The Abandoned Princess’ Secret Bedroom

Escorted by the Red Knights, Llewelyn walked down the hallway nervously. The hallway alone was in much better condition than Llewelyn’s entire palace. The chandeliers hanging from the ceiling looked splendid, and the crisp white walls reflected their beautiful golden color.

Llewelyn stood in front of the king’s bedroom and gulped nervously. The knights who were guarding the door exchanged glances.

“Tell my brother that I’m here.”

They hesitated at Llewelyn’s command.

“Hurry up.”

“His Majesty told me not to let anyone in.”

At the words of the stubborn knight, Llewelyn let out a deep sigh.

“Tell him. Or I’ll wait for him to come out.”

Llewelyn was not good at being stubborn. Just then, a muffled voice came through the door.

“Le… Llewellyn. Is that you?”

“Yes, brother.”

“… Come in.”

As the knights opened the door, Llewelyn slowly inhaled and stepped in. As soon as the doors opened fully, she smelled the strong stench of alcohol. Unlike the golden hallway, the bedroom was very dark. She heard Bastian’s voice near the bed. But the bed looked empty.

“Brother?”

“…”

Llewelyn saw a figure curled up under the bed. It was Bastian. The way he was crying and panting for breath, was as if he was a child again.

“Uh, uh…”

Bastian began to weep. His face turned red and his body writhed in unbearable agony.

“No… I couldn’t…”

“Bastian?”

“So, please… Don’t kill… Don’t.”

“…”

“That, that was Anne’s* fault…”

[*E/N: Anne is Llewelyn’s mother]

Llewellyn was speechless, and a sharp ringing began in her ears. His meaning was clear. A cold realization enveloped her, as if she had been struck by a thunderbolt of ice.

It was the truth that she vaguely knew.

She saw Bastian lying helpless and crying. What was he trying to hide?

‘No way.’

“Do not… Kill her.”

“You didn’t know?”*

[*E/N: this is Almondite speaking. If anyone was confused, Llewelyn now suspects that Bastian conspired with her father to have her mother killed instead of Almondite. Almondite is shocked that she believed he had done that all these years.]

She felt ashamed. Llewelyn sank to her knees and took a gasping breath.

“Do you have a fever?”

At Almondite’s worried remarks, Tristan stepped forward.

“I’ll call a doctor. Duke, please watch over the princess.”

“I will.”

It was time for Tristan to leave.

“Llewellyn, are you okay?”

Tristan looked back unconsciously. Even though calling a doctor was a priority, he immediately turned around when he heard Llewelyn being comforted by another man. Llewelyn gasped for breath with a blank expression.

“Llewellyn.”

Llewelyn’s gaze turned to Almondite as he helped her to her feet. Tristan was displeased with Almondite. It was quite annoying that he didn’t visit her for a long time, then suddenly appeared one day and was friendly with the princess. Didn’t they have a physical relationship without the princess’ consent?

“Princess!”

Tristan walked towards Llewelyn again. He wished Llewelyn would look at him and not Almondite. It was simple greed. He had no desires other than that.

“…Llewelyn, wait!”

Llewelyn suddenly wrapped her arms around Almondite’s neck and kissed him. Almondite’s back stiffened in surprise as she quickly deepened the kiss. Almondite’s stiffened back loosened and he reciprocated her affection.

Tristan’s heart burnt as if he had swallowed a fireball.

Tristan clenched his fists.

He had insane greed.

But then he realized.

He had much more than that.

*

Llewelyn had a tired expression on her face and bags under her eyes. She had almost fainted while calming Bastian. She was left with only unpleasant palpitations and fatigue.

“That’s weird.”

Strangely, her stigma was calm today. She had no energy, and a slight fever, but it was tolerable. Llewelyn rubbed the back of her neck with a displeased expression.

She had a nightmare.

Llewelyn often had nightmares. In her nightmares, she was always the underdog. She had dreams of her mother being executed, and she had dreams of Alpheus* being dragged away.

[*E/N: Alpheus is Llewelyn’s brother, the first child of the king and Anne. When Anne was executed, Alpheus was taken away to keep him safe, as he has more claim to the throne than Bastian.]

After her mother’s death, she suffered a fall from grace, and often dreamed of what she had been through. Her father, who was watching and having fun, also appeared from time to time. He wasn’t just a bystander, but an instigator and a player. At the time, she harbored a deep hatred for that human being, her father.

Her father laughed and watched as Llewelyn threw away her dignity and clung to Pamela, begging. All her maids had already left, and her only loyal maid was brutally murdered for taunting Pamela’s maid.

For the sole reason that one of her beloved dogs barked at Pamela, it ate poison and died painfully in front of her. The king watched her suffer from the death of her dog, and decided to kill all of her pets because they were ‘wasting the state treasury’.

No one helped Llewelyn.

Yesterday she had a dream that her maid, whom she loved, had died. The child did nothing wrong. When her meal didn’t come at her father’s order, she was caught stealing bread from the kitchen for the poor princess. That child was not guilty.

Llewellyn apologized. She begged for the maid’s life. But no one listened to her.

Just as a dog succumbed to being beaten repeatedly, Llewelyn, too, learned helplessness. She pretended to be dignified, but really she was just a dog who was playing dead to avoid attention.

Suddenly the door to her bedroom swung open and a maid came in.

‘They aren’t even knocking anymore?’

Llewelyn was about to say something, but the maid spoke hastily.

“Princess, the queen has invited you to breakfast.”

“Breakfast?”

“Yes. We have to welcome the new member of the royal family.”

Llewelyn smiled bitterly. It seemed as though Pamela intended to make the young boy an official member of the royal family. No, he was already a member of the royal family. The maid grabbed Llewelyn and dragged her away saying that she needed to dress nicely.

She stood numbly as her maid hurriedly dressed her. What was this maid’s name? Llewelyn couldn’t remember, and didn’t care. It was better this way.

She always thought it was strange to be beautifully decorated. However, Llewelyn was too tired to protest.

After she was dressed, Tristan arrived.

“Sir, have you been up all night?”

Llewellyn asked with a puzzled expression. Tristan nodded. He was the leader of the Royal Knights. Could he be like this?

“Last night…”

“Was I a bother?”

Llewelyn asked shyly. As far as Tristan was concerned, it must have been a nuisance taking care of her. She murmured shyly.

“You don’t have to do that next time. This escort mission is not a priority…”

“No.”

Tristan met Llewelyn’s gaze and spoke forcefully. He had a determined expression.

“I do it because it is my job. The princess just needs to accept it.”

“…”

Llewelyn stared at Tristan. If she met Pamela, she would be in a bad mood. She didn’t want him to see that.

“Sir Paulo.”

“Yes?”

“Call Sir Paulo. I will use him as my exclusive escort.”

“Princess!”

Llewelyn said the first name that came to mind. If she took Tristan to breakfast with her, what would he hear? 

Tristan had a blank look on his face and spoke politely.

“I will obey the princess’ orders.”

*

“You are always late.”

As soon as Llewelyn arrived, she received Pamela’s ire. Llewelyn was glad that Tristan didn’t come. For some reason, she didn’t want him to see her suffer. Sir Paulo, whom she had brought instead, was waiting at a distance with the White Knights.

“I’m sorry mother.”

Llewelyn greeted the two of them.

“Good morning mother. Good morning Miss Vivian.”

Vivian smiled and greeted Llewelyn. However, despite her polite greeting, she did not leave her seat. In this way, she acted like Llewelyn’s superior. Slight displeasure was evident on Llewelyn’s face.

“Brother doesn’t seem to have eaten.”

It wasn’t meant as an attack, but at Llewelyn’s words, Pamela and Vivian’s hand gestures stopped. A bitter aura flowed through the room. Did they know how much Bastian suffered yesterday? Vivian could also be a victim, but… Llewelyn didn’t want to side with her.

“Llewellyn.”

“Yes, mother?”

“You are a member of the royal family. Be nice to Vivian. And don’t be rude to your nephew.”

“All right.”

Llewelyn answered meekly and examined her breakfast. The soup before her had a distinct fishy smell. Llewelyn frowned. Vivian and Pamela were enjoying their soup. It seemed as though she was the only one served disgusting soup. Llewelyn put down her fork and spoon.

“Bastian will accept you. As you know, he is not a harsh man.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Pamela and Vivian had a friendly conversation. Llewelyn was troubled as to why she was called. 

‘Were you trying to force me to eat spoiled food?’

“Dion, the cute prince, will be accepted too. It is only a matter of time. As long as you are kind and well behaved.”

“I see.”

“In the meantime, it would be nice to put Dion in the Amethyst Room.”