire is scheduled to visit the Empire. I hope you will consider a political marriage with him.”
Nothing had truly changed.
The second prince of the Ramsey Empire. That man, probably named “Gran,” was someone who had sent me a proposal of marriage.
He was also the partner my father had chosen for me.
‘Wait. But Gran only sent a proposal; he hasn’t come to the Lopez Empire in person…’
It was a detail that was slightly different from the past I remembered.
However, it didn’t hold much significance.
After all, he was a man with whom I had no connection. Even if he came here, nothing would change.
“Riley? Are you listening to me?”
Lost in thought, I responded absentmindedly.
“Yes…”
“I have finished what I needed to say, so you may leave now.”
I exited my father’s study just as he instructed. The next thing to do was already mapped out in my mind.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
The Lopez Empire was a country with freedom of religion.
Because of this, there were many temples dedicated to various gods, but the one with the most followers was the Sun God, worshiped by the “Sun Cult.”
My father was also one of the adherents of the Sun Cult. He frequently received prophecies from there and held them in high regard.
After finishing my meeting with my father, I summoned Albert, the archbishop of the Sun Cult, to my palace.
Of course, this was done quietly, without my father’s knowledge.
It was quite easy to persuade Albert.
He was devout but equally greedy for wealth.
And I was the youngest princess of the imperial family, with plenty of money to spare.
“Do you know about the mine in Montaigne Mountain? If you answer my question, I will grant you ownership of that mine.”
That mine was famous for its gold deposits.
Albert hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.
“Your Highness, what exactly do you wish to ask?”
“I know you received a prophecy related to the royal bloodline. Please tell me the details.”
I spoke as if I were fully aware of the uncertain fact, intending to tease out his true feelings.
“…W-well, that…”
Albert appeared somewhat shocked.
At that moment, I was sure such a prophecy existed.
After all, it wouldn’t warrant such a reaction if it didn’t.
“I’ll keep it a secret from my father. All you need to do is tell me, Archbishop. If you reveal the truth, you will receive ownership of the mine. If not, you will face my persecution from now on.”
