Jared's painful groan, leaking out through the bundle of cloth, caught Medea's ear.
Swish. Swish.
There was a sound like a heavy object being dragged across the floor.
Medea strained her eyes like a child trying to keep her words to herself.
"Ugh, ugh."
Even when the sound of something breaking echoed behind the altar, even when Jared's groans could no longer be heard.
Thud.
Even when the body that was falling down suddenly hit something.
"..."
Soon complete silence descended.
Medea opened her eyes. Then she lowered her head and looked at her hands.
As if she were checking the last trace of a human being still left in her hands.
Thud. Thud.
The sound of footsteps approaching Medea stopped.
"...This."
The pungent scent of blood wafted past her nose along with a voice full of despair.
Medea could see him covered in red. He seemed to have noticed his appearance too.
"Wait a minute."
Cesare turned around.
Creak. Creak. Creak.
He disappeared behind a small door attached to the chapel.
"Ahhhh! Euaaaah!"
The priest who had lost consciousness was heard screaming as he woke up. His terrified scream echoed through the chapel.
"Here it is! I heard it here!"
The sound of someone's footsteps again caught his footsteps. He felt anxious and impatient.
"Huh, huk... I'm dead! I'm dead! Euaaaah!"
Medea listened blankly to the terrified priest's convulsive screams.
Through her faded vision, Jared's body became clearer.
A red mud spread out around him.
Lying on the altar where he was about to pledge his marriage to Medea, with his eyes closed and his hands folded, he looked like a repentant Saint.
Seriously, really, he's dead.
"Medea."
At that moment, she raised her head as the hand holding her arm reached out.
It was Jason who was sweating coldly.
***
Jason ran deep into the forest.
'It shouldn't be too late, please, please...'
He didn't know that Jared could change the coordinates of the magic circle on his own.
The tailing that had been attached to him was all useless. Peleus and Agemas were also busy tracking down the magic circle.
If Jason had not threatened one of the high-ranking warlocks with his sword, he would not have arrived in time either.
But when he entered the chapel a little late, Jason couldn't help but frown.
Candles lighting the chapel. A torn veil. A distraught priest.
"This crazy guy...'
Because he realized what Jared's purpose was.
He dared to forcefully marry Medea.
A worthless man who couldn't even reach her toes dared to touch her noble nature, whom even Jason himself couldn't even touch with his fingertips.
Jason's murderous intent towards Jared surged. He readjusted his grip on his sword.
Since three years ago, he has not neglected his training even for a single day. So, he must slaughter that bastard...
"...Princess."
As Jason was heading towards the altar, he saw the pale Medea and ran towards her.
He swore that never in his life had that short distance felt so long.
"Medea."
She is alive. She is safe. A sense of relief came over Jason first.
"Thank you, God."
He muttered without realizing it.
"..."
The arm he was holding was so cold. His heart pounded.
"Are you okay? Do you recognize me?"
Medea's reaction was slow as if she had lost her mind. It was something Jason had never seen before.
His heart ached as he looked at the green eyes blankly staring at Jared as if they couldn't hear his voice.
Soon Jason's eyes took in Medea's wounds, her blood-soaked dress, and Jared's closed eyes.
'Oh no. I'm late.'
Jason's expression distorted as he looked at the torn marriage contract and the scattered gold ring.
"... I, I will cover it up."
At the same time, his reason spoke.
Now is the time. The opportunity to have this woman by my side, whom I had never been able to reach.
"Medea, choose me, and I will save you from this marriage."
The green eyes slowly moved to look at Jason. He spoke again with emphasis.
"My uncle won't let this go. He'll make you pay. Are you saying you're going to be tied down to a guy like Jared and mortgaged for the rest of your life?"
"..."
"I will protect you. From my uncle, from me, if you choose me..."
"Jason."
The name rolling around in that mouth was sweet.
"There are always conditions attached to the words you say."
It was a calm and cool voice.
Even in this desperate situation, where she had always rejected and pushed him away, the voice was the same as before.
Jason's handsome face distorted as he read the meaning embedded in the voice.
"You hate me that much? You find me more disgusting than that dirty tooth?"
"..."
"Say no, Medea. You know how I got here..."
I don't know. She doesn't know why I betrayed the remaining warlocks and am here.
"I can handle anything as long as I have you. I'll take care of Jared's business too."
"There is no need to bargain, Jason."
At that moment, a man walked out, pulling back the curtain.
His golden eyes sparkled on his clean face, which did not match the bloody mud.
A statuesque face with blood-stained skin and a darkened forehead as if wet.
Underneath the sharp jawline, a single bloodstain that seemed to have not been erased brought about a sense of foreboding.
"I did that."
The arrogant handsome man looked down at Jason and gestured toward the altar. His unwavering dignity somehow resembled someone else's.
"You."
Jason opened his mouth in astonishment.
He didn't understand why Cesare was here, nor what he said to him.
No, it seemed like his head was refusing to recognize it.
"Brother, if you wanted to force a sale, you should have already checked who the owner of the product was."
As soon as Cesare finished speaking, the chapel became noisy.
"Your Highness! Your Highness the Princess!"
Behind the people running towards her, Medeq could see the piles of corpses outside the chapel.
"Dear!"
It's Peleus.
Her brother's arms were warm and firm, but the faint smell of blood did not go away.
"I thought I was losing you again. I thought I was losing you too."
Medea read the despair Peleus must have felt in the rising and falling of his chest.
"Your Majesty, there was an attack on the way here. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Your Majesty...
One of Neril's arms, which was constantly apologizing, was soaked in blood.
Raju's rear, who had prepared the trap, was not easy.
While Peleus was tense from searching for his sister, he even prepared assassins.
Each and every one of them was using unusual black magic, so dealing with them slowed down the tracking of Medea's whereabouts.
But it wasn't just the Valdina royal family that visited the chapel.
"Died."
The chamberlain of Perdiccas II, who had examined the body, wiped his hands on a white handkerchief.
And then he looked back and forth between Jason and Cesare, who were standing there as if nailed down.
"Your Highness..."
"Your Majesty, there is no need for that. I killed him."
Medea raised her head and looked at Cesare.
The old chamberlain, who had been the only one to maintain his composure during this commotion, looked for the first time as if he could not believe his ears.
"Your Highness, Prince. Are you now confessing to murdering General Jared?"
"That's right."
There was no sense of hesitation in his clear answers.
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