I Don’t Need Them Anymore — Abandoning the Family That Never Loved Me, I Find Happiness in a Neighboring Kingdom - Chapter 0

The Kingdom of Yusers, where I live, is a nation so developed in culinary culture that it’s called “the world’s kitchen.” Located at the tip of a peninsula in the southern part of the continent, it’s surrounded by sea on three sides, making trade flourish.

Though it’s a vibrant country, its coastal geography meant it suffered from pirate troubles. The Kingdom of Yusers had many merchants but few capable of dealing with pirates, leaving no choice but to seek help from other nations.

Thanks to the neighboring Kingdom of Rofeus across the sea dispatching their military, the people of Yusers, including the royal family, can now live in peace.

Hearing this alone, one might think Yusers is a happy country without any problems, but there was one issue causing headaches.

It concerned the two princesses. The elder sister, twenty-year-old Ramula Mishnour, was beautiful with a gentle personality—long, straight golden hair, translucent white skin, and sky-blue eyes. She was beloved by many citizens. Meanwhile, I, the younger sister Dahlia, had gray hair and sea-green eyes. Unlike my sister, my features were plain.

Two years ago, the Kingdom of Rofeus proposed that my sister marry their crown prince, Edith Torune.

Not only was the young Prince Fandar still a child, but Crown Prince Edith, nearly twenty, had never appeared in public due to poor health.

Since he never showed his face, many in Yusers assumed he was ugly and secretly mocked him, dubbing him the “Monster Prince.”

My parents agonized over sending my sister to such a person, but defying them meant losing their protection. They had no choice but to reluctantly accept the proposal.

“It’s for the sake of the people. I’m prepared for this,” my sister said.

This statement only increased her popularity among the citizens, and many grew fiercely resentful about her being married off to Rofeus. I sometimes overheard people saying, “If only the sisters were reversed.”

Long ago, because my hair and eye color didn’t match my parents’, I was suspected of being an illegitimate child. An investigation revealed that my paternal grandfather had the same hair and eye colors, clearing the doubt, but because of this, I became disliked by my parents and the people. It didn’t help that my brother, born the same year, inherited our father’s hair and eyes.

Whenever I heard such remarks, my fiancé, Loin Zerath, would scoff.

“Dahlia, you’re shy and reserved, that’s why they talk like that. You should be more confident. You’re cute when you smile. More people would acknowledge you then.”

Loin, the eldest son of a ducal house, was a handsome man with golden hair and crimson eyes. His features were well-proportioned, and he was self-assured. There was no way he could understand the feelings of a failure like me.

“I’m trying my best to act cheerful even now, but it’s really difficult,” I said.

“Then it can’t be helped. I’ll protect you, Dahlia.”

“Thank you. I’ll try harder too.”

I knew I was being insecure. But I just wanted to meet someone, anyone who would love me more than my sister. And just as I started hoping that person could be Loin, an incident occurred.

“Just for one night, I want to borrow your fiancé.”

With her wedding just two days away, my sister came to my room and said this with tear-filled eyes.

“Wh-why would you say that? There are plenty of other excellent knights.”

“I don’t want to borrow him as a knight. I want to borrow him as a man.”

“As a man…? That makes even less sense. Loin is my fiancé. I don’t know what you’re planning, but even for you, sister, I can’t just lend him out.”

“Please, Dahlia, I’m begging you.”

My sister clung to me, tears streaming down her face.

“I really don’t want to get married.”

“I understand not wanting to marry, but why does Loin have to be involved?”

“Because I—”

Mid-sentence, a large, rough-looking man dressed as a knight suddenly appeared behind her.

“…!”

I’d never seen him before and sensed danger, so I tried to pull my sister inside and close the door. But when she turned and saw the man, she shoved me aside and moved behind him.

“Sister?”

“…Dahlia, I’m truly sorry. This wouldn’t have happened if you’d just lent me Loin willingly.”

As I tried to speak to my sobbing sister, the man entered the room and without a word slapped me across the face. I was thrown back, hit my head against the nearby wall, and lost consciousness.