141 – What seemed to have changed has not changed (11)
TL: Zimming
Editor: Kyouka
Richard hurried to the garden where the wedding was going to be held.
He planned not to show his face until the wedding ceremony began to maintain the muddled atmosphere, but because of the royal couple's arrival, it seems that he can longer do that.
Ancia was surrounded by many people.
She looked beautiful in her dark apricot dress.
Her eyes that shone brilliantly matched her enchanting, red lips.
Richard wanted Ancia.
However, the person by her side was not him, but Blake.
In addition to the visage that resembled Tenstheon, Blake also had the silver hair and red eyes that symbolized the royal family. He even had Ancia.
Blake had everything Richard wanted.
He effortlessly acquired all of them because he was the emperor's son.
The jealousy and insecurity he felt intensified the anger in his heart. Richard tried to hide it as he approached the couple.
"I greet the Crown Prince, the light of the empire, and the Crown Princess, the blessing of the empire."
"I haven't seen you in a while."
Blake looked at Richard and spoke briefly, an elegant smile on his face.
"Richard Cassil, congratulations on your wedding."
"……"
It was only natural to celebrate his wedding now that they are in the wedding hall. Despite that, Richard was furious.
He didn't want to hear that from her.
It was an emotion that he couldn't understand himself.
It was true that he had affection for Ancia when he was still being foolish, but that feeling disappeared when he thought she was dead. No, perhaps he resented her.
For that reason, he couldn't understand why he wanted to have her for himself.
He felt like he had long desired her. It didn't even feel like a simple childhood love anymore.
However, it was not the right time to be swayed by emotions.
Why did the crown prince and his wife suddenly show up?
Did the emperor send the crown prince to celebrate because he was his nephew?
No, that's not it.
Even if Tenstheon gave such a command, Blake wouldn't have heeded it.
While Richard wondered why they made an appearance, Blake opened his mouth.
"I heard the Marquis of Westin is in critical condition."
"Yes, we had to get married earlier than the original schedule because of him."
"Where is the marquis? I want to treat him."
"……"
Cold sweat dripped down Richard's back.
"Oh, please do so!"
"Your Highness, who was chosen by the goddess, can definitely heal the marquis!"
The guests chatted with joy, unaware of Richard's feelings.
He must stop the crown prince. Blake must never meet the marquis.
"…The marquis had been treated and is already recovering."
"Really?"
Blake just smiled. The people around them whispered to each other when they heard that the marquis had been treated.
"Yes. He was furious when he heard that his brother had come."
Richard also added that the Marquis of Westin is alive.
It was a lie of course, but that didn't matter.
Before Richard met with the crown prince, the butler had already kicked out the marquis's brother's family, so he was confident that no one would doubt his words.
All he had to do now is to turn the situation the other way around. Once they think that the marquis's condition is getting better, he will just tell them that his condition suddenly took a turn for the worse and died.
"I'd like to meet the marquis."
But Blake was persistent.
They haven't had an exchange for the past seven years, and he always refused to see the marquis whenever he visited, so why does the crown prince keep insisting on meeting him now?
Does he know anything?
"I see. Your Highness hasn't seen the marquis in a long time, so you must be eager to meet him today."
"If Your Highness wants to then, of course, I have to let you see him."
Ancia cooperated with Blake to corner Richard by talking in front of the guests.
Seeing the couple smiling at each other, Richard momentarily forgot about his situation and was filled with jealousy towards Blake.
While Richard was glaring at Blake, Blake's brilliant silver hair suddenly turned black.
Richard looked away in surprise.
When he came to his senses and looked again, Blake's hair color was back to silver.
What was that? Did he hallucinate?
"Is there something wrong?"
"No, it's nothing."
Richard shook his head in haste.
"I couldn't sleep well at night because I'm nursing the marquis. I must be quite tired."
"Oh my."
"The marquis fell asleep again after getting angry about his brother. I apologize, but I don't think you'll be able to see him today."
"It's about time for the ceremony to start."
Richard spoke politely.
"Hmm. Is that so?"
Although Richard was suspicious, he did not avoid their eyes and confidently looked at them.
He had to be confident. If he showed even a slight bit of emotion right now, it would be like confessing his crime.
"Yes, I ask you for your kind understanding."
Richard bowed politely. This time, it was Ancia who asked him.
"Richard Cassil, where is Lady Westin?"
She asked him in a cold, dismissive tone. A completely different tone when talking to Blake.
Although Richard is a commoner right now, he will soon become a nobleman. Ancia should've spoken to him with respect like all the others, but instead, she did not even bother hiding her contempt.
When he was deprived of his status, many people suddenly ignored him and changed their attitude towards him.
Therefore, he was used to this situation.
Even so, he didn't want to be treated like that by Ancia.
How could she treat him like that when she once held affection for him?
"…Sophia is resting. She was exhausted from nursing him."
However, he had no choice but to endure the sudden change in her attitude, which made him angry.
Just for today. He will become the Marquis of Westin soon, so he only had to endure this kind of treatment for a day.
He will never suffer from such an insult again.
"It has been a long time, so I wanted to say hello to Lady Westin."
"She was exhausted after nursing the marquis all night and from preparing for the wedding early in the morning…"
"I'm sorry to hear that. I'll go and comfort her."
"That might be difficult…"
"Are you saying you're going to disobey the crown princess's wishes?"
Ancia was doing this on purpose.
It seemed to her that Richard did not want the marquis and Lady Westin to meet people. She felt suspicious of him.
She felt like she must meet Sophia Westin even if she had to use the authority of the royal family.
"Th-that… it's not like that."
As Ancia expected, Richard was visibly shaken.
"When I see you ignoring me like this, I cannot help but think that what happened in the past was intentional, not a mistake."
People buzzed when she mentioned the fake Ancia case.
Richard clenched his fist tightly.
So if he doesn't let Sophia meet her, she's going to hold him responsible for the fake Ancia incident?
Either way, that will be the worst possible outcome for Richard.
"A-Alright."
Still, it was better to let them meet Sophia than have them investigate him again.
If they find out that he was trying to poison the crown prince through the fake, he will be punished.
"But only Her Highness can enter. I don't want to show my bride to another man."
As someone chosen by the goddess of light, Blake might notice Sophia's condition.
However, when he heard Richard's words, Blake spoke in a low voice.
"Are you insulting me?"
Before the wedding, the bride cannot meet another man.
Of course, it was a custom that had long disappeared. However, it was still a custom, so it was not that surprising for the groom to reject him.
Nevertheless, Blake got angry at him. He pretended to be angry because he couldn't let Ancia go there alone.
"Richard Cassil, you dare to insult the crown prince of the empire?"
Richard considered Blake as someone beneath him.
When others changed their attitudes and praised Blake for having the power of light, Richard ridiculed him secretly.
For him, Blake was just a useless, ugly monster, who was dying from a curse.
Even if everything has changed now, Richard could not get rid of his contempt for him.
He thought Blake was a fool who wasted his time searching for the crown princess, who was supposed to be dead.
He felt the same way when he handed over the poison to the fake Ancia.
He even laughed at the prince as he imagined him losing his life at the hands of the woman he had been waiting for.
But now he felt a lot of pressure from Blake.
Richard bowed his head, feeling the pressure that was second only to Tenstheon.
"I-I'm sorry."
"Damn it!"
Richard cursed as he headed to Sophia's room.
He bought himself some time with the excuse that she hadn't finished preparing yet, but he had to hurry.
"Karan, pour out all your mana. Don't get caught by the crown prince and the crown princess."
"Yes, master."
If Karan uses her mana here, the plan will be disrupted. However, they had to deceive the royal couple.
Ancia and Blake won't stay for long anyway. They still have to attend Sir Ron's wedding.
Richard prepared in haste before leading Ancia and Blake into the room.
Sophia greeted them politely when they entered.
"I greet the Crown Prince, the light of the empire, and the Crown Princess, the blessing of the empire."
Right now, Sophia's body is being controlled by Karan's black magic.
She can see what's happening, but her words and actions did not follow her will.
Her greeting looked very natural. It was quite difficult to control her movements, but fortunately, it did not look strange.
Then, Ancia noticed Karan, who stood behind Sophia.
'What is it? Did she notice that Karan is using magic?'
Richard was nervous, but he managed to calm himself down.
'Everything's fine. Karan would look like a normal maid to anyone.'
He was sure that Ancia just glanced at Karan since she never saw her before.
As if proving Richard's thoughts correct, Ancia turned her head to Sophia and smiled brightly.
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142 – What seemed to have changed has not changed (12)
TL: Zimming
Editor: Kyouka
"Congratulations on your marriage, Lady Westin."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"You look so beautiful today."
"Thank you."
The conversation went smoothly.
Blake stood quietly next to her.
The goddess bestowed her powers upon Blake. Richard was anxious at the possibility of getting caught by Blake, but fortunately, he did not seem to notice.
"But your complexion is quite pale. Your father must have been worried."
"Yes, I haven't slept well lately."
Karan continued the conversation naturally. Connin couldn't have done this well.
Suddenly, Ancia approached Sophia and held her hand tightly.
"You're having a hard time, aren't you?"
"Not at all. I'm fine because Richard is there to support me. It's. Alright. I am. Very happy."
Sophia's way of speaking suddenly became strange. Richard looked at Karan in fright, but she looked just as surprised as he was.
"You're happy?"
"Yes. Very. Happy."
Sophia's strange way of speaking worsened. It wasn't only her words this time, her accent sounded unnatural too.
"I see. That's a relief."
Ancia smiled. Luckily, she did not seem to notice anything strange.
She probably thought Sophia was just nervous.
However, if it goes on like this, Richard will definitely get caught.
"Ugh."
At that moment, a pained groan escaped Sophia's mouth. It was not Karan's manipulation, but her own voice.
At this rate, things will become problematic for him if Sophia speaks on her own. Richard stepped in immediately.
"Sophia seems to be nervous. I'm sorry, but there are still things we need to take care of. Would you please wait in the parlor room?"
Ancia glanced at Sophia.
Did he get caught? Richard's heart pounded on his chest, but Ancia only smiled elegantly.
"We will take our leave then. See you later, Lady Sophia."
Ancia firmly held Sophia's hand once more before letting go.
"Blake, let's go."
"Yes, let's go, wife."
Blake nodded and wrapped his arm around Ancia's waist.
When Richard saw the two of them leaving the room affectionately, he was jealous yet relieved at the same time.
After the door closed, Richard breathed out a sigh of relief. He was lucky not to get caught.
"How did that happen?!"
Richard shouted at Karan as soon as the couple left. Karan, who had fallen on the floor, bowed her head.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm asking you what happened!"
"My mana flow was suddenly disrupted."
Karan said, her face looked as white as a sheet.
"I told you to concentrate!"
If only Domiran was still alive, he would've never made this kind of mistake.
Richard burst into a fit of rage as he looked at Sophia.
"How can you make such a mistake?!"
"I'm sorry, I was interrupted…"
"You were interrupted?"
Did Blake use his power? If so, what should Richard do?
Cold sweat ran down Richard's spine.
Should he proceed with the wedding or should he cancel it?
But he's almost there.
He only needed a day. No, not a day, but just a few hours and he will become the marquis.
Besides, it will be difficult to get another chance if not today.
There was a limit to the magic that prevents the decomposition of the marquis's body while making him look alive. It was no longer possible to stop other people from visiting with the excuse that the marquis was in critical condition.
The marquis's death had to be announced today.
However, if the Marquis of Westin's death was revealed before the wedding, his brother and relatives would fight over the title, and Richard wouldn't have any chances after that.
Nonetheless, if he marries Sophia Westin late, he wouldn't be able to become a marquis easily.
Today only. Today was his first and last chance.
"Are you sure you were interrupted? You probably made a blunder and now you're spouting excuses!"
"…I don't know."
Karan bowed her head.
It was clear to her that she was interrupted. However, because she lacked magic skills, it was hard to know how or who did it.
While Karan was thinking to herself, Richard made up his mind.
"The wedding will proceed as planned."
"Get that woman ready."
Richard pointed at Sophia.
"Yes, master."
"There must be no mistakes this time."
"I will keep that in mind."
"You have to make sure it doesn't happen again. If you're not confident, I will call Connin instead."
"No! I can do it! I won't make a slip this time."
Karan had an inferiority complex due to the fact that Connin's magic skills were better than hers.
She gritted her teeth and replied when Richard threatened to replace her with Connin.
"If you make one more mistake, I won't forgive you."
"Yes, master."
Once again, Karan cast a spell on Sophia.
The bride had to enter with her father, but Richard will walk in with her under the pretext that the Marquis of Westin is still unwell.
Richard checked again to see if Sophia was moving naturally before taking her hand and going outside.
He only had to get wedded. It didn't matter whether they were suspicious of him or not.
Once he acquired the Marquis of Westin's wealth and status, he could do everything he wanted.
Richard was confident. All he lacked was title and wealth.
His ability was good enough. The nobles were all brainless.
On the surface, they pretended to be smart and elegant, but Richard knew better than anyone else how stupid they were.
As long as he becomes the marquis, he can take control of every noble. Even Blake will bow down to him! He will make Ancia his wife too!
Richard opened the door with mixed eagerness and hope.
At that moment, a blade was pointed at his neck.
Blake was pointing a sword at him. Behind him stood the knights and Ancia.
Richard's heart was then filled with despair as the view of his bright future disappeared.
Before we arrived at Richard's wedding, Blake kept reminding me.
Even if I noticed that Richard was being suspicious, I mustn't reveal it and back down.
"Ancia, do you remember what I said?"
"Yes, don't worry."
I had no intention of doing anything anyway. I was already trapped behind the door of darkness before which hurt many people.
Of course, it wasn't anyone's fault, but I don't want to make my loved ones worry about me again in the future.
When we showed up at the wedding hall, people flocked to greet us.
Most of them were the Marquis of Westin's relatives and vassals, but no one seemed to know exactly what the marquis's condition was like.
Hearing that the marquis was in a critical condition, they came to check on him, but it seemed that Richard was controlling the access to see him.
They wanted to protest, but they seemed to be holding it in because it was a wedding day.
Anyway, when the marquis dies, the next marquis will be Richard.
It was a pity that the Marquis of Westin was so unpopular that no one was truly worried about his well-being even though he was in a critical condition.
Listening to the people talk, it seemed that the butler refused the marquis's brother's family when they arrived.
The Marquis of Westin was said to have gotten furious upon hearing that his disowned brother had come.
They said he was in a critical condition, but when his brother appeared, did he suddenly come to his senses and chased him away?
The more I thought about it, the more suspicious I got.
"I need to meet the marquis and the lady."
I whispered in Blake's ear. Blake nodded.
"Okay, I'll go with you."
"Sure."
Richard showed up when he heard of our arrival.
He kept making up lame excuses, saying that the marquis had not yet recovered and fell asleep again, preventing us from meeting him.
However, he couldn't stop us from meeting Sophia Westin when we pressured him.
I was surprised the moment we entered the room where Sophia was staying.
Black mana was floating all around the room. The mana was coming from the maid who stood behind Sophia.
She had dark hair and a pair of sharp eyes.
I knew right then that she was a black mage, but I pretended not to know and continued talking to Sophia.
"Congratulations on your marriage, Lady Westin."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
She was being controlled by black magic. Her words were not suspicious, but her eyes were.
I held Sophia's hand tightly. As expected, her body was enveloped by the mana.
They cast a magic spell on her.
"You're having a hard time, aren't you?"
I let some mana of light enter her body.
"Not at all. I'm fine because Richard is there to support me. It's. Alright. I am. Very happy."
Then the spell was broken and her voice began to waver.
Sophia nearly spoke out her true thoughts, but Richard said that she was just nervous and told us to leave.
I wanted to reveal his sins right there, but I had to keep my promise with Blake.
"We will take our leave then. See you later, Lady Sophia."
I held her hand firmly and gave her some mana of light so that her tired body could feel a bit comfortable.
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143 – What seemed to have changed has not changed (13)
TL: Zimming
Editor: Kyouka
As soon as we left the room, I cast a soundproof spell on my conversation with Blake, so that no will hear us.
The maid's spell was clumsy and her mana was weak.
She wouldn't notice even if I used a soundproof spell.
I told Blake about the situation. He called Edon and the imperial knights, who were waiting near the marquis's residence in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
Blake was worried about me and told me to go back first, but I stood my ground and promised him that I'll stay behind the knights instead.
I'm the only one that can deal with the black mage right now.
Blake had mana of light, but he did not master that power yet.
The knights wanted to barge in and capture Richard right away, but I dissuaded them.
"If we enter the room now, Lady Westin will stop us. Let us wait until they get out first."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"The woman in maid's clothing is a black mage. Be careful."
"We'll keep that in mind."
After a while, Richard opened the door with a confident look. Blake pointed his sword to Richard's neck.
Richard froze. However, he promptly raised his head with a relaxed expression.
"Your Highness, what are you doing? I know you're the crown prince, but I think you're going overboard."
He pretended to be innocent even in this situation. No, he even looked upset.
Several imperial knights, who were on alert, approached Sophia to protect her.
"No! Why are you trying to separate us? Don't take Richard away! He didn't do anything wrong!"
He was still using black magic under these circumstances.
I looked at the maid. She continued to control Sophia even though she was being overwhelmed by the knights.
Her loyalty was admirable.
I walked towards Sophia, which surprised Jayden.
"It's dangerous, Your Highness."
"It's okay, everyone's guarding me."
Five knights escorted me.
Besides, I'm the best person to use light mana against the black mage.
Of course, I promised Blake that I'll stay still under the knights' protection, but I can't just stand around when I can help him.
"Ancia."
I approached Sophia. Blake was surprised and immediately called my name.
"It's alright."
I held Sophia's hand.
The spell to manipulate her body was stronger than before, but it was still clumsy. I cut off the black magic that bound her with a single touch.
Sophia's body collapsed.
"Are you alright, Lady Sophia?"
Instead of answering, she raised a trembling arm, pointed at Richard, and shouted.
"It's all his fault! He killed my father!"
The Marquis of Westin was already dead.
To be honest, I guessed to some extent by watching his obstinate attempts to prevent people from meeting the marquis, but it was still a terrible thing to do.
"Richard Cassil, I will ask for the details of your crimes in the imperial palace."
Blake spoke coldly.
He murdered the Marquis of Westin, manipulated his only daughter with black magic, and forced her to marry him as he tried to acquire the marquis's wealth and status.
That was more than enough reason for Richard to receive the death penalty.
Even though his sins were exposed, Richard only stared at Blake as if he was going to kill him.
I couldn't see any signs of regret on his face until the end.
Richard's misdeeds have been fully revealed now.
At that moment, thick smoke suddenly rose and covered the hallway.
Is this magic? No, I can't feel the mana at all.
The knights yelled to each other,
"It will make you hallucinate! Cover your nose!"
But it was already too late. The knights stumbled and swung their swords to Blake.
"Blake!"
Blake dodged their attacks with ease, but Richard didn't miss the opportunity and hid in the smoke.
The knights tried to catch him, but they were stopped by the attacks of the hallucinating knights.
Blake didn't go after Richard and came to my side first.
"Ancia, are you okay?"
"Yes. You're not hurt either, are you?"
"I'm fine too."
Fortunately, he seemed to be uninjured. However, this wasn't the time to feel relieved.
The hall turned into a mess shortly.
"You're crazy! Do you know whom you're pointing your sword at?"
"Protect Their Highnesses!
"Ahhh!"
The shouts and the clanging of swords were all mixed up as people struggled against each other.
It was strange to think that they were simply hallucinating.
Furthermore, the knights pointed their swords at Blake first.
I concentrated, then I saw black mana coursing through the air.
It was black magic.
He made people hallucinate first, then he manipulated them using black magic.
Was it the maid before? No, it was much stronger and better than the maid's magic.
"Be careful! There's another black mage!"
I quickly cut off the black mana that was connected to the knights.
When the black mana was separated from their bodies, most of the knights fell on the floor.
The knights who kept swinging their swords were soon suppressed.
"Break all the windows!"
"Yes."
Under Blake's order, the knights who did not hallucinate broke all the windows around them.
The thick smoke flowed out.
However, Richard and the maid had already disappeared.
The other black mage was also nowhere to be found.
Just as Sophia said, the Marquis of Westin was dead.
Richard was furious when he was informed of the breakup and killed the marquis, but Sophia caught him.
He tried to coax Sophia to prevent her from telling anyone and to make her an accomplice. However, she refused and tried to call the knights, so he knocked her out to stop her.
Sophia couldn't remember what happened after that because of the effects of drugs and black magic.
From her point of view, those events were better off forgotten.
To become a marquis, Richard tried to force Sophia to marry him, even going as far as using black magic.
He was a trashy human being, both a thousand years ago and now.
Sophia clearly remembered a few things even with her blurred memories.
Richard's black mages were a man and a woman.
Both of them had the same black hair like Richard.
It must have been the male black mage who used hallucination and black magic to give Richard a chance to escape.
However, it mustn't be that easy for Richard and the two black mages to put the entire marquis's residence under their control in such a short time.
When the marquis's butler and knights were questioned, they admitted that they were bribed by Richard.
Until Richard gets caught, Sophia Westin will be under the imperial knights' protection.
There were four women who became miserable in 'The Beast and the Lady' because they were used by Richard.
Joanna, Camilla, Chelsea, and Sophia Westin.
Unlike in the original story, the first three had no contact with Richard, but Sophia could not avoid his schemes.
In the past, Sophia prayed for Blake's death.
She was 17 years old then.
It was not that young of an age.
I couldn't bring myself to forgive her, but I felt bad when I remembered her crying in her wedding dress.
"Don't do anything dangerous from now on."
"Okay."
I turned my head when I heard Blake's voice.
"Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."
He held my hand tightly. It seemed that my expression revealed my thoughts. I felt worried again.
I intentionally smiled broadly.
"I couldn't give them the strawberries."
It was already late in the evening when we finally settled the situation and investigated the marquis. Sir Ron's wedding must be over.
"Let's eat them all."
"Shall we?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll just eat strawberries all day."
"That's a great idea too."
Blake smiled and sat next to me.
I naturally leaned my head on his shoulder.
"Ancia."
"Yes."
"Don't do anything dangerous from now on."
Blake spoke in a soft yet firm voice.
Earlier, I broke my promise to stay under the knights' protection and stepped in front of them.
"It wasn't that dangerous. I'm much stronger."
Although the male black mage's ability was outstanding, it was nothing compared to mine.
I was quite famous as a light mage a thousand years ago.
It was a very logical answer, but Blake burst out laughing.
"I'm telling the truth. I would've never come forward if it was even just a bit dangerous."
I don't have the slightest intention of making the people around me worry.
"I know. You're my teacher who lifted my curse and taught me magic."
Blake hugged my shoulders tightly.
"So just trust me and rest comfortably. I'm quite strong."
He spoke softly and with consideration, but I can imagine how worried he must've been all day.
"I already trust you."
I trust Blake a lot.
"But I'll be more careful next time."
"Promise me."
"Alright."
I didn't want to worry Blake. Besides, there will be no more dangerous situations in the future.
Once Richard gets caught, all of these will be over.
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144 – What seemed to have changed has not changed (14)
TL: Zimming
Editor: Kyouka
Blake and I soon arrived at the Palace of Forens.
I entered my room first to change my clothes and Chelsea entered after knocking.
Most of the nobles attended Sir Ron's wedding, but Chelsea remained in the imperial palace to oversee the renovation of the Sephia Palace.
I told her she didn't have to do that, but she was stubborn, saying that they had to start repairing it and that she had to oversee the renovation herself.
I think she used the renovation as an excuse not to attend the wedding.
Chelsea isn't engaged yet, so if she went to the wedding, people would've nagged her about it.
Even though the wedding is about to end, she could go if she wanted to right now.
I heard that many of her friends and relatives that lived in rural areas traveled all the way here to attend Sir Ron's wedding.
Did she use this chance to avoid them?
"No, I have no intention of leaving the palace today."
She said firmly.
"More importantly, I heard something big happened at the Westin's residence."
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
"I'm glad to hear that."
She heaved a sigh of relief. She seemed to be worried about me.
"Thank you for your concern."
"Of course."
"But what's that?"
I asked while staring at the vial in her hand. There was black powder in it.
"Oh, I was cleaning in the Sephia Palace when I found it in your office. I thought it was suspicious so I brought it here."
Since I haven't started my duties as the crown princess yet, I rarely used that office in the Sephia Palace.
But I've never seen it during the times I went there…
Did someone hide it there?
I took the bottle from Chelsea.
At that moment, my vision turned black and countless memories, scenes, and voices entered my mind.
"Richard, here you go! Here it is!"
The children from the orphanage shouted at Richard. Richard, who couldn't stand children, looked at Ser, who turned into me.
"Ancia…?"
He took Ser to his home, thinking it was me.
He then cast a brainwashing spell on her.
"Ancia, we have to kill the crown prince so we can be together."
Richard gave Ser a vial that contained poison.
"Don't worry. It's a perfect poison that neither the doctors nor the palace mage knows of. You'll never get caught."
"But I'm scared…"
"There's no need to be scared. If it was really dangerous, I wouldn't have told you to do it. I love you, Ancia."
The words he uttered sounded insincere.
Richard left and Ser burst into tears while clutching the vial in her hand.
Then I came back to my senses. I looked at the vial with black powder.
This was the poison Richard gave to Ser and Ser left some of her memories in this vial.
'Philip, why did you do that to me? You didn't have to do that.'
'Did you hate me? Was it a sin to die, to wish for your love?'
'Tell me you're sorry, please. That's all I need to hear.'
I felt the sincerity of her words in her memories.
Richard apologized to Ser and she forgave him. It was not because she still had some lingering feelings for him.
However, Richard used Ser to kill Blake in the end.
'I'll never forgive you.'
My hand tightened its hold on the vial.
I can't forgive him. He hadn't changed a bit since a thousand years ago.
He's still the same even when he didn't remember his past life.
I'll catch Richard for sure. I'll catch him and make him pay.
A wanted poster with Richard's face was posted throughout the empire.
He had committed numerous crimes, but the worst of them all was the attempted poisoning of the crown prince.
Richard was furious.
He was just a step away from taking the marquis' seat. Using his title as a stepping stone, he dreamed of taking over the society and becoming the emperor.
However, his dreams crumbled overnight and now he was a fugitive.
He never thought Ancia had the power of light.
It wasn't a small amount of mana she owned. She was also skillful enough to use the power of light freely.
It really was Ancia that lifted Blake's curse.
Ancia was indeed the blessed girl and not a delusion made up by foolish people. Lifting the goddess's curse that had lasted for a thousand years was enough proof.
Richard fell into endless remorse throughout his escape.
Where on earth did it go wrong? What was the problem?
He tried so hard, yet why did he end up as a fugitive?
He searched for a reason and found one answer.
His life started to go awry when he met her.
'Even though I was the first person that Ancia liked.'
As a child, whenever she went to a party with her father, she would always stare at Richard closely. She couldn't take her eyes off him.
If he had accepted her love back then, everything would've been different.
The power of light and the language skills Ancia had would've been in his possession. The curse of the goddess would've never been lifted as well.
The crown prince would have died miserably from the curse, and the Duke of Cassil's family would've never fallen.
Yes, that was how everything got messed up.
But there was no point in finding the cause.
Ancia was already Blake's wife, and Richard was a fugitive.
"Master, don't go that way. There are knights ahead."
Connin, who came back after analyzing the situation, reported quietly.
Richard and Karan's faces were posted all over the empire, so only Connin could move freely.
"Then where should I go?"
"That's… there are knights all over the place…" Connin trailed off.
"Who doesn't know that already? It's your job to find a way!"
Richard shouted in frustration. For now, getting out of the city is the top priority, but it was not easy to move because of the tight security.
"I'm sorry."
"Pathetic."
"There! There's a man who looks just like the criminal!"
"The woman is also with him!"
At that moment, he heard the voices of the knights that conversed urgently.
Damn it!
Instead of leaving the city, they nearly got caught by the knights.
Richard ran. Karan and Connin also used black magic to create a way for him to escape.
"This way, master."
Richard clenched his fist and continued running. The knights, however, were getting close to catching him.
Richard kept running.
He could hear Karan's screams, but he ignored them and ran.
Then suddenly, he came to a halt. A large river was in front of him.
Richard tried to find another way, but before he could do so, the knights had already surrounded him.
"Running away is futile, Richard Cassil. Do not add this to your crimes and let yourself get arrested!"
A knight shouted as soon as they encircled him.
Richard wore a cynical smile.
Do not add this to his crimes.
Richard cannot avoid the punishment for attempting to poison the crown prince. Whether his crimes increased or not, the only end that awaited him was death. There was no way out.
Richard looked at the river.
The water level was high and the current was strong, probably because of the heavy rain that went on for several days.
If he gets dragged by the knights now, he will be put on trial and sentenced to death. However, there was a chance for him to survive if he fell into the river. Of course, the probability of dying was great as well.
While Richard was agonizing, the knights rushed towards him. Richard spun around.
But when he saw the strong current, he couldn't dare himself to jump in.
At that moment, he saw a woman's figure in the water, like an illusion.
'It's her! It's that fake woman!'
She had no resemblance to Ancia, but in Richard's eyes, the woman seemed to be the fake Ancia that deceived him.
Richard forgot about his current situation and his fear of the strong current. He dove into the water to get to her.
The knights yelled in surprise at his unexpected action, but Richard couldn't hear anything.
His senses and mind were captivated by the visions of the woman.
The moment he fell into the cold river, a name came to Richard's mind.
'Serphania.'
That woman was Serphania, the goddess of light that gave him powers in the past.
Richard's memories of the past began to pour out one by one.
"You became an emperor thanks to Ser, and now you're going to throw it away?"
"Be careful of what you say. I became an emperor with my own power."
"Philip, what's with this stone plate? Are you crazy? You must be out of your mind! How could you do this? Are you still human? No, it's been a long time since you gave up being a human."
Richard was Philip.
He used the power of light to kill Rakshul, overthrew the Imperial Family of Zelcan, and established an empire with his power.
He was the emperor who founded the Asteric Empire.
"Hahahaha! That's it! I won! I won! It's my victory! Serphania, are you watching? You lost! No matter how many messages you leave, no one will know!"
He was the one who sealed the goddess and in turn, she cursed his descendants.
"The empress' seat is still vacant. Laontel, if you want to leave this place, be my wife."
And Laontel was his woman.
Ever since he was very young, no, from the moment he was born, he was always next to her. He loved her for a very long time.
"Laontel, no! Hang in there! I'll find a way to save you, so if you hang in there a little longer, I'll…!"
"Phillip…"
"Yes, Laontel, tell me. I'm listening."
"I hate you."
"…Laontel? Laontel…? Laontel! Laontel!!"
Philip mourned when Laontel died. Richard felt Philip's grief in his entire body.
No matter how much Phillip shouted, Laontel did not move.
Richard stared at her lifeless face. Then, as time went by, her face gradually became filled with life.
No, she wasn't Laontel.
The golden blonde hair, the sparkling pair of green eyes, and the soft and beautiful visage belonged to Ancia.
Laontel is Ancia. That meant Ancia is his woman.
Richard's eyes brightened at the realization.
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145 – How about a cup of warm tea? (1)
TL: Zimming
Editor: Kyouka
Chelsea entered my room while I was reading a book.
"Your Highness, His Majesty wants to see you."
"Father?"
What's going on this late at night? He doesn't usually call me in the evening. Did something happen?
Maybe he caught Richard.
Richard was being pursued across the country for the attempted poisoning of the crown prince and for the murder of the Marquis of Westin.
Richard did not leave trails, but he was eventually found after failing to avoid the search by the imperial knights.
The knights surrounded Richard, but he threw himself into the river just before his arrest.
And he was not found yet.
Most people guessed that Richard was dead.
It would've been hard to survive the fall when the river's current was strong so the reason they could not find Richard after that day was because he was already dead.
But I didn't think so.
Richard wasn't that easy. Besides, his body is yet to be found, the same goes for his black mages.
He must be alive somewhere.
Tenstheon and Blake thought the same thing, as they kept looking for Richard.
Because of that, the idea that he might've caught Richard soon disappeared from my mind.
Tenstheon called me to the greenhouse.
If he had found out where Richard was, he would've asked me to come to the office.
He invited me to the greenhouse in the evening. The more I thought about it, the more I wondered, but I couldn't guess the reason at all.
Well, I'll find out when I get there. I'll just go to the greenhouse for now.
A man was standing there, but it wasn't Tenstheon.
My eyes widened the moment I saw the man with long black hair, wearing a neat and elegant black coat.
"Eunhan!"
He was taller than before, but I still recognized him at once.
Although his appearance has matured, it was not that different from the past. He was exuding a graceful aura.
When I called his name, Eunhan bowed politely.
He lowered his head.
"I greet the Crown Princess, the blessing of the empire."
I shook my hand in surprise.
"You don't need to be so polite. You are now the emperor of Chang Empire."
Eunhan became the emperor of the Chang Empire.
Many princes targeted him, but they all failed and he was safely crowned as the emperor.
In the original story, the empire fell to ruin because of war and the aftermath affected even the Asteric Empire.
However, Eunhan, who was chosen by the heavenly dragon, safely ascended to the throne so their empire was now peaceful.
According to Collin, Tenstheon also helped him a lot to ascend the throne.
"I can't do that. You're my master's daughter."
Eunhan still respected Tenstheon even when he became an emperor, but that didn't mean he must treat me like this.
"It's because it feels uncomfortable. Just call me Ancia."
"Alright, I will. Ancia."
As I repeatedly asked him to do so, Eunhan did what I asked.
Eunhan spoke.
"I came to see my master and heard from him that you have returned. I should have visited and congratulated you earlier, I'm sorry."
"No, I know you're busy, but thank you for saying that."
"I'm ashamed of not being able to help you when you were having a hard time."
"Don't say that. I know you tried to find me. Thank you very much."
When I went missing, Tenstheon asked Eunhan for help, and he reportedly searched for me in the east.
He fought fiercely with his half-brothers to become the emperor, and he must've been busy after he ascended to the throne, yet he still spared time to
search for me.
"Of course, it's something I must do."
He answered politely.
"How is Baekhan doing?"
"Good, he was very pleased to hear that Ancia had returned."
"Did you tell him the news already?"
Eunhan must've heard of it today, did he already tell Baekhan in Chang?
"Yes, he was so happy to hear that you've returned."
He smiled. He's still getting along well with Baekhan.
"Thanks to Baekhan, I was able to come back safely. Please send him my gratitude."
If it weren't for the bracelet given by Baekhan, I would've already lost my life at the door of darkness. I wouldn't have been able to make it back.
"Were you in danger?"
Eunhan was worried. I shook my head in a hurry. I didn't want to worry him because it was already in the past.
"No, it's not like that, but I got help from him. That's why I really want to thank him."
"Yes, I'll make sure to tell him, and when I get the chance, I'll bring him with me the next time I visit."
Even after Eunhan ascended the throne, there were many of his half-brothers who couldn't abandon their ambitions and seek his position.
It would be dangerous for Eunhan and Baekhan to leave Chang at the same time.
"Yes, I look forward to that day."
I smiled brightly.
"And please accept this."
Eunhan gave me a black, wooden box.
"What is this?"
"It's a jewel that shines in the dark."
I opened the box. It contained a jewel that looked like the tears of light. The jewel had a mysterious and subtle glow in it.
"It's very beautiful."
"Congratulations again on your safe return."
"Thank you. I will cherish it."
I didn't refuse and accepted the present. Perhaps Eunhan went back to Chang to prepare a present after he heard I returned.
No matter how powerful they are, it will never be easy to travel a long distance from the West to the East continuously.
It was a burdensome and precious gift, but I couldn't refuse it knowing his sincerity.
"Also, this is a gift from Baekhan."
He handed me a silk packet. I opened the packet. There were two items in it.
"Look inside."
"Yes."
I looked inside as Eunhan said. They were well-dried tea leaves and seeds.
They were similar to the tea leaves I saw in Korea. When I looked at it curiously, trying to know what type they are, Eunhan spoke.
"Taekri tea."
Taekri tea. The name was very familiar. When did I hear about it?
Oh, I remember!
"Huh, it's a pity you don't know the taste of the tea. If Eunhan becomes the emperor, I will send it to you."
It was a tea that was drunk every day by the Chang Imperial Family. Baekhan promised to give it to me when Eunhan became the emperor. He kept his promise.
"Thank you. I can finally taste the tea that Baekhan talked about."
"I'm glad you like it."
"Of course, because it's a gift. Please send my thanks to Baekhan."
"Yes, I'll keep that in mind."
He smiled brightly. He had a fond expression on his face. Did thinking about Baekhan make him happy?
My heart was touched by their friendship.
Anyway, how do I drink this?
Eunhan spoke gently.
"Do you want me to teach you?"
"Really? It's an honor to learn from the Emperor of Chang."
I smiled brightly.
"Wife, I'm back."
Blake hugged me as soon as he entered the room.
We only got separated for a few hours, but it felt like I'm greeting my husband who just came back from working all day.
"Welcome back."
I hugged him as usual and patted his soft hair. Blake's expression suddenly hardened.
"What's wrong?"
"Did that man come?"
"Huh?"
"Eunhan, I mean."
"How did you know?"
I was frightened. How did he know that?
"There's a fishy smell."
He spat out cynically.
Eunhan always had the smell of water because he was chosen by the heavenly dragon, but it was never a fishy smell.
"Isn't that a little different?"
"Well–what's that scent coming from the packet?"
Blake changed the subject blatantly. I guess the two still haven't gotten close.
I think they can become good friends, so I don't know why Blake is being like this.
"It's the scent of Taekri tea."
"Taek…?"
Perhaps because it was an unfamiliar word, Blake was unsure of it.
"Taek. Ri. Tea. Baekhan sent it as a gift."
"A gift from Baekhan huh?"
Blake's expression eased up when he heard of Baekhan. Fortunately, unlike Eunhan, he gets along well with Baekhan.
"They drink this tea every day in Chang. Originally, it was only the imperial family and nobles who could enjoy it, but after Eunhan ascended the throne, he started distributing it to the citizens because it doesn't only have a good smell, it's also good for their health."
"Hmm, I see."
"Eunhan also taught me how to make it."
"Just earlier…?"
"Yes! Drink it. It's really good."
I poured the tea from the kettle to the cup and gave it to Blake. I boiled it in advance to give to him when he came back.
Blake glanced down at the teacup. Maybe he was skeptical because it was a foreign drink.
"It's delicious. It's quite bitter, but it has a nice flavor."
When I recommended it again, he drank the tea reluctantly.
"How is it?"
"Not bad."
His face remained stiff when he spoke. Was the tea that bad? I thought Blake would like it.
"Baekhan also gave me some seeds. I'm going to plant them in the greenhouse tomorrow. Shall we plant together?"
"Yes. Let's do that."
Blake's expression finally eased a little.
"But where did the cat go?"
"What about the cat?"
"The thought just came to mind."
I was curious when I first came back to Amoria Palace. Melissa said that after I left for the door of darkness, there was never a cat in sight.
Since it was a cat that originally had an owner, I thought that maybe it went back to its owner, but when I met Eunhan, I suddenly realized something.
"The cat looks a bit similar to Eunhan, doesn't it?"
"I don't think so. It doesn't look like him at all."
Blake denied strongly.
"Is that so?"
"The cat returned to its owner."
"Really? Did you find the owner?"
"Yes, it was a palace mage, but he took it with him when he retired. His hometown is very far from here."
"That's a relief."
I thought it would've gone back to its owner, but I was also worried that it might've gone through something bad. Now that I know that the cat is with its owner, I was relieved.
"Meow."
However, as soon as I was relieved, Blake suddenly made a cat sound.
"Blake, what are you doing?"
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146 – How about a cup of warm tea? (2)
TL: Zimming
Editor: Kyouka
"Why are you looking for a cat? I'm right here."Q
"……"
"Me.ow."
He whispered playfully in my ear.
It used to be so cute before, but now, I felt hot and my body stiffened when he did it.
"Y-You said you were a fox."
"I can do whatever Ancia wants."
"You're like a fickle cat."
I purposely said that to hide my embarrassment. Blake bit my earlobe.
"Huh. Wha-what are you doing?!"
"I bit my master."
He smiled softly. His eyes were so captivating that it made my heart beat wildly.
This cat must be aware of how beautiful he is.
He was already beautiful and his beauty was even more enhanced when he got older. What am I going to do with this beautiful man?
He suddenly lowered his eyes.
"Isn't it just me that you're unsatisfied with?"
"Why do you say that?"
Blake alone makes my heart beat wildly. I couldn't even think of other men.
"Don't be nice to others."
"Are you talking about Eunhan? It's just that we finally met after a long time."
"He taught you how to make the tea."
"He taught me because I didn't know how to do it."
"But I still hate it. I'll learn next time. I can learn and teach my wife."
"Why are you thinking like that?"
I laughed in bewilderment. I can just learn it directly from Eunhan, so why should he complicate things?
"You don't want to learn from me?"
"It's not like that, there's just no reason to do that."
"Why none?"
I couldn't understand his absurd logic.
"If I told Sir Jayden that I wanted to learn ocarina, would you learn it first and let him know?"
"Can't I get rid of Jayden before that?"
"What?"
I was surprised by his cold voice and asked back. Did he really mean it?
"You're kidding, aren't you?"
"Yes, but wife, do you really want to learn ocarina?"
"It was just an example."
"Why Jayden?"
"He knows how to play the ocarina."
"Did he say that himself?"
"Huh? Yes."
Jayden is my exclusive escort, so we always went around together and talked about various things.
I nodded thoughtlessly. I hurriedly added when I noticed that Blake's eyes had a grim look in them,
"Anyway, think about it. It'll be a hassle for you to learn it first when I can just learn from them directly. Don't you think so?"
"It's better to get rid of Jayden. I'll get my wife another teacher."
"How did you come to that conclusion?"
"I'm just kidding, of course."
Blake smiled, then he suddenly hugged me tight enough for me to suffocate.
"What's wrong?"
"I need to get rid of the smell from the other man."
"What?"
He was being ridiculous again.
We only stood side by side for a short while, so his scent could not have remained.
It was rather surprising that Blake could smell his scent.
"You're bluffing right?"
"No, I can smell it, so don't go near other men."
Blake held me tightly and didn't let go.
"You're always jealous."
"Did you realize that just now?"
He kissed my cheek. I smiled back and hugged Blake's waist tightly.
"Your Highness, you're so beautiful."
Melissa started crying when I put on a yellow dress. Chelsea, who was next to her, handed her a handkerchief.
When we were reunited after seven years, Melissa often cried whenever she saw me. She cried no matter what I did.
Whether I was wearing a new dress, cooking, or changing my hair accessory, everything made her cry.
She reminded me of my late grandmother.
"Melissa, why are you crying again?"
"I love this moment, but I don't know whether this is a dream or not."
"It's not a dream."
I held her hand tightly.
"I'm sorry. I'm so foolish."
"What do you mean? I'm rather grateful to you, but please don't cry too much. If Melissa keeps crying, I'll feel guilty for Hans."
"He'll be fine. Your Highness is more important."
Was it all right to say that?
While I was thinking about it, the servants brought the next dress.
"Is this the last dress?"
"Yes, this is the last dress they prepared for today."
Chelsea replied.
"For today?"
The words caught my ears.
"Yes. Tomorrow, unlike the Ellen boutique, 20 dresses will arrive from the Dahlia boutique."
"What?!"
No, I was only going to choose simple clothes for a tea party, but why are there so many dresses?
After the completion of the renovation of Sephia Palace, I was scheduled to start working as the crown princess.
Everyone told me to rest more, but I had enough rest.
And it became a habit to overwork because of what I experienced as a Korean before.
I've studied everything that happened over the past seven years. Society, trends, newly designated laws, and other affairs.
Blake and Tenstheon tried to hold a big welcome party to celebrate my return, but I refused. There was no reason to throw a party again.
I decided to hold a small tea party to celebrate the reconstruction of Sephia Palace.
However, the situation seemed to be going in a different direction.
After all the servants left, I asked Chelsea.
"Chelsea, the dresses coming tomorrow are the last, right?"
"No, you still have to see a hundred more."
"What? That much?"
It was just a small tea party. This was too much. Looking at my shocked expression, Melissa spoke softly.
"It's because I wanted to do what I wasn't able to do for you before. Don't feel pressured."
"But this is too much."
The dresses I received were already piled up.
If she adds more, I wouldn't be able to wear everything even if I keep changing my clothes.
"Don't be too surprised. His Majesty seemed to have called all the famous chefs on the continent."
"What? Is that true?"
My eyes widened at Chelsea's words.
"Yes. His Highness also ordered that all the famous ocarina performers from all over the world must be called here."
"What?"
Ocarina… it's not because of what I said last night, is it?
"What's wrong with them?"
"Nothing, there's nothing wrong with them."
"Hey, Melissa, Chelsea."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The two answered at the same time.
"At the tea party, why don't we serve the Eastern cuisine?"
"Eastern cuisine?"
"Yes, it's time for the trading ship to reach Chang."
After Eunhan ascended the throne, Tenstheon declared an alliance with Chang.
A few months ago, a ship for official trade between the two empires first sailed.
Of course, before that, we already had a few trades with Chang.
However, it had to go through several empires, including the Ganua Empire, to stock goods from Chang to Asteric.
It was the first time in history that the two empires, Asteric and Chang, traded directly.
If an official sea route opens and trade begins, it will have a positive impact on both empires.
"What do you think? It's nice to celebrate the trade between the two countries, and I think it will be great timing."
In many ways, it was a good way to introduce the culture of the East to the ladies.
I thought it was a good idea, but Melissa and Chelsea looked surprisingly grim.
"What's wrong?"
"We know that you have good intentions, but I'm worried because there have been many rumors regarding Chang these days."
"Rumors?"
Is she saying that the public's opinion of Chang is bad?
I thought I already studied everything that had happened in the empire in the past seven years, but this was the first time I've heard about it.
I asked what was going on, but Melissa hesitated to answer. Seeing that Chelsea couldn't say anything either, I concluded that it was related to me or Blake.
"Chelsea, be honest."
When I spoke firmly, Chelsea hesitated for a moment and spoke.
"…Well, there are rumors that if we start trading with Chang, we will receive the goddess's wrath again and a great disaster will befall the empire."
That was absurd. Ser won't get angry just because we interacted with Chang.
Why on earth did this rumor spread?
Chang and other Eastern countries were uncharted territories to us. There was nothing known because there was little exchange between us, but they were generally favored.
Poetries praising the mysteries of the East were also very popular.
Then the public suddenly turned hostile.
"Since when?"
"It suddenly started spreading in recent months."
A lot has happened in the last few months. The worst among them was…
Many things came to my mind, but if I were to pick one, it was 'that'.
"It must be related to me."
I, whom everyone thought was dead, came back and that's when the strange rumor about the Chang Empire began.
I'm probably involved in that rumor, that's why they couldn't tell me before.
They were worried that my feelings would get hurt.
"I'm sorry."
Melissa and Chelsea lowered their heads. I guess I was right.
Someone is after me and I had a rough idea of who that person might be.
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147 – How about a cup of warm tea? (3)
TL: Zimming
Editor: Kyouka
Howard Kensway was a high-ranking priest of the Asteric Empire.
He is in the second highest position after the high priest, but Howard was not satisfied.
He was expected to become the high priest.
Howard was an arrogant and delusional man who thought that way.
For the past thousand years, the seat of the high priest had been occupied by the Kensway and the Bangye family.
That lasted for a thousand of years.
Of course, depending on the family or the political situation, they could have a replacement, but the big picture never changed.
This time, it was Howard's turn to become the new high priest.
Tenstheon however, ordained Marron, a fallen noble, as the high priest.
Marron was not even a high-ranking priest, let alone one of the top ten priests that represented each region.
He was an insignificant man. Anyone barely even knew of his existence, yet he became a high priest overnight.
When Marron became the high priest, he investigated the Duke of Cassil's case and the people favored him.
As a result, Howard and other high-ranking priests were unable to protest. They were forced to comply with Tenstheon's order.
The thousand-year rule had been cut off.
However, Howard had no intention of becoming the disgrace of the Kensway family, to be called the first person in the family to fail in getting the high priest's position.
"The selfishness of that hillbilly has gone over the top."
"I should've realized back when he attacked the Count of Cornwell."
The priests on Kensway's side often complained about Marron.
The Count of Cornwell colluded with the church and led numerous trials. He also used it to eliminate his competitors.
As a result, the Count of Cornwell made a fortune and married a young woman, abandoning his old wife.
All of it was only possible because of the protection of the Kensway family.
The Count of Cornwell bribed the Kensway family and maintained a close relationship with Howard.
However, as soon as Marron was ordained as the high priest, they began to investigate the Count of Cornwell.
The Count of Cornwell begged for his help, but his appeal was completely ignored by Howard.
He was in a haste to remove all the evidence that connected him to the count.
The Count of Cornwell was sentenced to death. All the people who were involved with his deeds were taken to the guillotine.
He managed to keep himself and the Kensway family from death, but Howard suffered a devastating blow.
The people's confidence that the Kensway family can protect their allies has vanished, and many people turned their backs on them.
Other priests, whose paths were blocked because of the influence of the Kensway family, were on Marron's side.
The honorable status of the Kensway family, which they maintained for a thousand of years, declined rapidly.
To top it all, Marron personally went to many churches in the empire to completely eliminate the Asmodian Trial.
Because of this, the power of the Kensway family was diminished.
"Priest, please save us."
"If it goes on like this, all the high-ranking priests in the West will die."
The high-ranking priests in the western region, which Marron slowly took care of, came day after day to irk Howard.
"Shut up!"
Howard, who was listening to the priests with an irritated face, shouted.
"Our apologies."
The people bowed and apologized. However, Howard knew that these people were trying to curry his favor while silently insulting him.
Everyone used to believe in the power of the Kensway family and offered them bribes.
However, it was only a matter of time before the Kensway family collapsed.
"I don't want to see any of you! All of you, go back!"
Howard kicked out the low-ranking priests. At last, only Howard and priests from the Bangye family remained in the spacious hall.
"Can we really leave that hillbilly like this?"
Someone finally broke the silence and spoke after much deliberation. Howard snorted.
"Marron is nothing but the emperor's puppet."
Even if they get rid of Marron, the emperor will still control the situation through a different puppet. In the end, the mastermind was the emperor.
Tenstheon had long been hostile to the church.
He ignored the church when his son was cursed by the goddess, but as soon as the curse was lifted, he tried to reform the church.
To solve this situation, Howard had to target the emperor, not Marron.
"Did you do what I ordered you to do?"
"Yes."
Gail, a young priest, replied.
The church had grown to become a respectable yet feared entity at the same time.
The people were afraid of the curse and the door of darkness.
They were also afraid of getting dragged into a trial.
But everything ended in an instant.
The crown prince's curse was lifted and the door of darkness disappeared. Now, even the trial was losing its strength.
Tenstheon intended to weaken not only the Kensway family, but the entire church.
In order to make the imperial family the most powerful and influential in the empire, he tried to dominate the church by using a brainless hillbilly.
Tenstheon announced the empire's alliance with Chang. Howard can use that for his own gain.
All he had to do was plant fear in the society.
If they were scared, their reasoning and ability to judge objectively would disappear.
The corners of Howard's mouth raised arrogantly, but the expression of the young priest was skeptical as he stared at Howard.
"But will that be enough…?"
It's true that the public sentiment will be shaken by the rumor. However, a rumor is nothing but a rumor.
If the peaceful days continue without anything happening, the people who believed in the rumor will eventually lessen.
Rather, it may even backfire.
However, unlike the concerned priests, Howard had a relaxed smile on his lips.
"There's nothing to worry about. The goddess will bring a disaster soon."
"Sir Collin, thank you for accepting my invitation."
"It is an honor for me to be invited by Your Highness."
Collin bent on one knee and kissed the back of my hand lightly.
"I will cherish this glorious moment forever."
"Haha, really?"
He couldn't stand the seriousness that was so different from usual and burst out laughing.
"You take such a serious confession with laughter. I'm hurt, Collin."
He tried to hold back his laughter.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. You look very happy today, by the way."
"Because I've been invited by Your Highness."
What a smooth talker.
In the original story, I had no idea that he was like this because he was so serious and obsessed with revenge for Tenstheon.
"Other than that, there seems to be another reason."
"Because you came back, my work was greatly reduced. I'm having a bit more time to relax thanks to you."
Blake spent most of his time in the valley of chaos, so he never really took formal lessons as a crown prince.
Now that there was no longer a reason to leave the palace, he began to take formal succession lessons under Tenstheon.
Tenstheon gave Blake a number of duties and taught him strictly, which greatly reduced Collin's working hours.
That said, he was still overworked, but Collin seemed satisfied.
"It's all thanks to you."
"What did I do? You've had a hard time because of me."
Blake had just started his crown prince lessons, which he should've taken seven years ago. It was not something to be thanked at all.
"Come on, sit down. I've prepared a special confectionery for Sir Collin."
"Yes, Your Highness."
When Collin saw the confectionery in front of him, his face was filled with curiosity.
"I've never seen this confectionery before."
"It's called yakgwa. It is an Eastern cuisine."
"I see, it has a beautiful shape. Did you make it yourself?"
"Yes, so eat a lot. It's fresh out of the oven so it'll taste better."
When I was a child, I saw one of my neighbors making it, but I only saw how to make it step by step on YouTube when I became an adult.
Fortunately, I succeeded in making the yakgwa similar to the ones I had in Korea.
"His Majesty and His Highness haven't eaten any of these yet?"
"Yes, Sir Collin will be the first person to taste it."
"They'll kill me if I eat before them, but I'll risk my life because you're the one who made these."
He looked at the yakgwa with a grim look and took a huge bite.
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148 – How about a cup of warm tea? (4)
TL: Zimming
Editor: Kyouka
"How is it?"
"It's delicious. It tastes as good as it looks."
Collin ate the yakgwa without a pause. It must've suited his tastes.
Hostility towards the East had recently spread throughout the empire, but he did not seem to care at all.
"You should try this too. It's Taekri tea from Chang."
Collin's expression hardened as he watched me pour a tea.
"It's an honor, but I refuse."
"Try it. It's a little bitter, but it has a very nice aroma."
"I'm sorry. I don't really like tea."
He still couldn't drink tea just like before.
He also disliked the tea that everyone in the Asteric Empire loved.
Knowing this, I stopped suggesting it to him and called for a maid. The maid brought in a drink that I had prepared in advance.
"Then try this."
When I handed him a strawberry juice, a bright smile appeared on Collin's face.
"Thank you."
Collin gulped down the strawberry juice. He really loves sweet fruit juice.
He looked like the type of person who would only drink black coffee, so this was an unexpected fact.
Still, this is way better than being an alcohol lover like in the original novel.
Collin's tastes were very unusual.
The nobles of the Asteric Empire enjoyed eating meat and did not like fruits and vegetables that much.
Men loved meat in particular. They also said that eating meat boosts their energy, so sweet fruits were only a favorite food among women and children.
This was also due to the lack of knowledge regarding food and nutrients.
Up until now, many people believed that their health depended on their status.
Even some of the nobles who graduated from the academy were proud to say such things.
"Sir Collin must really love fruits."
"Yes, I was poor when I was a kid, so I couldn't eat fruits even if I wanted to. I was originally going to become a merchant after graduating from the academy. If I sell food supplies, I will be able to eat whatever I want."
I was aware that Collin's family wasn't rich, but I didn't know they were that poor.
It was a story that someone would want to hide, but Collin spoke about it without a change in his expression.
He was confident in himself and has high self-esteem.
That's why he can talk about the difficult times without hesitation.
"Then why did you become my father's assistant and not a merchant?"
"His Majesty came to recruit me in person."
"Father did?"
"Yes, he asked me to become his assistant."
Tenstheon personally offered him the position of his assistant, but he refused because he wanted to become a merchant.
He spoke lightly of the matter, but he must have been serious about becoming a merchant.
"So what did you say?"
"I said I wanted to be a merchant and eat fruits endlessly."
"You're very honest."
He was more bold than honest.
Tenstheon controlled the empire the moment he ascended the throne. Yet, a commoner dared to refuse the emperor's proposal.
"Didn't His Majesty get mad at you?"
"He didn't. Rather, he told me I could eat whatever I want if I became his assistant. He said he would let me drink fruit juice anytime."
"That's why you accepted the assistant position?"
"Yes, there's no reason to refuse it."
I see. It was an unimaginable reason.
It was a relationship born from fruits.
"He said he wanted to create an empire where no one would starve to death. When I heard that, I thought he was a good man to devote my whole life to."
Collin spoke seriously.
Even though he always grumbled complaints, I knew he respected and admired Tenstheon more than anyone else.
"This strawberry juice is especially delicious."
"It's a strawberry His Highness raised himself."
"He raised it with magic, didn't he?"
"Yes, he's a genius."
Blake mastered the plant-growing spell and is now learning other spells.
It was a more difficult spell, but his learning speed was much faster than when he was learning the previous spell.
"His Highness used to refuse to learn magic. He has changed a lot."
"Blake did?"
"Yes, the head mage once came here to become His Highness's magic instructor, but he was refused."
Studies about the power of light have disappeared, but other styles of magic are still being actively studied.
Each mana has different characteristics. It would have been possible to learn from another mage if it was only the foundation.
But Blake didn't want to.
"Why didn't he do that? He's so talented."
Everyone said that Blake was a genius in swordsmanship, but in my opinion, he also had a talent for magic.
"Maybe because it's the power he got from sacrificing Your Highness, so he wasn't happy?"
"……"
If that's the case, then that was stupid. He used to live in pain and now that the curse was lifted, he should've tried to enjoy his life.
"I don't know how he truly feels. It was just a guess, so don't worry too much."
Collin comforted me and put another yakgwa in his mouth.
"When Your Highness is in charge, the atmosphere is not heavy. I love the warm atmosphere, it removes all the tension."
"Warm tea will make you feel more comfortable."
"I can't betray strawberries."
He answered cleverly and drank the strawberry juice.
I couldn't help but smile while watching him. Whenever I'm with Collin, I would feel at ease as if I was meeting a long-time friend.
"Sir Collin."
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"I heard that groundless rumors are spreading around Chang these days."
Collin seemed a little surprised with what I said, but his usual expression immediately returned.
"There will always be worries about new things."
"They said that I'm a demon sent from Chang, that I seduced His Majesty and His Highness while endangering the empire."
I heard all the rumors about Chang from Chelsea.
The rumor, which suddenly started a few months ago, was rapidly spreading throughout society.
But I had no idea at all.
It was probably Father and Blake's doing. They must've feared that I'd be upset if I knew.
Collin failed to maintain a poker face this time.
"Your Highness, that rumor will soon disappear…"
He tried to reassure me, but I only asked him a straightforward question.
"Is this the work of the church?"
"Why do you think so?"
"They're the most possible cause that I can assume."
There were two types of rumors.
A rumor based on facts and a rumor that someone had maliciously created with ulterior motives.
In the latter case, most rumors were related to their interests.
In Korea, people would hire people to spread nasty rumors about their rivals.
Someone might have been frustrated with me becoming the crown princess, or they might have spread rumors because they didn't want their status to decline because of me.
This time, however, they aimed for both Chang and me.
It stimulated the people's fears and the speed of the rumor's spreading was strangely fast.
It was said that such rumors were not only within the capital city but throughout the whole empire.
It did not spread from one person's mouth to another, instead, someone was intentionally spreading it.
With how fast it reached other places, it must've been the work of many people.
Right now, the church is the only one that can spread these rumors. They also had a reason to terrorize the people of the empire.
The church maintained its power through the people's fears of the curse, the door of darkness, and the trial.
However, the three have simultaneously collapsed in recent years.
That's why they would need a new target to instill fear.
Chang, a mysterious empire, and me, who came back the same time the door of darkness disappeared, must have been an appetizing prey.
"As expected of Your Highness."
Collin surrendered.
"Who's leading it? Is it Howard Kensway, the previous high priest candidate?"
"How did you know that?"
"He took the heaviest blow so he must've been anxious."
Howard Kensway was nominated as the next high priest, however, Marron was ordained instead of him.
I heard that the Kensway family was no longer as influential as it used to be.
"As expected, I can't hide anything from you, but don't worry too much. His Majesty will deal with it soon."
"I don't care. It's a lie anyway. What I'm worried about is that they may not stop at the rumors and may try to do something else."
The Kensway family used to be the most influential family on the church's side.
However, after I recalled my memories from a thousand years ago, I changed my mind a little.
A thousand years ago, Phillip was selfish and lonely. He didn't trust anyone but himself.
There was only one loyal subject that Phillip trusted. His name was Logan Kensway.
The Kensway family was then revered by the people as a historical priest family that served the goddess of light since the time of the Zelcan Empire, but that was all a lie.
Logan Kensway was a commoner merchant and his surname was given by Phillip.
I remembered back when I was Laontel.
Back then, Logan Kensway was a commoner that had nothing to do with the church, but after I died, he suddenly became a priest.
Why did Phillip appointed Logan Kensway and gave him the power to rule the church for a thousand years?
Phillip pretended to be chosen by the goddess, but in fact, he took Ser's power and sealed her at the door of darkness.
The curse of the goddess was also created by himself.
To hide this fact, it would be natural to plant his most trusted servant as the high priest.
Of course, the Kensway family's strength so far may purely be because of their abilities and had nothing to do with Phillip.
Nevertheless, I had an ominous feeling.
If it's just a rumor, it would gradually disappear as soon as the rumors are confirmed to be false…but what if they do something else?
My heart pounded with uneasiness.
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149 – How about a cup of warm tea? (5)
TL: Zimming
Editor: Kyouka
"How long do I have to put up with Howard?!"
Blake was enraged.
Malicious rumors about Ancia were spreading. However, there was nothing he could do even though he knew who the culprit was.
Blake wanted to kill Howard right away, but Tenstheon dissuaded him.
"It's not the right time yet."
"How long do you want me to wait?"
Blake was willing to do anything for Ancia.
Just like how she protected him in the past, he wanted to protect Ancia this time.
He wanted her to live in happiness every day. He hoped that she wouldn't have any worries.
The Kensway family ruled the church for a thousand years.
In the Asteric Empire, the Kensway family was like the church's mascot. Many believed and followed them like they were gods.
Evidence of spreading malicious rumors about Ancia and Chang was found in the church, but they couldn't act with this alone.
Even if he made them go to trial if they claimed that they were just telling the truth and all the rumors were true, then he would be the one to suffer.
In that case, people would think that Ancia, the demon, had blurred the eyes and ears of the emperor and the crown prince to get rid of the Kensway family, who protected the goddess.
Until now, people only gossiped about the rumors, but if Howard was caught, it was highly likely that every vile rumor he created would rise above the surface.
"They're a very strong pillar. If we mess with them hastily, it will backfire. We have to do it right at once."
He only had one chance. Once Kensway is ready to bring out all the rumors, he will act then.
Words are tougher than swords. If he messed up and made a mistake, he would be unable to control the outcome.
If it goes wrong, even after the collapse of the Kensway family and its lineage, rumors that Ancia is a demon might survive and inconvenience her.
"Okay."
Blake was also aware of that so he tried to suppress his anger.
"But when it's time, leave it to me to dispose of them."
"Of course. Let the whole empire know what happens when they touch our Ancia."
"Yes, I will make them regret being born."
Tenstheon and Blake's voice were cold.
At that moment, someone knocked on the door.
"Enter."
The servant froze when he entered because of the chilly aura inside the office.
These two scary people were always inside the office, but today's atmosphere was especially frightening.
"What's going on?"
"Her Highness is here."
The servant replied with a hasty bow.
"Your Highness can enter now."
I entered the office with the servant's permission.
"Father, Blake, I'm here."
"Wife."
Blake quickly got up from the sofa and approached me.
"Come on in."
Tenstheon welcomed me with a gentle smile.
"Am I interrupting you two?"
It seemed that the two were sitting together on the sofa and talking until I came.
"No, we were just taking a break."
"That's right, we were only having a light chat."
I can't believe the two of them would sit face to face and chat.
I think they're slowly getting along because they've been together a lot for the crown prince's lessons.
"What did you talk about?"
"I heard you grew the seeds you received from Eunhan."
"Yes, I planted it with Blake. I also made tea today."
"I can't wait to drink it."
"Let's go out and eat then."
I smiled brightly.
We eat our meals together once a day.
In the past, Blake couldn't go outside so we only spent time at the Amoria Palace even when the three of us were gathered together.
"Don't mind me, Blake. Eat a lot."
"I'm eating a lot and it's better to see my wife eat."
Blake flashed a beautiful smile. Tenstheon persuaded him too.
"Yes, eat a lot. You're still too thin."
"I eat a lot."
"That won't do."
We were anxious because we couldn't convince Blake.
"Don't you two have anything to say to me?"
"Huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"The rumors about me and the Chang Empire."
The two could not hide their surprise when I said that.
"Ancia…"
"A-About that…"
"Don't try to hide it. I already know everything."
"…I'm sorry."
"It's just a piece of crap that isn't worth reaching your ears. I thought I'd let you know after I've dealt with everything…"
They were so apologetic that they didn't know what else to say. They looked more surprised than Collin was.
"You don't have to be sorry. You did it all for me."
I was also careful not to let nasty rumors about Blake reach his ears, so I understood why they did it.
Blake suddenly stood up from his seat.
"Blake…?"
"I'll go and wipe them out right away."
Blake's expression was very determined.
I grabbed him in surprise.
"N-No! Don't do that! I didn't mean it like that."
Our opponent has a lot of followers. It's necessary to move more cautiously than when we handled the Duke of Cassil.
It was a matter of the imperial family, but it was also connected to the church.
I made Blake sit and spoke to the two of them.
"I know you were only worried about me, but I hope you won't do this again next time. I'm not that weak and we're a family. If someone has a problem, we should solve it together."
"I'm sorry, I won't do that again."
Blake held my hand tightly.
"I will tell you everything from now on. I would never hide anything from you."
Tenstheon looked at me in the eyes as he said that.
They told me everything they knew about the rumors. Fortunately, there seemed to be no movement other than spreading rumors.
"That's a little weird. Those rumors will lose their influence once the trade begins."
They're false rumors anyway.
When trade with Chang begins, various items such as pottery and silk from the East will come in. The price of spices such as pepper would also drop significantly.
The rumors may lead the people to doubt the goods in the beginning, but it won't last long.
People are vulnerable to their interests.
The price of pepper, which was expensive enough to match the price of gold, is dropping. Will there be anyone who would rather believe the rumors and reject the price drop?
People will eventually accept the goods and their perspective on the trade will change positively.
"We looked into it because it was suspicious, but there was no particular movement."
Blake said.
"He either tried to attract public attention with those rumors, or he's secretly planning for something bigger."
"The high priest will arrive here soon. He will bring evidence of the Kensway family's misdeeds, so let's wait a bit longer."
"Yes, Father."
I nodded just as Collin entered the dining room.
"Your Majesty, the trading ship that left for Chang Empire is back."
"What?"
Tenstheon's brows narrowed, while Blake and my expression stiffened.
The trading ship should have reached the Chang Empire by now. Even if it arrived in Chang earlier than expected, it could not have returned to Asteric Empire this soon.
There must be something wrong.
Collin's pale complexion expressed that it was a serious situation.
"What's wrong with it?"
"There's an outbreak of Tancinol on the trading ship."
"Tancinol?"
I exclaimed in surprise.
Tancinol was a disease that Phillip created by using the power of the goddess in the past.
As a result, the Zelcan Empire fell and I lost Rakshul. It was the cause of the Roums' persecution.
Recalling the past a thousand years ago, I held Blake's hand without realizing it.
"It's alright, don't worry."
Perhaps he thought I was scared of the Tancinol, Blake held my hand and reassured me.
His warm hand calmed me a little.
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150 – How about a cup of warm tea? (6)
TL: Zimming
As the tancinol spread on the ship and the sailors fell one by one, the captain eventually gave up going to Chang and returned to the port.
Blake said he would go there himself to find out about the situation.
He had the power of a goddess, and he won't be infected with tancinol.
But I caught him while he's in a hurry to leave for the harbor.
"No! Blake, don't go!"
"Ancia…"
"I'll go there, stay here!"
I kept thinking of Rakshul, who caught the tancinol.
Of course, Blake was different this time, but I was still worried.
Blake wrapped his big hand around my face.
"Don't worry. I'm fine. I've never even caught a cold since the curse was lifted."
"I know, but I was also given the power of the goddess. I can't get sick either. So I'll go there."
"You can't."
He shook his head.
"I know about tancinol. I saw something about tancinol inside the door of darkness. So it's much better for me to go!"
"No, it's dangerous."
"I won't be in danger! I'm the light mage. No one on the whole continent knows the magic of healing better than I do."
I persuaded Blake. But his eyes sank sadly.
"Don't you trust me?"
"It's not like that, it's just that I'm worried and nervous…"
I held his hand tightly.
"So let me go. If it's really tancinol, I should go there ."
Blake gave a big sigh when I kept being stubborn.
"Okay, then let's go together."
"If I go alone…"
"That's a no-no."
Blake said firmly. I never thought he would be this stubborn as well.
"Alright."
I couldn't help but nod.
Me, Blake, and the imperial knights headed for the harbor.
When I arrived at the port, I could see many people from the church.
Tancinol has long been managed in the church because it is known as a disease given by the goddess.
So it is normal that many people from church were here.
But the atmosphere was weird. The harbor was noisy with spectators.
This was due to the lack of proper control by the holy knights.
In the event of an epidemic, people's entry and exit should be strictly blocked to prevent more victims. However, the people from church did not seem to have any intention of doing so.
A necklace made of mana stone of light hung on the neck of the priest and the knights.
What are they thinking? Are they trying to take advantage of this?
Entering the harbor, I could see that my guess was right.
"Tancinol spread over the sea! The goddess is angry!"
Gail, a teenage priest, shouted loudly as if he were giving a speech.
Other high-ranking priests like Howard Kensway, were next to him.
Many high-ranking priest are gathered.
Simply because of the tancinol outbreak, those priests stayed far away.
The purpose of this opportunity is to make people believe that the false rumours were true.
Blake also felt the atmosphere was unusual and whispered softly in my ear.
"Ancia, go back first."
"I'm fine, so there's nothing to worry about."
They're trying to take advantage of them for their own gains. I could never forgive people like them.
"Here comes the crown prince, the light of the Empire."
The people who saw us greeted Blake. But that was it. They ignored me.
"What kind of trick is this?"
Blake's voice was cold.
The surrounding air froze, but the priest only smiled.
"We don't know if she's the real crown princess."
His words made everyone surprised.
"Are the rumours true?"
"Is it true that she's a demon?"
As the spectators chatted, Edon shouted.
"Shut up! How dare you!"
"Don't you know the punishment of insulting a royal family?!"
When the imperial knights said so, people shut up.
The vast harbor was filled with silence.
Blake and the priest confronted each other over the issue of greeting me.
"Where are the patients?"
I broke the silence and asked a question.
Tancinol is highly contagious. It had to be stopped as soon as possible.
But the priest ignored me as if he couldn't hear me.
Blake couldn't stand it anymore and tried to pull out his sword. Gail, who was next to him, quickly replied.
"Inside the ship."
"Hasn't the treatment started yet?"
When I asked, Howard had an arrogant smile.
"Don't you know what tancinol is? It's a ship cursed by the goddess. We'll burn the entire ship."
"What?"
There may be someone who wasn't infected.
But he's gonna burn those people to death?
Even when they heard the news that the epidemic had spread, I knew why all the high-ranking priests, who usually only sent lower-ranking priests, gathered here while standing at a safe place.
They were going to kill all the crew from the start. They showed up here with confidence because they had no intention of healing the patients in the first place.
"Are you sure it's tancinol?"
They claimed that the crew had tancinol without even looking at the patients.
"The priests have confirmed it. They are cursed by Goddess, and we cannot let them live."
"Did you really see them?"
Richard's mother was falsely killed when she caught the flu, people assumed that she had tancinol.
The early symptoms of tancinol were difficult to identify precisely because it was similar to flu, and after other symptoms appeared, they were often mistaken it as tancinol as well.
"You must want to protect them somehow."
Howard was sarcastic. I felt their bad intention towards me somehow.
"I think you want to get rid of them."
"No way. I am a worshiper of the Goddess of Light. Why do I want to get rid of them? I need to protect my country from the demons."
"Don't sell the goddess' name for your self-interest."
"What did you just say? How dare you insult the church!"
Howard was furious. Then Blake spit it out coldly.
"Is there anything wrong with her words?"
Even the crown prince should be polite to the high-ranking priests.
Although Blake was in an informal relationship with the high priest, Marron, it was because of Marron's permission.
He continued his words.
"How should I punish you for your sin of insulting her highness?"
Blake took his sword. The imperial and the holy knights also picked up swords at the same time.
The situation reached its worst, with the two forces confronting each other fiercely.
Then a man's cry was heard on the ship.
"Help me! Please save my life!!"
Howard's face fell as the man, who appeared to be the captain, got out of the ship.
Then Gail ordered urgently.
"What are you doing? A sinner cursed by a goddess! Stop it now!"
The holy knights caught him. However, the captain cried desperately even as he was dragged away.
"Help me! There are sailors who are not sick! Please save us!"
However, people were more shocked than sympathetic.
His skin was pale. Many bruises and spots were spread throughout the body, his eyes were completely not focused, and whenever he shouted, his teeth fell out as his gums with blood were revealed.
"Tancinol!
"Agh!"
"Kill him right now!"
Even though they weren't sure that it was tancinol, the spectators began to scream in fear when they saw the patient.
Even the priest and holy knights looked frightened. The same was true of the imperial knights.
"Stop right now. Let the captain go."
However, I gave the order to the knight.
"Ah, yes…"
The knights looked at Howard for a moment, but soon let go of their hands as the captain fell down.
They were also unwilling to contact patients with tancinol.
I took a step toward the captain. Then Blake was surprised and held my hand.
"Ancia!"
"Don't worry. It's okay."
I grabbed him by the hand and approached the captain again.
Maybe he was worried about me, so Blake walked with me. I didn't stop him.
Edon and the imperial knights followed suit.
"I greet the crown prince, the light of the Empire. An, and…"
Captain Barley greeted Blake even though he was sick. And he looked at me for a moment.
He doesn't know who I am. He left a few months ago, so he wouldn't have heard of the crown princess' return.
"She's Ancia, the crown princess."
When Edon told him, the captain lowered his head.
"I greet the crown princess, the blessing of the empire."
"It's alright. Get up."
"Your Highness, please save us!"
The captain begged earnestly. I got him up.
When I touched the patient myself, the surrounding area was noisy.
"Don't worry. First of all, tell me what happened."
"It was smooth at first. But one by one, there was something wrong with their body."
"Are you dizzy and have problems with your teeth?"
"Yes."
"You have bleeding in your gums and hematuria?"
"Yes! That's right!"
He nodded. But he quickly added if he was worried.
"But I don't think it's tancinol. I didn't cough."
"That's nonsense! They must have tancinol! The goddess was angry when they tried to join hands with Chang and punished them! They're abandoned by the goddess."
Howard shouted angrily.
It was ridiculous. Who's the one who needs to be angry.
"No, they didn't get tancinol."
I refuted his words.
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