"Are you alright? You look so pale," Suse remarks after Lina has exited the room and closed the door.

  "I could say the same about you," Lina replies. "Your reaction seemed a bit exaggerated."

  "Well, today isn't an ordinary day, is it?" Suse says, sighing. "But I admit, my reaction might have been a bit over the top. I'll apologize to her later."

  "Thank you," Lina continues.

  But Suse isn't wrong. Lina's hands are starting to shake, and her heartbeat is accelerating.

  Accompanied by Suse, who has been waiting outside Lina's room, they head towards the breakfast room.

  Lina's room is at the end of a wide corridor, which, like the other corridors in the castle, is illuminated by lamps at night or on dark days.

  The corridor walls are freshly painted. The red carpet is wrinkle-free.

  Floor vases in the shape of a female body adorn every corridor in the castle. These vases, filled with water and flowers, give Lina a sense of freshness, fertility, and liveliness amid the otherwise old-fashioned castle.

  To Lina's surprise, even the paintings with bright frames are cleaned to the smallest detail.

  The paintings on this floor depict Lina's entire family, including the colorful painting at the end of the corridor that shows her family in the magnificent garden behind the castle.

  The higher up in the castle you go, the more familial the paintings become. Paintings of the castle are on the second floor, of the entire city on the first floor, and paintings from around the world on the ground floor.

  In front of her room is her brother's room.

  In the front part of the corridor are two additional rooms.

  One of them is empty and belonged to Lina's grandparents during their lifetimes. The other room is occupied by her personal butler.

  Had Lina and Suse gone to the right, they would have stood before a massive double door leading to the royal chambers and the bedroom of Lina's parents.

  Instead, they head left and descend a wide staircase to the lower floors.

  The stairwell is designed very intricately. This was done to protect the privacy of the royal family. While the third floor is only accessible by stairs, multiple staircases descend from the second floor to the lower levels.

  On the second floor of the castle, the guest rooms are located. Additionally, Suse and the household cook each have a room in a corridor. Next to their rooms is another one—the Mask Room—and right next to this door, inconspicuously behind a curtain in the same color as the walls, is a spiral staircase leading to the lower floors.

  Lina feels particularly aware of the significance of this day here.

  King's advisors hurry up a narrow staircase to his office, and maidservants offer Lina their congratulations. She gratefully accepts the first compliments, but the maidservants have no time for longer conversations, especially with Suse admonishingly standing beside Lina. They rush through the corridors or into the rooms to attend to their tasks.

  The maidservants' and coachman's rooms are on the first floor.

  From here, Lina can see several generals gathered at the edge of the corridor, discussing matters. Their soldiers are also stationed on the ground floor, waiting for instructions.

  All these soldiers are originally from Londe. They are either freshly trained, past their prime, or have volunteered to be transferred to Rilgohin.

  They are inexperienced, old, and lazy.

  To get into the dining room unnoticed, they use the spiral staircase, and the cool air as they descend gives Lina goosebumps.

  The staircase leads Lina and Suse into a corridor on the ground floor, where they are immediately greeted by the smell of freshly baked bread and roasted wild boar, which noticeably lifts their spirits.

  At the end of the corridor stands a man, invitingly, in front of the dining room.

  He wears a white long chef's jacket and toque.

  Lina would have recognized him even without his work clothes, as his distinctive mustache immediately catches the eye. This man is the happiest person Lina knows, as he is always smiling.

  He is the royal chef—Recaprio.

  He congratulates her on her birthday and praises her beautiful turquoise dress.

  In the hierarchy of the servants, Recaprio stands directly behind the butler and the housekeeper Suse, in third place. Lina thanks him.

  "You seem downcast," Suse notices.

  "Is it that obvious?" Recaprio asks.

  "Oh no, not you—Lina!" Suse means.

  "I don't like being the center of attention," Lina responds.

  "That's something you can't avoid today, it's your birthday after all," Suse says.

  "I'm serious, Suse," Lina mentions dejectedly. "I already feel queasy."

  "Don't worry. It's not common for your parents to be outside the castle walls. The same goes for your brother. This means that just as much attention will be focused on them," Suse reassures her, sinking briefly into her thoughts.

  "You seem thoughtful," Lina observes.

  "Do I?" Recaprio asks.

  "NOT YOU, RECAPRIO!" both emphasize and laugh.

  "Isn't it a good thing that people from all over the country finally have the chance to see the entire royal family?" Lina asks as Recaprio discreetly moves away.

  "Maybe not everyone..." Suse replies, lost in thought.

  A shadow falls across the corridor, and a clearing of the throat interrupts their conversation.

  "I'll take over now, Suse," says a pleasantly light and warm voice.

  Just like Recaprio before him, Suse quickly takes her leave.

  "Miss Elmhart—another year older. My congratulations are in order," he says, bowing with a smiling face.

  Lina instinctively ducks to avoid a collision of their heads and thanks the tall, older gentleman.

  The man has a wrinkled face, gray bushy eyebrows, and a bald patch.

  Although his best years are behind him, his clothes are as immaculate as on his first day at work.

  He is the royal butler. His name is Stewart.

  And like no other, he is a man who must be reliable. Stewart must maintain silence about everything that happens within the family, taking on the role of confidant, and act morally and ethically. His top priority is to preserve the good reputation of the family he serves, and thus his own reputation as well.

  Because: A butler with a bad reputation can only be the butler of a family with a bad reputation—so goes the common belief.

  "How was your morning?" Stewart asks as he guides Lina into the spacious dining room.

  "Too short," Lina replies. "Suse and Cecie performed that endlessly long tap dance."

  "I hope you enjoyed it—we practiced it diligently yesterday."

  "We?" Lina smirks, and her excitement wanes a bit as she imagines Stewart doing the tap dance and shifts her thoughts elsewhere.

  "Ah, Lina, there you are," her mother says, visibly relieved after recovering from the fright of Mister Red.

  She sits with her legs crossed at the dining table, savoring her wine spritzer from a crystal-clear, tulip-shaped glass with a long stem.

  Behind her, the doors to the wide veranda are open, inviting a variety of activities, especially in the summer.

  Stewart adjusts one of the gray velvet armchairs for Lina. After she sits down, he pours orange juice into her glass. "Thank you, Stewart."

  The dishes are made of fine Wedgwood porcelain, and the cutlery gleams so much that Lina can see her reflection clearly.

  In fact, the mirror hanging on the opposite wall seems almost redundant.

  Below the mirror is a gray bench with a high backrest, adorned with quilted seams and decorative buttons, matching the dining chairs.

  The walls are painted in a coral hue, and the table is lavishly set.

  Fresh fruit is available, ranging from apples and bananas to plums, peaches, cherries, and strawberries. There is also dark rye bread with homemade rosehip jam and boiled eggs. In honor of Lina's birthday, her favorite dish—pear pudding—is also on the table.

  This is all that her mother, father, and brother have left from breakfast this morning, except for the remnants of the pink roast wild boar on a platter. This dish is a favorite of her father and brother. It is the only thing they consume morning, noon, and night. Lina is sure of that.

  Meanwhile, Stewart stands next to Joane, his age not evident given his speed.

  His left arm is primarily behind his back, while he holds a tray in his right hand, which bears a bottle of wine and a large water jug.

  Joane finishes her glass in one go, grimaces briefly, shakes her head like a wet dog, sets the glass on the tray, and claps her hands.

  "Let's hurry," she says. "Otherwise, we won't make it to the city today."

  "You're just adding to my stress," murmurs Lina, prompting Joane to lean back.

  Meanwhile, Stewart is already refilling Joane's glass.

  "Have you had one too many already?" Lina asks wearily.

  "Maybe three or four," her mother laughs, "But it serves as a tranquilizer," she adds. "The squirrel is to blame."

  Then Joane takes another sip.

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  "Stewart," she begins, "The wine is exquisite. Have I mentioned that already?"

  "Four times, Your Highness," Stewart responds kindly as he refills her glass.

  In contrast, Lina pokes listlessly at her pudding.

  Her stomach is in knots, she is restless, and she shakes all over.

  "Are you not feeling well, dear?" Joane asks with concern.

  "What if the people don't accept or like me?" Lina muses.

  Joane thinks for a moment.

  "Lina, not everyone in this country supports our family," she replies gently. "Some may not like us—they might even hate us. But that's unavoidable. It's human nature.

  No matter what position you hold or what you do—whether you're kind to people, help them, or act morally—there will always be some who don't like you.

  What's important is that you feel comfortable with your decisions and actions, as long as you make them with the intention of doing good. It doesn't matter what they think of you, even if they disapprove. Live your life in a way that you believe is right, not as others think it should be."

  Lina occasionally forgets how wise her mother is.

  "Have a little something to eat. It will do you as much good as the wine does for me," Joane chuckles with pleasure, trying to mask her own worries about the public's reaction to their family.

  Lina doubts that the breakfast will have the same effect on her as the wine does on her mother.

  But why did everyone go through all that trouble if she doesn't even take a bite?

  "Where are Father and Vynce, anyway?" she asks, taking a bite of bread with rosehip jam.

  "They've already eaten," Joane replies. "Vyncent wanted to work on his close combat training, and your father is discussing something with Albes. We'll meet them in the entrance hall."

  After a few minutes, Lina is finished. Or rather, she's full. She managed to eat no more than two slices of bread. Left behind are the crust and half of her uneaten pear pudding.

  "Stewart, please pack us some food for the road."

  It's not the best start to her 14th year. But on the bright side, things can only improve from here.

  Joane hands Lina a small sun hat before they head to the entrance hall together. On the red carpet, Lina truly feels like a fairy-tale princess in her unique turquoise dress.

  If it weren't for one thing.

  It's remarkable that her mother can still walk somewhat reasonably, let alone stand upright, after all she has drunk.

  Because now Joane is more than tipsy, and Lina struggles to keep an eye on her mother while not tripping over her own dress.

  ...and it happens. Joane stumbles, but Lina saves her from disaster. She manages to prevent the fall just before impact and pulls her mother back up.

  With wide eyes and open mouths, everyone in the entrance hall shows their surprise at Lina's strength.

  Normally, such a situation would have overwhelmed any 14-year-old girl, but Lina appears unaffected. Her mother thanks her excessively, which makes Lina quite uncomfortable.

  "Hurry up, my dears, everyone is just waiting for you," Edmur calls to them with open arms.

  The entrance hall is decorated with statues of Lina's parents, positioned on either side of the main staircase, creating a strong contrast. Joane's statue, holding an olive branch, symbolizes harmony and peace. In contrast, Edmur's bronze statue embodies power and authority, evoking respect, admiration, and fear in viewers.

  Both statues are illuminated by gilded floor lamps, which are also scattered throughout the foyer.

  To their left is the throne room, flanked by two natural stone figures. These represent the royal guards in full armor, their lances crossed over the entrance door.

  Above them, the emblem of the royal house is carved into the stone wall, symbolizing that the royal guard protects the royal family from evil.

  The entrance hall, with its stone walls and antique but impressive chandeliers, is part of the old section of the castle.

  Under the chandelier, Edmur is waiting, with the royal guard in the background. Next to him is his son—Vyncent Elmhart, Lina's older brother.

  Vyncent wears a finely stitched velvet doublet with subtle gold accents and a black cloak with with a silver-embroidered battlement symbol on the left side. His shoulder-length, dark blonde curls are styled so they don't fall into his face, thereby not obscuring his small, brown eyes.

  He has a broad, square face and, at 16, is already as tall as his father standing beside him.

  "You look great, little sister."

  "Shush."

  As Vyncent greets his sister and offers his congratulations, Joane stumbles into Edmur's arms. "Oops."

  She tries to cover her drunken state with laughter, but it only makes it worse. She stubbornly tries to stand upright without any help—unsuccessfully. She clings to Edmur so tightly that she nearly tears his clothes.

  "So, are you excited?" Vyncent asks his little sister, trying to defuse the drama.

  "A bit. Aren't you?" Lina asks.

  "I might as well continue training," he replies.

  "Don't you want to know how people will react to us?" she asks excitedly.

  "You don't need to be a fortune teller. You can guess," he says.

  "What do you mean?" she asks, puzzled.

  "You'll see soon enough," he says.

  Meanwhile, Edmur is supporting his wife.

  "So, can we go?" he asks, annoyed with her.

  His children could have asked him this question.

  With a squeak, the front door opens. The royal guards step out first, followed by Edmur and Joane, arm in arm. Their children follow behind them.

  A gravel and sand path, lined with a red carpet, leads to the center of the courtyard, where a carriage is ready and waiting. Four horses are harnessed to the carriage.

  A passage on the left side leads through the left wing of the building to the back garden. Lina catches sight of Cecie standing by a castle window and waves briefly before getting into the carriage.

  The carriage then begins to move in the opposite direction, guided by the royal guards. Tulips, crocuses, and daffodils bloom on either side of the path, which Lina finds pleasing. This is in contrast to the ancient, gnarled tree standing to the right of the passage through which they are now driving.

  Shortly after the passage, a winding path descends and blends harmoniously into the landscape. At the end of the path, they reach a gate set into the wall, which is opened and closed by stationed soldiers. This ensures that uninvited guests cannot enter the grounds, as soldiers also patrol the walls. These walls extend into the eastern woods, visible from Lina's room, allowing her to enjoy a glimpse of nature if she wishes.

  In front of the gate is a small guardhouse where visitors must register and check out. The wheels roll over the cobblestones as they pass through the gate.

  But Lina is unprepared for what follows. The noise level has increased dramatically, and suddenly a massive crowd surrounds their carriage. Lina's eyes sparkle with delight at the cheers of the masses.

  'S-M-A-S-H'.

  A rotten apple is thrown against the carriage window, shattering into a hundred pieces.

  Only then does Lina realize that they are not only being cheered. Instead, they are also being booed by just as many people. Many of the onlookers shout vulgar words and make derogatory gestures, while others are completely ecstatic with joy.

  The people scream, behave like wild animals, and try by all means to get closer to the carriage. The soldiers keep them at bay by positioning themselves on the left and right, pushing the crowd back to create a passage for the royal guard and the carriage.

  Even on balconies, at windows, and on rooftops, spectators have gathered to watch the scene unfold, while some individuals try to breach the soldiers' line.

  Finally, a woman manages to push through the ranks of soldiers. She steps into the path of the carriage and holds up a sign that reads: "You are not worthy!"

  A soldier throws himself at her, and the carriage can proceed without delay.

  The soldiers are more forceful with these individuals. Despite their best efforts, no one could have prepared them for such an overwhelming crowd. It seems as though the entire population of the country has gathered just to see the royal family.

  Lina feels suffocated. Even though people are several meters away, it feels as if their faces are pressed directly against the window panes.

  It's different for her family. Her father is visibly tense during the ride, worried about the safety of the family, while her mother is too drunk to notice anything. Only her brother is enjoying the chaotic crowd. He is the only one actively and joyfully interacting with the people from within the carriage.

  Lina watches the people on the rooftops.

  "Don't worry," Vyncent reassures her, "From this height, they'll never risk a jump..."

  'K-L-A-N-K'

  The roof of the carriage buckles inward, and a man falls behind the carriage onto the ground.

  "Is he alive?" Lina asks in shock, turning to Vyncent.

  Vyncent seems to be having a great time.

  "Nikolas!" Edmur calls to the driver, "If we don't speed up, the next one will throw you off the box!" he urges him.

  A royal guard prods the man with his lance to check if he's still alive. The man twitches. That's enough for the royal guard, who then instructs two soldiers to quickly remove the man from the road.

  He cannot stand up on his own, as his legs are broken. Even with the soldiers' help, he struggles, so they drag the injured man off the road behind them.

  Lina's eyes widen, and she listens intently.

  'What is going on here?!,' she thinks.

  The commotion and the large crowd make it difficult for Lina to focus on her surroundings. At least her mother seems to be doing well, as she is now deeply asleep.

  Lina had truly imagined this day differently. On the other hand, her brother's expectations have been far exceeded.

  "They love me," Vyncent waves enthusiastically at a group of women calling his name, already half out of the carriage window.

  "Lina, there are some boys your age. Maybe they'll turn as red as the girls do for me."

  "Shut up, Vynce!" Lina says irritably, and her father also seems to have had enough of him.

  He quickly pulls him back inside and closes the carriage window.

  "Oh, Father, let me have my fun," Vyncent says, "When else do you get the chance to be cheered like this?"

  A shoe hits the carriage door.

  "Is this what you call cheering?" Lina asks.

  "It's clear that not everyone likes us," her brother replies, "You know the history."

  "But shouldn't we, through history, do everything we can to change that in the future? - Father?" she asks, tapping her father, who is lost in thought.

  "Vyncent," he begins, "You made a good impression on your 14th birthday two years ago and will, at best, be appointed as the new king after me. People will treat you differently than they treat me. So, behave appropriately for your position," he admonishes him.

  "Lina," he says then, "No one has any expectations of you yet. The citizens are seeing you for the first time, so just put on a simple smile and make a good impression. You're worrying more than necessary. We discussed this yesterday."

  He then draws the curtains to block out the events outside the carriage.

  "No one has any prejudices against you yet. How you behave from here on out will determine whether people view you positively or negatively."

  "But Father, why do people call you the False King?" Lina asks. "It was written on many signs."

  Edmur snorts.

  "You know... Before I was appointed king, the Four Princes of Rilgohin ruled," he begins. "For centuries, the Wynfres bloodline was uncontested in power until the war was decided and the last four Wynfres—the Four Princes—were defeated. As a result, Londe gained complete control over Rilgohin and heralded a change in the country with the death of the princes. However, to ensure control in Rilgohin, a new king had to be placed on the throne. I was fortunate enough to be that king. To this day, many citizens are against this decision. Their customs state—'If the Wynfres bloodline ends and its last legitimate ruler has not appointed a successor to the throne, the citizens of this land shall choose a new ruler.' An abstract method, in my opinion. But not too abstract for some, it seems. For these individuals, it's reason enough to label me as the false king," he explains. "Despite our efforts to pull this country from the ashes and rebuild it, many still do not view me as a worthy king."

  "But if that is all there is to it, why do we show ourselves to the public so rarely? Why don't we prove them wrong?" Lina presses.

  "Because it's too dangerous," Vyncent quickly responds.

  Her father nods in agreement.

  "Your mother and I have tried to protect you from this, but I think you're old enough now," he says "It's important that you are confronted with this now - Lina - What do you know about the Crimson Crusaders?"

  "Correct. But there's more to it," says Edmur. "They were the closest confidants and, to this day, the most loyal followers of the princes. However, the actions of their foolish masters led to their lives being dragged down with them when Rilgohin lost the war," he explains. "The High Council wanted to take a new direction. Enough suffering had been endured under the Four Princes, and they did not want to impose further suffering on the Crimson Crusaders and their families. They sought to show mercy if they peacefully submitted to the new rule. Many of the knights agreed to this to avert their immediate fate," he recounts. "But over the years, their true motives and their true goal have become apparent."

  "A revolution!" Edmur exclaims. "To seize state power. And to achieve their goal, they use every conceivable technique, every means at their disposal, no matter how cruel," he says hastily, before pausing to catch his breath.

  "They have already tried more than once to kidnap you to use you as leverage against me and your mother. They have even resorted to assassination attempts in the past."

  "How did they manage that? The castle is surrounded by walls," Lina wonders.

  "That wasn't always the case," her father replies. "When the princes ruled, there were no castle walls," he explains. "We only built the walls after the war, after several years. Until then, the crusaders occasionally exploited gaps for their attacks," he says. "But all that is behind us now," Edmur adds with a smile.

  "How so?"

  "The High Council could no longer tolerate these revolutionaries, so they left the task of dealing with them to me," he explains. "Thanks to our swift successes, their activity has greatly diminished in recent years," he says with a touch of self-satisfaction.

  "What matters is that their groups have been dismantled and their numbers drastically reduced. Only a few enthusiasts remain, but not enough to pose a serious threat. Like the woman who just stood in our way or the man who jumped on the roof. Did you notice anything special about them, Lina?" her father asks.

  Lina ponders for a moment but cannot come up with anything.

  "Purplish-red clothing," Vyncent answers impatiently. "The woman wore a purplish-red scarf, and the man had purplish-red trousers."

  'He's right,' Lina thinks.

  Edmur nods in agreement.

  "They are not shy about showing what they stand for and who they are. I respect that," he says. "The easier it is for us, and the harsher their punishment will be when they are caught," he continues. "Lina, the Crimson Crusaders are the reason your mother and I rarely present you to the public," he reveals to his now astonished daughter. "Perhaps you understand now our reasons, which were not to confine you but to protect you."

  While Lina is comforted that the situation is under control, she is also deeply affected.

  She has done nothing to the world. She isn't even known to the world, and yet there are already people who want to harm her.

  Is this a world she wants to live in?