I once again laid my eyes on the beautiful woman who smiled dazzlingly like the sun.

She was like a wildflower shining alone among the noble ladies. Her bright platinum hair, glowing as if it would shatter in the sunlight, overflowed with luster, and her peach blossom-like white skin seemed to hold a pleasant fragrance that could be felt even from a distance.

Layla Wessex. As one could easily guess from the overly complimentary description, she was none other than the original novel’s female protagonist.

An innocent and pitiful type who captivates all the men around her with her fatal beauty without realizing it herself, and who can’t stand injustice and loves animals… That kind of typical cliché female lead character!

Surprised by the fact that I had met her, if Hannah hadn’t quickly grabbed my arm, I would have jumped out of my seat during this solemn moment when everyone was bowing their heads in silent tribute.

So this is how I meet this person here.

“Just as described.”

Layla was truly beautiful. No, beautiful is not enough to describe her… How should I put it, she had a lovable charm. No wonder the men around her couldn’t resist her.

The memorial address that seemed like it would never end finally concluded, and Lady Pulcheria rose from her seat. I thought she would leave after just listening to the eulogy, but she smiled and stretched out both arms towards someone. I wondered if it was okay for her to smile so openly like that at her nephew’s funeral.

“My lord, His Highness the Grand Duke Albrecht has arrived.”

The one Lady Pulcheria greeted with a smile while wiping away her tears was Carl. Seeing Carl for the first time since he had made a fuss about confirming his parentage at the mansion, strangely, both joy and resentment surged through me at the same time.

In fact, “I” had no reason to feel resentful since we had no relationship, but I guess we had become a little familiar after spending a few days together.

I kept thinking he could have at least told me in advance that there would be a state funeral, and if there was a need to let us meet like this without hearing any news.

After exchanging a few words with his aunt Lady Pulcheria, Carl went and sat in his own seat. His seat was also at the head table. With the throne vacant, he would be the top priority in terms of the line of succession.

“You’d think he’d at least glance this way, but he’s not looking.”

“I have eyes too, so I can see. You don’t need to relay it to me.”

As if trying to show dignity in the solemn atmosphere, Carl did not even spare a glance towards the people. He only looked at the apostle conducting the state funeral, sitting right next to Lady Pulcheria.

Just as I was about to feel unreasonably disappointed, Hannah started making a fuss.

“Oh my god. Even the Grand Duke Toskur has come.”

If you’re going to make such a fuss, what’s the point of whispering in my ear? I raised my index finger to Hannah and made a shushing sound.

Unlike when Carl appeared, Lady Pulcheria did not budge from her seat even after seeing Franz. Far from greeting him, she acted as if his existence was not even visible.

Franz, who stopped halfway to his seat to pay his respects, was utterly ignored by Lady Pulcheria until the end. He seemed accustomed to such cold treatment and did not seem to mind much.

Family matters are complicated, very complicated.

Even though I was only watching from a distance, I was so tense that I felt suffocated by the sight of the three of them. Everyone else must have felt similarly, as they quietly observed the three royals without making a sound.

“It’s been a long time, elder sister.”

He bowed down to his knees and formally paid his respects, but there was no response. It was already expected, so there was no significant impact. Franz raised his head with a smile.

“You are still beautiful.”

Even at the flattering remark, there was not a single change in Lady Pulcheria’s expression. It was as if her half-brother in front of her did not exist at all.

“And still cold as ever.”

Since they shared the same father, the two were clearly siblings. However, Lady Pulcheria had never acknowledged that fact even once.

Insisting that a child born out of wedlock cannot be recognized, and that if they bring harm to the family, they cannot be a part of it either, she had rejected Franz her entire life.

Perhaps it was rooted in her resentment towards her father’s infidelity, having a child with a woman younger than herself, Franz thought.

“Still, it’s good to see you like this. Though I don’t know what you think, elder sister.”

It was not a remark meant to elicit any response. He had no intention of staying here for long anyway. He had been forced to come only because he had to attend the emperor’s funeral as a member of the imperial family.

She was not a particularly pleasant existence for him either. Who in their right mind would be happy to see someone who denied their very existence and even hated them?

Next to Lady Pulcheria’s seat at the head table was Carl. Then would the seat next to him be his own? Franz quickly scanned the seats, but there was no chair prepared next to Carl.

As if it was natural, Carl sneered at Franz’s attempt to find his place at the head table.

“Only legitimate members of the imperial family can sit here.”

When it was just the two of them, Carl could speak casually and no one could stop him, but there were many eyes watching here. Nevertheless, the reason Carl spoke to him using reluctant honorifics was to properly teach Franz where he belonged.

“Your seat is over there, one step down from here.”

The place Carl pointed to with his chin was not that far from the head table where they were seated, but its meaning was clear.

Franz’s teeth gritted, realizing the position of the imperial family members who were not the empress’s legitimate children.

Franz lingered in front of the two for only about 2 minutes. With no response, there was no way the conversation could continue, and Franz soon turned his head as if giving up.

Carl indifferently watched Franz take his steps. Even that did not last more than three steps.

“I don’t see Monica.”

“Grandmother is not feeling well, so she couldn’t attend.”

“Well, that’s understandable. If my young child ended up like this, I would also…”

“…”

“I wonder how that brazen bastard dares to show his face here. He must take after his mother to be so shameless. Filthy.”

Each word was filled with evident hatred towards Franz. Most of the imperial family, including Lady Pulcheria, ostracized Franz, and it was not simply due to his background.

The previous Emperor Alexander, Carl’s grandfather, originally had two sons and one daughter. The eldest son Bayern, the second son Meinhardt, and the third daughter Pulcheria. Carl’s father was the second prince, Meinhardt.

Naturally, Carl’s uncle Bayern, who had taken the position of crown prince, suddenly passed away due to a chronic illness before ascending to the throne.

After his death, the position of crown prince went to his 1-year-old son, Maximilian.

Although there were opinions that he was too young to become the crown prince, at that time, the previous Emperor Alexander was in good health, so the relatively precarious position of crown prince could be maintained.

The problem arose when the emperor’s concubine appeared from somewhere with a child, claiming him to be the emperor’s son.

The blond boy, who was a year older than Carl, had an appearance that resembled his mother, but there was one thing he inherited from the emperor. It was the deep blue eyes that seemed to hold the deep sea.

Emperor Alexander accepted the boy as his son. The imperial relatives later regretted that they should have stopped it at all costs, but it had already become an irreversible situation.

Despite the age difference of only 1 year, the boy became Carl’s uncle. Although it was a relationship that no one acknowledged except for the emperor, he was still Carl’s half-uncle since he was his grandfather’s son.

The boy received the surname Toskur, which was a collateral bloodline of the imperial family, along with his name, and he was given the middle name Albrecht. That was how Franz Albrecht Toskur became a member of the imperial family.

If he had simply become a member of the imperial family, Pulcheria and Carl would not have hated Franz to this extent.

The family’s anger was focused on Franz because of the suspicion that Franz’s mother was involved in the sudden death of Crown Prince Bayern.

The crown prince died, and 11 years later, Emperor Alexander also passed away with similar symptoms. Could this be a coincidence? Although there was no openly revealed evidence or suspicion, anyone from the imperial family suspected Franz and his mother.

Moreover, Emperor Maximilian, the grandson of the previous emperor and the son of the former crown prince, also died of similar symptoms.