The Lovely Princess

***The Lovely Princess*** is a romance fantasy novel that Athanasia de Alger Obelia read before her reincarnation. Though Athanasia deems the novel's plot to be tacky and childish, the novel's popularity soared in South Korea. The story follows the journey of the charismatic heroine, Jennette Margarita, and the struggles she faced as she ascended into the imperial family of the Obelian Empire.

## Story Plot

Within the prosperous Empire of Obelia, there lived an emperor named Claude de Alger Obelia. As the current reigning monarch, Claude was praised by the citizens of Obelia as a wise and just ruler who saved the nation. The true story behind his ascendance to the throne, however, was one filled with bloodshed. Anastacius de Alger Obelia, the first and proper heir to the throne, had always perceived the talented Claude as a nuisance. When Claude's fiancée, Penelope Judith, chose to seduce Anastacius in hopes of securing her place next to the future emperor, Anastacius welcomed her. He then used her body to experiment with black magic, allowing Penelope to artificially conceive a child imbued with dark mana whose power would surpass that of Claude's. Before the child was born, however, Claude ruthlessly killed Anastacius and sat himself upon the throne. Penelope fled the imperial palace, carrying her unborn child, and sought solace in the House of Alpheus. She then died giving birth to a daughter, a child whose appearance was ordinary except for the imperial jeweled eyes. This child would eventually grow up to become Jennette Margarita, the charming and lovely future princess of Obelian Empire.

Following his ascendance to the throne, Claude led a depraved life, refusing to involve himself emotionally with others. At an imperial banquet, a dancer by the name of Diana, whose entrancing beauty bewitched every person who laid eyes upon her, caught his attention. He eventually deflowered her, and she died giving birth to a young daughter, upon whom she bestowed the name *Athanasia*. Despite being informed of his daughter's existence, Claude chose to abandon her in the palace of concubines, where she was raised by maids. As a result, Athanasia grew up to be a fragile and timid princess. It was only until her ninth birthday did she lay eyes on her father for the first time in her life. Drawn towards the lights and festivities of a banquet, Athanasia left the Ruby Palace and came across Claude in the gardens of the emperor's palace. Though he left without expressing a shred of interest towards her, Athanasia was mesmerized by their fateful encounter. She decided to work hard to gain her father's affections, thus growing into a beauty with both grace and skill. On the day she debuted into high society, her dreams were crushed by the appearance of Jennette Margarita.

Since birth, Jennette was forced to keep her identity a secret, prohibited from revealing to others her relations to the imperial bloodline. Instead, she spent her days confined within the walls of the Alpheus mansion, dreaming of one day reuniting with her true family. Because no one other than her parents knew the truth of her birth, Jennette and the Alpheus family believed that she was the daughter of Claude. At the age of 14, Jennette attended the annual debutante ball, where young socialites debuted in high society as part of their coming-of-age ceremonies. There, Duke Roger Alpheus publicly introduced Jennette as the daughter of the emperor. Despite being in the emperor's intimidating presence, Jennette found herself unable to look away from her father's face. Amused, Claude accepted the news and granted them an audience to hear further details. As the Alpheus family led her away to the audience room, Jennette glanced back at Athanasia, her heart reaching out to the abandoned sister she could not help.

Although Claude immediately recognized that Jennette was not his real daughter, her genuinely loving personality eventually melted his icy heart. He accepted her as family and allowed her to reside in the Emerald Palace, the official home of princesses for generations. Athanasia, who was still confined to the Ruby Palace, set aside her own desires and taught Jennette the ways of the palace. With her angelic heart and sunny disposition, Jennette became a princess beloved by the entire continent, while Athanasia remained a pitiful princess, unacknowledged by her own father.

When Jennette reached the age of 18, her maternal aunt, Countess Rosalia, devised an elaborate scheme that would ensure her niece ascended the throne. The countess secretly poisoned Jennette's glass and framed Athanasia in hopes of removing her from inheriting the throne, unaware that Claude had never had the intention of making Athanasia his heir. Unable to contain his wrath, Claude mercilessly executed Athanasia by hanging without a trial, along with Lilian York, the sole person at the imperial palace who vouched for Athanasia's innocence. When he later discovered the truth, Claude felt no remorse for wrongfully executing his own daughter. Jennette, however, suffered from extreme guilt and sought comfort in the arms of her fiancé, Ijekiel Alpheus. With his and Claude's support, Jennette managed to put the ordeal behind her and eventually married Ijekiel, living happily ever after.

## Excerpt

>
> **Athanasia:** "What will it take for you to love me? Should I become like Jennette? If I do, then will you call my name dearly like you do hers, and watch me with warmth in your eyes? Will you hold me in your arms... without pushing me away?"
>
> **Claude:** "Such a thing won't happen until the day I die."
>
> **Athanasia:** "Why is that? I'm your daughter too, father. I was by your side much longer than Jennette."
>
> **Claude:** "You fool."
>
> *That piercing contempt. His voice digging into my ears was more cruel than ever.*
>
> **Claude:** "There was never a day I considered you my daughter."
>
> Claude was heartless until the very end. The deepest of despair like never before flooded Athanasia's eyes...
>
>
>
>
> *The Lovely Princess*, Chapter 8 "Twisted Faith"
>

## Characters

### Jennette Margarita

The princess is a beautiful lady with an angelic heart. And she is beloved not only by her nation but by the whole continent. And among those who adore Jennette, was her father, Emperor Claude de Alger Obelia. Jennette was the kind of person who could melt the heart of even a cold-blooded man like him. Supported by her father, the emperor, she was wed to Prince Ijekiel Alpheus, the best man fit to be a husband, and lived happily ever after. Jennette is actually a child "created" by her mother, Penelope Judith. To be specific, she did actually give birth to Jennette, but the process was artificial.

### Claude de Alger Obelia

To his people, he is praised as a hero and a savior of the nation. But in truth, he is a heartless man who killed his elder brother, the proper heir, and sat himself upon the throne. Claude only learned of Jennette Margarita's existence when she turned 14. After realizing her existence, Claude was cold towards Jennette at first. However, Princess Jennette, being an unbelievably lovable person due to being the protagonist, eventually melted the cold icy heart of Claude. During the poisoning incident, he killed his own daughter and when the truth was revealed, Claude never felt an ounce of guilt or regret on killing his first daughter.

Claude had an unhappy childhood. The name Claude itself means "the one who limps". Penelope was sweet to him and promised to be with him so when he found out the truth about his fiancée's affairs, he snapped and gave up on his blood ties once and for all. When Anastacius de Alger Obelia became emperor, he killed Claude's mother and tried killing Claude but he failed, and Claude became the emperor.

After that, Claude became distrustful and lived a depraved life. But then, he met Diana and Athanasia was born.

### Athanasia de Alger Obelia

Athanasia was a poor, foolish princess. She was the firstborn princess and the same age as Jennette Margarita. Athanasia's existence was informed to Claude de Alger Obelia the moment she was born. Then Claude went to the Ruby Palace, a palace for concubines, to kill his own daughter, but as he heard her name, Athanasia, given by her mother, he felt amused and decided to leave her in that palace, testing how long that infant would live in accordance to her name. Thanks to that, Athanasia grew up to be a fragile princess, always on edge.

The first time she ever sees her father is on her ninth birthday, led by the light and the noise of the banquet, Athanasia leaves the Ruby Palace late that night, where she meets Claude in the garden of the emperor's palace. Of course, Claude turns away and leaves, uninterested. But to a girl like Athanasia who's never received any affection, this was quite a fateful encounter. She tries with all her might to be loved by her father, thus growing up into a beauty with both skill and grace. And on the day of Athanasia's debutante when she turned 14, a second princess was revealed and her dreams get shattered into pieces.

Athanasia, with her gloomy and foggy disposition, and Jennette, bright and cheery as the sun. Perhaps it was inevitable that everyone love Jennette more than Athanasia. But Athanasia was a really nice girl too, instead of being jealous of Jennette, she taught her the ways of the palace. But she loses the very thing she ever wanted to Jennette, her father's love.

On top of everything, this poor princess gets killed by her own father, accused of putting poison in Jennette's glass. She was framed since on the contrary, if she knew it was poisoned, she would have gladly drunk that glass herself to save Jennette. Because if something bad had happened to Jennette, it would have gravely saddened Claude.

Athanasia was killed even before she was found guilty. It was her 18th birthday, exactly 9 years after the day she met him for the first time in the garden.

### Penelope Judith

Penelope was originally Claude's fiancée, but she was never satisfied with Claude who wasn't first in line to the throne. She seduced Anastacius de Alger Obelia, who was the official crown prince.

When Anastacius was killed, Penelope witnessed everything and she started running in escape. Before his death, Anastacius did an experiment using Penelope and she conceived a child who contained black magic. When she escaped, she thought that the child would take her to higher ground, that her child would rise her up. However. she died during childbirth and an ordinary child was born, ordinary but for her jeweled-eyes.

### Anastacius de Alger Obelia

Anastacius had always regarded the talented and gifted Claude de Alger Obelia as an annoyance. And therefore he welcomed Penelope. Later, Anastacius became the emperor, killed Claude's mother and even tried to kill Claude using black magic but he failed. Anastacius was always wary of how Claude had stronger mana than himself, and therefore he wanted to create a powerful child who could surpass Claude.

### Diana

Diana was a dancer invited to the royal banquet who drew the emperor's attention and was deflowered by him, but then she was forgotten. And when she died giving birth, she left and infant in which she named "Athanasia" which is linked to immortality. Giving a name linked to immortality is a royalty tradition that must only be done to the official heirs of the kingdom.

### Lilian York

Lilian is Athanasia de Alger Obelia's official nanny and the only one who tried defending Athanasia's innocence. Because of that, she died along with Athanasia.

### Ijekiel Alpheus

Ijekiel is the heir of the Alpheus family and Jennette Margarita's second cousin who eventually became Jennette's fiancé and they married, hence living happily ever after. He is very intelligent and dreamy. The noble ladies described him as so tall and handsome like a statue of Fioreze. He is the most eligible bachelor in Obelia.

### Roger Alpheus

Roger is an ambitious man and used Jennette Margarita to live a more successful life in which he did since his son married Jennette.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Episode 3
2. ↑ Episode 23
3. ↑ Episode 3
4. ↑ Episode 1