Chapter 1

Beneath the blazing sun directly overhead, the scorching heat was relentless. A tall wooden pole stood beside the Farewell Pavilion outside the capital city of Ashbourne. Bound to it was a woman, Julia Sewell, who had hung there for three days now.

Her hair was a filthy, matted tangle, and her clothes were little more than rags. Nothing about her suggested she had once been the daughter of a general's family.

As the sweat trickled down Julia's nose, she forced her swollen eyes open.

"Water... Water..."

She begged the crowd gathered around her for help, but no matter how desperately she tried to cry out, only the faintest croak escaped her lips.

Marvin Sewell, her own younger brother, had rendered her mute by pouring poison down her throat. She could no longer speak.

Out of nowhere, a short arrow with a blunted tip flew toward Julia, striking her squarely in the abdomen. She let out a muffled groan as blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

The crowd spotted the lavishly dressed young man riding toward them with a bow in hand and immediately made way for him.

It was Marvin.

Sweeping his gaze across the crowd, he announced, "Everyone, this woman was once my older sister. She was a sickly child, so our parents sent her to be raised at our country estate. They made sure she was well cared for, but after she was brought back to Ashbourne, her personality changed completely.

"She began raving like a madwoman, claiming she was my late brother, the Apex General. At my mother's birthday banquet, she even lied to the Princess Royal, saying she had disguised herself as a man and gone to war in Father's place.

"With just a few lies, she turned my brother, who died gloriously on the battlefield, into some ridiculous madwoman, attempting to usurp the military achievements he earned for Danveria! How dare she!"

The moment Marvin declared that Julia was trying to impersonate the Apex General, the crowd's curiosity instantly transformed into outrage.

The Apex General was the only undefeated war hero Danveria had ever known. He had fought 29 campaigns without suffering a single battle defeat.

Not only did he reclaim Danveria's lost territory, but he also avenged the humiliation the King of Danveria, Arthur Callahan, endured as a political hostage in a foreign kingdom years ago.

"What a monster! How dare she tarnish the Apex General's reputation like that?"

"She's shameless! How did someone like General Sewell, who had such an outstanding son, end up with such a vain and disgraceful daughter?"

The furious townspeople stooped to gather stones and hurled them at Julia.

But that wasn't true! That wasn't the case at all!

Julia wanted to defend herself, but not a sound came out. She was truly the Apex General.

Ten years ago, her father, Ezekiel Sewell, had fallen and broken his leg just as a royal edict came with the order for him to reinforce the northern frontier. Without hesitation, Julia disguised herself as a man and marched to war in his place.

She'd only been 14 years old then.

At 15, she led a mere hundred cavalrymen in a surprise raid on the enemy camp, burning their provisions and lifting the siege on the border. Three years later, she cut down the enemy commander and crushed the invading army, reclaiming lost territory.

By the time she was 20, she commanded three armies, quelled the northern rebellion, and struck terror into the tribes that clashed with Danveria at the border.

At 23, she led the northern campaign and conquered 12 cities in succession. After capturing the enemy king alive, she forced him to shave his head and take his own life, avenging the humiliation Arthur had once suffered as a political hostage in the country. For that victory, she was bestowed the title of Apex General.

When the war finally ended, Julia feared her deception would eventually be exposed. So she staged her own death, returned to her female identity, and came home believing she would finally be reunited with her family.

She never thought her family would've already adopted a new daughter to replace her because they feared she might implicate them, allowing the new daughter to take her place in the family.

At first, Julia couldn't understand why they did it. But her father, Ezekiel Sewell, told her that disguising herself as a man to serve in the army was an act of deceit against the King. If it ever came to light, the entire Sewell family would be executed.

She could never be the daughter of the Sewell family that was seen in public.

Her mother, Francine Belham, told her it was her duty as the oldest daughter to bear with what she must. That was what she was meant to do.

Her younger brother, Marvin Sewell, claimed that while she'd been away, it was Rebecca Sewell, his new sister, who had remained by their parents' side to accompany them and had even healed Ezekiel's injured leg.

After ten years of hardship on the battlefield, Julia was worn and weathered. All she wanted was the warmth of a family.

She had to watch helplessly as Rebecca took her identity and was introduced to the world as the Apex General's only sister, entering the palace to receive the royal family's rewards in his place.

Arthur bestowed upon the Sewell family every honor the Apex General himself had never lived to enjoy.

Ezekiel was made the Duke of Winmere, with the title guaranteed to be inherited for nine generations—a distinction rivaling the country's most enduring noble houses.

Francine was also given a title of first-class ennobled lady. Rebecca was first made a princess by royal decree, then later betrothed to the crown prince. Even Marvin became known as a young military genius and was well respected by everyone.

Only Julia received nothing. The Sewells forbade her from appearing in public. If she did, she would be dooming the entire family for deceiving the king.

But even though she never tried to compete with Rebecca for anything, after returning from a banquet with the nobles and aristocracy, Rebecca came home and cried her heart out.

"Prince Hugo, who just returned from the frontier, said that I looked nothing like my older brother! I'm scared, Mother. What if he visits the family to pay his respects and sees Julia…"

Francine turned pale with fear.

Within days, the family decided to marry Julia off to Euverin, which was thousands of miles away from Ashbourne.

When Julia refused to go through with it, Ezekiel backed her into a corner by questioning, "We found you a husband who's from the richest family in that region! Why won't you marry him? Don't tell me it's because you're so desperate to cling to our family's glory and reputation here in Ashbourne."

"I'm the one who earned the glory our family enjoys," Julia replied.

The moment those words left her lips, Ezekiel raised his hand to strike her, but her battle-seasoned reflexes enabled her to catch his wrist before he could.

He roared in fury, "You ungrateful girl! What makes you think you can be so proud, huh? You were merely lucky enough to fight a few winning battles. Do you think that just because you won them, you can disrespect your father and family elders like this? We've spoiled you rotten!"

"Enough." Francine finally spoke up. "Julia has suffered greatly throughout the years she spent at the frontier. We haven't done right by her."

From that day on, Francine became exceptionally attentive. She even took the initiative to arrange a birthday banquet for Julia.

That evening, the hall was bathed in warm light. The Sewells sat together, surrounding Julia at the center.

A rare smile appeared on Ezekiel's face. Even Francine and Marvin raised their glasses to toast Julia.

"You've suffered enough in these past years, Julia," Francine said softly. "Drink this wine, leave the hardships of the frontier behind you, and live the rest of your life in peace."

Looking at the wine and the warm smiles on her family's faces, Julia felt her nose prickle. Tears blurred her vision.

At that moment, she thought nothing could possibly be more important than to be in a warm home with one's family.

Never would she have ever imagined that they were simply using the familial love she'd craved the most to lull her into a false sense of security, dulling the sharp instincts she'd honed on the battlefield.

Mixed into the wine she drank through grateful tears was a powerful muscle relaxant. As she lay helplessly on the bed, she watched her parents and Marvin standing over her, staring down with chilling expressions.

"We can't cut the tendons in her legs," Ezekiel said. "If she can't walk, her husband's family won't want her."

"Then… we'll break all ten of her fingers," Francine choked out. "She won't be able to resist if she can't even hold a weapon anymore."

"I'll do it myself." Marvin stepped forward.

Julia struggled with every ounce of strength she had, but the drug kept her body limp. She could only watch as Marvin seized her fingers.

"Mother... Mother..." she called weakly.

Tears fell from Francine's eyes, but she turned away and said in a steely voice, "We're only breaking your fingers because we're afraid that people might get suspicious if they find out you are killed in martial arts, Julia. We're saving your life with this."

Marvin showed no mercy. One by one, he crushed all ten of Julia's fingers. The agony was enough to break her heart. Just like that, she'd been robbed of her ability to practice martial arts, the source of her pride.

At last, it was Francine's birthday, and Gillian Callahan, the Princess Royal, attended the celebration in person.

Julia got away from the maids assigned to watch her, rushed before Gillian, and got on her knees before confessing that she was the Apex General. She begged Gillian for help.

But everyone took her for a lunatic, and Gillian got a huge fright as well. Ezekiel immediately ordered his servants to drag her away.

Fearing that Julia would continue running her mouth, Marvin mercilessly poured poison down her throat to render her mute.

"Ever since you came back, Rebecca has lived in fear every single day! Why didn't you just die on the battlefield?"

The poison burned as it went down Julia's throat like fire. As she writhed across the floor in unbearable pain, however, Ezekiel commanded with an icy expression, "Tie her to the flagpole outside the city. Tell everyone she's gone mad and even attacked her own mother."

She remained bound there for three days and three nights. Not a single person from her family came to see her. Passersby pointed at her and mocked her for claiming to be Danveria's undefeated war hero. All who walked by felt entitled to spit on her.

Marvin declared, "Father said that I can let you down if you admit your mistake."

Despite knowing that Julia could no longer speak, he made sure to put on a performance in public, allowing everyone to witness the magnanimity of the Sewell family.

Julia's silence only enraged the crowd further.

After taking in the sight of Marvin and the looks of disgust on the people's faces, she abruptly let out a hoarse, broken chuckle.

What had she ever done wrong?

Ezekiel had broken his leg, but to defy a royal edict was a crime punishable by death. She'd chosen to disguise herself as a male and take his place in the army to save him. Had that been wrong of her?

To protect her family, she willingly gave up her own identity and never once fought Rebecca for what was hers. Did that mean she deserved to die?

The military glory she had earned through her own efforts and the honors she risked her life to bring to the Sewells were now the very things condemning her to death.

Where had she gone wrong? How had she survived the enemy's brutality, only to perish at the hands of her own family?

Overcome by rage, Julia spat out a mouthful of blood.

For three days, not a drop of water had passed her lips. The moisture she felt on them now came from her own blood.

In that instant, it finally hit her. The greatest mistake she had ever made was abandoning her identity and handing over the military glory she had earned to this family of heartless monsters.

Filled with regret and bitter resentment, she felt sweat drip from her lashes into her eyes, stinging them shut.

…

"Miss? Miss?"

The voice of Yvette Jones, Julia's maid, rang in Julia's ears. Her gaze slowly returned to the candle burning on the table before her.

It had been three days since she was reborn, but the horrors of her previous life still haunted her.

Pressing two fingers against her brow, she asked quietly, "Where are we?"

"We've reached the outskirts of Ashbourne. We'll be inside the city in another hour. You'll finally be able to see your family again," Yvette reported.

At this moment, Julia had only just returned from the frontier after faking her death and was once more living as a woman.

Yvette was a pitiful young woman she'd found along the way, and she knew nothing of Julia's previous life.

Without answering, Julia lifted the carriage curtain and looked outside. An icy wind rushed in. It was the last month of the year, and beyond the window stretched a landscape deep in the throes of winter.

The burning pain from being roasted beneath the summer sun in her previous life still lingered in her memory, so the biting winter cold only made her rebirth feel more real.

In Julia's previous life, on the day she returned home, news of the Apex General's death had already reached Ashbourne.

The Sewells had invited the Marchioness of Cavenlea to Sewell Manor and introduced Rebecca to her as the Apex General's only sister.

By the time Julia arrived home, Rebecca had already met with the marchioness. Therefore, instead of welcoming Julia's return, her family panicked and hurriedly hid her away.

She had originally planned to reach Ashbourne the day before, but heavy snow had made the roads nearly impassable, and the carriage had crawled along at a miserable pace.

Judging by the time now, Julia knew the Marchioness of Cavenlea had most likely already arrived at Sewell Manor, but it would take her another two hours before she could get into the city. There was no way she could arrive in time.

Thinking of the life stolen and the identity ripped away from her, she had to wonder if she was going to let the same things happen in this life as well.

No. Impossible. She wasn't going to surrender to her fate like that.

Julia drew a sealed letter from her sleeve. Reading it again gave her a sense of reassurance.

"I'll get off here. Stay with the carriage and wait for me at the city gates." Tucking the letter back into her sleeve, Julia stepped down from the carriage.