Was there something more painful than watching your love die? Probably not.

The rose garden behind the royal palace of Liora stretched endlessly, filled with rows of crimson flowers swaying under the afternoon sun. Three girls walked along the marble path, their laughter breaking the stillness that hung in the air.

"So cute! I want that rosy, sissy!"

Two small girls, around nine or eleven years old, with white hair and blue eyes, ran ahead, holding hands with a girl around fourteen.

She walked between them with calm grace.

She was none other than the First Princess of Liora.

Charlotte Lunovar.

"Rosy, rosy, wild flower tu dudu~" the youngest one sang, hopping as she walked. Her voice carried across the garden, cheerful and full of life.

Charlotte smiled softly. "You're going to fall if you keep jumping like that, Rinna."

Rinna puffed her cheeks. "I won't! Look, look, I can do it!"

On Charlotte's other side, Eula simply shook her head, though a faint smile curved her lips.

"Hehe, you should be freer, Eula. Don't you think?" Charlotte said, glancing down at her sister.

Eula looked up for a second before looking away again. "I'm fine."

"Oh? What's this? Are you still angry that I didn't scold that boy?"

Eula frowned, grumbling. "Mhm."

Charlotte chuckled. "Well, I didn't need to. He didn't do anything wrong."

"But he tried to propose to me! In front of everyone!" Eula said with an annoyed tone, making Rinna giggle.

"Awww," Charlotte replied, covering her mouth to hide a laugh.

"Big sis Eula got proposed!" Rinna said, clapping her hands.

"Rinna!" Eula hissed, her face turning red.

Charlotte crouched slightly and whispered, "You want to know what to do next time, Eula?"

Eula blinked. "What?"

Charlotte's eyes gleamed with mischief.

"If a boy ever tries that again, don't scold him. Just smile sweetly, take his hand…" she leaned closer, whispering, "and then break his wrist."

Eula's eyes went wide. "Eh?"

Charlotte grinned. "With love, of course."

"Oooo~" Eula murmured, impressed.

Rinna tilted her head. "Sissy, what do you mean?"

Charlotte turned to her, surprised. "Hm? Oh dear, you were listening?"

"Mhm." Rinna's soft reply made both of them flustered.

"Cute," Charlotte said with a small laugh.

Eula crossed her arms. "You're too young for this."

"Eh? I'm an adult one, thank you," Rinna said proudly.

All three laughed together. Their voices filled the garden, light and happy, as if nothing bad could ever reach them there.

But peace never lasts long in a palace.

"Princess Charlotte."

The cheerful air vanished in an instant. Charlotte's hands tightened around Eula and Rinna's. As the warmth in her face faded.

Eula looked up and froze. Her sister's expression had changed. Her lips pressed together, and her brow furrowed.

It was a face she had never seen before; it was both cold and disgusted.

Charlotte slowly turned toward the voice. "Prime Minister Cockhood."

"It's Grockhood," the man corrected, walking closer.

"My apologies," she replied calmly. "What brings you here?"

The minister smiled thinly. "I heard you went to the undermarket yesterday."

Charlotte didn't flinch.

"Yes, I did. Why do you ask?"

He folded his hands. "About that… you've been getting a lot of bad rumors lately. Something I can't discuss here."

His eyes shifted toward Eula and Rinna.

Charlotte's jaw clenched.

"What do you want?" she asked quietly.

"Nothing, Princess," he said. "Just a reminder. It would be better if you stopped meddling in matters that don't concern you. Unless you want certain things to reach the wrong ears."

Eula didn't understand everything, but she could feel the sharpness in his tone. Her small hands gripped Charlotte's skirt tightly.

The minister smirked, gave a short bow, and walked away without another word.

Charlotte didn't move until he disappeared from view.

Eula tugged at her sleeve. "Sister Charlotte?"

Charlotte blinked, then smiled faintly, though her eyes had lost their light. "Hm?"

"What did he mean?"

"Haah…" She let out a slow breath and brushed a hand through Eula's hair. "It's nothing. Let's walk, I need fresh air."

[Two days later.]

Inside the King's guidance room, all the ministers were standing in a line. Royal guards surrounded them, holding their weapons tight.

A loud voice spoke from the center. "After carefully observing all the evidence, Duke Grockhood has been sentenced to death."

Everyone turned toward the Duke. Shock and disbelief filled the room.

"Wait, no!" Grockhood shouted, struggling as two soldiers held his arms. "Your Majesty, please! This is a mistake!"

The King sat still on his throne, as his eyes fixed on him.

"The decision has been made," he said.

Grockhood shook his head violently. "Your Majesty! I have served this kingdom my whole life! Please, listen to me!"

The guards pulled him down to his knees. One of them pushed his head forward, but Grockhood still tried to look up. His eyes moved to the right side of the room.

Three girls stood there quietly.

Eula and Rinna were both watching.

Rinna looked scared, holding Eula's arm tightly. Eula looked tense; her eyes were moving between her father and the man kneeling on the floor.

Charlotte stood in front of them. Her face didn't change; she looked straight at the Duke, her expression calm.

Grockhood's body froze. He understood immediately.

'It was you,' he thought, his teeth clenched.

Charlotte saw the anger in his eyes. Her lips curved into a small smirk.

The guards started dragging him away. Grockhood's shouts echoed across the hall. "No! Please! Your Majesty! I am innocent!"

The King didn't move. He didn't say anything.

Charlotte watched him being taken out. She didn't look satisfied or angry—just calm.

When the doors closed, the King looked at her. "Charlotte."

"Yes, Father," she replied.

"You were right," he said. "His corruption had gone too far."

Charlotte nodded. "It should have ended sooner."

The King gave a short nod and dismissed the ministers.

One by one, they bowed and left the room.

Eula spoke to her sister. "You knew about this before, didn't you?"

Charlotte didn't answer at first. She kept looking at the empty doorway where Grockhood had stood.

Finally, she said, "Some people don't deserve another chance."

Rinna looked up at her curiously. "Sissy, what did he do?"

Charlotte looked down at her and smiled faintly. "Something he shouldn't have."

Eula kept watching her sister's face, noticing how distant she looked.

Charlotte turned around. "Let's go. We've seen enough for today."

They left the room together.

[1 year later]

Four heads were lying on the floor, eyes open and staring blankly ahead.

Charlotte looked down at the four severed heads that the guards had just cut off. Blood was still pooling near her boots, but her face didn't change.

A voice echoed through the execution grounds.

"As per the royal decree, the public beheading has been completed."

The crowd erupted into cheers, shouting her name over and over.

"Princess Charlotte!"

"Long live the First Princess!"

The noise was deafening. They called her name like she was a savior, but Charlotte didn't react. She simply turned away, her long silver hair brushing against her shoulder as she left the platform.

Her eyes were calm, almost lifeless.

She didn't even blink when the blood splashed across her dress.

[5 years later]

"Who are we meeting today?" Eula asked while walking beside her sister through the long hallway.

"Duke Faladore of the Bakimun district," Charlotte replied without looking at her.

Eula flipped through the files in her hand. "Charges are... murder, invasion, assault, sexual harassment... wow, this guy's a complete scumbag."

Charlotte gave a short nod.

"What do you plan to do, sis?" Eula asked again.

"Serve justice," Charlotte said plainly.

"Eh? Again?" Eula tilted her head, but Charlotte didn't answer.

They entered the royal audience hall.

The room was large and filled with ministers standing on either side. As soon as the princesses walked in, everyone stood in silence.

Charlotte didn't even look at them. She walked straight to her seat near the front, her expression steady and focused.

Eula followed right behind her.

"This is your seventy-sixth case, Your Highness," one of the ministers said quietly.

Charlotte didn't respond, and neither did Eula.

After a short silence, Eula stood up, flipping through her pages and reading the charges one after another.

The trial didn't take long.

By the end, the King gave his order without hesitation.

"The punishment for Duke Faladore is death."

The guards took the man away as the ministers bowed.

Eula exhaled deeply the moment they stepped out of the hall.

"Haah... that was tiring." She stretched her arms, rolling her shoulders. "I swear these cases never end."

Charlotte looked at her and spoke quietly. "You did great."

Eula smiled a little. "Coming from you, I'll take that as high praise."

Charlotte nodded slightly and started walking down the corridor.

Eula's eyes drifted to her sister's side profile.

Charlotte's face hadn't changed in years.

At this point, they had started calling her 'The Ice Princess'.

[7 years later]

Was there something more painful than watching your love die?

There was.

And Eula saw it.

She sat on the wet, blood-stained floor of her sister's chamber, her dress was soaked. The walls were painted red, and the smell of iron filled her lungs.

Her eyes were dull, unfocused, locked on the half-eaten head lying a few feet away. The blue eyes on the head still stared back at her, empty and cold.

Charlotte's head.

"Princess..."

A voice called weakly from behind.

"Princess..."

It came again, louder this time, but Eula didn't react. Her lips trembled, but no sound came out.

"Princess Eula!"

Her body shook slightly.

"EULA!"

The last shout snapped her out of it.

She blinked and gasped, her body jerking upright. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as her vision cleared.

....

....

Eula blinked again, finding herself staring into a pair of golden eyes.

Leon's face was close, his expression steady but concerned.

"You alright?" he asked.

Eula exhaled slowly, still catching her breath.

"Hm? Yeah... I'm sorry about that."

She looked away and forced her expression back to normal, her usual calm and composed face returning as if nothing had happened.

Leon's eyes stayed on her for a while, quietly studying her.

'That's it,' he thought.

She still hadn't come out of the trauma.

Leon asked again.

"So... if you don't mind, could you tell me about her."

Eula stared back at him.

Her face twitched, before she murmured.

"There is nothing for me to tell."

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