CH 81.2

Fortunately, Cedric’s door was intact. When Cedric pressed the handle, the door opened. We went out of the room.

“I was in that antechamber.”

I realized that I had been in the adjacent room to Cedric’s.

“Of course…”

I exclaimed. There was a slot on the outer side of the door to the antechamber where I had been, and someone had inserted a metallic object into that slot.

Cedric clicked his tongue.

“If there’s something stuck in a flaw like this, pressing it wouldn’t have made it work.”

“Yes, but what is this?”

I tried to pull out the object stuck in the flaw, but it wouldn’t come out easily.

“Pardon me.”

Cedric effortlessly took it out. Then he handed it to me.

“Can you guess who did it?”

“Well, it’s too easy to even call it a riddle.”

I held a thick gold earring in my hand.

“Priests don’t wear accessories like this.”

It’s an expensive item befitting a high-ranking noble. Moreover, it’s something an adult woman would wear. It’s not Melissa’s.

‘Then it must be Rose, that woman.’

That person is truly hopeless. Her motives are obvious.

‘So Marianne claimed she couldn’t remember the content of her prophecy? They tried to skip ahead in the order of receiving prophecies.’

So they deceived Marianne, who was in that confused state, to steal the first prophecy.

‘Isn’t this also theft? They’re up to all sorts of tricks.’

It’s beyond audacious. I explained the situation briefly to Cedric. He furrowed his brow.

“That’s cowardly.”

“Do you know how remarkable the so-called first prophecy is?”

“…Indeed. The legend surrounding the first prophecy is nothing but a fake.”

I raised an eyebrow at his words.

Come to think of it, the priestess earlier said something similar, didn’t she?

“What exactly is that legend?”

Cedric looked at me as if surprised.

Why? A slight blush appeared on Cedric’s cheek.

‘What’s with that strange expression?’

When a pretty person makes such an expression, it feels oddly disconcerting.

“It’s nothing important.”

Cedric seemed to be trying to hide something. I urged him.

“Just tell me quickly.”

“Well… It’s like a superstition, but it’s a legend that if a noble maiden, before her coming-of-age ceremony, receives the first prophecy from the Saintess… she will marry the highest-ranking man.”

“Like a queen?”

“Something like that. At least a prince consort or a duchess.”

My older brother, Jade, the highest-ranking man.

And the person in front of me is a prince.

“Then I might be the prince’s wife?”

“The highest-ranking unmarried couple currently consists of Jade, the Duke, and me.”

Except for my older brother Jade, who is my stepbrother…

‘Cedric and me?’

I wanted to burst into laughter. Cedric, seeing my expression, scolded me.

“I see you don’t believe in such legends.”

“No, it’s just funny…”

“Why?”

“It’s an absurd statement. What am I?”

I’m a commoner, the adopted daughter of the Duke. Moreover, Cedric couldn’t even imagine that I came from the streets.

“It doesn’t make sense?”

“Well, I believe that marriage should be with someone you love. I won’t settle for a strategic marriage. I assume the prince wouldn’t either.”

“That depends on who the person is.”

“Excuse me?”

“My ideal type is a girl who is smarter than me.”

Cedric said with a smirk.

I was speechless for a moment. What does he mean by that?

“Uh…”

“I was joking. Anyway, if things continue like this, they might be able to steal the first prophecy. Let’s go.”

Cedric said in a low voice. I nodded, feeling compelled to follow.

* * *

“Why won’t the door open?”

We walked through the corridor as the priest had instructed.

At the end of the path to receive the prophecy, there was a large door with a girl hanging onto it, struggling. Was her name Melissa? She was Rose’s younger sister, the blonde girl with pigtails.

“Didn’t your sister tell you how to open the door?”

I approached and asked. Melissa was startled and stumbled back.