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Chapter 76
Begen Again, the Imperial Palace
Julian’s bedroom was tightly shut.
“Julian hasn’t come out of her room since yesterday?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. It seems she’s so angry that she’s not even taking her meals.”
Sigh. “She’s like a painful finger to me… but now I can only hope she overcomes this on her own.”
“She is taking her medicine, so I will send something nutritious from the apothecary.”
Advan and Plah were full of worry. Julian had locked her door and kept anyone from coming near the bedroom.
“Hold her back. Don’t let her get close to Rai… Never… to Rai…”
Julian curled up on the bed, biting her nails, muttering curses over and over.
“Never, never to Rai… ugh!”
Whenever a sharp pain hit her heart, she would clutch her chest and drink only water mixed with Bled herbs.
“Ugh…!”
Drinking the red water calmed her heart slightly. But once the pain eased, an endless rage would rise again.
Why does it never work out for me? Why is the world always on that woman’s side? She couldn’t contain her anger.
“Why can’t it happen for me even in this life?!”
Unable to contain her fury, she started throwing things in the room.
“Why! How come!”
She smashed vases, ornaments—anything she could grab.
“Princess? What’s wrong?”
The clattering and shattering of glass brought a maid to knock at the door.
“Go away! Don’t come in!”
Without Rai present, she was already half-crazed, forgetting even to act as a princess.
Huff…
After briefly overturning the room, her body ached as if it were breaking. She collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. She could feel that her life was truly short now.
She couldn’t just quietly die like this.
“He is mine.”
To have him, Iva must disappear. If she disappears, everything will be resolved.
“If only you weren’t here…!”
Images of Iva and Rai entangled in her mind churned her stomach with anger.
“Hold her back, destroy everything, make it so she can never… never come back.”
She knew her weak body made the effects mild. She needed more powerful dark magic—something that would leave her unharmed while hurting only Iva.
Then, an idea suddenly struck her.
Without another thought, she grabbed shards of broken vases scattered around and shouted into the air.
“Ugh! Come out right now, witch!”
Her voice, filled with rage, lifted the shards high.
“Witch. Come out immediately. I know you’re watching me!”
The surroundings were silent.
“I know you’re laughing, so come out!”
She screamed again and again, but there was still no response.
“Fine. Let’s see who wins.”
Julian placed one hand flat on the floor and raised the shard in the other. Then, without hesitation, she struck the glass down toward her hand.
But just before hitting, the shard slipped from her hand and embedded itself into the bedroom wall.
“You’re so impatient. I would have appeared with a ta-da if you’d called just one more time.”
The witch appeared again, taking the form of Iva. She floated above Julian, looking down at her.
“I told you it’s better to take a clean human life without injury. And yet, you call me as a weapon. You really react exactly as I expected—it’s fun.”
“I told you not to appear as that face.”
“I have no reason to listen to you. Seeing your face scrunch up when I appear like this is thrilling.”
The witch laughed, her face purely malicious.
“Just one favor.”
“You don’t even have half a life to give right now.”
“It’s not dark magic—just a personal favor.”
In an instant, the witch approached Julian, grabbed her silver hair tightly.
“You think I’m your maid just because I indulge your whims?”
“Ugh.”
“I could take your life right here and now.”
The witch’s eyes were filled with killing intent. Julian looked at them and tears began streaming down her face.
“Please… I beg you. No, I’m asking you!”
“What are you doing?”
Annoyed by the sudden tearful plea, the witch released Julian’s hair.
“I don’t want to lose him. I feel like he could truly be mine now.”
As Julian started relying entirely on the witch’s hand, the witch pretended to gag.
“Give up. That man never had any interest in you from the start.”
“No!!”
She screamed again. Her emotions changed by the second, reducing the witch’s interest slightly.
“I’m sure he chose me this time! He only looked at me when he was with that woman!”
Julian spoke into the air as if reliving the moment vividly.
The human dark magic is almost consuming her. The witch shook her head openly.
“Then why ask me for a favor? Do it yourself.”
“It’d be perfect if that woman weren’t here. If she didn’t interfere with my life, my plan would be complete.”
“You want me to kill her? I clearly said I don’t take lives.”
Even magic has limits. Absolute prohibitions existed—killing being one. Any direct murder would backfire, so curses could only be indirect.
The witch wanted to end this by taking Julian’s life quickly.
“I don’t want her dead. Just make it so she can never return here.”
“Huh?”
“Just have her live in Fene—it’s enough.”
“She’d do that?”
“No, the Fene delegation leader clearly had interest in her. If they married, she’d live there.”
The witch’s face showed no interest. Julian quickly said something she thought the witch would like.
“C-Claude also plans to make her the princess consort. He’ll probably force it. That guy always gets what he wants.”
“Hmm, then if she lives in Fene, someone will be troubled. When she returns, you’ll be in trouble.”
“Exactly!”
The witch loved seeing others in trouble. She smiled, her interest renewed.
“Please. I want to spend the remaining time here with Rai, just the two of us, without her.”
Julian approached the witch, grabbed her hand, and begged.
“Alright. Considering the time we’ve spent together, I’ll grant your last favor.”
“Really? Thank you, no, thank you very much, Witch.”
The witch smiled down at Julian, already plotting another prank.
“Jane, how is it?”
“It really suits you.”
“Right?”
“I’ll put the shoes on too.”
On the second day in Fene, Iva changed into traditional clothes brought by Fene servants: a pale yellow coat and loose trousers similar to Aurora’s outfit from yesterday.
“By the way, why give me these pants?”
“Right? If they even prepared my outfit, it must be an important schedule.”
“Hehe, I’m ready for anything! I’ll stir things up to my heart’s content!”
Recalling Advan’s advice, they gathered at the Fene palace entrance, all in traditional dress.
As she moved toward Claude as her partner, she caught sight of Rai.
Ah, a different feeling from the uniform.
Only the second button fastened, the rest loose for movement, it looked uniquely wild.
Iva glanced at him, but when he turned toward her, she quickly pretended not to look.
“Good morning, Iva.”
Claude greeted her with a smile as she approached him.
“Good morning, Your Majesty. Did you sleep well? Was the change of bed uncomfortable?”
“I’m fine. Though it’s a cold country, it felt very warm—they were well-prepared for us.”
“Warm?”
“Hmm? Were you cold?”
Claude furrowed his brow in concern.
“Oh, no. I was warm too. Glad Your Majesty slept well.”
Iva had shivered last night and added another blanket before falling asleep, but didn’t mention it. She hadn’t even properly done anything as a partner yet; there was no benefit in revealing her discomfort.
“Everyone’s here. Did you sleep well last night?”
Caroline and Aurora approached Claude and Iva.
“Yes, thanks to your concern, it was warm enough to be almost hot.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Warm enough to be almost hot… Was only Claude’s bedroom warm, and the others cold? Iva thought reasonably and stepped aside to let the royals converse.
Then, to confirm her suspicion, she sought out Chase.
“Hey, Chase.”
“Huh?”
“You slept next to Claude last night, right?”
“Yes, I had to be on standby, so I stayed in the next room.”
“Was it cold yesterday?”
“What?”
He looked at her as if she were crazy.
“You were warm too?”
“Warm? More than warm—it was hot. I even prepped water in case Your Majesty needed it.”
So it was only my room that was cold. Partner of royalty, but not royalty herself? But they wouldn’t discriminate that way. Iva shrugged it off.
“Anyway, are you ready? Shoes tied well?”
Chase checked her outfit and shoes. The boots had spikes on the sole to prevent slipping.
“All set. But why give pants and shoes?”
“Didn’t you hear?”
“What? Everyone else knew?”
Only Iva and Jane were confused.
“I asked another servant to relay it; must have been crossed.”
“Where are we going that they give all this?”
“Over there.”
Chase pointed behind Iva. Following his finger, she saw a towering mountain.
“You mean we’re climbing that mountain?”
“Yes, Fene is a faith-driven empire. When guests arrive, they climb the mountain to meet priests and offer rituals.”
“That high?”
Even Jane’s strong eyes widened.
“There was no welcome party yesterday. Climbing that mountain is the real test of being a guest.”
“…What if we descend halfway?”
“Then you return immediately by ship to the empire.”
“As the partner of Your Majesty, that must never happen to me…”
“You know well. Tighten your shoelaces.”
Chase patted her shoulder, signaling she should not even think of such a thing, then moved to check the others.
Left alone, Iva touched her forehead, staring at the distant mountain.
Breathing exercises were the only training I have, and now suddenly a mountain climb?!
Advan, Your Majesty! You didn’t tell me about this!
