Chapter 2

“Oh no, Your Highness, aren’t these the only change of clothes you have?”

Rosaline’s mouth curved up into a smirk. She made all sorts of sympathetic noises, but the unabashed glee in her eyes was unmistakable.

Next to Rosaline, the other ladies-in-waiting shook the clothes in front of Aristine’s eyes as if to display how dirty they were. They looked more like rags than a princess’s garments.

The ladies-in-waiting grew more pleased with every passing second of Aristine’s silence. They began their chorus of comments:

“Goodness, they’re all soiled.”

“We couldn’t possibly ask you to wear our clothes.”

“Oh, but Her Highness wears these kinds of clothes every day. Maybe it doesn’t matter to her.”

“Perhaps. I mean, look at the dress she’s wearing right now. Can’t she smell herself?”

“I’m sure these will be more comfortable for you since you’re used to wearing such dirty garments,” Rosaline said as she smacked the clothes out of a lady-in-waiting’s hands. They trampled on her clothes but failed to leave any marks. The fabric was already so soiled and grubby that it made no difference.

Aristine looked down at her clothes on the ground.

This is what they came up with?

She released a soft laugh under her breath.

They’re being more cautious now.

Aristine snatched the change of clothes and turned back to her carriage. They gaped at her disappearing back.

“What in the...?”

“What the heck?!”

Unsatisfied, the servants pouted. Yes, Aristine would wear the soiled clothes, but for some reason, they felt like the fools.

* * *

Aristine closed the curtains of the carriage and pulled off her stuffy dress.

The dress prepared specifically for her marriage was the one she had already been wearing. During the nearly two-week carriage ride, the wedding dress’s colors had faded to the point of being unrecognizable. The delicate fabric was also so fragile that she was sure she could never wear the garment again.

Aristine shoved her limbs into the dress the ladies-in-waiting had stomped on. If whatever she wore would be filthy anyway, she preferred the casual clothes. The ladies-in-waiting had brought up her comfort to humiliate her, but they weren’t wrong that she felt more at home in these.

Was that the best they could do? Stomp on my clothes?

She was certain now that they were scared, though they’d never admit it themselves.

Thank goodness I fought back.

Aristine’s original plan had been to feign obedience until she reached Ilugo, but she had changed her tactic after seeing the vision of boiling water being poured over her. That was when she had felt the need to stop the ladies-in-waiting from overstepping their boundaries. They would have tried harder to harm her throughout the journey if she had only avoided the water without any resistance.

And since the Emperor’s Eye only activates when it wants to, I won’t know every single one of their plans.

That was why Aristine had decided to burn the lady-in-waiting instead, making the others more hesitant around her.

“It isn’t as though the princess poured the water! The lady-in-waiting spilled it on herself. The princess can’t disobey us! Yes, she may be able to talk, but we can ignore every word she says!”

She could imagine their thoughts as they subconsciously tiptoed around her.

Because they’re scared.

The lady-in-waiting who had tried to hurt Aristine now sported an angry welt over half of her own face. The second-degree burn could be healed once they reached Ilugo, but for now, her face was still bloated like a red balloon. The ladies-in-waiting were probably stunned by her appearance every day they saw her.

Though they hurt others, they had likely never gotten a taste of their own medicine. This was probably a revelation to them, so naturally, the traumatic experience made them hesitate to go further, whether they consciously realized it or not.

That’s why they’ve resorted to their quaint pranks, just to be safe.

Frankly, stepping on her clothes seemed adorable compared to pouring hot water on her. Moreover, Aristine wasn’t the type of person to feel hurt by such actions. She had been in isolation for too long to mind her state of dress.

I didn’t expect them to really bring my threadbare clothes though.

All the clothes Aristine owned were the ones she had worn throughout her confinement. It wasn’t the appropriate fashion for a new bride to wear in her wedding carriage, even before the ladies-in-waiting had trampled over the garment. She wasn’t simply any bride either—her wedding would unite two nations.

The emperor was probably the one who had ordered for her to receive only one new dress and no more.

Oh, I see what he’s trying to do.

Her father was trying to make her look her worst before she arrived at Ilugo.

Despite the lavish carriage, the betrothal gifts, the soldiers in shining armor, and the beautiful ladies-in-waiting... the princess would walk out in rags.

It’s their way of sending a message... that barbarians only deserve trash.

The emperor was showing off Silvanus’ wealthy coffers through the elegant entourage while still mocking Aristine and Ilugo.

Unlike the king of Ilugo, who truly wished for peace, the emperor planned to resume the war after stalling for time. This was why he acted so rudely. Nothing could hold him back either, as he didn’t care how Aristine was treated by the Ilugoans.

I wondered why my carriage and entourage looked so lavish.

She’d thought Ilugo had requested the pomp and circumstance. Then again, they might have.

How is His Majesty so foolish?

Did he really think everything would go as he planned? Did he assume he could use his daughter however he wanted, thinking her a fool incapable of awakening the Emperor’s Eye after being confined to the tower for so long?

With some effort, I could acquire better clothes and wash myself...

Aristine collapsed onto her seat.

But I’ll go along with their pranks until we arrive.

She wouldn’t derive much joy from half-hearted revenge. She would relish it most when it came at the most unexpected time for her enemies, and all at once.

* * *

A month after Aristine left from Silvanus, a man stood by the western gate of Ilugo’s capital.

“I wonder what kind of person she’ll be.”

He didn’t specify whom, but all those near him knew whom he meant. At that moment, the Ilugoans, Tarcan’s subordinates included, were only interested in one person: their lord’s future wife, the princess of Silvanus, Aristine.

The princess’s welcoming party was made up purely of warriors.

“I hear people from Silvanus are all sly and cunning to some extent,” one warrior said.

“They’re all weak and cowardly,” another quipped.

“I hope their princess won’t faint when she sees us!” This last comment made the group devolve into laughter.

A warriors’ welcome was Ilugo’s way of greeting important guests, but admittedly, a hint of mischief was involved in the tradition. The least the Silvanus people could do to entertain them was to soil their pants and faint.

“Quiet,” a short-haired man muttered. Old wounds were visible under his hair, and he stood at the forefront of the party.

The Silvanus’ entourage could be seen from afar, and the clip-clop of their horse’s hooves accompanied the sight.

“Why is she coming by carriage instead of portal?” a warrior complained but quickly went silent once met with a glare from the short-haired warrior.

Soon, an eye-catching and luxurious carriage stopped in front of them. The warriors smirked at the sight of the unblemished, shining armor.

“Can they even fight dressed like that?” one warrior quipped.

“They look like they’ve never held a sword.”

“All decorative, I bet.”

The beautiful and overdressed ladies-in-waiting refused to even spare a glance at the warriors. The hatred and arrogance in their expressions was palpable.

By that point, the warriors expected the worst of the princess as well.

I can imagine what kind of person she’ll be.

Then the doors forged from gold, ivory, and topaz swung open. A person appeared.

Huh?

What?

Their long-awaited visitor, the princess and soon-to-be wife of their master... was a petite woman dressed in rags. The warriors’ mouths dropped open in shock.

“That’s the princess...?”

She looked like a beggar compared to the ladies-in-waiting beside her. Her dress wasn’t simply ragged—it was filthy. They could see from the grime and sweat on her face that she clearly hadn’t washed, and even her hair was slick with grease.

“This is... unexpected.”

“Ha! How dare they look down on us.”

The luxurious carriages and attendants stood in stark contrast with the beggar princess, the prince of Ilugo’s intended. The emperor’s intention was obvious.

The warriors began to stir and talk among themselves.

“Those sly Silvanians.”

“But how could she dress like that...?”

“Was she that humiliated to marry our lord?!”

“But the ladies-in-waiting are acting oddly around her. I’m not sure she did it on purpose...”

“Don’t let your guard down, and be quiet. No matter what the princess is thinking, one thing is clear: the Silvanus are now in our midst. They might harm our lord.”

The warriors’ eyes flashed dangerously at the short-haired man’s words.

* * *

Hmm, I thought so, Aristine thought as she looked around.

The Ilugoans were alarmed the moment she stepped out, like a ball of lint tumbling from the opulent carriage. Most of the haughty Silvanians who stood around her were able to hide their laughter, but not all.

The frowns on the Ilugoan warriors’ faces grew deeper with every snigger. At first, she worried they might become upset and call the entire marriage a scam, but fortunately they did not. She was thankful.

I don’t care what people say about me.

She had expected this from the Silvanians, at least. What was more important to Aristine was the Ilugoans’ attitude. The warriors quickly hid their shock but settled back into their initial expressions.

They’re so wary of me.

Aristine quietly walked forward.

Even though I came here to get married...

The mood was far from welcoming for a bride-to-be. As they glared at her, their eyes narrowed and their animosity was on full display. Under other circumstances, this could have hurt her feelings.

Oh, they’re not entirely wrong if they’ve assumed I’m an assassin sent by the enemy.

She remembered the emperor’s order.

“Kill Tarcan.” The emperor’s whisper had felt slimy, like a snake crawling into her ear. “Stab a poison dagger into that damn bastard’s heart, or lace his drink with poison.”

The emperor believed Tarcan was the cause of his failure, the obstacle in his plan to bring Ilugo to its knees.

He wasn’t wrong. The Silvanian army had indeed been forced to retreat every time Tarcan appeared on the battlefield. The emperor hated the rival ruler with the intensity of a burning sun.

His Imperial Majesty’s hand had slid under Aristine’s chin to raise her gaze. He’d assessed her like she was an object.

“You may be a useless thing, but your looks are decent. This is the least you can do, don’t you think?”

A disturbing, twisted smile had appeared on the emperor’s face. It was off-putting and filthy.

“Good. Since you don’t take after me, you should be able to meet the standards of those filthy barbarians. I’m sure you’ll be as filthy in bed.”

To her, the emperor was more disgusting than anyone, considering the filthy thoughts in his head.

“If you succeed, I’ll credit you with your success and acknowledge you as my daughter.”

He made it sound as though he was giving her some amazing reward.

But I don’t want to be acknowledged as yours.

The emperor had swatted Aristine’s face aside and slapped a glass bottle into her hand. The hard, cold bottle had felt like the manifestation of death.

This same bottle was in Aristine’s carriage right now.

Though she had been ordered to kill Tarcan, she knew the emperor didn’t expect much from her.

He probably thought I’d fail to pull it off and would end up dead myself.

In either case, her father would have his justification to break off the alliance and start another war. No matter what, he would always have his reason for his war.

He’s so foolish. Why does he think I’ll obey his orders? He even trusted me enough to hand me the poison.

A poison that could instantly take a person’s life.

As she stepped to the forefront of her entourage, Aristine smiled with a purpose before the warriors. She’d learned how effective a confident and easygoing smile could be from what she had seen through the Emperor’s Eye.

Though it’ll probably be overshadowed by of how dirty I am.

Still, it was better than appearing shy and intimidated.

A man who had been standing with the Ilugoans approached her. An old wound ran through his short hair.

Is he Tarcan?

Was this the man to be her husband?

He wasn’t so bad to look at, and his demeanor wasn’t unpleasant. Though she couldn’t be sure his personality would match her first impression, she knew she wouldn’t feel awkward around him.

“Welcome, Your Imperial Highness.”

He had a nice voice as well. Most importantly, the fact that he was treating her with the respect due to a princess, despite her appearance, felt novel to her.

Isn’t he being too polite?

He had the same tone as a subordinate, and he introduced himself as such the moment the thought crossed her mind.

“I’m Durante. I will be your guide.”

“Then I am in your care, Lord Durante,” Aristine greeted him.

She then took a quick glance at the line of Ilugoans facing her. None of them seemed princely. Durante appeared to be the highest-ranking person in attendance.

I heard Tarcan was going to greet me at the gates.

“And my future husband?” she asked.

“He’s currently out hunting, Your Imperial Highness.”

Aha. On the exact day his future wife was to arrive?

That wasn’t a good sign for their marriage. She understood her future husband’s intentions. He was probably trying to break the Silvanians’ spirits through his cold reception.

And perhaps he’s trying to break mine at the same time.

Unfortunately, Aristine had gone through too much to be brokenhearted about his snub. Her lips slowly shifted.

“I suppose my soon-to-be husband is a very shy person.”