I’m Supposed to Be the Neglected Princess in the Future, but Something Seems Strange... - 0 - Prologue
I was always compared to my older sister.
Even when I was very young, I could already feel it—not just the servants in the castle talking behind my back, but my own parents also treated me coldly.
Rose, the second princess, had an average face and was ordinary at everything she did.
Lea, the first princess, was beautiful, graceful, and full of many talents.
Even children in the city streets knew about the two princesses of the Kingdom of Gridor.
The king and queen of Gridor both had good looks. The king was called a wise ruler, and the queen was talented in everything she did—someone who never failed in anything.
It was often said that the only failure in the queen’s perfect life was giving birth to Rose.
And that rumor wasn’t completely wrong.
The royal family had two princes and two princesses.
When the youngest child, Rose, was born, the king suspected the queen of being unfaithful.
That was because Rose’s looks were just too plain—she didn’t look like either her father or mother.
The queen denied the accusations completely, but from then on, a cold distance grew between the king and queen.
The queen deeply resented Rose, who had caused it all.
Of course, the king also refused to admit that Rose was truly his daughter.
He ignored her very existence and never even greeted her when they met.
Because of their attitudes, even her brothers and sister didn’t see Rose as family.
From a young age, Rose had always felt out of place and unwanted.
Maybe to keep up appearances with other countries, Rose was still given her own room in the castle.
But that room was far away in a corner, and she wasn’t allowed to eat at the same table as her parents.
“Princess, is this all your luggage?”
Mira, Rose’s only maid, asked while showing her the clothes packed in the travel bag.
Mira and her mother were the only two people who truly understood Rose.
Mira’s mother had been Rose’s wet nurse.
When the queen didn’t even want to look at Rose after she was born, Mira’s mother raised her instead.
Because of all the time they spent together, she loved Rose like her own daughter.
Mira grew up beside Rose like a sister, so no matter what anyone said, she always stood by her side.
Rose looked at the bag, packed full of clothes, and let out a heavy sigh.
(…It’s finally time.)
Three days ago, Rose turned seventeen.
Of course, her parents didn’t celebrate.
Only Mira and the wet nurse were there, and they ate Mira’s homemade cake together.
With their warm “Happy birthday” still in her heart, Rose had fallen asleep peacefully that night.
But then, she had a strange dream.
It was a dream about ten years in the future.
The next morning, Rose woke up suddenly—and she was pale with fear.
She didn’t know why, but after waking up, she clearly remembered everything from the next ten years.
It felt like she had come back from the future into the past.
Confused, she asked Mira over and over again what the current year was, without explaining why.
(This can’t be real… Am I really in the past? Or was that just a weird dream? But… something’s not right if it was just a dream.)
She had only been dreaming for a few hours.
But somehow, she had full memories of ten years. That couldn’t be normal.
Rose tried to convince herself it was just a dream—but then, something happened that day that proved her future memories were real.
That afternoon, a messenger from the king came to her room.
The king, who lived in the same castle but refused to acknowledge Rose as his daughter, would never come himself.
When he had something to say, he always sent a servant.
And it was always a strict order that Rose couldn’t refuse.
The messenger calmly gave the message:
—“Two days from now, you will board the Princess Lea ship along with Princess Lea.”
As soon as she heard those words, Rose felt her whole body shake.
The Princess Lea was a luxury steamship, built to celebrate the engagement between her sister Lea and Crown Prince Raphael of the southern kingdom of Martan, across the Evere Sea.
It had just finished its first voyage.
With 150 rooms, from third class to first class, it was the newest and finest ship ever built.
(…No…)
After the messenger left, Rose fell to her knees and covered her face with her hands.
The plan was for Princess Lea and Prince Raphael to travel together for one month on the ship.
This event was a major part of Rose’s future.
It also proved that the future she saw in her dream was real.
Yes—after this voyage on the Princess Lea, Lea would disappear, and Rose would become engaged to Raphael in her place.
And in the future waiting beyond that, Rose would live as a neglected princess in the powerful Martan Kingdom…
Alone, and filled with despair every day.