Chapter 75
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Her silence was misinterpreted. Tisha’s tone grew colder.
“Are all Imperials like you? I suppose you think your pride permits you to look down on us, being a tributary state. I have nothing more to say. I’ll take my leave now.”
Hearing words so similar to something she’d heard just days ago, Edith found herself misunderstood yet again. Before she could explain, Tisha swept past her with elegant strides.
Edith forgot all about borrowing a book. She returned to her room, and after a long deliberation, decided to leave the kingdom tomorrow.
It was regrettable, but for the sake of her own fragile sanity—she couldn’t endure this kind of harassment. Leaving as quickly as possible was the right choice.
She would say goodbye to Perry and Kazan in the morning.
The moment she thought this, the system window—quiet for so long—appeared, as if responding to her intention.
[Extreme heat waves and sandstorms are currently occurring in the surrounding desert. Fatality risk is high. Leaving is not advised.]
“Then what about being murdered by the candidates?!”
[Based on the current assessment, the probability of death from external environmental factors is significantly higher than the probability of death caused by others.]
‘I nearly died just now, and you’re telling me that’s lower risk than the desert? Then when can I go out?’
[Approximately one week. It should be safe by then.]
‘I’m going crazy.’
The system, desperate for her to complete her role as Edith, seemed intent on minimizing any risk of death before the year ended.
The mere thought of this situation made her want to tear her hair out.
* * *
Unable to escape the kingdom, Edith spent days enduring harassment from the princess consort candidates. Kazan, inexplicably busy, had become impossible to meet—his face nowhere to be seen.
Perry, unable to help, wished he could at least deliver a message to Kazan on her behalf. But all requests for an audience were refused. There was no way to reach him.
Crack.
On the fifth day, their harassment reached its limit.
Perhaps because Perry, the guardian closest to Kazan, was always by her side, the candidates remained quiet when he was present. But the moment he stepped away, they struck—as if they had been waiting.
The freckled candidate. Her name was Naila.
One of her entourage approached from the opposite direction and deliberately collided with Edith. Feigning an accident, she emptied the contents of the small glass bottle she carried onto Edith.
“Kyaa!”
Countless cactus spines sprayed across Edith, pricking her clothes and bare skin.
Even the slightest movement drove the embedded spines deeper, stinging fiercely. Unable to move freely, Edith was immobilized. Naila, watching from behind, stepped forward.
Crushing the fallen cactus spines underfoot as she approached, Naila delicately picked the largest spine caught in Edith’s clothing and brought it close to her face.
“If such fair, pretty skin were scarred, it would be terribly noticeable. Wouldn’t that be just awful, Miss Edie?”
Edith, frozen and defenseless, could only tremble with fear as Naila pressed the thick spine threateningly against her cheek.
“It’s a misunderstanding! There’s nothing between us, Mr. Kazan and I…!”
“How can you claim there’s nothing between you, yet call Prince Kazaniel by his nickname? None of us can grow that close to him! None of us can use his nickname!”
Naila’s tone sharpened, more dangerous. She pressed the spine closer, nearly pricking Edith’s cheek.
Just then, Edith saw him—Kazan, passing by in the distance with a group of people.
“Mr. Kazan…!”
At her cry, Naila and the two other candidates flinched and turned around.
Kazan, hearing the call, turned his face toward the sound. Silence fell.
Their eyes met. Edith gazed at him desperately.
But Kazan—with that stoic, impassive expression—coldly averted his gaze and continued on his way with the others.
Edith was stunned. And Naila’s group, who had been so certain of his favor toward this woman, were equally thrown into confusion.
It took Naila a moment to process the situation. She looked at Edith, frozen with a betrayed expression, and burst into mocking laughter.
“Miss Edie, I thought you were special to His Highness, but it seems you really aren’t, are you?”
Along with the two other candidates, Naila laughed freely at Edith. Then, as if suddenly bored, she wiped the smile from her face and looked at Edith with dull, uninterested eyes.
“Still, that face of yours stands out. Who knows when you might catch the prince’s attention again.”
She grabbed Edith’s chin and once again pressed the spine against her cheek, ready to pierce.
Though Edith no longer seemed as threatening as she had imagined, Naila still wanted to frighten her enough to drive her out of the kingdom.
Edith squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the sharp sting of the approaching spine.
Was Naila laughing at her? Edith thought she heard a snicker.
“Kyaa!”
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
Right before the spine could pierce her skin, a savior appeared—none other than Perry.
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