The Crown Prince's thick nape was full of blood.
As if he were about to swing his fist, Edrick stood close to Talia's side. He wasn't the only one who noticed the danger, but Barcas, who had been standing quietly like a shadow, stepped between the two.
"The schedule has been delayed a lot. Let's proceed with the ceremony."
The Second Princess stiffened for a moment, then turned her eyes to look at Lord Sheerkan.
Edrick, who had been on his toes for only a moment, noticed the stiffness in her body. This thunderous woman seemed to know that she should be careful when Lord Sheerkhan was making a face.
She closed her mouth tightly and looked away. The Crown Prince, who was screaming as if he was about to explode, gritted his teeth and stood in front of the altar again.
When the situation seemed to be over, the priest in charge, who had been crouching his neck and watching his eyes, coughed and resumed the ritual.
Edrick stood a short distance and watched as the three members of the royal family took turns praying for the consecration.
The Crown Prince was the first to come to the altar and bowed his head, and the chief priest lifted a silver cup, poured holy water on it, and chanted the words of blessing in ancient language.
Next, the First Princess and her deputy Lord Sheerkhan stepped to the altar, and for the last time, Thalia bowed before the priest.
Edrick stared at Thalia, her eyes down, as if she were a stranger.
The light from hundreds of candles added a mysterious glow to her tan blond hair and pale skin, making her seem like a being from another dimension.
As he stared blankly, the priest poured holy water on her head.
A stream of transparent water drenched her golden silk hair, flowing down her smooth forehead, cheeks, and straight nose, forming on the tip of her chin.
The priest raised his hand over her head and poured out his divine power.
"May God's grace be with you forever..."
The prayer, which seemed to never end, finally stopped.
The priest rang the silver bell, and the Prince was the first to rise from his seat and walk across the congregation.
The First Princess and Lord Sheerkhan followed, and Thalia Roem Guirta slowly straightened herself up. Then she raised her chin high and strode across the congregation in a queenly manner.
Everyone couldn't take their eyes off the imposing figure.
The embodiment of discord. A creepy and sinister being.
It was as if he realized for the first time that the woman he had always thought of as such was actually the Princess of the empire...
***
Perhaps because of the rapid Increase in altitude, the air became cooler, which was as hot as a hot bath.
Breathing in the dry, cool air, I looked out the window at the sunlit sky.
A deep blue night was gathering from the east. The day is about to end without any incident today.
My throat felt hot as if I had swallowed a fireball.
I opened the box in the corner of the carriage and took out a small silver knife from the monastery. The pale glowing blade seemed to be telling me that it was tired of waiting.
I shoved it into my pocket and carefully stepped out of the wagon, where I could see the bustling camp.
I pressed the hood of my robe against my head and studied my surroundings carefully. Apparently, they were holding a grand banquet to relieve Gareth's low mood.
The servants were busier than ever, carrying wine and food from tent to tent, and some of the soldiers were already very drunk.
I fiddled with the blade I had tucked into my pocket and moistened my parched lips. I was happy to see the noisy atmosphere. It will be easier to handle things. I cautiously crossed the camp.
At that moment, the guard knight who found me rushed over with joy.
"Your Highness!"
I furrowed my brows.
Why is this man so insistent on wagging his tail at me? I felt uncomfortable with his incomprehensibly friendly attitude.
I glared at his harmless face as if I had no black heart, snorted loudly, and walked past him. However, the man did not break down even with such a cold reaction
"You were very frustrated, right? Come on, come over here. Servants are preparing food. If you watch the cooking process, Your Highness will be relieved."
I ignored the nonstop chatter and walked to the sound of music.
Soon, they found Gareth enjoying the sacrament with a fire in front of the ornate barracks.
I stopped at a distance. To ease the Prince's mood as he tilted his glass with a fat face, they were doing everything they could to calm him. While the attendants, dressed in ridiculous clown costumes, performed tricks with daggers, the musicians played a sticky tune to his liking, and some of the maids pretended to be attendants. I watched the scene with a sneer, but the guard knight stood in my way.
"You'd better go over there."
I looked up at his serious face. Even at the temple, he kept by my side with this expression. As if to protect me from danger.
I snorted inwardly. I knew I would be deceived.
"Don't meddle."
I swerved and stepped in front of the tents lined up near the riverside.
In the first place, my target was not Gareth. I tried to look as natural as possible, rolling my eyes in search of Ayla's camp. Eventually, I found my half-sister enjoying a meal surrounded by a group of maids.
I pondered for a moment.
Ayla was surrounded by knights. To them, I am a person of interest, and if I try to approach them prematurely, I will be stopped immediately.
I bit my lip nervously.
How can I approach my half-sister without arousing suspicion?
While I was in such trouble, the guard knight, who had been chatting nonstop, suddenly became quiet.
I glanced up. The man was looking down at me with a suspicious look. Apparently, he was suspicious of my unusual behavior.
I pretended to be nonchalant and sat down at a nearby table. Then I blurted out to distract the knight.
"I'm hungry. Bring me something to eat."
The knight's face immediately lit up again. He was a ridiculously simple man.
"Wait a minute! I'll prepare it right away."
When the pesky watcher was gone, I rolled my eyes under my hood and looked at Ayla's movements again. She was laughing at the jokes of the maids.
Can I really stop that damn woman?
My mouth was dry. Maybe I will be overpowered by a knight who notices something suspicious before I even try properly. At that time, it wouldn't be enough to pass it off as a mischievous joke.
I fiddled with the blade in my pocket, wondering if it was really worth my life.
Even if Ayla disappears from this world, I won't get my hands on Barcas. He will live his life as always, and I will disappear as the dew of execution. The only result of this foolish act is a miserable death.
'Still...'
Is it better to watch Barcas become Ayla's husband than to die?
While Ayla, who became the Grand Duchess of Sheerkan, gave birth to and raised his heir, I would wither away in terrible pain.
Maybe I will be forced to marry a man chosen by Senevere. If that happens, I will not be able to endure the filthy and disgusting touch of an obscene and filthy man, and I will hang myself. No, it certainly will.
It might be better to end it neatly with Ayla as my companion today.
When I finally made up my mind, I stood up. Then, as I was about to get closer to Ayla as naturally as possible, I suddenly caught a familiar person.
'That Woman...'
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