EITAB - Chapter 1 Uninvited Guest

Even if it is Trampled and Broken

Ellsworth's Princess and a Saintess. On the wedding day of Hestia, who was called that and finally degenerated into Ellsworth's idiot. Sitting in front of the mirror, she couldn't find the thrill of a new bride on her face. It has to be.

'It's not something I want to do.'

To be precise, it was a marriage that depended on the goodwill and sympathy of her partner, Stephan Ceretto. That's why Hestia's expression didn't brighten. She seemed to have become an object herself, and it was difficult to erase her miserable heart. 

She looked up in the mirror. She wore make-up to hide her dry, discolored face, which she felt cramped as if she had a layer of silk wrapped around her face.

"Princess, how are you? Do you like it?"

Angela, Hestia's childhood friend and her handmaid, opened her mouth in a rather excited voice.

"It was a pity that you always wore only training clothes, but the day would come when you could wear such a beautiful dress.."

"I don't know if that is too much. There must be someone who looks better in this dress than me."

"What are you saying! The Princess is so beautiful now! There's no one suited better to this dress than a Princess! I can tell you."

"You too."

Hestia looked down at her clothes in an awkward mood. This dress, the most splendid dress she had ever worn in her life, was lavished with jewels and lace, and the white fabric was purer than snow. However, from the other's point of view, the decorations did not feel excessive. It was because of Hestia's appearance that no matter how skinny she was, she never lost her grace and shine. In addition, her silver hair, like the cold moonlight, her symbol, shines more brilliantly every day, exuding her noble aura. 

However, Hestia, the person in charge, could not erase the awkwardness and continued to touch the hem of her dress with her fingertips.

 Angela looked at her master for a while with a pitying look. Angela knew better than anyone else that Hestia's self-esteem was in a state of shattering. So, she took a short breath and said it with all her might.

"Princess, do you believe me? Please never overdo it."

Then, Angela spoke in a deliberately stern voice, as if not to say anything negative or think of her.

"As the only Princess of Ellsworth, you are a Saintess. Since it's such a precious person's wedding, of course, everything should be of the highest quality."

"Strictly speaking, I am not the only Saintess."

Hestia lowered her eyes while muttering in a voice that was barely audible. She didn't know what to answer this time, so Angela was speechless for a moment, then she just changed the subject.

"Come on, Princess. Keep your head up. Now, if you use the veil, you will be finished."

"Huh."

Hestia's head gently lifted upwards. As Angela put the veil on her, she let Hestia's purple pupils shyly hide and reappear beneath her eyelids. Angela let out a small exclamation of her elongated proud face.

"You're really good."

"Thank you, Angela. It's thanks to you who worked hard to decorate it from the morning."

Perhaps, shrugging at her praise, she smiled mischievously with her shoulders straight.

"Sir Stephan, I'm sure he'll fall in love with you again today."

"Is that so?"

"Sure, sure. When did you see me talking nonsense?"

"...No."

Hestia deliberately shook her head gently to the side and replied. Angela smiled broadly with a face that seemed relieved only then.

"Princess, shall we move to be chapel now? I think you can wait for Sir Stephan there."

"... OK then. Because the time is running out."

With Angela's help, Hestia moved slowly from her waiting room to the chapel where the ceremony was to be held. A figure approached Hestia as if she had waited frighteningly for her to step inside.

"Princess, you are here now! I was worried about what to do if I couldn't see your face. But I'm glad I did!"

"... Miss Anette."

Hestia quickly moistened her dry lips with her tongue, then called out the name of a woman who seemed to be more excited than she was. Anette is another Saintess of Ellsworth, and unlike Hestia, she is truly loved by God and listens to His voice. Strangely, Hestia couldn't help feeling intimidated by her whenever she stood in front of her, who was always proud and lovely. 

'It's because she's real?'

Hestia just thinks about Anette, and her chest feels strangely clogged up. With a face that said that Hestia couldn't guess what she was thinking in the slightest, Anette continued to chatter.

"Of course, the ceremony was held on the day before my departure. Please forgive me for not being able to keep my seat until the end."

"What are you talking about? You must be busy. But thank you for stopping by."

At her words of greeting, Anette exaggeratedly lowered the tips of her eyebrows and grabbed both of Hestia's hands with a snap.

'It hurt...'

Hestia pressed her lips together to keep her moan from coming out of her mouth. Anette raised her voice.

"What are you saying! What kind of relationship are we?"

Rather, Hestia wanted to ask. She had no idea what kind of relationship she and Anette really had, why they were so entangled in the terrible bond. But she didn't dare to ask. She chewed the question down and swallowed it with a smile. Anette quickly glanced up and down at Hestia's attire. still holding on to her smile.

"How can there be all these fancy and beautiful dresses? Those who see Hestia for the first time today would never have known in their dreams that Hestia, who is famous as a Saintess of celibacy, is so beautiful."

It was a word that never sounded like a compliment. She thought that Hestia very well when she came out wearing the veil. If she hadn't done that, she would have been caught with her messed-up expression. Despise wearing her veil. Anette gazed intently at the area around her face as if she wanted to check her expression with her own two eyes. Without blinking her eyes once, Anette opened her mouth.

"We won't be able to live together in the temple from now on, but you'll still come to pray, right?"

Hestia involuntarily inhaled. Her strength was in her hand holding her bouquet, and her bones stood out white.

"... It should make even God El Rafa happy."

'Is it really so? If God really loved me, if He was happy with my little act, then I... I wouldn't have pushed it into this marriage.'

Hestia's purple eyes eventually fell under her, unable to overcome the weight of her eyelids. Then her attendant,  following Anette, came over and whispered to her. She seemed to be conveying that there was no time to delay and that she had to set out immediately. 

Anette looked back at Hestia with a smile on her face.

"Princess, I think I should leave."

Hestia, who managed her brief new emotions, nodded her head.

"Is it so. Please visit me in good health."

"I will come back and see you. It will be healthier then."

Anette smiled round and round as she always did and spoke to Hestia.

"Once again, congratulations on your marriage."

After looking at her for a moment through her narrowed eyes, Anette reached her hand to Hestia's forehead.

"You don't have much holy power left. So, I'll give you a 'blessing.'"

Hestia didn't even have time to decline.

"....Ah!"

A small moan escaped her lips. Anette's fingertips touched the center of her forehead, burning as if it were on fire. She bowed as Anette gave her a meaningful smile and she turned around. Only then did Hestia finally be able to take her breath away, she thought.

From the entrance, a small commotion started to arise again.

"What is going on?"

Hestia's head turned to where she heard the voice.

'....!'

The nobles who attended as guests also began to gossip.

"Why is that man here?"

Hearing someone's voice full of displeasure, the eyes of those seated in the chapel turned toward the door. The man had only taken one step forward, and his presence seemed to fill this large chapel. Not only that, Hestia felt as a bonus that the invisible hands were gripping her neck and choking her breath. A man like a north wind who freezes everyone just by appearing. But on the other hand, a man like the blazing sun. Aslan Kalati showed up at Hestia's wedding. Everyone who attended today's wedding as guests kept their voices low and exchanged opinions in whispers.

"Who the hell sent the invitation to him?"

"Maybe... The Princess?"

"Ah, can that be? It's already famous that the two of them don't get along well, isn't it?"

"So you're saying he came because no one invited him? Could it be that he wants to curse?"

"Curse? To the Princess?"

Some feeble ladies, both afraid of and fond of stories of this kind, pretended to be exaggeratedly surprised. Even though everyone knew that it was a nonsense story, for some reason. They thought that if it was Aslan Kalati, he would still be like that, so they added a word or two for no reason. As much as that, the eyes of the central nobles looking at Aslan were not good. But none of them had the courage to ask him how he had come here, why he had come, and for what purpose.

That's why it's only natural that the back story is increasing.

"By the way, is that 'savage' allowed to stay in Ellsworth? You have to keep outside."

This is won, it's completely guarded dog handling. Even so, Aslan pretended not to hear and fixed his eyes on Hestia. As if it was all because of her that he was being treated this way. The people's gossip continued.

"Maybe because of Kalati being here, 'winter' won't come over the walls of Ellsworth?"

Hestia was just imagining it, but everyone seemed to have goosebumps running all the way to the top of their heads. Having never directly faced winter, they were already immersed in the fear of the word. On the other hand, Aslan still looked like he was wearing an iron mask. Hestia watched his appearance quietly. 

Soon, the two eyes met in the air. A man who always looks at her with eyes like that of a well-honed blade, whenever she meets him. 'Aslan Kalati', that was his name. The master of the north, a man called a 'savage'. Uninvited, he shows up at Hestia's wedding. With a frown on his face, he said that if anyone gets caught, he will tear them to death right away.

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