Chapter 1 – Part 2

She was blinded by a flickering light. The scene that met her eyes wasn’t the dark forest but a room that resembled the one from her childhood.

‘My room?’

Eliana jolted upright. It wasn’t just similar; it was her actual childhood bed. The dirty, unwashed body she had endured was gone. Instead of a tattered dress, she was wearing an embroidered nightgown.

“Good morning, Lady Eliana!”

Mila, the maid who had been dedicated to Eliana during her time at the Count’s estate, approached with a lively voice.

‘Not the insincere voice of Mary, the palace maid who served me carelessly in the western wing… but Mila’s voice…’

Eliana realized that the voice she had heard in her dying moments had brought her back to life.

“Mila, what year is it now?”

“Why do you ask that all of a sudden, My Lady? It’s the year 679 of the Imperial Calendar, of course.”

Her heart raced wildly.

“The year 679…?”

It was two years before her marriage to Cedric, during their engagement, when he was still the Crown Prince.

‘It would’ve been better if we hadn’t been engaged, but at least we’re not married yet. I can still break it off!’

Time had rewound.

‘I’m alive.’

As Eliana quickly processed past events, Mila looked at her with a puzzled expression.

“My Lady, are you alright? Did something happen?“

“No, it’s nothing.”

“You should start getting ready for the party. I’ll ensure you look beautiful today, though Lady Matilda didn’t give me much to work with…“

“A party…? What party?“

“Oh, My Lady, how could you forget? The Marquis of Lequizet’s party, of course.”

Matilda, the Lequizet party… Eliana was now sure of the timeline she was in.

“She didn’t give me enough money again, did she?“

“…No, not this time either.”

Matilda was her father’s wife, Count Austin, and Eliana’s stepmother. Count Austin had a complicated history with women, and Matilda was just the latest in a line of women who were not Eliana’s biological mother.

Eliana’s mother had died without being formally recognized by the family, and the Count reluctantly took Eliana in. From what little Eliana remembered, her mother was said to have been a beautiful and kind-hearted woman, like an angel.

After her marriage, Matilda quickly took control of the household. She constantly favored her own children, Paul and Sylvia, over Eliana, even skimping on Eliana’s grooming expenses. A cold glint appeared in Eliana’s eyes as she recalled the past.

‘I spent my life tiptoeing around that woman until I entered the palace, but I won’t live like that anymore.‘

“Come this way, My Lady. I’ll make sure your hair is done perfectly.”

Under Mila’s skillful hands, Eliana’s hair was soon tamed into a neat style. Her lustrous hair, snowy white skin, and striking blue eyes made Eliana stand out.

On the morning of a party, she always woke up at dawn to prepare, hoping that today would be the day Cedric, the Crown Prince, might notice her.

“I’ll make you look the best today.“

“No, that’s alright. I’ll keep it simple today.“

“But, My Lady, you can’t! Everyone at the Lequizet party will be dressed to impress. You must outshine them all, especially as the Crown Prince’s fiancée!“

“No, it’s fine, Mila.”

Eliana smiled lightly. Though Mila was confused by Eliana’s sudden change of heart, she couldn’t go against her determined will.

“I’m tired of the childish outfits. This teal dress will do. I don’t need the jewelry from the palace. Keep it simple with both the dress and the accessories.”

During her time as Empress, Eliana met far more people than she had ever had as the Count’s daughter, including many foreign dignitaries. Unlike the exaggerated styles favored by the women of Moira, a more refined and clean look was popular in neighboring countries. Eliana had learned to appreciate a more sophisticated style. Mila could only watch as Eliana efficiently and elegantly prepared herself.

‘What’s gotten into My Lady today? She’s so different from how she usually is before a party.’

But soon, Mila’s curiosity turned to admiration. Despite her worries, Eliana looked stunning.

“It’s time to leave, My Lady.”

Oliver, the butler, called out from beyond the door. Eliana picked up her engagement ring. She slipped it onto her finger and fiddled with it, finding its presence irritating.

‘Where should I throw this to feel better? Into a lake? On the street? Or perhaps at the Crown Prince’s face?’

* * *

“We’re ready to depart, My Lady.”

Paul and Sylvia rode in one carriage while Eliana rode in another. The Marquis of Lequizet’s estate was known for its wealth. The Lequizet family, like the Leiberte family, was one of the most prominent noble houses loyal to the royal family.

The two most potent forces in the Moira Empire are the royal family and the temple. Even the Emperor can’t easily challenge the temple due to its religious authority.

Nobles sought to gain power by aligning themselves with the royal family. The best way to do this was to marry their daughters into the royal household. Count Austin, who was known for his greed, was no exception.

‘No one expected it to happen at the time.’

The temple had shockingly recognized Eliana as a suitable candidate for the Empress, someone who would benefit the empire’s future.

“Is it true? Eliana, are you really suitable to be Empress?”

“Yes, that’s what they said. The High Priest predicted that the empire’s fortunes would rise with me by Crown Prince Cedric’s side.”

She remembered how happy she had been, even now.

A smirk twisted the corner of Eliana’s lips. She had been so overjoyed back then, not knowing that it was the path to her downfall. At the time, she had been willing to sacrifice everything for Cedric.

Because she loved him so much.

‘I was the sacrifice. Ready to willingly offer myself…’

After coming back from the brink of death, everything looked different. The obsession with pleasing the imperial palace and the compulsion to be loved by Crown Prince Cedric were no longer there.

Eliana had even thought of sending him a letter asking for a breakup right after she returned. Cedric would welcome it with open arms, but the imperial palace and their families might resort to more forceful methods to bring the two together even faster.

‘That can never be allowed.’

Everyone was convinced that Eliana would never leave Cedric’s side. To shatter that belief and shorten the arduous process, reducing interference from the imperial palace and the temple…

‘I need to make Cedric bring up the breakup first. And he needs to demand it from me strongly.’

That was Eliana’s plan. The first to mention the breakup would be him.

Eliana’s eyes grew colder than ever. As the first step, she planned to shatter the image Cedric had of her today.

“How could someone like you become an empress!”

Cedric’s words, which once pierced her like a dagger, would now bring her joy.