In a distant, ancient time, long since passed.

Inside the lofty and beautiful Castle of Lucia, in the most lavishly adorned room among its countless chambers, the loud cry of a newborn baby broke the cold stillness of a winter night.

The room, filled with the heat radiating from the woman who just became a mother, overflowed with admiration and laughter, blessings and exclamations. Beyond the transparent window painted with a round moon that shone down on them, thick white snowflakes poured down heavily.

“Oh my! They’re twins!”

Heat surged through the hot room once more. In the very place where one life just pushed out its head, another life was preparing to come out into the world.

“It’s a joyous occasion. Could there be another joy like this?!”

That night, the mother wept tears of overwhelming emotion.

Before three nights even passed, the ‘joyous occasion’ spread to every corner of the country and soon became the delight of all the people. Everyone praised and blessed the two princesses born on the same day at the same hour, speaking with one voice.

The two astonishingly identical children grew more beautiful day by day, seemingly competing with each other. They vied to show off their knowledge and flaunt their outstanding talents, truly nothing less than the pride of the nation.

But was it because they found the girls admirable, or because they found them amusing?

From some point on, the people watching them began to judge which of the two was better, which was superior and more outstanding. Before long, this became the beginning of a tragedy that made sisters of the same blood point blades at each other.

One night, when their envy and jealousy toward each other reached its peak.

The child who came into the world first stabbed the heart of the identical child who followed her out, using a knife.

“All of this is your fault, for not only following me out but also copying and imitating everything about me.”

At the tip of her white shoes, the girl watched the face identical to her own harden in blank despair, and her eyes flashed. The child who spat out those heartless words sank into the sweet dream that the world would now adore only her. Yet, ah, how pitiful. What awaited the dreaming girl, her heart swollen to bursting, was only a terribly cold glare and sharp sneers.

Tormented by nightmares every night, the child finally hanged herself at the very place where the identical child lost her life. It was the moment she was finally freed from the endless attention that followed her tiresomely since the moment she was born.

Thousands, tens of thousands of cold black nights ended that way and passed, and again came a dark dawn when thick white snowflakes dyed the world.

Inside the Castle of Lucia, still beautiful and lofty, two baby girls were born.

The huge bed, the soft blankets, the frosted window and the hot breath of the woman who just became a mother that created the frost, everything was the same as that night, but this time, no one offered a blessing.

No, no one could.

Even the sweat-soaked mother’s face was not overcome with emotion but a mess of despair and terror….

“From this moment on, everyone here is no different from one whose tongue is cut out and eyes gouged out. The moment word of tonight’s events leaks outside, even once, I will kill the bloodline of everyone in this place, and the bloodlines of those bloodlines, all of them.”

Barely able to hold her own body together, the blood-soaked mother clenched her teeth and resolved to protect her children.

Just before dawn, the woman secretly summoned the librarian of the royal palace library and handed him a small red lump of life wrapped in white cloth.

The man with very warm brown eyes accepted the child with trembling hands. His quivering pupils wavered fiercely in the tears welling up.

“Please, take care of yourself.”

A farewell announcing an eternal parting clung to the toes of the man as he struggled to turn and leave.

The long night that everyone endured in held breath passed, and at the twilight hour when the red sun climbed the castle walls, a man in a black cloak slipped out through the castle’s back gate, where light still failed to reach.

Soon the red sun, its patience at its limit, climbed to the top of the castle in the blink of an eye. The king’s wish, so long awaited, was carried at last by the blast of a great horn blown by a nameless man and rang out across every corner of his world.

“Lucia’s blessing, a black-haired princess has been born!”

* * *

“This can’t be happening.”

Shut up alone in the huge room, Blair glared at the flames burning helplessly in the fireplace.

How could they push ahead with my marriage without the consent of the very person involved?! Who decided that?!

She ruthlessly crumpled the paper she was holding and threw it into the fire.

Springing up from her seat, she began walking somewhere. The hem of her skirt caught her feet and she nearly fell several times, but she didn’t care at all. She needed to pour out this boiling rage right now.

Otherwise, she would surely go mad before the night was over.

‘Bang!’

The huge door flew open with a roar.

“Why do I have to get married?! Why?!”

She shouted at the people, whose eyes went round like rabbits’. She looked so unstable that she seemed ready to burst into tears at any moment, and in a way she even seemed half out of her mind.

“P-Princess…!”

Despite the very late hour, the public officials of the Lucia royal court were gathered together. Her father, King Gryphon, was there with them as well.

“Is it enough to just toss me a piece of paper like this? So I’m supposed to say ‘I understand’ and just be sold off to a man I’ve never once properly talked to, is that it?!”

In the end, she burst into tears. It was the first time. The first time she ever screamed and raged like this in front of anyone.

Blair’s desperation left the gathered people clearing their throats with a rasp, fidgeting, at a loss for what to do, but only the king was astonishingly calm. He was truly a cold father.

“Sold, you say? That’s harsh, Blair. I can assure you that Taran will be a fine match for you. He is a man every lady and princess in the world covets, so what is there to be so resentful about? Do not argue with what is already decided.”

The king spoke in a carefree tone, like it was nothing at all. His firm attitude said that Blair’s opinion was not even worth dealing with.

“Not me. I-I have never once coveted him. At least let me choose my own partner. Please.”

She wasn’t on her knees, but she looked like someone begging to be spared.

Then a plump-cheeked middle-aged man said, wearing a regretful expression, “Your Highness, all of this is being done for your sake. As His Majesty said, he is the finest man whom everyone in the world covets, so why would you throw away such a good opportunity?”

‘Despicable wildcat!’

Blair bit her lip and glared at the plump middle-aged man. Somewhere along the way he became the king’s right hand and harassed her over every little thing whenever he got the chance, and now he was clicking his tongue at her again.

He was Patrick Clayman, the current queen’s older brother and Lucia’s minister of foreign affairs.

‘You must have pushed through this marriage too, you bastard.’

She had so much she wanted to say, but showing her true feelings like this was a first in her life, so she was clumsy, far too clumsy. Her treacherous mouth would not move as she wished.

The king, for his part, knew her better than anyone.

“My daughter, stop being childish and go back. These people gathered here not to chatter idly but to conduct politics. If you cannot act prudently and demurely as the princess of a nation, then at least do not make such a disgraceful scene!”

“But!”

“Is no one outside?! Take the princess to her bedchamber at once! Now!”

His daughter was only flaring up for a moment. If he pressed her down, by tomorrow morning she would be a good child again who could not make a peep. Just as she always was.

“Wait… wait, please…!”

She felt wronged and bitter. In this vast castle, there was not a single person on her side.

Ever since that day ten years ago, no less, when her mother passed away.

She was forced to return to her bedchamber like a prisoner being dragged along.

Everything was the same. Until she stormed out of here, she thought she would turn something upside down, but not one thing changed.

“Aaargh!”

She struck the pillow and tore at it. The stitches popped, and white stuffing poked out like snowflakes and littered the blanket.

“This isn’t right. This is really… too much.”

Thick teardrops began to run down her flushed cheeks.