Revolutionary Princess Eve

Chapter 7

“Ah, what a good choice!”

Sedella had brought a soft, cream-colored silk dress with tiny intricate leaves embroidered on the ends of the sleeves and along the hem. The green leaves added a delicate accent to the dress and brought out the highlight of lime green that tinged Eve’s blond hair.

“I’m not sure what we should do for your hairstyle. I can’t decide. You’ll be up against both the regal third princess as well as the infamously lovely eighth princess. I think if your style leans too much toward one or the other, people would draw comparisons between you. It will be important to find a balance.”

“Right. I’m not intending on going up against any of them just yet.”

Though they were thinking along slightly different lines, they both were approaching this morning meeting with equal seriousness. Though Eve usually preferred a minimalistic style in makeup and adornment, she did everything she could to cooperate with Sedella, trusting her maid’s instincts. The imperial palace being the hub of political high society, adornment was a duty, and people judged you harshly depending on how well you performed this responsibility.

I’ll do whatever is necessary.

This time around, Eve decided to follow the expectations of the imperial palace. To give herself a leg up, she used some magic to cast her mind back into her memories to retrieve helpful information from that morning.

“Hmm, Sedella, I have a feeling that Brigitte will wear her hair in a thick braid, and I bet Rosie will wear her hair in pigtails, but tied low to have some volume.”

“Well, let’s trust your instincts then. If only we could find a style that doesn’t overlap with either but takes the best of both... Oh, I know! I can make a waterfall style braid around the crown of your head and keep the rest of your hair loose and wavy. It will be classy but with some added charm—how does that sound?”

“Ah, that sounds good.”

A concealer was applied to Eve’s skin, followed by light pink powder around her eyes and on her cheeks and lips. When Sedella was done with her work and stood Eve in front of the mirror, a healthy, poised princess with amber eyes blinked back at her. Now it was time for the accessories. Usually Eve would have kept it simple, choosing a light green garnet necklace and earrings, but not today.

“I think today I would like to draw strength from the memories of my mother. Sedella, please bring me her jewelry box. Let’s use something in there.”

“Yes. That seems the proper choice for today, my lady.”

The jewelry box was small and compact. It contained neatly organized jewels and accessories. Eve delicately selected all the pomegranate-colored gems that were as close to pink as possible.

“Please put in as many hairpins as you can.”

Committed to her new life choices, Eve put accessories all over, intent on weighing down her whole body if that’s what it took.

Then there was just one thing left.

“My father seemed to be suffering from bad headaches recently. I’ll prepare some tea that should help his condition.”

“The Emperor will love that. You make such amazing tea.”

Tea blending was a hobby of Eve’s. Eve went over to an ornate wooden worktable that looked like a cross between a vanity table and a bookcase. This worktable held various compartments imbued with preservation magic for storing various tea leaves, flower petals, fruit slices, and other materials, all carefully collected and preserved by Eve. A drawer under the table held Eve’s tea blending recipes, which were as precious to her as her alchemy research journal. Protection magic kept them safe from prying eyes.

“I know I don’t have much time left, so I’ll throw something together quickly.”

She chose the first recipe she could find that was noted for easing headaches. She measured and mixed the ingredients with precision, following the recipe carefully. The tea had the faint scent of lemon balm. She put the mix inside an elegant glass bottle and placed it in a velvet pouch.

“Ok, let’s go.”

Eve’s room was located in the east annex where all the other princesses stayed. Emperor Desmond II had a total of 10 daughters. As a result, Eve immediately ran into other princesses as soon as she stepped into the hall.

“Greetings to you from Evienrose, sister Aysel. I hope you slept well?”

“Oh, hi Eve. Well you’ve actually dressed up for once, haven’t you? I barely recognized you without that messy braid, dear.”

Naturally, plenty of customs and rules had formed in the palace where people of different social statuses often interacted. Imperial custom demanded that those lower in seniority with regard to succession were to approach the higher-ranking person first and bow, offer a greeting, and wait until they were greeted in return before standing straight. Eve was thirteenth in seniority and thus had to bow almost every time she met someone.

“Greetings, sister Stefania. I hope you have a good morn—”

“Oh, hey. I’m a bit busy—see you later.”

At this time in her life, Eve was already becoming ostracized within the palace. It was quite common for the princesses in higher standing to hurry off without properly returning her greeting. Eve remained composed, waiting until the princess with the blond, wavy hair had gone a sufficient distance before lifting her head.

Sedella whispered indignantly, “That’s not fair. She didn’t even respond to you properly.”

“Yes, but she still replied, though, didn’t she? That’s better than nothing. If she’d ignored us completely, we would have had to stand here all day.”

Her older sisters and brothers had actually done this to her often in her first life. The crown princess Brigitte had even once gone so far as to leave Eve in the corridor for half a winter day. Eve could warm herself with magic, of course, but it had been quite humiliating to be left standing there where other princesses could see her.

Sedella still fumed beside her.

“Ok, fine, so we overlook what the sixth princess did, but it’s definitely unacceptable for the maids to ignore you.”

“Oh? How did you manage to see that? I thought you had your head bowed like I did.”

“Oh I can still see even with my head down. Whenever it relates to you, my lady, I have a sixth sense about these things... like having eyes in the back of my head.”

“Well that’s impressive! It sounds like you might have a skill equal to scrutiny magic!”

Finding consolation in small talk, Eve and Sedella chatted until they reached the annex entrance. Outside the annex the sunny spring weather brought a chill, refreshing breeze to Eve’s face. After being imprisoned for an entire month, it had been ages since Eve had felt the sun’s rays on her skin.

Eve became lost in thought as she took her first step outside, feeling just how monumental her second opportunity at life was. She had begun walking with an invigorated stride along the marble path when she heard someone calling for her to wait.

“My goodness, sister dear!”

“...”

“Eve! Sister!”

“...”

Eve felt herself stiffen with instinctive hostility.

Rosie!

The soft, cooing voice calling to Eve belonged to none other than Rosenitte. Eve was meeting her murderer earlier than expected.

It’s ok... Stay calm...

Eve had to take three deep breaths before she could relax her expression enough to turn around.

“Sister—ah! You finally looked back.”

Rosenitte was wearing a light pink dress, exuding beauty and elegance as usual.

Sedella quietly marveled in Eve’s ear.

“The eighth princess is actually wearing two pigtails today. Your instincts were right.”

“...”

Eve stared quietly as Rosenitte walked up to them.

“Eve, sister!”

Eve couldn’t prevent her amber eyes from darkening slightly at Rosenitte’s approach. This innocent-looking girl with honey blond hair, oozing loveliness from every pore...

“Are you dead now? You’re finally dead, aren’t you?

I’m the only one left! Mikael is all mine, and I’ll be the undisputed empress! It’s all mine! Ahahaha!”

Eve shivered slightly, that frightening voice echoing in her ears as if from right beside her.

Rosie, you were well-loved by everyone and were given everything you ever wanted. You even carried Mikael’s child, which meant the title of empress was already yours.

But, blinded by her selfish desires, Rosenitte had poisoned Eve to secure her position as the one and only remaining heir of the imperial family. She’d willingly murdered her own family just to enhance her own status and value.

You acted like you always wanted to avoid politics. But truthfully, you played a very deep and very frightening political game, didn’t you?

If Eve hadn’t been granted the gift of a second life, she’d likely have turned into a vengeful ghost that haunted Rosie for the rest of her days, fueled by bitterness and resentment. What a relief for them both that hadn’t happened.

And now here was the real Rosenitte, standing right in front of Eve, sporting a broad grin.

“How are you, sister?”

“...”

“Huh? Sister? Why are you staring at me like that?”

Eve quickly pulled herself together to respond smoothly.

“Why, because you look so beautiful today, of course.”

“Oh, goodness, thank you! As for you... I see you’ve gone to some effort this morning.”

It was an ambiguous compliment. Come to think of it, Rosenitte never actually responded in kind when someone complimented her looks.

“So why were you walking so fast anyway? I called your name so many times, it was almost like you were ignoring me.”

According to imperial palace etiquette rules, it was rude for a lower-ranking member of the family to call to a higher-ranking member from more than five paces back. In the past Eve would have gently pointed this out as a reminder for Rosie’s sake, but Eve no longer felt any sisterly affection toward this girl.

Eve chose to change the subject.

“Rosie, are you on your way to see Father?”

“Yes. You are also going to see him today too, right? Let’s go together!”

“Ok, let’s do that. Also, I see you have someone new with you,” Eve said, directing her gaze past Rosenitte.

A young man stood politely behind her, looking disinterested. He was a handsome man wearing the uniform of an imperial guard.

A homunculus knight with long silver hair...

It was obvious who he was, but she waited for Rosenitte’s introduction.

“This is Sylvestian Millard, a homunculus knight of the Imperial Guard. I’ve requested that he escort me to the palace proper.”