Ch#7

Episode 7

That dawn.

Arpad returned to the Crown Prince's palace.

The palace servants standing guard at the Crown Prince's palace were startled by his return.

"Y-Your Highness!"

"How are you already back...!"

"Why? Are you afraid I might go mad and tear you all to death?"

"Your Highness!!"

The servants were flustered but did not refute his words.

They were indeed all terrified.

Of when the Crown Prince's Madness might erupt.

Behind him, a vivid red moon was rising.

The Crimson Moon, the same one that had been present on the day the late Empress died from Madness.

Arpad glared at the moon, which resembled his own eye color, with loathing.

'Almost no one knows that I spend the night in the Catacombs on the day the Crimson Moon rises to suppress my Madness...'

But that woman knew and came looking.

Even bringing the silver coin for the dead that one must present to find the Mercenary King Arpad.

That wasn't all. He felt the texture of the pearl rolling in his palm.

'That woman knew information about both the Mercenary King and the Crown Prince.'

Information one could only know if they were certain from the start that the two were the same person.

Each piece of that information was at a level known by almost no one other than Arpad himself.

'Even if I planted spies throughout the Imperial Palace, the entire mercenary guild, no, the entire continent, it would be impossible to uncover these things.'

He had no idea how this could have happened.

After dismissing all the servants filled with fear, Arpad checked the 'advance payment' given to him by that mysterious woman just moments ago.

A precious pearl larger than a thumbnail emitted a mysterious light.

'This is the real thing. Of course, I also confirmed the woman was drawing on the divine power of the artifact earlier, so that's to be expected.'

He took a deep breath and pressed the pearl to his forehead.

The divine power of the holy artifact reacted to the dragon's bloodline flowing in Arpad's veins and began to glow.

But.

"It's useless."

Just as she said.

The blessing remaining in the holy artifact could not neutralize or remove this Madness flowing through Arpad's inherited bloodline.

In the end, the woman was right.

Relying on holy artifacts was one of his shallow hopes.

Even though he hadn't placed great expectations on it, confirming it truly had no effect brought a wave of helplessness.

Arpad threw the pearl on the floor.

And remembered.

'That woman, just who is she?'

The woman who had found him in an astonishing way just a few hours ago.

'How did she know this would fail?'

A woman with fine, fluffy-looking pink hair that stood out.

Her deep purple eyes were like violet candy, and her smooth white skin held a faint pink flush reminiscent of cherry blossoms.

Despite having an appearance so sweet it seemed like it would melt at the touch of a tongue...

"This pearl, and any other blessed gem or divine artifact, will be useless."

'It was a very cold statement.'

And on top of that, adding bold and threatening blackmail.

One thing was certain.

'Whatever her identity, that woman is too dangerous.'

It was clear she should not be left quietly by Ludwig's side.

What if she used that mysterious ability for Ludwig?

'The Crown Prince would change immediately.'

Looked at that way, he ultimately had no room for choice.

'That request masking a threat, from the start it wasn't something I could refuse.'

And that woman was confident of that.

The violet-colored eyes that had stared back at him with an eerily fearless gaze piqued his interest anew.

They were eyes imbued with calm madness.

If he saw those eyes again, his resolve might become more certain.

Arpad glared at the sky just beginning to dawn and laughed savagely.

Unbeknownst to him, this resembled a starving beast that had already marked its prey.

In the end, having greeted the morning sun with sleepless eyes, he had his chamberlain bring his white formal attire.

* * *

There's a proverb I came to absolutely hate after my first regression.

It was: "Even if you wring a chicken's neck, dawn will come."

Because every time I desperately wished the next day wouldn't come, that proverb always mercilessly became reality.

In the end, the next day came yet again.

'The morning of my fourth wedding day.'

Aside from the first time, there wasn't a shred of excitement or joy.

Of course, the fact that I'm greeting the wedding day itself this quietly in my own room is something that's happened only a few times.

Right after my first regression, I tried to run away to the temple to become a nun but failed.

And the regression right before this one...

'I ran away with Sir Beltane and failed most miserably.'

A voice calling me from behind was heard.

"Hilia."

I slowly turned my head.

"Ludwig..."

My lips forming his name were trembling.

Of course, it wasn't because seeing this bastard's face made me sentimental or because I had lingering feelings or anything.

Ugh.

'I really want to punch this son of a bitch!'

The fingertips holding the bouquet were trembling with overflowing rage.

Honestly, I had felt a bit of regret yesterday.

'Because I thought regression was over now, and I was moving around too frantically while worrying about the possessor.'

Moreover, I had no choice because I was too focused on Arpad.

But now that the wedding day has arrived and I see his face, the murderous intent and resentment are surging up, making it hard to bear.

'At least once during my three regressions, I should have punched that bastard in the face!'

But not now. I can't. It's not time yet.

Then that bastard Ludwig's bullshit voice was heard.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through because of you yesterday? Getting a new wedding dress and veil prepared wasn't an ordinary task!"

A sound like something snapping in my head was heard.

He was speaking almost like he was bullying me.

I protested with a trembling voice.

"B-but Ludwig. I'm not the one who ruined the dress. It was an intruder..."

"Still, if you had locked the door properly, nothing would have happened!"

There was someone yesterday who said something similar with that logic.

"Even though it's something that happened because sister-in-law carelessly didn't lock the door..."

It seems that bastard ended up fighting with Evangeline yesterday and reached a similar conclusion.

Judging by how he brought the exact same logic.

And perhaps the two dramatically reconciled by blaming me in the same way.

I know it well because I've seen that scene not once or twice in my past lives.

"Right. Eva. How could you be at fault? It's Hilia, who stole the position that should rightfully be yours, who's the problem."

"No. It must be hardest for you, having to hide your true feelings."

My blood pressure surged wildly anew.

'Hold back. I must hold back. I must hold back now, Hilia Delphine!'

The clock seems to be moving too slowly.

But I felt like I couldn't possibly hold back from revealing my anger and hatred, so I bowed my head deeply instead.

"Crying just from being told off this much. How can you fulfill your duties as a Grand Duchess with such a weak heart?"

His bullshit continued incessantly.

"No matter how heartbroken you are about the dress being ruined because of you. To make your neck look like that. Where on earth is your mind?"

He's talking about the wounds from Arpad's blade cutting me and choking my neck last night.

To anyone seeing it, my wounds looked perfect for misunderstanding as a failed attempt at making a bad choice.

Another commotion broke out this morning trying to cover this with a choker and lace decoration.

Annie's wailing and Sir Beltane's worried face when they saw me this morning came vividly to mind.

But my fiancé, who should be the most worried and saddened, was busy using it as a pretext to pressure me.

"To be honest, I'm very disappointed. Hilia. To the point where I want to reconsider marrying you."

I knew Ludwig's methods well.

He was now leisurely waiting.

For me to apologize and beg.

As had always been the case until now.

Then he would become the magnanimous, merciful husband who generously forgave my mistakes.

'You think I'll do as you wish?'

I stalled for time with delicate calculation.

After biting the inside of my mouth to force out tears, I appealed to him again with a sobbing voice.

"Actually, actually Ludwig... There was another intruder at dawn. What should I do?"

"...What?"

Before Ludwig's flustered reply could grow longer, I laid it all out to the end.

"I was sleeping and felt something strange, so I woke up, and someone was choking my neck."

"Don't talk nonsense! I strengthened security even more after yesterday's incident! And you're saying there was an intruder?! You must have had a nightmare or something!"

"Then what about these wounds?"

"You must have self-harmed while having a nightmare, stupidly!"

I shook my head and burst into tears.

"Do I look like someone who could inflict such wounds on myself? If it wasn't an external intruder, then it must have been someone inside!"

"...!"

Ludwig couldn't refute this statement of mine.

Even though I was almost collapsing from crying, Ludwig didn't support me.

He was just lost in thought with a complicated expression.

I began to fan the flames of the suspicion I had sown yesterday.

"There really must be someone, someone who wants to interfere with our wedding, Ludwig! What should we do?"

Ludwig looked agitated.

"That's impossible. There can't be such a person."

Unlike earlier when he was confidently pressuring me, his voice lacked confidence.

I sniffled and retorted.

"There could be someone secretly admiring you. Closer than you think."

"...What?"

I could see Ludwig noticeably flinch.

I pressed him even harder.

"A woman who loves you might want to interfere with our wedding even if it means killing me!"

"...That can't be. It's just speculation."

"If not, then who on earth would ruin the dress and try to kill me, the bride, and why?"

"If that were true, why didn't you call for help when there was an intruder at dawn?!"

I lifted my head. And met Ludwig's gaze head-on.

I could see Ludwig visibly flinch.

"I did call."

"What? But no one heard..."

I sobbed like the most pitiful woman in the world and said.

"I called for you countless times!"

"What? What nonsense is this all of a sudden?"

Of course, this is indeed nonsense.

I had to stay quiet as a mouse yesterday dawn when I met Arpad so I wouldn't get caught.

But is there any need to tell the truth?

I lied with a composure that surprised even myself. It was all too easy in front of Ludwig.

A voice so desolate and pitiful it could bring tears to one's own ears flowed out.

"You have no idea how many times I called your name while being choked. But... you didn't come."

"No, what on earth are you talking about? Right now?!"

He seemed angry, as if driven to madness and insanity.

I poured oil on the fire.

"Were you perhaps with another woman and couldn't hear my scream?"

"Hilia!!!"

Unlike just moments ago, he was startled as if pricked by this statement.

'Well, he actually does have a woman, so that's understandable.'

He now dismissed my nonsense as mere hysteria right before the wedding.

And began to get angry.

"Stop crying and get up already, can't you, Hilia?!"

Ludwig grabbed my wrist and pulled roughly.

"Ah!"

Though hidden by the sleeve, this was where Arpad had grabbed me roughly yesterday, leaving a bruise.

My scream tore through the air louder and sharper than expected.

Ludwig was flustered.

"Wh-what?"

Then.

Through the half-open door crack, an angry, dignified voice seeped in.

"Just what are you doing right now, Ludwig?"

Still holding my wrist, Ludwig turned around in shock.

There stood a middle-aged man wearing splendid golden ceremonial robes.

His platinum hair, now graying with streaks of white, somewhat resembled someone I saw yesterday.

Even his fairly grown beard couldn't completely hide the scar running from his left cheek to his chin.

But no matter how large the scar, it couldn't diminish the man's dignity and nobility in the slightest.

Who he was, both Ludwig and I knew well.

"Your Majesty the Emperor!"

Translator: Nox