Chapter 1
“Serina, will you get engaged to me?”
In a beautiful park decorated with fresh trees and flowers, in front of a fountain shining under streetlights and moonlight—
Golden hair swayed softly in the wind before Serina’s eyes.
Helia, wearing an elegant dress and giving off a noble aura, was kneeling on one knee.
With gentle, smiling eyes, she took out a ring box from her chest and confessed.
‘What is she saying? Am I dreaming right now?’
Serina doubted her ears.
But Helia looked completely serious, so Serina could only stare at her blankly.
‘Is it really okay for you to act like this?’
Helia was supposed to be her brother’s fiancée.
Even ignoring that fact, marriage between the two of them was impossible.
“Hahaha, sister, you’re joking more these days. How could two women get married~?”
Trying to break the awkward silence, Serina laughed it off.
But Helia showed no sign of standing up.
‘Don’t tell me… she’s serious?’
Serina quickly reached out her hand to help her up.
“Sister, get up already. It’s not funny anymore. It’s really not.”
Helia grabbed Serina’s hand and stood up, meeting her gaze.
“When we were young, you said you’d marry me. It wasn’t even that long ago. Did you already forget?”
“That was when we were kids! And anyway, how could we even get married!”
“What do you mean, how? You know I’m not a woman.”
With a gentle smile, Helia stepped closer to Serina.
Startled, Serina stepped back—
Then, tug.
Helia began unfastening the front of her dress.
“Sister, are you crazy?! What are you doing all of a sudden?!”
Even if no one was nearby, this was too much! Why was she taking her clothes off?!
Shocked, Serina hurriedly tried to cover Helia’s body with her hands.
Through her fingers, pale skin was visible.
Firm muscles stood out on her solid chest.
Serina lifted her head with wide, rabbit-like eyes.
Seeing her expression, Helia laughed softly.
Then her low, gentle voice followed.
“So… do you feel like getting engaged to me now, Miss Serina?”
* * *
Morning passed, and it was already afternoon. Birds were chirping, and the sun was shining brightly.
People’s voices filled the air with noise and movement.
“Mmnh…”
A small girl with wavy cobalt-blue hair sat up in a luxurious, soft bed.
“Hyaaa~!”
After stretching, she picked up a bell from the bedside table.
Jingle, jingle.
When she shook it several times, the sound of shoes echoed from far away.
The girl quietly leaned toward the door and listened. When the footsteps stopped and the door slowly opened, she peeked out.
“Merilly!”
“Miss Serina! I told you not to stand near the door—it’s dangerous!”
“But I wanted to see you quickly.”
Serina pouted like a duck and fidgeted with her fingers while looking down.
Merilly, the maid with wheat-colored hair, sighed and smiled as if she had given up, then entered the room.
Behind her stood a woman with dark brown hair that Serina had never seen before, looking at her warmly.
Serina tilted her head and pointed.
“Who’s that sister?”
“She’s the new maid assigned to you. Maron, greet the young lady.”
“Oh! I’m Maron. I’ll be assisting Miss Serina starting today!”
Maron hurriedly straightened her posture and greeted her.
Seeing such an awkward adult for the first time, Serina burst out laughing.
“Nice to meet you, Maron.”
After the greeting, Merilly gently wiped Serina’s face with a warm, damp handkerchief.
Once done, Serina hummed happily and skipped over to the vanity.
Merilly softly brushed the messy bird’s nest of hair sticking out.
Maron stood beside them holding fresh clothes.
Serina stared at them through the mirror, opening and closing her mouth as if she had something to say.
“Do you have something you want to say?” Merilly asked, noticing her gaze.
Serina’s eyes sparkled as she rocked back and forth.
“You know, a pretty sister appeared in my dream and played with me all day! We read books and played house together.”
“Oh my, that sounds fun. You always wanted a sister.”
“Yeah! The dream was so short, though. I wish I really had one. I have cousin Reina, but we can’t always be together. Ah! That doesn’t mean I don’t like my brother! Really!”
Flustered, Serina hurriedly explained, her eyebrows drooping like a sad puppy.
Finding her cute, Maron struggled to hold back her laughter.
“Well then, Miss Serina, you’ll soon hear some good news! You can look forward to it.”
“Really? What is it? What kind of news?”
Serina perked up her ears in excitement.
“Maron! You’re not supposed to say that yet!”
Maron quickly covered her mouth.
Merilly sighed and added reluctantly.
“Well… actually, Miss Serina, you’ll be getting a sister.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
A younger sibling made sense, but an older sister? Adoption? Sponsorship?
Or was there a secret sister she didn’t know about?
Serina blinked in confusion.
“Master Lacus’s engagement has been decided. Originally, the master planned to tell you personally this evening, but…”
“Brother getting engaged? Merilly, your jokes are always so boring~”
Serina laughed.
But Merilly’s serious eyes showed she wasn’t joking.
“This isn’t a joke. Have I ever joked about something like this?”
‘It’s really not a joke?’
Her brother was only eleven, just four years older than her.
And Father always said they didn’t need to worry about such things—just grow up healthy.
Serina stared blankly at her reflection.
Then Maron, who had started the topic, asked hesitantly,
“Aren’t you happy? You wanted a sister.”
“This isn’t the kind of sister I wanted! So who’s the engagement partner?”
“I heard it’s the imperial princess,” Merilly replied calmly.
‘The princess?’
There was only one imperial princess in the empire.
Helia Impelis.
A bastard princess, not born of the empress, but of a mere lover.
She was infamous enough to be called the “Little Villain” and had been locked inside the palace.
No news had come since—making her even more unsettling.
“That’s impossible! I have to go see Mom and Dad!”
Serina slammed the vanity table and jumped up.
‘Brother getting engaged…’
And to that princess? That Little Villain?!
No way! Until I confirm it myself, I won’t believe it!
* * *
“Ugh… where did Mom and Dad go?”
She searched the office, the bedroom, even the garden—but her parents were nowhere to be seen.
Out of breath, Serina collapsed onto the hallway floor.
Running around the huge mansion with her small body had exhausted her.
Then a man with olive-colored hair approached—Oliver, her father Nereus’s aide.
“Miss Serina, the floor is dirty. Let’s go somewhere else.”
“I’m not playing.”
“Then what are you doing here?”
Serina stood up, dusted her legs, and tugged on Oliver’s sleeve.
“Find Mom and Dad. Where are they?”
“They went to the Imperial Palace with the young master. They left at dawn, so they should be back soon.”
‘The palace? Why the palace? That makes it feel even more real!’
Serina shook Oliver’s sleeve anxiously.
“It’s nothing to worry about,” Oliver said calmly.
The servants nearby nodded as if this was a familiar sight.
At that moment—
Clatter, squeak—
The sound of a carriage stopping came from the front gate.
“It seems Lord Nereus and Lady Aura have returned.”
As Oliver opened the gate, Serina dashed forward.
“You’ll fall. Please slow down.”
Just then—
Thud.
Serina tripped over a small stone and fell.
“Ow…”
“Serina!”
“Oh my goodness, are you okay?”
Her family rushed over in alarm.
Nereus lifted her up, checking for injuries, while Aura used wind magic to clean the dirt from her clothes and knees.
“Pain, pain, go away~”
Finally, Lacus blew gently on her knee and healed it with magic.
Serina wiped her tears with her sleeve.
“Why did you come back so late? I looked everywhere for you.”
Her cheeks puffed up like a balloon.
“What made our daughter search for us so desperately~?” Aura teased, poking her cheek.
Serina deflated her cheeks and grew serious.
“Is Brother really getting engaged?”
“Oh my, how did you know? We planned to tell you tonight.”
“…Really? And is the partner the princess?”
“You heard that too?”
Aura blinked. Beside her, Lacus awkwardly avoided Serina’s eyes.
At that moment, Serina finally accepted the truth she didn’t want to believe.
…It’s real?
Brother is really getting engaged?
To Princess Helia?
So that’s why he’s been visiting the palace so often?
