This temple was a trap prepared by Medea for Samon.
'The reason we insisted on holding the Continental Festival in a temple instead of a villa was to attract the Holy Nation.'
Now, High Priest Paul will be on the lookout for the villain who will cause the explosion in Valdina's stead.
Rather than holding the Claudio family accountable for Samon's death, they will be busy covering their tracks.
A cool chill passed through Medea's green eyes.
She already knew about Samon's plan to take care of her brother.
But even if Samon had not intended to harm Peleus in this life, Medea would not have stopped.
This was an old grudge she was returning to her enemies from her past life.
***
As thick smoke spread across the surrounding city, a black carriage left the temple amid the chaos of the explosion recovery effort.
"Boss. Over here."
Gallo held out a handkerchief and examined the complexion of the man sitting across from him.
The man, who had taken off his soot-stained outerwear and was catching his breath, was wearing a black shirt.
The distinct outline of his well-toned muscles was clearly visible through the thin fabric.
The man, who seemed to be in a low mood and was breathing slowly, had a fierceness that made it difficult for him to open his mouth.
"Even so, what if you jump in like that? Do you think you have multiple lives after dying and coming back to life?"
"It's noisy."
"This explosion has something to do with Her Excellency Medea, right? Huh? Right? Otherwise, there's no way the boss would have gotten involved."
Gallo continued to nag without taking a breath.
Even for someone who rarely gets surprised, the explosion he had just experienced at the Parthenon was enough to make his jaw drop.
"Your Highness, if you were really hiding something so great, you should have told me in advance! There are more than a few people here who would like to sleep with Samon Claudio!"
For example, Jason Castullo, or the representative of the Katzen delegation.
"I feel sorry for Her Highness. Weren't we always on the same side? Weren't we? I've been going back and forth to Valdina until my feet were sore, and this is all our friendship has become-"
Gallo, who had been grumbling with his mouth open, stopped.
It was because he discovered a little too late that the lower part of Cesare's black shirt was wet.
"What is that? When on earth did you... Did you get hurt while saving Her Highness just now?!"
He thought he had saved the Princess without a single speck of dust by jumping into the debris that was flying as the stained glass burst, but it turned out that he had just taken a few of them with his body.
"Be quiet. Don't make a fuss."
Cesare shouted as he pressed the handkerchief that Gallo had handed him to wipe the soot off his face against his wound. The white towel quickly turned red.
"Do you know Medea? Surely she's not the one who didn't smile?"
"If you bother me anymore, I'll kick you out of the carriage."
At Cesare's rebuke, Gallo opened his eyes wide. No matter how much the Princess was his lifelong benefactor, his boss was also a precious dragon destined to ascend to the throne.
"No, then at least if you had shown it to the Emperor or nobles of Valdina, it would have been fun-"
"Get out."
Cesare could no longer bear it and kicked Gallo. Gallo was thrown out of the carriage and rolled on the floor, shouting that it was too much.
Left alone in the carriage, Cesare threw down his handkerchief.
A damp handkerchief clanked to the floor.
"...Fuck."
The elegant lips slowly spat out a curse.
He never wanted to experience that feeling of losing his sense of reason again.
"Nothing has changed."
He also finds himself losing his composure in a very annoying way.
Medea still walks alone into the firepit.
Three years have passed. Medea is no longer the scorned Princess of a weak little kingdom.
And yet, despite having a strong brother and a strong country by her side, she still walks her own path.
A path that cannot be understood by anyone, and there is no expectation that anyone will.
The path she had walked silently, where she had to bear the weight of each step she took alone.
Cesare stroked his dry face. A faint laugh escaped between his straight fingers.
He still has not found an answer to how to define this contradictory feeling he feels every time he sees her trajectory that resembles his own.
Cesare raised his head.
The smoke rising from the temple in the distance was now a pale gray.
The golden sunset, with the sun slowly setting, greedily swallowed up the smoke.
***
Even as most of the guests had left and midnight approached, the restoration and search work at the temple was in full swing.
"I found him!"
They were able to find Samon, or more precisely, his body, unconscious and wedged between the planks of the basement below the altar.
The rescuer put his index finger under Samon's nose to check for breathing and then stroked his chest.
"Thank goodness you're alive! Even though you collapsed like this! It's a miracle, the goddess helped you! Look at this!"
The sunken hand of the fallen statue covered Samon, protecting him from other debris.
But the problem lay elsewhere.
"Ah, get out of the way! Where are you, Samon? Where did you find him?! Oh my, my son!"
Catherine came running when she heard that her son had been found. They paused and exchanged glances, seemingly unsure of how to begin the conversation.
"Madam. I think it would be best to call the doctor first..."
"What are you talking about? Where are you hurt?! Our Samon?! Get out of the way!"
Catherine pushed past the laborers and approached Samon.
"Simon! Mother has come! How hard it was...!"
And then she froze.
One of Samon's legs was missing as he lay with his eyes closed.
No, the blood and dust-covered chunks of flesh scattered around told her that they had once been part of his body.
"It seems like you were right next to me when the explosion happened. I guess that's why you got hit all over your body, uh, uh uh...!"
"Madam! Cath! Come on!"
Catherine fainted while still standing.
***
The Princess' Palace.
"Your Highness, the laborers have come looking for Samon."
Umberto came and reported.
"He is seriously injured and in danger of death. One of his legs was blown off in the explosion."
He let out a sigh as if he felt regret.
"But it's not like it's a serious threat to life. It's said that when the last explosion occurred, pieces of the broken statue got stuck in the ceiling and acted as a protective shield to block the falling debris."
"Samon is lucky."
How did he survive despite all those layers of gunpowder?
"It seems that the Claudio mansion is desperate to track down the culprit who took Samon to the basement, no, me."
But Umberto had already left the mansion and was standing in front of Medea.
"It's all pointless. Even if they search for the servant or butler who disappeared now, how can they revive the already crushed leg?"
Umberto smiled broadly while lying prostrate. The fox badge on his chest was particularly shiny.
Umberto, who had successfully completed his long-awaited business trip, seemed to be full of energy.
"Besides, there are traces of Claudio's attempt to assassinate His Majesty on the altar, so they can't just blame us for the explosion. They must feel like they're tied up in ropes and can't move."
Kensington intervened. Medea nodded.
"Neril. Send a letter to the Fourth Princess in the East. She needs to know what happened to her only husband."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Neril nodded.
Perhaps because the plan didn't quite work out, her expression wasn't bright.
"He really has a long lifespan."
Medea sympathized.
Coincidentally, Samon survived under the statue of the goddess. It seems as if the goddess protected Samon from Medea's revenge.
A light smile escaped between her beautiful lips.
Yes. Perhaps the benevolent God was fair to Samon, as He gave Medea a second chance.
'But.'
Medea raised her head and looked at the sky outside the window.
Beneath her expressionless face, she suppressed a hint of fear and anxiety that humans who rebel against the will of God usually feel.
If she was going to stop in the middle, she wouldn't have even started from the beginning.
"It's okay. Nothing will change."
Samon will not make it out of the strait alive.
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