episode_0003

Episode 3.

A teacup engraved with gold leaf. The teacup, saucer and kettle, which are made as a set, also have a uniform construction quality. It shows a luxurious yet refined beauty without being excessive.

Of course, the scarlet black tea it contains is also of the highest quality. The brewing technique was also mastered to the extreme.

A unique scent that vaguely reminds me of a rainforest. When you tilt the teacup and hold it to your mouth, the rich flavor moistens your mouth.

The flavor is so great that it shatters my belief that I prefer coffee over black tea.

This is the life of a noble princess. It’s a huge comparison to my old life, when I drank more energy drinks than water.

Maybe this is a gift from God. A surprise gift from a god who took pity on me, who died of overwork after living life to the point of pitifulness.

Of course, considering the way Sarah was treated in the novel, I don’t know if it’s really a gift… but I have no intention of it being that way.

The princess’s elegant tea time is like a painting. As if it were a sin to disturb it, a maid approached and spoke in a low voice.

“Me, princess. Captain Pilgret has arrived.”

“Please stop by.”

The maid left, and soon Pilgret entered the room. He fell to one knee on the floor with a clanking sound of armor.

“I have received your orders, Princess Sera. What’s going on?”

“Welcome, Captain Pilgret. The reason I asked to see the scriptures is because I wanted to ask you something. Could you tell me about the security status of Jeokhwa Palace?”

“If you say Jeokhwa Palace… do you mean the place where Carmel resides?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Philgret answered straight away without asking why.

“The west and east entrances are guarded by two-person, three-shift security. Of course, there are no special checks on people inside the palace. His Majesty has also ordered strict security to be kept on guard and to avoid causing any inconvenience to Carmel…”

“One thing first. Please strengthen security against suspicious people. And as you said, there are no personnel stationed at the watchtower?”

“Yes. Yes.”

“Select and assign knights who are good at archery. And shoot down birds, especially crows, approaching Jeokhwagung as soon as you spot them. I will leave the work coordination to you.”

This time, he seemed to really want to know the reason. I answered lightly, saying it was no big deal.

“When I asked my father, Carmel said that he had a secret phobia about birds. It’s cute that you said you wanted to keep it a secret from others, so I hope you’ll do the same.”

“Ah, yep! Of course.”

Philgret withdrew in a polite manner.

Of course, the story about bird phobia is just an excuse made up on the spot.

The real purpose was to block Carmel’s communications.

Carmel is not an ordinary villainess. She descended from the Witch of the North and had considerable knowledge of black magic.

In particular, her specialty is the magic of curses and deception. I couldn’t guarantee what the results would be if I used all my skills.

However, in order to fully unleash that magic, you need the magic book ‘Book of Enekra’.

Originally, it would be an item that would appear after the story had been developed for a long time, but for Carmel, it was the easiest way to solve the difficult problem of sacred rites. There’s no way you can’t stop thinking about it.

Somehow, Carmel will want to bring back Enekra’s Book. First, start by sealing it off. By blocking contact with the outside world.

Carmel cannot perform great magic with the items she currently has. Since I can’t get the Book of Enekra, I’ll try to do something by combining the ingredients available in the palace, but it won’t be that simple.

When hunting rabbits, the herder and hunting dogs block the rabbit’s escape routes one by one. In the end, there is only one path left. Even though he senses his fate, the rabbit has no choice but to go down the path where a trap awaits.

That’s exactly what I’m trying to do to Carmel now.

And in the novel, this is what Carmel did to Princess Sera. In a sense, it is retribution.

I called the maid and had her bring another person.

Martha.

One of the maids who helps me get dressed.

* * *

smart.

Is it because it was the exact same knock as the last time? Carmel in the room seemed to already know that it was me who was outside the door.

The door opens with a squeaking sound.

“…What’s going on?”

Carmel, who opened the door, looked much haggard than last time. Attempts to contact the outside world are repeatedly thwarted, and proper preparations for sacred rites are not in place. They must be rushing in by now.

“The sacred ceremony is tomorrow, so I was wondering if things were going well. You made such a bold statement.”

I asked, deliberately smiling like an angel. Carmel wrinkled her beautiful face as if she had been scratched inside. Even though that doesn’t mean her beauty will fade.

“What are you…?”

“The first princess of the Lustier Kingdom. Sarah Lustier. Don’t you know it well? Carmel is the one who will become my mother.”

Carmel grabbed my arm and dragged me into the room. Then he closed the door, looked me in the eye and said, within breath.

“You have incredible courage, princess. You pushed me around like this, and came to see me alone in the middle of the night. Did you really think it wouldn’t hurt you?”

Carmel deftly pulled out a small knife from inside her clothes. He held it to my face threateningly, then changed direction and cut the back of my hand with the blade.

But the blade did not inflict even a scratch on my delicate hands.

Puzzle!

“Kkkk…!”

White lightning flowed from the back of his hand and bounced off the dagger in Carmel’s hand.

Protection magic. It was obvious that Carmel, who had come this far, would choose.

“Our court wizards are excellent. Did you really think that I would have come here without any preparation?”

“You…”

The eyes are weak and shaking, but the poison hidden inside still remains. I looked into the room.

There were traces of having tried the secrets of black magic. I saw burnt remains, a bottle with a purple liquid, and some medicinal herbs lying on the desk.

“Shimasa’s magic potion… But it can’t be manufactured properly in a situation where the equipment and materials are inadequate.”

“You know that much?”

Of course I know.

Shimasa’s magic potion is a magic spell that steals another person’s identity. A forbidden secret art that allows you to imitate someone else for a while. Depending on the manufacturing method, it is possible to reproduce the voice, appearance, and even the form of the soul identically.

In the novel, Carmel, who stole Princess Sera’s appearance, was used to discredit her by doing all kinds of embarrassing things in front of the people. It was a part I read with great concentration several times, so I couldn’t help but remember it.

Perhaps Carmel was trying to pass the sacred ceremony by replicating my soul form with the Shimasa’s magic potion. If it were the soul of the royal family itself, it would be a free pass to sacred ceremonies.

I said, touching the scab on the corner of my mouth.

“It seems that blood was the most effective. But just scraping it off with your fingernail would not have been enough. Hehe, you must have noticed it by now, right? In fact, what Martha brought to Carmel was not my blood, but the blood of a chicken.”

Greedy Martha. She would have easily fallen for Carmel’s temptation by revealing her money. The easiest way to prevent it in advance was to deal with it in advance.

Thanks to that, Carmel wasted precious time. Attempting to manufacture something that was likely to be ruined with fake blood.

The attack with the knife just now must have been an attempt to get my blood. From one to ten, everything was as I expected.

“You… what do you want to do? Why do you want to choose such a grandiose means as a sacred ritual? If they just wanted to kick me out, there would have been countless ways to not let me into the palace in the first place… Are they going to accuse me of being a witch and have me burned at the stake?”

I smiled brightly and returned what Carmel had said earlier.

“I thought Carmel was just a villain, but you’re smarter than I thought.”

Carmel’s expression hardens as if she had chewed a rock. But I continued speaking regardless.

“It’s just as you said. There were many ways to exclude Carmel from the royal family. But there is one reason why it wasn’t done. I want Carmel to be my mother.”

“…What?”

It’s natural. If Carmel is not allowed into the royal family and is kicked out, I will not be able to touch her.

That is why Carmel must become my new mother and queen.

I took out a small vial from between my breasts. It was a small bottle with a few drops of red liquid.

Do you see “? The thing you most want right now, the blood of the legitimate royal family that inherited Lustier’s blood, is my blood. As you know, I am the only woman in the royal family whose soul type matches yours. I think I can hand this over to Carmel.”

Carmel glared at me with wary eyes. Well, it would be natural to think that there is something out there.

Carmel pursed her lips and looked at me and the medicine bottle in turn, hesitated, and then spoke softly.

“…What are the conditions?”

I answered with a bright smile like an angel.

“Show me your breasts. Right here and now.”