The Young Lady Whose Engagement Was Annulled Decided to Observe What Would Become of the Kingdom thereafter - Chapter 20

…It hurts.

As my consciousness returned, a wave of pain surged through my entire body. But even that pain was proof that I was still alive. When I think about it, the fact that I survived falling off that cliff is a miracle in itself.

Slowly, I opened my eyes.

“Is… is my face okay?”

That was my first concern. Pushing past the pain, I instinctively reached up with both hands to touch my face. I couldn’t feel anything—no, there was sensation. So it must be fine.

As my vision cleared, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling. Rough wooden beams ran across it, with straw poking out in places. Where… am I?

I tried to sit up from the bed I was lying on. But sharp pain stabbed through me, and a groan escaped my lips. Still, I clenched my teeth and forced my body upright. I needed to understand my situation. What had become of me?

Looking around, I confirmed that I was indeed in a shabby little hut. The wooden walls were decaying in spots, and wind slipped through the cracks. The bed I had been lying on was falling apart, and the blanket covering me smelled foul. Nausea welled up inside me. I couldn’t believe I had been sleeping in such a place.

“I need to get out of here… quickly.”

Suppressing the pain, I stood up. That’s when I noticed I wasn’t wearing my usual attire. Instead, I had on coarse linen clothing—clearly something a commoner would wear. Where was my luxurious dress?

What is this situation…?

My cosmetics were gone. I had left them with Liese, but I abandoned her. Thinking back on it, it might have been foolish. But I had no choice—my life was more important. If I had tried to help her, I would’ve been caught too.

“You’re awake, are you?”

Suddenly, a voice called out. I turned around to see an elderly woman standing in the doorway, carrying firewood in her arms. Her back was hunched. Relief washed over me. Thank goodness it wasn’t a man. I couldn’t bear for a man to see me in such a vulnerable state.

“Grandmother, were you the one who saved me?”

I asked politely. It was obvious from her appearance that she was a commoner, but right now, I had no choice but to rely on her.

“Yes, that’s right. I found you collapsed in the forest. How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine.”

Not fine at all. My whole body ached, and my head was heavy. But I forced the most charming smile I could muster, trying to appear unscathed.

“Where exactly am I?”
“Hmm? This is Silwa Village.”

Silwa Village? I’ve never heard of it. I must be far from the capital. What happened to the men who helped me? Were they killed in that fight? Or captured? Either way, I’ll likely never see them again.

A wave of unease passed through me as I realized how utterly alone I was.

“You took quite a blow to the face when you fell from that cliff.”
“What?”

I gasped at the old woman’s words.

“My face? But… it’s nothing serious, right?”

I asked in a panic. An injury to my face? No, it must be minor. Otherwise…

“Well, just take it easy for now. Don’t push yourself.”

The old woman gave me a gentle smile as she spoke. But in her eyes, I sensed something—something like pity. That look filled me with unbearable dread.

“Grandmother, do you have a mirror?”
“A mirror? No one in this village owns something that fancy.”
“Then maybe a polished metal plate?”
“Nope. You should be resting instead of worrying about that.”

Frustration bubbled up inside me. Why couldn’t I check my appearance? How could I not confirm my beauty? But maybe she was right. I needed to recover my strength first.

The old woman left the room. Alone again, I began to think about what I should do next.

I had to escape the kingdom. The Vermilion family’s soldiers might be nearby. Pursuers sent by King Zain could come at any moment.

“But I’ll be fine. I have my beauty.”

With this face, I could enchant any man. That’s how I became queen. This time too—if I use this beauty, I’ll survive. Surely, there are young men in this village. If I can win them over, I can get them to escort me to the border.

As I thought this, my eyes fell on a wooden bucket filled with water in the corner of the room. Yes, I could use that to check my face. I hurried over and peered into the surface.

I stared at the reflection. What… is this? Who is this?

The face in the water wasn’t mine. A deep gash ran from the left cheek to the forehead. My lip was torn, my nose crooked.

“No… this isn’t me…”

With trembling fingers, I touched my cheek. The reflection moved with me. It couldn’t be. That wasn’t me. I was the daughter of Count Crimson, the most beautiful woman in the Granzwei Kingdom. A prince cast aside his fiancée to be with me. Someone like me couldn’t look like… this.

“This is a lie. It’s a lie!”

Overcome with panic and fear, I forgot the pain and bolted from the room. Ignoring the old woman’s calls, I ran toward the stream I had seen at the edge of the village.

The calm surface of the river mirrored the surroundings like glass. I hesitantly looked in.

What I saw was the same face from the bucket. The gash from my cheek to forehead wasn’t just a cut—it was a tear. My hair had fallen out in patches, uneven and rough.

There wasn’t a trace of my former beauty.

“No… no, this can’t be…”

My knees gave out, and I collapsed by the riverside. I couldn’t accept it. My beauty was everything. It was my weapon, my pride—my very reason for existence.

“It’s only temporary. It’ll heal.”

I desperately told myself that. If I could find a renowned healer, I could return to normal. Yes, with enough money, anything is possible.

But deep down, I already knew. These wounds would never heal. My beautiful face was lost—forever.

“No, I’m still beautiful. I am beautiful!”

I screamed. It was my last desperate resistance against reality.

“Amaryllis Crimson. I became queen. There’s no way someone like me could end up with a face like this. This is a nightmare. Just a bad dream.”

And so I remained by the riverbank, repeating those words over and over. I couldn’t accept reality.

Several days passed.
Amaryllis lost her sanity. The people of Silwa Village pitied her and continued to look after her. None of them knew she had once been queen. They treated her as nothing more than an unfortunate girl.

Every day, Amaryllis believed herself to be a beautiful princess, treating the villagers as her attendants. At times, she demanded, “Call me queen,” and the villagers would gently reply, “Yes, Your Majesty,” so as not to upset her.

Months later, a traveling merchant from the capital brought news:
King Zain had been executed for treason. The Vermilion family led the effort to reclaim the capital, restoring King Garland to the throne. The crown then passed to the second prince, Leon.

When Amaryllis heard this, she only smiled, not understanding a thing.

“My husband is the king. That makes me the queen. The beautiful queen.”

She whispered, stroking her scarred face with both hands, wearing a haunting smile.

She never regained her sanity again.