🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter – 01
“Looks like His Majesty has made a decision.”
“What do you mean?”
“The successor to this kingdom! With today’s birthday banquet being so grand, it’s clear His Majesty plans to appoint Princess Relina as crown prince for the future of the kingdom!”
Today was the birthday of Relina, the second princess of the dominant power on the continent, the Kingdom of Labantira.
As nothing but a lavish spectacle filled her vision no matter where she looked, the nobles supporting her were making hopeful predictions.
“And she’s brilliant too! At just 12 years old, she has mastered statecraft, history, politics, mathematics, economics, administration—and even creativity. Isn’t she a perfect genius of this era?”
“That’s right! I’ve taught many students, but I’ve never seen anyone as intelligent as Princess Relina!”
However, there was also a faction that looked unfavorably at the star of the birthday celebration, pouring cold water on their enthusiasm.
“Hmph. Just because the banquet is grand doesn’t make it proof of favor. Princess Shailin also receives plenty of His Majesty’s affection.”
“That’s right! Princess Relina hasn’t shown anything concrete yet! On the contrary, Princess Shailin has far more qualities of a future king!”
“She has excelled in statecraft with top marks and regularly accompanies His Majesty on inspections. Is that all? Isn’t she even entrusted with acting authority as the King’s deputy?”
The “King’s Deputy” was literally a position acting in place of the king to carry out state affairs.
It was essentially a role for heirs to experience governance before ascending the throne.
Since the king had entrusted such an important position to Princess Shailin, the nobles supporting Relina gritted their teeth.
But they could not back down.
They immediately counterattacked, and the situation quickly escalated into a verbal battle.
Each side praised their supported princess while attacking the other.
And then…
“Honestly, I have no idea what they’re doing, gathering like that without even thinking about serving cake.”
One of the parties involved was watching the entire farce.
Shailin Labantira.
The eldest princess of the Kingdom of Labantira, and the one caught up in this conflict.
Shailin leaned against a pillar at the edge of the banquet hall, observing the fight.
It was a perfect hidden spot, shadowed enough that no one noticed her.
Of course, there was another reason the nobles failed to recognize her.
Instead of her usual revealing and extravagant attire, she was fully covered and had even tied her hair up.
Simply put, her normally sensual, eye-catching appearance had become completely different with light makeup.
“Well… this is getting kind of intense.”
The nobles’ power struggle was fierce, but to Shailin it was just amusing.
Her golden eyes watched the scene like she was enjoying a grand orchestra performance.
Because the winner of the future was already decided.
‘If I become king, this country will fall.’
She knew that better than anyone. When she had been king in her previous life, the Kingdom of Labantira had gone beyond being on the brink—it had been on the verge of collapse.
Shailin, who had regressed, could not afford to waste this chance she had been given.
“I’m never becoming king again. My dream is to be unemployed, unemployed.”
Back when she was a princess, she had desperately wanted the throne…
But the position of king—where work poured in endlessly from dawn to dawn, and every major decision of the kingdom rested on her shoulders—had been a disastrous mistake in her life, a false light she had foolishly chased.
And worse, she hadn’t even done it well. After decades of failure, Shailin was more than anyone convinced that her younger sister should become the next ruler.
“Honestly, His Majesty’s intentions are obvious, aren’t they? It’s Princess Shailin. Why don’t you understand that?”
“Is that so? When exactly did His Majesty directly praise Princess Shailin’s abilities?”
“…Haa. This argument is getting tiring.”
When should she step in?
It was like a broken record, the same words repeated over and over.
Shailin sipped her champagne, waiting for her family to arrive.
At that moment—
“If Princess Shailin is the standard, I wouldn’t object either. But look at her clothes. Isn’t that inappropriate for royalty? She looks like some street—”
“You do realize that’s royal defamation, right?”
A slightly blunt, childish voice cut into the argument.
“Pri, Princess Relina?!”
“H-How did she—”
Relina, dressed in a cute yellow dress that matched her innocent appearance, glared at the nobles.
“I looked around the banquet hall, and honestly, you all seem more childish than me. It’s embarrassing.”
Her gaze was filled with disdain.
They were being looked down on by a 12-year-old they themselves supported as heir.
Their faces flushed red.
Worse, the majority of the hall was already whispering and watching them.
Relina shook her head.
“And since when did I say I wanted the throne?”
“Pardon?”
‘…Huh?’
A strange chill ran down Shailin’s neck.
She suddenly leapt from her seat and rushed forward.
No. Absolutely not. In this life, she refused to be king again…
“I don’t want it. If anything, my sister—”
“Relina, you’re here?”
Shailin interrupted her sister and smiled broadly. Her practiced expression management, honed over long years of experience, worked perfectly.
“Sis—?”
Relina’s pronunciation slurred slightly.
Shailin quickly removed her hand and smiled warmly, tucking a strand of hair behind Relina’s ear like a mother caring for her child.
Relina’s eyes sparkled. The child’s voice naturally filled with affection.
“When did you get here, sister? I didn’t see you.”
“I’ve been here for a while. I wanted to surprise you.”
“Hehe. You didn’t have to.”
Relina smiled brightly anyway.
And seeing that pure smile, Shailin thought again:
She absolutely had to make her sister king.
“Sa, save me…”
“Aah, Relina. You have to die for me to get what I want.”
Because that was the only way she could atone for a past where she had been consumed by curses and brainwashing, and ended up taking her sister’s life.
Time Rewinds
Wishing to turn back time.
Shailin had thought it was an impossible wish.
Just a dying confession of regret at the moment of death.
‘…But this is too vivid to be a mere hallucination.’
The room from her princess days, the people around her… everything was too real to be a dream.
Perhaps it was regression.
And—
Without even realizing what she was wearing, Shailin ran down the hallway.
“Your Highness! Where are you going?!”
“At least change out of your nightwear!”
Voices called after her from both sides, but she didn’t hear them.
‘If it’s now… they should still be alive.’
Her long-lost family.
Years of loneliness and tears came rushing back, and she bit her lip.
She had to have hope.
Yes. They must still be alive.
She headed for the dining hall, remembering that this was the time her family usually ate together.
“So Father, this time—”
“Our daughter is so intelligent! The kingdom is blessed!”
“Everyone keeps praising her lately…”
Voices like chirping birds came from inside.
Shailin slammed the door open.
Three pairs of eyes turned toward her.
Silence fell.
It made sense. She had avoided family meals since her mother’s death.
“….”
Step by step, she walked inside.
The familiar scent of her stepmother’s perfume, her father’s ink, and Relina’s floral fragrance filled the air.
It wasn’t a dream.
She walked up to Relina and knelt.
Their golden eyes met.
Tears fell without her realizing it, soaking Relina’s clothes.
“Shi, Shailin!”
“What’s wrong?”
The king and queen stood in shock, rushing to her side, trying to comfort her.
But that only made her cry harder.
After a moment, she lifted her head, face red, and steadied her breathing.
Then she declared firmly:
“Father!”
“Yes?”
“I’m not becoming king!”
“…What?”
“I refuse! My dream is unemployment—unemployment! I want to do nothing and just live as royalty!”
She would live lazily and rely on her younger sister.
The tyrant of her past life had decided to become a parasite in this one.
