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Chapter 6
Only after sending everything back to the Duke of Zikbert’s estate was I finally able to return to my room and rest.
My head, already throbbing from a mild fever, felt even more muddled now.
I just couldn’t understand it. What on earth was he thinking—sending such a gift for everyone to see?
Could this be… a warning for me?
“Nanny, bring me some stationery and a pen.”
Most likely, the real message was: ‘Hurry up and set the date.’
“Yes, Your Highness. Also, His Majesty wishes to have lunch with you.”
“Father? Then I should change clothes…”
I was wearing something comfortable now, but if I was going to see Father or my brother, I couldn’t show up like this.
The marks that the “dark lord” had left still hadn’t disappeared!
So, I needed to wear one of those suffocating dresses that covered me from neck to ankle — the kind that practically served as armor.
“What about my brother? Will he be there too?”
“Yes, His Highness the Crown Prince will also attend.”
“Then let me finish my letter first.”
How could I delay this as long as possible?
When did coming up with one believable excuse for a letter get so hard?
After a long while of struggling, I finally decided to phrase it in a way that implied I’d meet him—but not anytime soon—and that any delay was entirely his fault.
There. A perfect line.
“Nanny, send this to the Duke of Zikbert.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
One major task—done.
Now, all I had to do today was eat lunch and relax with tea afterward.
Truly, being born a princess had its perks.
A life of leisure, showered in love, living like a rich, jobless aristocrat—it was bliss.
In this life, I’d achieved my past life’s dream of being a rich, lazy bum.
“Father!”
Of course, it was sad that Mother wasn’t here anymore.
But thanks to Nanny, who worked hard to fill that absence, and my father and brother, who both loved me deeply, life was good.
Except… Father’s face looked unusually serious today.
“Father? Did something happen?”
He didn’t seem overly troubled, though, so I casually sat in my usual seat.
“Yulia, I heard that the Duke of Zikbert sent you a gift today.”
I felt a cold sweat run down my neck. I couldn’t predict where this was going.
I needed to say something—anything.
“I sent everything back!”
“Yulia. That’s strange, though. The Duke of Zikbert has never actually met you, has he?”
My eyes almost gave me away. Right—officially, we had never met.
Wait. If we never met officially, couldn’t I just… make up a meeting?
“…I think we might’ve crossed paths at Lady Cecile’s birthday party. I was there for a bit.”
“Hmm…”
“As Father knows… I am quite pretty!”
Honestly, beauties like me were rare. The more I looked in the mirror, the more I couldn’t believe how, in the original story, the dark lord could be so cold to someone this gorgeous.
I didn’t get it. If a beauty like me—a princess, no less—chased after you, shouldn’t you at least pretend to be interested?
“Well, you did take after your mother quite a lot.”
Crisis averted.
Father could even mention Mother now with a faint smile. He used to be utterly crushed whenever she came up.
“Yulia, it seems the gift was for you, but what came to me was a marriage proposal.”
“…What?”
“The Duke of Zikbert seems determined to marry you, even if it kills him.”
“No way!”
Nothing good ever came from being tied to that man.
Even now, I couldn’t refuse him because he had leverage on me—so marriage? Out of the question.
Besides, once he meets the heroine, he’ll fall head over heels for her anyway!
In the original story, the moment he met her, he said:
“My lady… haven’t we met before? Perhaps when we were children?”
At first, I didn’t know he was the dark lord. I even rooted for him, honestly.
I’ve always had a thing for second male leads.
I cheered for him up until the truth came out. Especially because, no matter how much the beautiful Princess Yulia chased after him, he never wavered. He only ever had eyes for the heroine. That steadfastness—it was charming.
“We understand each other, you and I. Because we both know the pain of losing someone precious.”
That line had tugged so hard at my heartstrings that I supported him—right up until the moment he revealed his true nature.
Even when he slaughtered Yulia’s family and seized the throne, I’d just thought, Ah, so he was the dark lord after all.
I hadn’t grasped the horror of it back then.
Not until I became Princess Yulia.
“…Father, you’re not trying to marry me off early, are you?”
“If you dislike him, there’s nothing I can do. But finding a better match than the Duke of Zikbert would be… difficult.”
“Viscount Blair.”
“Well… Viscount Blair isn’t a bad candidate, I’ll admit.”
Just then, the door opened. My brother had arrived.
“Didn’t you used to say I was the most handsome man you knew?”
“Brother!”
Truthfully, my favorite in the novel had always been Yulia’s brother.
He didn’t stop her from chasing after the dark lord—in fact, he supported her. A sweet, perfect older brother you could only find in fiction.
He was as popular as the dark lord, but unlike him, his story ended tragically—with his head cut off by that same villain.
“When did your taste change?”
“Of course, you’re still the most handsome!”
“Good. Then never get married, Yulia. I’ll keep you by my side forever.”
What a warm, happy family we were… until Yulia met him.
At first, it was fine—Father even encouraged her affection, thinking it adorable.
He’d planned to marry them eventually.
But that decision led to ruin.
As long as I didn’t fall for the dark lord, I could save my family.
All I had to do was not chase after him.
If I just lived happily, loved by my family, and maybe married someone not in the story—or no one at all—I could protect them.
Sure, the one-night stand with him was a risk, but once he met Cecile, he’d forget me.
“By the way, Brother, when are you getting married?”
Come to think of it, my brother—the Crown Prince—had no fiancée.
He’d been an adult for years now. It was strange.
“Shouldn’t you be finding a Crown Princess by now? Father, when are you marrying him off?”
“Since Yulia brings it up… perhaps it’s time, son.”
Right?! He’s the Crown Prince! He should marry soon.
If he dies single with that face, what a waste!
“Brother, if you don’t marry, our royal line ends with us.”
“Yulia.”
“Well, I’m not planning on getting married, so you’ll have to do it. It’s your duty as Crown Prince!”
“…Yulia, do you want me to get married?”
No! Stay my brother forever!
That perfect face, that gentle heart—how could I give him away to anyone?
Ugh. Of all things, I had to be reborn as his sister. It’s both a blessing and a curse.
“Actually… I’d rather you didn’t marry anyone.”
“Father, I won’t marry.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
“Haha, I understand, Yulia. I’ll start looking for a suitable marchioness or higher for the position soon.”
It was a bit sad, but he’d still be my brother, married or not.
And it was about time, anyway.
“Father, may I go out today?”
“I never said you couldn’t.”
Sure, but last time I mentioned Cecile’s birthday party, he tried to talk me out of it. Sneaky.
“So… can I?”
“Alone?”
“I’ll take guards, of course. It’s not like I’m sneaking out.”
“Very well. Just make sure to bring an escort. Losing someone precious once was more than enough.”
I finally understood why Yulia in the novel had been so spoiled.
Living her life, I could see it clearly now—Father and Brother adored me endlessly.
But I also realized something else:
They weren’t really seeing me. They were seeing Mother in me.
All three of us shared silver hair and violet eyes. But while Father and Brother looked alike, my features were identical to hers.
Maybe that’s why the original Yulia’s personality twisted over time.
Still, I was content. Even if they saw Mother in me, they loved me. That was enough.
“I won’t go today, but I plan to soon!”
“All right.”
The meal was nearly over when the head butler entered and whispered something to Father.
He turned to me, looking… troubled.
Why is he looking at me like that?
“Yulia. The Duke of Zikbert is waiting for you in the reception room.”
“…What?”
Please tell me I misheard.
“You should probably go meet him right away.”
“…Father!”
“Even as Emperor, it’s difficult to refuse a man who achieved so much in the war…”
“…”
“It’ll be most effective if you reject him yourself. Or, you could get engaged to someone of equal standing.”
“…I’ll go.”
My head was pounding again.
Right. Before he was the dark lord, he was a war hero.
Following the butler, I entered the reception room—
And saw a huge bouquet of flowers.
“…What is this?”
“Isn’t it proper to bring such a gift when visiting one’s future bride?”
The moment I took the bouquet, it slipped from my hands and fell to the floor.
Fine. That was an accident.
But then I accidentally stepped on it.
Yep. My greatest mistake in life wasn’t that one-night stand with the dark lord.
It was this moment.
Wow… So this is how I die.
Well, it was short—but it was a good life.
