CHAPTER 67……………………………….
Thanks to the trial ending quickly, we were able to depart for the Imperial Kingdom immediately.
Since the misunderstanding with Cassius had been cleared up, I could have shared a carriage with him. However, because Sertina insisted on traveling with me—giving every hint imaginable—I ended up separated from Cassius.
Of course, Cassius’s gaze toward Sertina wasn’t exactly normal either.
It felt like a fight might break out, so I quickly said, “I’ll go with Her Highness!” and chose Sertina.
I watched Cassius’s carriage depart with lingering reluctance when Sertina spoke up.
“I’m uncomfortable too. Don’t make it obvious that you dislike me.”
Her words, strangely sharp, left me dumbfounded.
‘Wait… you still seem to dislike me. So why do you want to ride together?’
Was she trying to bother me on purpose?
Having already been slapped by her, I was understandably uncomfortable. Perhaps noticing my wary gaze, she spoke again.
“If you have complaints, say them. During your priest training, you’re under my authority.”
Well, if you put it that way…
“Your Highness, you don’t dislike me?”
“I don’t dislike you. I just don’t want to be close.”
Her words and actions didn’t match at all.
I wasn’t sure what Sertina was thinking, but it was clear she didn’t like me.
Not wanting to get on her bad side, I avoided her gaze and stared out the window.
It felt like sitting on a bed of nails. I felt sorry for myself having to endure the journey to the Imperial Kingdom like this.
‘I should just ignore Sertina’s looks and have gone with His Majesty.’
I regretted it immediately.
“By the way, I heard the Ancient Divine Text is being translated. Do you think the final awakening is possible?”
Lucius’s diary, which described the method for the final awakening of the healing power, I had only skimmed the cover of.
Looking at the diary, it might be possible to awaken in the end, but there was no need to tell Sertina. I didn’t want to give her false hope.
“I’m not sure. As far as I know, there’s been no news yet.”
“Hm.”
I expected her to be angry like, ‘You useless thing! Can’t you awaken already?!’, but Sertina smiled contentedly.
Something felt off.
“Aren’t you angry?”
“Why would I be?”
“Because I couldn’t help you at all.”
“I never had any expectations of you anyway. And I’ve decided to stop relying on the gods as well.”
The person going off for priest training was saying such reckless things!
No, more importantly, if you’re not supposed to rely on the gods, then why did you hit me?
You slapped a priest who couldn’t achieve the final awakening!
I felt outrageously wronged.
In contrast to my gloom, Sertina seemed uplifted, speaking in a slightly brighter voice.
“I’ve submitted a request to the Mage Tower. I’ve confirmed the medicine’s effectiveness. Soon my leg will be fully healed.”
Sertina even scoffed with excitement.
Wow, that’s great and all, but I had never heard of this.
According to the original story I read, Sertina’s leg was never healed in her lifetime.
Because she was a secondary character in the BL novel, there wasn’t much about her. But I remembered everything because her story was important to Shane.
Mage Tower, medicine… thinking carefully, I realized I had missed something.
‘Right, the Mage Tower Master!’
After the war with the Imperial Kingdom, the Mage Tower came under Imperial supervision. Alchemists belonging to the Mage Tower could not freely go outside without permission.
One of the obsessive masters of the Mage Tower allied with Shane. The master’s goal was simple:
“I’ll make you Emperor, so lift the Mage Tower’s restrictions.”
They worked with Shane, but the alliance collapsed when both of them fell for Lancelot.
This time, however, Shane hadn’t fallen for Lancelot, so their alliance seemed intact.
I also remembered that the Mage Tower Master had extorted money from a gullible person in various ways. Now I realized who that gullible person was…
‘It was Her Highness, the Princess!’
Sertina, as a ruler, had many attributes, but her obsession with healing her leg was extreme. She wouldn’t hesitate to try any superstition if it could heal her leg.
The Mage Tower Master took advantage of her obsession to extort money in various ways.
Now, with her leg seemingly healed and imagining running around, Sertina spoke excitedly.
“If my leg heals, the lords who push me away will all shut up.”
She looked certain of herself.
‘Should I tell her?’
That her money was all going to the enemy Shane, and that the medicine was fake.
But looking at her thrilled expression about her leg, I gave up. If I said anything now, she’d probably not believe me and get angry instead.
‘There’s still a chance.’
Unlike in the original story, Sertina was coming to the Imperial Kingdom.
People affiliated with the Mage Tower couldn’t easily enter the Imperial Kingdom, so buying the medicine would naturally be delayed.
If I could become a little closer to her before she bought the Mage Tower medicine, I could give proper advice.
But how do I get close to Sertina…?
I was lost in thought.
Wheeaaah!
The horses pulling our carriage neighed loudly, and the carriage swayed violently.
The coachman shouted,
“Ugh! The horses are acting strange!”
The carriage began tilting wildly as its speed increased.
Clatter! Clatter! The carriage I was in with Sertina jolted along a bumpy road off the smooth carriage path.
The rough ride made the carriage shake up and down, and the cargo under the seats flew out.
“Kyah!”
Sertina screamed, clutching her head in shock.
I held the seat tightly and looked out the window.
‘What the hell is happening?’
The imperial guards tried to grab the flying reins, but they were powerless against the frenzied horses.
Crack! A loud sound of breaking wood echoed, and leaves scattered outside the window. It seemed a tree the carriage collided with had splintered.
I ducked instinctively, then peeked out. In the distance, I saw a hill.
‘Ah, please, not falling again…’
Luckily, it didn’t seem very high, so I should be safe if I held on tight.
I gripped the chair tightly and tried not to be jostled. My eyes fell on Sertina.
Her leg was weak, and even holding the seat firmly, she couldn’t support herself and shook violently. If she lost balance, she could be thrown out the window.
Without a moment to hesitate, I grabbed Sertina tightly, pressing her against the carriage seat.
“Your Highness, lower your head!”
“Kyah!”
Crack, crash, bang!
A loud sound of something breaking came. The carriage wheel flew outside the window.
At the same time, my body felt weightless.
A moment later, a huge shock hit, and everything went black.
Cassius had been feeling unpleasant throughout his time in the Empire. The irritation didn’t ease as he left the Empire; instead, it grew, suffocating him.
While trying to calm his turbulent emotions, a guard at the rear ran up quickly.
“Your Highness! The carriage carrying the Princess has left formation!”
It was the carriage Sonia was in.
Because the Princess had difficulty moving, the carriage had been traveling slowly. Suddenly, it sped uncontrollably toward the hill.
Hearing the report, Cassius immediately turned his carriage and headed to the accident site.
At the bottom of the hill lay an overturned, broken carriage.
The horse had fled after the harness came loose from the impact, and the coachman had been thrown. Seeing the scene, Cassius felt his irritation reach its peak.
‘Sonia…?’
It was too far to see anything inside the broken window. He needed to check her condition immediately.
The approaching guards went down the hill to handle the scene.
Cassius tried to follow, but one guard blocked him.
“It’s dangerous because of the debris.”
Losing patience, Cassius pushed the guard aside and descended.
Up close, the scene looked even worse.
A guard approached Cassius and reported.
“The coachman is dead.”
“…”
“We could hear the Princess inside the broken carriage, but the door is bent and won’t open easily.”
Several guards struggled to open the carriage door, bent from rolling down the hill.
Everything seemed painfully slow.
Cassius approached the carriage.
“You’re in the way.”
A warning tone, as if telling them to back off.
The guards stepped aside. With his overwhelming strength, Cassius tore the door off, shocking everyone nearby.
Inside, hair of silver and black was tangled in the wreckage. Among the mess, the dark strands reminded him unpleasantly of someone—Sonia.
He wanted to remove the dark hair immediately.
“Annoying.”
Muttering, Cassius reached in.
Sertina, clinging to Sonia, felt an unidentifiable terror and squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t read Cassius’s expression, but she sensed an unknown killing intent.
Cassius pulled Sonia toward him and checked her neck.
Her pulse was beating. He carefully examined her face. Minor scratches, but fortunately no serious injuries.
Only then did his boiling anger subside slightly.
