Chapter 06
In any case, the banquet hall quickly filled with chaos as people fled in panic and others rushed to confront the magical beasts. Hearing the continuous noise outside, it was clear that this wasn’t the only Monster Bird that had entered the barrier.
“This makes no sense…!”
“How did a Monster Bird get in!”
“D-Dad!”
The First Prince and Second Princess were in shock, while the Second Prince threw away his dignified, mature act and searched for his father.
“Rubelio!”
“Come this way! Quickly!”
Naturally, the people who had been relaxing were now in a frenzy. The Imperial Guard, who had been stationed inside and outside the hall, handled the beasts while swiftly evacuating the guests. I could see the bluish protective films of magic stones activating in various spots throughout the hall.
“Kieeeek!”
Two or three more Monster Birds smashed through the windows and invaded the banquet hall.
‘Wow, I’m seeing it again, but it really is a total mess.’
Watching this chaotic scene made the fact that I had truly returned to the past feel vivid and real.
“Princess!”
Margaret called out to me urgently and ran over.
“Agh, save me!”
“Ah!”
At that moment, I saw someone trip and fall to the floor after being bumped by the fleeing crowd. It was the First Prince, Euclied. Unlike the Second Prince and Second Princess, who had already evacuated with the adults, he was stranded alone and in trouble.
Honestly, no matter how chaotic the situation, it made no sense for no one to be looking after him. But let’s just overlook this plot hole. Since <Princess Asphodel> is a classic cliché story, it blatantly gave the female lead a chance to get close to her brother in the beginning. In the original, Asphodel gets hurt while saving the First Prince from a Monster Bird’s attack, which wins his favor.
But would I be crazy enough to get hurt in his place?
Nope. There isn’t enough loyalty or affection between us for that.
“Ugh!”
“Kya!”
Still, I pulled the First Prince with all my might and pushed him toward the back, where Margaret was running. I didn’t do it because I liked the First Prince; I did it because putting him in my debt would be useful later.
“Kreeeeeek!”
Before I could think further, a Monster Bird lunged at me.
“D-danger!”
“Princess!”
If I were a real five-year-old, I might have sat down and sobbed. Even now, it’s not like I’m completely unafraid. But is it because I’ve already died twice? I definitely felt like I had less fear than before.
“Kieeeek!”
“Hyah!”
What I had to do next was already decided. I picked up something that had fallen nearby with both hands and shoved it into the wide-open maw of the Monster Bird.
What was it?
It might seem random, but it was a flower that had been decorating the banquet hall.
Thwack!
“Kieeeeeeee…!”
Isn’t there a saying that you shouldn’t hit someone even with a flower? The Monster Bird, its tongue pierced by the sharp flower stem, twisted its body and let out a frantic roar. Of course, it wasn’t in pain simply because it was hit by a sharp object.
The Asphodel flower—Lozantina’s national flower that decorates every important imperial event—contains a faint divine power. Since magical beasts and divine power are opposites, it had the effect of deterring the beast, at least temporarily. However, it was obviously not enough to completely defeat the monster.
“Kyaaaak!”
The Monster Bird, eyes rolling back after being attacked by me, lunged again with an even more violent killing intent.
‘Ugh, it spat on me! This thing has quite a temper for something that just ruined someone’s birthday!’
But there was no need to worry. Buying just a little bit of time was enough.
“Stand back.”
As expected, in the next moment, a shimmering wave of golden light poured out. Even though I had predicted the situation, I couldn’t help but close my eyes because it was so bright.
Shwaaaaa—!
When I opened my eyes a moment later, I saw a woman with a halo around her shining golden hair ruthlessly tearing the monster’s head off with her bare hands.
“Her Majesty…!”
“Princess, Prince! Are you all right?”
The Imperial Guards, who had noticed the trouble here while dealing with Monster Birds elsewhere, rushed over. Margaret, her face pale as a ghost, ran over and grabbed me in a hug.
“Oh my god, Princess! Are you hurt anywhere?!”
The blonde woman who had completely finished off the Monster Bird looked back at me, still carrying that dazzling halo behind her. It was hard to believe she was the same person who had just snapped the neck of a monster several times her size; her movements were still incredibly relaxed and bored. The dark blue blood dripping from the monster’s head in her firm hand was quite gruesome.
She had a figure that might look fragile at a glance, but she didn’t seem weak at all. Is there anyone else in this world who radiates such a strong sense of life? Amidst the noise, my eyes met hers.
“You aren’t afraid of magical beasts.”
A calm, low voice echoed above my head. It wasn’t a very loud voice, yet it had a strange tone that felt like it filled my ears completely. I felt a chill run down my spine and swallowed hard.
‘M-Mother is scarier than the magical beast…’
She was the mother of Asphodel: Emperor ‘La Belika Gloriana Esmeralda Lozantina.’ Her name was long, so she was usually just called Emperor La Belika. With golden hair and eyes that sparkled with the brilliance of the sun, she was the great ruler of this land, Lozantina.
I could fully understand why many people followed her from the bottom of their hearts, calling her the second coming of the Goddess. She had a charisma that made you feel like you wouldn’t mind being exploited as her footstool for the rest of your life.
Emperor La Belika glanced at her other children standing further away, then turned her gaze back to me and tilted her head.
“The other Princess and Princes are not in their right minds. Is it because she is Rokshan’s daughter?”
What’s with this distant way of speaking? Asphodel is your daughter too… A child isn’t made by the father alone.
“Your Majesty, we have dealt with all the Monster Birds that invaded the banquet hall!”
Just then, the Imperial Guard announced the end of the incident. Emperor La Belika’s gaze left me.
“And outside?”
“Lord Rokshan took the lead and resolved it.”
“Calm the people and check for injuries to provide treatment.”
“Yes!”
While Margaret checked my condition thoroughly, my mother settled the situation in the hall.
“Your Majesty! Y-Your Majesty!”
But today’s events weren’t over yet. An official who ran in from outside the hall bowed hastily before my mother and spoke.
“A fire has broken out in the Rosarium!”
At that moment, I felt the energy flowing from my mother’s body flicker dangerously.
“In the Rosarium?”
It made sense. The ‘Rosarium’ mentioned by the guard was a sanctuary of Lozantina that must never be destroyed.
“Yes! They say an accident occurred while trying to stop a rogue Monster Bird. Fortunately, it was extinguished immediately, but the restricted area is part of the territory where the flames spread… You must go there at once.”
A chilling smile soon appeared on my mother’s lips.
“They are quite bold. If they want to be wiped out by my hand down to their very roots, I shall grant their wish.”
The head of the magical beast in my mother’s hand was ruthlessly discarded into a pool of dark blue, slimy blood. It was a moment that predicted that the white Monster Birds, who had fearlessly broken the palace barrier today, would soon vanish from the land of Lozantina without leaving a single claw behind.
“Your Majesty, I will follow.”
“There is no need. Stay and send the people in the hall back.”
The other consorts stepped forward late, but my mother left the banquet hall with only her attendants, her robes fluttering behind her. The inside of the hall was in a miserable state, broken and shattered everywhere. Because of the monster carcasses and the dark blue blood, there was almost nowhere to step on the floor.
Still, fortunately, there seemed to be no deaths. In my memory, there were injuries on this day, but no one died.
‘Hmm? Come to think of it, I feel like I’m forgetting something.’
I looked around and realized what it was.
‘Ah! Dad’s present!’
“Princess, where are you going again?”
“I left something over there.”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
I took Margaret and ran over to pull out the blue-ribboned box I had hidden in the “safe zone” earlier, clutching it preciouslly to my chest. On the way back, I spotted the First Prince, whom I had tossed to Margaret earlier.
‘Oh, right. He was there too.’
Other people were looking after the First Prince, who seemed a bit dazed and shocked. He had tried so hard to act mature earlier, but now he looked like his actual age.
‘Well, I’ve put him in my debt, so I don’t need to care anymore.’
“Adel!”
Then, I heard my father’s voice calling me desperately. With the sound of large, flapping wings, a blue Divine Beast flew through the broken window of the hall. My father jumped down from it. It seemed he had been tied up with the work outside and rushed to me as soon as the situation was somewhat settled.
