Rose Reborn: The Thorn Road of Revenge

The Carp Clan was naturally blessed with fertility, capable of bearing many offspring.

Every three years, the Dragon Clan opened the Dragon Gate to select brides from our Carp Clan.

I was chosen by the Dragon Clan's First Prince, Max Best, while my sister married the Third Prince, Martin Best.

My sister, a mere red carp, bore nine children, one of whom was a four-clawed golden dragon.

In contrast, despite being a prized golden koi, I only gave birth to a loach.

Max was furious and skinned our child alive.

My sister, having gained status through her children, became the Dragon Mother.

Driven by jealousy, she took this opportunity to humiliate me to death.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day of the Dragon Gate selection.

Max unhesitatingly pushed me aside and took my sister's hand.

It turned out he had also been reborn.

But he did not know that my loach was actually the progenitor of all dragons.

——

The triannual selection event for dragon brides commenced as scheduled.

Under the envious gazes of everyone, Max stepped through the Dragon Gate and took my hand.

He was the First Prince of the Dragon Clan, a true three-clawed golden dragon.

I was a golden koi, naturally fertile and capable of bearing offspring for all clans.

Everyone believed we were a match made in heaven.

As we wed, the expectation was for three-clawed golden dragons at minimum.

There was even hope for the legendary five-clawed golden dragon, destined to be a dragon king.

"Congratulations to His Majesty! Princess Gloria marrying the First Prince will surely bring forth a new king for the Dragon Clan."

"This union secures the Carp Clan's position as the second family of the East Sea."

Amidst flattery, my father beamed with joy.

Suddenly, Max pushed me away with disdain on his face.

"What natural fertility? The golden koi is nothing but a hollow title."

At that moment, I had just been reborn.

Clearly, he had also returned to life.

In our previous life, he had welcomed me with grandeur and cherished me like a treasure.

I laid countless eggs but ultimately only birthed a black loach.

Max was enraged and scolded me for my lowly status, claiming I tainted his bloodline.

I cried and begged him to exile us from the dragon palace. All I wanted was to survive.

He showed no mercy and skinned our child alive again.

Given another chance, he evidently intended to keep me at arm's length.

Upon hearing this, my father's expression changed drastically.

"Max, why say such things? Gloria is a once-in-a-thousand-years golden koi."

"In this world, no one is more qualified than her to be your consort."

Max snorted coldly and looked at me mockingly.

"The natural fertility of a golden koi is merely a rumor. In reality, it is the most inferior breed."

"In my view, Gloria Yukio deserves to marry only rotten fish and shrimp."

With that, he turned to my sister Sofia Yukio.

In our past life, she married the Third Prince Martin and bore nine children, including a four-clawed golden dragon.

In dragon culture, gold was revered above all. Blue came next, while all others were deemed inferior.

Golden dragons were further classified by claw count: three claws are common; four claws are rare; five claws signify a destined dragon king.

My sister's birthing of a four-clawed golden dragon helped Martin ascend to the throne.

She was crowned as the Dragon Mother and had always harbored hatred towards me, ultimately leading to my demise through various humiliations.

Max witnessed everything yet stood by idly.

In this new life, not only did he not seek revenge for me, his wife. He even aimed to seize his brother's dragon bride first and openly expressed his affection for Sofia.

Max held my sister's hands tightly with an affectionate expression.

"Sofia is truly my destined dragon bride. I will marry no one else in this life."

Sofia did not appear surprised but instead smirked with satisfaction.

She looked down at me haughtily as if she had anticipated my downfall all along.

My intuition told me that Sofia had also been reborn.

She smoothly linked arms with Max and feigned understanding. "Max, Gloria is indeed a golden koi."

"According to Carp Clan records, even if a golden koi mates with an eel or loach, it can still give birth to true dragons. Could it be that you are mistaken?"

The memories of our past life resurfaced in Max's mind as his expression darkened ominously.

He retorted angrily, "There's no mistake. Lowly creatures can only produce lowly offspring!"

Seizing the moment, Sofia suggested, "Why not let Gloria marry a loach and see whether it's our clan's legend that's wrong or if it's you who are mistaken?"

This was her true plan.

After being reborn, she feared I might rise through my child and thus wanted me completely wed to a loach.

Max's expression shifted slightly.

After all, I had once been his dragon bride—having me mate with a loach was hard for him to accept.

However, seeing Sofia's eager demeanor made him nod in agreement eventually.

He affectionately pinched Sofia's nose playfully.

"Fine! I will decide. Let Gloria marry a loach and use facts to debunk the rumor of the golden koi's natural fertility!"