Chapter 17

What happened in the last few days? She didn’t know when her trembling, weak, and stupid sibling had become so brave.

Marianne spoke more sarcastically, “You’re stupid, Grace. Did you forget? Not a single woman overcame the curse of Duke Felix. You think you can beat the curse inside those monstrous odd eyes? Besides, it’s not just the duke, his brother too. That’s double the curse, isn’t it?”

“What else?”

“….what?”

“If I see those red and blue eyes, will I burn or drown right away?”

“You…”

“I don’t know why people make such a fuss. I don’t care at all.” Grace replied brazenly with a smile to Marianne, who looked at her with astonished eyes. As she said, she wasn’t really afraid. Either way, she’d be free using the curse. Grace answered deliberately in a loud voice, as if she wanted not only Marianne but everyone around her to hear her.

Then, Marianne burst into a laugh, dumbfounded and said with trembling lips, “… crazy. You’re crazy, you’re crazy, aren’t you?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m perfectly normal right now.” Grace smiled even more broadly at Marianne pointing her finger at her with a frightened look.

Now she was no longer her old self.

‘I’m no longer hurt by such provocations. I’ve already been killed by you once. There’s nothing to be afraid of.’

Yes. There was nothing more to fear.

Grace looked back at the nobles exchanging strange glances, whispers surrounding herself and Marianne.

“I’m sorry, but could you clear the way for me? It’s been a while since I had a serious conversation with my sister, so I want to get some fresh air.”

At that, the people whispered again, and soon gave way for Grace to pass. Grace grinned and walked past them toward the terrace she had spotted. Finally, some freedom. Now, she had time until Arthur came back.

At that, Grace hummed softly past the nobles and accidentally bumped her shoulder against a man. She glanced up at him, frowning slightly.

Unlike other nobles who showed their faces, the man, wearing a broad brimmed hat and a red uniform, somehow kept staring at Grace and blocking her in front.

“What, are you trying to pick a fight with me?” Grace spoke in a slightly tense tone towards the man staring at her with a stupid look.

“Well, I’m sorry, but could you move now?”

“….Oh! I’m sorry, my lady.”

“It’s alright.”

Fortunately, the man shifted to the side.

Grace passed him leisurely after a brief greeting. Not knowing that he was looking at her back all the time.

Ignoring the gazes on her, Grace passed people leisurely. Everyone who freed the way for her looked eager to help her out, but now she had no spirit to deal with them. Right now, she just wanted to be alone for a moment before Arthur came back after meeting the emperor.

So Grace, who was walking past people with a stiff look on purpose, suddenly looked back, startled by the gentle grip on her shoulder.

“Where are you going?”

Fortunately, it was Arthur who caught Grace. Grace tilted her head at the sight of Arthur staring down at her, soon uttering a short exclamation, “Oh, did you see that?”

“….I’m sorry.”

He seemed to have seen her and Marianne engage in a war of words a while ago. Grace smiled bitterly and asked Arthur, who handed her an apple, “Why are you apologizing?”

“… I think you had to hear that because I wasn’t there.”

“It’s okay. It’s not like that. Now I don’t get hurt by their words… and-“

“…..?”

“See? I won in the end.”

So don’t worry, adding that, Grace deliberately shrugged and laughed. Then Arthur, who had a blank look on his face at the sight, said while smiling at her, “That’s right, you won. And that was pretty cool too.”

“……!”

“You’re amazing. You did a great job.”

At that moment, Grace felt Arthur’s smiling face sparkling in her head. Come to think of it, this was the first time. The first time he looked at her and smiled so affectionately. Strangely, her cheeks were burning and her heart was beating, because he had taken her side. Perhaps that was why Grace was dumbfounded at the thought of what to say to Arthur. At that moment, Arthur’s mouth, which had been smiling at her like that, pursed up awkwardly again.

“His Majesty is entering!”

At the same time as the guard guarding the entrance announced this, the people quickly became silent. Arthur and Grace, facing each other, also turned their heads in the direction of the sound.

Then, the emperor, who wore a gold crown and a long red cape symbolizing the imperial family, walked there with her father, Duke Alberton, and several other servants. Grace focused her eyes on her father, Duke Alberton, and the emperor walking in front of her.

The emperor, who was already close to 60 years old, had sharp eyes and deep wrinkles around his forehead and mouth, giving him an arrogant and stubborn impression.

Grace stared intensely as the emperor, supported by his servants, sat on the throne at the highest platform. Duke Alberton stood beside him.

The emperor sat on the throne with a slow gesture, and looked back at the royal family and aristocrats gathered at his feet with vigilant eyes and said, “Fortunately, everyone’s in attendance.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. There is no noble man who would not dare to attend your banquet.”

“By the way, where are the stars of today’s party, Duke Felix and his new bride?”

Pretending to listen to Duke Alberton, who was helping him with his words, with a flattering tone, the emperor searched for Grace and Arthur.

At that point, the people stepped down at once to let Arthur and Grace come to the emperor’s view. Arthur glanced at Grace standing next to him, and said to the emperor, “Here we are, Your Majesty.”

“Come closer,” the emperor ordered. Grace put her hand on Arthur’s arm, and then moved forward with him to the throne where the emperor sat.

It was only a few steps away, but the atmosphere around it was so heavy that it was hard to take even a step forward. Arriving in front of the throne, Arthur and Grace bowed to him, who was silent.

“Duke Arthur Felix greets the Emperor.”

“Duchess Grace Felix greets the Emperor.”

“Raise your head.” The emperor, greeted by the two, ordered them in a dignified voice.

At the sound of his voice, Grace looked up along with Arthur, and met the eyes of the emperor, who was staring straight down at her.

When Grace hurriedly lowered her gaze at the unexpected eye contact, the emperor burst into laughter and said, “Arthur, your bride seems to be very shy.”

“Yes, so please refrain from being so mischievous, Your Majesty.”

“Ha ha! It’s not even officially announced yet, but are you already taking care of her so carefully? I think it was arranged well this time.”

The emperor, who chuckled as if he was having fun answering Arthur, glanced at Grace standing next to him with a more blatant gaze. Grace felt her shoulders drooping unknowingly at his stinging gaze. It was not because he was the cause of her death in her first life, nor because she was afraid of being harmed again because she was hated by the emperor. It was because the emperor seemed to be more vigilant than necessary.

Like a snake in front of its prey.

Grace clasped Arthur’s arm tightly, clinging out of unprovoked fear.

“Hahaha! I think we should bless these two passionate people as soon as possible. Duke Alberton! Hurry up and bless them! I’d like you to give them the blessing of succession soon!”

“I see. Your Majesty, we’ll do it right away.”

At this sight, the emperor burst into laughter and shouted at the Duke of Alberton, who stood next to him. Duke Alberton, who had been standing with an expressionless face, bent toward him. Then, he slowly came down, approaching where Arthur and Grace were standing.

Grace took a step back at the sight of her father, Duke Albueton, getting closer and closer, and gave a wary look.

Duke Alberton also gazed at Grace. Cold and indifferent gazes were exchanged between father and daughter. He turned his eyes away first. He shook his hands in the air with a look of indifference and summoned a book.

The Bible of blessings.

Duke Alberton put the book in front of Arthur and Grace and spoke to the two, “Duke Arthur Felix, and Duchess Grace Felix, put your hands on the Bible of Blessings.”

Arthur put his hands on the book first, and Grace followed. When he confirmed that their hands had risen above the Bible, he shouted declaratively, “As an agent of the great Emperor, this Fitzgerald Alberton, the great wizard of the Empire, will bless you.”

Then, raising his hands reverently, he began chanting in a low voice. Grace listened to the occasional words of the magical language she had learned as a child, and looked down quietly.

‘Huh…?’

But as the blessing spell continued, Grace felt her mind gradually turning white. The magic words that sounded clear , with the meaning of blessing, and the magic energy that the spell emitted were also pure, but strangely, she kept losing focus and couldn’t see anything. Just as if someone had closed all her thoughts and senses, everything disappeared.