LOGINAfter Ann confessed, we finally learned the full truth.It turned out...Ann was actually the illegitimate daughter the King had fathered after drunkenly spending a night with a maid.Her mother had been terrified that the noblewomen in the palace would secretly have her killed. Around that same time, she had also reached the age where she was expected to leave palace service, so she quietly escaped from the royal palace and gave birth to Ann outside the capital.Then, when Ann came of age, her mother finally told her the truth about her identity.From that moment on, Ann became obsessed with entering the palace, reclaiming her status, and living the luxurious royal life she believed should have belonged to her.However, once she actually entered the palace, she realized something very quickly.In that monstrous place, the one thing the King had no shortage of... was children.Without a powerful family backing her, an illegitimate daughter born to a maid held less status than s
The moment those words left my mouth, the entire bridal suite fell into deathly silence.Everyone froze. Even the royal guards who had been dragging Bryson away instinctively stopped moving.Princess Shirley's whole body jerked violently before she let out a sharp scream."You're lying! That's slander!"Panicked, she threw herself toward the King, tears instantly streaming down her face."Father! He's gone mad! He's making up lies like this just to save his own life!"The Queen finally snapped out of her shock as well, her expression turning instantly dark."How dare you!"Shirley is my biological daughter. Are you saying I'd fail to recognize my own child?"She glared at me, fury dripping from every word. "Joseph, in order to escape punishment, you'd invent such an absurd lie? Your crime has only become worse!""Whether it's a lie or not can be tested easily enough." I gripped Princess Shirley's wrist tightly and ignored her desperate struggling as I raised her left hand hig
My two brothers slammed the doors open and stormed into the bridal suite, followed by a massive crowd of curious guests and servants.It was obvious that many of them had been coaxed, tricked, or simply swept along by the chaos.Bryson grabbed handfuls of candy and dried fruit from the wedding bed and tossed them into the air."Whoa! So, this is what a royal bridal suite looks like!" he shouted at the top of his lungs."Joseph! We came to liven things up for you! Hope you and Princess Shirley have a little prince soon!"Griffin rushed in right behind him, carrying a bronze washbasin. He smacked it with a wooden stick so loudly it nearly shook the room.Clang, clang, clang! "Time to crash the bridal suite!"Come on, bride, don't be shy! Let everybody see what the kingdom's greatest beauty looks like!"The sudden chaos completely stunned Princess Shirley."You... you lunatics!"Her voice turned sharp with rage."Who allowed you in here?! Get out this instant!""Oh wow, little
Very soon, one of the maids attending nearby could not stop herself from gasping."She moved... Princess Shirley moved!"The moment those words fell, the Queen forgot about royal composure and rushed out from behind the screen, throwing herself beside the bed.Princess Shirley, lying on the bed, slowly opened her eyes.The Queen's eyes instantly turned red as she pulled her daughter tightly into her arms."Shirley... Oh, Shirley… You finally woke up… Do you know how close I came to breaking during this time?"After adjusting to the blinding light, Princess Shirley's eyes reddened too as she buried herself in the Queen's embrace."Mother..."I thought... I'd never see you again..."Around them, the Royal Physicians and maids secretly wiped away tears at the touching scene.The Queen lovingly stroked her daughter's long hair. Only after a long while did she finally calm herself.Then, at last, she turned toward me. Her gaze was noticeably gentler than before."Joseph, was it?
"Who?!"Both of my brothers stared at me so intensely that I could clearly see the cold sweat gathering on their foreheads.I answered slowly."Me.""What?!" The second the words left my mouth, the hope in their eyes died instantly.Bryson dropped onto the floor, grabbing his hair in a complete breakdown."Joseph, have you gone insane from fear? How can you still joke around at a time like this?""Destined person? More like Death's personal hit list!" Griffin said despairingly."Haven't the three of us died horribly enough in our previous lives? Whoever goes, dies!"Griffin's eyes had turned red with panic, and his voice shook uncontrollably."No. We can't just sit here waiting to die anymore."He jumped to his feet and grabbed my wrist, dragging me toward the door."It's still dark outside. Let's risk it and climb over the wall now!"Even getting shot into a pincushion by royal guards would be better than being tortured to death by that crazy woman!"Bryson gritted his t
Early the next morning, the Royal Chamberlain came again to pressure us for an answer.When he noted we were still indecisive, the last trace of a smile vanished from his face. His icy eyes looked less like he was staring at living people and more like he was examining three corpses.My chest tightened instantly. I quickly lowered my head, panic filling my voice."Please calm your anger, Sir! Please!"This matter concerns Princess Shirley's safety. That's exactly why we don't dare act recklessly."Since the Royal Astrologer claims the princess's destined soulmate is among us, then surely there must be some special connection between them."So... would it be possible to allow me to see Her Highness in person?"The Royal Chamberlain frowned slightly, clearly losing patience already.I hurriedly continued, "Perhaps the moment we see the princess, some kind of destined connection will reveal itself and show us who truly deserves this blessing."Otherwise, if we choose the wrong pe