Chapter 135 Thank You, Sweetheart
‘What? Jonathan killed the Emperor, not me? What the hell does that mean?’
As Sandra entered Oaks Manor with her escort of knights, she stood frozen in place when she heard Killion’s shout. Her legs gave out from under her and she fell to the ground.
‘… Shit, it was Jonathan who killed my Caspian?!’
Sandra was so stunned that she could barely breathe as her temper flared. She slammed her curled fist down on the stone floor, her skin soon covered in blood.
“Your Majesty, you’re hurt!”
The knight following her tried to stop her, but she wouldn’t listen. Shrugging off the sturdy knight’s touch, she struck the floor, then her own chest, then the floor again, then her own head.
“Huhu, how I’ve raised you, how much I’ve done for this imperial family, how much I’ve done for this imperial family, huhu!”
The man who had killed the son she had given birth to was the man she had raised! A surging feeling of betrayal ran through Sandra’s body.
“Your Majesty, someone is coming, you must take cover.”
Alarmed by the approaching figure, the knights flanked her on either side and she ducked for cover. In the chaotic atmosphere, it was easy to make a mistake and be misunderstood.
“Holy… shit, you’re crazy, you’re crazy! Fuck!”
It was Jonathan who strode towards them, cursing harshly, apparently taking advantage of the distraction of everyone’s attention on the fallen Veronia with his sword to make a quiet exit.
Suddenly, Sandra’s mind was clearer than ever. This moment had come to her as if to give her a chance, and she must not miss it.
She wiped her tears with her handkerchief, straightened her hair, and pressed her robes. She took a deep breath to steady her breathing and took a step forward.
“Your Majesty?”
Jonathan’s shoulders jerked up, startled by the sudden voice. He tensed as he realized it was Sandra.
“What brings you here, mother?”
“I think you’re in trouble, Your Majesty, and I’m here to help. I came along just in case, and I’m glad I did. Let’s get you out of here, and I’ll show you to my carriage, this way.”
Jonathan was relieved to see Sandra leading the way with urgent steps. His tension eased, and his face began to flush with color.
“Thank you, mother. I’ll be indebted to you.”
Sandra’s carriage was not far away, and when the escort driver behind her opened the carriage door, Jonathan climbed in first.
“Hahh…!”
Jonathan breathed a huge sigh of relief, feeling that he was finally in a safe place.
Now all he has to do is ride this carriage back to the palace.
Once he gets there, he is able to put things in order. He will summon all the imperial knights and order them to attack immediately. He was working out the plan in his head.
As Sandra climbed into the carriage, her body tilted towards his seat as if she had lost her center of gravity. The next moment, he felt a cold metal against his neck, followed by a searing pain.
“Ugh!”
Jonathan looked up at Sandra, his palm wrapped around his neck. Sandra, with the dagger at his throat, was smiling wickedly.
“Ughhh…Mother…why…?”
Jonathan asked, bloodshot-eyed. Sandra smirked at the absurdity of his question.
“Ugh…”
Jonathan fought to hold on to his blurring consciousness, but his eyelids grew heavier and heavier.Strength drained from his entire body.Watching Jonathan’s life slip away, Sandra spoke syllable by syllable, word by word.
“All this time I thought I had killed the Good Emperor, but I didn’t. You did!”
“Ugh… Mother, go to the temple… Please…!”
If he went to the temple right now, he might live.Jonathan begged Sandra, but she didn’t even pretend to hear him.
Watching him slip away, Sandra spoke, syllable by syllable, word by word, as if she were chomping at the bit.
Jonathan begged Sandra, but she didn’t even pretend to hear him.”Why the hell did you kill Caspian? What did he do wrong?You’d think that when you kill someone else, you’d be prepared to die yourself.I’m prepared to do the same.”
A triumphant smile spread across Sandra’s lips, and then Jonathan’s body slumped to the carriage floor with a thud. Sandra couldn’t contain her laughter, and she laughed heartily.
“Hahaha, hahaha!”
It sounded like the laughter of a maniac. Soon Sandra’s face contorted in disdain. It was like looking at a disgusting bug.
“Filthy thing! Get rid of it!”
She immediately threw open the carriage door. It was a very dangerous thing to do in a fast-moving carriage, but in her half-crazed state she was not at all afraid.
Without a second’s hesitation, she pushed Jonathan’s body out with all her might.
As she watched Jonathan’s body roll across the pavement, Sandra flashed a wicked grin, then wiped it off her face and closed the door.
Tears streamed down her face as she calmly sat back down.
“Huhuhu… my Caspian, my darling Caspian, my poor Caspian, huhu!”
Sandra felt like she was going to vomit blood.
***
‘There you are!’
Yassen, who had been hiding in the shadows the entire time, started to move as soon as the man carrying Jediel appeared on top of the building.
“Ughhhh!”
With a pinpoint strike to the man’s vital spot, Yassen snatched Jediel from the falling man’s arms.
Jediel’s shoulders tensed and he shuddered at the sight of an unfamiliar face. Yassen set him down on the floor first, then knelt down on one knee to get eye level with him.
“Master Jediel, I am a servant of His Excellency, Lord Chancellor Killion, and Her Highness, Princess Veronia… I mean Lady Nia.”
He explained the situation in as gentle a voice as he could muster. He hoped she would believe him, even though she had never seen him before.
“I would like to escort you to the Duke of Drea’s residence, with your permission?”
“What about my mother and the Duke?”
“If you are safely returned to the Duke’s residence first, then they will both die as well.”
Jediel looked at Yassen with tear-filled eyes. He seemed to be weighing whether he could trust the man in front of him.
“… I understand.”
Jediel nodded obediently, as if he could read Yassen’s sincerity. Relieved, Yassen scooped him up in a quick hug and began walking away.
***
“Where is the holy woman? Is there a priest or priestess? Is there a healer? Can anyone… hurry!”
Killion cried, clutching a pale Veronia, and his aide Windler rushed to his side, bow his head.
“I apologize, Your Excellency. The healing force was not with us.”
“Then we must go to the nearest temple from here!”
Onyx exclaimed, this time coming up beside him.
“The temple is about a ten-minute carriage ride from here. Drive the carriage here.”
Onyx’s command sent the guild members rushing to his side.
“Veronia… please…!”
Killion cried out, tears streaming down his face.
***
Veronia staggered through the dark night. Blood from her wound dripped down the floor, leaving a stain.
[Veronia… please…!]
She could hear Killion’s voice. But no matter how much she looked around, she couldn’t see him, only the sound of his voice echoing in her ears, calling her name desperately.
“Killion, I’m here! Come and save me!”
She shouted, but there was no answer. she was walking, her legs getting heavier and heavier.
She saw a beam of light ahead of her and heard the soft voice of a woman.
[A woman of courage! A woman who changed fate!]
A wave of relief swept through Veronia’s body as she heard the voice. Veronia was sure. This was definitely the voice of the goddess who had come to her rescue. The voice continued
[My will to help you with the child you conceive still stands, so live with it].
“A child…?”
A child? To Veronia, the only child she knew was Jediel. Stunned, Veronia looked around, but Jediel was nowhere to be seen.
It was then. Her aching stomach grew warmer. A faint glow emanated from her belly. The wound that had been bleeding was healing.
“Oh…! I’m having a baby. Oh, my God!”
Suddenly, Veronia understood. She was pregnant, and her divine power was keeping her child alive, but it was also keeping her alive.
Veronia looked up to the sky and spoke to the goddess who had given her her divine power.
“Thank you.”
She stroked her glowing belly and spoke again.
“Thank you for protecting your mum, sweetheart.”
Veronia smiled softly and murmured quietly to herself.
“My Jediel has siblings. He should be happy.”
Veronia looked nervously around the dimly lit room again. It was strange to be alone in a place like this. This was not where she belonged.
“I have to go see Jediel! Killion will be waiting for me, so… I have to get out of here! Get a grip, Veronia!”
***
“Ugh… ugh!”
Veronia let out a shallow groan in Killion’s arms and slowly opened her eyes. Killion’s eyes widened at the sight of her awake.
“Veronia!”
“… Killion!”
Killion’s tears of relief were streaming down Veronia’s face. A faint glow began to emanate from the bleeding wound, a sight that made Killion’s mouth drop open, as well as those of the knights watching.
“Holy, holy power!”
“The goddess spares Her Highness the Princess of Veronia!”
The sight of the wound slowly closing in the bright light was a sight to behold, and the knights watching all fell to their knees and began to pray to the heavens.
“God, thank you so much!”
“Thank you for sparing Princess Veronia’s life!”
At the scene of the accident, where the Emperor had to face death, Veronia had been mortally wounded, but was saved by divine power. A wave of emotion rose in the hearts of everyone who witnessed this miraculous scene.
“Long live the Princess !”
“Long live Princess Veronia!”
The voices of everyone chanted Veronia’s name with all their hearts.
