Natalie hated Lisette’s white, soft skin. It was because she disliked her own relatively darker and rougher complexion.

Due to her inferiority complex toward Lisette, Natalie had threatened that she wouldn’t tolerate Lisette showing her fair skin. Because of this, Lisette hurriedly tried to lower her clothes to cover her wrists, but there was a limit to what she could hide.

“I’m sorry.”

“This is ridiculous! Didn’t I tell you to cover your entire body? Get down on the ground!”

Normally, unless they had committed a grave sin, even maids and attendants wouldn’t be forced to lie on the floor, so Lisette thought she had misheard. But that wasn’t the case.

“This girl isn’t listening to me.”

When the imperial princess gestured, the maids beside her approached and forcibly pushed Lisette down.

One pushed her head, another her shoulders, and another kicked the back of her knees, causing her body to fall to the floor instantly. As a result, Lisette had to completely bow down with her body pressed against the floor.

A smile spread across Natalie’s lips at the sight. She had deliberately made her prostrate to feel humiliated.

“From now on, greet me like this when we meet. Be grateful you’re not imprisoned!”

Soon after, the sound of the maids behind the imperial princess snickering reached Lisette’s ears. Her body trembled with humiliation, but there was nothing she could do. She could only hope that Natalie would pass by quickly.

“Be grateful that I even bother with you, who isn’t even father’s real daughter.”

After leaning down to whisper in a low voice, Natalie struck Lisette’s hand with her shoe as she walked past.

The pointed shoe caused blood to flow even from just a slight prick, but she paid no attention and continued on her way.

Being prostrated, Lisette couldn’t see them, but the sound of their mockery seemed to continue ringing in her head, so she covered both ears with her hands.

The pain in her heart was far greater than the pain in her hand.

Slightly raising her head to confirm that Natalie was completely out of sight, Lisette stood up and gazed coldly at the place where she had disappeared.

Who’s the one who doesn’t resemble father! She bit her lower lip tightly.

Unlike Lisette, who had grown to somewhat resemble the emperor, Natalie still didn’t resemble him at all.

She looked so much like she was born solely from the empress that it would be suspicious if someone claimed she wasn’t the emperor’s daughter. Because of this, whenever Lisette saw Natalie, she was reminded of the empress, which was painful.

It was all because of her that her mother and Lisette were falsely accused and lost the emperor’s love, and that they now lived such miserable lives.

According to the emperor’s original decree, Lisette should have been able to buy dresses, accessories, jewels, and other items as she wished, allowing for at least a minimal luxurious lifestyle. However, since all matters concerning Lisette were entrusted to the empress, this wasn’t actually possible.

The empress had forced Lisette to stay in the old detached palace and took special measures to ensure she could only possess the dresses and jewels that the empress provided.

Even that wasn’t enough, so she ordered that only one maid be allowed to work in the detached palace, forcing the others to leave.

Later, even that seemed to displease her, so she manipulated circumstances to make that one maid quit for some fabricated reason, and after that, no one served Lisette.

As her life continued, practically confined to the detached palace, the emperor, with whom she had almost no opportunity to meet, began to live seemingly having forgotten her existence. The empress also gradually lost interest in her, so as time passed, Lisette’s existence was forgotten in the palace.

Now, very few people knew about her, and despite being well past marriageable age, she couldn’t even get married.

Living in the palace until she grew old, then going to a convent. Lisette’s life was predetermined regardless of her will, making it arguably the worst life for a member of the imperial family.

So while Lisette’s life might appear unfortunate from the outside, being forgotten actually had advantages for her.

Ironically, once she was pushed out of everyone’s attention, she could move freely within the limited space of the detached palace.

Thanks to this, she could secretly eavesdrop on the conversations of passing maids to learn various news. Most were unimportant gossip, but it was quite entertaining.

Since she wore a black veil according to the emperor’s order, they didn’t even think Lisette might be listening, making it possible.

Having to wear a veil was actually humiliating, but it allowed her to act freely now, so it was a situation she should be grateful for.

However, while everyone else had lost interest, only Natalie still remembered Lisette and continued to visit and torment her.

‘There’s a limit to what I can endure.’

The empress and Natalie had completely stolen Lisette’s life, and far from feeling sorry, they tormented her more and more severely. As their actions worsened, a whirlwind of flames was growing in her heart.

‘I will definitely repay this humiliation.’

With that determination, Lisette carefully wiped away the tears flowing from her eyes, reaching under her veil. Then she managed to stand up on her trembling legs.

She saw maids walking from the opposite direction, but they continued their conversation, seemingly uninterested in her staggering figure.

In times when she felt depressed like now, Lisette would usually let their conversations pass by. But she couldn’t do that now because what came from their mouths piqued her interest.

“I heard there’s talk of marriage for the Imperial Princess?”

Marriage? Who is she marrying?

Since Natalie had turned 20 this year, it wouldn’t be strange for marriage talks to arise. Her situation was completely different from Lisette’s, who had to remain unmarried and confined to the palace for life.

Since the emperor adored her so much, marriage talks wouldn’t involve unworthy men, so Lisette was curious about who she would marry.

Lisette opened her ears wide and focused all her attention on the maids.

“Who is she marrying?”

“I don’t know that much. I just heard that she was happy because His Majesty had given permission for the marriage. But I think I know who it might be.”

“Who?”

Lisette’s heart pounded. Just hearing the name of the unfortunate man made her feel strangely tense.

“The one she’s been liking…”

“Hey, shh!”

But before she could hear the name of the marriage partner, the maids’ conversation stopped. Following their gaze, she turned her head to see the maid who always accompanied Natalie.

Looking around like she was searching for something, it seemed she had dropped something important when Natalie was picking on Lisette earlier.

Why did she have to appear now of all times…

Lisette thought the man marrying Natalie without knowing her personality was pitiful and wanted to know who he was, but the maids’ conversation had been cut off, so there was nothing she could do.

Thinking that she might get in trouble, Lisette hurriedly headed to her quarters while glancing sideways to see if the maid had found what she was looking for.

Having found what she wanted, the maid sighed in relief and walked back toward the main palace, where she encountered Natalie.

When she showed the found item, Natalie’s previously frowning face began to brighten. Unlike usual, her face was full of shyness, tinged with a peach color, indicating that the lost item was certainly something received from the man she was to marry.

She must have someone she likes.

Seeing Natalie’s face in love, Lisette could tell that, just as the maids had said, she was marrying a man she liked.

“!”

At that moment, Lisette’s eyes widened.

She had thought that Natalie’s marriage had nothing to do with her, but that wasn’t the case.

Since Natalie was emotional, if she were rejected, wouldn’t she be shocked and reveal her true personality? 

Then she would show a disappointing side to the emperor, and wouldn’t that create an opportunity for Lisette to catch His Majesty’s eye and seek revenge?

Thinking about it, Natalie’s failed marriage could potentially lead to an opportunity for Lisette to regain her position.

That would be really good.

With the hope of regaining her position, the knot in her heart that had built up over time seemed to loosen a bit.

Additionally, this was the first opportunity to take revenge on those who could ruin her life, so Lisette didn’t want to miss it at all. Therefore, she needed to find out who the man Natalie loved was before that.

Who could the man she’s trying to marry be? Who could she ask to find out?

No. Even if she didn’t urgently try to find out right now, she would gradually learn as time passed. With this thought, a small smile appeared on Lisette’s lips.

Her footsteps returning to her quarters suddenly felt lighter. Just a moment ago, she had been in so much pain, but strangely, it felt like she had recovered in the meantime.