<span>[Don’t youugh at me! Preposterous!]


    <span>[My dear, Dietrich, are you all right? You’re so terrible, Miss Rishe…!]


    <span>[Whatever you say, Marie. Let’s have a chat someday.]


    <span>When she turned to Marie, her thin shoulders jerked. Even without that title, it doesn’t mean she can’t make a living.


    <span>[You’re not only pretty, but also outstanding. I sincerely admire you.]


    <span>[What … what do you mean?]


    <span>[You are a wonderful person who keeps a warm smile while growing up in a care-free environmentden withbor. You’ve always strived not to create barriers with your neighbors and spared no effort in letting those people around you feel rxed. — Even now, you kept His Highness behind you and defended him in front of me.]


    <span>Marie’s eyes flickered in confusion.


    <span>Rishe has chosen words that reduced her guilt none at all.


    <span>[Is it for your family? — Do you really have to marry His Highness Dietrich at the cost of my exile?]


    <span>[Ah….]


    <span>She had heard this fact of life the nth time.


    <span>Born and raised in a poor family, it was ingrained in Marie’s mind that her brothers are more important and that she should protect them.


    <span>Marie went to school to study and in desperate need to find a marriage partner there, just to get her family’s stomach full.


    <span>[But remember, it is you, not others, that determines your life…. Did you think that a man, who could cut off his long-time fiancee without blinking an eye, can keep you for a lifetime?]


    <span>Marie was startled and looked back at Dietrich.


    <span>The man, who was guarded by a girl, was still slumped on the ground.


    <span>[If you want to grasp the future, it’s meaningless unless it’s something you wished for, not somebody else’s.]


    <span>[My wish?]


    <span>[Yes. I hope you’d walk through life where you and your family will keep on smiling.]


    <span>Rishe bowed low after her speech.


    <span>For a moment, Marie stared at Rishe unblinkingly, as if struck by a word she has never heard before.


    <span>(It’s up to you what you want to do next.)


    <span>In fact, a yearter, Dietrich will lose his status as the Crown Prince and falls from power.


    <span>With his gullible character, he was inspired by his vassals and plotted a reckless coup d’etat against the king. Then, the n ended poorly when it was simply revealed at the early stages, and he became aughing stock in the entire country.


    <span>She heard of Marie’s circumstances along with this gossip.


    <span>[Rishe, I….]


    <span>Marie, who knew nothing of her fate, seemed forewarned by Rishe’s words.


    <span>[For a long time, I’ve always been told that I’m the sister and that I have to put up with my brothers. Even if it’s hard, I have to bear it. I have to endure everything for their sake. That’s why I’ve never raised objections to anyone….]


    <span>[Making your brothers and yourself happy is possible at the same time.]


    <span>[…]


    <span>Marie’s throat trembled and she sniffed as if on the verge of tears. Her rich eyes shone radiantly as jewels.


    <span>She knows she’s beautiful. And it would be a lie if she said she didn’t want a happy life.


    <span>But indeed, she too must start living her own life.


    <span>[…. Now!]


    <span>Dietrich went vignt when a sudden grin came over Rishe.


    <span>[Then, this nuisance will disappear.]


    <span>Despite those precious possessions in her room, Rishe knew that her parents would never let her in. She swivelled around and wondered what to do next.


    <span>[Wait… Stop right there, Rishe….!]


    <span>[Hmph, listen up, Rishe! I will never forgive you. Don’t’ regret your behavior towards me!]


    <span>[Huh, it’s a bother! I have nothing more to tell you! I’m done!]


    <span>[Come, knights, arrest Rishe!]


    <span>The knights reluctantly chased after Rishe, who was about to walk away quickly. Sigh, their work is really hard too.


    <span>Rishe swiftly turned around the corner while feeling sorry for him, but at the next moment, she sensed an ominous premonition.


    <span>[Excuse me for the offense Miss Rishe. You’ll have toe with me for a moment….Argh?!]


    <span>Rishe seized the knight, who approached her and grabbed the hilt of his sword. She unsheathed it from the scabbard and raised it over her head.


    <span>In the same instant, a sharp metallic ng resounded.


    <span>Rishe deflected a sword blow aimed at her.


    <span>[Arnold Hein….!]


    <span>[Ah.]


    <span>Laughing behind his sword was the man who once killed Rishe.