CTMA 5

Chapter 5

Sir Beltane and I hid quietly under a tree, holding our breath.

We looked up toward the terrace and listened carefully.

Soon, the sound of a furious argument between a man and a woman echoed down.

“Well, if you hadn’t insisted on embroidering your name into Hilia’s dress, none of this would’ve happened!”

“Say it right. You were the one who suggested it first! You said she’s just a puppet and that we’re the real bride and groom — that we should mark it with proof!”

Of course, it was Ludwig and Evangeline.

They had sneaked onto the terrace to avoid others and were now fighting.

I had the front-row seat to the drama. It felt like I needed popcorn to go with it.

Watching them fall apart this fast was… honestly hilarious.

I had to try hard not to laugh out loud.

“No, I can’t be happy over small things right now.”

Yes, I wanted to drive a wedge between them — but this wasn’t the ultimate goal.

Ludwig, looking frustrated, said:

“You cried when I said I had to marry her! I just did it to comfort you…”

“So I misunderstood because you said something you didn’t mean? That’s on me now?”

Evangeline’s voice was rising, full of emotion.

I leaned in to listen.

“That’s not what I meant—”

“Then what do you mean?”

Suddenly, Ludwig changed tactics. It looked like blaming her wasn’t working, so he tried a new excuse.

“I had no choice. We have to go through with the wedding tomorrow. You know why.”

“……”

“To fight off that insane crown prince, I need the power of House Delphin.”

“I know! My mother and I put so much effort into this marriage for a reason. Because we need the Delphin family. That’s why I endured all of this!”

They spoke about my family as if it was their property.

And this argument? It was a scene I had witnessed many times — in all three of my previous lives.

“Not this time.”

I clenched my dress tightly, full of determination.

Sir Beltane must have misread the emotion in my eyes — he looked at me gently and carefully placed his hand over mine.

It was a warm, strong hand.

“He didn’t even touch me the last time he helped me run away.”

He was the very definition of a knight — always professional.

This was the first time he had initiated physical comfort, and it caught me off guard.

Maybe realizing that, he mouthed “I’m sorry” and slowly removed his hand.

But I didn’t have time to dwell on the warmth of his gesture.

The conversation above was taking a new turn.

Ludwig suddenly yelled:

“Why are you making such a big deal out of a dress?!”

And then — a loud noise.

Smack!

I looked up in surprise. Evangeline was holding up her hand in shock, as if she couldn’t believe what she had done.

Ludwig’s face had turned away — he had been slapped.

Evangeline, panicked, immediately clung to him.

“I-I’m sorry! I just lost control for a moment…”

“Forget it.”

“Ludwig!”

He coldly brushed her off and started to walk away.

“I’m going back to the palace. Don’t come to the wedding tomorrow. If you try to ruin it again, I won’t forgive you.”

“Ludwig!!”

But Ludwig shoved her off and left.

I could hear the sound of Evangeline collapsing onto the floor in disbelief.

Even though we were delayed a bit because of that surprise drama, we finally got out of the Delphin estate.

Sir Beltane seemed worried.

“What if Duke Ludwig returns to see you again?”

“He won’t.”

I knew Ludwig well.

He went to Evangeline to avoid comforting me — and ended up in a fight.

There was no way he’d come back, just to find me crying again.

“Still, I asked Annie to guard my room door just in case.”

I told her to say I was heartbroken and sobbing.

That would be enough to make Ludwig turn back.

But that wasn’t what mattered now.

I looked up at the sky. The full moon was glowing with a deep red hue.

“The Blood Moon.”

How ironic that tonight — of all nights — was the one with the blood-red moon.

“Even in my past lives, I walked under this red moon… to go see ‘that man’.”

“I was always afraid I’d lose my mind. Especially under the Blood Moon — the night my mother died.”

When this moon appeared, he would never be at the palace.

He would retreat deep underground — to the darkest depths of the capital.

In a hidden lair at the edge of the catacombs, far from any light, he would be there.

Sir Beltane and I arrived at the catacombs carrying an unlit lantern.

The old gravekeeper — who looked like a corpse himself — tilted his head at us.

“Didn’t expect visitors on a night like this. Especially with an empty lantern.”

I smiled silently and handed him a silver coin.

Not regular currency — but a coin used to bury the dead.

Seeing it, the gravekeeper frowned… but eventually stepped aside.

However, he blocked Beltane from following me.

“Only the client may enter. That’s the rule here.”

The word “client” made Sir Beltane look stunned.

But I had no time to explain.

“Wait here. I’ll be back safely.”

“…Yes, my lady.”

And just like that, I walked into the dark catacombs alone, carrying an unlit lantern.

This place was the hidden lair of Gerald the Mercenary King — the secret identity of Crown Prince Arpad.

I made it through the complicated layers of security and finally stood before him.

“Please… plunder me.”

Gerald — no, Crown Prince Arpad — looked stunned at my very extreme request.

More than that, he stared at me like I was the most ridiculous thing in the world.

“If you accept my proposal, Your Highness, I can ensure you ascend to the throne without going mad.”

I was completely confident.

“There’s no way he can refuse this deal.”

In all three of my past lives, he had gone mad.

Once, he was executed a week into his reign as a violent tyrant. The other two times, he died before even becoming emperor.

And every time — it was his own father who killed him.

The emperor never trusted him. He feared his son would lose his mind and destroy the empire.

That’s why he supported his nephew Ludwig instead of his own son.

“That’s why Arpad created a fake identity — the mercenary king Gerald.”

Gerald’s mercenary guild was actually Arpad’s private army — to oppose his father.

If the emperor ever learned the truth, it would be over for Arpad.

I smiled confidently and stared at him.

His red eyes, like rubies, glowed in the dark. His silver hair shimmered like spun moonlight.

He had an unearthly beauty — not just handsome, but dangerously mesmerizing.

He smiled slowly — a refined, threatening grin.

“Hmph…”

He let out a lazy breath.

Then his red eyes, once calm, were suddenly filled with madness.

“…Huh?”

Before I could react, Arpad drew his sword and pressed it against my neck.

The chill of the blade touched my skin.

“Ugh…”

There was a cold, refined madness in his eyes.

“I hate people who try to manipulate me.”

I knew who he was thinking of.

The emperor.

The father who never trusted him and eventually killed him.

“I don’t know how you found out about my connection to the Mercenary King… or what made you think you could touch a nerve like that…”

“…Kh!”

The blade pressed tighter against my neck. I could feel its sharpness.

He acted casual, but it was a clear threat.

“He could kill me right now.”

But—

I clenched my teeth.

“I’ve already died three times.”

Once, I was even beheaded.

If I just stood here quietly, I’d die again — painfully.

“If I’m going to die, let it be fast and clean.”

I stared him down, eyes full of defiance.

I bit my lip hard, tasting blood, and stepped forward.

The blade cut my skin — I smelled blood.

But I didn’t stop.

“!!”

Arpad was the one who pulled back.

Seeing me move forward without fear, he stepped back and grabbed my head — pulling me away from the sword.

So it didn’t cut too deep.

Just a small wound.

“That can only mean one thing…”

“I won.” 🩸