I, the Female Lead, Ruined the Original

It has been over three years since Margrave Gotenfrid started frequenting the capital during the social season. Perhaps as a butterfly effect of Agnesia’s escape, he remained unmarried and actively searched for a bride in the social circles, always attending the imperial banquets where people gathered the most. The fact that he didn’t show up today was certainly suspicious.

Selleana’s anxious gaze swept over her friends, all of whom seemed equally puzzled by the situation.

“Could he have kidnapped Nesia?”

“Surely not… Nesia is a priestess. Would he really risk provoking the temple?”

“No matter how close they are, you can’t force a priest or priestess out of their duties.”

“Exactly. Besides, Nesia is an adult.” Doloret, who seemed to have already looked into it, answered immediately.

“Could it be that he’s gotten involved with another young lady in the meantime?”

“Yeah, yeah. That could be it.”

“He might have just been discussing business with Baron Merlin.”

Right, right. The friends tried to laugh along, agreeing with each other’s assumptions. If someone as famous as the margrave had fallen for someone, rumors would have spread by now, so everyone knew it was just idle speculation.

“Don’t worry. It’s probably not a kidnapping or anything.” Doloret quickly reassured them, seeing the darkening faces of her friends.

“If a priestess had been kidnapped, the great temple would be in an uproar. But there haven’t been any strange signs from that side. Even though Nesia hasn’t been active outside, our people have been watching 24/7 but haven’t seen a single hair of her…”

“Maybe she’s sick?”

“No matter how busy the healing priestesses are, they wouldn’t leave one of their own sick for this long, would they?”

As the friends speculated about Agnesia’s whereabouts with growing concern, a voice interrupted from beyond the curtain of the balcony.

“May I interrupt for a moment?”

It was Evan Glen, Rosalli’s older brother, who stood on the other side of the drapes.

What’s going on? The friends turned to Rosalli, but she merely shrugged, equally clueless.

Selleana answered on behalf of the group. “Yes, come in!”

“I apologize for interrupting your conversation,” Evan said, still standing outside the balcony, pulling back the curtain slightly. “Rosalli, could you come for a moment? Their Majesties want to see Eirene up close.”

“

, really…?” Rosalli’s eyes quickly glanced at her friends, expressing surprise at this unexpected situation. After all, this wasn’t in the original script of Rosalli’s life.

“We’ll be here.”

“Don’t worry, and go on.”

Selleana and Doloret reassured her, and Michi nodded in encouragement.

“Yes, I’ll be back soon.”

Once the two Glens left, an uncomfortable silence fell over the balcony. All three friends were absorbed in their own thoughts, worried about the unexpected development that Rosalli had never wanted to happen.

“…Well, I suppose the imperial family would want to confirm Rosi’s identity, especially since she submitted her application for the crown princess selection.” Doloret, after gathering her thoughts, said while sipping wine.

“I just hope nothing bad happens to her…”

“Yes. No matter how much she tries not to get too attached, if they change their attitude like a flipping hand, it’s bound to hurt her…”

“But Duke Glen seems to trust Rosi enough, so he’ll likely quash any strange rumors.”

They were referring to the rumor that Rosalli, who had been adopted from an orphanage, was actually a commoner with a striking resemblance to the long-lost daughter of the Glen family. Regardless of the truth of the rumor, it would tarnish the Glen family’s reputation.

“If the imperial family finds out that Rosi is from a commoner background and rejects her application for the selection process, could she emigrate immediately?”

“Well, probably. People might gossip about the Glen family drawing a line with Rosi, but it won’t happen. Considering all that Rosalli has done as Lady Glen, they might even stop her from leaving immediately to prevent strange rumors…”

“Either way, it’s not a good situation.”

Selleana sipped her wine with a worried look on her face, thinking about how her friend was now being swept into an unpredictable situation because of her.

“…I hope Nesia is okay too.”

“Yeah… Let’s keep an eye on things, and if it gets worse…”

“Yes. I’ll submit a request to meet the high priest.”

Selleana immediately responded. Not just anyone could meet the high priest, the head of the Great Temple, but Elard wasn’t just ‘anyone.’

* * *

“Come in.”

It was in the special parlor on the third floor of the banquet hall where the emperor summoned those guests he wanted to meet privately. While this was familiar to the duke and his heir, it was Rosalli’s first time. After all, aside from the New Year’s greetings, it wasn’t common to see the emperor and empress up close.

“Everyone, please have a seat. That… young lady.”

“May the blessings of Orot shine upon the Sun of Nepelsian…”

“That’s enough. We already exchanged greetings earlier, haven’t we? And your name is?”

As Eirene awkwardly followed the formal greeting she had hastily memorized, the emperor waved his hand dismissively.

“M-My name is Eirene.”

“Eirene, is it?”

The emperor’s blue eyes glanced at the duke. Duke Glen gave a small nod before sitting in the seat offered to him.

“It’s a good name.”

“I-I am honored….” Eirene quickly bowed her head in gratitude and then sat beside Rosalli, following her lead.

The emperor and empress’s eyes carefully scanned the two ladies seated together.

“So, it turns out that the late duchess left not two but three children behind. It must be a comfort in your old age. And to give her your wife’s name… You must have loved her dearly.”

“I’m honored that you remember my late wife.”

Duchess Glen had fallen ill after ‘Rosalli’ had gone missing. When all efforts to find their daughter proved fruitless, assuming she was likely dead, Duke Glen adopted a girl who resembled Rosalli, raising her as Rosalli. He wanted his wife, in her final moments, to believe that their daughter had been found. Additionally, since a daughter could be useful, he raised that girl as the real Rosalli Glen. Thus, when the real Rosalli returned after more than ten years, he had no choice but to give her a new name. To emphasize her legitimacy, she was named after the late duchess.

“I called you here not only to see Lady Eirene up close…”

As the emperor gestured towards Eirene, who had been staring blankly at him, she was startled and quickly lowered her head again.

“There is an application from Glen for the crown princess selection, isn’t there?”

“Yes.”

“I wonder if you’ve considered changing the name on that application…?”

“It’s just curiosity on our part, you see. Since your second daughter is debuting in society today, we wondered if perhaps she would be entering the selection.”

“Indeed. After all, only one daughter can participate.”

In essence, it was a test for Rosalli’s lineage. If the real daughter was present, no one would place an adopted daughter in the honored position of crown princess. It was also a way to see how the Glen family would handle Rosalli in the future.

Of course, the emperor knew the truth. After all, the Glen family had spent the past few days and a great deal of effort and money fabricating records to show that the late duchess had three daughters, not two.

“As for that application…”

Rosalli unconsciously tensed as her adoptive father glanced at her. She could handle small slights, but public humiliation was another matter entirely.

“That application is in the name of our eldest daughter, isn’t it?”

Relief, tinged with bitterness, washed over her. Ever since the real Rosalli had returned, the duke, despite giving his daughter a new name, avoided calling Rosalli as much as possible.

“Eirene has been recuperating in the territory for a long time, so I plan to keep her by my side for a while to help her adjust to life in the capital.”

“

, I see, yes…”

The emperor nodded, understanding that Glen intended to continue treating Rosalli as a true daughter. He wasn’t concerned with the specific participants of the crown princess; if bloodlines were an issue, they could simply eliminate her from the competition.

“I understand. Once again, congratulations on your recovery and arrival in the capital, Lady Eirene.”

“T-Thank you, Your Majesty.” Eirene bowed her head again.

“And Lady Rosalli?” The empress addressed her next. “You must have worked hard helping your sister with her sudden debut.”

“It was nothing, Your Majesty. I’m just happy to finally show her the joys of life in the capital.” In truth, she had planned to say a brief farewell, but Rosalli gave the most clever answer she could manage.

“With your mother gone, you must have a lot to take care of as the eldest daughter. Would it be all right if I offered a prayer for you?”

“Oh my, Your Majesty personally…”

Duke Glen and his heir exchanged surprised looks. It wasn’t every day that one received a prayer from the empress, a saintess of Orot.

Rosalli had no need for the prayer, but she had no reason to refuse it either. As she knelt before the empress, who reached out to her, Rosalli sensed the shining eyes of the two men behind her.

“Orot, who governs our lives…”

With that, the empress clasped her hands, and the prayer began.