Ingrid was beginning to regret coming to the hunting competition. She had completely forgotten the most boring part of the hunt—waiting for the men to return with their catch for an entire day.

Sure there is some entertainment prepared for the ladies left in the camp. But she'll only be ruining their fun if she joins them. Unfortunately, she also forgot to at least bring a book to entertain herself.

"Actually, my lady, there might be a book left in the carriage."

Ingrid's eyes twinkled upon hearing Lily's words. "Is that true?"

Lily nodded her head with a smile. "Uh-huh! I think it was left there after we used the carriage last time."

"Lily, hurry and fetch it for me!"

Ingrid was so excited to finally find something to relieve her boredom that she completely disregarded the fact that someone carelessly left a book in her carriage for a week.

Minutes after Lily left, an unexpected person appeared in front of Ingrid's tent. She thought that after what happened, the empress would cease bothering her for the entire duration of the hunt. So why is her lady-in-waiting here again?

"My lady, her grace the empress, has discovered a meadow of wildflowers in the back forest. The beautiful flowers reminded her grace of the young lady. Thus, her grace is inviting my lady to appreciate the flowers alongside the other young ladies." It was Duchess Camilla.

Ingrid's expression turned quizzical as she listened to the duchess. Since when did the empress ever think of her? If the flowers truly reminded the empress of her, she must be inviting her to watch as she destroys them.

Ingrid grabbed her veil with a sigh and opened the tent's door. Seeing as the duchess didn't leave after delivering the message means the empress was expecting her to come. Or more like forcing her to.

Duchess Camilla led Ingrid to the entrance of the back forest. Behind them followed the entire platoon of Light Knights, Ingrid's personal guards.

From a distance, Ingrid saw the empress and her entourage close to the edge of the forest. The empress was busy playing with the blue ring on her gloved finger that she didn't even notice Ingrid's group arriving until they got closer.

Ingrid was a bit surprised to see the empress looking at the blue ring fondly when it wasn't made of gold. But she did not pay it much thought. Perhaps another merchant has tricked the empress into believing that such a ring can enhance her beauty or something.

Beside Empress Verandi was Princess Loraine. Ingrid was astounded to see the princess, as it seemed like the empress was doing everything she could to hide her from the public. Apart from the princess, there were only the ladies-in-waiting of the empress' with them. Those other noble ladies must've made every excuse they could to avoid accepting the empress's invitation after they found out she was coming. Unfortunately for the empress' ladies-in-waiting, they cannot escape from their duties and are left to endure her presence.

"Your grace, your highness," Ingrid greeted the empress and the princess in succession.

Ingrid couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between what the empress and the princess were wearing. The empress, as usual, embellished herself with gold from head to toe.

Meanwhile, the princess was wearing a dress whose once lush color has faded quite a bit, most likely from being repeatedly washed. There aren't any accessories in her person apart from the jade bangle that was gifted to her by the emperor during her twelfth birthday. If she didn't know, Ingrid would have thought that Princess Loraine was a servant rather than an imperial princess. Even servants wore better clothes than her!

Ingrid sneered in her heart. Empress Verandi is truly a despicable person. To think that she wouldn't even spare her own daughter from her jealous cruelty.

There was a time when Empress Verandi had some sort of "affection" towards Princess Loraine. Though she did not treat her the way a loving mother should, at least she did not mistreat her. But as the princess grew, her beauty became a blinding sight.

People began comparing Princess Loraine to her mother. Some said that she was as beautiful as the empress in her younger days. That someday she may even surpass the empress.

That didn't sit well with the vain empress. Since then she has been treating the princess horribly. She constantly forced her to wear clothes that are just slightly better than the palace's servants. Princess Loraine was also banned from attending social events. Thus isolating the princess from the rest of the society.

Unfortunately for Empress Verandi, it is a must for the entire imperial family to attend the opening of the hunting festival. Therefore, the hunting festival became the festival that she hated the most. It was also the only time that the princess was freed from her cage, albeit still chained.

Rumors have it that the empress even makes the princess do the servants chores. And seeing the princess' rough hands, it seemed that the rumors aren't just mere rumors.

"Let us be on our way. It seems the other young ladies are enjoying themselves too much and forgot all about my invitation. I shall think of a suitable punishment for them later," Empress Verandi said in an oddly friendly tone, making Ingrid uncomfortable. But when her eyes landed on her own daughter, a flash of irritation appeared on her graceful face.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

Ingrid glanced behind her. The empress must be putting on a show for her knight guards to see. She did anger her father earlier this morning.

On the other hand, Ingrid still hasn't figure out what the empress is scheming this time. She first thought Empress Verandi meant to humiliate her in front of the other noble ladies yet again. But the other ladies are nowhere to be found.

Ingrid's eyes shifted towards the forest. She's confident that her knights are more than capable of thwarting whatever devious plan the empress is hatching. And so, she followed behind the empress and her entourage without worry.

Their journey towards the so-called meadow of wildflowers was smooth sailing. This was thanks to the servants who cleared a path for them within the forest ahead of time.

The back forest isn't as big or as dangerous as the one where the participants of the hunting competition ventured. It was a man-made forest, where small animals like rabbits and squirrels were released.

They were specifically intended for the ladies and young children who wished to participate in the hunt to capture. However, ever since the current empress sat on the throne, nobody has ever hunted in the back forest. Empress Rosalie thinks that hunting is a crude and smelly hobby unfit for women. And like bees that solely follow the will of the queen, the number of ladies who joined the hunt gradually declined, to the point that the women's competition had to be removed.

Meanwhile the fathers usually just bring their children with them to the main hunting ground to properly monitor and teach them. Which left the back forest swarming with small animals, as there was no predator to hunt them.

But perhaps the servants who cleared the path ahead of them scared animals away, as they haven't even seen a shadow of a rabbit ever since they entered the forest.

Ingrid felt something tugging at the hem of her dress and looked down. It was the thin and trembling hands of a young girl with clear and beautiful brown eyes. Though fear was evident on her face, Ingrid could see a hint of rebellious determination on it.

Princess Loraine was two years younger than Ingrid. But due to the lack of proper nourishment, she was smaller than most girls her age. She looked more like a twelve-year-old child than a sixteen-year-old young lady.

"My lady, be careful of the empress. I think she's planning something," Princess Loraine whispered cautiously, her eyes nervously glancing at the empress's back from time to time.

Princess Loraine feared the empress the most. But when she learned that Empress Verandi invited Lady Ingrid sightseeing, she summoned all her courage to come, though uninvited. No one knew how much the empress hated Lady Ingrid more than her. After all, it was she who took the brunt of her mother's hatred towards her cousin.

She's certain that Empress Verandi did not summon Ingrid for any good reason. And she thought that if she is with them, it would hopefully impede whatever the empress is planning.

Ingrid held the princess' hand and gave it a light squeeze to comfort her. But she was stunned when she felt how thin and rough the princess hand was. This doesn't seem like the hand of a princess at all! It felt more like the hand of an abused servant!

Princess Loraine, upon realizing the contrast between her calloused hands and Ingrid's soft and delicate fingers, felt embarrassed and tried to wriggle her hand away. But Ingrid held her hand tighter and gave the young princess a reassuring smile. Princess Loraine, breathless at the sight of her smile, forgot all about trying to get away.

It took all of Ingrid's willpower to stop herself from grabbing the empress' hair from behind. She didn't know that the princess's situation was this dire. After all, she was still the empress and the emperor's only daughter.

Ingrid was distressed. She didn't know much about what was going on within the palace walls, as her father banned her from stepping foot there after their fallout six years ago. The welcoming feast a few weeks back was just an exception since they had to show a united facade in front of the foreign prince.

For the past six years, Ingrid hasn't had any interaction with the princess until today. If only she knew... Ingrid held the princess' hand tighter, while swearing upon herself to do whatever she could to protect her.

Ingrid frowned when their entourage turned to a stop. The knight's captain and vice captain of the Light Knights vigilantly stepped forward and stood on her left and right. Based on the size of the surrounding trees and the thick vegetation, they are most likely at the central part of the forest.

The members of the Light Knights scanned their surroundings with great vigilance. None of them particularly trusted whatever nonsense the empress spouted. The only reason why they did not dissuade Ingrid from going along with the empress was because they were confident that they could deter whatever harm that comes the lady's way.

Empress Vernadi wheeled around to face Ingrid. But when her gaze landed on Ingrid and the princess' held hands, her face instantly turned sour.

"Clinging to people is unbecoming of an imperial princess, Loraine," Empress Verandi rebuked coldly.

Princess Loraine's body tensed. She stubbornly gripped Ingrid's hand, but her mother's oppressive gaze compelled her to let go. With her head bowed, she took a few steps away from Ingrid and nervously fiddled with her fingers behind her back.

Pleased to have gotten her way, Empress Verandi smiled and turned her attention towards Ingrid. "It bothers me that my own niece is walking behind me. Come beside your dear aunt so we can converse as we walk."

Ingrid's mouth twitched at the sight of Empress Verandi's obvious pretense. They're already halfway through the forest, and she's only bothered by it now?!? And what about her own daughter? She can't take that her niece is walking behind her, but it's fine for her daughter?

"Hurry now! We must return before the men arrive," Empress Verandi said rather impatiently and offered her gloved hand for Ingrid to hold.

Ingrid frowned. The empress seems way out of character today. On normal days, they usually try not to brush against each other as much as possible. So why does she want to act intimate all of a sudden? To whom exactly was she trying to show off their pretend intimacy in this desolate forest?

Ingrid sighed. She may have a powerful father backing her, but Empress Verandi is still the empress. She'd rather not give the empress and her supporters more reason to villainize their household.

However, it was Ingrid's greatest mistake to accept the empress' outstretched hand. Because the moment their hands made contact, a blue light flashed from Empress Verandi's ring, followed by a strong surge of energy. The empress' ladies-in-waiting screamed in fright as they were sent flying in every direction.

"Princess Loraine!!!" Ingrid screamed in panic when she saw the princess fly backward, blasted by the wave. Thankfully, one of the Light Knights caught the princess and brought her to safety.

Ingrid sighed in relief. She quickly ran towards them only to fall backwards after she hit an invisible wall. At the same time, the Light Knights, who swiftly rushed to protect Ingrid after stabilizing their footings, all got knocked away when they hit the same wall.

Ingrid's heart sank. She cast a wary glance behind her only to find several black-clad men standing behind the smiling empress.