Stolen Crown Princess (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 5
“You’ve grown even more beautiful since I last saw you, Lady.”
Eustia curved her eyes with a smile as she sipped her black tea. At those words, Lellia beamed brightly even before parting her lips from her teacup.
“Since Your Majesty has always shown me such kindness, my father says I’ve grown ever more spoiled.”
“For even your speech to be so lovely—surely the Marquis is too strict a father to you, my lady.”
Eustia’s voice was dignified yet gentle as she set her teacup down gracefully. She embodied the image of a benevolent and noble empress.
Lellia Net was precisely the young lady she found most endearing.
The only daughter of the Marquis Net family, and a young woman from a house closely tied to her own maternal lineage, the House of Garnet.
Every quality Lellia possessed was more than sufficient to win Eustia’s heart.
Long ago, Eustia had already marked her as Liurian’s destined partner.
Had Gadro not suddenly announced a state marriage with the House of Caroline, Lellia—not Ibelia—would have been crown princess by now.
Just thinking of that incident still made her blood boil, but it didn’t matter anymore. After all, it was Lellia—not Ibelia—sitting beside her son now.
Eustia happily curved her eyes once more. The sight of the two before her resembled a painted masterpiece.
A flawless, breathtakingly beautiful couple—truly perfect, if not for Liurian’s distant, preoccupied expression.
“To see you seated together like this again—there hasn’t been a happier day for me in recent memory.”
Eustia deliberately adopted an admiring tone as she fixed her gaze intently on Liurian.
What on earth was he thinking? Liu’s eyes remained unfocused the entire time.
Something was clearly amiss. Of course she was overjoyed that Liurian had returned safely, yet her son—whom she hadn’t seen in a year—somehow felt slightly unfamiliar.
It was strange enough that he sat beside Lellia while lost in other thoughts, but she had never even imagined Liurian defying Gadro.
“Liu, are you unwell? Leaving like that without even breakfast has troubled this mother greatly.”
After much hesitation, Eustia finally voiced the words she’d held back, speaking gently around the issue. Immediately, his previously vacant eyes snapped into focus.
“…I’ve only just returned to the palace. It’s merely that my tension has eased—please don’t worry.”
His tone was far too stiff—utterly unlike the Liurian she remembered from a year ago.
Without uttering a word in reply, Eustia simply stared at her son’s unfamiliar face.
Unaware of her inner turmoil, Lellia cheerfully turned toward Liurian.
“Your Highness, are you quite well? I was overjoyed beyond words to hear this morning that you’d returned safely.”
“There’s no need for concern, my lady. Nothing worries me.”
“Huh? My lady? …You’ve always called me ‘Lelli.’ Suddenly calling me ‘my lady’ feels so… awkward, Your Highness.”
“Oh…”
At Lellia’s instantly crestfallen expression, Liurian let out a brief sigh.
The problem was that Ibelia’s face kept flashing in his mind ever since he’d seen her just before coming here, causing him to let his guard down.
He subtly regulated his breathing and straightened his posture.
“I’d already sensed something different about Your Highness… It’s as if you’ve become someone else entirely over this past year.”
Her childish, petulant tone pierced straight into his ears.
Liurian narrowed his eyes imperceptibly. It was repulsive—such whining from a lady who’d already completed her debutante season.
Yet he couldn’t reveal his true feelings.
“Oh dear—looks like the rigidity of the battlefield still clings to you. To disappoint my Lelli like this.”
Liurian left his tongue, which moved instinctively as though carved in stone, untouched. By now, a sly, serpentine smile curled at the corners of his lips.
“Your Highness… Now I truly feel you’ve returned. I’m so very happy.”
Lellia instantly brightened at his insincere, honeyed words, visibly moved. Eustia, who had been quietly observing them, finally regained her usual composure.
“I, too, can finally breathe easy. Come to think of it, the flowers in the Empress’s garden bloomed beautifully recently—did you perhaps miss them on your way here?”
Eustia, her suspicions now eased, alternated her gaze between Lellia and Liurian.
“Oh my, really? I did feel the garden seemed much more vibrant than last time—I suppose that’s why!”
“The tulips have bloomed splendidly. They’re so breathtakingly lovely that merely gazing at them lifts one’s spirits.”
“Since Your Majesty says so, I’d love to see them soon. It would be wonderful to stroll through them at leisure with Your Highness…”
Unlike her usual innocence, Lellia now cast a coy glance toward Liurian. Soon, Eustia’s own insistent gaze joined hers.
Liurian instantly felt bile rise at the weight of their intense stares—but he only pulled his lips into a tighter smile.
That was his duty now.
“I, too, would be more than pleased to accompany Lelli.”
“Hah.”
The moment Liurian entered the Crown Prince’s chambers, he collapsed into a chair and exhaled the breath he’d been holding.
It was barely past noon, yet an immense fatigue pressed down on his entire body.
He tilted his head back and pressed his fingers firmly against his eyelids. A dull ache shot sharply from his temples.
Apparently, his accumulated exhaustion was staggering—but this was no time to rest comfortably.
A deep sigh rose to the back of his throat.
Just then, a playful voice echoed through the otherwise silent room.
“What? Already worn out?”
Liurian opened his eyes and tilted his head askew. A man with an unusually pale face leaned against the wall beside the window.
“You seem unusually cheerful today.”
“Of course! Do you have any idea how desperately curious I’ve been about what your longed-for crown princess actually looks like?”
At the man’s words, Liurian’s brow furrowed fiercely. He clenched his teeth.
“Are you saying you’ve actually seen Ibelia’s face?”
His voice, though suppressed, dripped with lethal intent. If killing with sheer will were possible, the man’s neck would have been severed long ago.
Yet the man merely shrugged, utterly unflinching.
“I only caught a brief glimpse from afar. I need to know at least who your crown princess is if I’m to help you properly.”
Despite the man’s explanation, Liurian’s mood only sank further.
Finally, his suppressed truth slipped out, unfiltered.
“You’d best just shut that mouth of yours, Felix.”
As he spoke, Liurian sank deeper into his chair. A heavy headache pounded through his skull—no doubt from constant vigilance and tension.
Every day, every moment, had been difficult. Not once had he felt at ease—and today, more than ever.
When he squeezed his eyes shut, Ibelia’s face immediately appeared, as if waiting for him.
Her eyes, pleading him not to go. The agony of turning his back despite knowing that look—words could never capture it.
Unconsciously, Liurian tensed his brow. Immediately, a mocking chuckle grated against his nerves.
“Interesting expression.”
“…Did you not hear me tell you to shut up?”
Liurian sharply opened his eyes and snapped coldly. Yet Felix’s laughter didn’t cease.
“For now, you’d best focus on fulfilling your duties as Liurian Petrov.”
“I’d planned to do exactly that even without your advice—so kindly refrain from lecturing me.”
“Well, what I meant was that you’d best avoid meeting your consort for the time being.”
At Felix’s follow-up, Liurian’s grip tightened fiercely on the armrests. He glared at Felix as if ready to kill—his previous killing intent nothing compared to this.
Felix unfolded his arms and raised both hands beside his head—a clear gesture that he meant no hidden mischief.
“Look, calm down. How could I possibly stay silent seeing this? You, who never wavered even on the battlefield where you risked your life, keep forgetting your duty and faltering the moment you stand before your consort.”
“If you wish to keep that flippant mouth of yours free to speak in the future, you’d best stop right there.”
“Sorry, but I’m hardly someone you could kill so easily. You know that as well as I do.”
Felix gave a derisive snort. Liurian could only grind his teeth harder.
He hated to admit it—but it was true.
This man, who looked nearly identical to him, possessed unfathomable abilities Liurian himself lacked.
It infuriated him to acknowledge it—but he had no choice.
From past experience, he knew all too well that he couldn’t even leave the slightest scratch on him by his own strength.
As if already reading his thoughts, Felix pushed off the wall and stretched leisurely.
An amused smile still lingered on his lips.
“Ugh, I was just getting sick of only giving you advice. Things are going to get interesting from now on, aren’t they?”
“I’m warning you—stay quiet and behave as you have until now.”
“You surely don’t intend to keep repeating this tiresome situation forever, do you?”
At Felix’s sharp remark, Liurian trembled with rage, his hands gripping the armrests—but he couldn’t utter a single word in reply.
Felix watched him with evident delight before adding,
“So pull yourself together and stick to your duty—starting right now.”
“…”
“Liurian, Petrov.”
His voice carried a teasing, yet deeply meaningful tone.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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This chapter is the old chapter I think?