chapter_0044

44 – The Princess’s Circumstances

44 – The Princess’s Circumstances

“This child is cursed!”

That was the earliest memory of Princess Selenia Lily Novarensia.

Her grandmother was a magician.

Rather than living in the palace, she resided in the Magic Tower and visited the palace for the first time on Selenia’s fourth birthday.

Selenia, who admired magicians, had been waiting for her grandmother, but the first words from her grandmother were that she was cursed.

She still remembers.

The moment her grandmother looked at her, her face twisted in disgust…

That remains the most traumatic memory for Selenia.

Later, she learned that in the imperial family, children with dark brown skin like hers were sometimes born.

It was said to be the manifestation of the blood of the queen from the Blood Clan who married the founder of the empire, and every child born with brown skin had some special ability.

However, people did not particularly like the skin color close to that of their enemy Blood Clan, and over time, some even grew to hate it.

Selenia’s grandmother was one of those people.

As a rigid elder of the imperial family, her grandmother disliked Selenia, calling her a “cursed child.”

Fortunately, her father and mother gently wrapped her wounds.

“Don’t mind what your grandmother says, Lily.”

“Yes, Lily, you are a descendant of the imperial family. If you show your exceptional abilities, no one will say anything about your skin color.”

The emperor, her father, and the empress, her mother, comforted her in their own way.

But those words also left a scar on her.

“Mom… Dad… I wanted to hear that I was pretty back then.”

Selenia thought her skin color was beautiful.

That’s why she wanted to hear that it was okay.

But even her parents never said that her skin color was nice.

Now she understands.

Traditions… manners… sometimes require one to dislike what they love.

Having learned of the existence of the Blood Clan and that people did not like her skin color because of it, she resolved to live even more boldly.

She would not be crushed by their hatred.

She would live proudly as herself.

With that determination, she has lived until now.

Yet still, in a corner of her heart, she has always hoped.

She has always waited for someone who could love her just as she is, including her skin color.

Then Calix appeared before her.

He told her that her skin color was beautiful.

He said he liked a lively woman like her.

“Lady Selenia… are you joking?”

“I’m not joking.”

Calix tried to take it as a joke, but she was serious.

Maintaining a poker face as if it were nothing,

her heart began to race wildly.

‘Now that I think about it… Calix, you’re not bad-looking either.’

To Selenia, the best-looking man was her older brother.

Compared to him, Calix wasn’t an extraordinary handsome man.

But he had a sufficiently well-groomed silver-haired appearance that would pass in social gatherings.

Simply put, he was her type.

Moreover, he was of a similar age and had continuously proven his abilities to marry into the imperial family.

Then… she thought it wouldn’t be bad to consider him for herself rather than pairing him with other noble ladies.

However, that was merely her thought.

Her right-hand woman, Lumiel, shouted an emergency operation time.

“Wait a moment. Lord Calix, Lord Zeras, it seems the princess is tired. Let her rest for a moment.”

“Huh? Lumiel, I’m fine.”

Ignoring Selenia’s words, Lumiel dragged her to a room behind the banquet hall.

It was like a student being pulled by a teacher.

In the closed back room of the banquet hall, the sounds of their conversation could be heard.

“It’s too sudden. Lady Selenia…” “But it’s such a waste…” and other murmurs trickled out, leaving the two lords awkwardly sitting in the banquet hall.

Zeras lightly coughed and spoke to Calix.

“Lord Calix… so that’s your preference.”

“Yes… well… that’s right.”

Though it was a statement made to navigate the situation, Calix honestly acknowledged it as one of his preferences.

Seeing this, Zeras nodded in understanding.

“I understand. Everyone has a peculiar preference they can’t share with others. I didn’t know I had a maid preference until I met Ain.”

“Is… is that so…”

Calix felt embarrassed about Zeras’s sudden confession of preference and thought that he should never bring Lana before Lord Zeras in the future.

Zeras politely poured wine for Calix and said,

“If you end up well with the princess and become her husband, please say good things about me. Hohoho.”

Calix laughed appropriately at Zeras’s unfunny joke and drank the wine.

He couldn’t tell if the wine was going into his mouth or his nose.

He just had a bad feeling that something terrible might happen.

Near the Silla family’s castle,

in the darkness where no one was present, the Blood Clan was preparing.

To ensure they dealt with Calix, they had made preparations.

Judging that it would be difficult to handle Calix in Cron Castle, which was protected by imperial-level magic, Kir decided to wait for an opportunity when Calix would go out elsewhere.

Having obtained information that Calix would visit the Silla family, Kir thought it was a great opportunity.

Lord Zeras Silla was also one of the lords on their elimination list.

Thinking he would take out both lords this time, Kir gathered all the strength of the Blood Clan unit “Valharim” to prepare for success.

Looking at the festive atmosphere of the Silla family castle, bustling with the welcome for Calix, Kir steeled his resolve, and soon Yan arrived.

“Lord Kir, all preparations are complete.”

Nodding at Yan’s words, Kir moved forward.

There, thirty members of the Blood Clan unit Valharim, active in the south, had gathered.

Looking at them, Kir said,

“Is everyone here?”

[ “……” ]

At Kir’s words, they did not respond.

They were only thinking about how they would sacrifice themselves to carry out the sacred mission that was about to begin.

“Right… we don’t need words. What we must do is eliminate them by sacrificing our lives for the sacred mission.”

[ “……” ]

The operation plan had already been shared with everyone.

Now, all that remained was to act and achieve the goal.

Kir initiated the operation.

“Let’s go, it’s time for the sacred mission.”

Papapack-!!

The moment Kir’s operational command was given, the Blood Clan warriors scattered.

Three of them could assassinate a lord, and ten could successfully incite a rebellion in the territory; they were warriors of the Blood Clan.

Those thirty warriors charged toward the small castle.

Kir was confident that this time he would succeed.

…or so he thought, as failing was typical for an ordinary villain.

But Kir was not an ordinary villain.

As the warriors began to act, Kir spoke to Yan.

“Yan, start the ritual.”

“Yes! Lord Kir.”

While he did not underestimate the abilities of the Blood Clan warriors, Calix’s abilities were still largely unknown.

Moreover, Lord Zeras was a magician of the Magic Tower’s heir level.

To ensure their elimination, Kir had prepared a trump card.

With Yan’s signal, the Blood Clan magicians waiting around Salara Castle began the ritual.

Three Blood Clan magicians entered a magic circle made from their own blood and began the incantation.

“Dormias. (Sleep.)”

The black magic used by the Blood Clan had various curse spells.

“Dormias. (Sleep.)”

Curses that caused illness, curses that lowered luck, etc.,

While the effects varied, there were also spells that directly cursed magicians.

“Praeter umbram, cuncta dormiant. (Let all but the darkness fall asleep.)”

That was the spell that cursed magical power, rendering it unusable.

Within the barrier created by that spell, magical power would be hindered by the curse of black magic, while conversely, the Blood Clan’s magical power would be blessed and become stronger.

“Silentium magiae — fiat vallum aeternum! (Let magic be silent, become the eternal barrier!)”

That was the black magic barrier curse spell “Vallum Silentii (Wall of Silence).”

However, such a powerful spell came with a great cost.

“I’m sorry, everyone…”

After completing the final incantation, the three Blood Clan magicians drew daggers.

And they stabbed their own necks.

This powerful black magic could only be used by sacrificing the lives of about three Blood Clan magicians.

As the blood of the Blood Clan magicians splattered and touched the magic circle, a purple light began to emanate, enveloping Salara Castle as the magic circle activated.

Kir, pained by the sacrifice of his compatriots, promised them that this time he would accomplish the sacred mission.

A real disaster… the assault of the Blood Clan was about to begin.

A word from the author (Author’s note)

Thank you for reading today!!!

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