Chapter 2
Judith’s homeland, the Tien Kingdom, was originally wealthier than any of the surrounding countries.
Surrounded by steep mountains, agriculture and fishing did not develop much, but silver and rubies poured out from the mountains surrounding the kingdom.
Did they believe too much that it would continue pouring out no matter how much they used, or was the downfall predestined anyway? From one day onwards, silver shipments began to drop dramatically. Not only that, but the ruby shipments also decreased, as if they had been waiting.
However, the royalty and nobles of Tien, who had been accustomed to luxury for many years, did not come to their senses even when mining in the mines became almost impossible.
The tendency for luxury and expenditure did not disappear no matter what. To make matters worse, Judith’s father, the previous King, had a reckless and vain desire to overcome the crisis through war.
He collected the exhausted national treasury to fight a meaningless war, and paid compensation in return for defeat. His son, who ascended to the throne after him, also followed his father’s foolish footsteps many times.
He was even defeated in what was thought to be the last battle as the Tien Kingdom, which lasted for about 3 years in the southern region.
The King that was leading the tribes in the southern region demanded a huge amount of compensation for damages from the Tien Kingdom, and threatened to make the Tien Kingdom a vassal state if they did not pay.
Judith’s older brother, Eland, was a human who would have nothing left except for his pride. He was a pathetic guy who would rather throw away the crown on his head than govern a country that had become a vassal state.
It was then that an unexpected savior came to Eland, who was collecting taxes to pay compensation without caring that the people were dying.
The northern Roteia Kingdom. Bordering the sea to the west, it was a place that had been troubled for a long time by the infertile salty soil and the appearance of pirates; but now, it was a place that was gaining power in the vicinity by trading with countless other countries across the sea.
Queen Gilsis, who holds the power of the Roteia Kingdom in one hand, suggested to Eland that she would pay the war compensation instead of him.
And in return, the Queen demanded that Eland’s younger sister, Princess Judith, would be handed over to her.
She was meant to become the Princess Consort of Franz, the 1st Royal Prince of the Roteia Kingdom.
Eland had no reason to refuse. After all, she was just a shabby, pitiful little sister, who was no more valuable to him than a piece of silver the size of his fingernail. Even though they were siblings, Eland always treated Judith as a useless thing.
Paying back the enormous compensation with his younger sister, who was underdeveloped and looked like a skinny 14-year-old girl even though she was 17 years old, didn’t know how to speak her mind, and had no confidence despite being a princess, was a lucrative deal for Eland.
Not knowing that his choice would push Judith’s life into a gruesome place in the future, Eland accepted the offer with joy.
He would probably accept it even if he had known.
“Miss Judith, are you really alright? If you are not feeling well, I will tell the chef to serve something easier to eat…”
“No, Marianne. I’m fine. Really.”
Judith answered, but Marianne was very anxious like she was not sure. Judith looked down at the warm breakfast on the table and burst into empty laughter.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I just… thought that it had been a long time since I saw warm white bread.”
“What do you mean? White bread is always served for breakfast.”
“Yeah… That’s right.”
It certainly was like that before she died, no, before being imprisoned in the tower. But after being imprisoned in the tower, Judith had forgotten what white bread tasted like.
Not just white bread. Everything she took for granted, such as clean air, warmth, and clean water to quench her thirst, became something she could not even dream of.
“Marianne, would you like to eat too?”
As she tore the still warm and steamy bread, Marianne, who was standing shyly with her hands together, opened her eyes wide.
“What?”
“Sit down and let’s eat. It’s too much for me to eat alone.”
“Hey, even so, how could I eat with the Princess? Even maids from noble families can’t dare to do that…”
“Sit down and let’s eat. It’s an order.”
Judith, who had turned her head with a pouty expression on her face, turned her head towards Marianne, who had no expectations of any kind, with a strange expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“What? Nothing, I… It’s nothing. It’s the first time I’ve heard Miss Judith say something like that…”
The bewildered embarrassment was evident on Marianne’s face, who hesitantly sat across from her. It was then that Judith remembered how she was at this time. When she was the Princess of the Tien Kingdom, she was a person who could never say things like ‘it’s an order’. Even if it was a joke.
“… It’s a joke. You know, right?”
“O-of course I know…”
“Come on, eat. The bread will get cold.”
Marianne hesitated as Judith pushed the plate, and then began to munch on the small slices of bread. While eating, it was evident that she was keeping an eye on Judith. But rather than because she was genuinely scared of Judith, she was concerned about her condition, as she seemed to have changed overnight.
“By the way, Miss Judith. You didn’t forget that you must visit His Majesty before lunch today, right?”
Judith’s hand, which was scooping up the soup, stopped suddenly. Marianne was restless, twitching her hands, ashamed as if it was her fault.
“What’s the matter? Can you tell me again?”
“Last night, His Majesty’s aide came and delivered a message. Don’t you remember? He said he had something important to say…”
“…”
“Do you really not remember?”
Judith remained silent despite Marianne’s explanation, but it wasn’t because she didn’t remember it.
There was only one time in her seventeen years of life that the King had called her because he had ‘something important to say’.
‘So, it’s today. Today is… that day.’
The small spoon in Judith’s hand trembled. She pursed her lips and glared at the plate of food.
It was that day. On that day, after the thoughtless order Eland gave Judith, her life was thrown into the mud.
“… No, I remember it. I must get ready.”
“I don’t know what’s going on, but people have been coming and going from Roteia a few times these days. Those people may be at the place where you will go to meet His Majesty, so Miss Judith should also be determined.”
After she finished speaking, Marianne drank the juice Judith had given her at once and smiled broadly, as if saying to trust her.
After eating, Judith was led by Marianne’s hand and sat down in front of the dressing table. Since she had never worn make-up until the age of seventeen, her skin was smooth, but not very attractive. She didn’t look her age because, even though she wasn’t sick, she looked sickly because of the lack of color in her complexion, and she couldn’t eat well because she had a small appetite.
Judith, who was staring at herself in the mirror as if she were a stranger, suddenly twisted the corners of her mouth and laughed.
On the day she first went to the Roteia Kingdom and met Queen Gilsis, how satisfied that vicious woman was when she saw her shabby appearance.
How terrifyingly she laughed when she saw her trembling and crying as if she had committed a serious crime, unable to make even a single excuse after hearing the harsh insults.
Yes, she must have been pleased. As Queen Gilsis, she would have been extremely satisfied. The large amount of money she had paid to the Tien Kingdom to bring her was probably not worth a single penny.
At that time, Judith was the ideal princess consort that Queen Gilsis wanted. She wanted a princess who was feeble, shabby, trembled in fear, and had nowhere to trust or to lean on, like a pitiful animal. Her intention with that was to completely shatter Prince Franz’s wings, which she couldn’t break anymore.
At that time, everything went according to the Queen’s will. Judith was afraid of Franz and afraid of Queen Gilsis, and in the end, she had to face a horrific false charge and choose a tragic death for herself.
‘I will pay her back.’
Judith looked at herself in the mirror and pursed her lips.
‘I’ll give back all the pain I’ve suffered, without exception. To that woman, and to Claude, that motherfucker.’
This was an opportunity given by the Gods.
The opportunity has come to give back the horror of becoming blind day after day while locked in a dark tower, and the devastating despair she felt when she realized that everything had ended horribly.
“I’ll brush your hair first.”
Marianne pulled out an ivory comb and hummed. The moment she put her hands on her hanging hair, Judith stopped Marianne and picked up a small bottle of perfume from one side of the dressing table.
“Spread this first and brush it.”
Marianne’s eyes widened once more, as if she was surprised by Judith’s words. That’s understandable. The Judith at this time had never used perfume or lotion or anything like that.
Eland rebuked Judith for being extravagant whenever she tried to buy what she needed for a minimum grooming, while he spent huge amounts of money on a war he couldn’t even win. How much did he criticize Judith every time he saw her, saying that she couldn’t even dress elegantly like a princess, even though he was like that?
Crazy jerk.
Judith endured her anger towards Eland. She could feel the comb gliding smoothly through her hair that had been sprayed with perfume.
“Miss Judith, you are very strange today. I don’t think you are our Princess.”
“You don’t like it, Marianne?”
“No, I don’t hate it. It’s rather good… What can I say, I think you suddenly became an adult.”
“I am one year older than you.”
“Hey, I know that. But Miss Judith is always soft and fragile like a little bird.”
Marianne laughed a little. Judith smiled faintly, too, but Judith, the little bird that Marianne was talking about, was nowhere to be found.
She had to become a hawk from now on. She had to become the type of person who could snatch her prey with her sharp claws and cut off their breath at once.