I opened my eyes with a feeling of discomfort that I had already experienced several times before.
As soon as I got up, I lowered my head while looking at my room.
“What was I dreaming about?”
I ran my head through my flowing hair.
‘Was it not the end?’
Why did I have this dream again?
Hadn’t I blocked everything that stood in Sisters’ path?
If so, the vicious cycle that would happen in the future should be broken.
“Yes, it’s broken. Why on earth…”
Why did Liliana stand as Ronald’s fiancee in my dream of the future?
If it was true that I had prevented everything, then Liliana shouldn’t have become Ronald’s fiancee.
“Is this related to my first dream?”
Perhaps because I dreamed of a future that I thought was over.
My anxiety suddenly flared up.
“Is it really right to change the future?”
Suddenly, a feeling of uneasiness swept over me.
‘If the future that unfolds somehow different from what I saw in my dream…’
Unlike now, if I forced my fate to flow in a way I didn’t know, then what should I do?
Was the things I did a pointless effort?
‘Eventually, Liliana becomes Ronald’s fiancee, and instead…’
I shook my head, recalling the horrible scene I had seen just before waking up from the dream.
I felt even more pressured than when I first realized that the dreams were related.
Why is God giving me such an ordeal in the midst of confusion caused by Adelio?
“Lady, I’ve brought you the water for washing.”
In the middle of my grief, I woke up from the bed at the sound of Isabel’s voice.
“Grand Duchess wanted me to make sure you attend breakfast today.”
“…Why?”
Why did someone who usually wouldn’t even look at me regardless of my presence say that?
When I asked, saying that it was strange, Isabel replied that she didn’t know either.
‘Ah, I really hate it.’
I wanted to skip until morning but I couldn’t break Grandmother’s order.
Saying I didn’t want to go, I moved my legs and headed for the dining room.
✲ ✲ ✲
“Daisy, your fiance has been decided.”
At Grandmother’s words, silence fell on the table.
‘Did I hear it wrong?’
Seeing the shocked faces of the other family members, it seemed I did hear it properly.
“Mother, what do you mean?”
At Mother’s words, Grandmother casually announced again.
“I said Daisy’s fiance has been decided.”
“Mother, you haven’t discussed a word with us.”
Grandmother raised the corners of her mouth at Father’s words.
“If I told you, would you have listened?”
“Mother.”
A war of nerves began between Father and Grandmother.
Those two stared at each other with fierce eyes, not avoiding eye contact.
When the situation got uncomfortable, Mother calmly stepped forward.
“Mother, I understand that you are upset about Liliana. However, my husband, as the head of the family, has the authority to decide important events in the family. Please understand that my husband is flustered because Mother arbitrarily pushed for the engagement.”
At Mother’s words, Grandmother saved her words and looked away.
It seemed she backed down first because there was nothing wrong with Mother’s words.
“So who is Daisy’s fiance that Mother chose?”
Father’s voice was full of displeasure.
I couldn’t say anything in this sudden situation and just waited for Grandmother to open her mouth.
Grandmother quenched her throat, supported her hands on her chin, and said with a relaxed smile.
“It’s His Highness, Ronald Odphelia.”
✲ ✲ ✲
Since then, the atmosphere of the dining room had been ruined.
Both my parents and sisters raised their voices shouting against it, but Grandmother’s stubbornness didn’t break.
Even though everyone was talking loudly about my situation, I couldn’t concentrate on their conversation.
‘How are things going?’
Everyone knew that Liliana’s engagement had been called off and that Grandma was very angry with the family.
However, I never imagined that while she was staying at the duke’s residence, she would be preparing a new way to connect the Imperial family and the duke’s family.
Grandmother had never treated me like a person.
So no one could imagine the result now.
‘Why is it Ronald?’
With Grandmother’s announcement, the dream I had this morning began to come back to my head.
An engagement ceremony under everyone’s congratulations, and the terrorist incident of heretics during the parade commemorating the engagement.
What was the dream just now?
Does it mean that if I change the future, I will be in that position?
Or is it trying to tell me that even if I change it, I can’t get out of my destiny?
In this situation where no one could give me an answer, I felt like my head would explode at any moment.
‘What should I do?’
Who is Ronald?
Even if it was a future that didn’t happen, he was a heartless and cruel person who whispered love to Liliana and threw her away when her usefulness ran out.
I hated being engaged to him.
I hated that I couldn’t even speak out my thoughts in front of Grandmother even though I was thinking about this.
My family came out to protect me because I couldn’t come out myself.
“Mother! Don’t impose obligations on Daisy in this way!”
“What good is this child if she doesn’t prove herself useful? I am giving her the honor of belonging to the Imperial family with my own blood, but you have no gratitude!”
“Grandmother!”
When Liliana, who hadn’t said anything, raised her, her cold eyes turned toward as if she had been waiting for this opportunity.
“Because you didn’t want it, the role went to your younger sister.”
“How can you be so unreasonable? It was a bet between Grandmother and Lilliana, and had nothing to do with Daisy.”
Viola’s voice was also very low.
At her constant displeasure, Grandmother let out an exasperated laugh.
“Daisy Liviatan.”
At the harsh voice of Grandmother, I regained my spirit that wandered away.
It was the first time.
That she called my name right.
She looked at me with fierce eyes and said.
“Prove your usefulness.”
Those were words I’d been hearing since I was young.
Those words sounded like a cold warning and always made me feel intimidated in front of Grandmother.
“I….”
The corners of my mouth trembled.
Even though I had to say no, my mouth didn’t move when I met those overbearing eyes looking down on me.
‘Useless thing.’
The words I had always heard from Grandmother since I was little kept ringing in my ears.
Because of the words that filled my head as if I were getting paralyzed, I wanted to get out of this situation immediately.
“I don’t know! I’ll think about it a little more and tell you!”
I couldn’t accept what was just in front of me and chose to run away cowardly.
✲ ✲ ✲
I didn’t want to tremble with fear in the room where my grandmother might come in at any moment.
‘The temple, I want to go to the temple.’
I desperately needed the space that always comforted me whenever I had a hard time.
I headed to the temple alone, leaving everyone’s worries behind.
Then, following the guidance of the new priest, I reached the empty prayer room and began to pray.
“God… Why do you give me this ordeal?’
I strengthened the two hands that I put together.
I couldn’t stop praying even though my hands were trembling.
‘I’m a stupid kid who can’t do anything. A fool and a coward who can’t decide anything alone…’
Looking back on myself, the words said became a dagger and stuck in my heart.
I heard that even if you made a resolution to change, a person’s temperament didn’t change easily.
I was afraid of Grandmother, and I didn’t want to disappoint her anymore, so all I could do was run away.
I kept praying without wiping away the dripping tears.
‘Please tell me how I can bring happiness to everyone.’
Yes, I was doing something stupid because I was such a coward who couldn’t even make her own decisions.
‘Pitiful Daisy. If you don’t like it, just say no.’
I just hoped that Grandmother would withdraw her opinion and I wanted peace to return to the duke’s residence.
Even though I knew it was an impossible wish, I couldn’t stop thinking that this prayer could reach God and He would take pity on me and make it come true.
As I was crying for a long time, a long shadow fell over me.
When I lifted my head subconsciously, I saw a familiar face.
His face was darkly shadowed as he was lowering his head to look at me.
Even though his face was expressionless without a smile unlike the usual, I was not unfamiliar with it.
Despite his expression full of coldness, strangely, his eyes were fierce as if sparks were flying.
Adelio slowly opened his mouth, wiping away tears from my eyes.
“Who…”
His hands were soft and careful, but his voice was full of vitality that I had never heard before.
“Sniff, sniff.”
I wanted to say something, but all I could hear was a strange sound that made me hold back my tears because of the tears that burst out.
Adelio knelt in front of me and looked up.
The shadow on his face disappeared and his face, revealed under the holy light of the temple, had a kind smile different from before.
“Daisy.”
I was relieved to see the Adelio I knew, not the suspicious one.
“Adelio!”
Unable to resist the temptation to lean on someone, I jumped into his arms.
Despite the embarrassing situation, he grabbed me and pulled me into his arms.
Then he whispered in my ear.
“Please tell me.”
There was an eeriness in his voice dripping with desperation.
“Who dared to make you cry?”
I opened my eyes with a feeling of discomfort that I had already experienced several times before.
As soon as I got up, I lowered my head while looking at my room.
“What was I dreaming about?”
I ran my head through my flowing hair.
‘Was it not the end?’
Why did I have this dream again?
Hadn’t I blocked everything that stood in Sisters’ path?
If so, the vicious cycle that would happen in the future should be broken.
“Yes, it’s broken. Why on earth…”
Why did Liliana stand as Ronald’s fiancee in my dream of the future?
If it was true that I had prevented everything, then Liliana shouldn’t have become Ronald’s fiancee.
“Is this related to my first dream?”
Perhaps because I dreamed of a future that I thought was over.
My anxiety suddenly flared up.
“Is it really right to change the future?”
Suddenly, a feeling of uneasiness swept over me.
‘If the future that unfolds somehow different from what I saw in my dream…’
Unlike now, if I forced my fate to flow in a way I didn’t know, then what should I do?
Was the things I did a pointless effort?
‘Eventually, Liliana becomes Ronald’s fiancee, and instead…’
I shook my head, recalling the horrible scene I had seen just before waking up from the dream.
I felt even more pressured than when I first realized that the dreams were related.
Why is God giving me such an ordeal in the midst of confusion caused by Adelio?
“Lady, I’ve brought you the water for washing.”
In the middle of my grief, I woke up from the bed at the sound of Isabel’s voice.
“Grand Duchess wanted me to make sure you attend breakfast today.”
“…Why?”
Why did someone who usually wouldn’t even look at me regardless of my presence say that?
When I asked, saying that it was strange, Isabel replied that she didn’t know either.
‘Ah, I really hate it.’
I wanted to skip until morning but I couldn’t break Grandmother’s order.
Saying I didn’t want to go, I moved my legs and headed for the dining room.
✲ ✲ ✲
“Daisy, your fiance has been decided.”
At Grandmother’s words, silence fell on the table.
‘Did I hear it wrong?’
Seeing the shocked faces of the other family members, it seemed I did hear it properly.
“Mother, what do you mean?”
At Mother’s words, Grandmother casually announced again.
“I said Daisy’s fiance has been decided.”
“Mother, you haven’t discussed a word with us.”
Grandmother raised the corners of her mouth at Father’s words.
“If I told you, would you have listened?”
“Mother.”
A war of nerves began between Father and Grandmother.
Those two stared at each other with fierce eyes, not avoiding eye contact.
When the situation got uncomfortable, Mother calmly stepped forward.
“Mother, I understand that you are upset about Liliana. However, my husband, as the head of the family, has the authority to decide important events in the family. Please understand that my husband is flustered because Mother arbitrarily pushed for the engagement.”
At Mother’s words, Grandmother saved her words and looked away.
It seemed she backed down first because there was nothing wrong with Mother’s words.
“So who is Daisy’s fiance that Mother chose?”
Father’s voice was full of displeasure.
I couldn’t say anything in this sudden situation and just waited for Grandmother to open her mouth.
Grandmother quenched her throat, supported her hands on her chin, and said with a relaxed smile.
“It’s His Highness, Ronald Odphelia.”
✲ ✲ ✲
Since then, the atmosphere of the dining room had been ruined.
Both my parents and sisters raised their voices shouting against it, but Grandmother’s stubbornness didn’t break.
Even though everyone was talking loudly about my situation, I couldn’t concentrate on their conversation.
‘How are things going?’
Everyone knew that Liliana’s engagement had been called off and that Grandma was very angry with the family.
However, I never imagined that while she was staying at the duke’s residence, she would be preparing a new way to connect the Imperial family and the duke’s family.
Grandmother had never treated me like a person.
So no one could imagine the result now.
‘Why is it Ronald?’
With Grandmother’s announcement, the dream I had this morning began to come back to my head.
An engagement ceremony under everyone’s congratulations, and the terrorist incident of heretics during the parade commemorating the engagement.
What was the dream just now?
Does it mean that if I change the future, I will be in that position?
Or is it trying to tell me that even if I change it, I can’t get out of my destiny?
In this situation where no one could give me an answer, I felt like my head would explode at any moment.
‘What should I do?’
Who is Ronald?
Even if it was a future that didn’t happen, he was a heartless and cruel person who whispered love to Liliana and threw her away when her usefulness ran out.
I hated being engaged to him.
I hated that I couldn’t even speak out my thoughts in front of Grandmother even though I was thinking about this.
My family came out to protect me because I couldn’t come out myself.
“Mother! Don’t impose obligations on Daisy in this way!”
“What good is this child if she doesn’t prove herself useful? I am giving her the honor of belonging to the Imperial family with my own blood, but you have no gratitude!”
“Grandmother!”
When Liliana, who hadn’t said anything, raised her, her cold eyes turned toward as if she had been waiting for this opportunity.
“Because you didn’t want it, the role went to your younger sister.”
“How can you be so unreasonable? It was a bet between Grandmother and Lilliana, and had nothing to do with Daisy.”
Viola’s voice was also very low.
At her constant displeasure, Grandmother let out an exasperated laugh.
“Daisy Liviatan.”
At the harsh voice of Grandmother, I regained my spirit that wandered away.
It was the first time.
That she called my name right.
She looked at me with fierce eyes and said.
“Prove your usefulness.”
Those were words I’d been hearing since I was young.
Those words sounded like a cold warning and always made me feel intimidated in front of Grandmother.
“I….”
The corners of my mouth trembled.
Even though I had to say no, my mouth didn’t move when I met those overbearing eyes looking down on me.
‘Useless thing.’
The words I had always heard from Grandmother since I was little kept ringing in my ears.
Because of the words that filled my head as if I were getting paralyzed, I wanted to get out of this situation immediately.
“I don’t know! I’ll think about it a little more and tell you!”
I couldn’t accept what was just in front of me and chose to run away cowardly.
✲ ✲ ✲
I didn’t want to tremble with fear in the room where my grandmother might come in at any moment.
‘The temple, I want to go to the temple.’
I desperately needed the space that always comforted me whenever I had a hard time.
I headed to the temple alone, leaving everyone’s worries behind.
Then, following the guidance of the new priest, I reached the empty prayer room and began to pray.
“God… Why do you give me this ordeal?’
I strengthened the two hands that I put together.
I couldn’t stop praying even though my hands were trembling.
‘I’m a stupid kid who can’t do anything. A fool and a coward who can’t decide anything alone…’
Looking back on myself, the words said became a dagger and stuck in my heart.
I heard that even if you made a resolution to change, a person’s temperament didn’t change easily.
I was afraid of Grandmother, and I didn’t want to disappoint her anymore, so all I could do was run away.
I kept praying without wiping away the dripping tears.
‘Please tell me how I can bring happiness to everyone.’
Yes, I was doing something stupid because I was such a coward who couldn’t even make her own decisions.
‘Pitiful Daisy. If you don’t like it, just say no.’
I just hoped that Grandmother would withdraw her opinion and I wanted peace to return to the duke’s residence.
Even though I knew it was an impossible wish, I couldn’t stop thinking that this prayer could reach God and He would take pity on me and make it come true.
As I was crying for a long time, a long shadow fell over me.
When I lifted my head subconsciously, I saw a familiar face.
His face was darkly shadowed as he was lowering his head to look at me.
Even though his face was expressionless without a smile unlike the usual, I was not unfamiliar with it.
Despite his expression full of coldness, strangely, his eyes were fierce as if sparks were flying.
Adelio slowly opened his mouth, wiping away tears from my eyes.
“Who…”
His hands were soft and careful, but his voice was full of vitality that I had never heard before.
“Sniff, sniff.”
I wanted to say something, but all I could hear was a strange sound that made me hold back my tears because of the tears that burst out.
Adelio knelt in front of me and looked up.
The shadow on his face disappeared and his face, revealed under the holy light of the temple, had a kind smile different from before.
“Daisy.”
I was relieved to see the Adelio I knew, not the suspicious one.
“Adelio!”
Unable to resist the temptation to lean on someone, I jumped into his arms.
Despite the embarrassing situation, he grabbed me and pulled me into his arms.
Then he whispered in my ear.
“Please tell me.”
There was an eeriness in his voice dripping with desperation.
“Who dared to make you cry?”
