02
（I hate her…… I hate that woman! I
will absolutely kill her with my own two hands.）
Everything that Candice
possessed was on the verge of falling into the filthy hands of Louise. There was no way she
could ever forgive such a thing.
「Why are you in the place where I
belong!?」
「I just wanted to save everyone. And
yet……hk」
「Stop spouting such nonsense. Take
your filthy hands off right this instant!」
No matter how much Candice
yelled, Louise would not
leave their father's side. Wanting to be acknowledged by her father, the Emperor of this country, Candice had put in grueling,
blood-spitting effort since she was young. Learning the behavior appropriate
for an Imperial Princess,
acquiring martial prowess so as not to lose to her other siblings like this……
it was all for the sake of being loved by her father. And yet, the moment Louise arrived at the Royal Palace, everything was
destroyed.
In the blink of an eye, Louise seized the hearts of her other siblings and their
father. And even though she had accepted the marriage proposal with this man
for her father's sake, he, without taking the side of his fiancée Candice, was standing next to Louise as if it were only
natural.
（As if I would ever forgive that
woman who stole my place to belong!）
Candice maneuvered to eliminate Louise somehow, but at every turn, her other siblings moved
to protect her. And Louise,
too, successfully won them over to her side.
（……You are a hindrance!）
In order to show off her own strength and to eliminate Louise, Candice went around killing the
older brothers who got in her way. Candice
had always remembered these words her father told her when she was young: 『I shall have the strongest among you
inherit my position. Hone your skills.』
Those words gave Candice
immense hope, while simultaneously becoming her reason to eliminate any
hindrances. She had dreamt of nothing but being loved by her father for so, so
long. Other than that, everything else was unnecessary to Candice. But to this day, her
father would not look at her.
Until Louise
arrived, Candice had
been the sole Imperial Princess
of the Diagard Empire.
Her mother, who had never come to the palace since she was born and lived
apart, had died, leaving Candice
with only her father, the Emperor,
as her remaining parent. Having never once obtained her mother's love, Candice came to want to be loved
by her father. That desire swelled greatly day by day, and Candice lived dreaming of the day
he would smile at her.
「Are you abandoning me, who has
devoted myself with absolute sincerity for Otou-sama's sake!? The one
fitting for the Diagard Empire
is not that filthy rat, but me, who draws from a distinguished and noble
bloodline!」
「…………Enough. I am disappointed in you.」
「Eh……?」
Candice stood dumbfounded at her father's words.
『I am disappointed in you.』
Because these words were what Candice least wanted to hear. The clacking sound of boots
echoed. Right before her eyes was the figure of the father she had yearned for
so deeply. Telling herself that his previous words were just her imagination,
she convinced herself that she hadn't been wrong.
「I beg of you……! Otou-sama,
please love me.」
「Take this one to the dungeon.」
「The dungeon……!? Why!」
「You are unpleasant. Never show me
that face again.」
「Wh-y……?」
Her heart ached so much it was a shock that left her unable
to breathe.
（Why won't Otou-sama love me!?
Even more than that woman over there, I am the one who has surely been thinking
about Otou-sama much more……!）
Everything Candice had built up until now came crumbling down. Her father took Louise and walked past Candice, leaving her behind. Louise stopped beside Candice and spoke, as if whispering into her ear.
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