Chapter 1: The Death of Edelweiss Stern

I received a letter notifying me of a broken engagement.

“The future crown princess must bear an heir. Since you can no longer fulfill that duty, I am letting you go…”

Edelweiss stepped out onto the balcony and stared at the gloomy sky, heavy with dark clouds.

The damp scent lingered at the tip of her nose, deepening her melancholy.

A dull, aching pain spread through her right ankle, as though it were pinned under a heavy stone.

Such heavy pain always came before the rain.

“Edel. What are you doing out here alone?”

Her half-sister, Rosemary, followed her out and glanced briefly over the railing as she asked.

Edelweiss couldn’t bring herself to answer.

She understood that once the label of “barren” was attached to her in high society, the relationship couldn’t continue.

But she had been in a relationship with Adolf for three years. Didn’t she deserve at least the courtesy of a proper farewell?

“I didn’t think he’d treat me like I was worthless the moment I became infertile…”

Was it really so difficult for him to come see her in person and speak face-to-face?

Swelling with disappointment, she crumpled the letter he sent.

“Edel, what’s wrong?”

“Sister… what do I do…?”

“What did His Highness the Crown Prince say? Let me see that.”

At Rosemary’s gesture, Edelweiss handed over the letter without resistance.

As she read it, the corners of Rosemary’s lips lifted faintly.

“…Well, it makes sense. A crown princess who can’t bear children? Of course it ended like this.”

Her chilling murmur struck Edelweiss like a blade.

The sister who was always kind and gentle.

Such malice didn’t seem possible from Rosemary.

Edelweiss straightened up as goosebumps crawled down her spine.

“Took long enough.”

“What did you just say…?”

“It was so much work making you infertile. And finally, the moment has come.”

Edelweiss clutched her chest as her heart pounded violently.

“Sister, what are you talking about…?”

Unable to believe it, she pinched her cheek. It hurt. This wasn’t a dream.

“You were so naive. That’s why it was easy to fool you. You drank the lily tea I gave you without a hint of suspicion.”

“…Lily tea?”

Rosemary had told her that lily tea helped warm the body, gifting it to Edelweiss with a smile.

“Are you saying the lily tea made me infertile…?”

The image of Rosemary comforting her after receiving her diagnosis flashed before her eyes, sending her into turmoil.

“Every time I saw you depressed about being infertile, it was so hard not to laugh.”

“Why? Why did you do this to me? Why, sister…!”

The bright smile that once adorned Rosemary’s face hardened into ice.

“Because you got engaged to the crown prince. I couldn’t be with His Highness Damian because of you. If you hadn’t existed, I would’ve been by his side by now.”

Edelweiss collapsed to the floor, unable to process the shock.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips.

Rosemary had long loved Damian, the only legitimate imperial prince of the Rejenoel family.

But the reason she couldn’t be with him was because she was illegitimate.

It had nothing to do with Edelweiss’s engagement to Adolf.

Rosemary looked down at Edelweiss with disdain.

“I always found it hilarious how desperate you were to be loved. Flailing around like a swan trying to stay afloat.”

“……”

“No, not a swan… maybe more like a duckling?”

As she burst into laughter, holding her stomach, her gaze shifted to Edelweiss’s ankle.

“Don’t be too disappointed. Even if you weren’t infertile, a cripple like you becoming the crown princess would’ve been a bit much.”

Limp.

Of all people, Rosemary should never have called her that.

It was from shielding her during that fall down the stairs that Edelweiss had been injured.

“Do you regret protecting me? Don’t be so resentful. It was your choice, wasn’t it?”

“…Shut up.”

Edelweiss’s hands trembled with fury, her mind clouded by the storm of rage.

“Don’t expect Father to cast me out and finally start caring for you.”

“……”

“He thinks it’s pathetic that you’ve brought disgrace to House Stern after the Crown Prince broke off your engagement.”

Each word Rosemary uttered dripped with scorn.

Edelweiss fought the rising nausea and forced herself to stand.

“No need to overdo it, Edel.”

Rosemary laughed openly as Edelweiss staggered, limping.

“Oh, right. The king of Yennieham seemed to have his eyes on you. He’s over seventy, but with so many princes, at least you won’t have to bear children yourself. Doesn’t that sound nice? How about becoming Queen of Yennieham?”

“Father said he’d feel more at ease with you out of sight. You’re infertile, crippled, and discarded by the Crown Prince—useless in every way.”

She had known.

She had always known how deeply her father cherished Rosemary, the daughter of the woman he truly loved.

But Edelweiss? She was born from a political marriage, a product of duty, and her father had never looked at her with anything but contempt.

Her mother, always frail, had fallen gravely ill after giving birth and died when Edelweiss was around four.

Her older brother, who blamed her for their mother’s death, never opened his door even when she came knocking.

Still, she had wanted to be their pride.

She had starved for praise, hungered for attention, and tried everything to be loved.

She endured it all, hoping that one day they might look at her with warmth.

But the only thing she ever received in return was cold, bitter gazes.

Worse still, she’d lived a life mocked by others.

From her father’s maternal family—the Marquisate of Blossomweaver—she had inherited no ability to bloom the famed blue roses, which was said to mark the true Blossomweaver bloodline.

Because of this, people called her a nominal Blossomweaver, in name only.

Would they have loved me if I had the gift?

…No. Of course not. They loved Rosemary, and she doesn’t have the gift either.

They probably just would’ve forced me to hide it anyway… because of her.

Now even my father is going to abandon me, just like Adolf did.

The sorrow gripped her throat. Even breathing felt unbearable.

“……Ah.”

Tears streamed down Edelweiss’s pale cheeks, her green eyes dulled as their light slowly faded.

Even though Rosemary was a child born of an affair, Edelweiss had truly believed in her.

She had trusted her more than anyone.

When jealousy or resentment crept in, she did her best to erase it.

She couldn’t help but love Rosemary, who was the only one to show her affection.

She loved how Rosemary used a pet name for her—no one else did.

It made her feel like she really did have family.

“You said… you’d be my family… I’m your sister…”

If only she hadn’t liked Rosemary.

If only she hadn’t trusted her.

Maybe her words wouldn’t hurt this much.

“Oh dear, how pitiful. But really, it’s your fault for trusting that idiot, Jane.

That girl worked so hard to please me—she faithfully delivered every cup of lily tea I gave her.”

The moment Jane’s name left Rosemary’s lips, Edelweiss’s body convulsed in betrayal and heartbreak.

Jane—her beloved personal maid.

The only person who had shown her kindness when the rest of the servants looked down on her.

More than a maid—Jane was like family. A friend.

Everything she had believed in—every gesture of warmth—had all been a lie.

Tilting her head, Rosemary reached out and cupped Edelweiss’s cheek.

Edelweiss wanted to slap her hand away.

But strangely, her body wouldn’t move. Her limbs were frozen stiff.

“Edel. Want me to tell you a little secret? I wasn’t planning to ever say it, but… I think it’ll make you feel even more bitter, more miserable.”

“…What?”

“I’m not actually Father’s biological daughter.”

Rosemary’s pupils gleamed with ecstasy.

“Congratulations.”

Suddenly, she thrust both hands out and shoved Edelweiss’s chest with all her strength.

“Maybe now you’ll finally get the praise you always wanted—‘She took her life for the sake of the family’s honor,’ or something.”

With a wave, Rosemary muttered,

“My little sister. Goodbye. It was fun while it lasted.”

Her balance lost, Edelweiss felt the terrifying sensation of floating.

Wind rushed past her skin, slicing like cold knives.

Her short, silvery hair whipped wildly around her face.

The weightless drop accelerated, crushing her chest with fear.

Bang!

“…Ah.”

A deafening crash.

And then—pain. Blinding, searing pain.

Warm blood gushed from the back of her head, trailing sticky down her neck.

So what if she’s not his real daughter…

I’m going to die anyway. And she’ll still be the one who’s loved, who survives.

‘…Please.’

I don’t want to die… it hurts… save me…

But none of the words made it to her lips.

It felt as though her heart was burning, scorched from within.

The blood pooling under her head stung her nose with the scent of iron.

Edelweiss, through her blurred vision, looked at her right hand.

The emerald ring on her index finger—the one her mother left behind—had cracked.

Now, it shattered completely.

It had been her most cherished keepsake.

She told me never to lose it… to keep it with me always…

And even in the end, all I’ve done is let her down.

Her mind drifted.

Her sight dimmed.

The pain faded, leaving only coldness… and sleepiness.

Her eyelids grew heavier.

Even if I die, Father and Brother won’t mourn me.

If I had known it would end this way, I never would’ve begged for a love I’d never receive.

She was so tired.

She just wanted to quietly disappear.

Then—

Swoooosh—

Rain poured down, hard and relentless.

It had been a weary, lonely life.

And at the very end of it, the one thing she’d always hated—rain—came to greet her.

A butterfly…?

From the broken shards of emerald scattered on the muddy ground, a flash of light flickered.

That light turned into a green butterfly.

The butterfly danced around her, again and again.

Its fluttering felt like a lullaby, a gentle promise of rest.

As it descended, blue petals began to scatter.

A faint scent of roses lingered in the air.

Green butterflies appear when the Blossomweaver power awakens…?

It must be a hallucination. A final illusion, born from my desperation.

Raindrops fell on her cheeks, mingling with her tears.

And then,

Edelweiss Stern closed her eyes.