The Loyalist is the Abandoned Princess - Chapter 1

When I tore my gaze away from the divorce papers and looked up, the face of a man glaring at me came into view.

His sharp gaze made my shoulders drop and my body shrink. This man was none other than Caspian Merlinger, the third prince of the Mern Empire. He was my current husband and, soon, my “ex-husband.”

His hair shone like melted gold, his thick golden lashes adding to the effect. The prince was like a masterpiece painted by a great artist, seemingly stepping out of a painting with his stunning appearance. Every time he blinked, the shadows of his lashes flickered under his eyes. Before I knew it, I found myself staring, captivated by his beauty.

He scowled, displeased with my gaze. His reaction, as if he were looking at a bug, snapped me back to my senses.

‘Oh, right. He hates me.’

A low, chilly voice resonated in my ears.

“Aren’t you going to sign?”

“…No, I was just organizing my thoughts.”

Caspian gave a cold sneer. “If I remember correctly, I gave you more than enough time to ‘organize’ this ridiculous marriage.”

“……”

“I doubt you’re changing your mind now.”

As I remained silent, Caspian urged me in a stern voice.

“I’ll keep this brief. Sign, Agnes.”

His eyes, which seemed to command me, were as cold as ice. It stirred up my temper.

‘I’m going to sign, even if you don’t rush me. Divorce is exactly what I want too.’

I gripped the pen in my right hand tightly.

Yes. I want a divorce. No, I will divorce him.

I would escape from this dreadful imperial palace and finally retire—something I couldn’t do in my past life.

‘Yes. Once I get through this, I can live without overtime for the rest of my life.’

Thinking that brought a smile to my face, my tense lips easing naturally.

‘No overtime, no mountains of paperwork. And definitely no need to cater to the emperor’s whims.’

Just imagining it made me happy.

‘Divorce? It only mattered to the old owner of this body, Agnes.’

To me, it was more of a relief.

After all, I had lived a previous life of constant overwork until I died on my way to work.

***

Two hundred years ago.

In my past life, I was a war hero and an immensely powerful figure in the Mern Empire, powerful enough to bring a bird down from the sky.

A legendary commander who defended the empire from invaders and greatly expanded its territory.

The prime minister who served three emperors, ushering in an era of prosperity.

The only person in the empire to ever receive the title of “Protector of the Nation,” Leonardt Herzog.

That was me.

“Long live Leonardt!”

“Hail the sacred hero of Mern, Leonardt!”

I received so many accolades that I became numb to them.

I lived my life like a dog, working tirelessly for Mern.

I didn’t marry. I didn’t have a family.

Naturally, I didn’t have friends.

The friends I did have all died before me. I even lost my most cherished lover on the battlefield.

My lonely life was filled with work every moment.

My last day in my past life was no different—another busy day.

That day, I was rushing to the state council room for a morning meeting.

“Damn it. I seem to be sleeping in more and more these days.”

I was panting up the stairs to reach the council room when my lower body began to feel sluggish.

‘Why? Is it because I haven’t slept well and have no energy?’

Ha. The mighty Leonardt feeling weak? I smiled bitterly despite myself.

It was definitely different from the old days, when I could defend a castle without sleeping for days on end.

But that wasn’t the only problem.

My vision began to blur, like a dying light fading away.

A sharp ringing filled my ears.

“Damn it.”

I pressed my forehead, feeling a severe dizziness.

And then, I missed a step.

And another. My foot never found the ground, and my body floated in the air.

Desperately, I flailed my hands, but it was in vain. There was nothing to grab onto.

‘……!’

I fell in an instant.

Thud. I crashed to the ground and, before long, my vision darkened completely.

Total darkness. That was my last memory.

‘Falling down the stairs and dying.’

For the savior and sacred hero of the empire, it was a terribly pathetic end.

***

How long did I lie there in the darkness? Something strange happened.

The darkened view gradually brightened, and my senses slowly returned.

I lifted my heavy eyelids and turned my head to take in my surroundings.

One thing quickly became apparent: This wasn’t hell. The fancy wallpaper, the gentle sunlight streaming through the curtains—this was reality.

I let out a deep sigh of relief, running my hand over my chest.

‘I managed not to die. Was it a concussion?’

The dull ache in my head suggested I’d suffered a severe shock.

I was just about to fully regain my bearings when—suddenly—a man I’d never seen before approached me.

‘Who? Where did he come from?’

I hadn’t even noticed his presence, and his sudden appearance startled me.

“……”

A handsome man with pitch-black hair and gentle eyes. He looked down at me with his tall frame, a sly smile playing on his lips as he spoke.

“Agnes, time to get up.”

‘Agnes? What is he talking about?’

I didn’t respond, utterly dumbfounded.

The man spoke again, “Today is an important day.”

“…What on earth are you—”

“Did you forget? Today we go to the imperial palace to finalize the divorce. You’ll finally be completely free of that wretched palace.”

The man smiled broadly.

His voice was so soft and gentle that it sent chills down my spine.

‘Agnes? Divorce? I’ve never been married—’

And then, as soon as panic set in, countless unfamiliar memories started pouring into my mind.

They were the memories of this body’s owner, Agnes.