The Prince Seduces Me with His Body

“This is your home now.”

 

Diana’s oldest memory was of her mother’s back as she let go of her hand and walked away. That was the day she learned she had a father.

 

“Are you my daughter?”

 

Her biological father, Viscount Sudsfield, coughed awkwardly, faced with an unexpected ‘mistake’ from his past.  His wife and son were equally taken aback. Unlike the viscount, who had bought his noble title with a fortune earned as a merchant, they were born nobles who despised illegitimate children.

 

“…We have no choice. Come in.”

 

Afraid of scandal, the three reluctantly took her in, preferring to keep a potential danger within the mansion rather than outside.

 

Though accepted into the mansion, the household made their displeasure clear, and the servants treated Diana with disdain. From a guest room on the second floor, she was moved to the servants’ quarters on the first floor. From the servants’ quarters, she was relegated to the storage room in the annex. It didn’t take long for Diana to become a non-entity in the Sudsfield household.

 

But Diana didn’t die. She managed to survive and grow up.

 

When Diana turned twenty, something unusual happened.

 

“I heard there’s an important guest today. Maybe we’ll get some leftover food.”

 

‘That day’ was different. The mansion was bustling from dawn, and the viscountess herself came to insist Diana stay in the annex all day.

 

She doesn’t want the guest to see me.  Diana agreed half-heartedly and crouched in the backyard of the annex. She looked at the dust ball on her lap, complaining about hunger, and tilted her head.

 

“By the way, what exactly are you? I heard spirits don’t look like… dust balls.”

 

Piyuk! Pii! The dust ball, lying limp on her lap, reacted indignantly.

 

When Diana blew on it, it flailed its limbs and clung to her skirt.

 

“Later, sneak into the kitchen and see if there’s any leftover food. Don’t let anyone see you. If you come back safely, I’ll give you some.”

 

Pii.

 

“You understand? Good.” Diana smiled and tickled the dust ball with her finger.

 

Suddenly, a strong wind blew. Diana grabbed the dust ball, which was about to be blown away, and closed her eyes tightly.

 

…Huh?  It was then that a strange scent wafted to her nose.

 

Diana opened her eyes wide at the unfamiliar, pleasant fragrance. She instinctively turned her head toward the source of the wind. And she saw her standing in the sunlight.

 

“…Wow.” The exclamation slipped from Diana’s lips.

 

Silver hair, like fallen snow, fluttered and glowed white in the light. Those eyes, the color of the sky, were wide with surprise. Diana admired the unknown woman’s beauty. Her mother was a renowned beauty in their village, but she didn’t possess such an innate nobility.

 

The woman, seeming startled by something, stood still for a moment before approaching Diana.

 

“Hello.”

 

The woman’s blue eyes, against the windy garden backdrop, curved gently. She tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled.

 

“May I ask who you were talking to just now?”

 

At that moment, Diana’s heart pounded loudly.

 

 

Diana thought blankly, hearing the loud beating of her heart in her ears. Ah, perhaps this is what it feels like to fall in love.

 

This was the first meeting between First Princess Rebecca Dune Bluebell and Diana Sudsfield.

 

* * *

It was five years later. Diana, kneeling before Rebecca, bitterly acknowledged that the emotion from then was merely an imprint.

 

“…Thus, Diana Sudsfield, guilty of attempting to poison the Empress, is sentenced to beheading.”

 

Bang— Bang— Bang— The judge’s gavel struck sharply, echoing like thunder.

 

Diana stared blankly at Rebecca, sitting high on the throne, looking down at her impassively. Your Majesty…

 

The day she first met Princess Rebecca at Sudsfield’s mansion, Diana was instantly captivated and willingly served her.

 

Rebecca, though cruel by nature, was benevolent to her own people. Diana learned many things thanks to Rebecca.

 

Though only five types of elementalists remained now, there was a story of a dark elementalist in ancient texts. She learned that the dust ball she thought was just dust was actually a low-level dark spirit called ‘Hillasa.’

 

With Rebecca’s support, Diana trained and became a formidable swordswoman. A blind swordsman who followed Rebecca’s will without question or doubt. That was Diana Sudsfield.

 

“You’re special, Dian. And something special with unclear roots can be easily deemed as strange.”

 

Rebecca warned her not to reveal that she was a dark elementalist until solid evidence was found due to the spirits’ violent nature and their somewhat monstrous aura.

 

For the past five years, Diana lived as Rebecca’s shadow. Outwardly, she posed as an illegitimate child who was lucky enough to become her maid, but secretly, she fought in countless battles and eliminated Rebecca’s enemies.

 

Finally, the day after Rebecca ascended the throne, Diana was suddenly accused of attempting to poison the new empress and then being dragged away.

 

“There have been reports of you using nefarious powers! Just follow without complaint!”

 

With no concrete evidence and the unknown poison found in the empress’s teacup the day after her coronation, it all seemed too coincidental. Diana was imprisoned without a chance to explain.

 

“What is this…?! Please let me see Her Majesty! Her Majesty!”

 

Bound with magical restraints, all Diana could do was clutch the bars and scream.

 

At first, she was confused but not overly worried. After all, Rebecca had been the first to recognize her powers and had brought her under her wing.

 

Diana’s unwavering loyalty was well known. Surely, Princess Rebecca, now the empress, would come and see her, furious that her maid had been mistreated.

 

Diana waited for Rebecca with that belief. But days passed, and Rebecca did not come. Not even a letter was sent to her.

 

Eventually, when Diana could no longer suppress her anxiety, she was brought to the courtroom. And there, she met Rebecca’s indifferent gaze from the highest seat. Diana felt her throat close at the sight of Rebecca’s unfamiliar, detached eyes.

 

You said you wouldn’t leave me alone…

 

Knowing she was scared and anxious, Rebecca took her in, promising to treasure her.

 

Why didn’t you come? Why did you… leave me alone? Words of resentment swirled in her mind, but an inexplicable fear made it difficult to speak.

 

While Diana remained silent, a cold question dropped on her head.

 

“Why did you do it?”

 

Diana held her breath. She had heard it, but she couldn’t believe it. Her mind rejected reality.

 

Now, what…

 

“I asked why you did it.”

 

But without giving her time to recover from the shock, the question came again as if to confirm it.

 

It’s not ‘Explain yourself’ or ‘Is it true you did it?’

 

Why you did it?

 

The moment she looked up and met Rebecca’s eyes, Diana instinctively realized.

 

Ah.

 

A hollow laugh escaped her lips.

 

It was you.

 

Rebecca did this to her.  It was like throwing a hunting dog into a pot after the hunt. Now that she became the empress, she didn’t need someone to handle her dirty work.  Rebecca’s eyes, which always looked at her warmly, were devoid of any emotion.

 

Realizing Rebecca had already discarded her, Diana lost the will to explain and remained silent. She was used to being abandoned. Her mother did, and so did her father.

 

Rebecca, watching her, twisted her lips in a bitter smile. “You don’t even make excuses.”

 

“…”

 

“Enough. Take her away.”

 

Even as she was dragged away, Diana stubbornly refused to look at Rebecca. Rebecca, too, did not move from her turned position.

 

It was an end resembling a farewell.

 

* * *

Clang—! The cell door creaked open with a chilling sound. A guard roughly threw Diana inside and spat.

 

“To think you tried to assassinate the Emperor. You should be grateful Her Majesty took you in, you ungrateful wretch.” He glared at her with disdain, muttered a few more curses, then locked the door and disappeared down the corridor.

 

Diana, struggling on the rough stone floor, slowly stood up, moving her scraped limbs. With her hands tightly bound behind her, it was hard to hold her head up straight.

 

“Life is unpredictable. I never thought the lady who imprisoned me would end up sharing the cell next to mine.”

 

A familiar voice pierced her ears, dripping with sarcasm. Diana turned her head. Through the bars, dark eyes stared intently at her.

 

The dark-haired man, thoroughly battered, was tightly restrained in the adjacent cell. Shackles were fastened to his wrists and ankles. Though he was in a worse state than she was, an extraordinary aura still emanated from him.

 

Diana frowned slightly, noting the lack of hostility or murderous intent in his eyes. “…Prince Kayden.”

 

Kayden Seirik Bluebell. He was the biggest obstacle for Diana to put Rebecca on the throne, a powerful light elementalist, almost as strong as the original five elementalists.

 

“Would you consider serving under me, Lady Sudsfield?”

 

The only person, besides Rebecca, who showed her genuine human interest.

 

Kayden, observing Diana’s lifeless face, clicked his tongue. “What a state you’re in. You should have come to me when I asked. Not that it matters now.” His tone was friendly, and his voice and expression were relaxed. Not what you’d expect from someone put in this predicament because of her.

 

Diana, staring blankly at him, unconsciously moved her dry lips. “Your Highness, why don’t you… hate me?” The question slipped out thoughtlessly, but it was sincere. Despite her ruining him for Rebecca’s sake, his eyes showed no trace of hatred or resentment.

 

Kayden tilted his head, narrowing his eyes.

 

“Hate, huh… I don’t know.” Muttering as if unsure, he soon smiled a serene smile. “It’s strange. Given the situation, I should be trying to kill you. But I don’t feel like it.”

 

“…”

 

“From the first time we met, I didn’t get a bad impression from you. Actually…” Trailing off, he then finished with a bright laugh. “I liked you. I wanted to be friends.”

 

“Huh.” Unconsciously, Diana let out a hollow laugh. At the same time, tears welled up in her dry eyes.

 

Friend.  The first time she heard that word, her heart ached as if it were being crushed.

 

The person she devoted her life to abandoned her. Yet the one she avoided, thinking she shouldn’t get close to, was offering his hand even now. It was too funny and too painful.

 

“Haha.” Diana laughed and cried simultaneously, tears streaming down her face. The delayed realization and regret weighed on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

 

Seeing her laugh and cry like a madwoman, Kayden looked flustered. He instinctively moved as if to cross the bars. “I didn’t mean to make you cry. Don’t cry, Milady.”

 

Kayden was almost comically at a loss, his dark eyes filled with discomfort and concern. It was hard to believe this was the man once dubbed a mad prince.

 

Between laughter and tears, Diana whispered. “I didn’t dislike you either. It’s strange.”

 

“…”

 

“If we could have been friends… would things be different now?”

 

“…”

 

Kayden’s eyes wavered slightly, a myriad of indescribable emotions flickering within them. But Diana didn’t get to hear his answer.

 

Just then, soldiers barged into the cell, dragging Kayden out for his execution.

 

“Take him away!”

 

The next morning, Diana was beheaded in the same place where Kayden had taken his last breath.

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