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Chapter 2
Elizabeth Rianette was quite satisfied with her life.
“They say House Rianette once again exterminated all the monsters that appeared in the northeastern region?”
“If we’re judging by merit alone, they deserve a ducal title.”
A prestigious family.
“My goodness, doesn’t Lady Rianette become more beautiful every time you see her?”
“Once she has her debutante ball, she’ll undoubtedly become the flower of Icarzan’s social circle.”
Exceptional beauty.
“And it’s not just her looks. Her personality is incredibly kind as well.”
“There isn’t a lady more elegant and dignified than Lady Rianette.”
A sterling reputation.
“I’m so jealous of Lady Rianette. Did she save a nation in her past life or something?”
A life admired by everyone.
Everything seemed perfect.
Until the day she heard these words:
“Leave the Empire immediately.”
*
“Please leave Icarzan. And never come back.”
It was a completely unexpected demand.
Elizabeth stared at the woman before her in confusion.
The woman had straight black hair with a faint brown tint that flowed past her chest.
Her acorn-colored eyes glittered strangely in the sunlight.
Looking at the woman’s solemn expression, Elizabeth searched her memory.
Her name was Sibylla, wasn’t it?
It was a woman Elizabeth had become sick of hearing about lately due to the endless rumors surrounding her.
Have you heard? They say a prophet has appeared in the Imperial Palace.
According to the rumors, a black-haired woman had recently been rescued from the palace lake just before she drowned.
The woman refused to reveal her identity no matter how many times she was questioned.
Then she suddenly insisted on meeting the Crown Prince.
Naturally, no one could simply bring an unidentified woman before the Crown Prince.
So instead, she asked them to deliver a message.
“At the hunting tournament that will be held soon, His Highness’s horse will die of a heart attack.”
Nobody believed her.
Except for one person.
Empress Sophie advised the Crown Prince to change horses, reasoning that caution never hurt anyone.
And then, exactly as foretold—
After the hunting tournament ended, the Crown Prince’s prized horse was found dead.
Veterinarians determined the cause of death to be a heart attack.
And after that, she accurately predicted several other minor future events, eventually earning treatment as a prophet within the Imperial Palace.
She had even been granted the name Sibylla, meaning prophet, personally by Empress Sophie.
And today, Sibylla had appeared at Lady Olden’s tea party and suddenly requested a private meeting with Elizabeth.
Then she had said this.
“Leave Icarzan immediately? What exactly do you mean by that?”
“Of course you’d be confused. I understand completely.”
With those words, Sibylla suddenly grabbed Elizabeth’s hand.
Startled, Elizabeth looked at her.
The woman’s expression was desperately earnest.
“But, my lady, you’re someone who shouldn’t remain in this Empire. You’ll bring conflict wherever you go, and in the end you’ll drag your own life into a pit of misery.”
Was this a prophecy or a curse?
The absurdity of the situation left Elizabeth speechless.
Fortunately, years of training had taught her never to reveal her emotions.
So when she remained silent, Sibylla apparently took it as encouragement and continued.
“I can’t explain everything, but you are destined to become a villainess. You’ll commit countless evil deeds and eventually meet a miserable end.”
…
The more Elizabeth listened, the more offended she became.
One eyebrow twitched involuntarily.
But Sibylla paid no attention.
“It would be best if you left Icarzan before that tragedy occurs.”
To suddenly label an innocent person a villainess and a harbinger of disaster was outrageous.
But it doesn’t seem like she’ll listen no matter what I say.
In the end, Elizabeth decided to end the conversation as elegantly as possible.
“Thank you for your concern. I’ll keep it in mind.”
“My lady, this isn’t something to merely keep in mind. You need to leave immediately!”
Realizing Elizabeth wasn’t taking her seriously, Sibylla pressed harder.
“I’ll give you one month. Leave before then.”
Elizabeth was speechless.
So this woman was urging her to abandon her homeland, her family, and her friends based solely on an absurd accusation disguised as prophecy.
Seriously…
A wave of irritation surged within her.
What nonsense is she spouting?
For the first time, Elizabeth allowed a tiny glimpse of her true nature to surface.
“And what if I don’t?”
“You’ll regret it.”
Sibylla’s expression became even more solemn than before.
Looking at her, Elizabeth felt as though she had already been branded a wicked woman despite doing absolutely nothing.
“If necessary, I’ll make sure you have no reason left to remain in this Empire.”
“…Are you threatening me, Miss Sibylla?”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to protect everyone’s happiness. And this is for your sake as well.”
The situation grew more ridiculous by the second.
Elizabeth barely managed to stop herself from voicing exactly what she was thinking.
“I warned you, Lady Rianette. Leave the Empire within one month. Otherwise—”
Otherwise?
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow as if inviting her to continue.
“I’ll reveal the secret you’ve spent your entire life trying to hide.”
*
It was evening by the time Elizabeth returned to the Rianette estate from Lady Olden’s tea party.
As she entered the mansion with a tired body, a middle-aged woman stepped into her path.
“And just what is the meaning of your appearance?”
The sharp voice belonged to Bailey, the head maid.
She had once been Elizabeth’s nanny.
Thin, severe-looking, and always dressed in dark clothing, Bailey exuded an air of cold discipline.
Elizabeth instinctively stiffened under the woman’s scolding and hurriedly adjusted her clothes.
“Is something wrong? My appearance shouldn’t have become disheveled today—”
“Not your dress. Your hair.”
Bailey interrupted sharply.
“The hairstyle I tied for you has come loose.”
“Ah…”
Touching her hair, Elizabeth realized it was true.
The ribbon holding half her hair back had loosened slightly.
Only slightly.
And naturally, a half-up hairstyle was bound to loosen over the course of a day.
…You can barely even tell from the outside.
“Are you trying to tarnish the dignity of House Rianette?”
The moment Bailey uttered the words House Rianette’s dignity, Elizabeth’s heart clenched and her shoulders shrank instinctively.
“I’ve told you before. You have a duty to uphold the honor of House Rianette.”
“…”
“You must never show the slightest flaw. Surely you understand the reason better than anyone.”
“…Yes. I’ll be more careful.”
Elizabeth replied automatically, as she always did.
Only then did Bailey nod in satisfaction.
“Go and take a bath.”
*
After her bath, Bailey personally helped her into a corset.
“Take a deeper breath.”
The corset tightened mercilessly around Elizabeth’s waist, leaving barely enough room for air.
She felt dizzy.
“There. This is how a lady of the great House Rianette should look.”
Those words, repeated endlessly over the past ten years, felt even more suffocating than the corset itself.
Without complaint, Elizabeth headed to the dining room.
Normally, everyone was too busy to share dinner together.
But tomorrow the men of House Rianette were departing to exterminate monsters in the northwest, so the family had gathered.
As she entered, she saw three men seated at the table.
At the head sat her father, Marquis Rianette, a man with dark ash-gray hair.
To his left sat her eldest brother, Andric, and beside him her second brother, Bernard.
As descendants of the legendary giant Rianette, all three men were enormous.
Even while seated, their height and powerful builds were obvious.
Most people would find them intimidating simply to stand near.
Even Elizabeth had needed a long time to grow accustomed to their presence.
Upon seeing them, she became even more careful with her movements.
Compared to her gigantic family members, she was like a tiny chick.
Her footsteps were nearly silent.
Yet Marquis Rianette somehow sensed her arrival and turned around.
“You’ve arrived, Eli.”
“I’m sorry for being late. Have I kept you waiting?”
“No. Sit down.”
Elizabeth took her seat to the Marquis’s right, directly across from Andric and Bernard.
At the same moment, both brothers turned their eyes away from her and lowered their heads.
As always.
And as always, it hurt.
Calm down. Control your expression.
Elizabeth hid her feelings and began eating.
“…”
“…”
Silence filled the dining room.
She moved her utensils with the uncomfortable feeling that she might develop indigestion.
In truth, her mind was still disturbed by Sibylla’s words.
Then her father spoke.
“I heard you attended the tea party at the Olden estate today.”
Startled because she had been thinking about exactly that, Elizabeth looked up.
“Did you enjoy yourself?”
His expressionless face felt like a needle piercing straight through her chest.
The secret you’ve wanted to hide until your grave…
If anyone discovered it, everything she had worked for would become meaningless.
Her family would never forgive her.
They would cast her aside without hesitation.
Just imagining it made cold sweat break out across her body.
“Eli?”
Oh no. My expression.
Elizabeth jerked in surprise and quickly looked at her father.
“Are you all right?”
Both of her brothers were staring at her now as well.
Suppressing the nausea rising in her throat, Elizabeth forced a smile.
“Yes. I’m fine. It was enjoyable.”
“I see. That’s good.”
“Please return safely tomorrow, Father.”
Maintaining her smile, she glanced at her brothers.
“You as well, Brothers.”
“…We will.”
After a brief pause, all three men gave nearly identical replies.
Just as always—dry and distant.
The silence returned.
Elizabeth resumed eating, her mouth bitter.
A prestigious family. Exceptional beauty. A sterling reputation…
Elizabeth Rianette was quite satisfied with her life.
But she was not happy.
In reality, her family was little more than a shell.
Her beauty had not been inherited from them.
And her reputation had been earned only through years of brutally suppressing her true nature.
Even so, she spent more than half her life convincing herself she was satisfied with all of it.
Which was why, one month later—
The tragedy that befell her may have been the greatest stroke of luck she had ever received.
Next Chapter.
