Chapter 3
“He’s the one who gave you that terrible wound. Melissa, even because of the blood that was on your clothes back then, I don’t ever want to see him again.”
Chloe’s face twisted with unease as she felt the fragile hope she had been holding onto begin to crack.
A terrible wound… blood on her clothes…
From her uncle’s tone and choice of words, it was clear something had happened.
‘It didn’t appear in the novel, but maybe the prejudice was true…’
At that moment, Chloe was sneaking back toward the door with a conflicted expression.
“You’re right, brother. I think I was too naive.”
She heard her mother’s solemn voice approaching.
‘Eek!’
Sensing the danger, Chloe hopped and slipped under the bed.
Click. The door quietly opened.
Melissa carefully sat at the bedside of the child, who was sleeping peacefully like a doll.
“Sleeping soundly, aren’t you…”
Gently brushing Chloe’s hair, Melissa quietly pressed her lips to the child’s forehead.
“Don’t worry, my daughter. No matter what happens, I will protect our Chloe.”
Her words, full of affection, felt more like a vow to herself than a whisper.
“Our little one only needs to grow up without any worries. That’s all that matters.”
After straightening the blankets one last time, Melissa quietly left the room.
As soon as the door closed, Chloe opened her tear-filled eyes.
“My daughter. My little one.”
Words she had never heard in her past life filled Chloe’s heart with warmth.
“Don’t cry.”
Bravely wiping her tears away, Chloe jumped out of bed and turned on the light.
The novel she had possessed—Prejudice, Prejudice, and Prejudice—was a story written solely for its protagonists.
By the middle of the novel, the Wolf family is horrifically annihilated by the male lead.
Chloe recalled the brutally described scene from the original story:
[Above the puddle where the remnants of lost lives floated, Zion Demons stood.
Unlike his black hair dripping with red blood, his pale face bore not a single scratch.
His dark aura and unnatural sky-blue eyes were beautiful, but that was all.
Like someone already dead, there was no emotion.
“Boring.”
Only utter disdain lingered at the corners of his mouth.]
Clenching her lips, Chloe remembered the first scene of the grown-up Zion Demons.
‘No.’
The corpses, which had been mere background tools to show Zion’s overwhelming strength and cruelty, were no longer extras.
Those who fell mercilessly were herself, her family, her loved ones.
‘I can’t just let it happen.’
These were her precious family for the first time.
People who loved her in her second life.
‘No matter what, I will protect my family.’
Her brief moment of hesitation ended in firm determination.
She could no longer lament being powerless as a rabbit or doomed to die again.
Clenching her fists, Chloe’s eyes blazed with determination.
‘Alright, first…’
She spun around and looked into the large mirror reflecting herself.
Perhaps due to her excitement, she noticed the white rabbit ears perched atop her head.
‘F-First…’
Despite her earlier resolve, Chloe carefully planned her first step with slightly trembling eyes.
‘I need to hide that I’ve awakened as a rabbit.’
Hiding her rabbit ears with both hands, Chloe hurried to her desk.
She pulled out a small notebook and neatly wrote down the supplies she would need.
‘The toy water gun uncle bought me, the herbs, and…’
Preparing weapons for the events that would unfold first.
“Oh my, how adorable!”
“Isn’t she just like a tiny little sparrow? No matter how far I travel across the continent, I’ll never find anyone cuter than Chloe!”
‘Are they complimenting me a bit too much right in front of me?’
In front of the birthday cake, wearing a ribbon-laden dress, Chloe awkwardly waved and smiled.
Screams of excitement erupted from all around.
“Princess, look over here!”
“Over here! Here’s the silk ball the princess likes the most!”
“….”
Chloe averted her gaze and looked into the distance.
In the corner of the banquet hall, the court painters were moving their brushes quickly.
Burning with artistic passion, they were clearly painting her.
‘Wait a minute…’
Chloe lowered her head to look at herself.
Not the princess of the Wolf Kingdom, but like a princess of the Lace Kingdom.
Looking down at the frills as large as pumpkins and ribbons as big as watermelons, Chloe shook her head slightly.
‘What can I do? The adults are so pleased. I guess I’ll just have to endure it as a child.’
Deciding to be generous, Chloe smiled brightly at the nobles.
“Kyaa!”
The adults, showing off to capture the princess’s attention, exclaimed again.
‘They look happy…’
Chloe nodded, watching them with satisfaction.
It was the first large-scale banquet in a long time. After the many difficulties the kingdom had faced, this day felt especially joyous.
‘But is it okay for my birthday to be this extravagant?’
Realizing the celebration was more lavish than her mother’s or even her king uncle’s birthday, Chloe frowned worriedly.
‘Uncle, isn’t this a bit much?’
Chloe glanced seriously at Blake, standing beside her.
But her childish uncle smiled as if it were his own birthday.
“Brooks, have you ever seen an angel?”
“Um? No, I haven’t…”
“Really? Then look now. An angel with yellow wings stands right next to me! Hahaha!”
…Seeing her uncle, who had crossed into outright foolishness, Chloe quickly turned to her mother.
‘Mom, please stop him.’
Melissa, her mother, had a face that conveyed more than enough without words.
“Look at my baby. The most beautiful in the world.”
Chloe sighed deeply at her mother’s sparkling face and gesture, pointing at her with both hands.
“Thank you for your hard work, Princess.”
Turning at the playful voice, Chloe saw the light-brown-haired guard, Brooks Lowell.
“It’s nothing much…”
Brooks lightly cleared his throat and handed over a small plush doll, about the size of an adult’s palm.
“It’s a humble gift. I figured you already have all the valuable things… Please accept it, if only in heart.”
Chloe immediately recognized who it was modeled after.
“Wow, it’s me?”
She accepted the gift with a bright smile.
“Did you make it yourself, Brooks? It’s so cute…!”
“Even just saying that means a lot.”
“No, you actually took the time to make it stitch by stitch for me.”
The doll’s nose was slightly crooked, but the care put into it for the birthday girl was perfect.
“Thank you. I love it. I’ll keep it by my bed and hug it every day.”
Brooks smiled shyly, pleased that Chloe appreciated it.
“I hope my daughter grows up as lovely as you, Princess. Well, she’s not even 100 days old yet.”
Chloe smiled warmly, recalling Brooks boasting about being a father.
“Of course! Brooks’ daughter will be even more lovely than me—”
“Hmm. Brooks, you’re dreaming too big.”
No way.
Chloe cut off her words and anxiously looked at Blake.
No way would her uncle act so shamelessly in front of a newborn’s father.
“Hmm. Nonsense. Dreams should be big! Let’s go for it!”
Yet again, Chloe’s hopes were dashed.
Blake, clearly eavesdropping, puffed up his chest like a sparrow, showing off.
“For your child to grow as lovely as Chloe, you’d need a dragon to grant a wish. But if you pray earnestly, perhaps one-millionth of the time they might resemble our niece… Hmm? Chloe?”
‘Stop! I said stop!’
Chloe angrily thumped her uncle’s shin in protest.
This had to be an intelligent anti-fan. Complimenting me just to get more flak!
“Oh, Chloe!”
But Blake, filled with muscle but zero tact, seemed to completely misunderstand her thump.
“Oh, our niece wants to blow out the cake candles?”
He scooped Chloe up as if plucking a turnip, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Now, the climax of the banquet! Chloe, ready to make a wish?”
Dangling in midair, Chloe sighed deeply.
There was no arguing with her doting, foolish uncle.
Chloe stared at the three-tiered cake, taller than herself, and clasped her hands tightly.
There was only one wish she wanted.
‘Please let me prevent the war.’
She had thought over the story each night, but the tale focused mostly on the male and female leads, leaving little room for her to intervene.
Especially, the stories of the Wolf and Lion families were summarized briefly.
It would be wonderful if she could foresee everything like the protagonist of an overpowered novel.
Or at least awaken as a wolf or lion…
‘Please let me prevent the war. Please let no one get hurt.’
Chloe was just a small rabbit, far smaller than the three-tiered cake.
Sadly, she was painfully aware of her limitations.
‘I’ll do my best. I’ll do everything I can. So please, let my family stay safe.’
“Chloe, the candles are almost out.”
At her mother’s gentle reminder, Chloe opened her eyes resolutely.
She blew out the candles with all her might.
Applause and blessings poured out, wishing only happiness and health for the youngest of the Wolf family.
Chloe smiled as she watched the white smoke drift from the candles.
‘I have a good feeling about this.’
At that moment, Chloe felt as though her wish might come true.
Suddenly, a panicked guard burst through the door with a loud bang.
“Your Majesty! The Lion family is invading!”
