Chapter 15.10

“I would want to meet her, of course. But that’s impossible…”  

“Is it, though?”  

“…”  

Andros’s unsettling gaze roamed over Livie’s face, as if appraising her like a butcher evaluating meat. The blatant scrutiny sent a shiver down her spine.  

“Livie, you truly resemble your mother, Elga.”  

“Do I?”  

“Especially those green eyes and golden hair… so beautiful, almost bewitching.”  

Unconsciously, Livie raised her hands to her face, as though trying to shield it from the King’s gaze. But his eyes continued to linger on her, unrelenting.  

“You really do… look so much like her. When I first saw you, I was astonished.”  

“…”  

“It was as if Elga had stepped out of the tower… no, as if she had come back to life.”  

Andros closed his eyes, seemingly lost in memories of his sister.  

“Elga always prioritized the kingdom above all else. If she hadn’t met your father, if you hadn’t been born, she would have continued to do so.”  

“Is that so?”  

Livie listened intently to the King’s words, feeling a strange mixture of emotions. Hearing about her mother from the King rather than her father was a novel experience.  

No one had ever spoken to her in detail about her mother. As a result, her mother’s presence in Livie’s mind was nothing more than a hazy, faded image—a figure she could only imagine.  

She had never even seen a single portrait of her mother. It was as if some unwritten rule dictated that no trace of the “Mad Princess” should remain in the royal palace.  

“How fortunate that you resemble Elga so closely.”  

“Pardon?”  

The King’s words grew increasingly cryptic.  

“What do you mean?”  

“What else could I mean? Every time I see you, who so closely resembles my late sister, I’m reminded of her. It’s a relief to know she left behind a part of herself.”  

The King raised his goblet and took a sip of wine.  

“It seems the Duke of Edrach is running late. Let’s take a look at the portrait ourselves.”  

With a snap of his fingers, Andros signaled a servant to draw back the curtain covering the wall. Livie watched nervously as the curtain was slowly pulled aside.  

The portrait was large, covering an entire wall. As the curtain was gradually removed, her mother’s image was revealed bit by bit. First her hair, then her eyes and nose, and finally her entire face came into view.  

“…”  

Livie squinted and rose from her seat.  

“This… is supposed to be my mother?”  

Livie stared at the painting in disbelief.  

“Yes, isn’t she stunning? She’s the spitting image of you. Or rather… it’s the other way around. You take after Elga.”  

Princess Elga was depicted seated in an ornate chair adorned with luxurious fur and velvet. Her serene gaze and vibrant expression exuded elegance and beauty.  

But what shocked Livie wasn’t merely her mother’s beauty.  

“How…”  

The woman she had met when she got lost during her wedding celebration—her golden hair, green eyes, and faint smile—was identical to the figure in the portrait.  

If she was supposed to be dead, how could she have been walking around so casually?  

“Do you know why Elga died?”  

The King’s voice came from behind her.  

“Elga could use magic. A terrifying power. That bloodline didn’t end with Elga; it runs through the direct female descendants of the Sesher royal family. They were all cursed.”  

“Then, the madness and illness…”  

“Of course, it’s a disease. A terrible one at that. She could even create a duplicate of herself. I was fooled by it several times. If such a person had become Queen, this kingdom would have been doomed. Fortunately, I was here to ensure the kingdom’s survival.”  

Hearing the words from behind, Livie felt a chill run down her spine. She didn’t have the courage to turn around and face the King.  

“I should take my leave now. It’s late, and Boris will be waiting for me in my chambers.”  

“If that’s what you wish, so be it.”  

“Thank you. Then, I’ll excuse myself.”  

The King spoke with a kind voice, and Livie hastily bowed before leaving the King’s private quarters. Just as she stepped through the door held open by the servant…  

“…”  

A sudden dizziness overwhelmed her, and she steadied herself against the wall.  

“Are you alright?”  

The servant’s concerned voice reached her ears, and Livie nodded.  

“I’m fine.” 

All she wanted was to get away from this place as quickly as possible. Driven by an overwhelming desire to escape the unpleasant aura that seemed to envelop her entire body, Livie forced herself to move.  

One step, then another. The candles lining the corridor blurred, splitting into two, then three. Her legs felt as though they were sinking into heavy mud, making each step increasingly difficult.  

“Ah…”  

What is happening to me? 

Livie blinked slowly, trying to regain focus, but the more she tried, the slower her blinks became.  

“Boris…”  

Stumbling forward, Livie called out Boris’s name. She could no longer lean against the walls for support as her body grew too weak to remain upright.  

“Haa…”  

Her shallow breaths dissipated into the air.  

Thud.  

Livie collapsed to the floor, unable to hold herself up any longer. Moments later, her body slumped sideways.  

***

Livie awoke in a daze, her mind clouded. She blinked slowly, trying to make sense of her surroundings.  

All she could see was white. White, and more white.  

The room she was in was entirely white.  

Where am I? 

Livie tried to think, but the effort only brought a pounding headache.  

She attempted to sit up, but her body wouldn’t cooperate. Her entire body felt as heavy as waterlogged cotton, limp and unresponsive.  

“Haa…”  

Just moving her fingers a few times seemed to drain all her energy. After much effort, she managed to shift her body enough to prop herself up slightly.  

“This place…”  

As Livie took in her surroundings from her seated position, she was momentarily stunned. The brightness of the white room was almost blinding. Everything, from the bed she lay on to the furnishings, was unfamiliar.  

At first, she thought she might be dreaming. She pinched her cheek in desperation, but the sharp pain confirmed the reality of her situation. As she let her hand drop from her cheek, something fluttered into her view.  

“What is this?”  

The white sleeve that brushed against her hand felt strange. It wasn’t what she had been wearing before.  

“…”  

Livie looked down at her clothes. Not only were the sleeves different, but the entire outfit had been changed. The garment, embroidered with gold thread, seemed oddly familiar.  

“This is…”  

It was the wedding dress she had worn on the day she was supposed to marry and become the Duchess of Resette.  

“What is going on?”  

That dress had been torn to shreds by Boris’s hands. And that wasn’t all.  

The two-strand pearl necklace around her neck had been a wedding gift from the Duke of Resette. She vividly remembered the day the necklace had snapped, scattering pearls everywhere.  

Clink.  

Feeling something dangling from her earlobe, Livie quickly reached up to touch her earrings. Once again, she was shocked.  

And it didn’t stop there. On her head rested the jeweled crown she had worn that day. Livie removed it from her head and examined it. No matter how many times she looked, the accessories were unmistakably the ones she had worn on her wedding day.  

She could never forget them. She could still recall the jewels Boris had ripped off her, scattering them everywhere, and the villagers scrambling to collect the pieces.  

“How… how is this possible?”  

It was as if time had rewound to that day. As Livie stared at herself in confusion, a voice came from behind her.  

“As expected, you look just as I imagined.”  

Startled, Livie turned quickly to see the Duke of Resette standing there.  

“How… how are you here?”  

“You’re just as beautiful as I envisioned.”  

The Duke of Resette smiled broadly, his grin stretching unnervingly wide, as he took a step closer to Livie.  

“It’s as if… Princess Elga has come back to life.”  

“Don’t you dare speak my mother’s name so carelessly.”  

At Livie’s sharp retort, the Duke hesitated briefly before breaking into a satisfied smile.  

“Yes, that fiery defiance makes it all the more satisfying to tame you. Don’t you agree?”  

“Why are you here? No, why am I here?”  

Overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events, Livie’s mind was in turmoil. To make matters worse, her head still felt foggy and dizzy. The more she moved, the worse the sensation became.  

“Oh dear, you shouldn’t move so suddenly. You’ll only make the dizziness worse.”  

“…”  

The Duke’s words, spoken as if he knew exactly what was happening to her body, made Livie look up at him in shock.  

“What… what did you say?”  

“Even your startled expression is lovely. How can you resemble your mother so perfectly?”  

Creak.  

The Duke of Resette sat on the edge of the bed, the sound grating against Livie’s ears.  

“Get away from me.”  

Horrified by the man sitting so casually on her bed with that unsettling smile, Livie instinctively recoiled. She was ready to kick him if necessary.