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Chapter 13
“…Try it on.”
“Huh?”
Eleanor’s eyes widened. She forced her lips into a smile.
“I’m not feeling well right now, you know. But we still have to check whether the dress is in good condition, so try it on for me.”
“Ah… but, Sister…”
“You’re my sister, Eleanor.”
I let my voice drip sweetly. Seeing Eleanor’s cheeks flush, I continued.
“So what’s the problem? If you don’t say anything, no one will ever know.”
“…Th-Then…”
“Dixie, Jane. Please help Eleanor.”
Dixie and Jane’s eyes went round. They looked like they wanted to complain about the unfair order. I spoke firmly.
“Now.”
They were maids trained under the strict standards of the Kingdom of Medici. Both from noble families, both full of pride, both puffing their cheeks stubbornly. They didn’t openly disobey me, but their expressions were protesting.
“Sister…”
“It’s fine.”
I wasn’t going to wear that dress anyway, so it made more sense to fit it to Eleanor’s body. Pretending to hesitate, Eleanor accepted my insistence.
“Dixie, Jane… help me out. Like Sister said, we have to check if the dress is really intact. And wedding dresses have so many embellishments—they’re heavy. Sister wouldn’t be able to wear it in her condition.”
Dixie and Jane threw me resentful looks before following Eleanor out.
Once I confirmed they had gone into another room, I bent over.
“Ugh!”
I hadn’t eaten properly, yet bitterness kept rising up my throat.
The carnivorous rabbit that had been hiding itself while Eleanor was here approached.
“…You don’t look well. Should I make it easier on you? I can erase everything you remember.”
The rabbit knew exactly where I had used all three of my stars. I shook my head.
“I can’t. If I forget this, I’ll just become stupid again.”
The rabbit sighed and comforted me with its short arms. The ticklish puff of fur patting my leg made me laugh faintly.
“Sinners must always pay for their crimes.”
“I know.”
“So about that…”
The carnivorous rabbit lowered its voice. Its pitch-black eyes gleamed. Why was it creating such a dramatic mood?
“I think tonight’s dinner is veal steak. Give me three plates.”
I barely suppressed a laugh. I responded to the rabbit’s serious request.
“Just two.”
“Nooo…”
The rabbit collapsed forward with a flop, grumbling. I tossed it into the basket. Thanks to it, I felt a little better.
Ignoring its glaring little eyes, I flopped onto the sofa. My mind cleared as it cooled. Eleanor and Frederick had already crawled into the swamp on their own—without me needing to push.
I rubbed my face with my palms.
I had no desire to watch Eleanor and Frederick clinging to each other. Should Eleanor really be happy after taking my place?
I’d wondered when Frederick had begun to rot. If it was from the beginning, then my job would be easier. As if a man like him would ever look at only one woman.
Eleanor needed to receive exactly what she had done.
I was thinking over a few plans when Eleanor reentered.
“Oh my…”
In my previous life, Eleanor never once had the chance to try on a wedding dress. She had been too busy hiding. People always judge others far more harshly than themselves. As long as I lived, she would never have been brought to the Imperial Palace or have her children recognized as imperial.
But now, she was wearing the wedding dress she intended to steal from me.
“It suits you, Eleanor. You look even prettier than I do.”
“N-No, that’s not true.”
Eleanor shyly shook her head. Her small face, glimpsed between the voluminous dress and veil, looked secretly thrilled.
“It’ll look much better on you! It’s your wedding dress after all!”
Even as she said that, she couldn’t hide the excitement. She’d probably dreamed of this her whole life—so go ahead, enjoy it to your heart’s content.
Watching her made everything clear.
“Eleanor, I’d like to thank His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Yes, Sister.”
“He sent such a beautiful wedding dress. I should repay him. Though… I doubt there’s anything His Highness lacks.”
“I suppose so?”
“That’s why I want to gift him a dessert I make myself.”
Eleanor’s eyes sparkled.
“Should I help?”
I nodded lightly.
“That’s a good idea, Eleanor. If you help, I’ll be able to save some face.”
“Of course! I’m glad I can help you, Sister.”
While Eleanor went to change out of the wedding dress with Dixie, Jane hurried over to me.
“This isn’t right, Your Highness. Why is she trying on your wedding dress?”
Jane looked tearful.
“You’re the one who’s supposed to wear it!”
“Well. Does it really have to be?”
Jane jerked her chin up, shocked. Her lips trembled.
“Your Highness!”
“I’m joking. I really wasn’t feeling well, that’s all.”
Jane plopped beside me, sulking. She didn’t want to go back to Eleanor. Jane was fiery—she could never hold back her true feelings. Dixie, on the other hand, had the patience to do whatever her duty required.
For what I was planning… the one who would help me was obvious.
It had to be Dixie. I wet my dry lips with my tongue.
“…It didn’t suit her at all.”
“Hmm?”
“The wedding dress. It didn’t suit her at all. Your Highness will be a much more beautiful bride. I promise!”
If that were possible, it would’ve been nice. But my wedding ended that day—when I was at my most miserable.
“Thank you, Jane.”
Eleanor returned, babbling excitedly about the dessert we’d make for Frederick.
“When will you send the dessert? Since he gave you such a beautiful dress, you should hurry—”
“You don’t need to rush, Eleanor. Think it over slowly. It’s better to give something good than to hurry and deliver something sloppy.”
“Yes, Sister!”
After sending Eleanor back to her room, I ordered Jane to watch her and quietly gave Dixie new instructions.
“…This is poison, Your Highness!”
Did she think I didn’t know?
“What are you planning to do with it?”
Terrified, Dixie grabbed me. Forgetting her manners, she pulled me close and checked the room and hallway again. Only the carnivorous rabbit was listening. Only then did she speak.
“A drug that makes someone infertile?!”
“Don’t worry, Dixie. I’m not going to take it, nor will I give it to His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“What?! You were going to give it to the prince?!”
I had considered it at first. But that was too sloppy to count as revenge. Shouldn’t Eleanor also have to watch a child belonging to another woman?
I smiled coldly.
“Dixie. I learned the hard way that the world is never kind.”
“Your Highness…”
“I think Eleanor and the Crown Prince are… spending nights together.”
“What?”
Dixie nearly jumped. Being innocent and kind, she couldn’t even imagine such a thing. Her face drained white, then flushed red.
“I-Is that really true?”
Instead of answering, I said what mattered.
“I need a drug that won’t harm a man but will make Eleanor infertile. Can you get it?”
“But, Your Highness—!”
Before Dixie could finish, the door slammed open. Jane stormed in, stomping furiously. It was rude, but the tears on her enraged face told me instantly—
She had found out something too.
“Eleanor is gone! She went out!”
“What’s the big deal about that, Jane?!”
Even Dixie raised her voice. Jane shook her head violently, bursting into tears.
“She… she left in the Crown Prince’s carriage! At this hour! Do you not understand what that means?! How can you be that naive?!”
Dixie turned deathly pale. She looked at me, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly.
“That wretched girl! I knew it! Your Highness, you can’t let her get away with this! We need to tear out her hair—no, cut off her limbs and feed them to the wild dogs!”
Jane threw herself onto my lap, sobbing. Dixie’s and my eyes met. Furious fire burned in hers.
