Chapter 4

The family of Viscount Haze did everything they could to change the Emperor’s mind, but it was futile.

A being of noble birth with a mighty grasp forced his way into a happy household and caused all sorts of ruckus without giving them a way to escape.

That power made up a plethora of excuses to devour the Haze family’s wealth and honor, ultimately erasing the Viscount Haze family’s existence from history.

“Hannah Haze must obey the Emperor’s order!”

The Emperor’s army barged into the mansion where the rank of Viscount was stripped of them and now belonged to no one. With no hesitation, the sound of imposing footsteps buried the scream of Kathia’s father, as not only Hannah but also Kathia was captured by the army.

It ended with Kathia’s grandparents pleading to just have their grandchild returned, but that was Kathia’s last time seeing the Haze mansion.

While being captured and dragged away unwittingly, Kathia burst into laughter. Laughter was the only sound that came out.

Damn this whirlwind that is life.

In any case, God couldn’t stand to see Kathia happy.

“Oh, come in! You seriously are… You should’ve come along when I asked nicely or none of these mishaps would’ve happened. Huh? Yes, let’s see. You must be Kathia. My, my, you look pretty, just like your mother. You may call me Father in the future. I had regretted not having a daughter of my own, but I am now elated I have a cute imperial princess.”

The Emperor did not have a devilishly-dark complexion, nor horns.

He looked far more normal than what Kathia imagined. He, who started to have patches of white hair, had a benevolent smile, and greeted Kathia and her mother.

Unrested and exhausted, Kathia thought to herself. I feel bad for dad, but wouldn’t mom be better off as the Emperor’s concubine?

Then there would be no one to bother us anymore…

“Why…!”

As Hannah sobbed, she held Kathia tightly in her arms. Becoming a widow twice, her destiny was pitiful.

My beautiful mother. My pitiful mother. As she sat with Hannah, Kathia’s eyes met with the Emperor’s eyes, which seemed as if he were gauging her worth.

Ah, I see. So that’s what it was. Kathia now realized why she was dragged along.

As a hostage.

She was a hostage to effectively pin the beautiful Hannah in her place.

No matter how she became the Empire’s only imperial princess, Kathia was somewhat enjoying her life in her own way. It wasn’t that difficult for Kathia when she gave up on her ideology of having a perfect family.

As time passed, her memory of the Haze mansion being sold off to someone else or her grandparents being exiled to some rural area was fading away.

The head of her father, who refused the Emperor’s orders to the very end, was publicly displayed in the middle of the plaza – only that sad fact remained.

In reality, the Emperor was quite nice to Kathia and her mother.

Hannah was promoted to a consort from a measly concubine, while Kathia was granted the title of Imperial Princess, even though she shared no blood with the emperor; the granting of these titles was so outrageously revolting, one could faint.

That’s why all the privileges the two received came with backlash and resentment.

Commoners and aristocrats alike all spoke behind his back, claiming the Emperor had Alzheimer’s.

An assembly of higher-ranked aristocrats above counts petitioned for the removal of Hannah and Kathia’s titles.

All of a sudden, they became the eye of the storm, and while they didn’t know what to do, two gifts arrived for the mother and daughter duo.

They were from none other than the first and second empresses.

The first empress sent wilted flowers along with blank jewelry settings; on the other hand, the second empress sent a sword in an intricate jewel-encrusted scabbard.

After she discarded the gift that simply expressed malice, Hannah raised the scabbard. Kathia, by her side, had some expectations.