Chapter 26
Euclid helped Sylaria lean against the soft pillow, then brought a thin glass of water to her lips.
The moment the cold droplets moistened her parched lips, Sylaria realized just how thirsty she was. Euclid attended to her until she finished the entire glass, then sat down beside the bed.
“You fainted at the temple, so I brought you here.”
“Where is this place?”
“It’s your husband’s palace. Soon, it’ll be yours as well.”
Euclid flashed a cool smile. At his joking words, she realized this was the First Prince’s palace.
She had never come here in her previous life.
The First Prince was almost always away hunting monsters, so this place had long been left empty.
But now, this room was full of signs of life.
Bedding soft and comfortable, as if tailored to her body, scrolls and books piled on the desk by the window, even ink bottles and sheets of paper.
While she slowly looked around the room, there was a knock at the door. As soon as Euclid gave permission, Cyan entered and bowed his head.
“Your Highness and Lady Rainier, pardon my intrusion. I have urgent news to report.”
“What is it?”
“They say a ‘mouth’ opened in the sky above the rose garden. His Highness the Second Prince and Grizelle Willoughby were witnesses, and currently the incident has been suppressed under the command of His Highness the Second Prince.”
“My brother has actually earned his keep for once.”
Euclid spoke languidly at Cyan’s report. But while he remained calm, Sylaria was unsettled.
‘Why were Arendtert and Grizelle together?’
Now that Sylaria had announced the breakup, there shouldn’t have been any real connection between them. Yet if they were together, perhaps they were somehow tied by fate.
‘Have they already become close?’
But Arendtert shouldn’t have any affection for Grizelle yet. Was it just a coincidence they were together?
‘The rose garden…’
Sylaria folded her arms, lost in thought. Looking back, around this time in her previous life, a mouth had also opened in the rose garden. Back then, it was the First Prince, Euclid, who had suppressed it.
What had the Empress said then?
She had insisted that, if another mouth opened in the palace, the First Prince should take responsibility.
Blaming him for the appearance of the mouth in the imperial palace.
Every time a mouth opened in the palace after that, the Empress would speak ill of the First Prince. Because of those rumors that he brought disaster upon the palace, it became even harder to see him there.
‘I wonder what she’ll say this time.’
Sylaria unfolded her arms and asked Cyan,
“What did Her Majesty the Empress say?”
“I visited her about that, in fact. Her Majesty has summoned both Princes. And you as well, Lady Rainier.”
At Cyan’s words, Sylaria and Euclid looked at each other.
The Empress suddenly summoning them… What could it mean?
Ah.
Just then, a thought flashed through Sylaria’s mind. After the mouth in the rose garden was dealt with, the First Prince…
“…His Majesty the Emperor must have awakened.”
He had been received in audience by the Emperor.
After that, with the Emperor’s permission, Euclid had left the palace at once for his first monster subjugation mission.
“That’s correct. How did you know?”
Cyan asked, his eyes wide with surprise. Sylaria shrugged her shoulders.
“Did I get it right? I just guessed.”
“My fiancée knows everything, it seems.”
“I’m not your fiancée yet.”
Sylaria cut Euclid off firmly.
Arendtert’s birth mother had summoned both Princes, and even Sylaria.
Since the engagement ball, it was the first time she had called for Sylaria. She would surely interrogate her about the breakup.
“You worry too much.”
As if reading her mind, Euclid spoke. He lazily set his gaze on the pendant at her neck.
“But if I were you, I wouldn’t worry.”
“And why is that?”
“Why do you think?”
Euclid tilted his head slightly and gave her a soft smile. At his clear laughter, Sylaria blinked.
The necklace resting between her collarbones was glowing a pale red. Not the deep, blood-red of a ruby, but a clear crimson.
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.