“What? The Empress selection?”

At Father’s sudden announcement, I clutched my skirt tightly. Though invisible to others, my cheeks must have turned crimson and my eyes surely trembled.

“Yes, it’s been almost a year since the Empress has been bedridden.”

“But she’s still—”

The words “not dead yet” rose to my throat, but I couldn’t bring myself to say them.

“Of course she’s still alive, but the position might as well be vacant.”

I nodded with a bitter expression.

Father glanced at me briefly before continuing. “Besides the issue of succession, there are diplomatic matters to consider. This can’t be delayed any longer.”

“I see.”

“His Majesty has held out for a year. He’s done what he could.”

Right. How is that womanizer still single? Oh, perhaps one woman isn’t enough for him.

I tried to maintain a composed expression, but couldn’t help feeling irritated as I recalled that arrogant Emperor’s gaze. Though it happened long ago, my resentment toward him hadn’t fully subsided.

“Father, I don’t want to marry now, but when I do, I’d like to meet someone from an ordinary family.”

Father usually granted my wishes. I put on my most adorable face as I spoke.

“But Leonora, our family itself is far from ordinary.”

“……”

He always made such irrefutable points.

“I don’t want to be Empress, Father. I prefer studying. We agreed I’d start at the Academy this year!”

Of course, I didn’t actually love studying. I just meant rotting away at the Academy was a hundred times better than becoming Empress.

My very tall father, Duke Chadmon, lowered himself to meet my eyes. He always gave me this affectionate look when discussing important matters.

“Leonora, becoming Empress doesn’t mean you have to stop studying.”

“But I still don’t want to, Father.”

Before I could finish expressing my dislike, tears welled up in my eyes. To be clear, this wasn’t an act. It came from the hatred my body remembered.

“Oh dear… my Leonora.”

The reason for my despair about the Empress selection? I was the Empress who became comatose a year ago.

Sienna Viper, the 16th Empress of the Great Ostrin Empire—that was my name.

Well, not exactly my name. I had merely fallen asleep while reading a novel called “The Forgotten Empress,” about an ill-fated Empress who suffers tremendously before becoming comatose.

Of all the novels to transmigrate into, why this one?

Still, I had my hopes. In the original story, the Empress was despised and mistreated by the Emperor, but things might change after my transmigration.

Perhaps the Emperor would tremble before me, or foreign Grand Dukes and Crown Princes would profess their love to me—such romantic scenarios.

‘Looking at that miserable face makes me sick.’

But no—everything unfolded exactly as in the original story. The Emperor rejected me, and I suffered endlessly.

No romantic developments happened to me.

Thus, I became the literal Forgotten Empress, suffering under the tyrannical Emperor—a warmonger with countless female companions—until I collapsed.

More precisely, I fell into a coma.

‘M-my lady! Miss has awakened!’

When I opened my eyes again, I had become Leonora Chadmon, the cherished daughter of a prestigious Ostrin family.

Without time to understand what happened, I perfectly adapted to Leonora’s life, surrounded by her family’s boundless affection.

Meanwhile, I occasionally heard news about the comatose Empress.

‘The Empress seems near death.’

‘Sadly, further life support seems meaningless.’

It felt strange knowing my former self had ended up that way.

My family’s love helped me adjust and move forward. Just as I was starting to relax, planning to study new things, date, and enjoy life…

Empress selection?

This was utterly absurd.

“Leonora, don’t worry too much. I’m not saying you’ll immediately be selected as Empress.”

“What?”

Why mention this crucial detail only now?

Slightly embarrassed, I calmly wiped my tears with my sleeve and stared at Father.

“His Majesty intends to prevent the Empress from being politically sacrificed or exploited again.”

Father’s face momentarily darkened.

Ah, sacrificed and exploited Empress. That would be me.

I shouldn’t have smiled at this point, but I struggled to hide the sneer trying to escape from the corners of my mouth.

“Leonora?”

“Yes, Father. How does His Majesty plan to select the Empress?”

I tried to recall the novel “The Forgotten Empress” that I read long ago.

Unfortunately, I had closed the book when the Empress’s suffering became unbearable, so I didn’t know what happened afterward.

What happened after the Empress collapsed into a coma?

I vaguely remembered there were sections from the Emperor’s perspective, but I hadn’t read that far.

‘What happened after the Empress was gone?’ I wondered, nibbling my fingernails.

I decided to think clearly. If there was a test, I could simply fail it.

Getting rejected from the selection would solve everything! Though if beauty was a criterion, that might be problematic.

“I don’t know yet. However, all invited ladies must attend the upcoming banquet without fail—that’s His Majesty’s command.”

Oh my, how fitting for an exhibitionist!

While inwardly mocking the Emperor, I maintained a gentle smile.

“Yes, Father. Since it’s a command, I’ll attend.”

With the kind of pouting only I could get away with in this household, I slightly bent my knees and straightened up again.

“Good, my sweet lark. Don’t think too negatively about it. Attend with a light heart.”

“I’m not thinking negatively. It’s just that I—”

Hate that Emperor bastard.

I might actually punch him if I see his face.

“I’m afraid. Scared.”

For a year, I’d diligently avoided entering the Imperial Palace whenever the occasion arose.

I made excuses—claiming illness, pretending my cat was dying, and so on.

I didn’t want to return to the palace. That most splendid and beautiful place in the world had been hell for me.

Even though I was no longer the Empress, I didn’t even want to remember it.

“Oh dear.”

Father slowly embraced me.

He infused warmth into my dried, cracked, and gaping wounds.

“Leonora, your father is always behind you. There’s nothing this father wouldn’t do for you.”

Resting my head against Father’s chest, I sighed lightly.

“……”

For a year, Father had given me utterly devoted, unconditional love.

Even when returning from diplomatic missions to nearby kingdoms, he never once came back empty-handed—such a tender father.

Though attending the Emperor’s banquet felt extremely uncomfortable, I figured nothing serious would happen from merely attending.

The other ladies would be desperate to become Empress, so if I just stayed quiet, I could slip by unnoticed.

“Yes, Father. I’m sorry for being difficult. It’s just a banquet after all.”

When I looked up and whispered this, Father’s face immediately brightened.

“Won’t you need a new dress for the banquet?”

The mention of new clothes actually perked up my ears, but I didn’t need to stand out at the banquet.

‘No, wait—all the dresses at home are precious and beautiful. I’ll go to the shop and choose something strange instead.’

This thought improved my mood, and I replied with a grin.

“Yes, Father. I’ll go shopping for new clothes with Sabine.”

Father, I’m sorry.

But I didn’t lie.

I definitely said I’d buy new clothes—I never promised they’d be pretty.