The First Step of the Trap
After a warm and pleasant dinner, the King summoned me to the family parlor. It was a cozy room, its decor kept to a tasteful minimum. With even the attendants dismissed, the King and the Princess shed their royal titles, returning to being simply father and daughter. My father, King Pehart, spoke with a touch of hesitation. "Sera, my dear... what do you think? What is your impression of Carmel?"
No matter how grand a king he is to the realm, he looks like any ordinary man at a time like this. Especially in this very moment, asking his daughter about a woman he has taken a fancy to.
"I think she is a truly wonderful lady, Father." The tone was Sera's usual gentle register, but the words themselves reflected my genuine thoughts. Her outer appearance, at least. Her inner self, of course, was that of a thoroughly rotten villainess.
"Haha, is that so? Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease, Sera." Pehart stroked his long beard, looking immensely pleased. He was already utterly captivated by Carmel's charms. Well, not that I was one to talk.
"I am relieved as well, Father. You have been so busy tending to state affairs that you have hardly had a day of peace. It has been so long since Mother departed this world... I have always wished for you to find happiness again."
"Sera... thank you, my child." Pehart opened his arms and embraced me. He seemed genuinely moved that his daughter had grown enough to understand her father's heart. Though, of course, a large part of his relief stemmed from the fact that I hadn't rejected Carmel.
I do feel a tiny prick of guilt. Carmel was by no means a good woman. In fact, she was the worst possible choice for a wife. I was essentially encouraging my father to accept a woman whose clear intention was to bring about his ruin.
Of course, I had no intention of letting things play out that way. Carmel's wicked claws would be snapped before they could ever reach me, my father, or the Luistie Kingdom. And they would be snapped by my own hands. As the first step toward that goal, I spoke to Pehart, adopting a slightly more formal tone.
"Father, what do you plan to do regarding the Sacred Ritual?"
"Ah, ah, yes. Of course, we must hold it."
The Sacred Ritual was a ceremony designed to prove that one harbored no hostility toward the royal family. It was an absolute requirement for anyone marrying into the royalty, as well as for those seeking employment within the palace. Naturally, if Carmel, with her pitch-black malice, underwent the ritual under normal circumstances, she would be exposed immediately. In the original novel, Carmel seduced the King into bypassing the Sacred Ritual entirely, allowing her to become Queen without a hitch. I wager quite a few readers dropped the novel at that point, lamenting the King's sheer stupidity. But as long as I was here, such a thing would not happen this time.
A few days passed. The marriage talks between my father and Carmel progressed rapidly. Yet, there was still no word of any preparations for the Sacred Ritual. Pehart... you utter fool. Well, perhaps it was my mistake to expect the plot to shift so easily just because of a gentle reminder. It seemed I would have to take matters into my own hands.
The opportunity presented itself soon enough. It was during a dinner where Pehart, Carmel, and I sat together. Watching the two of them look noticeably closer than before, I tossed a stone to disrupt the peaceful waters.
"Lady Carmel, have you by any chance heard of the Sacred Ritual?"
"The Sacred Ritual? What is that?"
Her face was a picture of innocent ignorance. Of course, it was all an act. There was no way Carmel, who had targeted the Luistie Kingdom from the very beginning, hadn't researched the Sacred Ritual—the very first hurdle she would face. I offered her an innocent, naive smile.
"Oh, you did not know? I was certain His Majesty had already mentioned it to you... The Sacred Ritual is a ceremony where one proves their purity before our Luistie royal family. Hehe, of course, a lady as wonderful as you would have absolutely no trouble passing it."
"Proving one's purity... How can one possibly prove what lies within their heart?"
"The sacred stone monument located in the depths of the Luistier Royal Palace possesses a mysterious power. A divine power that detects any hostility directed toward the royal family. It is a simple ceremony where you merely need to stand before it."
"But His Majesty and I have already shared our hearts. Is such a thing truly necessary?" Carmel clung to Pehart's arm, casting him a sly, seductive glance.
"W-well, that is true." What do you mean, 'that is true', you absolute blockhead? I adjusted my posture, shedding the persona of a sweet daughter to speak with the gravity of a princess.
"The Sacred Ritual is not merely a ceremony to protect the royal family. It is also a vital process to establish the legitimacy of a true member of the royalty. Has Your Majesty not always emphasized this yourself?"
"Urgh..." To think a king would make such a pathetic groan. It seemed Pehart and Carmel had already reached a tacit agreement to sweep the Sacred Ritual under the rug. However, my argument was flawless and logically sound. Denying it at a formal dinner was something even Pehart could not do.
"The Princess is indeed very clever." Carmel smiled. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, but her eyes were cold enough to freeze water. Now, what will you do? Carmel was currently wearing a mask. Until she officially ascended to the throne as Queen, she had no choice but to pretend to abide by the rules of this palace. This was a completely different situation from the novel, where both Sera and Pehart had remained silent. Refusing the Sacred Ritual here would be tantamount to declaring herself unfit to be Queen. It did not take long for her to answer.
"Very well. If it is necessary, I shall undergo this Sacred Ritual." Her lips curled into a smile, but her gaze was like ice. Meeting that gaze, I felt a thrill reverberate deep within my soul.
Knock, knock. I tapped twice on the door, and a voice from within asked who it was. When I identified myself as Princess Sera, Carmel sounded visibly taken aback.
"...Princess Sera. What brings you here?" Her face was fraught with wariness. And understandably so. I was, after all, the very person who had backed her into a corner during dinner.
"May I come in for a brief chat?" Carmel hesitated for a moment before telling me to enter. I stepped into the room and quietly closed the door behind me. A somewhat exotic scent of aromatic oils drifted through the air—a fragrance that felt strangely sensual. Moreover, Carmel's attire... She wore a form-fitting black silk negligee. Whether it was meant to seduce Pehart or not, it was incredibly provocative. I nearly forgot my purpose and stared.
"So? What is your business, Princess?" Perhaps because the King wasn't present, Carmel wore her hostility much more openly than she had during the day. Or perhaps she had firmly recognized me as a genuine obstacle.
"Lady Carmel, please be honest with me. What is your true purpose in coming to this kingdom?" Her expression scoffed at the absurdity of the question. But soon, she slipped her mask back on and gave a hypocritical response.
"I merely came here at the invitation of His Majesty, whom I met at a resort. It was such a beautiful kingdom that I chose to stay... and by some stroke of good fortune, I even received His Majesty's favor. It is an honor far greater than I deserve."
Of course she would say that. Now, it was time to drag her out from behind that mask once more.
"Stop lying, Lady Carmel. You are aiming for the position of Queen with the sole intention of swallowing our Luistie Kingdom whole, are you not?"
Carmel's eyes narrowed sharply. One corner of her mouth twisted upward. She was finally beginning to show her true colors as a villainess.
"Haha, ahahaha! Ahahahahaha!" Carmel's laughter burst out, sharp and mocking. To be completely honest, the sound of her voice sent a thrill straight to my deepest desires.
"Fufu, hehe. I thought you were just a brainless princess with flowers in her head, but you are surprisingly quick-witted. Fine. Even if that were true, what can a little girl like you possibly do?" Carmel's hand reached out, gently caressing the blonde hair near my ear. Strands of gold slipped through her pale fingers like spun sunlight.
"The King is already wrapped around my finger. No matter what you whisper in your father's ear, the outcome will not change—I will become Queen. Hehe, why not throw away your title as princess right now? I might at least spare you from a miserable end."
"Do you truly believe you can pass the Sacred Ritual? A wicked person like you?"
"What? Don't tell me you actually placed your faith in those pathetic chunks of stone? There are plenty of ways to deceive such ancient, dusty magic, my dear Princess."
"...The Sacred Ritual is a powerful magic passed down since the founding of our kingdom. It cannot be bypassed so easily..."
"Want to find out? Then just watch. Hehe, I will show you just how flimsy that precious ancient magic of yours really is." Carmel's hand slid down from my ear to my chin. She tapped my chin gently, as if coaxing a pet dog.
"Now, run along, my cute little Princess. If you do not wish to find yourself in a state where you would beg for death, you had best watch your mouth." Carmel's sharp fingernail pressed hard against my lip. With a sharp sting like a thorn prick, a bead of blood welled up and trickled down.
"Ouch...!" I hurriedly brushed Carmel's hand away and cupped my lip. Then, as if I had seen a ghost, I bolted from her room, leaving behind Carmel, who wore a triumphant expression as if the crown were already hers.
Let's see, this should be enough, shouldn't it? Once out in the hallway, I reviewed the plan in my head. While Carmel undergoing the Sacred Ritual was a development that never occurred in the original novel, I had already mapped out the expected scenarios. Now, all that was left was to put it into action. Our little meeting just now was merely laying the groundwork.
Now, Carmel, it is your turn to squirm. With that thought, a dark, bloody smile spread across my bleeding lips.