Chapter 2: Germination (發芽)

Ariana wandered through darkness.

A cold, endless darkness.

Each step felt unbearably heavy, as though even the air itself were pressing down on her.

How long had she been walking like that?

Eventually, she saw a light in the distance.

Is that… what I’ve been searching for all this time?

The moment she reached out toward it—

“Lady Ariana, it’s time for you to wake up.”

A gentle, soothing voice echoed through the darkness.

It was a voice she had heard every morning in the not-so-distant past.

“Rosa?”

The darkness melted away.

Standing before her was a woman with auburn hair neatly pinned up.

A warm smile rested at the corners of her eyes.

It was Rosa…

The maid who had once attended her.

“Why are you here?”

The sharpness in Ariana’s voice escaped before she could stop herself.

Rosa, who had been gently wiping Ariana’s forehead with a damp cloth, flinched in surprise.

Avoiding the maid’s hand, Ariana forced her heavy body upright and leaned against the headboard, slowly looking around.

Just moments ago—

Or rather, before wandering through that darkness—

She had been kneeling beneath the guillotine, enduring the jeers of the crowd as she laid her neck upon the execution block.

So…

What was this?

The royal palace of Molvion…

My bedroom.

It was far too warm and comfortable to be hell.

Though Rosa certainly deserves to be there.

Still frozen with the damp cloth halfway in the air, Rosa nervously watched Ariana’s expression.

Ariana clicked her tongue.

Seeing the maid again brought her no pleasure.

Until the day Ariana fled the palace, Rosa had remained glued to her side…

All while secretly serving as the Second Prince’s spy.

A clever maid.

Quick-witted.

Talented at telling people exactly what they wanted to hear.

A servant Ariana had once treasured.

Only to discover she had been the traitor who stabbed her in the back.

When Ariana escaped the palace, she never got the chance to make Rosa pay for that betrayal.

Had someone kindly arranged this meeting…

So she could finally collect that debt, even in hell?

“Y-Your Highness?”

Rosa’s voice trembled.

“What’s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?”

“A dream?”

Impossible.

Everything she had experienced…

None of it had been a dream.

It was far too vivid—far too cruel—to be dismissed by such a gentle little word.

Just as anger began rising inside her—

“Is something the matter?”

A calm, low voice interrupted them.

A woman with an expressionless face entered the room.

Her neatly trimmed dark violet bob swayed softly as she walked.

It was Maia.

Her head maid.

“Maia?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Why are you here?”

If anyone deserved hell, Ariana believed it would be herself…

Perhaps Rosa as well.

But Maia?

Never.

Which only deepened her confusion.

“Didn’t you specifically ask me to wake you today, no matter what?”

“…”

“Last night your fever was terribly high.”

“I told you repeatedly that you needed complete rest.”

“But you insisted you had to get up today.”

“So, as always, I left your morning care to Rosa.”

She turned toward the other maid.

“Rosa.”

“What happened?”

“I-I don’t know either…”

Maia looked between the two women.

Rosa instinctively avoided her gaze.

She always had.

Very few people could look directly into Maia’s violet eyes.

There was a quiet strength in them that naturally made others lower their heads.

Watching the familiar exchange…

Ariana slowly accepted the truth.

This wasn’t hell.

It was reality.

No…

She had no choice but to accept it.

The soft nightgown wrapped around her body.

The warm blankets.

The delicate fragrance of flowers decorating the room.

And most convincing of all—

Hidden beneath the covers, she secretly pinched her own thigh.

The pain was real.

“Maia.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“What day is it today?”

“The nineteenth day of the fourth month, Imperial Calendar Year 524.”

It was exactly one week before Ariana’s eighteenth birthday.

How… is this possible?

She remembered it clearly.

Shortly before her birthday banquet, she had come down with a terrible fever and spent several days bedridden.

She covered her face with one hand and bit her lip.

This was impossible.

How could anyone return to the past?

And yet…

She had.

The woman who should have died with her head severed…

Was alive.

I’m… alive.

She had no idea who—or what—had sent her back.

But one fact mattered more than anything else.

She was alive.

The future awaiting her remained horrifying.

But she had returned to a prosperous past.

This…

Was an opportunity.

Just before her execution, a single thought had flashed through her mind.

A single “what if.”

Now, instinct told her…

This second chance existed precisely because of that thought.

“Are you still feeling unwell?”

“I-I’ll go fetch the physician!”

Rosa quickly volunteered.

Perhaps she simply wanted an excuse to escape Maia’s intimidating gaze.

Still clutching the damp towel, she hurriedly raised it as if preparing to leave.

But before she could—

Ariana suddenly burst into laughter.

“Your Highness?”

Maia’s voice filled with concern.

Why…

Why didn’t I notice the worry in her voice before?

Even laughing for only a moment left Ariana exhausted after her fever.

She leaned heavily against the headboard again before speaking to both maids.

“No.”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m just…”

“…happy.”

“Huh?”

Both women stared at her in confusion.

Ariana smiled brightly.

It was the very smile the King of Molvion had once declared was worth more than mountains of gold.

“I’m happy.”

“Truly happy.”

She had been given another chance.

Then she would do what whoever granted that chance wanted.

No…

Even if that mysterious benefactor hadn’t intended her to follow that single “what if”…

It didn’t matter.

She had already made her decision.

“My birthday is coming soon.”

“I’m feeling much better now.”

“So the banquet can proceed as planned.”

“That’s why I’m so happy.”

Maia still looked unconvinced.

But Rosa merely nodded absentmindedly, captivated by Ariana’s beautiful smile.

The Flower of Molvion…

Was still as beautiful as ever.

But no one had yet realized…

That flower had begun to grow poison.

So I’ll use it.

At this point in her life, Ariana possessed nothing except beauty.

She was merely the youngest princess.

A flower in a royal garden.

No threat whatsoever to her siblings fighting over the throne.

No one would be on guard against her.

Which meant…

Now was the perfect time to spread her poison little by little.

“I think I sweated too much.”

“I’d like to take a bath.”

“You should still be careful, Your Highness.”

“I don’t want to.”

“…Very well.”

She sighed.

“Rosa.”

“Prepare the bath.”

“Yes, Lady Maia.”

Knowing no one could ever win against Ariana’s stubbornness, Rosa obediently headed toward the adjoining bath chamber.

The bathroom door closed behind her.

Silence filled the room.

After confirming Rosa was out of earshot, Ariana quietly turned toward Maia.

Unlike Rosa…

Maia had remained loyal until the very end.

…Not loyal to me.

But the concern reflected in those violet eyes…

That was genuine.

Which meant Maia could be trusted.

“Maia.”

“Yes?”

“You can contact my mother, can’t you?”

“…Excuse me?”

“I know you’re one of Mother’s people.”

For the first time…

Maia’s emotionless expression cracked.

Watching someone as composed as Maia become visibly flustered was surprisingly entertaining.

Ariana chuckled softly.

“So you can be surprised after all.”

“Your Highness, I…”

“Don’t worry.”

“I know Mother placed you by my side for my sake.”

In her previous life, Ariana had believed her mother hated her.

Unless it was a special occasion, they rarely even met.

And when they did…

Her mother never spoke kindly to her.

Only much later did Ariana learn the truth.

That coldness…

Had been her mother’s way of protecting her.

But the Ariana of this time knew none of that.

“Tell Mother…”

“Her foolish daughter has something she wishes for.”

Maia remained silent.

“What I want…”

“I’ll tell her myself.”

“Ask her to wait just a little longer.”

“…Understood.”

“And one more thing.”

Ariana leaned close and whispered into Maia’s ear.

Only Maia could hear her words.

For the briefest instant…

The maid’s violet eyes trembled.

Only for an instant.

Then she bowed.

“I’ll make the preparations.”

“Make sure Rosa doesn’t find out.”

“…I understand.”

“Good.”

With Maia’s help, Ariana stepped down from the bed.

A beautiful smile curved across her lips.

This time…

The Flower of Molvion intended to bloom with poison.