And so it goes.
This girl, rumored to wield legendary light magic, possibly a princess from another kingdom, has been causing a stir since she appeared beside His Highness and Sir Raymond several weeks ago.
We’ve all become the subject of gossip.
Oh, the smug, irritating faces of those nobles gleefully mocking me! I’ve memorized every single one of them—faces, names, and all. They’ll regret it. Don’t underestimate the memory of someone who didn’t back down from grueling queenly education.
It’s laughable, really. Everyone stealing glances, whispering their theories—it’s all so ridiculous.
The room, the people, even myself for being riled up by this silly girl—it’s all absurd.
And yet, I keep smiling.
Lady Eliza, unable to reconcile her differences with me, let tears well up in her soft, round pink eyes and exclaimed, “Do you really think nobles are so great?!”
“Why won’t you understand me, Lady Fineria? Is it because I’m a commoner? Because I’m not a noble? Just because Ray and Yuri are nobility or royalty, does that mean I can’t even talk to my friends?”
Her tears weren’t a sign of weakness but of conviction.
Just as I stood firm in my pride, this girl also held firmly to her beliefs. The frail demeanor she displayed earlier seemed like a complete lie.
So this is the heroine, I thought.
The one whose default setting is beauty when she removes her glasses, who is innocent, charming, and radiantly pure, challenging outdated customs with strength and clarity.
“Nobles, royals, and commoners—it doesn’t matter. If you’re hurt, it pains you; if you’re cut, you bleed. Everyone is the same.”
Clasping her hands before her chest, her slender shoulders trembling, she still fixed her gaze firmly on me. Radiant, pure, and endlessly innocent, she seemed like a beacon of light.
How must I look, standing in opposition to her?
“And I return those words to you,” I said. “If the actions you insist are right can hurt or anger nobles, why is that unreasonable? I won’t say I’m entirely in the right, but I don’t believe I’m wrong. I’ll say it as many times as needed.”
How do I appear in His Highness’s eyes, I wonder? What does he think of me?
The answer is simple, and I hate it.
“One should not casually call their superiors by affectionate nicknames. One must not address His Highness by his name alone. It’s improper to approach a man—especially one who is engaged—alone. Even if His Highness permits it, you should first consider that rules exist to protect oneself or others before dismissing them as wrong.”
The petite Lady Eliza glared up at me with fierce eyes.
“Stop dodging the question! Why, as his fiancée, can’t you notice Yuri’s loneliness?!”
Her impassioned cry rang out across the hall.
Even amidst the lively chatter, her voice carried clearly, cutting through the noise.
Looking at the heroine displayed on the game’s package, with her ending already set in stone, I laughed.
“If he doesn’t want to be lonely, he shouldn’t aim to be king.”
“Wha—? How could you say that?!” Eliza stammered, her face flushed with frustration. “How could you laugh like that? Ray and Yuri are suffering so much, and—”
“Don’t insult this kingdom’s treasures with such shallow words,” I interrupted coldly. “Both of them have worked tirelessly to live up to their titles and the price they must pay for them.”
Had His Highness confided in her?
Had he shown this girl a weakness he had never revealed to me?
The thought stung. No, I wouldn’t admit to feeling envy, not even if it cost me my head.
“Surely, my dear delicate and sweet-natured lady, you understand this? Whether it’s a nation, a company, or an organization, the leader always stands alone. Who would follow someone who openly laments their burdens to others?”
Before I realized it, the music had stopped.
Not a whisper could be heard. Every single person in the hall was looking at me.
But that didn’t matter.
I, the beautiful, selfish “Greedy Princess,” had lived my entire life under the scrutiny of others. That wasn’t what frightened me now. No, it was His Highness’s gaze—piercing, unwavering, and utterly terrifying—that made me loathe myself.
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