Chapter 146
She meant it. What life could be better than this.
As the Empress’s son, Arendtert could spend his whole life doing nothing but indulging himself. His daily routine consisted of squandering money, eating the lavish delicacies served in the splendid palace, and being worshipped by everyone. Even when he caused massive scandals, no one dared criticize him outright.
He had committed an act worthy of plunging the empire into chaos, yet all he received was a trivial period of reflection. No wonder he had the free time to spout such nonsense.
“Ask the Empress for help. She always cleans up after you anyway.”
At Sylaria’s sneer, Arendtert’s neck flushed red. Not because of the jab about how he always ran to the Empress, but because it reminded him of his struggle to find a bride.
The Empress had rushed to find him a match the moment she sentenced Grizelle.
Yet for some reason, every candidate declined. Each of them gave some hollow excuse about being unworthy to serve the Second Prince, as if they had coordinated beforehand.
When the last remaining candidate also refused the position of Imperial Princess Consort, Arendtert grew desperate.
Before long, he lowered his standards. He approached women whose families were lesser so long as they were beautiful. But even then, the only responses he received were rejections.
To make matters worse, the Empress was lukewarm about the matter. She said purification was not urgent, so they could take their time. Her relaxed attitude, insisting that handling the Maw was more important, only made Arendtert more impatient. As if anything in the world could be more important than him.
So he personally wrote to Faustina Lacroix, the center of high society. But she only sent back a half-hearted reply. Nothing that helped him in any meaningful way.
A fear crept over him, the fear that he might grow old alone. The fear was reasonable. Women who once looked at him with sparkling eyes and ran toward him now went out of their way to avoid him.
Even the palace maids fled from him as if he reeked.
So he had no choice but to use Sylaria.
It wasn’t as if Arendtert wanted to lower himself like this. He hated it, but he had no choice. He had bowed his head reluctantly, yet she responded with that maddeningly calm attitude. It made his anger surge.
“Sillie, I’m the one who took you out of that backwater. You used to tremble at a single word from me. And now you think you’re something just because you dress yourself up?”
“Not that. I just realized that you’re nothing at all.”
“You think Euclid will protect you forever? No. It won’t be strange if he dies any day now. He throws himself at every Maw without thinking. You’ll regret it later!”
“Thanks for wishing an early death on me, dear brother.”
When Arendtert, blinded by spite, spewed curses at Sylaria, Euclid stepped in front of her. His hand moved to the sword at his waist as he glared at Arendtert.
“Watch your tongue. Insulting the Imperial Crown Prince is a grave crime.”
“Crown Prince? Who’s the Crown Prince! That’s my seat! I should have been Crown Prince!”
Arendtert’s eyes bulged at Euclid’s words. He trembled all over, grinding out his next words.
“Just wait. Starting now, a Maw will open every day. Every single day until you die handling them!”
Euclid stared at Arendtert’s curses with a blank face. His expression said Arendtert was pathetic. Arendtert’s expression twisted hideously at that.
“You’re laughing at me? Fine. In a few days, you’ll kneel before me. Begging me to spare you. Begging me to lift the curse. So Sillie, apologize now and say you’ll do what I asked!”
“I refuse.”
Sylaria answered cleanly. Arendtert let out a harsh breath, then grabbed the pendant hanging from his neck. The magic stone embedded in it flickered strangely, as though sending a signal.
‘What is that?’
Sylaria tilted her head. She had never seen a magic stone react like that. She was just about to ask Euclid about it when—
“AAAAAAAAHHH!”
From afar. Screams.
Screams burst from all directions as though the palace had turned into hell.
“It’s a Maw! A Maw has opened!”
Hearing the cries, Sylaria’s face went pale. Arendtert, watching her, curled his lips into a crooked grin.
As if utterly delighted.
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