Chapter 242
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 242
“Hahaha! What a joyous occasion! A marriage between Ferdinand and the Grand Princess of Frezier!”
Emperor Alexander’s boisterous laughter was the first to break the silence.
Seated upon the throne on the dais, Emperor Alexander personally stepped down and approached us. His mouth was stretched wide with a grin that reached his ears.
“Ferdinand! Why did you not tell your father such grand news in advance?”
“...Indeed. I was quite startled, Your Majesty. One might think Ferdinand doesn’t trust you.”
Empress Carmi, who had hurried down after the Emperor, spoke up. Her face was as pale as a sheet. I scoffed inwardly.
‘My, my.’
Empress Carmi seemed truly shaken. She was resorting to the kind of low-level jabs she would usually never use.
Ferdinand didn't even spare Carmi a glance as he spoke.
“I assumed Your Imperial Majesty would appreciate the romance of a proposal. That is why I deliberately kept it from everyone.”
At those words, Emperor Alexander’s expression shifted slightly. His eyes grew distant, as if he were reminiscing about a far-off memory.
“Indeed. A Crown Prince of Brillant should possess such a romantic heart for his proposal. Well done, Ferdinand.”
He was undoubtedly thinking of the late Empress Olivia.
Empress Carmi’s face turned so white it was impossible to hide any longer.
“Ahem, Grand Duke Frezier! Since the children are of one mind and wish to bring this to a beautiful fruition, let us have a frank discussion!”
Emperor Alexander seemed to genuinely welcome the marriage between Ferdinand and me.
‘He probably thinks this is a chance to get close to Grandfather, since they’ve always been on bad terms.’
I was thinking the same thing, but…
‘Hmm. Looking at Grandfather’s eyes, that’s not going to happen.’
Grandfather’s expression was the same as usual, but I could see it.
‘He is very, very, very displeased. I’ll have to apologize to him as soon as we get home.’
His granddaughter had suddenly received a proposal and accepted it on the spot. Knowing Grandfather’s personality, he was bound to be feeling quite upset.
‘Phew. At least Emperor Alexander stepped up as a target for him to vent on.’
“Let us go, Your Imperial Majesty.”
“Hmm? Grand Duke, is your jaw bothering you? I thought I heard a bit of grinding.”
“Yes. My jaw hasn't been in the best shape since I’ve aged.”
“Ho. I shall have some fine medicinal herbs sent to you.”
Oblivious to everything, Emperor Alexander moved toward the dais with Grandfather.
Now that the heavyweights had moved and the proposal event had concluded, it was time for the explosive murmuring to begin.
“Goodness! What in the world just happened!”
“I’m so glad I attended the coming-of-age ceremony today. When would I ever see such a precious scene again?”
Several noblewomen whispered in low voices.
“His Highness the Crown Prince already had feelings for the Grand Princess. And here people were saying it was just a groundless rumor.”
“I already knew.”
“What? How?”
“Remember a while back, when those princesses from the Northern Kingdom entered the palace? Not many people know because they returned home so quickly.”
“Ah! That’s right! Even the princess famous for her beauty in the Northern Kingdom came. I thought she’d be staying in the Imperial Palace for quite a while, so I was puzzled when she left so soon…”
“But what does that have to do with this?”
“Do you know why those princesses fled back home? Goodness, apparently they collapsed right in front of His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Huh?”
“My word. To use such a vulgar and predictable tactic…”
“And then?”
“They say His Highness just ignored them and kept walking.”
“What? Really? He didn't even call for a knight…?”
“If he had, would they have returned home in such a hurry? My husband happened to be nearby, and he said His Highness looked at the princesses as if they were ‘bugs’ before leaving.”
“Oh my!”
I pricked up my ears slightly. Since very few people knew this story, the noblewomen currently speaking instantly became the center of the conversation.
Of course, I already knew.
‘I wonder if Ramus Jeremiah actually has thirty different egos.’
I had simply ordered him to keep track of any rumors surrounding the Crown Prince.
To think Ramus Jeremiah would find out even things like that and report them to me in such detail…
As expected, one didn't become the world’s greatest information broker for nothing.
The feeling of having such a big shot as a subordinate was, of course, absolutely fantastic.
I entered the Grand Banquet Hall and looked at the massive treasure chests being stacked on one side.
Having been born with blue blood, I had naturally learned the etiquette of the Imperial Family. Those were the gifts a Crown Prince presents to his partner when making a formal proposal.
‘The scale… seems a bit, no, a whole lot larger than what’s regulated.’
Ferdinand likely hadn't touched the treasury. He was a Crown Prince who had won glory for himself by being covered in blood every day on the harshest battlefields. Naturally, the spoils of war he had acquired would be immense.
I shifted my gaze as I listened to the nobles excitedly chatting near the chests.
I hadn't been able to pay attention during the actual proposal, but Corico had retreated some distance away. She was already back with her followers.
As for her complexion…
‘At least she looks better than Empress Carmi.’
Then again, since even her shell wasn't her own, acting out an expression must be much easier for her.
I asked Ferdinand for a brief moment of understanding and approached Corico.
Corico’s followers, who had been subtly bristling whenever I came near until just moments ago, could no longer do so. It was amusing to see them cowering and hesitating.
‘Well, sure. At their core, they’re nobles, so they’d feel fear toward the future Crown Princess.’
The taste of power!
It was sweet to begin with!
But now that it’s doubled!
It’s twice as sweet!
Perhaps even sweeter than that!
“Corico.”
When I called her name, the nobles subtly moved aside as if a path were opening through the sea. In an instant, I was standing face-to-face with Corico.
“You can grant the request I made earlier, right? The one about giving us a blessing.”
“That…”
“I’m the future Crown Princess now.”
I smiled brightly. Of course, only my mouth was smiling; my eyes were cold.
“There isn't a noble here who doesn't know how specially the High Priests regard His Highness. Isn't that right, Lady?”
When I pointed to a blue-haired lady standing nearby and asked, her face turned pale. She fumbled for a moment before answering.
“O-Of course! My parents are also very devout, so they are well aware of how magnificent His Highness the Crown Prince is!”
‘She must be quite startled.’
Regardless, even if I asked other nobles, they would give a similar answer. The Temple revered Ferdinand—the man who had been born with an abundance of divine power from within Empress Olivia’s womb.
“...I understand, Sister Tulia. If that is what you wish, I must of course grant you a blessing.”
Corico spoke and stood before me.
She took my hand. Naturally, the eyes of the crowd were instantly drawn to this new and magnificent spectacle.
“What is it? What’s happening?”
“The Saintess is giving the Grand Princess a blessing to celebrate her marriage!”
“The bond between the two of them is deeper than I thought!”
“But I saw earlier, and it didn't seem so much like a deep bond as it did…”
The surroundings grew quiet.
With my hand held by Corico, I asked, “But can you just give a blessing like that? Don't you need the sacred relic that recognized you as the Saintess? Shouldn't it be brought here?”
Corico, who had been chanting something softly, lifted her head. She let out a smirk.
“I am a Saintess recognized by a sacred relic. Even if it isn't brought out from the depths of the Temple, we are connected by our souls.”
“I see.”
I nodded lightly.
“Corico, you’re saying you don't need ‘Han Ina’ right now.”
I thought Corico’s eyes might waver, even if only a little. However, her gaze merely grew a bit colder; there was no other reaction.
She simply began chanting something softly again.
I merely maintained a benevolent smile (imitating Lisian).
And then.
“Oh! Look!”
“It’s divine power… How beautiful…”
“It’s like a swarm of butterflies fluttering about. As expected, everything about the Saintess is beautiful…”
Dreamy voices echoed in my ears. Just as they said, pure white divine power was fluttering down, enveloping my body.
If I hadn't known the truth, I too would have stared blankly at this ethereal sight.
I looked at this terrifying would-be murderer who wore Han Ina’s face while claiming to be connected to her.
I have no intention of dying.
So, I must defend against every attack directed at me.
I slowly moved my head. From the moment I began receiving Corico’s blessing, all my movements were extremely light and natural, so nothing seemed out of place.
What my eyes captured were the chests of gifts Ferdinand had brought and piled up.
It was a trend in Brillant to leave the lids of the chests half-open to show off the scale of the gifts inside.
So, I saw it clearly.
The Jjapddongbyeol I stole.
I stole it for you.
I closed my eyes and then opened them.
[System] Activating Benefit: Kingdom-Toppling Beauty!
[System] ‘Souls of Murdered Children’ is collapsing!
Bang!
Along with the sound of solid metal exploding.
“Kyaaaah!”
“S-Saintess?!”
With a wet cough, Corico began to vomit a staggering amount of blood.