Synopsis: The Fake Queen Learns What Love Is

The conflict that consumed numerous nations for over a decade finally concluded, resulting in the Kingdom of Weikling becoming the prevailing power. Its youthful king, Lionel, insisted that every country provide hostages. In the Kingdom of Hammond, the only individuals eligible to be sent as hostages were the crown prince, Jonas—who was on the brink of marriage—and the queen herself. Reluctant to jeopardize his family, the king of Hammond abdicated in favor of Jonas, quickly arranged a marriage for him, and concocted a scheme to present a fake queen as the hostage. The woman selected solely for this purpose was Laura, the daughter of a destitute baron. Jonas's true love was Silvia, his initial fiancée, and even after the marriage, he never cast a glance at Laura. Though Laura had been coerced into accepting the royal command due to threats against her family's safety and had to forsake her aspiration of becoming a civil official, she was dispatched to Weikling as the queen of Hammond with minimal preparations. Awaiting Laura upon her arrival in Weikling were the frigid and merciless Lionel—and the haughty princesses from other nations, who were also hostages, and looked down upon her for being from a lesser country. With not even a single lady-in-waiting accompanying her, Laura faced bullying from those princesses as they vied for Lionel’s attention. Yet she persevered through it all, thinking of her family and holding on courageously. “It’ll be all right. I’m sure of it.” Even as she endures painful days, Laura continues to live with quiet hope—and in doing so, she begins to perceive the profound loneliness and despair that dwell within Lionel’s eyes.