“Why wasn’t that Beth girl chosen?”

“Well…”

“Are there any suspicious movements in the Crown Prince’s Palace?”

“No.”

“How far has the Crown Prince’s curse progressed?”

“I don’t know.”

Diana didn’t listen to Gilbert. In addition, she evaded the questions with curt answers.

As a result, Gilbert did not manage to carry out a single order from the Duke of Cassil.

“I think Count Bellacian should pay attention to his children’s education. Why would they ignore their father?”

The Duke of Cassil blamed Gilbert. He announced his eldest son, Frank’s marriage, to the Marquis Westin’s family and reneged on his promise to let Diana and Frank marry.

Gilbert was angry and headed to the Duchess, but he couldn’t even get inside and was refused on the spot.

‘Diana, you stupid bitch! You had a year! Pathetic bitch!’

Gilbert’s anger turned to Diana. Throughout his trip back home, he cursed Diana.

If Diana had listened to him, everything would have been fine. However, the situation reached this point because she was stupid, lazy and did not listen to him.

She was not as pretty and smart as Ancia! If she couldn’t catch the Emperor’s eye, and couldn’t stand at the center of the society, she should at least listen to her father properly!

The news of Frank’s marriage broke out, and the Empress’s seat was gone forever. Gilbert’s dream of becoming the Emperor’s father-in-law and taking revenge on the nobles who ignored him also disappeared.

This was all because of Diana that stupid bitch. If he had known this would have happened, he would have loved Ancia more. Diana had been cooperating with Ancia because of her stupidity and did not respect him as her father either.

Come to think of it, Diana was the mastermind behind everything.

Gilbert was so regretful even for the times he cared for Diana.

“A sword? Why do you have this?!”

Gilbert was full of anger as he stormed into Diana’s room and screamed as soon as he found the wooden sword she had hidden. Diana’s shoulders flinched at his harsh shout.

“That…”

While she hesitated to answer, Gilbert forcibly took the wooden sword from Diana.

“Give it back!”

It was a precious sword that she got as a gift from her sister. She reached her hand out in a hurry. As soon as Diana’s hand reached Gilbert, his expression turned frighteningly scary.

Gilbert grabbed Diana’s hand. Her fingers and palms had hard calluses.

“What’s wrong with your hand! What’s with your hand?”

“I-it hurts!”

“It’s not the problem! You are a noble! I can’t believe you went to the Crown Prince’s Palace to do useless things like that! Who’s going to take a girl who has rough hands like a maid?! A girl who can’t even take care of her own hands! You’re going to be a disgrace to our family!”

He was on a rampage. But it wasn’t because he felt sorry for Diana’s calluses or was worrying for her as a parent.

Gilbert was angry that Diana might fall out of the marriage trade. More precisely, he was mad that he would lose face.

The more Gilbert lost his reasoning and became angry, the colder Diana became.

She still thought her father loved her. Although he forced her to do things, she thought it was because he cared about her.

But it wasn’t. For Gilbert, she was just a high-end accessory that could be boasted anywhere and sold at a high price at the right time.

She looked Gilbert in the eye.

“Father, I’m not going to marry.”

“What?”

“I’m going to become a knight. I want to enter the Knights Academy next year.”

When Diana revealed her wish, Gilbert’s expression was distorted with anger.

“A knight? What kind of knight is a woman? Are you going to do what low-class noblemen or commoners do?”

“That’s prejudice. Count Cheyon, the 3rd Knights Commander, is a woman.”

“Old bitch.”

“She’s someone I respect.”

“Respect? So you’re going to be like that woman?!”

“Yes, I will be a knight of the Imperial family, and I will protect my sister! So don’t think about doing anything strange to her anymore!”

The moment she uttered the words she had endured for so long, a searing pain burned through her cheeks. Gilbert had slapped Diana on the face.

“Father…”

It was the first time that he had used violence on her, although he had shown signs he’d do it these days. Diana was greatly shocked. Gilbert, however, did not care about his daughter’s reaction and continued in anger.

“If you say that again, I’ll get rid of you!”

***

“Ah!”

Diana sank as soon as she’s in bed.

Gilbert was angered by her and hit Diana’s calf to the point that the whip broke.

Fortunately, her face was fine, but it was hard to walk because her legs hurt.

The maid applied ointment to her legs and said Gilbert was looking for her.

“Have you applied any medicine?”

Gilbert asked in a cold voice as soon as Diana entered the office.

“Yes.”

“I shouldn’t have hurt a girl who hasn’t gotten married yet.”

“…..”

She thought he was genuinely worried, but Diana’s heart froze cold at her father’s subsequent words.

“Have you reflected?”

“No, I want to become a knight.”

She was going to say it before the end of the year anyway. She didn’t mean to talk about it in such a harsh atmosphere, but she had already come this far.

Gilbert’s hands flinched. Diana closed her eyes tightly, thinking that he would hit her with his hand.

Soon there was a sound of ‘tak’ and things rumbling out. She opened her eyes carefully again. On Gilbert’s desk, there was a mana stone that was used for recording video.

“Install this in the Crown Prince’s Palace.”

“Father! I told you I didn’t want to do that!”

“Don’t be immature! This is all for you and your family!”

The eldest son of Duke Cassil and Westin’s young lady were engaged, but they hadn’t gotten married yet. Besides, the Duke of Cassil had two more sons.

Of course, it was not worth considering Richard, who had the blood of a slave, but if she married the youngest, Neon, she’d become the Duchess. Not as good as being the Empress, but not bad either.

There was still a chance. If Diana did the job well, the Duke of Cassil would be relieved.

“No! I don’t want to do that!”

“Then marry Count Cornwell.”

“The Count of Cornwell?”

Diana doubted her ears. Count Cornwell was one of the richest men in the Empire, but he was very old.

“I don’t need a child who doesn’t listen to her father. If you can’t set that up, then marry Count Cornwell!”

“Father, I want to be a knight…”

“If you don’t set that up today, I’ll send you to Count Cornwell tomorrow!”

Gilbert cut her off and spat out coldly.

***

In the carriage on the way to the Crown Prince’s Palace, Diana constantly stared at the mana stone that her father forced onto her.

‘Should I be honest with my sister? No, I can’t.’

Diana had been hit by her father for the first time yesterday so she was shocked. However, for Ancia, such things were routine. Her older sister was forced to marry the cursed prince without even getting a say in it.

Fortunately, the two were doing well.

‘I can’t ask her to help me with this. I’m being punished because I couldn’t help her when she was having a hard time. It’s all my fault.’

The carriage reached the Crown Prince’s Palace. Diana put the stone in her pocket. Maybe today would be her last day meeting her sister.

If her father really wanted to marry her to Count Cornwell, she’d leave home.

***

The first snow fell all night. It was still mid-November, but it was also very early.

After all, the year had passed without finding a way to lift Blake’s curse. As she was looking at the snow that had accumulated with a complicated mind, Diana, who was sitting next to her with a gloomy expression, caught her eye.

“Diana, what’s wrong?”

“No, nothing’s going on!”

Diana shook her head. She denied it so vehemently that it was even more suspicious. Come to think of it; her cheeks were swollen red.

“Diana, you…”

The moment I tried to touch her cheek, Diana jumped up from her seat.

“Oh! I want to have a snowball fight! Your Highness! Let’s have a snowball fight!”

“Huh? I can fight a little—“

Blake shook his head, but before he could finish talking, Diana’s snowball hit him in the chest.

“Hey!”

Blake started to get angry, but this time the snow flew at his face.

“Haha! Your face looks like a snowman!”

Diana ran away with a laugh. Then, Blake got angry and chased after her.

Eventually, the two began to have a fierce snowball fight. Looking at the sight of the two, I recalled memories from the original story. Melissa gently said, “Your Highness, why don’t you join them?”

“I’m okay.”

“It’s important to keep your dignity, but it’s the first snow today. Let’s put the burden off your shoulders for a moment.”

Melissa felt sorry for thinking that I was trying hard to suppress the child in me. It was not like that…

“I don’t like snow very much.”

“You don’t?”

“Yes. It’s hard to clean it up. And my hands get cold.”

“Pfft.”

Melissa burst into laughter, covering her mouth suddenly.

“Why?”

“When I see Your Highness, I sometimes feel a certain way.”

“What way?”

“That you’re not 12 years old, but someone my age.”

Cough.