The Mad Princess's Tale of Doom and Survival

  That evening, I went up to the 5th floor, Alex’s bedroom for the first time.

 

  As I entered the study, Alex, who was sitting by the window, widened his eyes when he saw me.

 

  “Astel?”

 

  “You told me to see the Crown Prince.”

 

  As soon as I brought it up, he blinked his big eyes.

  

  “Did you change your mind?”

 

  “Not that, but I have something to ask you.”

  

  “What?”

 

  “You said that the reason you arranged a meeting with the Crown Prince was because of me?”

  

  “Uh, so what?”

 

  “How is that for me?”

 

  “Don’t you know why? If you get along well with His Highness the Crown Prince and become an empress, will people ignore and curse you like they do now? They won’t even be able to touch you?”

 

  “Isn’t that too strange? You said you hate me. No?”

 

  “Oh, how many times have I told you! I’m the only one who can curse at you! I don’t want you to be treated by other guys?”

 

  At Alex’s blunt answer, an old memory suddenly came to mind.

 

  ‘Hey, beat up my brother! I’ll give you all my allowance this time.’

 

  ‘Don’t you know that if an athlete commits violence against an ordinary person, he will be suspended immediately? Why are you doing this? Did you fight with your brother again?’

 

  ‘That ignorant bastard borrowed my iPad and won’t give it back! I’m so angry! Ah, I really want to kill him!’

 

  That’s what my friend, who used to curse my brother like that, said to me a few days later.

 

  ‘Hey, you don’t have to beat up my brother.’

 

  ‘Excuse me, that’s a crime. What happened? Did you make up?’

 

  ‘I got beaten up by a neighborhood punk yesterday. I was so angry that I went home crying…….’

 

  ‘And then?’

 

  ‘My brother ran out with a baseball bat. He even found the money I was beaten up for.’

 

  ‘Wow, really? Didn’t you always fight with your brother?’

 

  ‘No matter how hard we fight, we can’t be beaten by others.’

 

  When I stared at him, Alex pouted.

 

  “What are you looking at? If you’re done talking, go.”

 

  “Alex.”

 

  “Oh, why do you keep calling me! It’s annoying.”

 

  “You didn’t study.”

 

  “……Speak properly. I didn’t fail, I didn’t do it.”

 

  “You don’t even know that being an empress is not as safe a place as you think because you didn’t study?”

 

  Alex raised his thick eyebrows.

 

  “What are you talking about?”

 

  “If your father or brother assassinates the royal family, you will be purged even if you are an empress.”

 

  “……!”

 

  Alex’s eyes widened as if they were going to burst.

 

  “Oh, did you hear from my father?”

 

  “Yeah, you hate me enough to kill me?”

 

  “……Not that much now……. When I was young…… I couldn’t control my emotions.”

 

  Now, the true intentions of the clueless older brother, who would often unload his jealousy and inferiority complex onto his younger sister, finally became clear.

 

  Those words of concern he sometimes tossed around weren’t just for show, trying to impress others. He genuinely meant them.

 

  But I didn’t believe him. I doubted and misunderstood him.

 

  It’s all because I jumped to conclusions and labeled him a selfish jerk based only on bits and pieces of memories in Astel’s head.

 

  Without even experiencing it myself.

 

  Alex was just a regular, slightly dim-witted older brother. He wasn’t good at expressing himself, that’s all.

 

  Even though they would have intense fights at home, whenever his sister would come back hurt from outside, he would grab a baseball bat and rush out to protect her.

 

  He may hate to admit it, but he has never actually witnessed his sister in a life-or-death situation, so he would rack my brain, trying to figure out how to keep her safe even though he wasn’t not that smart.

 

  Even if he would lose his temper and say awful things like “just die,” when she’d really get hurt, he would do whatever it takes, even standing in line all night to buy potions.

 

  There was a time when he wanted to be that overprotective older brother so badly.

 

  “Did you ever think about being honest with me?”

 

  “What’s the point of telling a kid who’s not in their right mind?”

 

  “Then why did you say such mean things to a kid who’s not in their right mind?”

 

  Alex clenched his fists tightly.

 

  “Father and I may be doomed, but you’ll find a way to survive! I heard you say those words when I was only six! Do you know how I felt back then?”

  

  “So, you cursed me to die?”

 

  “Yeah! I hated you so much because you were the one Father chose!”

 

  “…What?”

 

  “Can’t you imagine how terrible it feels to be left all alone? The Duke didn’t want to make you go through that kind of pain!”

 

  “…How do you know that? Did you even bother asking Father?”

 

  “Do I really have to ask Father about it? That’s why people call you an idiot!”

 

  “What’s an idiot?”

 

  “You!”

 

  Alex and I glared at each other, engaged in a childish argument while harboring resentment.

 

  And then, unexpectedly, we both burst into laughter at the same time.

 

  It wasn’t mocking laughter. It was the kind of laughter that comes from a lighthearted moment.

 

  After chuckling for a while, I let out a deep sigh.

 

  “Stop pretending to be a peacemaker and just join the guild. That’s what will help me out. If you want revenge, it’s better to make a name for yourself as a hunter rather than trying to be an empress.”

 

  Alex slowly formed a smile.

 

 “…Have you made up your mind?”

 

  “Of course. I have to pay back three times what I received to ease my conscience. What about you?”

 

  “I feel the same way! How unfair it was all this time, not being able to say anything! Don’t even think about leaving me out of it!”

    

  “If you promise not to act recklessly like when you attacked the monster queen.”

 

  As Alex muttered about the incident at the funeral, his face contorted.

 

  “You’re saying that because you thought I looked like I was struggling and you wanted to help? You had no idea the queen had eyes like a hawk! How on earth can I trust you?”

 

  “Trust me.”

 

  It seemed like an unexpected response as Alex widened his eyes.

 

  “W-what did you say?”

 

  “I said I trust you. I’m grateful for the potions too.”

 

  “Uh… R-really?”

 

  “Yeah, so listen to this. Don’t just spend your points recklessly, save them wisely. I’ll let you know about the items you’ll need later.”

 

  “Got it.”

 

  We gazed at each other fondly.

 

  We didn’t have a long conversation, but we both felt it.

 

  The tangled mess inside each of our hearts was slowly disappearing.

 

  And then, unbelievably, I started to think that I might even like Alex.

 

  For about three seconds.

 

  “What are you doing? If we’re done talking, go.”

 

  “Uh, right.”

 

  It seems like that might be too much to hope for.

 

**** *******

 

  The next day, I headed to the boutique with Duke Luteous.

 

  I was still in a daze even as I got off the carriage, unable to believe this unbelievable reality.

 

  ‘Should I run away now, no, go back?’

 

  Even though I was holding hands with Duke Luteous, this was not right.

 

  ‘I’m going shopping with my dad!’

 

  It was something I had never imagined, even in my previous life as an orphan, or even after the transmigration.

 

  ‘What if I meet someone I know?’

 

  I was so anxious that I wanted to run away right away.

 

  ‘How did this happen…….’

 

  Originally, I planned to recruit a designer while fitting for a party dress.

 

  In order to provide uniforms to the guild members.

 

  A cool uniform that is not easily worn out by monster fluids, is easy to wash, and makes you feel like you belong the moment you put it on.

 

  In my previous life, there was a guild that was the first to provide uniforms to hunters.

 

  ‘Wasn’t the guild leader a third-generation rich kid?’

 

  He entrusted the production of the uniform to the chief designer of a luxury brand, as befitting his golden spoon.

 

  It was a huge topic of conversation among hunters.

 

  It was no wonder.

 

  Even I, who had never seen a luxury brand before, was so surprised that my mouth dropped open at the uniform.

 

  After that, other guilds also started to make uniforms competitively.

 

  All of them were made by famous luxury brands.

 

  Later, it became so popular that a ranking of cool uniforms was even created.

 

  So I wanted to try it on this occasion.

 

  If I had followed the original plan, I wouldn’t have been able to do it because of the lack of budget, but now I didn’t have to worry about money.

 

  ‘Isn’t the rich kid who gives 180 million in pocket money the source of money? There’s no reason not to do it, right?’

 

  I made a plan and told Duke Luteous.

 

  I thought I should tell the moneybag.

 

  So it was just a simple notification.

 

  “Have you decided on a boutique?”

 

  “I heard that Louis Boutique is the most famous, so I decided on it. But I don’t know if the designer will do it. He’s not someone who’s short of money. I’m going to go and persuade him today.”

 

  “I’ll go with you.”

 

  “……Huh?”

 

  “I said I’m going with you.”

 

  “……Huh?”

 

  “Are you already deaf at that age? I heard spinach is good for hearing. Eat it often.”

 

  I shuddered as I thought about it.

 

  In my previous life, I ate so much spinach at the orphanage that I got goosebumps just hearing the name.

 

  ‘Have you ever tried a kimbap with only spinach and no radish? My least favorite food is spinach!’

 

  At first, Duke Luteous refused, saying that he must be crazy, but he was adamant.

 

  He insisted that he had to go with me, even if it meant hiding a treasure in the boutique.

 

  ‘And this method is the most efficient way to spread rumors, so I can’t just refuse it.’

 

  We were planning to spread the word about the founding of the guild as much as possible.

 

 To provoke the emperor and prevent the hunters from turning their eyes to other guilds.

 

  In the end, I had no choice but to allow Duke Luteous to accompany me.

 

  ‘It’s just for a little while. Just bear with it.’