Princess

Deep within the Prye Royal Palace, in a bedroom that was elegantly decorated yet inexplicably exuded a cold and desolate atmosphere.

Princess Louise, the eldest daughter of the late Former King, sat quietly on an embroidered stool by the window, gazing at the gray sky outside.

She has been under "protective" house arrest in this room for two days.

She was guarded day and night, and was not allowed to step out of the room or for anyone to visit her.

The food that was served was as exquisite as ever, but the silent and wary eyes of the maids made her realize that some huge change had occurred, and her fate was hanging by a thread.

She wore a simple blue dress, without any makeup, and her long black hair was simply tied back, revealing her smooth forehead, which showed a hint of unease.

She inherited the best features of her mother, the gentle former queen who died young; she was beautiful and refined. However, there was always a faint melancholy between her brows that seemed out of place for her age.

She did not have a close relationship with her father, King Heinrich. The philandering and pleasure-loving father paid little attention to his eldest daughter, who was quiet and disliked noise.

But in any case, he was her only remaining blood relative in the world.

This isolation filled her with a sense of foreboding.

A soft click came from outside the door as a key was inserted into the lock, followed by a guard's respectful greeting.

Louise's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively stood up, straightening her skirt, which didn't need straightening.

The door was pushed open, and Queen Katerina appeared in the doorway.

She wore a dignified black dress, which made her face look somewhat pale, but her eyes were as sharp as ever, even more so than usual, exuding an undeniable air of authority.

She waved her hand, signaling the maids and guards behind her to leave, and gently closed the door.

"Mother..." Louise quickly curtsied, her voice soft and trembling slightly.

She always harbored an instinctive fear of her stepmother.

Queen Katerina was beautiful, shrewd, and highly skilled. She kept her father and the harem firmly in her grasp. On the surface, she maintained polite concern for the Princess born to the former queen, but in reality, she was distant and wary of her.

"No need for formalities, Louise." Katerina's voice was calm, even deliberately gentle. She walked to the round table in the center of the room and sat down, gesturing for Louise to sit as well. "These past two days have been frightening for you."

Louise sat cautiously in the chair opposite the Queen, her hands nervously clasped on her knees, her eyes lowered, not daring to look directly at her. "Mother, you flatter me... but... I wonder what has happened outside? Is Father... alright?" she asked, mustering her courage.

Queen Katerina sighed softly, a timely expression of sorrow on her face. She gently wiped away non-existent tears with a silk handkerchief and said in a low voice, "Louise... I have very unfortunate news to tell you. Your father... he... he suddenly fell ill during the hunt the other day... and... has passed away."

"What!" Louise looked up abruptly, her face turning deathly pale, her eyes filled with disbelief and shock!

Although she wasn't close to her father, he was still her father! He was the only person in this world connected to her by blood!

This sudden bad news struck her heart like a heavy hammer, making her feel dizzy and sway, almost unable to sit up.

"Father... how could he..." Her voice choked, and tears welled up uncontrollably, blurring her vision.

Queen Katerina watched her weep silently, offering no words of comfort, until her sobs gradually subsided before continuing, "A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. According to your father's will... left when he was Royal Decree, your brother Sigmund has already inherited the throne."

Upon hearing the news, Louise didn't react in any particular way; she simply wiped away her tears with a handkerchief and nodded gently.

She didn't care who would inherit the throne, nor did she ever have any improper thoughts; she only hoped to live a peaceful life.

Her only thought now was, "Mother... I... can I go see Father? To see him off on his final journey..."

Queen Katerina breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at Louise's pure sorrow and lack of ambition, but she did not completely let her guard down.

She shook her head, her tone carrying a hint of regret that left no room for negotiation. "Not now, Louise. His Majesty's funeral is being prepared, and the affairs are complicated. Moreover... the situation is delicate right now. For your safety, it's better if you stay here for the time being."

Seeing that Louise was only silently shedding tears and did not insist any further, Katerina knew that the first step of the test had been passed.

This Princess truly had no interest in power.

But that's not enough; she must completely eliminate any potential threats.

The presence of the Former King's eldest daughter, who is alive and has a legitimate right to inherit the throne, in the Royal Capital is like a bomb that could explode at any moment.

It's time to unveil the plan that's already been prepared.

Queen Katerina's tone softened, even becoming somewhat concerned. "Louise, in your Royal Decree, besides bequeathing the throne to Sigmund, your father was particularly concerned about your future. He knew you were quiet and disliked court intrigues, and hoped you could have a peaceful and happy life."

Louise looked up with tearful eyes at the Queen, somewhat bewildered, unsure of what she was about to say.

Katerina smiled slightly, a smile that looked full of kindness, "You should have heard that not long ago, in Carnford in the Northern Territory, a young Lord performed a miracle, repelling the attack of Sauron's army of 100,000 with a small force. That Lord Karl Carl von Schmidt, the youngest son of Duke Schmidt."

Louise nodded and said softly, "I... I've read about him in the newspaper."

She had no concept of that distant, war-torn Northern Territory, and her impression of the Lord named Karl was limited to his name and a glorious victory; it was all vague.

"Very good," Queen Katerina nodded with satisfaction, leaning forward slightly, and said in a tone as if announcing good news, "Your father believes that this Lord Karl is young and promising, loyal and brave, a rare young talent in the kingdom. He is about your age and of similar social standing."

"Therefore, in his Royal Decree, your father specifically decided to marry you, Princess Louise of the Goldflower Kingdom, to Karl von Schmidt!"

Boom!

This news struck Louise like a bolt from the blue!

Marry down...?

Marry a stranger whose name she'd only seen in the newspaper, who lived in the harsh Northern Territory and had just survived a devastating war?

She was completely stunned, her mouth agape, but no sound came out.

Tears still clung to her cheeks, but the sadness had been replaced by immense shock and bewilderment.

She never imagined her marriage would be decided in this way, under these circumstances! This wasn't an inquiry, it was a notification! An order!

Seeing Louise's completely bewildered and helpless expression, Queen Katerina's last shred of concern vanished.

This Princess is indeed an easy pawn to control.