The sound of fireworks continuously leaked into the top floor of the Prisoner’s Tower.

Neris was the only prisoner there. Forgotten by everyone, she was crammed into a dirty, dark corner of a solitary cell.

Until just recently, she had been sitting in a position that could not go any higher as the Crown Princess of this country, the Visto Empire, and the next Empress.

She was the symbol of eternal alliance between the Imperial Family and the Elandria ducal family, the most historically prestigious noble family in not only the Empire but the entire continent.

The owner of the mysterious purple eyes said to have been possessed by the ancient hero Elandria.

Although her husband, the Crown Prince, treated his wife like filth buried on his throne by bringing up that Neris was not originally born as the duke’s daughter but was an adopted daughter from a lower noble family, she still endured.

Because she thought it was for the sake of her family.

But about a year ago… When the Elandria family finally revealed their long-held ambitions and declared independence from the Empire, proclaiming themselves as royalty.

And when the Visto Imperial Family, who tried to prevent this but ultimately failed, officially recognized the independence of the Elandria Kingdom to resolve the conflict…

Her existence was treated as if it had never existed in the first place.

The Crown Prince, who had been married to Neris for several years, suddenly imprisoned her and announced he would marry Valentine, Neris’s stepsister and the current princess of the Elandria Kingdom.

How did the Elandria family respond?

The splendid sounds of the parade coming from outside now were the answer. According to the guards’ conversation she overheard a few days ago, it seemed the Elandria family’s delegation had arrived with the ‘new bride’.

‘They abandoned me.’

Neris muttered to herself. It was already the thousandth time.

Twelve years ago, when she was still a student at the academy, she became an orphan after losing her mother, a distant branch of the Elandria family. Her father, who had been a low-ranking knight, had died long ago and she could no longer even remember his face.

It was the Elandria family that adopted her and gave her a home and family.

Although the duke and duchess and Valentine were never kind to her, Neris thought she should repay their kindness. So she did everything for the family.

Really, anything.

She stayed up all night learning the etiquette of high society, sometimes took on the villainous role of lying to the family’s enemies, and finally… married a man she didn’t love and silently endured his abuse.

Even after marriage, she had made not a few alliances and eliminated not a few people on behalf of the family.

Hadn’t she done anything for the Imperial Family?

While her husband, the Crown Prince, was completely absorbed in his mistress, it was Neris who worked herself to the bone for years to ensure the comfort of the entire Imperial Family, including him.

But what she got in return was the attitude of both families as if she had never existed in the first place.

Her left foot, which had become immobile due to severe torture, suddenly ached.

‘…What will happen to me?’

A single ray of sunlight briefly entered through the gap in the stones of the wall, which often let in wind, rain, and sound.

Neris’s unfocused eyes emitted a radiance that simultaneously shone with thousands of colors as they caught the sunlight.

The legendary trait that had long been known to belong only to the Imperial Family, but surprisingly discovered in Neris, helping her to be adopted into the ducal family and ultimately rise to the position of Crown Princess.

The jewel eyes.

Those precious jewel eyes had been of no help to her since she came here. The long and terrible torture inflicted on her frail body by the Imperial Family, as if venting their anger, claiming she must have been a spy for the family from the beginning…

But, after getting out of prison…

After getting out? Neris laughed at herself. Neris, do you think you can get out?

The Imperial Family’s message was clear, as they welcomed the delegation with a festival while keeping her, a member of the same family, imprisoned.

That there was no connection between their alliance and Neris’s treatment.

‘Does Brother Nel know about this situation…’

All other family members might not care about Neris. Although the ducal family adopted her because of the symbolism of the purple jewel eyes, they only pretended to be family in front of others. Valentine, in particular, almost hated Neris.

But one person was different.

Just one person, Nelrysion, who became the heir to the ducal family and Neris’s stepbrother.

If there was any hope for Neris in this situation, it was only Nelrysion. He who was always kind and recognized her value would surely request her release from the Imperial Family. Yes, he would definitely…

Neris blankly stared at the prison floor.

At that moment, the iron door of the solitary cell opened.

Neris reflexively flinched and raised her head. However, the person who entered with the torch-bearing knight was not the torturer.

Valentine, surrounded by a brilliant radiance, was entering the cell with a smirk.

Although there was only a one-year age difference, the sisters’ appearances were completely different.

Neris had elegant features but always watched others’ reactions and suffered from political strife, and now looked lifeless like an old woman after being tortured in prison.

In contrast, Valentine had the innocence and confidence that only someone who had always been loved by everyone could possess.

“Valentine…”

Valentine made a contemptuous expression upon hearing Neris’s hoarse and broken voice from the severe torture. A cruel light flashed across her lovely face.

It was then that Neris recognized Valentine’s clothes. She had only thought they were dazzlingly beautiful, but.

It was the Crown Princess’s dress that Neris had worn until recently. The ceremonial robe woven with gold thread and adorned with jewels, which only direct imperial family members could wear.

Suppressing the despair welling up in her chest, Neris asked in a deliberately calm voice.

“What are you doing here?”

Valentine looked Neris over once before answering.

“I’ve come to see your end, sister.”

Satisfied with the current scene, a happy smile soon appeared on Valentine’s face.

“Judging by your expression, it seems you were expecting our brother? …But what a shame. Brother Nel said he would stay by his new sister-in-law’s side.”

“New sister-in-law?”

The Elandria family had joined hands with numerous domestic and foreign influential figures to gain independence from the Empire.

Among them, the current Pope Omnitus III, one of the most powerful figures, had put forward the engagement between his illegitimate daughter Bridget and Nelrysion as a condition.

Neris was well aware of the situation at that time. Because she herself had taken charge of and carried out the matter, thinking it was simply for the family’s position.

Despite leading the matter herself, Neris had secretly despaired at the time. Nelrysion had whispered to her in a gentle voice that it was all just political strategy. Neris thought he had seen through her heart, her hidden affection.

Neris knew well that she could never be with him. She was already married, after all. Still, his sweet words had tickled and comforted her at the time.

But.

“Brother Nel… came here too?”

Reality seemed to mercilessly strike Neris’s head.

Yes, if Nelrysion had thought of Neris even a little.

How could he not have known that she had been completely out of contact since the Elandria’s declaration of independence?

Seeing Neris no longer able to hide her agitation, Valentine covered her face with a luxurious fan and cackled.

Then she closed the fan with a lively motion, lifted Neris’s chin, and grinned.

“Wake up. Did you really think you were my real sister, with your lowly birth?”

Neris’s breath caught at each of Valentine’s words.

Suddenly realizing something, she asked with a pale face.

“Was this your intention from the beginning? Mother, Father, and you too?”

“Why leave out our brother? He was the one who first suggested adopting you and sending you to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Valentine spoke in a deliberately crueler voice.

“You were quite useful. Clever as befitting your lowly bloodline, with eye color matching our family… We needed you to cooperate with us from a suitable position anyway. But now that your usefulness has ended, you must disappear. For a clean new start between the two countries.”

Tears that Neris thought had dried up flowed from her eyes. Her purple jewel eyes sparkled like crystal in the torchlight.

Valentine, who had sky-blue eyes despite being a direct descendant of the ducal family, seemed irritated by the sight.

“Don’t resent us too much. There was no way His Highness the Crown Prince would be satisfied with a mere lowly adopted daughter in the first place. What good is mere eye color in the face of real power? For people like us, marriage is a transaction, so of course it should be with a real daughter.”

Who was it that had worked so hard for the family until now?

She hadn’t even dared to expect great praise.

She had hoped that someday they would say she had been helpful.

That was all she wanted.

Neris’s head felt like it was about to burst, and she could no longer say anything. Valentine, seemingly displeased even with that, roughly struck Neris’s cheek with her fan.

“You really are a foolish person. You couldn’t even have a proper married life anyway, right? How pathetic you were every time I saw ‘that shameless thing’. But well, that will end in three days too. Once I become the Crown Princess, I’ll drive that wench to the temple. How about that, aren’t you grateful to me? You hated that girl too, didn’t you?”

It had been years since the Crown Prince’s mistress, Megara, had been acting as the Crown Princess in all places except official occasions. She was the same age as Neris, but their lives were as different as heaven and earth in every aspect.

Wealthy, beautiful, and easily winning everyone’s favor, Megara had tormented Neris for a long time. So Valentine’s words about hating her were right, but.

‘You too will end so easily.’

Neris pleaded in a cracked, faint voice.

“You don’t need me anymore, right? I worked hard for the family. You know that. I did everything I was told. Just let me go now…”

“Oh my? Is there an owner who just watches their dog run away?”

“What more do you want from me, it’s enough now…”

“No, it’s not. Even a dog’s corpse has its uses.”

Valentine shrugged.

“Her Highness Princess Keimil said so. That everything must be certain until the very end. The moment you think ‘it should be fine’ and let it slide, you show a weakness.”

Neris felt chills down her spine.

Princess Keimil had always taken special care of Neris, her sister-in-law who was neglected by her brother, the Crown Prince.

She scolded her brother for lowering the dignity of the Imperial Family by being absorbed in his lover, and praised Neris when she was helpful to the Imperial Family.

Thanks to Keimil, Neris had been able to endure her desolate married life. Even if her husband neglected her, Neris had Keimil. Someone who recognized her efforts.

But now that Keimil had told Valentine that even the corpse must be made certain…

‘Everything changes in an instant.’

Everything she had believed in until now crumbled. Neris shook her head vigorously without realizing it.

“No. I can’t die like this.”

“Grab her, Joseph.”

Valentine calmly ordered. The knight who had been holding the torch grabbed Neris’s body. Neris knew him. He was the one who had grown up with Nelrysion and been raised as his confidant.

Neris looked him straight in the eye and shouted sternly.

“Let go! I am your master’s sister!”

The knight tightly closed his eyes, trying not to look at her. Valentine sneered.

“Sister? Still talking nonsense. But thanks to you, our family has come to be treated as a proper royal family. I’m grateful for that point, so I’ll tell you one good thing.”

Beautiful sky-blue eyes looked down at Neris, full of disgust. Neris recalled the outside sky she hadn’t seen for a very long time.

Nelrysion had exactly such eyes. A handsome young man with long silver hair and sky-blue eyes.

Once, she thought just looking up at the clear sky made it feel like he was beside her.

But now, Neris felt more disgusted by the color sky blue than ever before.

“It was Brother Nel who removed your mother, that annoying woman, from this world. Didn’t you think so?”

The strength left Neris’s body. She had been guessing it. From the moment she heard that Nelrysion was the one who had pushed for her adoption.

Everything felt futile. Her entire life had been made up of lies. Then what was there to gain by trying to live on?

“You know what this is better than I do, right?”

Valentine took out a small bottle. Then she poured its contents into Neris’s mouth, which the knight had forced open.

“Be grateful for Her Highness the Princess’s mercy in granting you a painless death. Isn’t this better than a more unsightly death? How nice to have so much to be thankful for even as you meet your end.”

Neris’s vision was already blurry. Whether it was due to the drug, tears, or being thrown to the floor, she couldn’t tell.

She just fell into an endless abyss, listening to Valentine’s fading laughter.

Until she faintly saw a thin light in the far distance.