A few days later, the floats were paraded in the street, and I attended the founding festival banquet.
As for me, I wanted to not attend.
However, it was the imperial family's tradition to debut as a socialite at the Founding Festival after reaching the age of 15.
“Keep calm, this way you'll get asked to dance.”
My mother wanted to get rid of me as a troublemaker by marrying me off.
However, there was no way anyone could ask me to dance.
‘If there is anyone who voluntarily wants to dance with the Crow Princess, it must be someone of low status or crazy.’
When I was denouncing myself because I had become a wall flower.
*The meaning of “wall flower” or “wall flower” refers to a shy or introverted person who prefers to stay on the sidelines and does not actively participate in social activities, such as someone who stands next to the wall at parties. This term can be used to describe someone who feels shy or avoids integrating into social situations.
“Why is there...”
I heard someone walking towards me.
My eyes grew wider and wider.
Eric Lennon Brant, extended his hand asking to dance.
“Your Highness, would you please dance with me?”
Blond hair sparkling under the chandelier light, and a well-shaped face with beautiful features.
I still think his face was really good,
But somehow I felt like he was missing something.
'I don't know why, but I think he looks different than before...'
At that moment, I realized that I had accidentally extended my hand.
'What did you do!'
I felt warm from our touching hands, and when the music started, I panicked and stumbled, trying to pull myself away.
However, thanks to his quick grabbing of me, I escaped an ugly scene.
"Are you well?"
I nodded and spoke quietly as if I was mumbling.
“I can't dance...it's okay if you just pretend you're injured and don't dance.”
Honestly, I don't want you to dance with me either.
I swallowed such a mental feeling inside and tried to withdraw my hand.
At that moment he held my hand.
“Don't worry, I'll lead the dance.”
At these words, I said to myself.
'Don't be fooled, he is Madeleine's boyfriend. He must have been laughing at me inside.'
If you step on his foot, he might laugh at you.
So I indulged in dancing so as not to be ridiculed.
After dancing like this.
“My foot hurts”
As an excuse to leave, he took me to the balcony.
“Are your feet okay?”
I lied in case he asked me to dance again.
“I think I should go back to my room and rest.”
I tried to return to my palace alone, but...
“I'll take you there”
I couldn't help but be dragged away by him accompanying me again.
After a while, when we reached the princess's palace, he smiled and let go of my hand.
“Your Highness, I really enjoyed today.”
I quickly withdrew my hand and answered firmly.
“Okay, that's it”
At that moment, I suddenly remembered that there was a handkerchief in the room.
It was an opportunity to get out of trouble.
“And the handkerchief you gave me before, I will return it now.”
Before I could finish speaking, he shook his head.
“It's okay if you don't bring him back now.”
“Oh?”
When I asked him, without knowing why, he blushed and said, “If possible, I would like to have an embroidered handkerchief from Her Highness.”
At these words, I felt surprised and ashamed.
This was because it was a common confession among the nobility.
“A-ah, it's me...”
I tried to answer that it was difficult, but he shook his head with a smile on his face.
“It's okay if you don't give me an answer right away, I will try to win Your Highness.”
And after that day he started visiting me.
A day with a doll, a day with a bouquet of flowers,
And a day with high quality tea leaves.
However, I realized how much it hurt me to be disappointed after I expected it, I tried to move away from the boy who gave me a gift and approached me.
But I had to admit it.
At some point, I was waiting for him.
'I don't even know what this feeling is.
But...when I'm with him, I really feel like a princess'
I opened my mouth to Eric who gave me a gift again.
“You don't have to bring these things from tomorrow.”
His face hardened at my words.
“Your Highness, I cannot accept that...”
“No, just come empty-handed.”
After a while, he understood my words and smiled widely.
“Yes, next time I will.”
But after that day, I couldn't meet Eric.
Due to friction on the borders, the Duke of Brant died, and he, who succeeded his father, entered the war.
Eric sent me a message before going to the battlefield.
[I'll definitely be back until then, I hope you keep my handkerchief]
I'll do that for Eric.
I wrote and prayed for his safe return.
And every day I thought about him and how nice he was to me.
I wasn't sure yet, but I wanted to repay his kindness in some way.
'Okay, let's embroider it and hand it to him.'
He finally returned after 4 years.
The day he became a hero and came to the Imperial Palace, I was convinced to see him become more dignified.
'Oh yeah, I missed you too.'
It's only been 4 years, but I feel like I've finally found someone I've been missing for a long time.
I went to him with tears in my eyes.
“As promised... I'm here to return the handkerchief.”
With this handkerchief, I thought there would be a good change in our relationship.
But what came back was his cold voice.
“Your Highness, Princess, I hope you will not come near me from now on.”
The way he drew the line as if he were a different person,
And his cold eyes broke my heart.
But what was even scarier was the thought of someone taking him away.
During the past period, I longed for Eric and dreamed of a happy future with him.
However, the thought that Eric, my precious existence, would get Madeline, who was the target of comparison with me, made me crazy.
At that time, the Emperor made me a proposal.
“You're busy following Duke Brant these days, aren't you?”
“…...”
“Tsk! You ugly thing, I will marry you to the Duke of Brant. However, there are conditions.”
Revered as a war hero, Eric's father was considered a thorn in his eye, so he needed someone to tell him about his weakness.
Also, the moment he and I got married, the country believed that the perfect Duke Brant had been tarnished.
I knew this was all going in the wrong direction for him, but I couldn't stop it.
“Yes, I will follow Your Majesty’s orders.”
Thus, she married the hero under the pretext of marrying the princess as a reward.
I thought it would be fine.
Usually, aristocratic couples lived well after having children, even if they married for convenience.
However, my husband did not touch me all the way from the first night as if he was against our marriage.
In the meantime, having a baby was a miracle.
It's been 5 years since we got married.
“I will name the baby Damian.”
It was a baby from a one-night stand, and I hid the fact that I was pregnant until my belly popped at his recommendation.
I was worried, but finally relieved to see him name my baby.
As long as I have an heir, I can continue to exist as his wife.
Tragedy came seven years later, when I was neglected.
“Let us dry the seeds of the extravagant imperial family!”
The emperor was being revolted and they were also targeting me and my child, who had the right to the throne.
Eric entrusted us with his assistant who has supported him for a long time.
“Take my wife and child to the hideout.”
But his entourage led us to the den of traitors.
When I asked why, his assistant answered.
“Because this is my master’s order.”
To me, who could not believe it, he showed me a letter with the family seal on it.
It was written inside that the safety of “Brandt” and “Arjen”
It will be guaranteed in exchange for giving up me and my child.
“Why are he and Arjen together...”
His assistant smiled at the words she muttered involuntarily.
“You still don't know? The Duke wants to marry Miss Arjenne
So now all you have to do is disappear.”
I wanted to deny it,
However, the seal must belong to the head of the family only.
'What should I do now?'
She had been abandoned by a loved one, and there was no way out.
Desperate, I wanted to give up everything.
And at that moment -
“Capture the princess, and kill the child!”
Those words stirred my mind.
No matter what happens, my child must live.
‘If I shoot with the gun in my pocket, few people will…’
When I was thinking this way,
Someone stood in front of us as if protecting us.
It was my accompanying slave, Sardin.
“I will stop them, so run.”
I barely escaped because of his sacrifice and headed to the Shira border
Where my aunt got married and she was the queen.
But I couldn't cross the border.
“Mom, I feel sick...”
His skin did not look good throughout the trip, and the child collapsed, when he reached his limit.
jingle-!
“Damien!”
A little boy with eyes like mine.
It wasn't that I liked this kid from the beginning.
However, it was inevitable that I would love the little life that only looked at me and gave me more love than I gave it.
“Damian, don’t worry, Mama will never give up on you, do you understand?”
The baby was everything to me now.
It was okay without my husband, but I couldn't live without my baby who has always made my world bright.
“Dami, baby, are you listening? You just have to move on a little.”
Soon the boundaries were in front of me, so I continued to baby-call while navigating with my baby on my back.
Until the moment my goddamn husband, Eric, led a pursuit group to capture and track me down.
“Cornelia!”
I wanted to ask the man who was stalking me.
Why did you even try to kill our child? If you were going to kill me, you should have tried to kill me because you ruined your life!
The more I thought about it, the more I hated it.
I wanted to make him feel the pain that Damien went through.
In time, I had a good weapon, a pistol, in my arms.
'No matter how accurately I aim...'
I immediately laughed out loud.
“Ah, but what good is that now?”
She kept denying it the whole time, but the child on her back was as cold as ice and his body was stiff.
Besides, there was no breathing sound.
“Eric!”
I put the child down and took out my gun when I looked at him approaching from a distance.
“Cornelia...!”
I'm a mean and lousy person, but I tried anyway.
I wanted to love you.
I wanted to be your wife.
I was wondering if you'd ever go back to the friendly person you used to be.
I wanted you to love me.
“How foolish do you think I was?”
When I saw him getting closer, I raised the gun without hesitation.
Before I knew it, my husband was approaching me and I was swallowed up by the sheer despair of everything
“Cornelia, drop the gun now!”
When I saw him extending his hand to me, I pulled the trigger without hesitation.
– BANG!
Along with the smell of gunpowder, I had a terrible headache, and my collapsed body felt heavy.
But now I feel relieved.
'Dami, Mama will follow you soon.'
Those were my last memories before going back in time.