Chapter 1.
“The victory is all thanks to the princess. Tell me what you desire.”
All eyes turned to Rene Stade, who knelt before the emperor.
The conquest wars of Emperor Otto, which had continued for a full ten years since her first campaign, came to an end with the Kingdom of Kill, marking the Stade Empire’s domination of the west.
The role of the great magician, Princess Rene Stade, had been decisive in this.
She was a powerful sorceress who cleaved mountains, crossed waters, scattered rains, and summoned blizzards.
A being with the strength to usurp the emperor’s throne at any moment, should she so desire.
Yet the princess had devoted herself to fulfilling her imperial father’s will and elevating the empire’s name, thereby building her claim to succession.
‘Surely she’ll ask for the throne!’
Everyone thought as much. For the Stade Empire strictly forbade female succession to the imperial throne.
They awaited the moment when the first crown princess in the thousand-year history of Stade would be born…!
“Friedrich Kill.”
An utterly unexpected name emerged. Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise. Even the emperor’s.
“Ah, do you mean the Kingdom of Kill? That’s far too modest…….”
“That can’t be, Your Majesty.”
Rene shook her head and corrected him.
“I want Prince Friedrich. Don’t kill him—give him to me as my husband.”
They hadn’t misheard!
What Princess Rene demanded was neither the right to imperial succession nor a kingdom, but merely the prince of a fallen nation.
‘Of course, he’s handsome, but still.’
To give up even the right to the throne?
Everyone shared the same thought, and the emperor, flustered, asked,
“Why?”
Princess Rene wore a thoughtful expression for a moment, then elegantly lifted the corner of her mouth.
“He seems like he’ll please me with his handsome face.”
At those words, everyone flushed red and let out sighs. All harboring the same notion.
‘As expected from a bloodthirsty monster—such cruelty.’
‘She must intend to drive the prince to suicide from the humiliation.’
Pitying gazes turned toward Prince Friedrich, who knelt in the corner.
He, too, wore a dazed expression, as if unable to comprehend the situation.
‘She did say he’s handsome.’
‘Well, there was that legendary prince who forsook absolute power and the blessings of victory to choose an unparalleled beauty.’
The onlookers entertained such thoughts and found themselves nodding in understanding.
It was an appearance worthy of it. Ebony hair cascading down to his chest, amethyst-like eyes sparkling through the strands, a proud nose bridge, lips red as blood, and skin as white as snow.
He was a man of unreal beauty, as if stepped straight from a fairy tale.
Enough to instantly explain why the Kingdom of Kill had kept him so carefully hidden away in seclusion.
“Is it not possible?”
“In principle, he ought to be executed, but… if the princess desires it.”
The emperor nodded with a reluctant expression, though he still seemed perplexed.
“Can you truly satisfy your amusements with such a mere trophy?”
Princess Rene offered a faint smile and bent her knees to pay her respects to the emperor.
“All my glory belongs to Your Majesty, so I am content with a single symbol of our final victory.”
Those watching the scene felt a peculiar sense of unease.
The princess seems somehow more humble than usual?
Correct.
‘Ah, damn. I should have spoken more rudely.’
I belatedly realized that the response didn’t align with Rene’s character and hastily added,
“Of course, I trust Your Majesty will see to the other trophies as well. It’s a glory that would have been impossible without me.”
As this rather arrogant and insolent reply followed right in the emperor’s presence, the perplexed gazes swiftly vanished.
And amid my relief, the emperor burst into hearty laughter.
“Of course! But why must you go so far as to marry him when you could simply take him as a slave? Surely there are men of far better standing lining up in the capital, waiting for the chance.”
“Who among them would dare place themselves above me? If I must marry anyway, it’s far more convenient and preferable to wed a man I can command as a slave.”
In the Stade Empire, there was an absurd law requiring any woman who remained unmarried by the age of twenty-five to enter a monastery.
Had any other noblewoman uttered such words, she would have faced scorn and condemnation, but because it was ‘that’ Princess Rene, everyone nodded in stunned agreement, though they found it outrageous.
“Well, it’s not untrue. Very well, I grant permission for the marriage. However, he shall hold no status beyond that of your husband.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
I bowed my head deeply before turning away. The thronging crowd hastily parted, carving a path in an instant.
With the arrogant expression I had practiced all night in front of the mirror, I made my way toward the conquered palace.
Ordinarily, no one would dare turn their back on the emperor, but I am Rene Stade.
* * *
“Ugh, I’m totally drained.”
The moment I dragged my exhausted body onto the bed and lay down, a groan slipped from my lips. It’s an insult to even call this thing a bed—it’s rock-hard.
No matter how grand a palace bed it is, it can’t compare to a latex mattress.
“I just want to get back to the capital soon. It’s such a shame I can’t teleport…….”
It’s a good thing, really. I swallowed the words I wanted to say inside and let out a sigh.
‘The emperor can’t forget his first love.’
I had possessed the body of a character who dies in the story—a ruined romance fantasy I’d loved reading. Specifically, the princess of the nation where the male lead would later stage a coup.
It was still before the original plot began, and I’d possessed Rene Stade, the legendary magician who stood unrivaled under the heavens…
‘But for some reason, my magic power has vanished!’
At first, I assumed it was because I was a possessor that I couldn’t use magic.
Yet I retained nearly all of Rene’s memories, and I could perform flawlessly the things she excelled at: horseback riding, swimming, even knitting…
Just one thing eluded me—magic!
And that meant my life as a possessor was destined to be in hardcore mode.
Because Rene Stade possessed a personality and a roster of enemies that made her assassination seem not only possible but inevitable at any moment.
Blessed with record-breaking magic power in the empire’s history, she was infamous for her haughty and insolent demeanor, even in the Stade Empire where women were seldom afforded respect.
On top of that came the succession rivalry with her half-brother—as a bonus. The stepmother empress plotted to kill Rene at every opportunity.
If they discovered I was defenseless, stripped of my magic? They’d seize the moment, thinking ‘the chance is now,’ and come at me with everything they had.
‘Even if I declare I have no interest in the throne, there’s no way they’d believe me.’
Everyone was convinced that Rene had thrown herself into the conquest wars to build legitimacy for her claim to the throne. After all, she’d boasted about it herself far and wide.
But what I truly desired was the life of a wealthy idler!
‘My personal fortune is immense, so I just want to retire from being a princess as soon as possible and live a leisurely life in the countryside.’
That said, I had no intention of embracing a nun’s existence, so marriage was the immediate priority.
Because next year, I’d turn exactly twenty-five.
‘Since I don’t know when my magic might return, I need to marry someone who can protect me in the meantime.’
It might never come back at all. That’s why I’d settled on the male lead, Friedrich, as my husband.
In the original story, Friedrich was a prince treated with contempt, who barely managed to escape when the Kingdom of Kill fell to the empire.
Then, a few years later, he became a sword master and ascended to emperor through a coup.
My plan was to marry Friedrich, live quietly and unobtrusively, fading into the background, and then divorce him before he launched his coup.
‘He’s the type who always repays his debts of gratitude, so even if he becomes emperor, he won’t kill me.’
And if my marriage twisted the original plot, preventing him from becoming emperor? That was fine too. I could live abroad as if I’d vanished—how would my half-brother ever track me down?
‘If I had my way, I’d disappear right this instant… but Rene’s face is far too recognizable, which makes it impossible, unfortunately.’
In a way, this was also for the sake of the original female lead. If I asked her, I’m sure she’d have zero desire to live out the life of a heroine in a ruined tale.
As I swelled with dreams of transforming this romance fantasy into a happy fairy tale for everyone, my maid Elsa inquired,
“What would you like for dinner, Your Highness?”
“I’ll skip it and go to sleep. I’m exhausted.”
“Understood.”
Elsa never spouted insincere platitudes like ‘But you really shouldn’t skip meals!’
Perhaps taking after her mistress, she was quite audacious, always speaking her mind—more like a friend of ten years than a mere maid.
Given how Rene was constantly coddled by those around her, she seemed drawn to this type of attendant. Of course, Elsa was also sharp and intuitive.
“Then I’ll prepare everything so you can rest comfortably for a change.”
That’s why I should never have let Elsa’s cryptic words pass without question.
* * *
How much time had passed since I’d fallen asleep? I woke up with a parched throat.
“Water…….”
Groping blindly for the bedside table, my hand encountered something soft yet firm.
Far too… unlike a water glass.
‘It feels like a person?’
I jolted upright, identified what I’d grasped, and let out a scream.
“Kyaa!”
Friedrich, whose chest my hand had seized, glared at me with eyes flushed red.
