TSHF 01

Chapter 01

It was a day filled with a gentle spring breeze.

On a small hill inside the Imperial Palace, where dainty flowers were in full bloom, Neroli sat on a lace-embroidered picnic mat, humming softly.

Her hands were moving busily.

“Ta-da! All done!”

She lifted up what she had been working on.

It was a flower crown woven from the blossoms around her.

“Brilliant, look at this! What do you think?”

At her bright question, Brilliant—who had been reading a book beside her—let out a small chuckle.

“Your Highness, honestly. How many flower crowns have you made already?”

“This makes three~. One for me, one for Moren, and this one is……”

Neroli, who had been speaking excitedly, paused and looked down at the flower crown in her hands.

She gently fiddled with the white petals and murmured softly,

“For Mother.”

Noticing Neroli’s hesitation, Brilliant handed her book to a waiting maid and spoke.

“You must still have it on your mind, declining Her Majesty’s tea invitation and coming on this picnic alone, don’t you?”

As Neroli’s childhood friend and lady-in-waiting who had served her for years, Brilliant understood everything about the strained relationship between Neroli and her mother, the Fourth Empress Consort.

“Shall we head back even now? We could send word to Prince Moren as well and have tea together.”

“Ugh, no.”

Neroli replied curtly and flopped down onto the mat.

Brilliant called out to her softly at the unladylike behavior, but Neroli—famous for her easygoing nature—seemed not to care at all.

“Mother broke her promise to me first. I’m not going to see her for a while.”

“Even so—”

“Hmph! You know how long I waited for her that day.”

At Neroli’s words, Brilliant fell silent.

Not long ago, the Fourth Empress Consort had failed to appear for a lunch she had promised Neroli.

Without so much as a word of explanation.

“I sent people to Mother’s palace again and again, and there wasn’t a single reply to the very end! It’s just too much!”

Brilliant and the maids accompanying the picnic all nodded quietly.

The Fourth Empress Consort doted greatly on her first daughter, Neroli, who looked just like her—but at times she could be cold to an excessive degree.

Everyone there knew how much Neroli had suffered since childhood due to her mother’s mercurial nature.

“Of course, Your Highness. I spoke out of turn.”

Brilliant gently stroked Neroli’s head, her voice full of pity.

Neroli accepted the touch out of habit, then suddenly sat upright.

“Let’s stop talking about gloomy things and eat some snacks, everyone!”

Disliking the heavy mood, Neroli smiled brightly and opened the picnic basket beside her.

“I brought plenty so we can all eat together! Come on, hurry over!”

As she pulled out sandwiches and beckoned to the waiting maids, Brilliant shook her head at the familiarity.

“Your Highness. If we eat on the same mat, those girls will get indigestion.”

“Hmm? Is that so?”

Neroli tilted her head, her platinum-blonde hair spilling softly over her shoulders.

At the innocent sight, the maids unconsciously held back their smiles.

She’s truly pure.

Our adorable Princess Neroli.

The sunshine of our empire, as always.

After collecting themselves, they bowed respectfully toward her.

“Your Highness, we brought our own mats, so please don’t worry.”

“We’ll gratefully enjoy the sandwiches you gave us. Thank you very much.”

“Do you require any further attendance?”

They didn’t bother hiding the warmth in their gazes.

Whether she noticed or not, Neroli simply smiled innocently.

“No need! It’s a picnic—we all should relax a little!”

Brilliant poured milk into a cup with practiced ease and said,

“Such a kind Princess Neroli. Are you trying to steal those girls’ jobs?”

“Such a cold Lady Brilliant. On days like this, even they wouldn’t want to work.”

At their banter, the maids finally burst into laughter.

Beautiful appearance, noble status, and an easygoing personality.

With her bright, innocent smile, Neroli was the most beloved royal in the empire, regardless of age or gender.

Proud to serve her, the maids quietly withdrew.

It was a moment of perfect peace and warmth.

[Master! I’m back!]

A small bird that only I could see landed on my shoulder.

It was Modway, the Wind Spirit.

[Master’s mom was clinging to some woman and crying! She was shouting that Master’s dad suspects her!]

As soon as Modway finished speaking, new spirits appeared in the air.

[Wow, Master’s mom is shameless~. Honestly, she has no right to complain about being suspected~.]

That was Marin, the Water Spirit in the shape of a fish.

[You wretch, Marin! Master, please ignore that fish’s nonsense.]

And Nesgal, the Fire Spirit in the form of a lizard.

The spirits contracted to me.

I took a sip of the milk Brilliant handed me and asked inwardly,

‘The woman next to Mother—was she the head maid of the Fourth Consort’s palace?’

[Yeah! The brown-haired woman you told me about before! I remember everything!]

At Modway’s reply, I nodded slightly and took a big bite of my sandwich.

“Delicious~.”

As I hummed on purpose, everyone looked at me with fond smiles.

Unlike this relaxed atmosphere, my mind was working without pause.

‘The head maid will comfort Mother properly in my place.’

Normally, an empress consort and a maid could never become close.

But Mother was not a consort truly recognized by the nobility, and her sense of status was faint.

What she needed wasn’t rank, but someone loyal and trustworthy.

That was why I had personally recommended the woman I’d vetted through the spirits as the head maid of the Fourth Consort’s palace.

‘The Emperor visited Mother again today.’

[Yep! Master’s dad came this morning! And they fought again!]

‘The topic must have been me, of course.’

Marin drifted lazily through the air.

[But how did Master’s dad even find out~? Master’s mom hid it so carefully all this time~.]

‘……’

[That Master isn’t actually Master’s dad’s biological child~.]

At Marin’s words, Nesgal clicked his tongue.

[Tsk tsk. Humans really are something else. Why is bloodline so important? Feeding, clothing, raising someone—that bond matters more.]

[Dummy Nesgal~. Didn’t you forget what Master taught you~? Master isn’t an ordinary human—she’s royalty~.]

[The Lornod imperial family believes their dragon bloodline makes them special! I remember too!]

Letting the spirits’ chatter wash over me, I finished my sandwich and flopped down onto the mat.

Seeing this, Brilliant spoke up.

“Your Highness, are you lying down all of a sudden?”

“Yeah~. I feel kind of sleepy now that I’m full.”

As I closed my eyes, I heard Brilliant chuckle softly.

“Honestly, there’s nothing to be done with you.”

There was a brief sound of things being tidied around me, then silence.

Taking advantage of that, I sank into thought.

‘Marin is right. For twenty-two years, no one ever suspected that I was Mother’s illegitimate child.’

True, my appearance bore no resemblance to the Emperor at all.

But since I looked exactly like Mother—said to be the most beautiful woman on the continent—no one found it strange.

Above all, who would ever imagine that meek, powerless Mother had deceived the Emperor?

If not for the spirits, I wouldn’t have entertained such a pointless assumption either.

‘So why now……?’

The Emperor began to suspect my birth about a month ago.

Neither Mother nor the Emperor showed it openly, but they couldn’t escape the eyes of someone who gathered information through spirits.

‘That’s also when Mother started acting noticeably awkward around me.’

Her attitude toward me had always been volatile.

She clearly loved me, yet sometimes feared me.

Perhaps because of that, others had grown accustomed to her mood swings as well.

‘So at first, it was easy to brush it off as usual.’

But for this behavior to persist was absolutely not good.

If Mother continued to act unstable around me, it would only strengthen the Emperor’s suspicions.

‘In that case, it’s better for me to reduce contact with her.’

Mother wasn’t skilled at acting like I was.

For now, not seeing me would help ease her anxiety.

‘That’s why I’ve been keeping my distance lately.’

This picnic was part of that.

Unaware of my reasoning, Mother had been left flustered by my firm refusals.

Naturally, the recent letter from her came to mind.

“Neroli, I’m sorry we couldn’t eat together that day. Mother suddenly fell ill…… It was my fault, so let’s meet and talk face to face. Please?”

Recalling it, I let out a small sigh no one noticed.

‘Haah……’

Mother was extremely timid by nature and rarely took initiative.

How much she must have agonized before sending that letter……

After a moment of thought, I spoke slowly.

“Brilliant.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Hey, you know my nickname too, right?”

“Of course. You are ‘the most beloved sunshine of the Lornod Empire.’”

“That nickname was given to me by my mother.”

“She chose one that suits you perfectly.”

Mother liked it when I smiled brightly and innocently.

It was easy to act the way she loved.

I was always surrounded by carefree, lively spirits.

I opened my eyes and looked up at Brilliant.

“Do you think I’m like sunshine too?”

At my question, Brilliant nodded.

“Not just me—everyone thinks so.”

“Even if my true self is actually terribly sly?”

“Oh my, Your Highness? If that were true, I’d already be guilty.”

Brilliant laughed, covering her mouth as if she’d heard a delightful joke.

I smiled back faintly.

‘Yes. That’s how everyone sees me.’

Just like Mother tried to hide for her entire life that I wasn’t the Emperor’s child—

I, too, spent my life pretending to be sunshine for her sake.

Warm, colorful, honest, and confident.

‘If I’m that kind of sunshine…… maybe it’s time to see Mother again.’

I couldn’t avoid her forever.

The fact that she sent a letter first meant she’d sorted out her thoughts to some extent.

Meeting her face to face wouldn’t be so bad.

“Oh? The sun’s setting. Shall we head back?”

“Good idea. Shall we take all the flower crowns?”

“Of course! I’m giving this one to Mother tomorrow~!”

Mother loved the flowers I cared for—she’d surely like this crown too.

‘Yes. I’ll talk to her when I give it to her.’

About my birth.

I wanted to hear it directly from her.

Having gathered my courage, I stood up and brushed off my rumpled dress.

[I’ll keep taking care of the flowers so they don’t wilt~.]

[For once, that’s a good idea, Marin.]

[Master! What should I do? Should I stay near Master’s mom again tonight?]

‘……No, it’s fine.’

I’d kept Modway by Mother’s side just in case, but there was no need anymore.

I’d be visiting her myself tomorrow.

‘Nothing will happen in just one night.’

With that thought, I left the flower hill with light steps.

But the flower crown never made it onto Mother’s head.

The next day, she was found dead.

The cause of death was suicide.