Heinrich's New Fiancé

Surprisingly, Lucille wasn't wearing something garishly ornate today. Instead, she wore a simple and pure pink dress with only a pair of crystal studs to match. She looked especially delicate, fragile, and pitiful–to the point that she looked like she would keel over with a light push.

Paired with her silvery hair, she looked like a naive white kitten. Anyone who saw her would have the urge to protect her–that is, if they weren't aware of her true nature.

Unfortunately, she was attending a party with the haughty daughters of high-ranking nobles who had their own social hierarchy amongst themselves, not the lustful young noblemen who lost their minds over charming faces and alluring bodies. Her getup would likely backfire on her.

"You look nice today," Kalina smiled as she elegantly glided down the steps leading down to the main foyer. "It seems like you had fun shopping."

"When I went to the boutiques, the styles were much fancier than what I'm used to. I didn't know what was in style, so I just picked whatever. It can't possibly compare to your custom made dress." Lucille looked Kalina up and down as she came closer.

Kalina just smiled in response.

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"Welcome, Lady Kalina. Let me take you to the garden. All of the other ladies have already arrived." The Weisses' head maid was waiting at the entrance when Kalina and Lucille's carriage pulled up the driveway.

"Are we late? My apologies, we had a little bit of a problem back home." Kalina graciously took the hand her guard offered and lightly stepped off the carriage. After the lake incident, Elliott followed her around everywhere, especially if Lucille was with her.

We? Was there someone else? The maid peered back into the carriage to see a girl that looked around Kalina's age. Seeing the girl's simple attire, the maid thought that she must have been a maidservant accompanying Kalina. All the servants present also thought the same so no one stepped forward to help her off the carriage.

Lucille awkwardly sat still. Getting off by herself was shameful, but if she didn't move she would seem stupid. Finally, after an awkward stretch of silence, one of the male servants offered his hand to her.

After Lucille had exited the carriage, Kalina gently went up to her and took one of her hands.

"This is my little sister, Lucille. She was only recently brought into the family and suffered a lot outside. I wanted to bring her with to meet some friends, since we both have never been to the capital. She is precious to me, so please treat her like you would treat me." Kalina's face was full of sincerity as she looked towards Lucille.

Lucille gritted her teeth and barely managed a forced smile. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the servants start to react.

Wherever she went, her status as an illegitimate child followed her. Couldn't she do anything without being reminded that she was of humble origin? Why did Kalina always have to bring it up? Why did it matter if she was once a commoner? She was a noble now, and that was all that matters.

It wouldn't matter, if she didn't have the desire to steal things away from others.

After it was revealed that the Emperor had given his mistress a title because she gave birth to his child, many other noblemen followed his example. Now, countless noble households were struggling with the issues of illegitimate children and their share of the inheritance. None of the noblemen were to the point where they completely neglected their legitimate children to dote on the others, like the Duke. They always paid more attention to their rightful children and heirs. Even so, many noble children felt threatened by the presence of their half-siblings.

Most of the illegitimate children did a good job of keeping their greed under control. Most understood that in this society, trying to climb up higher brought more risk of falling all the way back down. The life of an illegitimate child was better than being a commoner or being enslaved.

At this gathering, many of the girls present were from those families with mistresses living with them, including the hostess, the precious daughter of the Weiss family, Annabelle.

Annabelle had been doted on from the moment she was born, showered with gifts and pampered by all her relatives. She had a loving and capable older brother who was set to inherit the Marquis's fortune, wealthy and affluent parents, and everything she could want. Life was good for her.

She was a few months older than Kalina and was about to turn fifteen. Originally, she had been one of the candidates for crown princess, but Kalina, who had a higher status, eventually replaced her.

Actually, Annabelle had feelings for Prince Heinrich. She had never met the prince, but it was the power and status of being his wife that drew her to him. If she married him, she would eventually become the future Empress, the highest position a woman could occupy in the Empire.

Only when she grew up did she realize that the position of the future empress had been stolen from her. She cursed at Kalina and whined at her parents but there was nothing they could do. The Emperor had already made his decision. The aristocratic faction wouldn't go against the Emperor just for an engagement.

Annabelle went without a fiancé for years since the only family that could match hers in power was the Ephraims, and they didn't have a son. Her parents proposed that she marry into a relatively powerful count's family, but she insisted that she only wanted to marry Heinrich.

To her delight, about a week ago, the Emperor decreed to her family that she would be engaged Heinrich. It was a perfect marriage that benefitted both families. The leader of the aristocratic faction and the emperor's faction could control each other using the marriage. The Emperor, after hearing Kalina's words that day, hadn't just brushed them off and actually considered them. He ended up acting just how Kalina had hoped.

In the past, Kalina had stayed as Heinrich's fiancée and earned the envy of countless noble ladies, including Annabelle. They would often scorn her behind her back.

Lucille pretended to stand up for Kalina while giving them more reasons to hate her, like persistently saying that she and Heinrich were truly in love, that if they kept talking about her she would report them to the prince, etcetera.

Annabelle, who was remarkably popular in both the male and female social circles for her sociable nature, also introduced Lucille into high society. With Annabelle's help, Lucille quickly became well liked by everyone. Her illegitimate status had been completely covered up by Annabelle and she had been introduced as an orphan from an insignificant baron's family. Somehow, no one questioned it and there was no one to refute the claims anyway.

Lucille was well aware of Annabelle's unrequited love for Prince Heinrich, but she paid it no heed and went on to claim him for herself. After that, Lucille completely conquered the social circles as the crown princess. Everyone wanted to be acquainted with the pure and humble soon-to-be-empress that rose up from a humble household.

Annabelle was pushed out of the scene and eventually disappeared around the same time that Kalina was thrown into prison. Kalina didn't know what happened, but she was certain that it was Lucille's doing.

'I guess backstabbing was a favorite hobby of Lucille's.' Kalina inwardly thought as she and Lucille made their way over to the garden where the other girls were already gathered. As lively chatter could begin to be heard, her heart began beating faster.

She planned to pit the former friends against each other to fight over Heinrich.