Chapter 18
Time passed, and it was now right before the start of the New Year Festival. Since Killian had to arrive at the imperial palace ahead of time, he had departed first…
‘Elshunain.’
‘Hm?’
‘Don’t move an inch from the estate.’
‘O-of course! Why do you say that like I’m planning to go somewhere?’
‘……’
Geez. Sharp guy.
Elshunain had spent several days calming him down before sending Killian off ahead.
And now, she was…
“His Highness the Crown Prince of the Holy Empire is entering!”
She had followed after Killian all the way here.
‘Here comes the villain.’
“Wow—! His Highness the Crown Prince!”
“Oooh! Look at that presence! So dignified!”
The crowd around Elshunain raised their voices in awe and admiration as they looked at the Crown Prince.
“Is the Holy Emperor still bedridden?”
“Where have you been? It’s gotten even worse, they say!”
“What if His Majesty closes his eyes for good?”
“What’s there to worry about! We have the Crown Prince!”
Middle-aged men whispered to one another as they looked up at the Crown Prince waving from the grand balcony. This was the plaza right in front of the imperial palace in the capital.
Following the skybridge that connected to the palace led directly to the central tower of the plaza. The balcony on that tower was where the Holy Emperor traditionally appeared to begin the New Year Festival.
On the first day of the festival, it was customary for the emperor himself to deliver a speech from that very spot to mark the beginning.
‘But the Holy Emperor is bedridden now.’
In his place, his son—Shimus, the Crown Prince of the Aetherna Holy Empire—appeared.
“His Highness must be having a hard time.”
“Truly. Ever since His Majesty suddenly collapsed last year, His Highness has been handling all state affairs.”
“Right! And his younger siblings are all too young to help.”
“Isn’t that a blessing in disguise? That just means His Highness is practically confirmed as the next Holy Emperor!”
Elshunain glanced toward the balcony, paying no real attention to the murmuring around her.
A young man with gentle features and long white hair, revered for its holiness, was smiling kindly and waving.
Next to him sat children with similarly white hair, sitting quietly like dolls.
“Don’t forget—the second prince is only a year younger than His Highness.”
At that moment, a man interjected, trying to show off what he knew.
“Well, that may be true… but ahem.”
The middle-aged man who had been praising the Crown Prince earlier cleared his throat and lowered his voice.
“But the Second Prince is cursed, isn’t he?”
“Right. Cursed with a terrible affliction.”
“Ahem. Y-yes, that’s true.”
The man who had interrupted shrank back in embarrassment.
BAAAM—!
Just then, trumpets rang loudly, signaling the beginning of the New Year Festival.
Elshunain lowered her gaze to the floor below the balcony, where the high-ranking nobles were gathered.
In the center, Killian sat upright. Around him, nobles kept their distance, not daring to approach.
‘In the original story, on the last day of the festival, Killian is framed. If Arwen hadn’t revealed herself as the missing Saintess and defended him, he would’ve been in serious danger.’
But Arwen wasn’t here now.
Elshunain couldn’t reveal her identity to protect him. Even if she had once been one of the Five Stars, she was not a saintess.
Pouting for a moment at her pitiful circumstances, Elshunain then shrugged and brushed it off.
‘That’s why I prepared in advance.’
She had sold Ashray’s scales and gotten money from Gold.
She planned to use that money.
Elshunain looked toward the small child seated behind the Holy Emperor and smiled quietly from under her robe.
The Second Prince of the Aetherna Holy Empire.
As rumors said, he was cursed. No one ever asked him to fulfill the duties or responsibilities of a second prince.
Because he physically couldn’t.
“Waaaah. Waaaah.”
“Y-Your Highness, this is His Highness the Crown Prince’s glove. So…”
“Sidder, Sidder! It’s mine! I want it!”
“Y-Your Highness…”
The young boy, with hair as fluffy and white as cotton candy, had a very adorable face.
He couldn’t have been older than 8.
He clutched a very expensive-looking glove in both hands and glared at the man who seemed to be his attendant.
‘Found you!’
Elshunain, who had used a magic scroll to hide her presence for an hour each day, had been scouring the palace. She was now trying to catch her breath quietly.
It was dragon magic, so she wasn’t worried about being discovered, but the one-hour time limit was risky.
‘Maybe 20 minutes left?’
Thankfully, she had memorized the palace layout beforehand. Otherwise, she would’ve had to give up and leave.
“Sidder! It’s mine!”
“Sigh, Your Highness. You’re twenty-two now. You shouldn’t be acting like this. Even if it’s the curse—ugh.”
“Curse? What’s that?”
The attendant, who had been rambling in frustration, suddenly froze at the prince’s question, realizing he had made a mistake.
As he hurriedly tried to take back the glove, it happened.
“What’s going on here?”
“Eep!”
The sudden voice from behind made the attendant jump—and Elshunain, too, gasped.
Killian, who should have been attending the banquet hosted by the Crown Prince, was right in front of them.
‘Why is he here?’
This wasn’t the time!
It felt like her entire plan to escape the palace after accomplishing her goal was beginning to fall apart.
“G-Guardian, it’s not what it looks like…”
The attendant, drenched in cold sweat, slowly released the glove—but only made things worse.
“Waaah! Waaaaah!”
Though cursed and twenty-two years old, the prince who looked like a child began to sob uncontrollably.
“You’re mean! You’re so mean! Waaah!”
“Y-Your Highness…”
The attendant reached out in a panic to soothe him—but couldn’t.
Smack!
Killian’s firm hand gripped the attendant’s forearm, catching it with the ease of squashing a fly.
“Enough.”
“Eek.”
“His Highness seems to want that glove. Let him have it.”
The attendant began to sweat even more.
“B-but this glove belongs to His Highness the Crown Prince…”
A cold voice cut in, sharp like a blade.
“Is the imperial palace truly so impoverished?”
“Pardon?”
His voice was alluringly low and smooth, but with his frosty expression, the attendant couldn’t enjoy it.
His fingers visibly trembled.
Killian continued.
“Or is it that the Crown Prince is so petty that he can’t even spare a single glove for his younger brother?”
“Eek.”
The attendant went pale.
“No, surely not… it’s just you who think that way, right?”
“N-no! Not at all!”
The attendant immediately let go of the glove and handed it to the prince respectfully, then stood stiffly and spoke rapidly.
“His benevolent Highness would never mind giving the glove to the prince! Please forgive me—may I leave to inform His Highness and get another glove?”
“Do as you wish.”
As the attendant scurried away, Killian knelt down and began putting the glove on the prince’s hand.
It was far too large for a child’s hand, but Killian treated him like an adult.
Without saying anything hollow or fake, he silently put the glove on and stood up.
Then, with a cold face, he bowed to the prince and walked away. The sound of his footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Two people watched him.
The prince, who had been crying just moments ago—
And Elshunain.
‘Why’s he walking this way of all directions?’
Even if Ashray’s magic was strong, Killian was her contracted guardian and wielder of the holy sword.
If anyone could detect her hidden presence, it was him.
Her heart pounded as he came closer.
Even now, his dazzlingly handsome face radiated an unnatural glow. Elshunain stared anxiously.
Step, step.
And just as he passed right beside her…
Stop.
He halted.
“……!”
“……”
She clamped her hands over her mouth and opened her eyes wide, holding her breath.
He stood there beside her for a few seconds—then began walking again.
Step, step.
‘Oh God. That scared me.’
Elshunain breathed a deep sigh of relief. Looking cautiously behind her, she saw no sign of Killian. He had likely turned the corner.
‘If I’d been caught, I’d probably be locked up in the palace right now.’
Maybe even tortured under suspicion of plotting something!
Pressing a hand to her pounding heart, Elshunain walked briskly toward the prince.
‘Now that his attendant is gone, this is my chance.’
The prince, his round eyes red from crying, was staring at the glove on his hand.
Elshunain looked down at him and opened her mouth.
“Hey, you little scammer.”
