He took out the knight order coat he had removed, shook off the dust, then draped it over the golden-glowing orichalcum armor.
The tabard personally crafted by the fairyfolk was embroidered with ancient characters and the crest of a golden cup containing flames.
A special spell had been cast on it so it would not be damaged even by powerful impacts.
However, it seemed even magic could do nothing about wrinkles.
He patted down the creased parts of the long, trailing hem, then neatly wiped the dirt from his sabatons and rose to his feet.
After roughly finishing his preparations and leaving the tent, the pale, clouded sky filled his vision.
The wind had been unusually strong since midday, and it seemed a shower was about to fall.
Edrick frowned, picked up his raincoat, and headed toward Thalia’s tent.
Just then, from behind him, he heard the sound of the sacred bell announcing the start of the ceremony.
When he hurriedly turned his head over his shoulder, he saw that the Crown Prince and the First Princess, who had already finished all preparations, were leading their attendants into the entrance of the temple.
He quickly crossed the camp.
Passing between the enormous pillars that looked carved from stone and entering through the arched entrance, he saw at a glance the interior of the holy hall, surrounded by a bluish light.
Edrick stopped for a moment and looked over the attendants filling the nave and the knights lined up along the walls.
The Crown Prince and the First Princess were standing before the altar.
It seemed they were receiving a consecration prayer from the presiding priest before the ceremony.
Edrick, who had been anxiously shifting his feet, spotted Sir Siarkan waiting at the crossing and crossed the nave in one breath.
“Commander, Her Highness the Second Princess will be ready soon. Could you please wait for a moment?”
When he approached his side and carefully spoke, a calm gaze came flying toward him.
Without realizing it, Edrick held his breath.
Instead of the knight order uniform, Varkas wore a black doublet with a breastplate engraved with the crest of House Siarkan, and a uniquely shaped cloak hung over one shoulder.
Even to Edrick, a man, the sight looked chillingly handsome.
Suddenly, he remembered the princess telling him he was ugly.
If she had grown up seeing a man like this since childhood, then indeed, most ordinary men would probably look ugly to her.
While he was lost in such an absurd thought, his superior, who had been silently looking down at him, let out a faint sigh and slowly walked toward the altar.
“It seems the ceremony must be paused. Her Highness the Second Princess says she will attend the consecration ceremony as well.”
The priest who had been reciting the prayer looked back and forth in confusion between Varkas and Edrick, who stood there awkwardly.
Thalia, too, had an obligation to participate in the ceremony as a member of the imperial family.
Had she refused, that would have been one thing, but if she had expressed her will to attend, they naturally had to accept it.
However, the presiding priest could not hastily answer that he would do so and only watched Gareth’s reaction.
“Are you telling me to wait for that bastard?”
The Crown Prince, who had been glaring at Varkas with fierce eyes, spoke as though chewing up each word.
“Proceed with the ceremony at once! I have no intention of delaying even a single second because of that wench!”
Edrick’s face hardened.
He had seen with his own eyes just how extreme the Crown Prince’s hostility toward the Second Princess was.
He had expected that Gareth might not readily agree.
But he had not expected him to openly reveal his refusal in front of everyone.
Was it not also His Majesty the Emperor’s will that the Second Princess participate in the pilgrimage ceremony?
Edrick hesitated, then opened his mouth.
“She, too, is a member of the imperial family recognized by His Majesty the Emperor. According to custom, does she not also have the right to receive the blessings of the saints?”
The Crown Prince, who had been glaring at Varkas with blazing eyes, turned his gaze toward him.
Edrick swallowed dryly.
The Crown Prince, his strongly lined face twisted crookedly, approached him like a prowling tiger.
“Do you even know whose presence you are speaking in right now?”
“My apologies, Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince. I only—”
Edrick, who had hurriedly bowed his head and tried to explain, inhaled sharply at the force tightening around his throat.
Gareth had grabbed him by the collar and roughly pulled him closer.
Edrick did his best not to grimace and looked straight into that brutal face.
Perhaps that displeased him, because the Crown Prince’s dark green eyes flashed as he growled like an angry beast.
“How dare a mere knight try to lecture me?”
“I-I apologize...”
Edrick clenched his fists tightly to keep himself from shaking off the hand choking him and forced out the words with difficulty.
At that moment, Varkas placed one hand on the Crown Prince’s shoulder.
“Your Highness.”
At the low voice that rang out, Gareth’s shoulders stiffened.
Edrick could see a faint tension pass over the Crown Prince’s arrogant face.
Varkas spoke in a gentle tone.
“There are many eyes watching.”
A faint heat rose to Gareth’s cheeks.
It seemed he felt shame over the fact that he had been cowed by him, even if only for an instant.
The Crown Prince released Edrick’s clothes and glared fiercely at Varkas.
“Didn’t I warn you not to lay hands on my body without permission again? How long do you think I’ll keep tolerating you?”
Gareth roughly shook off the hand on his shoulder, brought his face threateningly close to Varkas’s, and breathed harshly.
At his air, as though he might lunge at any moment, not only the knights but even the First Princess rushed over to stop the Crown Prince.
Then, a cold, beautiful voice like beads of ice rang through the main hall.
“If I had known such an entertaining spectacle was waiting, I would have attended the last ceremony too.”
Edrick flinched and turned his head, then unwittingly stopped breathing when he saw Thalia slowly crossing the nave with three or four maids in tow.
The woman who usually seemed desperate to cause trouble whenever she had the chance was walking toward the altar in perfect formal attire.
The pale sunlight pouring through the windows clearly revealed the face that looked exactly like the Empress’s and the delicate body wrapped in a platinum-colored bliaut.
Edrick blinked blankly at that unreal sight, then realized that not only he, but everyone lined up in the nave, was staring at her in a daze.
He checked the expressions of the Crown Prince and the First Princess.
The Crown Prince was glaring at his younger sister with the expression of an evil spirit, while the First Princess wore a calm face, though every joint of her tightly clasped hands had turned white.
Sensing the taut tension flowing among the three imperial siblings, Edrick quietly moved to stand beside the Second Princess.
But no one there paid any attention to him.
Only Thalia Roem Ghirta rolled her eyes and glanced at him once.
However, even her interest soon returned to Varkas and Gareth.
“Why are you just standing there? Weren’t you about to have a brawl?”
The Crown Prince, grinding his teeth so hard his jaw seemed about to break, slowly drew back from Sir Siarkan.
Then he carefully looked his younger sister over from head to toe and twisted his lips cynically.
“I don’t know whom you dressed up like that for, but you don’t think that will hide your filthy origins, do you?”
“Didn’t you scold me a few days ago because my outfit wasn’t modest enough? I made a special effort today because you kept complaining, so it hurts to hear you say that.”
After stiffening for a moment, the princess approached him with a meaningful smile hanging on her lips.
Edrick looked at her with horrified eyes.
She had suffered so badly just yesterday, yet she was trying to provoke the Crown Prince again.
Her behavior left him beyond shocked, almost stunned.
But whether he was flustered or not, the Second Princess brought her face close to the Crown Prince’s and added softly,
“I worked so hard to dress exactly to my elder brother’s taste...”
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