Rise of the Unfavored Princess
I had thought that my life couldn't get worse when I walked in on my fiancé cheating on me with my best friend. But after a series of unfortunate events, I opened my eyes in a world that I had only read about in a webnovel, the Erudian Empire, ruled under the domineering, bloody reign of Emperor Helio. The worst part? I'm not even the main character! Reborn as Winter Royberg de la Erudian, I am the pitiful side character who is discovered to be a royal bastard princess due to a certain physical trait only the imperial bloodline possesses. But I know the end of Winter's story and the unwanted royal punching bag is framed as a witch and killed at age 16 on the guillotine due to the scheming of the cruel empress. An aloof, murder happy father? Check. Psycho half-sister? Check. Meddlesome author who wants me to follow the script? Double check! I don't want to die an early death again, so I'm determined not to ever be discovered as a royal again. But before I know it, I'm trapped in a palace of blood and opulence playing tricky games of power, games I have no clue how to win. How will I survive to adulthood in the imperial palace and get my happily ever after? And am I really the only person who fell into this world? *UPDATES 1-2 TIMES A WEEK* *1500 TO 3300 WORDS PER CHAPTER*
Ch. 103: Beating a Dead Horse
I can practically hear a record screech after Empress Katya speaks.
My eyes flit down to Linette, who looks up at me at the same time then stares at the ground. She looks wounded, a thousand thoughts going through her head. Linette looks whiter than a ghost, a vein of shock difficult to conceal flashing through her eye. My gaze narrows on the familiar stick on the floor, but I manage to keep myself from uttering a word.
But it's obvious when the reason clicks in her head: her body lowering itself closer to the carpet in defeat. Of course, there was no battle to begin with. As a servant, she did not have any grounds to complain.
"I don't think that would be appropriate, Mother," I say lightly, forcing myself to take another bite of the pastry. It tastes like sawdust in my mouth now. The abominable reed stick taunts me on the ground, begging me to throw caution to the wind and strike Katya across the face with it.