I put my life on the line to rescue the kingdom's prince, but it was my stepsister who was selected to marry him.

 I put my life on the line to rescue the kingdom's prince, but it was my stepsister who was selected to marry him.

 

Author: Gabriel

Alternative Name : 命がけで王国の王子様を救ったわたし。でも花嫁に選ばれたのは裏切り者の義妹のほうでした

Plot : In a brief tale, the unfortunate protagonist, Lily Elbert, possessing strong spiritual power as the Duke's daughter, embarks on a mission to save a cursed prince. After successfully defeating the demon king and freeing the prince, Lily's body transforms into crystal, leaving her immobile. To make matters worse, her stepsister Marianne betrays her, falsely accusing Lily of being the one who cursed the prince. Marianne is then chosen to marry the prince. Lily endures humiliating days, witnessing the happily-ever-after life of Marianne with the prince. However, when Lily's resentment reaches a breaking point, the world plunges into darkness, and time starts moving backward, leading to an unexpected turn of events.

Read Now

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I put my life on the line to rescue the kingdom's prince, but it was my stepsister who was selected to marry him.

Upon encountering the enigmatic Demon King, he expressed admiration with the words, "You are beautiful." He appeared incredibly handsome, with shining silver hair reminiscent of melted crystal, and a divine aura that could rival an archangel. However, this charming exterior belied his true nature as the source of all evil, responsible for cursing Prince Henry of the Kingdom of Nystania and causing his suffering.

The Demon King questioned why someone as lovely as me would engage in violence. I knew it was my destiny, being born with immense spiritual power and the ability to wield the Spirit King's sword. I believed only I could subjugate the Demon King and save the Kingdom of Nystania and its prince.

Curiously, the Demon King's eyes held sadness, gazing at me with pity.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Stop it," the Demon King almost spoke but halted with his lips partially open.

"Make the villain look like a villain!" The discomfort in my heart grew, and I rushed towards the Demon King to dispel my doubts. With both hands firmly holding the Spirit King's sword, I closed my eyes and thrust it straight at him.

A dull, heavy sensation enveloped my hand as the Demon King accepted my clumsy attack to his chest. Surprisingly, he remained calm, wearing a somewhat gentle expression.

Confused, I asked, "Why?" to which he advised me to run away. The Demon King's warm and gentle voice instructed me not to touch the magic essence flowing from his body.

Frustrated, I questioned why he spoke kindly while being stabbed, but I disregarded his advice and pulled out the Spirit King's sword from his chest. Suddenly, a radiant mist akin to crushed diamonds spewed from the wound and struck me directly, transforming my body into a transparent, crystal-like object.

When the soldiers from the rearguard castle discovered me in the throne room of the Demon King's castle, I had become a crystalline figure.Having defeated the demon king, I found myself transformed into a crystal form. Despite this, I remained hopeful, believing that the prince would break the curse and restore my body. He regains his health after the demon king's defeat and embarks on an adventure to find a way to undo the curse, as I had been convinced he would. However, things take a tragic turn as I, Lily Elbert, the Duke's daughter, am falsely accused despite risking my life to fight the Demon King.

When I regain consciousness, I am in the royal palace of my hometown, still unable to move, trapped in crystal. In the throne room, I find my Stepsister Marianne, along with the prince and the king, all wearing their customary, theatrically sorrowful expressions. They seem to be discussing something concerning the kingdom's affairs.

It appears that I, in my crystallized state, have been transported from the demon king's castle to the throne room. I'm unsure who carried me here, but it would sadden me if people thought my crystallized form represented my actual weight.

Fortunately, the prince, who had been ill, is now well, and it seems my adventure's purpose has been fulfilled.

I'm certain they are all discussing the steps to restore me to my original body.

"What happened to Saint Lily Elbert?" the king inquires, and my stepsister Marianne shakes her head in response with dramatic gestures.

"It's wrong..." Marianne points at me, crystallized, and claims, "This Lily Elbert was the one who cursed the prince and made him sick."

"What!" The king is taken aback.

Confusion fills my heart as I wonder, "Huh?"

The king defends my character, saying, "What are you talking about? She has been on a three-year adventure to save my son."

Marianne insists, "No, it's not true. The fact that the prince's illness was cured by Lily Elbert turning into crystal is the best evidence."

Another king from the kingdom joins in, shouting, "Is that so? Even though she's a Duke's daughter, it's inconceivable for a woman to be chosen as the sword of the Spirit King. That holy sword shouldn't be wielded by a woman!"

"Furthermore, were you planning to claim all the credit for assisting the prince with your actions?"

"I am certain she had intentions to seize control of this kingdom eventually."

"Witch... Witch... Witch..."

"Destroy this crystal."

"You deceitful, wicked woman, pretending to be a saint."

My crystalline form was surrounded by soldiers.

"Wait, hold on," the prince intervened.

Marianne sneers, "Why... this woman is the witch who caused you suffering. She's the worst kind of woman."

"She's the woman I once loved... I only wish for your permission to end her life," the prince pleads. Marianne shows a hint of irritation but then seemingly has an idea.

"In that case, let's exhibit this woman in the courtyard of the royal palace in this state," Marianne points at my crystal form.

"We will forever display the witch who tried to destroy this kingdom, while we celebrate our happily ever after."

I sensed a dreadful feeling when I suspected Marianne's evil motives. I feared being stuck like this forever, enduring years or even decades in this crystalline state. Despite being celebrated as a female hero for my achievements, there were many powerful figures in the kingdom who held animosity towards me, relishing Marianne's deceitful accusations.

Returning as the hero who defeated the demon king might put me in a position where I'd be held back by the powerful figures or even end up marrying the prince to become queen one day. This prospect terrified the men in the royal palace. Marianne's audacious slandering and blatant lies branded me as a sinner without any proper investigation.

Men from the royal palace, without any consideration, hurled raw eggs and overripe fruit with harsh colors at my crystal form, dirtying it with filth. My transparent body turned into a stained mess. Meanwhile, Marianne clung to the prince's side, looking triumphant, while the prince, seemingly oblivious, displayed a sad expression.

I felt deeply disheartened by the situation and wondered if they were all so foolish not to see the wickedness in the woman they trusted.Do you still have lingering effects from the disease in your mind?

Many things were thrown at me, but my body remained impervious to pain. Throughout the long journey, my physical strength grew, and now I possess a crystal body. However, my heart felt as if it had been shattered into pieces, and the emotional part of my being seemed unyielding despite all the adventures I went through.

□□

I was left in the courtyard for days on end, exposed to all weather conditions - be it rain, snow, scorching heat, or freezing cold. Marianne frequently visited, showing off her progress with the prince. She displayed their dates, the deepening of their relationship, and even their intimate moments, making sure to involve me in every occasion. She took it to the extent of having the prince propose to her in the courtyard, putting the engagement ring on her finger right in front of me.I was shocked by her cruelty, unable to fathom how she could be so vicious. Then came the wedding day, and Marianne went through the trouble of bringing me to the cathedral to witness the whole ceremony. Even as she exchanged vows and kissed the prince, her eyes betrayed her scheming nature, gleefully looking at me with a triumphant grin.

Seeing the prince vow his love to my stepsister, something inside me shattered. It felt like the last pillar supporting me had collapsed, leaving my heart heavy as stone. I stood there in the royal palace garden, unable to cry, clutching my swollen heart.

Eventually, dark clouds covered the sky, and Marianne approached me with a big belly, pregnant. While gently rubbing her stomach, she said, "How about this, Sister? Prince Henry, no, the next King Henry, loves Marianne so much, including the child in my stomach!" She laughed foolishly, reveling in her perceived triumph.

"My triumph. A resounding triumph. My sister, who always believed she had won and reveled in her sense of superiority."

In that moment, my anger and grudges reached a boiling point. The world in front of my eyes turned black, as if splattered with dark paint. My innocent heart, once pure like a young girl's, now became a black, monochrome mural.

Marianne screamed, "What did you do?!"

It seemed that it wasn't just my vision that turned black; the whole world, the scenery, everything was consumed by darkness.

"No, please, stop!" she pleaded, but it was already too late. The darkness engulfed everything, leaving only a faint rainbow-colored glow in the sky.

――――In a world veiled in darkness, a truly formidable witch would emerge.

Amidst this adventure, memories of old, ancient lore from a movie resurfaced in my mind.

------------------------------------

When I woke up, I found myself in the demon king's castle, facing a stunning silver-haired demon king.

"You... What happened to your hair? It's like you're a completely different person..."

My honey-colored brown hair had turned jet black, and my eyes were heavily made up, giving off an eerie vibe. Moreover, the Spirit King's sword I held had transformed into a sinister weapon exuding a dark aura, resembling the 【Sword of the Evil Spirit King】. As the bewildered demon king looked on, I realized that time had passed, and I now possessed new witchly powers.

With a bewitching and seductive gaze, I asked the demon king, "Do you despise women like me?"

Enchanted by my newfound perfect beauty, the beautiful demon king replied, "You're so beautiful. I've never seen anyone so beautiful before."

Having been reincarnated as a witch, I could now perceive the depths of the demon king's heart. I sensed the affection and pure sincerity he held for me, akin to a single-minded, pure love of a young boy.

He loves me deeply, willing to sacrifice his life for me. In my past life, he bared his heart openly to me. Approaching the demon king, I embraced his neck and kissed him fearlessly, to which he passionately responded.

"Do you promise to fight for me?" I asked, adopting a slightly spoiled tone, and the Demon King nodded resolutely, looking straight into my eyes.

"For you, I will slay the head of God in heaven and the leader of the devil in the depths of Hell."

... I will never forgive them.

That woman, the foolish prince, and even the people of that corrupt kingdom, from that day forth, faced the merciless invasion of Lily Elbert, who had been reincarnated as the greatest witch in history, along with a vast army of demon kings. Despite the kingdom's soldiers trying to resist with the saint's powerful divine protection, they were continuously defeated. Ultimately, the kingdom surrendered to the combined forces of the new witch Lily Elbert and the Demon King's army, meeting a miserable downfall.The treacherous stepsister and the kingdom's kings received a witch-style punishment of being sent alive to the first level of hell, a form of penalty that allowed them to fall to the depths of hell while still alive, rather than killing them outright.

Though such punishment seems absolute, there remains a slight chance of survival, akin to a fable-like miracle. A dance party took place with the demon king's descendants and the high-ranking members of the demon king's army, who had collectively brought about the kingdom's destruction. In this realm, where the rules of the world don't hold sway, one cannot predict when they might lose their sanity and indulge in brutality. These individuals displayed behavior akin to animals.

The kings of the kingdom who killed Marianne are now pursued by demons from hell, and their fate remains unknown. As for Prince Harry and the other kings who were merely foolish and didn't commit direct sins, I will use magic to transform their appearances into those of dogs or cats, keeping them under my care for the rest of their lives.

As a dog, Prince Harry gazed at me and the beautiful demon king, tears welling in his eyes, as we exchanged kisses while dancing on the dance floor.

"I'll demonstrate the everlasting love between him and me," the Demon King declared.

"I will love you for all eternity... even if everything perishes and the entire world vanishes, you will be the only one," he whispered with a sincere gaze.

The dog-turned-Prince Harry was tormented by bitter regret, despair, and intense jealousy.

I sighed softly, accepting the enchanting and lustrous lips of the Demon King, which felt cool and sweet. Prince Harry howled sadly like a tormented dog.

No matter how much he regretted his actions, it was already too late.

"I'll grant you happiness and pleasure until the world comes to an end."

The End.