MHKBO 01

Chapter 01

“Elder sister. So that’s why you went after my man.”

Lemire looked down at me, who had collapsed, with a mocking gaze.

Through my blurred vision, I could see her beautiful black hair.

Unlike my plain brown hair, it was that rare, almost legendary black color.

My hair was nothing special.

My consciousness was fading, but she continued speaking.

“Karife-sama is not someone suited for you, sister.”

I know. I know that better than anyone. That he shines far too brightly compared to me.

But I had no strength left in my body to respond.

When I narrowed my eyes, I saw another black-haired figure standing behind her.

Lemik. He kept glancing nervously toward the door.

What a beautiful display of family affection—participating in murder just because I am their twin sister.

So in the end, I was never truly your family, was I?

Lemire and Lemik. My half-siblings, two years younger than me.

Once, I loved them. I tried hard to earn their love.

But now, they were the ones who were killing me.

Still… I wished their beautiful hands had never been stained with blood.

I was worrying about something meaningless, even as I was dying.

If I treated them well, if I tried harder, they would love me someday.

If I kept striking a tree, even one that didn’t fall easily would eventually give in.

Every time I felt lonely, I held onto that hope and endured.

But those hopes had now become blades, stabbing me back.

As if telling me: you were never worthy of love.

Now that I think about it, I realize those hopes were meaningless.

They always gave me hope, only to take it away again.

When was it? Ah, my fifteenth birthday.

Father gave me a necklace as a gift.

And greedy Lemire wanted it too.

Even though she already had dozens far more beautiful than mine.

Foolishly, I gave it to her.

Of course, a few hours later, it was found in her trash bin.

There was also the time Lemik, who usually pretended I didn’t exist, invited me to a social gathering.

I prepared myself happily, only to arrive and find the venue completely empty.

I had been deceived.

Even just recalling them, there were hundreds, thousands of such disrespectful acts.

How did I endure all that? Why did I endure it?

How foolish. I should have realized from the beginning.

They would never love me no matter what I did.

See? They even killed me like this.

All because I liked the man you desired.

I stopped those meaningless thoughts.

To Lemire, my death must have felt justified.

Her genuine sneer proved that much.

Lemik might have felt a bit of guilt.

Not because he felt sorry for me, of course.

But because murder would stain his reputation.

“…Brea…”

My lips moved slightly, but before I could speak, darkness filled my vision.

It’s unfair.

I wanted to say that.

I never even had the courage to hurt them, yet they mocked me, hurt me, and finally poisoned my tea so easily.

If they were in my position, would they have done the same?

Lemire. Lemik. My siblings whom I once loved… and now hated enough to wish for their deaths.

But I couldn’t kill them.

So perhaps it was better that I was the one dying.

I was pulled into a deep abyss of resentment and despair.

Ah… so this is how I die.

But then something unbelievable happened.

“What… that… is me.”

My body felt feather-light, and I saw myself lying on the floor.

My white indoor dress soaked with spilled tea, my dull bluish eyes barely open.

Was I always like that?

For the first time, I saw myself objectively.

I had never loved myself.

My dry skin, my dull face, the same few dresses I always wore.

Common brown hair, dull blue eyes.

A weak posture, a lifeless expression.

Maybe that’s why I loved them.

They were always smiling brightly.

Their clothes were always elegant, like something out of a fairy tale.

Their rare black hair and red eyes were enchanting.

They belonged to a world completely different from mine.

Maybe that’s why.

As I stared at myself, I noticed a small black hole in the corner of my room.

“Huh…?”

It had been the size of a mouse hole just moments ago, but now it was growing rapidly, as if it could swallow me whole.

“Aaaah!”

The shapeless black mass engulfed me in an instant.

And I lost consciousness.

At the same time, the butler of the Toromoran ducal household looked troubled as he spoke to the man seated before him.

“Your Highness, are you sure you don’t want us to send word?”

It was unusual. The Crown Prince of the Empire sitting quietly in the reception room without announcing his arrival.

He had even used teleportation instead of a carriage.

“I’ll wait until she comes down. Don’t tell the young lady I’m here.”

The Crown Prince. That man truly was the Crown Prince.

He seemed to be planning a surprise visit to his fiancée.

The butler tried not to be flustered.

Soon he spoke again.

“By the way, Your Highness… the young lady will soon be fitted for her wedding dress.”

At that moment, the Crown Prince’s lips curved upward.

“I came precisely for that.”

He spoke softly, as if dreaming.

“To see my bride, Thea.”

Ah… love, truly.

The butler turned away, almost moved to tears.

Then suddenly—

Footsteps echoed from the hallway.

A woman’s scream and a man’s shout.

“Te, Thea is—!”

“She collapsed! My lady!”

The Crown Prince’s expression froze.

And he immediately ran out.

Karife, the Crown Prince—Seuts—thought he had misheard.

Impossible. Thea collapsing?

But his body moved before his thoughts could follow.

Outside stood two young nobles.

Lemire Toromoran.

Lemik Toromoran.

They looked startled as the Crown Prince appeared.

“Who collapsed?”

“The… the tea… she drank it and collapsed…”

“Ha.”

A short breath escaped him.

The foolish girl had no idea what expression she was making.

Someone collapsing—especially family.

He stepped closer to Lemik.

“Where is she?”

“Second floor… second room on the left…”

“Move.”

Lemire’s expectations shattered.

He ran past her without hesitation.

At the door, he stopped.

“I can’t open it.”

“Please… let it not be true…”

But he had an ability.

“See-through.”

What he saw inside broke him.

“Why… why…”

The imperial bloodline carries a special power.

Only one person can possess it at a time.

When the holder dies, it transfers.

The 7th prince, Karife, had awakened it.

Time manipulation.

A power many would dream of.

But it always came with a price.

And sometimes, memory loss.

“If I use it now…”

He smiled bitterly.

There was only one option left.

And darkness fell over everything.