Branches and blades of grass slashed wildly across her arms and calves, but she could feel no pain.
It was as though all her senses had broken.
Breathing raggedly, Talia raced through the winding forest path like a runaway racehorse.
Then suddenly, her foot caught on a protruding tree root, and she tumbled hard to the ground.
Buried among the bushes, chest heaving violently, Talia abruptly burst into laughter.
What would Senevier say if she saw her like this?
Most likely, she would furrow her beautiful brow and slowly shake her head.
It almost felt as though she could hear her mother’s mocking voice drifting from somewhere nearby.
“You have two paths before you. One is to obtain the man you desire by any means necessary. The other is to become a loser who is at least slightly # Nоvеlight # less pathetic.”
Senevier seemed to want her to become some seductive temptress and lure him in, but Talia could never become someone like Senevier, not even if she died trying.
Senevier would have seized what she wanted no matter the method.
But Talia did not know what she should do beyond praying for this painful time to end as quickly as possible.
Staring up at the fragmented sky visible between the branches, Talia eventually forced herself upright.
Emerging from the dark forest path with weary steps, she spotted several knights milling about in confusion.
Passing by them, she headed toward her carriage, only for that imperial guard knight — Rubon or whatever his name was — to quickly step into her path.
“Where in the world have you been without saying a single word! I’ve repeatedly told you that you cannot wander around alone without an escort.......”
The knight abruptly stopped mid-scolding.
He appeared genuinely startled by the sight of her disheveled state.
“What in the...... your appearance...... Don’t tell me something happened to you somewhere?”
Ignoring him, she stepped onto the carriage stairs.
But the man seemed unwilling to stop lecturing her.
Gripping the doorframe, he continued in a firm voice,
“It is my duty to protect Your Highness. Therefore—”
“Someone seeing you now might actually think you’re worried about me.”
Talia looked down at him mockingly.
“It seems you were ordered not to take your eyes off the lunatic princess for even a moment...... but if you’re going to monitor me, then perhaps you should stay alert. Why are you blaming me for something you missed because you were standing around like an idiot?”
The man clamped his mouth shut as though speechless.
Talia slammed the carriage door shut directly in his face.
The knight cursed harshly after getting his fingers caught in the door.
Thankfully the gauntlets seemed to spare him any serious injury, but judging by the continued grumbling outside, he was clearly in considerable pain.
As always, Talia ignored every complaint drifting in from outside.
Had she listened to every word spoken about her by the people surrounding her, she would have gone mad long ago.
After becoming an imperial princess, the very first thing she learned was how to let words pass by unheard.
Pulling the heavy curtains shut across the window where the pale light of dawn streamed in, Talia curled up into herself like a hedgehog.