Chapter 2
Fire requires fuel to burn. But my love had already been entirely consumed, leaving behind nothing but cold ash.
There were the people who turned their backs on me when I was driven into a corner. And then there was my former fiancé, the man to whom I had offered all my love—the man I had clung to even as I discarded my pride—only for him to refuse to believe me until the very end.
My past life was certainly mine. Yet, the heart I carried back then had vanished so completely that not a single positive emotion remained. It was as if the ashes themselves had been crushed into nothing but spite.
The end of a one-sided relationship is a wretched thing. I could only truly see those bonds—the ones I had writhed in agony to keep even as they suffocated me—once I had died.
That was why returning to my twenty-year-old self wasn’t particularly satisfying. It was even less pleasant knowing I was still engaged to Edwin. If only I could have returned to the age of five to stop the engagement from the start. If I went back to then, I would never have agreed to it.
I would have ensured he never became the Crown Prince.
“Ah… as I thought.”
I let out a smirk as I quickly discovered the glass vial containing Euros. Fortunately, it was hidden in the exact same spot as in my previous life. I carefully picked up the vial, which was leaning against the display cabinet as if it were meant to be found.
Feeling the chill of the glass against my skin, I realized there was no use dwelling on the past. Yes, the future I could change—like this vial in my hand—was what mattered.
Starting with this attempted poisoning incident, I intended to return every humiliation I had ever suffered. I would see to it that Edwin was dragged down from his position as Crown Prince.
And I would ensure that Sister Josefina could never return to her “rightful” place.
I had woken up just a few hours ago in my bedroom at the Marquis of Elvain’s estate.
Since becoming the Crown Princess, I had lived exclusively in the palace. For my twentieth birthday, however, I had received the Emperor’s permission to stay at the Marquis’s estate for a few days. Because of that, in my previous life, I hadn’t noticed someone entering and leaving my room.
“Impressive, truly.”
I held the vial up high. It seemed it had been left out in the open intentionally, making it easy to find. The attempt to frame me was so blatant it was almost absurd.
I gave the bottle of clear liquid a slight shake. The poison sloshed against the glass, momentarily turning a vivid crimson before deepening into a dark black. Once I held the vial still, it returned to its original transparent state.
“…It really is Euros.”
In my past life, I fell for this farce. No—to be more accurate—I was foolish enough to fall for it several times.
“Reina… how could you… no matter how much you hate me… ugh…”
The image of Josefina collapsing after drinking the poison flickered before my eyes. My grip tightened on the vial as a surge of cold fury rose within me.
“How could you poison Josefina? To think you’d try to kill your only sister… you’re truly horrific.”
Even if Josefina was his first love, one would think he could have trusted me after fifteen years together. Instead, Edwin hadn’t even suspected there might be another culprit; he had been the first to throw a stone.
Recalling the Edwin of that time made me chuckle at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. Then, my gaze drifted to the mirror.
The dress I was wearing suddenly felt incredibly cumbersome. Setting the vial down for a moment, I walked into the dressing room and stripped the gown off entirely. Normally, it was a garment so complex it required several maids to handle. But after being framed and neglected for so long in my previous life, doing it alone was no longer a challenge.
I pulled a white dress from the wardrobe. It was a simple design that only needed to be secured with a side ribbon, yet it was elegant and sophisticated.
Being a victim of dirty schemes was a role I had played enough in my last life.
Leaving the dressing room, I picked up the vial of Euros and walked toward Josefina’s bedroom—the room that had originally been mine before her return. Her room was at the very end of the hall, the largest and finest suite on the third floor.
Everyone must be preoccupied with Josefina’s birthday banquet.
The hallways were deserted; every servant had likely been drafted into the preparations. I considered myself lucky as I stepped into her room. I placed the vial of Euros next to a swan sculpture on a display cabinet identical to the one in my room. I positioned it so it could be discovered at any moment.
With that, I left her bedroom and headed for the dining room.
When I arrived at the dining room, Edwin was nowhere to be seen. As the Crown Prince, it was technically more appropriate for him to be inside socializing with the Marquis’s family rather than waiting for me.
Even so, in most noble households, a man shows the courtesy of waiting at the door if his partner has not yet arrived. Furthermore, a man should never ignore a woman who is both the daughter of his political foundation and his future Crown Princess.
But I suppose Edwin found even that level of decency unbearable.
With a flick of my chin toward the attendant, the dining room doors swung open. Inside, I saw Josefina, wearing a radiant smile alongside my foster parents.
“Ah, you’re here, Reina!”
The moment she spotted me, Josefina stood up, rushed over, and linked her arm with mine. I forced a smile in return.
“Happy birthday, Sister.”
“Yes, thank you!”
Today was Josefina’s birthday, but it was mine as well. Unlike in the beginning, however, she seemed to have forgotten that fact. I didn’t even know when my real birthday was. Since my foster parents seemed to have forgotten too, there was no one left to remember the birthday of a war orphan like me.
As we walked, Josefina suddenly stiffened. She looked at me and my dress with a disgruntled expression.
“But… why that dress?”
“I couldn’t possibly wear the same outfit as the star of the birthday, could I?”
Answering smoothly, I disentangled my arm and headed toward my seat.
Edwin, who was seated at the head of the table, stood up. For a split second, I stood still, thinking he was going to pull out my chair. Instead, as if mocking my expectations, he moved to pull out Josefina’s chair with a smile.
“I’m glad you invited me to your birthday, Fifi.”
“Thank you, Ed.”
Ed. A nickname I hadn’t been allowed to use once in fifteen years.
Hearing Josefina use it so familiarly filled me with a sudden, visceral revulsion. I looked between the two of them, stunned. Edwin didn’t seem to care about my gaze; he merely offered a faint, wry smile and took his seat.
It was absurd, but I couldn’t stand there forever. Masking my disbelief, I sat down, only then noticing the man sitting next to Josefina.
“Prince Leonhardt. I didn’t realize Your Highness would be attending my sister’s birthday banquet. To think we’d meet again outside the Imperial Palace.”
“Indeed. It is a pleasure to see you, My Lady.”
It was Leonhardt, the second prince and second in line to the throne. Normally, the second in line might have a strained relationship with the Crown Prince, but these two were close. Both were born of the Empress. I suspected Leonhardt would eventually become a Grand Duke; even now, his military achievements were numerous, and the Imperial Family held him in high regard.
“My Lady, your dress and ornaments seem… unfamiliar.”
“…I suppose they don’t suit me, if Your Highness feels compelled to mention it.”
“On the contrary, I believe more ornate clothing suits you better.”
He bore a strong resemblance to Edwin, being his biological brother. However, while Edwin had silver hair and gold eyes, Leonhardt had inherited his mother’s golden hair to match his golden eyes.
“Leon, you think so too, right? I agree. That’s why I deliberately chose the same dress for us, but…”
“Now that you mention it, you both wore the same dress last year. Didn’t you, My Lady?”
“Yes. It is a precious memory that showed me just how much my sister thinks of me.”
Last year, at Josefina’s request, I had worn the same dress. In my past life, I was foolish enough to think she was asking because she wanted us to be closer. It was a delusion. She simply wanted to show the world that I was nothing more than a substitute.
“I appreciate the thought, but I prefer this dress much more.”
“Quite right,” Edwin interjected. “A dress like Fifi’s wouldn’t be appropriate for you anyway.”
“Ed! How can you say that? You know Reina and I look alike!”
Josefina pouted and glared at Edwin. Perhaps when we first met we looked alike, but now, the only similarities were our hair and eye color—and even then, my hair was a lighter shade.
“Right, Fifi. I was talking about you.”
“That’s so mean. It’s my birthday today.”
“Fifi, since it’s your birthday as you say, have mercy on me.”
As Josefina puffed out her cheeks in a huff, Edwin, from his seat of honor, laughed brightly and teased her. I found myself speechless at their little farce. Turning my gaze away, I locked eyes with Leonhardt. His expression stiffened for a moment before he offered an awkward smile.
Seeing Edwin again after returning to my twenty-year-old self, he seemed somehow trivial—like a wilted flower. Perhaps that was why Leonhardt looked different to me now. It might be because he was the tragic “second lead,” dragged around by his feelings only to be discarded. In that way, we were similar.
After rinsing my hands in the finger bowl and skipping the appetizer, the main dish was served.
“Eat well, my daughters,” my foster parents said, raising a toast.
I nodded indifferently and prepared to eat, only to realize the seating arrangement was bizarre. Since Edwin was at the head of the table, I—as the future Crown Princess—should have been seated at his left. We were to be husband and wife.
Instead, my foster parents sat to Edwin’s right. Leonhardt sat next to Josefina. My seat was in the far corner, the furthest point from Edwin. There was no one even sitting across from me.
“I am so grateful you were born.”
My father was looking only at Josefina as he spoke. I forced a smile. Until I was eighteen, he used to look at me when he said those words. Now, those moments felt so distant they were almost comical.
I looked down at the setting in front of me and let out another dry laugh. Regardless of my reaction, my foster father raised his voice to liven the mood.
“It’s the steamed lobster you love so much, Fifi.”
“Thank you, Mother! Father! This is the best!”
“Haha…”
I had a shellfish allergy. Eating the food in front of me was a death sentence.
I stared quietly at the steamed lobster. Everyone else began their meal as if they had no idea what I could or couldn’t eat. Yes, this was my place. A position so insignificant that no one would care if I died this very moment.
It wasn’t just Edwin who was a wilted flower; everyone in this dining room felt like one.
In the middle of the feast, I abruptly set down my fork. This caught Leonhardt’s eye, but Josefina spoke up before he could.
“Leon, what did you prepare for my gift? I tried to wait until we finished eating, but I can’t stand it anymore.”
“Fifi, it’s scheduled to arrive shortly. Just wait a little longer. It’s a gift you will truly love.”
Josefina’s face lit up with joy.
“Really? I’m so excited!”
“Fifi! I’ve prepared a gift for you as well,” Edwin added.
“Thank you, Ed. But what about Reina’s?”
“Of course, I prepared the same thing for her.”
“Ed, you’re such a kind fiancé for not forgetting Reina’s gift.”
Listening to their conversation, I felt a secret shudder of disgust. I loathed Edwin for acting like a devoted fiancé just because he managed to meet the bare minimum of social expectations.
“So, what did you get me, Ed?”
“A fountain pen specially crafted by the Imperial artisans. The one you’ve been wanting.”
“Wow!”
Josefina cheered happily. Ignoring them, I glanced at the wine glasses being placed at each setting. The real event of the day was about to begin.
As the maid approached, I picked up the glass at my place and stopped her.
“Take this back. I’d rather have that orange wine.”
“Pardon? But this is for Lady Josefina…”
“Give it to me.”
When I insisted, the maid looked at Josefina in confusion. However, Josefina was too busy laughing and talking with Edwin to notice.
“Quickly.”
“Ah…”
I naturally took the orange wine glass from the maid’s tray. Once the glasses were set at every seat, Josefina finally realized what had happened and looked around frantically. Seeing the wine glass at my spot, she quickly raised her voice.
“That—that wine is mine, Reina!”
“It’s mine now. Thank you, Sister.”
I gave Josefine a soft smile and picked up the glass. There was no doubt in my mind: this wine was laced with Euros.
“Edwin.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“Today is my birthday as well. Instead of a gift, would you care to drink this wine for me?”
