CH 13

‘…Elliot.’

1st Prince Elliot Lee Bluebell was the only son of the current Empress.

However, the empress was from a foreign country, and her first prince was born with no ability to handle magical powers, and at the same time, his body was very weak.

In contrast, Rebecca had one of the four dukes of the Empire as her family, and she herself was a strong elementalist.

So most of her subjects supported Rebecca as the next emperor, and while few nobles supported the first prince, Rebecca didn’t want to leave any speck of uneasiness.

[Kill the first prince couple, Dian, for me.]

Rebecca whispered like that, wrapping Diana’s face with both hands.

Until then, Diana could not even imagine “rejecting” Rebecca’s order.

For her, Rebecca was like a god.

But for the first time, she hesitated.

[But, Your Majesty. They…]

[Know. Those two are stupidly good and kind people, and they have no interest in the throne.]

[…]

[But Diana. I don’t want to leave even the tiniest risk. Don’t you want me to ascend to the throne in perfect condition?]

[…]

[Right?]

In the end, Diana could not refuse Rebecca’s order and killed the first prince couple.

And they attended their funeral, following Rebecca, who was weeping in mourning externally.

But the fact that she was standing next to the first prince couple lying side by side with their bloodless faces, she felt terrifying was the fact that she had killed them.

[Your Majesty, I’m not feeling well. I’ll go back first.]

Diana eventually left the funeral hall as if she was running away from a curse.

When she sat down at the entrance of the main palace and desperately breathed in the cold air.

[Miss Susfield.]

Cayden, walking to attend the funeral, stopped in front of her.

Diana shuddered involuntarily at the low call.

It’s obvious that no one except Rebecca knew that she had killed the 1st Prince.

Now that she’s like a sinner to him, she couldn’t help but feel like her heart was tightening for some reason.

Diana managed to capture her cry and respond back.

[Your Highness Cayden.]

[What are you doing here instead of protecting my sister?]

[…I am not feeling well. I would like to return to the White Flame Palace first.]

[You’re not feeling well, and you’ll go back alone?]

[It’s fine.]

Cayden, who looked around at those words, wrinkled his brow as if he didn’t like it.

[I’ll walk you there.]

[It’s really okay.]

[It’s not okay, so stand up. If you’re tired, I’ll help you.]

As Cayden reached out and tried to support her, she stood up on her own, startled.

After that, the two walked side by side to Rebecca’s palace while maintaining a certain distance in an awkward atmosphere.

There was no conversation, just the sound of footsteps treading on the grass and dirt.

Diana hastened her steps with her discomfort.

After a time that felt like years had passed, it was when they arrived in front of the White Flame Palace.

[Do you want to work under me, Miss Susfield?]

Unconsciously, Diana doubted her ears for a moment.

She quickly shook her head as if to clear her confused head and backed away.

[I don’t know what you mean… I am just a petty person blessed with the grace of the First Princess.]

[No, I believe that you are the biggest force in my sister’s force. I can even see it in one eye.]

Cayden’s voice was firm. To the extent that it was useless to deny it any further.

Diana was genuinely perplexed then.

Somehow, Cayden seemed convinced that Diana wasn’t simply Rebecca’s favourite handmaiden.

Cayden looked at Diana’s bewildered face and smiled mischievously.

[Your surprised face is worth seeing. If you come under me, I can tell you how I knew, but what do you think? Isn’t it tempting?]

[Once again, I don’t understand what your highness is saying. If there’s nothing else to say, I’ll go in now.]

[…Yes, you are that kind of person.]

Cayden, who was staring at her face, turned around and disappeared after a while.

[But I’m being sincere. It’s okay anytime, so tell me when you change your mind. Go back safely.]

Although both of them had their heads cut off before Cayden’s words came true.

‘…That must have been possible because I killed the First Prince.’

Diana swallowed a bitter laugh inside her.

Her memories of that time (time before her death) were still vivid, so the present situation was even more unrealistic for her.

Sunlight poured over her head. The feeling of a soft cloth brushed against her skin.

Flowers and ribbons adorned with the blessing of permanent preservation were possible by asking a nature spirit.

Most of all, the existence of Cayden holding hands by her side was like a dream.

A dream that will wake her up in the blink of an eye.

Diana blinked her eyes as she still felt that she was wandering in her vain fantasies.

But the only thing that changed was the place where the two were standing.

Today was their wedding, and before she knew it, there was a priest in charge of officiating in front of her.

As Diana and Cayden stopped in front of the podium, the priest began to recite the main rite in a stern voice.

“It is a very auspicious day. His Majesty Cayden Seyric Bluebell, and…”

While the clichéd words were being said, Diana turned her gaze beyond the veil at the stinging gaze she felt behind her back.

Then she saw two gorgeously dressed women sitting in the front row of the guest seat.

‘First Princess and Second Princess.’

The two sitting next to each other looked at Diana and whispered something about her in a meaningful way.

The 2nd Princess came into the Imperial Palace to help the 1st Princess thoroughly.

So, it was natural that the 2nd Princess was also wary of Diana.

Pls read only at pink muffin tl.

‘Are you already plotting poisoning?’

Diana didn’t mind her, and as she turned her gaze back, she stopped when she saw someone.

Behind the seats of the 1st and 2nd Princesses.

A young man, who was sitting in an upright posture, suddenly looked up as if he felt her gaze.

Their eyes met through her veil.

A beautiful young man with blonde hair, who can be believed to be a member of the royal family of a neighboring country in terms of appearance alone.

The color was so dazzling that it pierced her eyes.

He made eye contact with Diana as if puzzled for a moment, and then showed an incomprehensible smile.

‘…?’

Meanwhile, Cayden, who was glancing at Diana, unconsciously narrowed his eyebrows.

Beyond the translucent white veil, Diana’s gaze was on the other side of him.

‘Where are you looking?’

Cayden thought as he naturally moved his head to where Diana’s gaze had landed, but the moment he realized that she was looking at another man, he doubted his eyes.

“…With this, I solemnly declare before Almighty Tilia that the two are married. The bride and groom may kiss the oath.”

Just at the same time, the words that signaled the end of the long ceremony split between the two of them.

Even then, Diana had her gaze fixed on the young man, not on Cayden.

It felt strangely uncomfortable.

Cayden concluded that the discomfort was simply the feeling that the contracting partner was not faithful to her duty.

‘Whoever sees it will know that the marriage partner is fake.’

Raising his eyebrows in dissatisfaction, he reached out and grabbed the edge of Diana’s veil.

“Your Majesty?”

Diana came back to her senses to the movement and pulled her gaze away from the young man.

As he moved the translucent veil, her fully exposed blue-purple eyes opened wide as if surprised.

Now when he saw those eyes that looked only at him, Cayden was filled with a slight sense of satisfaction.

“I told you to call my name.”

“Ah.”

Diana furrowed her eyebrows as she belatedly realized that her mind had been elsewhere for too much.

Cayden smiled like a mean boy and tapped her cheek with his fingertips.

“Focus, Diana.”

His large hands gently caressed her white face. Diana’s lips were cleverly hidden from people’s eyes.

The distance between the two of them narrowed sharply without even feeling unfamiliar with the heat from his hands.

“Now is the real thing.”

Immediately after a low whisper pierced Diana’s ear, their lips met without a gap.