Chapter 2

"Duchess Margaret Silver."

At the age of 13, during our first meeting, the Crown Prince Keith called my name with a radiant smile. It was the first time in my life that my heart raced.

"Why is it my sister who's the fiancée!? I'm much more suitable for the prince!!"

During dinner, Cynthia was raging, but I was so engrossed in recalling Prince Keith's smile that I barely heard her.

"Yes, yes. Cynthia is far more suitable to be a queen than a girl like Margaret who lacks charm!"

"…Margaret's mother was from a baronial family in the empire."

My stepmother glared at me as my father spoke. I was repeatedly hit with a ruler on my back and told:

"Because of your mother, your father and I, who loved each other, couldn't get married! She was a pitiful woman who used her status to claim love she never had!"

But I doubted those words. After all, even in her dying moments, my mother never called for my father.

"The prince is here."

"He's chatting with Cynthia."

"Should I spill the hot tea on him?"

Prince Keith occasionally visited the duchess's house, but the butler and maids never relayed this information to me. I learned from the fairies and hurriedly put on the best dress I had, fixed my hair, and rushed to meet him.

"Margaret, are you feeling well?"

"Prince Keith, thank you for your concern."

"Sister! Don't overexert yourself; you should still be resting!"

In front of Prince Keith, Cynthia spoke to me with a concerned look, as if she truly cared about my health. But from an angle where Prince Keith couldn't see, she sneered and mocked me. At just 12 years old, she was already so malicious; I secretly worried about her future.

"Margaret, is it delicious?"

"Yes, thank you."

Prince Keith invited me to a tea party at the palace, and for that occasion, I was allowed to wear a new dress and have my hair styled by the head maid (though it was very painful).

"Prince Keith, the macarons are delicious too!"

Seeing Cynthia in her frilly dress, with her fluffy pink hair, smiling brightly, I sighed softly.

The invitation mentioned that my sister Cynthia was also welcome. When my stepmother and Cynthia saw this, they were ecstatic, and the storm of insults directed at me was overwhelming. I was feeling disheartened when this happened.

Bang!

Suddenly, Prince Keith collapsed, causing a commotion.

"Ahh!"

"Call the palace doctor immediately!"

"Prince Keith!"

"It's a poison."

"The prince's tea was poisoned."

"Let's put poison in Cynthia's tea too."

"Poison!? Can you help?"

"No, I don't like the prince because he always talks to Cynthia."

"But he won't die. It will be painful and agonizing, but he won't die."

"Let's add a lethal dose of poison."

"That's great! He won't die. But he's suffering so much. Please, kooky, chocolate, mint!"

When I pleaded desperately, the fairies reluctantly cast a spell on Prince Keith.

Sparkle

Suddenly, Prince Keith's body was enveloped in light, radiating brilliantly.

"I... I..."

Prince Keith, who had just woken up, was dazed.

"Prince Keith! I'm so glad!"

Cynthia, crying, clung to Prince Keith. The prince alternated his gaze between Cynthia and me, who was in a daze (communicating with the fairies in my mind).

Later, it was discovered that the poison in the tea was administered by the prince's personal maid. It was a new type of poison with a delayed effect, and no abnormalities were detected when the taster tried it. The taster had also collapsed shortly before the prince.

Thanks to the fairies' magic, Prince Keith's pain subsided completely, and the doctor's examination found no issues. The story of the tea party became known as "The Miracle of the Crown Prince" and was a major topic of discussion not only in the palace but throughout the country.

"It wasn't a miracle; it was because of us."

"He wouldn't have died anyway."

"Let's poison him again."

I couldn't help but laugh at the fairies, who were flying around discontentedly.