CHAPTER 142…………………………………………..
Because it was a phrase repeated countless times, Bianca showed no reaction.
Alex continued speaking.
“But that doesn’t mean I dislike or hate you. I just… I feel pity for you. And I hope you can be happy, like you were before.”
“…Like… before…”
A faint voice escaped from Bianca’s lips.
It was the image of herself now distant, far away.
Even if she tried to remember, she couldn’t return to that time—and perhaps didn’t want to.
“I will always cheer for you. For your happiness, and for the true love you will one day find.”
“…Huh?”
For the first time, a look of surprise flickered across Bianca’s otherwise expressionless face.
“…Ugh!”
Suddenly, a sharp, pungent scent hit her nose and mouth, and Bianca’s body melted weakly.
Confirming this, Alex returned the handkerchief soaked in the anesthetic scent to his chest.
At that moment, those who had been hiding like shadows revealed themselves.
“…Take her quickly.”
Men covering all parts of their bodies except their eyes: Sherbet, Ron, the Keraise brothers, and Gurtur.
They had sneaked into the prince’s palace the day before and hidden in the guest palace where the Crown Prince stayed.
The palace was heavily guarded, but since this had all been planned with the Crown Prince, hiding was not difficult.
‘I’ll teleport her! Isn’t that the fastest way to kidnap Bianca?’
Sherbet recalled what Maryanne had said while planning the operation.
But the royal palace was protected by a massive invisible barrier.
Magic could not be used without permission from within the palace.
So confronting it directly was the only option.
It was also the Keraise men’s way of doing things.
“…Lady Alter.”
The moment Sherbet caught sight of the collapsed Bianca, he felt his heart crumble.
Gurtur tried to hurriedly pick her up, but Sherbet stopped him.
“I’ll do it. I want to.”
Sherbet had endured all the hardships just for this moment.
He had trained through the strongest drills, moving a body stiffened by paralysis.
He felt a lump in his throat at how light Bianca was in his arms. But such feelings were useless in this situation.
“Brother.”
“Yes…”
Sherbet finally calmed himself in front of the Crown Prince, looking at Ron.
“Then, I entrust her to you, Young Duke.”
Sherbet lowered his head at the Crown Prince’s worried gaze.
With that, Sherbet, Ron, and Gurtur left the guest palace.
The Crown Prince had told them a secret path, but the heavily guarded palace meant they encountered soldiers along the way.
“Leave this to me.”
Gurtur drew his massive sword and blocked the soldiers, while Sherbet ran swiftly with Bianca in his arms.
Ron followed closely behind.
They had to get out of the palace safely and meet Anne.
Outside the palace, magic could be used, and things would proceed smoothly from there.
Sherbet ran faster, and just as the exit came into view…
Clang! Clang!
A group appeared, swords drawn.
“How dare you! To kidnap the future Crown Princess!”
“We must kill him!”
Sherbet’s red eyes scanned them.
Ten in total.
But their appearance was strange.
They weren’t dressed like palace soldiers.
“Brother, they’re suspicious.”
Ron, swords in hand, agreed.
Only ten, yet the aura emanating from them was unlike ordinary people.
Ron gripped his sword tightly.
“I’ll handle them. You go first.”
“Right. I trust you.”
Sherbet nodded at Ron’s words.
He held her in his arms. He could fight while holding her, but if she were hurt…
Nothing like that could happen.
Her safety was the top priority.
“Ugh!”
A man hit by Ron’s sword fell.
Receiving a glance from his younger brother to clear the way, Sherbet ran in that direction.
“The guy’s escaping! Catch him… ugh!”
The man who tried to pursue Sherbet collapsed.
One by one, all the others fell in the same way.
“…”
Seeing the fallen men and the tips of the well-struck swords, Ron knew for sure.
“It’s them.”
Shant Keraise and Dannis.
Like when they had died, their bodies now seemed hollow, as if emptied from the inside.
The spiral markings on their necks, shoulders, and chests confirmed it.
“The evil spirits had possessed them.”
Then the evil spirits had already left their bodies and would look for other hosts.
Gurtur ran toward them. Ron sheathed his sword and hurried alongside him outside the palace.
Inside the palace, chaos erupted.
The wedding was about to begin, yet the bride was missing?
The bride had been kidnapped!
She was a saint with holy powers.
A being capable of displaying the royal family’s might to the entire empire.
But…
The grand hall, prepared for the wedding, was filled with elaborate decorations and high-ranking nobles.
Yet the bride and groom were absent.
The guests glanced at the emperor.
His face flushed red and blue, he had already smashed three goblets in his hands.
Clang!
“So… in this palace, someone dared… to kidnap the future Crown Princess…”
The advisor drew in a breath at the emperor’s piercing gaze, whispering even more quietly:
“…We’ve searched the Crown Prince’s guest palace thoroughly. Strangely, there were no soldiers present at that time. Even in the bride’s room, all were gone by the Crown Prince’s order.”
The emperor stared into the void for a moment before looking at his side.
“…Where is the Empress?”
Indeed, the Empress was missing, along with the bride and groom.
He assumed she might be late due to her health.
Suddenly, a heavy weight fell on the emperor’s mind.
His eyes snapped open sharply.
With the Crown Princess kidnapped, what were the Empress and Crown Prince doing?
Just as this suspicion arose, the Empress appeared.
“Your Majesty…! The Crown Prince has not regained consciousness…!”
“What?”
“The ones who kidnapped Lady Alter… they sprayed him with… ugh… a paralytic scent.”
The Empress’s tearful figure was pitiful beyond measure.
“A paralytic scent!”
“At first, he seemed fine… but he resisted until the very end to search for Lady Alter, and finally collapsed just now.”
“…!”
The emperor rose abruptly, staggering.
It was a massive mental shock.
As he straightened himself and took a step forward…
Crash!
His body struck the golden statue he treasured most.
The statue shattered into countless pieces, its original form unrecognizable.
“Your Majesty!”
“Quickly, get him out!”
Meanwhile, at the wedding hall, the Duchess of Alter could no longer remain seated and stormed outside, ignoring the stares of others.
She was on the brink of madness.
Bianca was gone.
It was impossible.
Whenever her daughter was out of sight even briefly, she sent people to check immediately.
Bianca had always been by the Duchess’s side.
But now, Bianca had been kidnapped.
“…Haah, my lady!”
A hastily arriving servant approached and reported.
“All the people you sent… have been killed.”
“What? By whom?”
“I am sorry, but… we don’t know.”
Smack! The servant was struck to the ground by the Duchess.
She turned her back and quickly processed the situation.
Bianca, a child with tremendous holy power.
People had killed for her sake before.
Yet now, someone had intentionally kidnapped her.
‘Just as I expected.’
Knowing Bianca’s holy power, she had anticipated that many would covet her.
She had never imagined this day would come.
The Duchess had to decide: either release people to search for Bianca, or abandon that strategy.
If she abandoned it, there would be no need for others to cling to her body anymore.
“Ahhhh!”
A scream echoed from inside the wedding hall.
The Duchess’s frown relaxed.
The emperor.
The source of the furious roar.
In that moment, countless black dots seemed to imprint in the Duchess’s eyes.
The kidnapping of a saint with holy power.
The Crown Prince paralyzed and collapsed.
A wedding ruined before everyone’s eyes.
The one most confused by this situation was the emperor.
His mind had grown weak enough to be probed.
The Duchess smiled faintly, licking her lower lip.
Her appetite was uncontrollably awakened.
