In her youth, she lost her husband and had to live a faded life—even to young Adeline’s eyes, her mother’s situation seemed pitiful.

That’s why she herself got engaged at such a young age and endured nearly ten years of wandering alone in a strange foreign land.

She still remembers that day.

An age when it wouldn’t be strange to act like a complete child. She wasn’t even ten yet.

“You must go to Grofen. Your engagement to the crown prince was promised long ago, so this isn’t something you can just throw a tantrum about and refuse.”

She had begged to go later, saying she was scared to leave alone, pleading to stay by her mother’s side just a little longer. But her mother never granted the young daughter’s request, even when she clung desperately, asking for just six more months.

Instead, she told her to establish herself in Grofen, to create her true position—not just as crown princess in name only.

She said this to a girl who couldn’t properly grasp what ‘her true position’ meant or how to establish it.

Still, she understood her mother’s final words clearly enough.

“Someday, you at least must become a strength to Leopold. You must support your brother from behind.”

And so, to form an alliance with a country powerful enough to support her brother Leopold, Adeline had no choice but to head to the unfamiliar land of Grofen.

Separated from her family at such a young age, Adeline’s life in Grofen was both smooth and not smooth at all. She had to endure years as an isolated existence with no one caring about her.

Even now, she sometimes dreams of those days. Dreams where the fishy eyes of the Grofen king—her fiancé’s father—float around. While her actual fiancé the crown prince’s face remains hazy, those gleaming eyes of the king refuse to be forgotten, even in death.

“…In Grofen, sometimes I was so lonely and miserable I could die, but I endured it again and again, thinking of Mother who would be alone.”

Adeline’s lips trembled faintly as she pushed away the chilling memories and caught her breath for a moment.

“So just this once, please change your mind for my sake, Mother.”

Truth be told, the crown prince of Grofen himself wasn’t bad to Adeline. He was two years older than her, a boy with a bright and gentle disposition. But his luck was terrible.

At the early age of thirteen, he fell ill and soon left the world. The main cause was a broken femur from an unfortunate riding accident.

The sudden death of her fiancé was extremely shocking and sad for young Adeline too, but given her age at the time, her own safety came first.

She had thought that once the funeral ended and Grofen’s situation stabilized somewhat, she could return to her beloved family.

Then she would finally set foot on Krauben soil after two years, and Adeline secretly hoped she could be with her family by her mother’s side like before.

Of course, that wish shattered before long.

The Grofen king, whom she had unconsciously found uncomfortable, refused to send Adeline back to Krauben over the issue of returning her dowry.

The Grofen king had two other young princes besides the dead crown prince. So he kept Adeline in the palace, saying they would discuss the future of both countries gradually.

In truth, if Adeline’s uncle, the current Krauben king William, had actively intervened, Adeline could have returned home quickly after her fiancé’s funeral. 

But at the time, William had to focus on domestic affairs. William had no time to turn his attention to his brother’s niece just because it was unfortunate.

Due to these surrounding circumstances, Adeline had to remain far from Krauben for nearly ten more years.

“Please, Mother…”

Luise’s eyes hardened slightly. Catching that faint waver, Adeline looked directly into her mother’s eyes and spoke.

“This is my first time.”

“…”

After many twists and turns, she had reunited with Kailen and they had become husband and wife. So now she would never let that person go.

“I know how you feel, Mother… but for the first time in my life… truly the first time, this is someone I want.”

Adeline knew well where her mother’s anger and sense of betrayal came from. Her mother was acting so coldly because she thought Adeline’s marriage wouldn’t help—or worse, would hinder—achieving Luise’s long-cherished wish of Leopold’s restoration.

“You’ve gone mad. How dare you… how dare you present such a lowly thing to me as your match.”

Though she was now a former queen consort with nothing to her name, Mother Luise, who had lived a noble life as a princess of legitimate blood, would never have imagined a commoner man becoming her son-in-law.

No matter that the current king, who had been her brother-in-law, had approved this marriage, and no matter that Kailen was a great capitalist whose name resounded throughout the entire Arcadia continent.

That’s why Adeline had begged for months. Just to attend the wedding. On the happy day when the two of them announced their new beginning as husband and wife, if Leopold couldn’t help his situation but even her mother Luise was absent… 

Even if she became happy with Kailen, it would probably only be half happiness.

“I truly love that person. If not for him, I’ll live unhappily for the rest of my life.”

“…”

“I really want to be happy now.”

Luise’s fingers touched Adeline’s round forehead as she murmured.

“Yes, I hope you’ll be happy.”

Adeline’s eyes shook mercilessly at her mother’s sudden touch, tasting a faint sense of hope.

“Since you’ve abandoned this mother and your brother, and even yourself, you should be happy.”

“…”

“My, what great love. Truly great. Adeline Rosenthal von Krauben. I hope your devoted love will be talked about for a very long time, for ages to come.”

Luise pulled her chin up sharply and continued to flash a twisted smile at her daughter who had made the wrong choice.

“Foolish thing. I’m ashamed I bore you from my womb.”

How… how could she be so heartless? How could she be so… cruel?

Adeline’s eyelids trembled. But she tried not to bend her will or lower her voice to appear frightened.

“Yes, you’re right, Mother. I’ve gone absolutely mad over a man. But you only know one thing and not the other.”

“…”

“Do you see that person as someone who will hinder your aspirations? If you truly, genuinely think so, you’re gravely mistaken. You don’t properly grasp the real situation, Mother. How many countries on this continent do you think are beyond the reach of the Belliche Trading Company?”

The Belliche Trading Company was the name of the commercial company owned by Kailen Belliche. 

His company, which traveled widely across the entire continent and penetrated deeply into the commerce of all kinds of countries, was literally raking in money. With just his name, he wielded influence no less than any noble, holding the power called ‘wealth.’

Moreover, this was now a world where even kings wrote promissory notes to borrow money. The weight of the crown wasn’t what it used to be.

Just looking at neighboring countries, there were quite a few where the very existence of kings had completely disappeared.

Her mother, who lagged behind current trends, was frustrating. Of course, that didn’t mean Adeline had ever coveted the wealth Kailen possessed. To her, he was a man whose value couldn’t be compared to mere gold.

“Why do you think His Majesty stepped forward to arrange this marriage?”

“…Shut that mouth.”

“If you just ran to Silvani Hill right now and looked below it, you’d see it. That person’s tremendous ability!”

The construction of the Train commercial district occupying the east of Belmor Palace in the capital Varsen, where the king resided, wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Kailen had accomplished it.

“Is that person truly insufficient for me? For me, who has nothing and whose only pride is noble blood?”

“Adeline Rosenthal von Krauben!”

“Someone once called me a beggar princess.”

It was when she had tried to cut her limited living expenses during her prolonged foreign life by changing only the skirt color on the same bodice. 

She had tried her best to change the feel with accessories or lace she wove herself, but someone with a keen eye noticed and Adeline was mocked behind her back.

“I couldn’t refute it—I just hid. Because I secretly agreed with them and found it amusing.”

She saw her mother’s chin, pale and bloodless, trembling violently, but Adeline’s lips didn’t stop.

“If you love Brother Leopold, open your eyes and see properly, Mother.”