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Chapter 4
“Media Espana?”
Seamus raised one eyebrow. Now that he thought about it, he had heard that House Petra was sponsoring a girl with fire abilities. Was this that girl?
“Yes, I am Aella’s friend. You must be deeply saddened by Aella’s situation, are you not?”
Media spoke in a gentle, friendly tone.
“Saddened? The Crown Princess’s face looks like that.”
“I’m sorry. This happened because I failed to protect Aella.”
“Why would it be your fault? It’s the fault of the one who couldn’t even take care of her own body.”
Seamus spoke in an irritated tone and walked past Media.
Everything was annoying. He had barely managed to take her away from Ther Motita, and then she went and ruined herself on her own.
When he received the report that Aella’s face had been ruined in the fire, Seamus had immediately told the Emperor that he would break off the engagement with House Petra.
But the Emperor had flown into a rage and shouted:
—
*”The engagement is absolutely off the table! Have you forgotten what we did to secure the engagement with House Petra?! There will be no annulment. Once Aella recovers, the wedding will take place immediately. Know that!”*
—
Remembering the Emperor’s words, Seamus let out a deep sigh.
“Damn it. How am I supposed to live with a monster like that?”
Seamus’s face crumpled horribly.
—
**\*\*\***
The wedding was held at the Temple of Iphe, according to tradition.
The Temple of Iphe was not far from the palace. The temple, consisting of a large hall, a sanctuary, and living quarters for the priests, was built entirely of white marble, displaying a majestic beauty.
Aella entered the beautiful hall, where light streamed down. Wearing a three-layered wedding veil, Aella unconsciously squeezed the hand holding her bouquet.
Walking down the wedding path leading to the dais, Aella’s gaze fixed on the man standing before the platform.
Ther Motita.
The former lover who had ultimately abandoned her.
—
**A few hours earlier.**
Aella, wearing her wedding veil, rushed into the High Priest’s office. Ther, the High Priest dressed in a black dalmatic with a red belt, turned around.
“Aell…”
“Ther.”
Aella approached him.
“Take me away with you. Please, Ther.”
Standing before Ther, Aella’s voice was desperate.
She couldn’t bring herself to live beside someone who thought of her as a monster. After today, after this time passed, she would have to live in the middle of hell for the rest of her life.
So please, be my salvation.
Aella pleaded with Ther, her only hope.
“The wedding will begin soon. Please remain in your place.”
But Ther spoke with a firm face and brushed past Aella.
Watching his back as he opened the door to leave, Aella asked in a despairing voice.
“Is it because my face is ruined? Do you think of me as a monster too…”
Aella, who had been sobbing, trailed off.
At her words, Ther, who had been about to go outside, turned around and strode back to Aella. His large hand grabbed hers. An indescribable emotion was etched on his face.
“Aella, you… ah.”
After moving his lips several times as if to speak, Ther eventually let go of Aella’s hand and left the office.
Left alone, Aella blankly stared at the hand he had held.
“To you, too, I’m a monster.”
Tears fell drop by drop from Aella’s eyes.
—
**And now.**
Aella took step after step toward Ther, who stood on the dais.
As High Priest, he had the duty to officiate the wedding of Crown Prince Seamus and Crown Princess Aella. What an ironic situation.
In the end, Ther had not become her salvation. Deep despair was etched into Aella’s eyes.
Aella stood beside Seamus.
“Even with that veil covering it, your face is disgusting.”
Seamus spoke to Aella in a sinister voice.
At his words, Aella squeezed her eyes shut.
The gates of hell were slowly opening with a chilling sound.
—
**\*\*\***
Aella, now living as the Crown Princess, stood in the middle of hell.
For three months after the wedding, Seamus hadn’t shown his face even once. While she was relieved, she also felt miserable at his attitude of not acknowledging her as his wife.
People called Aella the ‘Monster Crown Princess,’ and Aella, who had become a monster in an instant, blankly stared out the window.
Outside her bedroom window, she could see the forest beginning to shed its leaves, and beyond the forest, the bell tower of the lake castle.
Looking at that bell tower made her feel as if this place, the palace, wasn’t actually the palace. It was the only moment she could be Aella, not the Crown Princess.
“Staring out the window again?”
Aella, who had been looking outside, slightly curled her lips at the familiar voice coming from behind her.
Aella put on her veiled hat, which she had placed on the windowsill, and turned around. Media was standing there with a smiling face.
“Media.”
Aella slowly approached Media.
She was always grateful to Media, who was her only breathing hole in this suffocating palace. Without Media, Aella might have gone mad.
“It’s a nice day, Your Highness the Crown Princess. How about having tea time in the garden?”
“No, I like it here.”
Aella shook her head.
Media smiled with her eyes in understanding and turned around. Watching Media’s back, Aella spoke.
“Media, when we’re alone, treat me like you used to. You, at least, stay as my friend, not as the Crown Princess’s lady-in-waiting.”
Whenever Media called her ‘Crown Princess,’ Aella felt a distance. Though Media had a duty to observe Imperial etiquette, Aella didn’t want to lose her friend.
At those words, Media approached. Coming close, she took off Aella’s hat.
“When we’re alone, don’t wear something like this hat. It must be stuffy. It blocks your view too.”
Aella’s face, deeply scarred, was revealed. Uncomfortable showing this face, Aella bowed her head.
“My face is too hideous.”
The words Seamus had said to her on the wedding day, calling her disgusting, would not leave her mind. Aella was afraid that everyone would think of her as disgusting.
“You’re right. Other people probably think you’re a hideous, disgusting monster. But I don’t. I like the way you look now.”
Media took Aella’s hand. *Because your face, having lost its beauty, makes me happy.* Media smiled a satisfied smile.
“I feel more comfortable wearing it.”
Aella spoke in a timid voice, took the hat, and put it back on her head.
“I suppose I can’t help it, since you say so. Alright, I’ll go have them bring the tea.”
Making a resigned expression, Media left Aella’s room.
Shortly after, tea was set on the tea table. Aella looked at the butter cookies served with the tea and teared up.
“Father liked butter cookies.”
Because she was undergoing burn treatment, she hadn’t even been able to attend her father’s funeral. She still couldn’t believe he had left so meaninglessly. She felt as if he would open the door and come in, calling her ‘plain little lemon.’
“Th-The Duke did like butter cookies.”
At Aella’s mention of Duke Petra, Media flinched.
No one knew that she was the one who had started that fire. Duke Petra, who had been with her, was dead, and as long as she kept her mouth shut, it would be a secret buried forever.
“By the way, weren’t you supposed to have a talk with Father that day?”
Suddenly, Aella remembered that Media had said she was going to see her father that day.
“Huh? No. I was so tired that day that I fell asleep early and didn’t get to see the Duke. If I had seen him then, I might have been able to save him.”
Hiding her fluster, Media covered her face with her hand. *It’s all my fault.* As she said this, Media began to sob.
“It’s not your fault, Media. Don’t feel guilty.”
Seeing her friend sad, Aella held back tears and comforted her.
“I’ve been so caught up in my own misfortune that I didn’t consider your feelings, Media. You’re family too, so you must have been in pain and sad. I’m sorry, Media.”
As she spoke, Aella hugged Media.
Breaking free from Aella’s embrace, Media wiped away her tears.
“Aella, let’s not be sad anymore. The Duke would be upset to see us like this.”
“Still, I miss Father so much. How did such a big fire start?”
“Aella, stop thinking about that day. The Duke would want you to forget quickly and become a fine Crown Princess. He’s watching over you from heaven. How sad would he be if you kept dwelling on the past and couldn’t move forward?”
Media, looking uneasy, changed the subject.
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course.”
“I’ll try. Oh, by the way. I heard there’s a marriage proposal for you. Mother sent a letter.”
Aella remembered the letter from her mother that morning and spoke.
“A marriage proposal?”
“The second son of Baron Baldoc. He’s the second son, but the Baron’s eldest son has been weak since childhood and has been bedridden for years, so they say the title will pass to the second son.”
“Is that so?”
Media asked back with a somewhat indifferent expression.
Seeing Media’s apparent lack of interest, Aella gave an awkward smile and continued.
“You can refuse. Your opinion is what matters most.”
“I’ll think about it. Is it alright if I’m alone? It’s a bit stifling just being with you, so I want to go for a walk.”
“Huh? Oh.”
Aella nodded with an awkward smile.
Lately, she often found Media feeling unfamiliar. But Aella chalked it up to her own sensitivity and just quietly watched Media’s back as she left the room.
—
**\*\*\***
Leaving the Crown Princess’s residence, Media walked toward the Crown Prince’s residence.
The Crown Prince’s residence and the Crown Princess’s residence faced each other across a garden and were connected by a long corridor.
Walking down the hallway of the Crown Prince’s residence, Media smiled when someone hugged her from behind. The person who hugged Media pulled her into a nearby room.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Media smiled with her eyes as she looked back at Seamus, who was locking the door.
“Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?”
“The Crown Princess wouldn’t let go of me.”
“That woman is truly tiresome.”
Seamus muttered with a twisted face and then kissed Media directly.
It was an intense kiss, overflowing with desire.
