The Villainous Family Loves Me Too Much!

The dizziness that had been bothering me since earlier got worse.

Unable to stand properly, I leaned against a pillar and sat down.

The Emperor looked surprised at my sudden pale complexion but maintained his composure while addressing Beatrice with the cool attitude of a monarch.

“The Crown Princess Beatrice Johanna Donovan. This is the sacred council chamber of the imperial palace. If there’s even a hint of lie in what you say, you’ll be punished by national law. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Emperor. Is there anything else?”

After hearing Beatrice’s clear response, the Emperor turned to me.

“Princess Karena Litia Leblanc, I expect an honest answer to my questions.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Barely managing to stand while holding onto the pillar, I looked at Emperor Motias.

The Emperor’s pupils trembled slightly.

The Emperor still doesn’t doubt me. Probably because I’m of his bloodline.

Or he might suspect, but doesn’t want to believe it.

“Did you, with your own hands, push Gabriel Alexion Leblanc, the Crown Prince and your brother, into…”

There was a brief moment of silence.

“…that terrible pit?”

How should I answer this question?

Although it wasn’t my intention, it was a fact that at that moment, my hand let go of Gabriel’s due to some inexplicable force.

Yes, there is only one thing I can do now.

“Do you trust me, Your Majesty?”

“What do you mean by that?”

The Emperor doubted the intention behind his daughter’s question of trust.

To think that such a man is my father in this life; it’s cruel irony. I bit my lip hard in frustration.

“I have no ulterior motives. I simply wanted to ask as a daughter. Regardless of what I say, will you trust me?”

Everyone was watching us. The Emperor seemed to ponder for a moment, but his response didn’t take long.

“Yes, trust or not. There is no father in this world who wouldn’t trust his only daughter’s words. So tell me the truth now.”

The Emperor seemed to be showing warmth as a father.

It was a fitting choice from his perspective, although it felt insincere to me.

I took a deep breath and responded calmly.

“Half of it is true, and half is not.”

“What do you mean by that, Karena?”

The Emperor looked at me with confusion.

The world was spinning and turning darker. However, I blinked hard to stay conscious.

“It’s true that I let go of my brother’s hand at that moment. But… it felt as if someone else was controlling my hand. I genuinely had no intention of killing Gabriel.”

Murmurs rose among the nobles.

They probably didn’t believe me when I said someone else controlled me.

“Do you suggest… that I, who cherished my brother so much, would try to kill him?”

My throat tightened as I continued.

Is the trauma from the past coming back? There was a time in my previous life when no one believed me.

Would the same distrust repeat in this life?

“How do you explain the energy of light found in the wormhole? Is this also half true and half false?”

“I don’t know about that. Perhaps, as the records the high priest showed, I unknowingly invoked the wormhole. If that’s the case…”

Though it was an unpleasant thought, the possibility couldn’t be entirely ruled out, so I decided to be honest.

“I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself more than anyone else here. I am certain of that.”

I pleaded desperately, hoping they would believe me this time.

But then, a mocking laughter came from behind.

“Lies.”

“Who dares say it’s a lie…?”

When I identified the voice’s owner, my heart sank.

* * *

“Lunch is served, Your Highness.”

Around lunchtime, Colin brought food to my room.

I was lost in my thoughts.

– I know you’ve been secretly jealous of Gabriel and Beatrice, Rena.

Liam, who spent weekends with me in the library, made this shocking statement.

The princess killed the Crown Prince out of jealousy for his relationship with the Crown Princess. It would be the worst scandal in imperial palace history.

How could Liam stab me in the back with such a lie?

Even though Queen Yuliana despised me, Liam had always been a kind and gentle brother.

How could Liam spread such unbelievable rumors about me?

After the shocking revelations from Beatrice and Liam, the nobles’ meeting fell into chaos without reaching a conclusion.

Opinions between the imperial family members were fiercely divided.

– Liam is the last remaining royal heir. Would the prince lie in front of everyone?

Liam’s mother, Queen Yuliana, who never looked kindly upon me, naturally sided with her son, Liam.

– With the Crown Prince missing, it would benefit the second prince if the wise princess disappears.

Although the Empress seemed reluctant, she surprisingly took my side, perhaps thinking that the enemy of an enemy is a friend.

The nobles continued their bloody disputes, divided between the faction of Queen Yuliana and the faction of the Empress.

A meeting that seemed endless eventually concluded five days later with the decision to hold a trial to uncover the truth about me.

The decision to set up a triple magic barrier and confine me to my room until then was entirely based on a vote.

‘To properly prove my innocence, I have to reveal that Beatrice and Liam are lying. But right now… I have no evidence.’

Above all, Emperor Motias had a fatal political flaw.

Externally, he was a charismatic Emperor, known as the owner of the ‘Power of Fire,’ but surprisingly, he had a timid and fragile personality.

‘On the surface, he always seems calm, but the Emperor isn’t the type to make proper judgments in a tense situation.’

Incompetent, weak, and always on the lookout. Hence, the Emperor didn’t make decisions on important internal matters.

Pretending to be a benevolent Emperor, he often made decisions in the noble council by voting, using the excuse that the majority’s opinion is important.

‘So that’s why there was no proper investigation when my healthy mother suddenly passed away.’

If there is a vote among the nobles…

I have no chance of winning.

For now, I decided to observe the situation.

Of course, the words of the high priest also had some merit. There was a possibility that I unconsciously summoned the wormhole.

But now, due to the barrier, I couldn’t use my ability to verify whether I summoned it.

“What are you thinking so deeply about, Your Highness?”

“Ah, nothing. I was just staring into space because I had nothing to do.”

“How can you look so cute even when you’re spaced out, Your Highness? If there’s a secret, please share.”

When Colin laughed teasingly like a young girl, I momentarily felt at ease as if nothing had happened.

After that day, the entire palace and the nobles were afraid of me.

Except for one person, Colin.

She treated me cheerfully as usual.

“There’s strawberry cake and tea, Your Highness’ favorite. Having dessert will surely lift your spirits.”

“Thank you, Colin.”

Colin beautifully set the table.

Soft focaccia bread, potato soup, a fresh salad mixed with vegetables and fruits, and a juicy meatloaf.

Although I hadn’t done anything all day, the aroma made me hungry, and I quickly took a bite of the soup.

“It’s fantastic. Colin’s potato soup is delicious every day.”

“Indeed, when it comes to potato soup, I am better than the palace chefs, right?”

Due to the wormhole incident, many of the palace chefs were killed, leading to a shortage, so my meals were left to Colin, my personal maid.

Fortunately, she once majored in cooking at the Royal Academy and had better culinary skills than other noble ladies.

“It’s really too much, considering they haven’t reached a conclusion yet.”

Listening to Colin grumbling on my behalf, I took another sip of the soup.

“To lock up the princess just based on His Highness’ words!”

“…Because Liam also testified. Currently, Liam has the highest chance of becoming the Crown Prince.”

“So, if it’s revealed that Prince Liam lied, does that mean he can’t become the Crown Prince?”