Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Becoming a Tribute Maiden
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“Do you know what marriage means?”
“Uh-huh, marriage?”
The queen gazed at her fidgeting daughter with eyes full of pity. She giggled vacantly. But inside, she was filled with scorn. Even that feigned expression of sympathy irritated her.
“Yes, do you know?”
“No, I don’t!”
She cried out innocently. He stroked her head and said,
“Marriage is when a man and a woman like each other and live together. Now it’s time for you to get married. So soon, you’ll have to part from your father.”
Up until then, she had been restlessly making meaningless gestures. But at those words about parting, she burst into tears and wailed.
“Waaah! Father Emperor is abandoning me!”
“Ca, Canibella... That’s not it...”
“Then what is it!”
He broke out in a cold sweat trying to soothe his crying, rolling-on-the-floor daughter. He hadn’t expected her to be so unwilling to leave the kingdom. He felt like he was doing something awful to an innocent child who knew nothing.
She wailed and screamed with all her might. She cried as if emphasizing that this was the first she’d ever heard of it.
“Canibella, calm down.”
The queen fussed anxiously, trying to stop her. She wiped her tears and patted her back, but Canibella only wailed even louder.
“I don’t want to!”
And with that, she ran out. The queen’s hand hung in the air. Lansien said in a worried voice,
“It might be best to leave her alone for now. Trying to persuade her could backfire.”
The queen seemed about to say something but fell silent. Her eyes grew even more vacant than usual.
“For today, let’s leave the princess be.”
If they provoked her unnecessarily and she caused a scene trying to escape, it would be trouble. So Lansien ordered Dankun to remove all the knights stationed at her palace. That way, she could return to her palace without anyone stopping her.
‘Not much time left now.’
From their expressions and words, she realized it was almost time to leave. Lucamin needed to return soon.
But Lucamin couldn’t appear at her side in broad daylight. She grew restless. She wanted to go for a walk to clear her cluttered thoughts.
‘It’s so stifling...’
She headed straight outside for a stroll. She wanted to walk freely, but her dress was unbearably uncomfortable. Taking it off alone would only draw suspicion.
‘What should I do from now on?’
Regardless of her tangled thoughts, the surrounding scenery was enchanting. The colorful petals and fragrant blooms lifted her spirits.
Then an unwelcome voice intruded.
“Canibella?”
“Big Brother~”
She forced back the scowl forming on her face and smiled. Then she ran to him. To the outside world, Michaelson was the kind older brother tenderly caring for his childlike little sister (of course, not six years ago).
He lightly hugged the running girl and dismissed the people around them.
‘Please, just go away.’
But her inner plea went unheard by anyone. Soon, everyone’s presence vanished. Whatever happened now wouldn’t be seen by others.
“Why are you here?”
She harbored a faint hope that maybe he wouldn’t do it here, but as expected, he slammed his fist into her stomach.
‘Ugh!’
This was his truly terrifying side. The violence he unleashed with a smile. The merciless pain inflicted in places no one would see.
She cursed her misfortune, but what was done was done. All she could do now was minimize the impact. He swung his fist with full force, intent on causing her pain wherever they were.
And she took the hits as he intended. If it seemed like it would really hurt, she pretended to trip on her skirt hem to dodge.
“Ah, it hurts...!”
“Shh, didn’t your big brother tell you not to make a sound?”
He clamped his hand over her mouth. She was busy acting and secretly dodging punches, so she didn’t notice the gaze watching her.
‘What’s that?’
Foolish Michaelson didn’t notice his sister’s movements. But Lansien, who had stumbled upon the scene midway, saw it clearly. Canibella’s movements weren’t mere coincidence—they were deliberate evasions disguised as clumsiness.
‘What’s going on? Has she gone back to normal?’
Her mind reeled. There were plenty of skilled fighters around her. She was stunned. How could Canibella move like that?
* * *
Canibella opened the door, chattering to empty air about how nice it was to be with her big brother. But the moment the door closed, her beaming smile froze. She staggered slightly and sat on the bed.
‘Damn it, in the end, I couldn’t do anything.’
She couldn’t think of a good way out of this or even distract herself. The only thing that improved her mood was Lucamin’s return.
‘Good, no one’s here. I can go to “that place” today.’
“Milady, I’m back.”
As she thought, Lucamin approached. She suppressed the constant pain and welcomed him. If she let on that she was hurting, Lucamin might fly into a rage and kill Michaelson.
That would be a problem, so she greeted him without showing a thing.
“You’re back safe.”
But he noticed her slightly delayed reaction and roughly guessed what had happened. Still, he pretended not to notice. He sensed his lady’s unspoken order not to mention it.
“I’ve done a rough investigation... There’s quite a bit of information. Here in the...”
“Yes, we need to go to ‘that place.’”
With that, she stood to change clothes. Lucamin helped her undress. He applied ointment to the spots where Michaelson had hit her.
“Milady, you mustn’t get into the habit of enduring this.”
“It’s nothing.”
The ointment felt cool. He carefully applied it to her wounds, then bandaged them. She quietly accepted the treatment. Then, in a flat, emotionless murmur, she said,
“Really, I’m fine.”
Lucamin said nothing. He just thought to himself.
Does the word “happiness” even exist for my worn-down little lady? Will she throw away her life after revenge?
She had lived her whole life loved, only to suddenly lose her mother. In the blink of an eye, she lost her position and her people. And in malice too cruel for a child to bear, she suffered brutal violence.
In a situation where letting go of life wouldn’t be strange, the only thing holding her was revenge against those who killed her mother. So he worried.
‘Milady...’
He had seen many like her. They burned everything they had and then let go of life without regret. But he didn’t want her to walk that path.
Though he didn’t believe in God, he prayed fervently. He hoped someone would appear who could make her happy.
But oblivious to his thoughts, she quickly changed into comfortable clothes. Black garments that clung to her body when worn.
“Let’s go.”
She turned back to him. Looking at her, he thought of the queen. Canibella’s mother. She was growing more like the queen.
Her golden hair evoked the sun, her straight brows sharp yet alluring. Her blue eyes were like a clear sea, and her pale face accentuated her features.
The elegance hidden by lace dresses shone paradoxically brighter in these plain black clothes. He gazed at his little lady, blossoming from girl to woman.
“Luca, aren’t you coming?”
“Huh? ...Ah, yes.”
Snapping out of his daze at her words, he checked below the terrace for anyone, preparing for any contingency. Fortunately, it was clear.
“Can you make it down?”
“Huh? Of course. What do you take me for, Master?”
He pitied her moving despite her fresh wounds but didn’t show it. He quickly tied a rope and vanished into the darkness. She landed on the ground just as swiftly.
Then they dashed toward the forest behind the palace. Pushing through dense trees deep inside, they reached a log roof with its underside rotted away, standing alone.
“Let’s go down.”
Inside the roof was pitch black. Lucamin groped for what seemed a torch and lit it. The space brightened instantly. A continent map hung on one wall, and the desk was strewn with papers.
“Report.”
“Yes, understood.”
Lucamin gave a concise report. He explained the ongoing succession struggle in Remius Kingdom and the most disadvantaged Prince Trius. She sneered inwardly.
‘They’re dead set on sending one person to their doom.’
Lansien’s intent was obvious. Just go and die. She frowned. Why were they doing this to her? Was her time as a maid still so humiliating to them?
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on Lansien.
“Then, do you know the marriage route and schedule?”
“They’ll depart in two days. It’ll take about ten days to reach the kingdom.”
“The route?”
“Through the Kaishus Mountains. Four days there to reach the border checkpoint, then one more day to the palace.”
“Kaishus Mountains...”
The Kaishus Mountains stretched between Luminir Empire, Remius Kingdom, and Rasoni Kingdom. A notoriously treacherous range where countless lost their lives climbing.
“This is basically telling me to die on the way.”
She recalled the queen’s vacant eyes. Her father had been no help to the end.
“They’ve done recent construction in that range for passage between the three nations. They’re taking this route to go as fast as possible.”
“...”
She sank into thought. She couldn’t let Lansien drag her around without resistance and end her life like this.
‘Only one conclusion.’
The sole answer from the start. She muttered cynically.
“Once we enter the Kaishus Mountains, that’s when I escape.”