HDBMTD 12

Chapter 12

Looking back, the princess had every reason to make such a choice.

The emperor had cast her out to the Western Palace, and the empress looked at her powerless daughter like she was a bug. Only the prince welcomed her with tears… but honestly, even that seemed suspicious.

Because it was he who blocked the surgery to reconstruct the melted part of the princess’s left ear.

Powerful people are said to be ruthless, but everyone had thought this royal family was at least harmonious. Only after coming here did one realize: when the princess was at her peak, they had just hidden their true colors.

And what about the famous Duke Bendrix? His love for the princess was so strong it was like obsession, just as notorious as the destructive power of his flames.

“Even though the Duke had a unique appearance, people feared him for his overwhelming power—but when he showed weakness in front of the princess, it became a twist that everyone adored.”

There were even fan groups who obsessed over the princess and the duke’s relationship.

But that so-called “lover of the century” was caught in a rumor about cheating with Minette, the princess’s best friend. And when his fiancée woke up after six months? His first words were a cold breakup!

“Lover of the century? More like bastard of the century! Bastard!”

But in this twisted royal family, the most shocking figure was the princess herself, who stayed dignified through all the betrayal and humiliation.

When Aria awoke after half a year and realized she had lost her powers, Tita thought she’d throw a fit or fall into despair. Most high-level Eshafe she had seen were naturally sensitive and deeply dependent on their abilities—losing them often led to mental collapse.

But Aria’s first order upon waking up was:

“Could you bring me some washing water? My mother and brother are coming to visit, and I don’t want to worry them by looking too disheveled.”

How could someone who had just become disabled still think of how others might feel?

Tita knew exactly how people changed when pushed to the edge. They lost their emotional balance, their view of others became twisted, and in the end, they lost their humanity.

But the princess never stopped smiling, even when talking to servants. She always added a gentle “thank you” even for small things.

Tita felt a kind of awe toward her.

“Of course. A perfect princess like her really is on a different level from us ordinary folks.”

So when Tita saw the princess the morning after spending the night with the duke—her eyes swollen from crying—it was a huge shock.

This was someone who hadn’t shed a single tear even after being disfigured, abandoned by her family, and betrayed by her fiancé and friend…

“What did the duke do to her after she purified his madness?”

Aria had immediately gone to find the duke, but he treated her like a used item—with complete indifference.

“Trash of a man!”

Worried, Tita had brought a warm cup of tea back to the bedroom…

And found the princess clutching the balcony railing, trying to throw herself off.

“No, Your Highness!”

Her heart dropped.

Her body moved before her brain could think.

Tita rushed forward and grabbed Aria’s waist, pulling her back. The force sent both of them tumbling to the ground.

“Ugh…!”

Aria fell on top of Tita, who had hit her back on the floor.

Aria looked down, shocked, at the maid who had pulled her. Their eyes met, and Tita suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion.

“I know you’re suffering. But this isn’t the way!”

“What…?”

Aria looked puzzled, clearly not understanding the situation.

It was only natural for a maid to try to protect the princess.

Tita’s throat tightened at Aria’s confused expression.

‘It makes sense that she has trust issues after everything.’

Even though Aria had been kind to all the new maids after waking up, she hadn’t opened her heart. She hadn’t even asked for their names.

All the old maids who had served the princess had been dismissed, and Padva had chosen the new ones himself. Aria must’ve realized they weren’t on her side.

‘She must’ve been so lonely.’

Tita had always thought the princess was doing fine just because she always looked strong.

But someone who had always been loved by everyone couldn’t possibly stay unaffected in a place like this. Especially not in the palace where she was born and raised.

The love the royal family had shown Aria had once been famous across the empire. To be pushed out and left alone in a place filled with memories—that kind of loneliness was unimaginable.

Drip.

Tears fell from Tita’s eyes. She regretted staying distant and only observing from the side. She hugged Aria and spoke in a heartfelt voice:

“You can’t choose such a meaningless end. You’re the most precious person on this continent.”

“…You really think so?”

“Of course! Many maids can’t say it aloud because of the prince, but there are so many who respect you. Not just in the palace. You wouldn’t believe how worried the citizens are. Not just the empire—the entire continent is wishing for your recovery….”

“Me too.”

“That’s right! Even you—”

…?

Tita stopped mid-sentence, blinking in confusion.

Aria’s expression was completely calm. She didn’t look like someone who had just tried to end her life.

As Tita blinked, Aria smiled awkwardly.

“Sorry, your words were so nice I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“…?”

“To clarify, I wasn’t trying to jump. I was just… looking at the palace wall.”

To be exact, she was checking how high it was—wondering if she could escape the palace by jumping from there. But she couldn’t say that, so she made something up.

“What…?”

But Tita didn’t look convinced. Seeing her expression, Aria let out a self-deprecating laugh.

“Well, I guess my situation does look like I’d jump.”

“Ah—no! I’m sorry! That was so rude of me—”

Tita quickly bowed her head, realizing she might have just insulted the princess.

Knocking a royal to the ground and then giving her comfort without knowing the full story—if it was all a misunderstanding, she might be punished for it.

“It’s okay. Thanks to you, I learned there’s a maid who worries about me.”

But Aria brushed it off with a generous smile.

She ordered the servants to clean up the fallen tray and led Tita to the table.

“Instead, I’d like to know your name.”

“Ah, I’m Tita—”

Aria smiled, and Tita answered almost in a daze—only to immediately regret it. She had used a fake name—Louise—on her application to the palace. She just blurted out her real name.

Luckily, she had prepared a backup plan. She could just say it was a nickname or childhood name.

But… her heart wavered.

Even if the princess lost her power, her sharp instincts remained. If she noticed the lie, she’d never trust Tita again.

And more importantly, Tita didn’t want to lie—not to someone who had just been in such a fragile state.

She gulped and decided.

“My name is Tita. I go by Louise in the palace, but that’s not my real name.”

“Ah, you changed it legally?”

“No. I lied about my identity to get into the palace.”

“…What?”

Aria was clearly taken aback.

Tita glanced at her and asked:

“Do you remember visiting the Duchy of Swatan four years ago?”

“Four years ago… Swatan Duchy…”

Aria stared into space, trying to recall the past.

“Hmm… Did we meet there?”

“Yes, we did.”

Tita’s face flushed slightly as she recalled their first meeting.

The Duchy of Swatan was a small country located in the middle of the continent. These days, it’s been heavily influenced by southern culture, but four years ago, it was still a typical northern country.

In the north, Eshafes were rare, and Normers held most of the power. On top of that, many of Swatan’s leaders were loyal to Cambiata, so Eshafes weren’t even treated like human beings.

Tita and her younger brother, both born as Eshafes in such a place, had suffered through a very harsh life since they were little.

Then, four years ago, their homeland faced a serious crisis when an S-class monster attacked.

The government forced all Eshafes to be drafted, and even though Tita and her brother were still underage, they were not spared.

Tita, who had no fighting ability, was sent to the rear, so she was safe. But her thirteen-year-old brother was chosen for the frontlines just because he was combat-type.

The war was basically a massacre. The monster wiped out everything. After just two missions, her brother became too injured to fight.

Tita, in a twisted way, felt relieved. At least while he was recovering, he wouldn’t be sent out again.

But the very next day, her superior told her that her brother had died.

She couldn’t believe it. Her brother wasn’t in life-threatening condition. Besides, it was well-known that Eshafes were often secretly taken away.

Eshafes were used like disposable tools on the battlefield. And once injured, they were sold to Cambiata as test subjects.

Cambiata’s goal at the time was to build an Eshafe military force.

They were researching how to turn Eshafes into mindless battle machines, or how to increase the Eshafe population. And all the northern nations were quietly supporting them.

When her superior refused to show her her brother’s body, Tita was certain he’d been sold to Cambiata. She tried to desert the army to go save him but was caught by the general.

“If you miss your brother that much, I’ll send you to him myself.”

Then came the beating. She was brutally assaulted. Her mind grew hazy, and she kept repeating her brother’s name in her head…

“What’s going on here?”

It was then that Ariadna arrived in the north, responding to Swatan’s call for help.

A woman known for her noble blood and kind heart—even in the north, people called her an angel or a saint. Though she was also an Eshafe like them, she stood at the peak of power. To Tita’s brother, she was a figure of admiration.

“Oh no, I’m terribly sorry. To think Her Highness would come to such a dirty place… We’ll guide you to the duke’s residence right away.”

“I asked what was going on.”

“Ah, it’s nothing to concern yourself with, Your Highness. We’re just punishing a disrespectful soldier who dared to strike a superior.”

Tita wanted to tell her everything—to beg for help. But her throat was too swollen from the beating. No sound came out.

In that moment of despair, the princess let out a cold chuckle.

Her red eyes, fixed on the general, didn’t feel like those of an angel—they radiated chilling pressure.

“Did you just lie to me?”