Snow White was born on a winter day blanketed in a flurry of massive snowflakes, and thus she was named “Snow.”
On the day of the princess’s birth celebration, the whole of Castellion was covered in deep snow. Unlike previous years, it was not only the king who celebrated the princess’s birthday this year; even the commoners now brought gifts to Snow White.
The entire kingdom was hung with lanterns and colored banners, with colorful flags fluttering everywhere. The castle was adorned throughout with royal banners embroidered with the princess’s portrait. On this day, Castellion brimmed with a festive atmosphere more vibrant than any other time—even the bustle of the founding day paled in comparison to this liveliness.
Amid the thick celebratory mood, commoners donned their family’s finest and rarest clothes, carrying wildflowers picked from the countryside, clutching eggs, or holding puppies as they lined up to enter the castle and pay homage to the princess for her birthday.
“Your Highness Snow White, I am Liz from Oakwood Road. I have brought you the most beautiful wildflowers from outside the city! I wish you eternal beauty! Eternal happiness!”
The little girl, her cheeks flushed red from the cold, placed her basket of fresh flowers into the gold plate held by the knight. She gazed admiringly at the princess seated high on her throne in splendid attire, marveling at the princess’s beauty while also being utterly captivated by the queen’s allure.
This was her first time seeing the queen, and her first time beholding such a stunningly gorgeous woman.
If Snow White was like a lovable rose in the snow, the queen seated beside the king on either side of the princess was domineering and blazing sunlight.
Her golden eyes were as translucent as gems. The golden hair coiled behind her head outshone even the golden crown atop it.
The queen’s gown was as red as Castellion’s roses—a shade of red that did not make her seem frivolous but instead accentuated her porcelain skin and noble bearing.
The queen’s radiant beauty was like the sun in the sky, capable of dispelling all gloom.
Even as the little girl stared so unabashedly, the queen did not grow angry. Meeting the girl’s gaze, she gave her a gentle smile that set the little girl’s heart pounding.
The knight presented the flower basket from the gold plate to Snow White. Snow White plucked out a single fresh flower, sniffed it lightly to show she had accepted the girl’s birthday gift and blessing, and said steadily, “Liz of Oakwood Road, thank you for your blessing and gift.”
Stuffed with a basket of bread by the knight, the little girl was flattered and astonished. She hurriedly clutched the bread and knelt. “Y-yes, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness!”
The little girl departed, and the next to offer blessings and a gift to Snow White was a shepherd. The shepherd presented the princess with a lamb. Snow White wanted to pet it, but Osborne I signaled with his eyes for the knight to take the lamb away.
Truth be told, Osborne I had already grown impatient—the commoners were so numerous, and each one brought nothing but shabby junk from the poor. What was the point of accepting such gifts from commoners? …Fine, he knew the queen had already explained the significance to him. It was merely to let the entire nation, including Saint Rubifalist, know how dearly this father doted on Snow White, thereby warning Saint Rubifalist: even if you recuperate, I will produce another child to vie with Snow White for the throne!
But could the queen’s words really come to pass so easily? How much longer did he have to endure this? Snow White must find this tedious birthday ritual boring too… right?
“Shepherd of Blue Hill, I greatly like the lamb you gave me. Knight, please give this shepherd a sturdy cloak so that even on days of howling cold winds, he can lead his flock to pastures with grass.”
No trace of fatigue or boredom showed on Snow White’s face. Her eyes brimmed with gentleness and compassion—the benevolence befitting a ruler.
The knight nodded and immediately fetched a thick cloak. The shepherd’s eyes went wide; he trembled as he clutched the cloak and knelt, tears streaming down his face.
In any era, one percent of people controlled fifty-three percent of the wealth. The lavish lives of the royals and nobles came from the laborers who toiled for them. Though the shepherd had sheep, he could barely fill his stomach year-round. Buying an extra blanket or garment was a heavy burden for him.
Snow White’s return gift was a luxury he could not afford even after herding sheep for another five years, nor dare to buy after ten. This lavish cloak would not only warm him against the cold winds and heavy snow but also grant him more chances and hope to survive.
The nobles standing along both sides of the red carpet had initially been nonchalant—some yawned, some grumbled inwardly about the boredom, and others cursed the royals for their whims that made everyone else suffer.
But as commoners arrived with blessings and worthless gifts only to leave with return gifts worth ten or a hundred times more, the nobles gradually grew alert.
Snow White was no longer that naive and worldly-innocent little princess. Now seated on the throne was a true royal.
She thought for herself about return gifts. She presided over affairs with a princess’s dignity. She began to win the people’s hearts. She was… growing into the nation’s crown princess!
Realizing Snow White’s change, the nobles summoned servants and sent them to check how many commoners still waited outside the castle gates.
Soon, the nobles received word: the commoners who had come purely out of goodwill to celebrate Snow White’s birthday now imitated the practice after receiving lavish return gifts. Countless commoners scrambled to find anything suitable as a gift. The quick ones had already reached the castle gates, forming an unprecedented line.
Commoners might not all know their king was called Leonardo Osborn, but after today, no one would be unaware of Snow White’s name.
And to celebrate Snow White’s birthday, festivities would continue throughout Castellion for three full days. That meant the princess might receive commoners in the castle tomorrow and the day after…
If Snow White celebrated her birthday this way next year too, her fame would soon spread to neighboring nations. By the time she turned sixteen and underwent her coming-of-age rite, she would command overwhelming popular support.
As nobles, they sought to advance further, not to be dominated by a little girl.
Letting this little girl rise was not something they wished to see!
…Osborne I would only continue to spoil Snow White as always, raising her like a caged goldfinch in the castle. There was no one around Snow White who could persuade Osborne I, that brainless warrior, to allow his precious daughter contact with commoners.
If anyone in this Castellion could devise such a method to win the people’s hearts for Snow White and convince the unthinking brute Osborne I, there was only one person—
The queen! Saint Rubifalist’s sole princess, Marinfield!
Glared at by the nobles, Ye Tang responded with a provocative gentle smile.
Snow White had received gifts from fewer than ten commoners, yet the nobles’ gazes had already changed. Compared to Osborne I, whose impatience and suspicion were written plainly on his face, his subjects were clearly far shrewder.
But the more the nobles glared at Ye Tang, the happier she became—even Osborne I soon noticed the nobles’ oddity. This warrior might not understand human nature, but he was sensitive to atmosphere. Sensing the subtle tension in the air and the electric standoff between Ye Tang and the nobles, Osborne I immediately realized Ye Tang had touched on something the nobles disliked.
What exactly was this…?
Seeing Osborne I cast a probing gaze downward, the nobles hurriedly concealed their hostility toward Ye Tang and Snow White.
In the nobles’ eyes now, Snow White was no longer the easily fooled little princess or the harmless child. She had become a real obstacle to their grand ambitions. Yet this was not the time to reveal their ambitions to Osborne I.
—On this continent, many possessed special powers. Some had magic, some sensed aura shifts, some wielded superhuman strength, and others commanded the power to unite hearts. These powers were generally inherited through bloodlines. Ultimately, mighty bloodlines rose to become kings and nobles through their innate strengths.
Osborne I’s prowess stemmed from his bloodline; his monstrous strength had elevated him to the pinnacle of this nation and compelled knights to follow and submit to him.
For the nobles to challenge Osborne I head-on would mean being smashed into meat paste by him or beheaded by his knights.
“My lords, you seem to have something to say?”
Osborne I narrowed his eyes and signaled the knight to halt bringing in more commoners.
A chill ran down the nobles’ spines. They quickly smiled. “We were simply too moved! To think Her Highness the princess is so steady at only eight years old!”
“Indeed, Your Majesty! Her Highness does not seem like an eight-year-old child at all! This must be the queen’s achievement!”
In the past, Osborne I would surely have flown into a rage at the nobles’ words and even threatened to chop off Ye Tang’s head. For the old Osborne I would have thought: making an eight-year-old act unlike one, robbing her of a child’s proper joy—this was not what a qualified mother should do! Snow White need only grow up carefree.
But now, Osborne I still relied on Ye Tang to mend things between him and his daughter. How could he bellow in Snow White’s presence about killing her beloved mother?
After all this time, even with his queen lobbying at his side, his daughter still refused to be alone with him and even less allowed him alone with his queen. His daughter was like a chick blocking a peacock, lest he approach one inch closer and cause the peacock to lose a single feather.
“Heh, I dare not claim credit. This is merely my duty as queen.”
Ye Tang interjected, but Osborne I acted as if he heard nothing. Such indulgence horrified the nobles, who seized every opening to sow discord between king and queen.
When had the king and queen’s relationship become this harmonious!? Could the intelligence that they still had not consummated their wedding night be false?
“By the way, my lords—”
Ye Tang clapped her hands, snapping the nobles’ wandering souls and spirits back.
The nobles heard Ye Tang say, “I wonder what gifts you have prepared for Snow White? Those lowly commoners are so poor yet offered so many sincere gifts. If you lose to them in sincerity, that would be unacceptable, no?”