“It seems the court mages have purchased another magical beast.”
The head maid, who had been quietly following her, answered as if sighing.
Thalia approached it as if drawn by something. Then the creature, which had been wrapping its body in black wings, raised its head.
Thalia flinched and hunched her shoulders.
On the body of a large strange bird covered in dark brown feathers, the head of a human woman was attached. But rather than the face of a living human, it looked as though a corpse had been stitched on.
As she blankly looked down at the pale face where blue veins showed through, a fishy voice like rotten fish reached her ears.
“Do you feel some sympathy because you are in the same boat?”
Thalia abruptly turned her head.
Gareth, dressed in a red doublet, was standing right behind her.
With a sneer on his lips, he slowly continued.
“A woman’s face attached to the body of a monster… Doesn’t that remind you of someone?”
His narrowed eyes moved down her body and stopped on her legs hidden beneath the hem of her dress.
Her half-brother’s smile deepened.
“I heard you gained some truly horrible scars… Still, unlike that monster, at least you can cover your body. How fortunate.”
At that moment, a bitter liquid like bile surged up her throat.
Thalia turned and struck the noble Crown Prince across the cheek.
Right beside her, a sound like a pig being slaughtered rang out. It was probably the sound of the head maid, who had been following her like a guard, foaming at the mouth. At the edge of her vision, Thalia vaguely saw the woman collapse backward.
Whether she did or not, Thalia raked her half-brother’s bronze face with fingernails from which the bruising had not yet faded.
Four bright red lines appeared from the corner of his eye down to the tip of his chin. But it was not a wound large enough to satisfy her.
She stretched out her arm again. Seeing that, the guards rushed over at once and seized her body from both sides.
Thalia struggled like a beast caught in a trap. But she could not break free at all.
Tears burst out from helplessness. With bloodshot eyes, she glared at her half-sibling.
A perfect body with a strong build.
No. It was no longer perfect.
Seeing blood flow down his face, Thalia burst into laughter.
“Try saying that again. I’ll make that face of yours unable to laugh ever again. I have nothing left to lose now. So I have nothing to be afraid of either.”
Gareth, who had been holding his cheek and staring at her with stunned eyes, twisted his face in a terrifying way.
Soon, a rough hand grabbed her by the hair.
He clutched the hair that had taken hours to braid up and pulled it violently, as if he would snap her neck.
“How dare… How dare someone like you lay a hand on my face?”
His bloodstained face flushed red to a ridiculous degree.
Thalia laughed even louder.
She could see reason leaving her elder brother’s eyes.
With his other hand, he grabbed her face and squeezed with enough force to crush her bones. Even through the pain that felt as though her head would burst, Thalia did not stop laughing.
At that moment, a strong hand suddenly cut in and pulled Gareth away from her.
Thalia collapsed to the floor as if crumbling. When the pressure that seemed about to split her skull disappeared, her blurred vision cleared, and a familiar silhouette entered her retina.
Thalia blinked blankly, then abruptly raised her upper body. The violently pounding sound of her heart seemed about to tear her eardrums.
With trembling hands, she hurriedly pulled the hem of her skirt down to her toes, and an oppressed voice sounded above her head.
“Ha, yes. It was about time for you to appear.”
Gareth roughly shook off the hand holding his wrist and ground his teeth. His dark green eyes burned black like the flames of hell.
“So you are finally going to betray us because of that wench?”
“…His Majesty ordered me to bring Her Highness the Second Princess.”
“You always use that sort of excuse…!”
“I will give my answer to Your Highness’s question after I have an audience with His Majesty.”
At Varkas’s incomprehensible words, Gareth’s bloodstained face twisted horribly.
A chilling grinding sound slipped through his clenched teeth.
Gareth, who had been grinding his teeth as if his jaw would shatter, soon grabbed the future Grand Duke by the shoulder and growled.
“Fine. I’ll look forward to what answer you give.”
Then he pushed through the gathered crowd and left.
Varkas looked at his retreating back for a moment, then lowered his gaze toward her.
Thalia felt every hair on her body shrivel.
Reflected in those abyss-like eyes, which always made her feel endlessly small, was her utterly miserable self. Those eyes seemed to shatter her to pieces.
Thalia placed her trembling hands on the floor. As she strained her shaking legs and struggled to stand, she felt a firm hand support her back.
Startled by his body coming so close, she pushed him away.
“D-Don’t…!”
But that weak resistance was easily ignored.
Varkas slid an arm under the backs of her knees and lightly lifted her up.
Swallowing a scream, Thalia pulled her skirt downward, afraid that her legs might be exposed. Even after confirming that the long hem covered her all the way down to her toes, her anxiety did not easily fade.
Clutching the end of her skirt tightly, she spoke in a voice that seemed to creep inward.
“I-I can walk on my own, so put me down.”
Varkas gave no reply.
Thalia swallowed dryly. His silence made her feel as though she were being strangled.
“I said put me down!”
When she raised her voice a little more, she felt the arms wrapped around her faintly tighten.
Thalia lifted her head and realized he was restraining something, so she closed her mouth.
Varkas, keeping his eyes fixed straight ahead, spoke in a subdued voice.
“You would not want to draw any more attention. If you endure me for just a little while, you can avoid the humiliation of staggering beneath their gazes.”
Thalia blankly looked up at his face, then rolled her eyes and looked around.
She saw dozens of pairs of eyes widened with shock and astonishment.
She lowered her head deeply, as if hiding from those gazes. A faint sigh fell over the crown of her head. Feeling as though tears would burst out again, Thalia clenched her teeth.
“Please endure it just a little longer.”
After whispering quietly, he quickened his pace further.
Before long, the massive door leading to the Emperor’s audience chamber appeared before them.
The chamberlain standing guard in front of it gaped when he saw Varkas appear carrying the Second Princess in his arms.
Ignoring his reaction, Varkas lightly gestured with his head.
“We have come at His Majesty’s summons. Open the door.”
When the chamberlain hurriedly flung the door open, a brightly shining, vast hall and a golden throne appeared.
Thalia raised her head and looked toward the seat of honor.
A man with a massive body that looked as though it had been forged from power was looking down at a parchment document with a bored expression.
Senevier, who had been sitting beside him and whispering something, tilted her head slightly and stared at Thalia. An elegant smile appeared on her beautiful face, which shone like a pearl.
“You are finally here.”
Only then did the Emperor’s gaze fix on her.
Thalia moistened her parched lips. She felt his gloomy eyes slowly look over her appearance. Unable to endure the shame any longer, Thalia struggled with her arms and legs.
“Put me down now.”
Ignoring her cry, Varkas strode toward the throne.
She looked up at him with confused eyes. She could not understand at all why this man was acting this way.
As Ayla’s fiancé, was it really all right for him to show such a sight in front of the Emperor?
As she examined the seat of honor again with tense eyes, a reproachful voice pierced her ears.
“I heard there was no particular problem with walking…”
Thalia stiffened her shoulders and, before she knew it, began babbling excuses.
“I fell on the way here, and Sir Siarkan merely helped me.”
Then, when she firmly pushed against his chest, Varkas, who had been standing as stiffly as a stone statue, finally set her down.
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