The curse is not over.
CHAPTER 9
It was a poisonous flower, but she didn't mind at all. That was the least of her concerns now.
Watching the flower crushed by her own hands, Carnephelia turned to the attendants who were praising the second prince as if he were the sweetest brother in the Imperial Palace.
"The bedroom is small, so keep all these gifts in the other room."
"Won't you open the boxes, Your Highness?"
"If it's a birthday present. I'll unwrap it on the day of my birthday."
"Oh, we understand, Your Highness."
The attendants were so puzzled but nodded in agreement. They didn't even notice the crushed flower in the princess's hands.
Concealing her hands that had turned blue right away, Carnephelia calmly said...
"I'd like to have a meal."
"Oh! Your meals are already prepared in the dining hall, princess."
"Great. I'm going to dry my hair before going downstairs, so you can move these boxes now."
"Yes, Your Highness."
While the attendants were busy moving the gifts to another room, Carnephelia went back to the bathroom. She immediately turned on the water, washed her hands, and soon fell on the floor catching her breathing.
"Uugghh!"
Carnephelia's groans were drowned out by the sound of the water as she writhed in pain as if her palms felt like they were burning. Just in case, she even put a towel in her mouth and endured the pain alone.
The Carnephelia flower is a poisonous flower that is known to be so beautiful that only blooms in the underworld. Anyone who touched those petals would surely inflict pain like your hands were on fire.
That frightening flower was Ianfried's favorite one, and it was also the ingredient that ruined her body from her previous life. And even now.
You damn bastard!
She cursed her brother over and over again while laughing like an insane woman.
Ianfried Dan Hellsdante.
That cold-blooded was born with a blessing, unlike her who has nothing but misfortunes.
How old is he now? Well, it doesn't matter. I don't mind if Ianfried remembers everything from their previous life.
"...I'll just kill him again."
The only option is death. Of course, he won't die easily.
"Bloody hell..." Her hands were nowhere calm from the burning pain.
And with that, she continuously cursed her brother to death.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
There was a subtle atmosphere in the Imperial Palace because of the rumors that were circulating.
"How did it come to this?"
"Who knows what's on the emperor's mind."
"His Highness, Prince Ianfried is already well established."
Helldante's right of succession to the throne was a qualification and right that couldn't be held except by the son of the emperor and the empress, or by the emperor duly bestowed upon him.
It was also a device that strengthened the emperor's power. It means that an heir who wasn't recognized by the emperor would never be able to obtain the throne. So far, only two princes have been granted the right to inherit the throne.
And that's more concerning.
"The second princess whose face we've never met?"
"A princess without any information, suddenly became a candidate to the throne? It makes no sense!"
The aristocratic fractions were unhappy with the sudden change in the succession structure. They were afraid that the relationships they had built up and the work they had done under the water would be disrupted.
The young male nobleman, Nasquan D'Argent, can't be able to vent his discomfort to those aristocrats. He didn't hold back the sneer that came from his lips.
"Tsk. Why the hell do they constantly complain about the succession to the throne?"
"Hold your mouth, Nasquan. They'll hear you!"
Some vassals looked in his direction, but Nasquan just shrugged his shoulders and sneered.
"Why such a fuss? They're indeed a bunch of foolish ones. Why would I let myself stuck in between?"
"You have to strengthen your relationship in the high society. Just like your father told to you."
"Geez. What's father sees in them?"
Niel grabbed the back of his neck as he heard Nasquan who openly spoke rudely to his own father.
"That's what society is all about!"
Nasquan only picked his ears as if he didn't hear what Niel just said. He turned his eyes back to those foolish nobles. They were the supporters of the second Prince, Ianfried. Or should we say, they were the central aristocrats that were gathered around by the current empress.
"Do you think the second prince who looks exactly like the emperor, will likely succeed to the throne? Wait, do you also support the second prince?!"
"Oh God, Nasquan, please...!!"
Seeing the nobles not bothering to hide their dirty desires, Nasquan rose from his seat.
"W-where are you going, Nasquan? Hey, we must say hello today!"
"Yes. That's what I'm going to do!"
"Oh, is that so? ... Hey! What are you doing?!
"I'm going to the Grand Duke. Report back to my father. Goodbye!"
Nasquan immediately went out of Niel's sight, and all he could do was scratch his head.
"Oh, no. What should I do now..."
Niel was worried about what the Marquis D'Argent would say later. He was already displeased by the fact that Nasquan and the Grand Duke Svenbach were so close. Leaving his future as one of the poor vassals to that insolent bastard was enough to give him goosebumps.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
"Hmm. What would the Grand Duke think of this new wind?"
Nasquan was so excited while heading to the Duchy of Svenbach. He wondered how the kind and merciful Grand Duke Svenbach, in contrast to the cruel royal family, would interpret this new wind brought by the second princess.
Nasquan wasn't expecting anything from this meeting. He's only here as what the Marquis told him to. But he can't believe what he heard from the emperor earlier! A grand banquet? Seriously?
Will the Grand Duke Svenbach appear at the banquet of the second princess, as the new candidate to the throne?
"I hope she gave a new light to this palace..." he murmured, as he walked slowly. "...I won't let that crazy bastard become the new emperor."
Second princess.... I hope you gave some new light to this shitty palace...
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Step. Step.
As soon as the bright moon rose in the night sky, a silhouette broke through the window of the second princess's bedroom. His silent presence was enough to be afraid of, but not for a little child, like Carnepehelia.
"......."
She opened her eyes and stared blankly at the assassin, who was currently above her head, pointing a knife at her neck.
Carnephelia let out a smirked.
"A-are you laughing now?" The masked assassin's eyebrows twitched.
There was a sharp knife pointing at her, and at any moment it would reach into her throat, but Carnephelia only said one word.
"L'elle."
Craack.
A bone-crushing sound was heard next, and soon the assassin fell into the floor.
L'elle looked down at the assassin with dark eyes and then turned her gaze to the young princess.
"Leave the corpse at the royal fountain of the Imperial Palace." L'elle nodded her head after receiving Carnephelia's command and went straight to the assassin.
L'elle makes a light search into his body before taking him, but then she suddenly stops when something rolls on the floor. She picked up that small ball like a pill and handed it over to the princess.
"Hmm."
When the two finally went outside through the window, Carnephelia placed the small ball in her palm and rolled it around with her index finger.
"I wondered who it might be..."
Oh God, why is she asking? It was so obvious that she wanted to laugh right now.
Carnephelia kept the poison in her pocket and grabbed the assassin's knife that L'elle had left behind.
A shadow assassin appeared just a moment ago. She couldn't imagine what would happen if L'elle hadn't been here today.
"Shit..." Her hand was now covered in blood. She had no idea that she gripped her hand tightly into the blade of the sharp knife. All she could think of was this shitty situation.
"Damn. I must be accustomed to this... but it still sucks."
Carnephelia stared up blankly at the night sky, not minding the scars on the hand that were inflicted by the knife.
"What a beautiful sight..." she murmured to herself.
She stood there for a moment before she decided to crawl back into her bed. And not long after, L'elle returned to her room as if those assassination attempts hadn't happened.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Clack. Clack.
The clashing sound of the armors seemed to be getting closer and closer. And soon after, the door opened so widely.
"Princess!"
The attendants came rushing in into her room upon the sudden visit of some soldiers.
Carnephelia straightened herself and then turned to the soldiers who had invaded her privacy. One of the soldiers shamelessly entered the young princess's room, scanned the room without any greeting, and just coldly said...
"Search the area."
"Yes, sir!"
Carnephelia just followed them with her eyes, still ignoring her presence.
"Stop this! This is the second princess's bedroom! How rude of you!"
A brave young maid stood in front of Carnephelia and shouted to the soldiers. It was the maid with dull light blue hair who handled her gifts from Ianfried yesterday.
The soldier glanced at the handmaiden and let out a grin. "We're only carrying out the orders given by the higher one. If you disturb me–"
The soldier fiddled with the sword he wore around his waist and growled menacingly at the maid, making her shiver in fear.
Carnephelia asked with a furrowed eyebrow. "Did that higher one asks you to search on my bedroom?"
"Well, we found two unidentified bodies in the royal fountain. We are ordered to take an investigation behind this incident."
The soldier's face looks so irritated. He was already annoyed by the fact that he had to speak to this child, or rather, to this insignificant young princess.
Seeing the soldiers not trying to hide their annoyance, Carnephelia tilted her head slightly.
"I don't know what those two undead bodies have to do with entering my bedroom."
"T-that's...!"
The soldier was about to retort but the princess's purple eyes looked straight at him, enough to make him freeze into his feet. The emperor and the second prince's red eyes were already frightening but this child's purple eyes evoked an indescribable eeriness.
Looking at the soldier's reaction, Carnephelia's mouth went up.
***
Translator & Editor: Rain Tolentino