“Ormia!”

Liam’s shout stopped people’s movements.

Following Liam’s gaze, people simultaneously looked up at the chandelier. Seeing the chandelier swaying with a sharp creaking sound, people realized the situation.

The hall became chaotic.

“Kyaa!”

“The chandelier is falling!”

“Run away!”

“Kyaa!”

People fled in a hurry.

The chandelier, which had been barely hanging on and swinging like a pendulum, finally broke and fell.

With a huge sound, debris and dust scattered everywhere. People screamed, wrapping their bodies around each other and crouching on the floor.

“Leticia!”

“Princess Leticia?”

“Princess Leticia!”

People called for Princess Leticia and rushed to one place. Below where the chandelier fell, Leticia had been standing alone with Prince Alian.

The first Kaland embraced Leticia and checked her condition. Seemingly shocked, Leticia blankly stared at the shattered chandelier.

“Oh my, Leticia!”

The King and Queen rushed over, and Duke Windsor led the other dukes in quickly directing the situation.

“Quickly, call the court physician!”

“Leticia, are you hurt anywhere?”

The third, Noyer, examined Leticia while glaring at Alian.

“Brother, what were you doing standing right next to her?”

“I-I was surprised, but brother saved her quickly! Leticia!”

Ignoring the commotion, Liam looked down at Ormia.

He had embraced her and avoided the falling chandelier. Ormia, who had been closest, was injured with debris hitting her forehead and arms.

Blood flowed from her forehead down her cheek, looking like tears of blood.

‘Damn it.’

Liam gripped Ormia’s shoulders.

She was looking at Leticia and the people gathered around her with an expressionless face.

They were people who had passed by Ormia’s side. Though not far away, Kaland had only protected Leticia.

The gathered people, not just the nobles but even the royalty, only worried about Leticia. There were glances that briefly touched on Ormia, but that was all.

A stark contrast.

On one side, people were making a fuss and worrying even though she was standing fine, while on the other side, no one asked if she was okay despite her bleeding.

Not a single person.

“I’m fine.”

She pushes away the arm supporting her shoulder.

“Get away from me. The King might misunderstand.”

Hearing her voice speaking quietly so only he could hear, Liam realized.

This was the situation Ormia had been waiting for.

He could read in which direction she wanted this situation to flow.

Ormia Beltoa would wait until they noticed her. Until people realized the absurdity of this situation and knew the King’s shame.

She just intended to wait. Alone.

Though he didn’t know how she knew the chandelier would fall, this time too, alone.

When a child falls, there should be someone to comfort them so they cry. But she had no such person, so even while bleeding, she didn’t say it hurt.

Marks and Benjamin from the delegation hurriedly approached them. Marks saw Ormia collapsed in Liam’s arms and looked around.

“The princess is hurt. Quickly, call the court physician.”

Marks, whose arm was grabbed by Liam, closed his mouth at the unusual atmosphere.

“Alright.”

Liam felt his throat burning. Ormia lifted her head from his arms and looked up at him.

The emptiness in her eyes touched him.

“I’ll do as you wish.”

* * *

As Liam lowered his head, shadows fell across his face. His eyes enveloped in darkness sparkled black like the night sea I’d seen in picture books.

He said he’d do as I wish, what did he mean?

My heart raced, worried the plan might go awry.

The King needs to witness my situation. This situation where only Leticia is worried about despite me being injured and in more danger.

In my first life, a chandelier also fell during the Queen’s birthday ball. Though I was far from dancing, somehow I was crossing the hall at that time. And a situation like now unfolded.

I was injured badly enough to leave a scar on my arm. Blood flowed down my arm, and the open flesh throbbed with pain. But I couldn’t move.

The King, Queen, my elder brothers, and even my husband Jeffrey, who passed by me crouched on the ground, only checked on Leticia’s condition and worried about her.

They worried more about Leticia’s pale complexion than the blood I was shedding, and urgently instructed to take care of her. When Leticia left the hall surrounded by people, only then did the King see me.

The first emotion that came to the King’s mind upon seeing my condition was dismay. It was shame and discomfort.

Not worry for my injury, but embarrassment at being caught favoring only one child in front of everyone as the King.

While ignoring and neglecting me, at that moment the King felt ashamed.

Now the King must feel that shame. He must face his exposed true self.

My heart raced.

“I’m fine now, so let go of me.”

Before I finished speaking, his strong arm wrapped around my back and covered my eyes.

“Close your eyes.”

“What?”

“And don’t open that damned mouth either.”

The sound of people calling and worrying about Princess Leticia faded, and my heartbeat grew louder.

“Princess! Princess Ormia!”

Liam called for me urgently. He shouted desperately as if he was worried about me. His shout shook my body and pounded my heart.

It was an unfamiliar feeling.

“Princess Ormia!”

Had there ever been someone who called my name this desperately, even if acting?

He revealed his emotions as if he was genuinely worried about me.

“Princess Ormia has collapsed! Quickly summon the court physician! We’re moving the princess to a safe place!”

He put his arm under my knees and lifted me up. I was surprised, but more confused not knowing what he was trying to do.

“Oh my, Princess Ormia…”

“Blood! Princess Ormia is injured!”

“Hallunde! What are you doing? Put Princess Ormia down!”

Kaland, who rarely lost his composure, was unusually flustered. The nobles murmured towards me instead of Leticia.

“You want me to leave an injured princess in this dusty place? Is that what family should say?”

The voices mixed and became dizzying. I couldn’t understand what was happening.

“Princess Ormia was injured, but no one looked back or worried about her! They only cared for Princess Leticia who was fine! The people who call themselves family!”

Liam holding me shouted in a loud voice that made his body vibrate.

That vibration reached me in his arms. I had to clench my molars at the feeling of heat behind my eyes.

“The Beltoa royalty can just take care of Princess Leticia who isn’t even of pure bloodline. We will protect Princess Ormia.”

Liam sneered and began striding. Though my eyes were covered and I couldn’t see the situation, he was passing through the nobles and leaving the hall.

The voices of the nobles faded.

I couldn’t speak like Liam.

I didn’t raise my voice saying it was unfair, nor did I boldly confront to improve my situation.

Even in my fourth life, I couldn’t escape my first life. I responded helplessly just like back then.

While struggling so hard to escape, I could only think of enduring alone in that hall. But Liam…

* * *

Liam looked down at Ormia in his arms. It felt like his chest was getting hot, but when he removed his hand covering her eyes, he saw Ormia’s clear face. She wasn’t crying.

“You’ve really messed things up.”

Marks following him chuckled, his shoulders shaking. Soon his eyes turned cold.

“Well done. Those who discriminate are despicable.”

Marks spoke bitterly, apparently also displeased with people’s attitudes.

“I’m appalled. How can they not even pretend to be worried?”

“They’ve probably been doing it all along. They must have thought it was natural. What do we do now? They’ll think it’s strange that an imperial is protecting the princess.”

“Enough.”

Liam gestured with his eyes that Ormia in his arms was listening.

Ormia lightly tapped his chest.

He couldn’t help but laugh at the weak force like a cat’s soft paw. Her weight was light too.

“Put me down. I can walk.”

“Stay still. The princess and I have things to discuss.”

“Wow, already that close? No wonder you so passionately protected the princess.”

“Shut up, Marks.”

“Wow.”

Marks exclaimed in surprise and stepped back.

“Princess, this is serious. Liam is really angry. You should prepare yourself.”

Feeling Ormia sigh softly, Liam strode forward.

“Am I the only one worried about this situation? Huh? The person who caused this mess doesn’t seem to care at all. Please think about how to resolve this!”

Liam ignored Benjamin’s complaints.

They entered a nearby lounge and called for the court physician. The room was quiet until the physician finished treating the wounds and left.

Ormia touched the bandage wrapped around her head with her usual calm expression.

She didn’t look like someone whose life had been threatened.

“You knew.”

Liam was certain.

Throughout the banquet, he had observed Ormia. She kept paying attention to the ceiling.

“Did you tamper with the chandelier to make it fall?”

Liam soon denied his own words.

“That can’t be. The princess isn’t in a position to use others’ hands. And she couldn’t have moved herself in that condition.”

He had received reports that besides the Olans and Liam, she hadn’t met anyone from outside. No, no one had approached her.

“How did you know the chandelier would fall?”

Only then did Ormia’s gaze turn to Liam.

Liam clenched his fist.

Whatever this woman was going to say, it would surely provoke his temper that he had tried so hard to suppress.

“Now His Majesty has no choice but to send me to the Empire.”

“Have you forgotten my warning? I told you I would act.”

“Public opinion in the capital will turn in my favor.”

Gritting his teeth, Liam clenched his jaw.

If she hadn’t been injured, if she wasn’t a princess, if she wasn’t a woman, he would have grabbed her collar right away.

“His Majesty is timid, cares about public opinion, and is particular about justification, so he won’t unconditionally grant requests.”

Looking up at him, she calmly says that situation was necessary.

“There needed to be visible pressure.”

“…And that pressure was the princess being in a dangerous situation?”

“No, it was the King’s morality being questioned in front of everyone.”

Liam felt his heart tighten as if his airways were blocked.

“It was dangerous. If I hadn’t intervened, it would have fallen on the princess’s head.”

“I would have been injured, but not killed.”