Chapter 6
After returning to my room, I dismissed the maids and threw myself onto the bed.
As soon as the soft bedding touched my body, all the tension drained away.
I can’t leave without giving Father confidence. He’ll worry.
I had already been an unfilial daughter long enough, causing trouble by acting recklessly.
Of course, what I was about to do in the imperial palace wasn’t only to earn his trust.
If I want to change the original story, I need to secure at least some power myself.
I reached out, pulled paper and a pen onto the bed, and prepared to organize the key settings of The Abandoned World that I remembered.
The North develops slowly because travel is difficult, and the Grand Duke Praus is always overworked dealing with endless undead monsters with limited divine power.
If I wanted him to tolerate a marriage with me, all I had to do was be useful to him.
Fortunately, having regained memories of my past life, I already knew how to solve both problems.
If I hadn’t played that game in my past life, negotiating with the Grand Duke would’ve been impossible.
Good job, me.
For once, relieving stress with games had paid off.
After persuading Father…
Next, I needed to make the Grand Duke recognize that I could be useful.
I had to make him think I was worth entering a contract marriage with.
If that worked, the fact that he had rejected every proposal so far wouldn’t matter.
I’ll just promise to divorce him after a few years. I’ll keep that part from Father.
From the Grand Duke’s perspective, a temporary marriage would let him break free from the burden of the right of absolute obedience, so it wouldn’t be a bad deal.
After all, he was the type who despised love and marriage due to childhood trauma.
He probably never even considered that marriage could be used like this.
As I started thinking about how to establish my position after becoming Grand Duchess, my eyelids suddenly grew heavy.
The curse must have taken a toll on my body.
Unlike Mother, I hadn’t died—but my stamina had clearly weakened.
At times like this, I couldn’t afford to overexert myself.
I placed the paper and pen into a locked drawer and secured it.
I had an important schedule tomorrow, so I needed to rest.
The next morning, Frey leisurely prepared to go out and spoke to her maid.
“Send word to the High Priest and arrange a meeting.”
The maid, Emma, froze for a moment.
Had the princess ever personally visited the temple before?
She must have misheard—surely the princess was about to go shopping to cope with her grief.
“Your Highness… what did you just say?”
Frey swallowed her awkwardness at the maid’s shaken eyes.
I haven’t exactly lived a devout life, but is this reaction really necessary?
She had only ever shown her face at official religious events—and even then, barely.
From birth until adulthood, she had spoken privately with the High Priest only once.
[“Your Grace, may I ask the name of the gem decorating your staff?”]
The High Priest’s forehead had bulged with veins despite his usual gentle smile, but she hadn’t cared at all.
He won’t welcome me because of that, but I’m still a princess. He won’t be able to ignore me.
Since divine power was inherited by the Emperor, the temple was always closely tied to him.
If she requested a meeting in advance, it would be difficult to refuse outright.
“You heard correctly. Please arrange it.”
Instead of explaining herself, Frey simply raised an eyebrow.
If she stared too long at Emma’s wide eyes, she’d end up explaining everything.
They’ll all find out soon enough why I’m going to the temple anyway.
That afternoon, Frey was met with the exact same reaction from the High Priest.
“Princess Frey… what brings you here?”
His voice carried clear tension.
The Frey he knew never approached influential figures first.
If anyone tried to approach her, she would withdraw first, afraid of being suspected by the Empress.
If she had business with me, she could’ve summoned me quietly or sent a letter…
More than anyone, Frey knew that visiting the temple openly would not escape the Empress’s notice.
So why had she come in person?
“Are you perhaps here to use one of the temple’s instruments?”
“Yes. There’s something here that I need to use.”
Her casual answer caused murmurs to ripple through the room.
“That instrument… surely you don’t mean…”
The High Priest hesitated to say the words “divine power measuring device” and watched her carefully.
Princess Frey hasn’t been tested since she was seven…
Normally, if a royal child showed no divine power at birth, they were tested every year until the age of twenty-five.
That was the age limit at which dormant divine power might manifest.
But Frey had only been tested until age seven—and after that, she had shown no interest.
Everyone present knew why.
If the Crown Prince has no divine power, and she suddenly gets tested…
It would look like she’s aiming for the throne. The Empress would definitely react.
So why now?
Ignoring their questioning gazes, Frey walked forward.
“I think the device was in that room.”
“!”
The moment she clearly said “divine power measuring device,” the atmosphere froze.
Rumors had spread that she had changed after her mother’s death—but no one expected something this bold.
What will the Empress do when she hears this?
Should we stop her?
But Frey ignored them all and opened the door.
“Looks like I’m right. I’ll be using it, so don’t let anyone in.”
She had no intention of putting more effort into what was essentially a declaration of war against the Empress and the noble faction.
Click.
As she locked the door from the inside, the priests who tried to follow had no choice but to stop.
Taking a light breath, Frey approached the stone pillar in the center of the room.
So this is what it looked like.
Just a week ago, she had no intention of coming anywhere near this place.
A “half-blood princess” stepping into the temple could provoke the Empress.
Even if she ever discovered she had divine power, she had planned to keep it hidden.
As expected, her last test at age seven showed no divine power.
If I hadn’t regained my past-life memories, I would’ve believed that forever.
But now, it was time to face the truth.
[Frey Obelir]
[Trait – Divine Power (Dormant)]
[Divine power awakened at age sixteen but remains latent due to lack of testing.]
Recalling the information she had seen in the game, she placed her hand on the device.
Meanwhile, in the northern Grand Duchy of Praus, things were just as chaotic as the temple in the capital.
Agents sent to gather intelligence had brought back shocking news.
[Frey Obelir openly showed interest in the Grand Duke Praus at Lady Roselia’s funeral.]
The news was so shocking that the entire estate buzzed with it all day.
“What? That reckless princess is after His Grace?”
“She’s gone even more out of control after losing her mother. At least she used to fear the noble faction.”
“Still, a fallen princess? His Grace would probably reject even Lady Bliette.”
The staff clicked their tongues in disapproval.
The thought of their noble lord being entangled with such a notorious princess displeased them.
“That’s enough. It’s unlikely they’ll be involved any further, so get back to your duties.”
Knight Luke Divine snapped as he ran a hand through his messy red hair.
The lord he had served since before taking up the sword—getting involved with a shopping-obsessed princess from the capital?
What kind of ridiculous situation is this?
“Your Grace, Luke Divine reporting.”
Creak—
Luke entered the office.
Sunlight poured in brilliantly through the large window.
At its center sat Daniel Praus, like a sacred statue.
Silver hair with a bluish tint, calm violet eyes, and a flawless posture.
The retainers who had arrived earlier stared, entranced, at his long fingers moving the pen.
With looks like that, I can see why Princess Frey would fall for him.
Luke silently blamed his lord’s unnecessary beauty.
After confirming everyone had gathered, Daniel set down his pen.
“Luke, I believe I summoned you first, yet you’re the last to arrive.”
“My apologies, Your Grace. The situation was so shocking that I was delayed.”
“A proper knight would not waste time entangled with women.”
“Well, I was conversing with beautiful ladies all night… but Your Grace, you’ve been in your office—so how did this happen?”
At Luke’s words, a quiet sigh spread through the room.
With the Emperor and Crown Prince at odds, accepting the Emperor’s illegitimate daughter as Grand Duchess—
would mean openly opposing the Crown Prince.
How did Praus, who always stayed neutral, end up in this…
He could’ve just chosen Lady Bliette instead…
But no one spoke aloud.
They knew better than anyone how much the Grand Duke despised matters of love—having lost his parents to it.
“We can stop this.”
“……”
The retainers exchanged glances.
It was rare for the Grand Duke’s voice to sink so low.
“Do whatever it takes. I have no intention of dealing with love or marriage.”
“……”
“Even if His Majesty uses the right of absolute obedience, create a reason for the princess to refuse.”
Each word he spoke carried immense pressure.
Since he was this firm, they had to find a way to completely cut off the princess.
But how?
Frey Obelir is known for always getting what she wants…
Their eyes wavered in uncertainty.
Luke, who had been quietly thinking like the others, suddenly raised his head.
“Then what about this approach?”
