A lavish and antique room.

Bellia stared blankly out the window, waiting for someone who would soon arrive.

As expected, not long after, the bedroom door opened wide with a harsh sound.

Amid the murmuring noise of maids, a man with a cold expression entered the room without hesitation.

“Empress.”

Even at the sound calling her, Bellia did not turn around.

The man, looking displeased at her attitude, shrugged his shoulders. But soon he sat down in the empty seat across from her, wearing a cold smile.

“Even if your condition is not good, isn’t this too much for the Emperor of a nation?”

The tone was friendly and affectionate, as if complaining to a lover. But Bellia almost burst out laughing, dumbfounded by those words.

Too much? What exactly?

Did this man who had taken everything from her have the right to say such things?

“Just say what you came to say.”

“…”

“There’s no need for such petty acting in front of me anyway.”

“Ha, fine.”

The Emperor let out a deflated sigh and then rang the bell placed on the table.

At that, maids entered and swiftly prepared for tea time. Even the snacks and fragrant black tea she had once told him she liked long ago in the distant past.

“Let’s enjoy tea time together.”

As the Emperor said that while pouring the black tea, Bellia burst into loud laughter as if she had heard an extremely funny joke.

“…Why are you laughing?”

“I doubt whether Your Majesty’s words to me are correct.”

It had already been 8 years since she became Empress and entered the imperial palace.

During that time, she had tea time with the Emperor only twice.

Bellia understood and accepted his negligent attitude. He must be very busy after ascending to the Emperor’s position, so it couldn’t be helped.

He loves me. So this must be a situation he didn’t want either, she had desperately tried to believe.

‘…I was really foolish.’

Just then, the Emperor offered her the teacup filled with tea.

“Drink it.”

“I don’t want to.”

“…You will have to drink this.”

At the Emperor’s lowered voice, Bellia seemed to realize something and painfully parted her lips to ask.

“Is it poison?”

The Emperor did not answer.

Bellia was certain that this cup of tea was prepared to kill her.

“Did you have to take everything from me like this? How can you be so cruel!”

“I’ll spare your only brother. I promise not to touch your kingdom anymore. So I’d like you to drink this yourself.”

Bellia bit her lip, trying to swallow the surging emotions.

But unable to hold back her miserable feelings, she cried out desperately.

“Liar!”

Then she swept the teacup and dishes on the table onto the floor.

The sound of breaking dishes echoed throughout the room.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know that you hid from me the fact that my brother died on the battlefield!”

Her clenched fists trembled.

It was hard to control her anger.

The Emperor had killed her father, mother, brother, and even her younger sister. Her homeland had also fallen by this man’s hand.

Yet he shamelessly presented such a face and repeated his lies.

“Haa. If you know everything, this will go quickly.”

The Emperor spoke coldly while brushing up his hair as if annoyed.

He gestured towards where the maids were standing, and new black tea and snacks were prepared again.

“I want you to die now, Bellia.”

He pointed to the teacup placed in front of Bellia.

It was an insensitive and bored expression, as if a possessed object was no longer needed, without even a hint of pity.

This must have been his true face.

Why had she been deceived by his outward actions and words, ruining everything?

Bellia regretted every moment she had spent with the Emperor.

In the end, there was nothing left by her side now, was there?

“…”

She had no lingering attachment to continue living this hellish life after losing everything.

But if even she disappeared, what about the Kingdom of Ronica?

As the sole remaining royalty of Ronica, she couldn’t face her end like this. Even if it was miserable and pathetic, she had to live.

Bellia stared intently at the teacup the Emperor was offering, holding out until the end.

However, the Emperor didn’t want to waste time.

He reluctantly rose from his seat and approached Bellia.

With rough hands devoid of any affection, he grabbed her chin and poured the contents of the teacup into her mouth.

“Mmph!!”

“Drink.”

It was an indifferent voice without any inflection.

“Mmph!!”

He gripped her delicate face more forcefully to prevent her from shaking her head.

Then he shoved every last drop into her mouth.

“Ack!”

In that brief moment when the Emperor put down the empty teacup on the table.

The poison that went down her throat felt like it was burning her entire body fiercely.

Her insides twisted and her stomach felt like it was being torn apart.

Bellia endured the pain while clenching her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her hands, drawing blood.

But soon something rose up from her stomach.

“Cough!”

She hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand, but dark red blood flowed between her white fingers.

“Bellia. Thank you. You’ve made the empire even more prosperous.”

The Emperor spoke to the dying Bellia with cold eyes devoid of any emotion.

“But you will be remembered as a vicious and cruel villainess who offered her country to seduce me and become Empress, while Erzé will be the virtuous and wise Empress who led the empire’s golden age.”

Erzé….. Erzé!

Bellia was utterly miserable.

Her heart was plunged into the mire until the very end.

Erzé, whom the Emperor loved, would live a happy life, smiling like a flower and receiving the love of him and the people.

Bellia, who had given everything and endured, had to lose her life like this, denied her lifelong efforts and remaining as a great villainess.

Why? Wasn’t it the Emperor who clung to her saying he loved her?

Then why did only she have to end her life so unfairly?

A single clear and sorrowful tear flowed from Bellia’s eyes, which had turned red from burst blood vessels due to the terrible pain.

As the Emperor, who had been watching that sight indifferently, slowly rose from his seat and was about to leave the room.

“…Emperor, I curse you.”

The pitiful woman, unable to even sit in a chair and collapsed on the floor, unable to control her body, hurled curses at the Emperor.

“I curse the time I loved you. I curse you who destroyed my country and drove my family to death!”

The Emperor walked steadily towards Bellia, who was letting out a blood-curdling scream.

“…Bellia. The more you resist, the more painful it will be.”

At first glance, it sounded like a kind voice.

But this too must be mockery.

Bellia tried to put strength in her arms to somehow support her body. She couldn’t die like this.

However, her body, filled with poison, couldn’t endure at all and collapsed onto the floor once again.

The Emperor looked down emotionlessly at Bellia writhing on the floor.

“You will never… live a peaceful life… Even if I die, my grudge will lead you to unhappiness…!”

Even while coughing up blood, Bellia did not stop her curses.

“Your future… shall… suffer eternally…”

“Haa. How tiresome.”

If only I could go back to the past, I would never…

“…you…”

‘I would not love you.’

Bellia’s voice was no longer heard.

The Emperor wiped the tea stains on his hands with disgust and said.

“Oh my. I spilled tea on the carpet. The floor is dirty, so clean it up.”

Then he lightly kicked the dead Empress with his foot and turned around to leave the room without any lingering attachment.

* * *

“You’ll catch a cold if you sleep here.”

Bellia opened her eyes, squinting at the sunlight.

In her blurry vision, she saw the Emperor with an incredibly affectionate face touching her forehead.

…What is this?

‘Shouldn’t I be dead…?’

Moreover, why is the Emperor, who had directly handed her the poison, acting like this?

Goosebumps rose on Bellia’s arms.

“The wind is still cold… But it seems you don’t have a fever.”

Bellia coldly slapped away his hand caressing her forehead.

It was such a forceful gesture that a smacking sound could be heard.

The Emperor looked a bit surprised, but soon smiled awkwardly and said.

“It seems my efforts are still far from enough.”

“…”

What on earth is this situation? And what are the Emperor’s intentions?

With the information given to her right now, there was nothing she could figure out.

Why she, who had been dying, was suddenly sleeping in the middle of the garden.

Why the Emperor was acting so affectionate and kind.

“I will try harder.”

“…Why on earth…”

“Haha. I who have fallen for you have no choice but to make an effort. Please open your heart to me. Princess Bellia.”

At the word princess, Bellia hurriedly looked around. It was a familiar scenery.

A warm and cozy place.

…It was the Kingdom of Ronica.

And it was the royal garden that Bellia had loved so much.

“My feelings for you are sincere. So…”

Bellia, unable to give any answer, calmed her trembling heart.

Then she jumped up from her seat and ran along the familiar path to her room.

To the warm embrace of her family, not that desolate room where she had spent 8 years as Empress.

‘…This can’t be.’

With a tap-tap sound, she hurriedly entered the castle, and familiar faces greeted Bellia with bright smiles.

“Princess! Don’t tell me you slept in the garden again today?!”

“Princess Bellia!”

Even the maids who couldn’t escape the burning castle.

“Sister! Where did you go?! Father was looking for you earlier!”

“Closet…”

Even her younger sister who had taken her own life.

“Bellia. The First Prince has come looking for you again.”

Even her brother who had lost his life on the battlefield.

“You seem absent-minded today. Did the Prince act rudely towards you?”

“No. No…”

She felt like she was about to burst into tears.

Everyone was alive.

‘How is this possible? Is this a dream…?’

Bellia slightly raised her hand and pinched her cheek hard.

“Ouch…”

Her cheek stung painfully.

“Sister! Why are you suddenly pinching your cheek?!”

“It hurts…”

Along with the stinging pain felt on her cheek, realizing that all of this was reality, Bellia sat down on the spot, shedding tears she had been holding back.

“Huh? Sister, are you crying?!”

“Hic…”

Closet sat down across from Bellia, who was clutching her chest and bursting into sobs, and wiped her tears with a worried expression.

Herald, who had been walking ahead, also rushed over to check on her condition.

“Did the First Prince act rudely to you? Hm?”

“Sister. What happened? Why are you like this? Don’t cry.”

Bellia rubbed her blurry eyes to wipe them clean.

The people in front of her were her beloved sister and brother that she had missed so much. She had to see them properly.

“I’m sorry… Hic. It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault…”

Because she had chosen him, all of this peaceful and lovely life had crumbled.

“What are you talking about, sister? What’s wrong? Did you steal my pudding?”

“Bellia. Did you have a nightmare?”

Nightmare. Yes, that was a terrible nightmare.

‘I’ve returned to the past…’

To the time when she was Princess Bellia of the Kingdom of Ronica, not the Empress of the Empire.

“Your complexion is pale. I’ll speak to Father, so you go rest in your room.”

Bellia, who had been sobbing for a long time at her brother’s touch patting her back, gradually stopped crying.

‘…This is not a dream. I really have returned to the past.’

And to before she loved the Emperor.

Ironically, she had returned to that moment when the Emperor was clinging to her and courting her.

“Princess Bellia!”

The Emperor who had followed Bellia called out to her. No, he was the First Prince now.

Even as she looked at him giving her an affectionate gaze, she felt only resentful and cursed thoughts.

Her love for him had already disappeared long ago. So, as she had desperately wished before dying, this time she would never choose him.

‘…This is an opportunity.’

She didn’t know why she had returned to the past. But she wanted to return all those things she had experienced to the Emperor.

Bellia looked coldly at the First Prince who was wearing a worried expression and thought.

‘So from now on, crumble miserably.’

The curse was just beginning.