Chapter 163

Chapter 163

Translator: yun

I might be able to prevent the desert princess, Ahacia, from murdering me a month from now… Even if she wasn’t Ahacia, she should have a connection to her if she is impersonating her. Either way, I wasn’t losing anything.

Dane and Penne exchanged glances for a moment. 

“Ashley, that’s going to be difficult.”

Dane leaned back on his chair before tilting his head and smiling. 

“I’m not too sure about the outer palace but it’ll be hard for a foreigner to enter the inner palaces.”

“Can’t we cover her face?”

“Really? You want to bring her to the palace?”

As I continued to stare at his beautifully tilted lips, he continued. 

“Uh…?”

Before I could react, Dane got up and approached me before grabbing my hands and lifting them.

“Ashley. I understand how you feel, but there’s realistically no way for her to get into the inner palaces.”

When I looked up, my eyes met with his beautiful red ones that faded into the whites of his eyes. Under the dim lighting, his gaze was bewitching. It seemed to hold a plethora of unspeakable words. 

“It’s something you shouldn’t say carelessly and something you shouldn’t even do.”

He slowly closed his eyes. Worry and compassion. There were some things that I knew deep down would be impossible. 

“But… let’s calm down for a moment.”

As he stared at me with only one knee bent, he spoke quietly.

“We still don’t have any proof that she’s the desert princess.”

“Still…”

“Also, Ashley, did you forget? The palace is not safe.”

Just then, I saw Lord Ray who was leaning against the wall clenching his sword before letting it go repeatedly. It seemed like it was his subconscious habit. 

‘The assassins.’

Just as Dane said, the palace was not safe. 

“When I talk about safety, I’m not only talking about physical safety.”

“The spread of rumours.”

“That’s right.”

It sounded as if he was saying that it would not be possible to keep bringing the desert princess into the palace a secret. 

We were definitely in times of chaos. Numerous invitations have been sent to me because the Crown Prince had approached me at the symposium. The security in my palace was also pretty lax.

“So, are there prying ears? In my palace, I mean?”

“If you bring her to the palace right now, you’ll be the one in more danger.”

Dane made sense. However, thinking it and believing it were two separate matters. 

“My palace… is it not safe?”

Rebecca had mentioned it to me before.

“I came to find out the truth behind the rumours surrounding the princess and His Highness, the Crown Prince.”

She had revealed her intentions honestly as my lady-in-waiting and gave me a warning.

“All eyes are paying attention to you.”

She advised me sincerely. 

“To watch your every move.”

Castor had set off a bomb in the symposium. Granius was also placed in the same position. I heard that he had recently been struggling to negotiate with the 2nd Prince. 

“Princess, you’re no longer the same powerless princess from when you were younger.”

Granius did not hide the complicated situation he was in from me. Though he did not burden me with anything, he did calmly state the facts. 

It was strange. I was weak which was why I had not changed since the day I died so cruelly. People around me were saying that I was no longer the abandoned princess. 

I guess I was getting swayed by the big waves that were out of my control. 

Because of the Crown Prince, all the nobles were now paying attention to me, the princess who was going to dance in the Empire’s biggest festival. The spectacular princess who had Granius and Rebecca’s backing. The me who was no longer weak. But what was the difference between the me from yesterday and the me today?

“Ashley, look at me.”

I made eye contact with Dane.

“It’s safe. At least, you’ll always be.”

He grabbed my hand. 

“Even if you’re heading towards a dead end in the underworld… I’ll bring you back.”

For some strange reason, Dane’s hair fluttered in this cramped room without ventilation. I stared at the corners of his pretty lips for a long time before lowering my head with a smile and saying. 

“Dane, those words. Your future wife will be very sad to hear that.”

I know I shouldn’t say this especially given the situation but now I understand what Snow White must have felt when she woke up from her glass coffin to see her prince on a white horse. I hadn’t collapse after eating an apple but it did feel like I had been forced asleep for a while and consequently rescued.

I abandoned my dreams on the day I died. Funnily enough, the day my groundless hopes died, the dreams I had in the past came true. 

Now, I hope that I can manage to escape this death and one day achieve my ultimate dream of being happy. 

“Don’t you want me to be stubborn?”

“Honestly, this time…”

I lowered my head. I wasn’t anxious. But from his worried gaze, it might have seemed that way. Even without seeing him, I was sure he was determined to break my stubbornness. 

“Alright, I know. This time, I’ll listen to you.”

If Penne had been the one who tried to convince me to leave Ahacia behind, I might have regrettably not listened. 

My obsession with death and my sensitivity to it was more intense than I thought. I had decided not to die mercilessly anymore. Still, with her by my side, I would be able to stretch out both my feet when I sleep out of relief. 

Dane was special. Perhaps he cared about me more than I do. 

“Trust is fleeting.”

Amor told me that. However, living without trusting anyone is a sad way to live. 

A devastated being who trusted no one. 

What was so different between Castor and I?

At least I had not given up my humanity. 

Dane never spoke nonsense. He was also smarter than anyone else. I was sure he was thinking about something that would have never passed my mind. 

If he, who knew how important the desert princess is more than anyone else, was telling me to leave her behind, I would trust him.  I was anxious but I wasn’t going to show it. 

“I’ll leave her here.”

The princess who had been silently listening to our conversation grimaced in an instant. 

Just when I left the place. 

“… Nothing?”

“Yes. We couldn’t find anyone named Sethirna… We’ve gone through the name list several times but she’s not there.”

It seemed like the woman who was the princess’ aide did not exist. 

Unfortunately, her lady-in-waiting must have been brought to some other place. The problem was that if that aide cannot be found, then the princess’ words become groundless. 

“That’s troubling.”

Regardless of whether she was a fake or the real princess, it was clear that she is a high-ranking noble. This was what Penne found troubling. 

“There are currently no female templars with the patrols.”

Female nobles would need female attendants. 

“So many women and not a single one?’

“Because nowadays a female templar is the rarest sight to encounter.”

If the attendant does not exist, things become immensely more complicated. Furthermore, if she really was the desert princess, there is a possibility that we would be accused of treating her poorly that could affect diplomatic issues. 

“That’s why I’m asking, princess, could you please lend us one of your maids?”

“My maids?”

Alright. I understand their urgent need for a female attendant but why did it need to be one of my own maids who just returned from suffering in hell? Understanding how uncomfortable I was, Penne quickly made up excuses with a flustered expression. 

“Princess… Uhm, the fact that the desert princess is currently here must be kept confidential. Especially since it might affect diplomatic relations. It’ll be dangerous if rumours of her being fake get out.”

“Right.”

The only people who knew that Ahacia was currently here were Penne, Chosone the Captain of the patrols, Vice-Captain Soricks and Meta. 

“Moreover, the current situation in the desert kingdom is quite complicated so we should put off the announcement of her current whereabouts.”

I understood the situation but accepting it was a different matter. How could you ask people who just went through traumatic experiences to work again? It was cruel.

“Penne is right.”

I faced Penne. We were in a quiet and still part of the alley. His words were only partially valid.

“But my maids shouldn’t be sacrificed just because you’re right.”

Penne flinched. Perhaps he thought I could accept. 

There was a distinct difference in the person Penne thinks I am and the person I actually am. I cared about my maids. I didn’t want to make my maids who suffered through hell to work again. Even if it’ll place myself in a dilemma. 

“Princess.”

Once again, I had to firmly refuse him. Someone pulled at the hem of my sleeves.

“I’ll stay here.”

Hannah, who looked haggard, smiled.

“I wasn’t as hurt as Thebe. I can do it.”

“What? What are you saying, Hannah!”

“Mister Templar looked troubled.”

Was it because we had been together for so long. Hannah seemed to quickly notice what I wanted to say. If this continued, I would be the one troubled. 

“This is necessary, right? I’ve been supporting the princess all this time.”

I wrinkled my forehead. 

“Because you’re a good person, princess. You’re worried about her, aren’t you? I’ll help.”

She smiled surprisingly gently. Her blue eyes that curled in a certain way were no different from when I was a child. I could not bear to say that I hated the way her eyes looked now. 

Because she had the same expression the day she died for me. 

“… I’ll bring you back soon.”

“Yes!”

I was more sure of this than anything else in my life. It would be better to leave the princess here with someone I can trust than to gather more attention than necessary.

“… Please take care of the princess. She’s someone important to me.”

Hannah soon nodded resolutely. 

“Please do not worry.”

Just as I thought, I hated to leave people at risk at my expense. I didn’t want to get used to this. If I just turn a blind eye and use people for my own motives, I might be able to live comfortably. 

But I don’t want to take other’s sacrifices for granted. That’s why I decided to accept this discomfort for now. Thinking that this much determination from Hannah was unneeded, I smiled. 

“It’s time to return, Ashley.”

“Yeah.”

When we finally arrived at the palace, it was already a windy night. It felt a little chilly because the palace was built at a slightly higher altitude than the quiet streets of the capital. 

“Urgh, it’s so dark.”

Instead of fluttering, my mantle flapped. My hair was flying everywhere as if it had been waiting for this moment. 

When I held my hair back with a frown, a large cape was laid upon my shoulders. When I turned my head, there my knight was standing upright. 

“Oh my. I lost.”

Dane smiled playfully behind us. 

“Are you competing over this too?”

I smiled as well whilst watching the two men. 

“Tired?”

Dane approached me and asked.

“… A little.”

“Horseback riding is tough for first-timers.”

He smiled widely. Come to think of it, my back was aching a little and my legs were trembling. 

“Uh. Wait, my legs are seriously trembling?’

I hadn’t noticed because my senses had been overwhelmed till now. Fortunately, my skirt was long enough. The pain might have overwhelmed the past me. Even if it was an overwhelming pain, I sometimes wouldn’t notice if I had really been hurting. 

“Dane.”

“Yeah.”

“Not bringing the princess to the palace… there’s another reason for it, right?”