I Raised Snow White!

The Marchioness of Lorenzo, gripping the princess’s forearm, began smearing her own mud-like obsession onto the princess’s body.

With a stubbornness as sticky and disgusting as a swamp, she started molding the princess as if shaping a piece of pottery to fit her desired form.

“Your Highness, Her Majesty the Queen, your mother, was indeed a beautiful person.”

The princess began listening to the story quietly.

Though it was a story she’d heard tens, hundreds of times before, she raised her head without resistance and looked into the marchioness’s eyes.

Certainly, the marchioness’s eyes were supposed to be a deep orange.

‘…It’s like a bottomless swamp.’

Right now, however, they appeared only as a thick, muddy brown.

“Her Majesty the Queen was an intelligent woman from a young age. She was the kind of person who learned one thing and knew ten more, a true blessing from the heavens.”

The marchioness’s voice trembled. Like a devout follower recalling her god, she reminisced about the past with a voice full of exhilaration.

“I always say this, but before she met me, Her Majesty the Queen was an ordinary noble lady, referred to as the ‘defective product’ of her family.”

Always the same story. The princess, looking weary, could only stare at the marchioness. She knew too well what would happen if she interrupted this tale.

“I’m the one who made her the queen with my own hands. I, with my own hands, sculpted her into the beautiful queen she became. So—”

The marchioness’s hand, which had been gripping the princess’s forearm, moved to her face, roughly grasping her face as if molding it.

“Your Highness, you only need to follow my words. I will shape you into a queen, just like Her Majesty.”

“…Yes, thank you as always, Marchioness.”

With those words, the princess forced a smile. Pleased by her response, the marchioness gently patted her head.

“This time, I won’t make any mistakes.”

Feeling as though sticky mud was smeared on her head, the princess gave a bitter smile. With the unpleasant sensation of sand mingling between her hair, she thought of the Second Queen.

‘When Her Majesty the Queen patted my head… it didn’t feel like this…’

*

The day after I heard from Ainsel that the princess had no name.

Tap, tap, tap.

In a room plunged into excessive silence, Bainshaw and I sat across from each other. I crossed my arms, tapping my forearm with my fingers as I glared at Bainshaw, who was sipping his coffee.

As if unable to bear the silence any longer, Bainshaw looked up at me after setting his coffee cup down, only to quickly lower his gaze. So, he does fear Vivian’s gaze.

I tilted my head slightly and asked Bainshaw.

“Bainshaw, do you know why I called you here today?”

“I’m sorry… but I really don’t know…”

He seemed genuinely puzzled, rolling his eyes as if frantically searching for the reason behind my summons. I hadn’t told him the reason when I called him over.

Casting a sidelong glance at him, I finally brought up why I had summoned him.

“I called you to discuss the princess’s ‘education supervisor.’”

“The princess’s… education supervisor?”

Bainshaw blinked in surprise, as though doubting his own ears. I picked up the coffee cup in front of me, took a sip, and continued, allowing Bainshaw some time to think.

“I don’t like the current ‘education supervisor’ for the princess, Marchioness of Lorenzo. From what I recall, she has an obsessive personality.”

“…Did you investigate the Marchioness of Lorenzo?”

“Well, it’s not exactly an investigation… but something like that.”

I couldn’t exactly say it was something I saw in the game, so I had to phrase it like this. Bainshaw looked as if deep in thought, stroking his beard.

“Indeed, Marchioness of Lorenzo does have certain obsessive tendencies. However, she has the experience of being a godmother to the First Queen, which is why His Majesty appointed her as the princess’s ‘education supervisor.’”

“Continue.”

“No matter how much Your Majesty may dislike Marchioness of Lorenzo, removing her from her position as the princess’s education supervisor, a role given by His Majesty, could prove a bit difficult.”

Bainshaw spoke with the voice of reason.

Yes, because of the King’s order, there were extremely few options available to me now. Up until yesterday, I had also hit the same wall in my thinking, just as Bainshaw did…

That sleepless night.

An idea suddenly struck me like lightning.

Though Ainsel had dismissed it with, ‘Get some sleep and reconsider,’ I was convinced it was the only way to save the princess from the marchioness’s clutches.

“Haha…”

-Sigh…

“…Your Majesty?”

A laugh escaped me as I admired my ingenious plan. Though Ainsel sighed in my ear, I wasn’t one to shrink away at that now.

Setting down my coffee cup, I crossed my legs and looked at Bainshaw.

“Yes, I can’t defy His Majesty’s orders merely because I don’t like her.”

“Then…”

“However, I can replace her with a different ‘education supervisor.’ Changing a ‘tutor’ for a better one is common, isn’t it? Isn’t that right, Bainshaw?”

“Yes, yes..? Uh… Well, that is indeed true…”

“Surely His Majesty would want a better teacher for the princess. At the time, the marchioness was likely considered the best choice as ‘education supervisor.’ Am I wrong?”

“Uh, uh? Yes, I suppose…?”

Seeing Bainshaw’s reaction, I was certain.

‘This is going to work.’

Smiling, I decided it was time to share my brilliant idea with Bainshaw. This is bound to work. I nodded vigorously, as if declaring it.

“In that case, I shall become the princess’s ‘education supervisor’ myself!”

“…Excuse me?”

“Have you gone deaf with age, Bainshaw? Isn’t a superior ‘education supervisor’ standing right before you, compared to Marchioness of Lorenzo?”

“…Where exactly do you mean?”

I raised my hand as if to smack his head, and Bainshaw flinched, lifting his hands to block mine.

“Let me ask again. Who do you see before you?”

“The most beautiful in the land, Her, Her Majesty the Queen…!”

“Yes, indeed. Are you suggesting that I, the queen, am inferior to Marchioness of Lorenzo as the princess’s ‘education supervisor’? Do you think I’m incapable?”

“Re, realistically, it’s unfeasible..!”

Such a loyal servant.

Even as he braced himself for a possible slap, Bainshaw stubbornly stuck to his realistic assessment, dampening my mood. I tapped his thinning forehead with my palm, then returned to my seat to look at him.

“And why is it unfeasible? You know that I, among all the noble ladies, passed countless trials to become queen. Are you suggesting that I’d be less capable than the marchioness?”

“That, that’s not what I mean… But indeed, recalling the trials Your Majesty overcame to reach the throne, it does seem like you’d be more than qualified to serve as the princess’s ‘education supervisor’…”

“Then what is the problem?”

“However… there’s no precedent in our nation’s history for the queen to be the princess’s ‘education supervisor’!”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

With a chuckle, I leaned back against the sofa and placed my hands atop my crossed knees. Bainshaw stared at me, his mouth agape in shock.

“Isn’t history written by those who record it? Then I shall create new history.”

*

A week after making that declaration to Bainshaw.

Thud, thud, thud.

As I enjoyed coffee in Bainshaw’s office, the sound of an approaching boar’s charge echoed from the hallway. Bainshaw sighed deeply, as if resigned to what was coming.

Bang!

The Marchioness of Lorenzo burst in with a murderous look, glaring between Bainshaw and me. Bainshaw gulped as her fierce gaze bore down on him.

Her face, red with rage, demanded an immediate explanation. Breathing heavily, she handed us a crumpled piece of paper.

“Please explain this. What exactly does this mean?”

The crumpled paper was something like an ‘official notice of reassignment’ that Bainshaw and I had sent to her the previous night, instructing her to step down from the princess’s ‘education supervisor’ role and take on a supporting position under me.

‘Knowing the marchioness’s personality, she’d likely resign rather than serve under me.’

Looking down at the crumpled paper, Bainshaw sighed deeply and turned to her, calmly explaining as if soothing a furious child.

“As you may know, Her Majesty the Queen has decided to assume the role of the princess’s ‘education supervisor.’”

“What on earth…”

“After comparing the records of both Her Majesty and yourself, a meeting was held, and it was decided that Her Majesty’s achievements are superior. Thus, you were asked to step down from the ‘education supervisor’ role.”

The Ministry of the Palace was one of the kingdom’s administrative departments, responsible for royal matters and not easily influenced by the Council of Elders.

Honestly, I hadn’t expected Bainshaw to succeed when he said he’d organize a meeting. After all, the Ministry’s director was a member of the council. Yet, for some reason, the Ministry had sided with me.

This allowed us to send her that notice. I’d have to send a thank-you letter to the Minister later.

“What did you say…?”

“…Is further explanation necessary? Now that you’ve aged like me, isn’t it time to enjoy a quiet life as other noble successors desire?”

The marchioness’s face twisted even further at his words. Her already wrinkled face looked like a shattered mirror.

“Does the chancellor believe Her Majesty can truly care for the princess?”

“That’s not for me to decide. It’s up to the Ministry. And personally, I do not have faith in Her Majesty.”

What? This bald man?

I almost spilled my coffee in shock at the absurd remark from Bainshaw. He met my eyes with a smile and continued speaking to the marchioness.

“Few in the Ministry trust Her Majesty. Even so, if you ask why this decision passed… it’s likely because they see you as the problem.”

“How dare you… what problem do they claim I have?!”

“Are you truly asking that?”

Bainshaw looked at her as if astonished by her feigned ignorance, while I sipped my coffee, busy watching their exchange.

Sighing deeply, Bainshaw narrowed his eyes as he looked at her.

Then, the words that left his mouth made me doubt my ears.

“Two years ago, the rumor that you were involved in the suicide of ‘Aurora Snow White,’ the First Queen, are you unaware of it?”

I nearly dropped my coffee cup.

What did he just say?

The First Queen committed suicide?

“I am aware! I was investigated and cleared of all charges at the time!”

“Just because you were cleared doesn’t mean the rumors disappeared, does it? The Ministry likely concluded that Her Majesty would be a better presence at the princess’s side than you.”

The sound of their argument no longer reached my ears.

What… what on earth is this?

Ainsel had told me, ‘Vivian, out of jealousy for the king’s favor toward the First Queen, performed a ritual to swap bodies.’

If the First Queen committed suicide two years ago, then that would mean Ainsel lied. It’s only been a little over a month since I arrived here as a result of that ritual gone wrong.

I touched the earring containing Ainsel, urging an explanation, but Ainsel remained silent.

As if she wasn’t even here.

‘What are you hiding from me…?’