1 Chapter 1

"-Flaudette-"

Afternoon sunlight beamed through the open hallway of the palace making the way luster as I was running, not minding anyone on the way. My tears were leaving a trace as they had been dropping in my past way. I was crying in misery, It's the death of my best friend, Empress Genieve. My heart filled with sadness and.....anger.

Those traitors.....

Genieve si died. She was poisoned.

I couldn't believe it... I snobs, how did it happen...? Why does it have to be her...I can't bear the thought of her death.

Genieve has written a letter for me, it was her last letter, with bloodstains on it. It was stated there that the Houses of Thaddeus and Gervilles, two of the greatest dukedoms in the empire was planning a coup d'etat, they're the traitors, thinking at their fake personalities sicken me, making my heartache of anger.

Unforgivable...

The door to Genieve's chamber was visible to my sight after a long-running. I slammed the door open and sees multiple people inside including the Emperor, Zachael La Victus Alteria. Breathing heavily, sweat rivulets run down to my face that was already wet by unstoppable falling cascades of tears.

Genieve was in the Emperor's hands, there are blood everywhere, in her lovely dress and lips after vomiting. I was staring at her corpse, my feet collapsed to the sight of it.

No..no..Genieve...wake up...

Every muscle in my heart ached, I cried and cried...calling her name, wishing for her to wake up but no, she's died...she had passed away.

"Who did it to her...?!" The Emperor was furious seeing the state of his wife, it was unbearable to him. Emperor loved Genieve more than ever, and I never felt that affection, never...

"Answer me!" His voice was enough to scare anyone in the room, including me. Silence and horror filled the melancholic atmosphere.

"If none of you can't answer me, then that proves all of you does not need your tongues, shall I cut it and feed it to the crows?!" Everyone in the room falls to their knees. If someone can't answer him, all of us that are inside the room will get tongue-trim service, a popular punishment to those who dare to insult the imperial family. Fear was visible in everyone's eyes. As for me, I pay it no mind. I was busy grieving on Genieve.

"Y-your Majesty, mercy on us!" One of the ministers dared to even mutter a word.

"Instead of your tongues, shall I go for your heads?!" The Emperor threatened, making the atmosphere heavy filled with fear, but before anyone could beg for their lives, a door slammed open showing multiple knights.

"Blessings and prosperity upon the Alteria Empire" All knights bowed in synchronize.

"You may rise" Emperor responded.

"Your Majesty, we had found the poison.." It was enough to get the attention of all. I look at the knight, but he suddenly looks at me in disgust. Why is that?

If they found the poison...that means houses of Thaddeus and Gervilles will be doomed...good for them, justice will be obtained for Genieve and for Heinrich as well.

"It was founded in Lady Lawvern's chamber"I froze. The time I heard my name stated by the knight, every muscle on my body stiffed, I can't move...I suddenly feel heavy. Fear washed over me.

It was found in my chamber...? Why? I didn't do anything on Genieve...I loved her... What should I do? It was Thaddeus and Gervilles, I was famed... Are they going to kill me..? No! I need to live, Genieve entrusted me this, the emperor needs to know it! I looked him in the eye to say it but my courage left me.

My heart skipped a beat the moment I look into his eyes. His fiery golden eyes glared at me, full of anger and hatred, I can feel the lividness around it. I trembled, I couldn't remove my eyes from him. I feel like burning.

"L-Lies! I...didn't do it..." I stammered as the Emperor stood and grabbed his sword resulting in my wide eyes. My tears streamed down my cheek as my greatest fear knocked every courage on me to even mutter a single word.

S-sword...

He is going to kill me... He's not going to listen to me! What should I do? I can't move... I have to tell him the truth but my courage has faded. I forced my feet to move but instead, I only achieved a few wobbles still unstable to stand. I have to run...

"So it was you after all...you wench" His steps began toward me. He was furious, his anger was burning me as if it was a fire. I couldn't move a muscle, I was crying. Even my voice left me... He needs to know the truth...

I'm scared, Genieve I'm scared.....

Am I going....to die?

"Farewell, Sinner..."

He raised his sword and slashed me, my blood sprayed everywhere as I felt the greatest pain I ever felt in my whole life, I screamed and flew to the ground. My eyes were blurred but the color of blood seems to be clear on it, having my chest and hands drench on it. I couldn't take the pain anymore.....let me go...l want to die.

"Zachael...hate..you" Even at the last moment, I muttered his name.

Everything goes black.

I died.

The pain left me. But the pain in my heart never left.

Right. I was killed by Zachael, I wish I didn't meet him, I wish I didn't love him.

He wasn't like that before, he used to smile and joke around. I was 15 when I meet him at the debutante party of the princess. He was a prince back then, not the Emperor. I guess I fall in love with him at first sight, I mean, hello he was a prince, teenage crush you know. Princes are cool in every novel I read and meeting an actual one, got me feeling enchanted. My feelings got stronger and stronger time by time but he suddenly changed...when his brother, the crown prince Heinrich died, he becomes someone he had never been. A cruel one.

Consequently, he becomes the Emperor and marries Genieve but then Genieve's body starts to weaken, and she couldn't bear a child to become the heir of the throne so I was chosen to become his concubine, who only has the importance to give birth to a child. But I was killed by his own hand after getting famed...he never loved me. I don't care anymore, would you still care after getting slashed by that bastard?

But still, why did my life turn like this.....? I'm not a bad person.

Genieve was my best friend ever since we are a child. Genieve never lets me feel lonely, she never looked at me differently even though I was a servant's child. Yes. I was a servant's child...But my father is a duke, so I was considered a noble. She comforts me whenever my evil stepsisters bully me, she stands up for me. Genieve was so precious to me, we shared every secret and never once feel distant from each other. And she always visits me even though she was busy with etiquette lessons since she was the fiancee of the crown prince at 15, well she was 2 years older than me.

But she ended up marrying bastard Zachael since Heinrich died. Her love for her fiancee never ends, but she stops mentioning it to me after getting married. The bastard learns to love her, well Genieve is the most beautiful girl I knew. He loved Genieve more than anything that is why he didn't hesitate to slay me when I was famed...

My life is desperate, I was always insulted being a servant's child. So I was the type of lady that is gloomy and not very talkative, I couldn't fit into the parties and ceremonies, I hate to admit but it made me happy when bastard Zachael talked to me even after all of the rumors about me. I can only say the word happy when I was with Genieve. I should have been the one that is poisoned, it is better than to be killed by that bastard.

I wish I changed things before it happens.

By the way, where was I am? It was warm here.

I'm dead but I was still busy thinking about my whole worst life scenarios. What happened to me...?

I don't know why I can still feel my eyes moving. Did I really died..?

I opened my eyes, blurry at first but it was getting clearer every second then I sees a familiar ceiling. It was my old room...? Did they put me here..? Because I'm still alive...What??? There is no way I could survive that bastard's slash. Or maybe I could, huh??? Am I that strong? I'm going to call someone but I don't have a voice...No...I can't talk! I couldn't move either!! What is happening..?!

My mind was full of perplexity when someone appeared in my sight, As I remembered it was Alodia, my servant. She was smiling at me like it was the happiest moment she ever witnessed, is she happy because I survived Zachael's attack? She looks so young somehow. Why is that?

But her facial state is not my greatest surprise when she suddenly carried me and lifts me up! So high! How can she still carry a 20-year-old lady like me? I'm not a child!!

"Lady Flaudette, your so beautiful!" What is she saying? I know that a long time ago.

"You finally open your eyes, look at how gorgeous you are! Lord duke should see you!" While carrying me she turned around and a large mirror was surprisingly placed to it, reflecting my looks. I was stunned.

Everything went clear when I see my reflection in the mirror. I-I was a baby??

A baby??