~Chapter 2~
The crown princess turns a blind eye to the existence of mistresses, but if they get pregnant, she deals with them without mercy.
Now that I look closely, there are red, blister-like spots around Tilla’s lips.
It doesn’t look like she was hit, but perhaps she has some sort of illness.
For some reason, one side of my chest feels tight.
I supported Tilla again, guiding her slowly down the stairs one step at a time.
“Ugh, I have no one to rely on, so this happened…”
Tilla furrowed her brow, clearly upset.
I didn’t help her just to hear this. I loosened my hand around Tilla’s side. But soon enough, she stumbled again and tightly embraced my waist.
“…Just to the bottom of the stairs.”
“I’ll owe you one,” Tilla mumbled, adding a bit reluctantly.
I stayed silent and walked down the stairs with Tilla.
Creak. Creak. The wooden stairs were warped by moisture. They didn’t align properly, so every time we stepped on them, they made sounds like groaning. It reminded me of Tilla’s old bed.
“Josephine. I’ll give you one piece of advice, don’t look at people like that.”
“What did I do wrong?”
“You look at them like they’re some filthy rag.”
I let out a brief, bitter laugh. She really has a high sense of persecution.
I was unfairly accused. I never once thought of Tilla as filthy.
Tilla narrowed her eyes and began scrutinizing my side profile from top to bottom.
I knew well what I looked like. My messy bangs that stretched to the tip of my nose. My lips, pale with a touch of powder. My collar buttons tightly fastened up to my neck. A loose tie at my waist, making it look flat. A drab gray skirt that reached my ankles.
And even the religious books tucked under my arm.
After observing me, Tilla twisted her lips into a smirk.
“Now I understand why you look like that. You’re trying to escape your status as a hostage princess and run to the monastery, right?”
I flinched. So, I didn’t answer.
I had received a recommendation letter from the priest to join the monastery, and with the emperor’s approval, I could leave Ruby Palace. I’d live as a nun for the rest of my life, but at least I’d be free.
“Ha ha, which monastery would accept someone like you? You’ve been in Ruby Palace for 5 years already. You’ve practically been branded as a loose woman.”
Her words were harsh, but Tilla, like me, was a princess from a fallen country.
Though her homeland was crushed and annexed by the Tristum Empire, unlike my father who surrendered without resistance, Tilla’s father had fought back against the empire’s invasion.
Tilla’s story and mine were similar, but different.
Tilla’s father had fought the empire’s army before they even crossed the border.
And the building we live in…
It’s a palace.
Its formal name is Ruby Palace. Built in the most remote part of the imperial palace, it serves as a prison for the royal family members of vassal states. Yet, ironically, it’s named after a precious gemstone as if royalty lives here.
The princes and princesses of Ruby Palace don’t share any blood relations. They come from different countries, with different parents, but there’s one thing they all have in common:
They were abandoned by their home countries.
The kings of the vassal states send their most useless children to this place.
…We are hostages. Royal family members held captive in the imperial palace as collateral for the forced annexation treaties.
And it’s common knowledge that the princesses of Ruby Palace are not virgins.
They usually serve in the bedrooms of the princes.
Ruby Palace’s front door was waiting for a carriage.
“Get well soon, Tilla.”
I helped Tilla into the carriage. Tilla looked at me warily as she got in, clearly suspicious that I knew where she was going.
“Don’t meddle in my private affairs. It’s annoying.”
As soon as Tilla slammed the door shut, the carriage took off, kicking up dust. Left alone, I chuckled. I didn’t expect a thank-you.
Perhaps I’m the only virgin among the hostage princesses. My simple attire and quiet existence have kept me under the radar of the princes.
That’s exactly how I want it.
I don’t want anything to do with the princes of Tristum Empire.
Tilla and the other princesses think poorly of me for it.
They say I’m pretending to be all noble when we were all sold and lost our countries. They say I should spread my legs and get some jewelry from the princes to live comfortably in middle age. Yet, I don’t even try.
…I won’t deny it. It’s true that I don’t make any effort in that direction.
I walked aimlessly toward the garden. The sky was completely clear and blue.
The hot sun beamed down, and the pigeons fluttered by, greeting me.
[Hello, Josephine! It’s hot, where are you going?]
“Just heading to the lakeside to read.”
If there’s one beautiful thing in Ruby Palace, it’s the garden’s lake. It’s small but clear and blue. During this time, purple hydrangeas bloom beautifully.
[Ah, you might want to wait a bit before going.]
The birds are always kind. Even after living here for 5 years, the reason I haven’t caught the attention of the princes is probably because the birds around me keep watch.
Suddenly, a loud crashing sound echoed from the lake.
I made a visor with my hand and carefully looked toward the lake.
In the middle of the lake…
A man had fallen in.
Looking around, I saw the crown prince pass by the lake, followed by the second and third princes, laughing.
I instinctively knew.
This was an initiation.
Whenever a new hostage prince arrives at Ruby Palace, the crown prince and his brothers perform this ritual.
The crown prince, second prince, and third prince began skipping stones at the lake, aiming at the man who had fallen in.
Plunk, plunk, plunk. The stones they threw caused countless ripples on the once calm surface of the lake.
I hid behind a tree by the lake, trembling.
‘Are they crazy? Not only did they throw the man into the lake, now they’re throwing stones at him?’
Those princes are monsters. If anyone dies here, they’ll definitely become the successors of Satan.
“Hahaha! This is all for you!”
“Yeah! A grown man should endure this kind of trial! Right?”
The second and third princes continued laughing and skipping stones, their mocking laughter echoing.
The man who had fallen in was still floating in the middle of the lake like a piece of driftwood.
I nervously bit my nails. What should I do? The lake may be small, but it’s deep. If he sinks…
The man was surely a new hostage prince.
The princes of Tristum always do this initiation ritual for the new hostage princes.
Whenever a new prince arrives, he’ll disappear somewhere, covered in bruises. If anyone asks, he shakes his head.
Now, we all know. The crown prince and his brothers take them to secret places, trampling them thoroughly, for no reason other than to assert dominance over the vassal states.
I clenched my fists tightly. As a witness, I couldn’t just stand by. A life could be lost. Another hostage, just like me.
‘Whistle.’
I blew a soft whistle. The pigeons and sparrows quickly flew toward me, as if they had been waiting for my signal.
“You guys. Chase the crown prince and his brothers away from the lakeside.”
I quietly ordered them.
[Got it!]
“And can you tell the ducks too? I’m not a good swimmer, so I need help holding him up from below.”
[Sure!]
The birds quickly went into action. Pigeons and sparrows flew toward the crown prince and his brothers, pecking at their heads with sharp beaks.
