NMRJKM Chapter 111

 

The palace was in chaos. The princess had used black magic. And immediately after, she threw herself down beneath the Diamond Hall.

This was an unprecedented event in history. The emperor was furious, and the empress fainted. And then…

“Her Highness, Princess Dorothea, has awakened!”

Dorothea, who had been cursed and fallen, had awakened. This revealed that it was Princess Yermondi who had cursed Dorothea.

The crown prince was overjoyed that Dorothea had awakened, but at the same time, he found it hard to believe that the culprit was his own sister.

Awakened, Dorothea said, “You must search the princess’s palace immediately.”

At her words, the crown prince disregarded the empress’s opposition and rounded up all of Princess Yermondi’s maids and servants, turning the palace upside down like a beehive.

“Reveal what that girl has done, down to the last detail.”

What emerged was a blackened, aged Black magician. The maids knelt and wept.

“We have only sinned by following orders!”

The crown prince declared, “Arrest those scoundrels at once!”

“Your Highness!”

The maids cried out as they were dragged away by the crown prince’s knights, but all they received in return was a gaze of contempt.

Meanwhile, Duke Carlothian and his knights captured those planted by the princess on the day of the incident and brought them to the palace.

There were more than ten of them. They all claimed they had no choice but to comply with the princess’s threats.

However, with the princess now dead, the truth would remain forever unknown.

They were all sent to the underground prison. It seemed the emperor wanted to cover up the incident, but there were too many witnesses.

Crown Prince Luciano also believed that this incident could not be overlooked.

During this time, astonishing words came from the lips of a maid who had been locked away in the underground prison.

“It was not Lady Ariadeline who first cursed Her Highness Dorothea, but rather Princess Yermondi!”

The maid, battered from torture, confessed everything and cried out for her life. This story was quickly relayed to Luciano, plunging him into great confusion.

Should he cover this up?

As such desires clouded his mind, there was someone who firmly dissuaded him.

“That is a truth that must be revealed.”

Dorothea had stepped forward. The crown prince could not suppress the will of his wife, who had returned from the brink of death.

Thus, the story became widely known.

[All curses against Her Highness, Crown Princess Dorothea, were the doing of the deceased Princess Yermondi.]

As this story spread, the entire empire was abuzz.

“Ariadeline wasn’t the true culprit?”

“Is that really true? Why would Princess Yermondi do such a thing?”

“They say it came directly from the maids.”

“Oh my, then Ariadeline was…?”

“Was she wrongfully accused?”

People shared the story at every moment.

Ariadeline, completely innocent. A pitiful woman who had only been jealous of the woman her husband loved.

“Honestly, who wouldn’t feel jealous if their spouse looked at someone else?”

“Come to think of it, I heard she went through a lot of hardships outside the capital.”

“Who is going to compensate for that?”

“The last time I saw her, her neck and wrists were covered in wounds.”

“I heard she even tried to take her own life…”

The nobles, having found a new villain, began to berate Princess Yermondi, who they had once praised as lovely, while showering Ariadeline with sympathy.

Dorothea and Luciano sat in the same room, sipping hot tea while receiving reports about the recent rumors. Dorothea nodded.

“Everything will return to its rightful place now.”

“Then what about Ariadeline…?”

“It’s only right that we return her estate and reinstate her. And,”

Dorothea looked directly at Luciano.

“It is also right to return the fief received from the Duke of Atlosia.”

At her words, the crown prince let out a deep sigh.

“Alright, Dorothea. I’ll do that, so stop glaring at me so fiercely.”

“I trust you.”

“I won’t betray your trust.”

Dorothea was gazing out the window when she suddenly asked as if a thought had struck her.

“By the way, I heard a rumor that Ariadeline was injured. Is that true?”

“I’ve heard she hasn’t regained consciousness yet. She was injured on her neck, but they say her life is not in danger.”

“…Her neck?”

Dorothea felt a strange sense of unease. Just then, there was a hurried knock at the door. Luciano and Dorothea turned their heads.

“Come in?”

“What is it?”

When the two asked, the attendant who had come to deliver the message replied.

“The Duke of Denaves has requested assistance from Your Highness Dorothea.”

“Requesting assistance? Why?”

Dorothea questioned, puzzled. Even if Ariadeline was injured, she was now someone filled with divine power.

Thus, almost all ailments and wounds should be healed by that divine power. Why would they be asking for her help?

“They say Lady Ariadeline’s neck injury is unusual.”

“What do you mean by unusual?”

Dorothea rose from her seat. Ariadeline was now no different from her savior.

“They are sensing the presence of black magic from her neck wound.”

“But Ariadeline has divine power…”

Luciano also sensed that the atmosphere was turning strange and stood up. Dorothea’s eyes trembled.

“Even though the main subject, Princess Yermondi, is dead, black magic remains? Could it be…!”

Dorothea’s eyes widened, and in an instant, she dashed out.

“Dorothea!”

“This is not the time to be standing around!”

Luciano followed her.

“The fact that the curse does not disappear even after the caster’s death means that the sword that struck her is an evil artifact.”

“An evil artifact?”

“An object directly touched by demonic power… It’s easier to think of it as the opposite concept of a holy relic.”

“What happens in that case?”

“Evil artifacts are one level higher than holy relics. They contain the will of a demon…”

Dorothea bit her lip tightly and finally opened her mouth with difficulty.

“…So it won’t heal.”

“It won’t heal?”

“No matter how much divine power is used, it won’t heal. That wound.”

Dorothea’s face turned pale. It was obvious what kind of state Ariadeline was in without needing to see her.

The two hurriedly climbed into the prepared carriage and headed towards the Duke of Denaves. With Dorothea’s urging, the horses moved swiftly forward.

 

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

 

Just before regaining consciousness, the first thing she felt was warmth. As she opened her eyes groggily, she saw Carlothian.

She recalled his voice from before she lost consciousness.

Ah, what happened to Yermondi? Did many people get hurt? What went wrong?

Countless questions raced through her mind.

“…You’ve finally awakened.”

Ah, he must have been worried. I guess I was careless then. I think I was too relaxed.

He must have been quite concerned.

I opened my mouth to say that I was fine. But then…

“…?”

“I’m fine. What happened?” Those two phrases wouldn’t come out. I opened my eyes wide.

Then I suddenly sat up straight.

“…!”

Ah, ah. Ah. Even as I tried to speak, no voice came out. Why is this happening? I touched my throat.

Something was there. Ah, this is a scar.

From Yermondi, the one she left behind.

I hurriedly got out of bed and frantically began searching for a mirror.

Crash, bang!

I bumped into the nightstand as I got off the bed, but such things didn’t matter to me right now.

“Ariadeline…!”

“…-!”

Mirror, mirror, where are you? I searched for the mirror like a madwoman.

Carlothian, who had followed me, embraced me. I struggled in his arms.

“Calm down, just for a moment…!”

I scratched the back of his hand. Still, Carlothian didn’t let go of me. I tried to scream with my voiceless throat.

“Please, Ariadeline…!”

He called my name, but I couldn’t hear him. My nails dug deep into the back of Carlothian’s hand.

He held me tightly and said,

“I called for Dorothea. It’s okay. She’ll make it better when she arrives.”

Dorothea? She’ll make it better when she comes?

‘What is this?’

I opened my mouth to sing, but no sound came out.

No, this can’t be happening.

No.

No.

Absolutely not.

This is my regained voice.

Carlothian seemed to not understand my state and kept calling out to me.

“Why are you acting like this…!”

Carlothian.

I can’t make a sound.

I can’t hear the one I love most.

I finally pushed away his arms. Then, I pulled aside the curtain of the dressing area and leaned hard against the mirror.

Ah.

I saw it. The long, horizontal purple scar across my neck.