“The rumor that Deneuve hid the cursed one turned out to be true. Shouldn’t this be brought up as an issue in the royal court? How can they expect the cursed one to move about in society with such stigma?”
“So Crystal Moon is the cursed one. It seems misfortune doesn’t come alone.”
“I went to propose to the Duke’s daughter… I hope I’m not cursed too?”
Expressions of shock and dismay erupted all around. There were words of disdain and fear about the curse. All sorts of negative remarks were directed unabatedly towards Retina.
Helen, who had put Retina in a difficult situation, confidently lifted her chin as if to say she could handle it if they resisted her.
“You can ignore the noise of the beasts. It will be over soon.”
Herald covered Retina’s ears with both hands. He was accustomed to facing such fears, but Retina was not. There was no reason for Retina to hear negative words from them.
He surveyed all those who dared to step forward. The majority were nobles who had long harbored discomfort towards the Deneuve dukedom and Retina.
“They’ve been too quiet lately.”
‘Their criticism of Retina, even in front of me, made my blood boil. Some had been causing trouble since meeting Retina, unaware of the situation.’
Herald signaled Teten to bring him a sword. It wasn’t for nothing that such a nickname was given to me. Even if it wasn’t madness, he was prepared to shed blood if anyone tried to paint Retina as a witch.
Even if they called him the bloodthirsty Crown Prince, it didn’t matter as long as Retina was by his side.
While Herald sharpened his sword, a noblewoman suddenly stood up in the tent and shouted.
“She’s just pretty! What’s this about a curse? You couldn’t say a word in front of Prince Norden, but you’re being too much!”
As she vented her anger as if she herself had been beaten, Basilious clenched his fists. Despite his own fear, he defended Retina.
As a young noblewoman and a writer, it took great courage for her to speak out in such a situation. However, Basilious willingly stood up for Retina.
“Claiming that silver hair is cursed has long been debunked. Have you forgotten the atrocities of innocent people dying in witch hunts?”
“Indeed, Lady Retina, it suits you much better than the brown hair ever did. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you before, but that hair color really didn’t suit you.”
Clara and Cecile stood beside Basilious, who had been the first to muster the courage to speak out.
“Silver hair looks great on you. How could such a bright, silver color not suit you? Everyone said Prince Norden’s silver hair was beautiful like moonlight, so why are they saying this now?”
Isabelle, resting her chin in her hand, asked innocently. If Basilious had been alone, they might have ignored her, but now that there were three of them, the negative momentum began to shift.
“I don’t understand what the issue is either. My skin color is different from others, yet no one has raised it as a problem. Just because silver hair is rare in the Empire, treating unverified claims as truth is not desirable.”
On the men’s side, Laus and other young nobles who had danced with Retina at the debutante ball stepped forward. Those who had any connection with Retina, however slight, rallied around her.
“Now that I think about it, while stories of the cursed still circulate, has anyone actually seen this supposed curse spreading? There haven’t been any epidemics since the plague.”
“If silver hair were truly cursed, Prince Norden would be cursed too! But he’s a royal of Raglaras. Maybe Lady Cecilia is secretly a northern royal too?”
As suspicions grew, more people began to doubt Helen and the Empress’s claims. This shift was largely due to Norden, who had already revealed his silver hair publicly. If he were here, his presence would have added even more weight.
Retina looked around at those who risked themselves to support her, each adding their voice.
‘These must be the allies the Grand Duchess spoke of.’
People who would help her in times of trouble. Even though standing with her put them at risk if the Emperor decided to brand her as cursed, they still stood by her.
Feeling emboldened by those who were trying to protect her, Retina decided she needed to be strong for them as well.
‘I need to be in a position where even the Emperor cannot treat me carelessly.’
Retina gently pulled Herald’s hands away from her ears. She couldn’t continue to rely on her brothers and the Crown Prince forever. Running, hiding, and ignoring had led to this moment.
Both the kind words and the harsh words were realities she had to face.
“A single truth is stronger than ten excuses.”
Ignoring the Empress, who was watching her with folded arms, Retina walked straight to the Emperor. Wearing the Crown Prince’s uniform over her wet jacket, her poised and confident stride resembled that of a trained knight.
“May I have the honor of addressing His Majesty, the shining sun of Rudenheim, directly?”
Standing below the podium, Retina bypassed the secretary and requested a private audience with the Emperor. The Emperor, who had been observing the situation from a distance, glanced at the Duke of Deneuve for confirmation. Despite the crisis Retina faced, the Duke, who usually intervened in any situation involving his daughter, remained in his seat, staring at Retina with a stern expression, as if he knew what she was about to say.
“Very well. Let’s hear what the lady of House Deneuve has to say to me.”
The Emperor, noting the Duke’s reaction, permitted Retina’s breach of protocol. He was curious about how she intended to resolve the situation.
“I had planned to formally present this to Your Majesty with the approval of the Kingdom of Raglaras, but due to the urgency of the circumstances, I ask for your understanding in revealing it now.”
Retina pretended to seek the Emperor’s permission to buy time and draw the audience’s attention. Impatient individuals in the crowd glared at her, urging her to reveal the significant matter she clearly had to share.
Believing she had garnered enough attention, Retina finally kneeled on one knee. She hadn’t intended to reveal this secret, one she hadn’t even shared with her brothers, but she had no other choice but to turn the tide.
‘Prince Norden suggested waiting for a response from the North, but I don’t have the luxury of time.’
She wasn’t worried about not getting approval from the North. After all, Norden himself had been convinced when the Blue Diamond’s authenticity was confirmed.
The problem was that she was stepping forward based on mere conjecture without concrete evidence. If the Emperor demanded proof and refused to accept her claim without it, she could be branded a liar in an instant.
However, she knew this was a risky gamble she had to take, even if it could potentially worsen the situation.
Trusting in the symbol of Ignis that had been passed down to her, Retina spoke with unwavering conviction.
“I am Retina Ignis, descendant of the lost Grand Duchy of the Kingdom of Raglaras, here to greet the Emperor of the Empire.”
Retina knelt like a knight pledging loyalty to the Emperor, placing her hand over her left chest. As the wind blew, her silver hair fluttered lightly, emphasizing the gravity of her declaration.
“Ignis…?” one murmured. “Never heard of it.”
“No, she’s saying Raglaras. The northern Grand Duchy,” another clarified.
“But isn’t that young lady the illegitimate child of the Duke of Deneuve? How can an Imperial be a northern heir?”
Retina’s proclamation sent a massive ripple through the crowd, causing an even greater stir than when her silver hair was revealed.
“Ignis… Yes, the prince once asked if he could search for a lost northerner during the war. But you belong to the Deneuve family. I fail to understand how you could be disowned without my knowledge as Emperor,” the Emperor stated, clearly puzzled.
“Allow me to explain,” the Duke of Deneuve, who had remained silent until Retina revealed her identity, stepped forward to answer the Emperor’s question.
“Though she has been under Deneuve’s patronage, Retina’s true surname is Cecilia. Since she was never given the family name, she was never truly a member of Deneuve. Therefore, there was no need to disown her.”
“What did you say?” the Emperor asked, astonished.
“Father!” exclaimed both Sat and Haint, Retina’s brothers, equally shocked.
To say that Retina was never a member of Deneuve implied that despite the support of the Duke, she was essentially a commoner. This revelation from the Duke’s own mouth laid bare a vulnerability that had been carefully concealed.
