Lousy Girl
“What do you mean he spared her?” Selena asked.
The news of Ella’s boldness had spread throughout the kingdom.
Everyone was dying to see the lady who had dared to challenge the king.
Some even claimed she had outshined Selena and was more fit to be queen.
After all, anyone brave enough to stand before the almighty king without trembling must be worthy of becoming his queen.
The rumors burned Selena’s heart.
She wished that girl was dead.
No one should take her place as queen.
Not her.
She could not lose to a powerless village girl.
But the thought of the king sparing Ella was even more shocking.
Why had he spared her?
Or was he already interested in her?
No!
Something had to be done.
King Lockwood stood by the window in his night robe, staring at the moon.
The cold night breeze drifted through the room as his knight appeared behind him, placing a black coat over his shoulders.
“It’s almost the full moon,” Lockwood said coldly.
“What do you think will happen this time? What should I do?”
Among everyone in the palace, he trusted his knight the most—even more than Leo.
“Use the opportunity to find her,” the knight replied calmly.
“Your fated queen. I’ve told you many times that every demon has a fated mate. You simply need to find her. She is the only one who can help you escape the cruel fate written for you.”
The king sighed.
He was tired of hearing about fate.
Ever since he was a child, his knight had spoken of a terrible destiny awaiting him, yet no one would explain what it truly was.
What had he done to deserve it?
What crime had he committed that the Moon Goddess would burden him with such a fate?
From the strange powers that robbed him of a normal childhood to the responsibilities he inherited from his elder brother, everything about his life felt unfair.
“You have ten days until the full moon,” the knight warned.
“Be careful.”
With that, he disappeared.
Lockwood stared silently at the moon.
His knight had been the only person who comforted him during his younger years.
He trusted him completely.
After all, he was the one who had taught him how to control his strange powers.
In their world, magical abilities were determined by hair color.
Brown hair signified ordinary power.
But Lockwood’s crimson-red hair was something rarely seen in history.
The only person known to possess such a color was Edwin McCain, the bloodthirsty demon who had once invaded the land and slaughtered countless people.
Many rituals had been performed throughout Lockwood’s life, all proving that he was not the demon.
Yet the resemblance still haunted him.
His thoughts drifted toward Ella.
At the time, he hadn’t paid much attention to it, but now that he thought about it…
She was annoyingly beautiful.
And for some reason, that realization irritated him.
Why in the world would anyone leave him for another man?
Wasn’t she supposed to fight for his attention and try to win his heart?
Instead, she was desperately trying to escape him.
Did she think he was in love with Selena?
Or was there something wrong with him?
The thought bothered him far more than it should have.
Morning arrived too soon.
Ella was already awake before the maids came to attend to her.
She had grown accustomed to waking early while living in her father’s castle.
She would not give up until the king heard her and married her off.
Determined, she headed toward the main castle, intending to find the king.
However, her steps slowed when she spotted the mysterious knight who had brought her to the kingdom.
He was always dressed in black, hiding most of his appearance.
Today was different.
The moment she saw his eyes, she recognized him.
And for the first time, she saw his face clearly.
Ella froze.
He was unbelievably handsome.
His golden-blond hair shone beneath the morning sunlight.
Blond hair was rare, for it was said that only those blessed with powerful ice magic were born with such a color.
If he possessed such rare abilities, why was he serving as a knight?
Why wasn’t he ruling a territory of his own?
Then another thought entered her mind.
If she married him…
Her entire future would be secure.
Her children would inherit his rare bloodline.
At least one of them would surely become powerful.
A smile slowly spread across her face.
Collins immediately noticed.
The strange girl was staring at him while smiling brightly, as though she had just found hidden treasure.
Why was she looking at him like that?
He had heard the rumors about her desire to be married off.
Surely…
She hadn’t chosen him, had she?
That made no sense.
The king was more handsome, richer, and far more powerful.
Why would she choose him?
“Good morning,” Ella greeted politely, bowing.
Collins raised an eyebrow.
“You look handsome,” she added.
To his surprise, he blushed.
No one had ever said that to him before.
Perhaps it was because he always hid himself beneath dark clothing.
“What’s your name?” she asked.
“Collins.”
“Oh! What a nice name. I’m Ella.”
Collins nodded.
He noticed how different she was from the other noble ladies he had met.
She wasn’t afraid of him.
Nor was she trying to impress him.
She simply spoke whatever came into her mind.
“Do you remember me?” Ella asked.
“The illegitimate daughter from Florida Vile Village.”
She deliberately introduced herself that way.
If she was ever going to marry someone, she wanted them to know the truth from the beginning.
She didn’t want secrets.
She didn’t want to be locked away and treated like a disgrace, as she had been in her father’s castle.
Most of her life had been spent trapped in a small cottage like a caged bird.
“Yes, I remember,” Collins replied.
Truthfully, he had heard many rumors about her and found her personality rather refreshing.
“Can you help me see the king? We need to talk.”
“I’m sorry,” Collins said.
“His Majesty ordered that you are not allowed inside.”
Ella frowned.
“Is Selena in there?”
“Yes.”
“Yes?” she repeated in disbelief.
“So he allows her inside but not me? Is beauty the only thing he listens to?”
Without waiting for an answer, she turned and stormed away.
Collins immediately followed.
After everything she had done so far, he feared she was about to do something reckless again.
He was right.
Ella marched straight toward the rose garden beneath the king’s window.
Then she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted.
“YOUR HIGHNESS! LET ME IN!”
The force of her voice startled nearby birds, sending them flying into the sky.
Inside the room, King Lockwood sat with Leo while reviewing documents concerning the kingdom.
The moment he heard the familiar voice, he knew exactly who it was.
For some ridiculous reason, he had been hoping she would show up.
And now she had.
Damn.
What was wrong with him?
Leo rubbed his forehead in amusement.
“Well,” he said, shaking his head, “here comes the lousy girl again.”