“Tsk. You’re too clueless to even deny it, so why did you come here at all? I really don’t get how you won the duke’s heart. Someone like you isn’t even worth it. Your looks are average, you’re not clever, and you’re not smart either… You’re just boring.”
Yulicias, who had dropped her polite act, spoke cruelly with a dull expression. She pushed Sophia’s forehead hard enough to be insulting and walked over to the mirror as she continued.
“Someone like you is only meant to marry some minor noble, show up once in a while at social events, then grow old and die in some remote estate. The duke probably already regrets it. If he had even the smallest chance, he’d run away from you.”
Yulicias’s face glowed with greed as she looked at her beautiful hair and perfectly balanced features. She didn’t say it out loud, but it was clear she believed she was more suited to stand next to the duke than Sophia.
‘I remember hearing that the emperor openly said he would make Princess Yulicias, the third daughter, the duke’s wife.’
Only now did Sophia recall that. If the princess was willing to live in this shabby palace for a year just to win the emperor’s favor, then she would definitely use all her strength to steal the duke away.
‘How stupid.’
Sophia scolded herself for trusting too easily. When the empress kindly held her hand and warned her to be careful, Sophia had truly believed her. But now, it was obvious the empress, the princess, and even the emperor had planned this all along. They brought her here just to marry the duke to the princess.
‘But even if that’s true, so what?’
She couldn’t lose Solid like this. Even knowing everything, Sophia knew she would still have come here.
Just then, Yulicias turned and looked at her. Her eyes were full of mischief and curiosity.
“By the way, Sophia. Have you kissed the duke?”
Sophia frowned at the ridiculous question, but Yulicias leaned her chin on her hand, acting like she was ready to listen.
“How was it? Is he good at it?”
Her tone was suddenly friendly, completely different from the harsh insults she’d just thrown. Sophia didn’t want to talk about something like that with her as if they were close friends.
“I haven’t.”
She denied it firmly. Yulicias looked extremely disappointed.
“Well, of course. Why would the duke feel any attraction to kiss someone like you? Get out. You’re boring.”
“But what about Miss Piels…”
“Still talking about Michelle Piels? Stop pretending you’re so moral. Michelle Piels fits that role perfectly. Or what, do you want to wear the black clothes instead of her?”
Yulicias tilted her head and looked at Sophia. Her arrogant eyes clearly showed she would enjoy it even more if Sophia said yes. Sophia knew it was a trap but still asked,
“Then can you promise me something? If I wear the black clothes, will you stop bothering Michelle Piels?”
Yulicias slapped Sophia across the face.
“How dare someone like you try to make a royal promise?”
She was young, but the slap was fierce. Sophia’s face turned red with shame and anger.
“I have every right to torment both you and Michelle Piels. The only reason I gave you a choice is because I’m a generous person. Don’t get arrogant.”
Yulicias looked down at her, clearly waiting for an apology. Sophia bit her lip. It was hard to bow her head to power after living freely for so long.
“…I’m sorry.”
“So? What will you do about Michelle Piels?”
Yulicias asked. Sophia hesitated. If she accepted, worse humiliation would surely come. And just because she wore that outfit didn’t mean Michelle would be happy. But she didn’t want to run away like a coward either.
Sophia nodded.
“Fine. I’ll wear it instead.”
Yulicias smiled brightly, clearly pleased with the choice, and kissed Sophia on the cheek.
The next day, all of Sophia’s clothes were gone. In front of her door, she found black clothes just like the ones Michelle Piels used to wear. A black uniform similar to what servants wore. Sophia sighed deeply.
“To be honest, this is just childish.”
Sophia stood in her nightgown, muttering as she placed the black clothes on the bed. Causing shame like this and treating someone like a criminal was so immature. But the more childish it was, the more effective it was at humiliating people. She stared at the plain black dress, even duller than her pajamas, and sighed again before changing.
It was loose and gloomy like a priest’s robe—wearing it made things worse.
“How am I supposed to go outside like this?”
She walked around in it but only felt more terrible. She let out a frustrated breath and buried her face in the blanket, letting out a short scream.
“How can I go out like this?!”
After sulking for a while, Sophia finally gave up. She fixed her hair, sighed deeply, and stepped outside. The shocked stares of the maids and guards followed her wherever she went. Sophia walked with steady steps, but her burning face couldn’t be helped.
Before entering the reception room, she rubbed her cold palms against her cheeks to calm the blush. Now more than ever, she had to act like nothing was wrong.
Even though she kept telling herself that, her hands wouldn’t stop trembling.
Inside the room, the princess and her maids were already gathered. They were chatting happily, but when Sophia appeared, they all stopped and stared at her.
The silence was suffocating. Sophia nervously looked at Michelle Piels, who sat quietly in a pale dress. At first, she almost didn’t recognize her.
“Pfft.”
Yulicias suddenly burst into laughter. Her loud laughter made a few maids awkwardly join in.
“What a mess. Now no one can even tell if you’re a maid or not. This won’t do.”
Yulicias picked something up nearby and walked over to Sophia.
“Here.”
It was a white badge with a red embroidered letter “U.” Yulicias pinned it right in the middle of Sophia’s chest. Normally, it was custom to wear the royal’s initial, but the badge she gave was too large and bright to refuse. The badges other maids wore weren’t this big or this red.
“Haha.”
After pinning it on, Yulicias laughed loudly again. Even without a mirror, Sophia could imagine what she looked like—wearing a plain, suffocating dress with a huge white badge in the middle, the red “U” standing out. She probably looked like a woman sentenced for adultery.
Sophia’s forehead turned red, and tears welled up in her eyes. She had chosen this path, but this kind of humiliation was truly a first.
“This is impossible. I can’t accept this strategy.”
Romex banged his sheathed sword on the ground and strongly voiced his opinion. But the armored man in front of him didn’t seem to care at all, whether Romex struck with a sword or an axe.
His eyes were empty and pale, as if no amount of battle could color them with life.
“Why are you pushing this far? This tactic is insane.”
Romex kept complaining. Then the man picked up a long sword. Romex flinched, thinking he might swing it at him.
Disobeying orders during war meant execution. And the man had never hesitated when it came to that. But thankfully, this time, he didn’t seem to want to kill Romex—he simply strapped the sword to his back.
“When have my strategies ever made sense?”
the man asked indifferently.
Romex couldn’t deny it. He just blinked awkwardly. This man… maybe he really did know himself well.
That made sense. His plans were always full of reckless and impossible ideas. When he had first appeared on the battlefield in a weak-looking body and gave out strategies, everyone called him crazy. They booed together and disobeyed as a group. Then the man, without a second thought, personally cut off the neck of a nearby knight.
The first blood on his hands didn’t come from the enemy, but from his own side. Covered in the blood of someone he had just killed, he looked around the room and asked,
“Anyone else want to die?”
Even though every soldier was precious before battle, he didn’t seem to care. After killing a valuable man with his own hands, he looked around as if ready to kill anyone else who opposed him.
