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 the streetlights and moonlight—
Soft, flowing golden hair swayed gently in the wind before her eyes.
Helia, wearing an elegant dress that gave off a graceful feeling, was kneeling on one knee.
With her gently curved eyes, she took out a ring case and confessed.
‘What is this? Am I dreaming right now?’
For a moment, Serina doubted her ears.
But seeing Helia’s serious expression, Serina could only stare at her with a blank face.
‘Is it really okay for you to act like this?’
Helia was her brother’s fiancée.
Even putting that aside, it was impossible for the two of them to get married.
“Hahaha, sis, your jokes have improved. How can two women get married~?”
Trying to break the awkward silence, Serina laughed it off.
Even so, Helia showed no sign of getting up.
‘No way… is she serious?’
Serina quickly reached out her hand to help her up.
“Sis, stop it and get up. It’s not funny anymore. Seriously.”
Then Helia met her eyes and held her hand. As she stood up, she spoke.
“You said you’d marry me when we were kids. It hasn’t even been that long—did you forget already?”
“No, that was when we were kids. More importantly, how would 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 took a step back.
Then—
Helia began loosening the front of her dress.
“Sis, are you crazy? What are you doing all of a sudden?!”
Even if no one was around, this wasn’t okay! No, why are you even taking off your clothes?!
Shocked, Serina hurriedly tried to cover Helia with her hands.
Through her fingers, pale skin could be seen.
A firm chest with defined muscles stood out.
With wide, startled eyes, Serina looked up.
Seeing her reaction, Helia let out a quiet laugh.
Then, in a low and soft voice, she said—
“Now… will you consider getting engaged to me, Lady Serina?”
After morning had long passed, in the bright afternoon filled with chirping birds—
Lively sounds of people moving around could be heard.
“Mmm……”
A small girl with wavy cobalt-colored hair woke up on a soft, luxurious bed.
“Yaaawn~!”
Stretching fully, she picked up a bell from the table beside her bed.
Ring, ring—
As she shook it several times, the sound of footsteps came from afar.
She walked to the door and quietly listened. When the footsteps stopped and the door slowly opened, she peeked her face out.
“Merilly!”
“Lady Serina! I told you not to stand near the door—it’s dangerous!”
“But I wanted to see you quickly.”
Pouting like a duck, Serina looked down while fidgeting with her fingers.
Merilly, a maid with wheat-colored hair, sighed and smiled as if she couldn’t help it, then entered the room.
Behind her stood a woman with dark brown hair whom Serina had never seen before, looking at her warmly.
Fixing her gaze on the woman, Serina tilted her head and pointed.
“Who is that big sister?”
“She’s your new personal maid. Maron, greet the young lady.”
“Ah! I’m Maron, and I’ll be serving Lady Serina starting today!”
Maron quickly straightened herself and greeted her.
Seeing the slightly clumsy adult, Serina burst into laughter.
“Haha! Nice to meet you, Maron.”
After the greeting, Merilly soaked a cloth in warm water and gently wiped Serina’s face.
After washing up, Serina hummed happily and skipped toward the dressing table.
As she sat down, Merilly gently brushed her messy hair.
Maron stood beside them, holding clothes for her to change into.
As if she had something to say, Serina kept opening her mouth slightly while staring at them through the mirror.
“Do you have something to say?”
Noticing her gaze, Merilly asked.
Then Serina’s eyes sparkled as she swayed back and forth.
“You know, a pretty big sister appeared in my dream and played with me all day. We read books together and played house too.”
“Oh my, that must have been fun. You’ve always wanted an older sister.”
“Yeah! The dream was too short though. I wish I really had a big sister. I do have cousin Reina, but… we can’t always be together. Ah! That doesn’t mean I don’t like my brother! Really!”
Flustered, Serina explained with drooping eyebrows like a sad puppy.
Finding her cute, Maron tried to hold back her laughter.
“Well then, you’ll be hearing some good news soon. You can look forward to it.”
“Really? What is it? Tell me!”
Full of curiosity, Serina perked up her ears.
“Maron, you’re not supposed to say that yet!”
Startled, Maron quickly covered her mouth.
Merilly sighed and added reluctantly—
“The truth is… Lady Serina, you’re going to have an older sister.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Not a younger sibling, but an older sister? Adoption? Sponsorship?
Or… was there a hidden sister she never knew about?
Serina blinked in confusion.
“Master Lakus’s engagement has been decided. Originally, the lord planned to tell you this evening, but…”
“My brother is getting engaged? Seriously, Merilly, your jokes are never funny~”
Serina laughed as she looked at her.
But unlike usual, Merilly’s serious eyes showed that it was the truth.
“This is not a joke. Have I ever joked about something like this?”
‘It’s really not a joke?’
He’s four years older than me, but he’s only eleven…
And father always said we didn’t need to worry about things like this. He told us to just grow up healthy.
Serina stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror.
Then Maron, who had started the topic, asked in confusion—
“Aren’t you happy? You said you wanted an older sister.”
“This isn’t the kind of sister I meant! So who is it?”
“I heard it’s an imperial princess.”
Merilly answered calmly.
‘An imperial princess?’
There was only one imperial princess in the empire—Helia Impelis.
An illegitimate princess, not of the main bloodline. A child born not even from a concubine, but from a mere lover.
She was even called the “Little Villainess” for causing trouble and was said to be confined in the imperial palace.
The fact that no news had come from her since then made her even more unsettling.
“That makes no sense! I’m going to ask Mom and Dad!”
Bang!
Serina slammed the dressing table and stood up.
‘My brother’s engagement…’
And to an imperial princess. That “Little Villainess”!
No way! Until I confirm it myself, I absolutely won’t believe it!
“Ugh… where did Mom and Dad go?”
She checked the office, the bedroom, and even the garden—but her parents were nowhere to be found.
Serina let out a tired breath and collapsed onto the hallway floor.
It was only natural—she had been running all over the huge mansion with her small body.
At that moment, a man with olive-colored hair approached her. He was Oliver, her father Nereus’s aide.
“Lady Serina, the floor is dirty. Please go play somewhere else.”
“I’m not playing.”
“Then what are you doing here?”
Pouting, Serina stood up and dusted her legs, then grabbed Oliver’s clothes.
“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 imperial palace? Why there… This really feels like an engagement!’
Serina shook his clothes restlessly.
“Ah, you don’t need to worry.”
Used to this, Oliver calmly responded to the servants passing by. They simply nodded and moved on.
At that moment—
Clatter, creak—
The sound of a carriage stopping at the front gate was heard.
“It seems Lord Nereus and Lady Aura have returned.”
As Oliver opened the door to greet them, Serina dashed out like an arrow.
“You’ll fall. Please go slowly.”
Oliver followed behind, warning her.
Then—
Thud.
Serina tripped over a small stone and fell. Oliver shook his head as if he expected it.
“Ouch……”
“Serina!”
“Oh my, are you okay?!”
Her family, who had just gotten off the carriage, rushed over in shock.
Nereus quickly lifted her up and checked for injuries, while Aura used wind magic to clean the dust from her clothes and knees.
“Pain, pain, go away~”
Lastly, Lakus blew gently on her knee and healed the wound with magic.
Serina wiped the tears from her right eye with her sleeve.
“Why did you come so late? I was looking everywhere for you.”
Her cheeks puffed up like a balloon.
“Our daughter must have missed us a lot to puff her cheeks like this~ What’s the reason?”
Aura poked her cheek playfully with a finger.
Serina let out the air and put on a serious expression.
“Is brother really getting engaged?”
“Oh my, how did you find out? We were going to tell you this evening.”
“…Really? And is it true that it’s the imperial princess?”
“So you heard that too?”
Aura blinked, surprised. Beside her, Lakus looked awkwardly at Serina.
Only then did Serina accept the truth she didn’t want to believe.
…It’s real? My brother is really getting engaged? To that Princess Helia?
So that’s why he’s been going to the imperial palace so often lately…?
