Episode 140
“Your Highness, do you know Priest Gabriel?”
“Priest Gabriel? Of course, I do. He was a great help to me throughout my time at the temple. Priest Gabriel is a man of unwavering integrity and deep faith, serving as a role model for many priests and clerics.”
I nodded in agreement with the Princess’s words.
Though I didn’t know much about Priest Gabriel, from our brief encounter, it was clear that he was a good person.
“Oh, now that I think about it, we first met at the temple with Priest Gabriel, didn’t we?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“But how do you know Priest Gabriel?”
“I was told he’s an old friend of my father.”
“So, Duke Anaïs and Priest Gabriel are friends.”
“Yes. A few months ago, I had some questions, so I visited the temple and received help from him.”
“Was it about the Black Forest, by any chance?”
“Yes. However, the Priest said he didn’t know much about it either.”
“The Black Forest has been shrouded in secrecy for a long time, so it’s no surprise that even Priest Gabriel wouldn’t know much about it.”
“Yes, but he did tell me this: everything began at the center of the Black Forest.”
“Everything began at the center of the Black Forest…”
“And he also told me that there are only two ways to get what I desire.”
“What are they?”
“He said I either have to completely eradicate the source of the monsters or delve deep into something left in the heart of the Black Forest.”
“What you desire… Is it related to Duke Blighton and his family?”
“…Yes, it is.”
I answered honestly, feeling that the Princess had become someone I could trust.
“I want to break the chains that have bound the Blighton family for centuries. I want to free the Duke.”
Yes.
I had always had a powerful goal from the start.
Lloydin had given me a new life, and I had vowed to give him a life of freedom in return. It was something I had to do.
‘To achieve that, I first need to protect both families, no matter what.’
With renewed determination, I continued speaking.
“And what you just mentioned, Your Highness, seems related to that.”
“That the deeper you go into the Black Forest, the stronger the magic becomes?”
“Yes. It made me think that there might be something within that’s emitting such strong magic.”
“That makes sense. It’s possible.”
The Princess nodded in agreement with my thoughts.
“It’s getting late. Shall we head out?”
“Oh, yes.”
Looking out the window, I saw that the sun had already begun to set, just as the Princess had said.
We both stood up and made our way outside together.
“Thank you so much for today.”
“I enjoyed our time together very much as well.”
“Then I’ll be on my way.”
“Yes, take care. Oh, wait a moment.”
Just as I was about to return to the carriage, the Princess suddenly called out to me urgently.
“Whatever it is, I hope you find it and achieve everything you desire.”
“Yes. I will make sure of it.”
“And…”
It seemed like she had something else to say, but she hesitated, unable to bring herself to speak.
“Please, feel free to speak.”
The Princess gazed at me intently for a moment before finally speaking.
“…Please give my regards to Jade Anaïs.”
Her words were nothing more than a simple request, unlike the hesitation that had preceded them.
Since she couldn’t leave the palace, she was asking me to pass on her regards to my brother.
“Yes, I will.”
“Take care.”
The Princess smiled at me as she bid farewell, but there was a subtle sadness in that smile that weighed on my heart.
Should I ask her about it?
Or was I just imagining things?
“Is there anything else you’d like to say?”
My concern over her ambiguous smile led me to impulsively ask her.
“Well, just tell him that we won’t be able to exchange letters for a while.”
“Letters?”
“Yes. For the time being… it will be difficult.”
“…I understand.”
“It’s getting late. You should go.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
After saying our goodbyes, I got into the carriage.
But even as I left the palace, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.
No letters, no leaving the palace… What’s going on?
What could the Crown Prince be thinking?
Given that I hadn’t received any word from him, I assumed he must be busy… but still…
‘Something’s off.’
It felt like I was missing something, but I couldn’t quite grasp what it was.
And that unsettling feeling lingered for several days after meeting with the Princess.
After seeing Ayla off, Daina looked around her palace.
As Ayla had mentioned, knights were stationed everywhere, clearly watching her.
‘This is suffocating.’
Daina sighed deeply, feeling trapped as she re-entered the palace, which now felt like a prison.
Once back in her bedroom, she recalled the conversation she had with her brother, the Crown Prince, a few days ago.
After the Emperor collapsed, the Crown Prince swiftly took control of the government, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
Daina wanted to check on the Emperor’s condition, but except for the first day when he collapsed, she hadn’t been allowed to see him. The Crown Prince had restricted contact with the Emperor, stating that it was necessary to minimize any interactions with others.
Of course, this restriction applied to everyone else as well. Only the Crown Prince, the High Priest, and the court physicians permitted by the Crown Prince could see the Emperor.
Sensing that something was off, Daina had shared all this with Jade.
Since their dance and the fireworks at the banquet, their relationship had progressed rapidly. Every time Jade visited the palace, they would find even a brief moment to meet each day.
She couldn’t understand how she had managed before, as she found herself missing him all day long, and seeing him made her incredibly happy.
Through Jade, she learned about Ayla, the Anaïs family, and the Blighton family.
‘How could he do that to a woman who is already married?’
Even though he was her brother, Daina couldn’t understand the Crown Prince’s actions. And to resort to blackmail using someone’s weakness—it was truly despicable.
Determined to confront him, Daina had repeatedly requested a meeting with the Crown Prince, but she had been refused for several days, with the excuse that he was too busy with state affairs.
Then, unexpectedly, her request was finally granted.
After preparing herself, Daina headed straight for the palace where the Crown Prince resided.
“<Your Highness, Princess Daina has arrived.>”
“<Let her in.>”
At the Crown Prince’s command, the attendant carefully opened the door.
As she entered the study, Daina’s eyes met the Crown Prince’s, who was seated behind his desk.
“<Greetings to Your Highness, the Crown Prince.>”
“<Yes, have a seat here.>”
“<Thank you.>”
The Crown Prince gestured towards the sofa, and they both sat down, facing each other.
“<So, you’ve been wanting to meet with me?>”
“<Yes, I have something to discuss with you.>”
“<I also have something to say to you.>”
“<To me?>”
“<Yes, but go ahead first.>”
“<Very well.>”
There must have been a reason for his sudden willingness to meet after refusing her for days.
Daina briefly wondered what the Crown Prince might want to say to her, but she pushed that thought aside for now and focused on what she had been eager to say.
“<I’ve spoken with Jade Anaïs.>”
“<What about?>”
“<About what you…>”
“<Wait.>”
“<Pardon?>”
Crown Prince Cloud suddenly interrupted her.
“<It would be better if you used a more formal title than ‘brother.’>”
“<Oh, I’m sorry.>”
Daina looked at the Crown Prince with curiosity, wondering why he was suddenly insisting on formal titles, but she quickly apologized.
However, she couldn’t help but notice that his expression was displeased, almost as if he were annoyed.
He usually didn’t mind when she called him “brother,” so why was he acting like this now?
Puzzled, Daina continued with what she wanted to say.
“<It’s about what Your Highness proposed to the Duchess of Blighton.>”
“<Hmm, so that’s why you’ve been so eager to meet with me?>”
“<Yes, that’s correct.>”
“<So, what is it that you want to say to me?>”
“<Well…>”
Daina hesitated as she began to speak, suddenly feeling a shiver run down her spine. The Crown Prince’s expression had turned cold and sharp, as if a chilling air had filled the room.
