Chapter 42
After the audience, Kaiden and I crossed the imperial palace toward the Diamond Palace.
Kaiden had suggested that since we were already at the palace, we should take a look at the place where the ceremony would be held.
“His Majesty issued a reprimand. Is it alright to be doing this? Shouldn’t we head straight back to the Grand Duke’s estate?”
When I asked, Kaiden shrugged.
“We’re just stopping by on the way.”
Now that I thought about it, Kaiden was someone who blatantly ignored orders.
*He’ll figure it out.*
I naturally moved to follow behind him. But Kaiden turned around and extended his hand.
“What?”
“Your hand.”
“…”
“Don’t walk behind me from now on. Walk beside me.”
Kaiden said something embarrassing so nonchalantly.
The palace workers nearby, who had been glancing at us, silently erupted into chaos. They nudged each other’s arms, exchanging sly looks.
My cheeks flushed at their reactions, but I obediently placed my hand in his. Kaiden’s large hand enveloped mine, pulling me closer.
*Well, we slept together last night. This is nothing.*
I tried to calm myself. But thinking about last night made me inexplicably flustered.
“Ahem. By the way, the punishment His Majesty gave seems lighter than expected.”
To push away idle thoughts, I spoke in a low voice, just loud enough for Kaiden to hear.
“Who do you think sent the brainwashing gem?”
“The Crown Prince, obviously.”
“I think so too. But do you think the Emperor doesn’t know that?”
“What?!”
I looked at him with shocked eyes.
“His Majesty probably knows everything. That’s why he brushed it off.”
Damn it.
He acted all benevolent, but in the end, he swept his son’s wrongdoing under the rug.
Realizing this, I felt like I’d been hit in the back of the head. Thinking about the Crown Prince made anger boil inside me.
If I could just beat him up a few times, this rage might subside.
“Even an emperor’s arm bends inward.”
I gritted my teeth and nodded. Blood ties, regional ties, academic ties—none of these exist for nothing. What a dirty world.
“No need to get too worked up about it. The Emperor owes us now. We should use them too.”
Kaiden smiled faintly. There was a wicked aura behind that smile. I quite liked that attitude.
Speaking of “using them”…
“So that’s why you asked for the brainwashing gem back? Because it’s evidence?”
When the Emperor told us to leave, Kaiden said he had more to investigate and asked for the gem back.
The Emperor said he’d entrust it to the head wizard, but Kaiden insisted that since the head wizard was absent, he needed to investigate before the culprit could destroy other evidence.
After some back-and-forth, we finally reclaimed the brainwashing gem.
[It showed he had no intention of handing the evidence over to the Emperor.]
I nodded quietly at Bled’s words, and Kaiden looked at me with a surprised expression.
“Exactly. It’s because it’s evidence. But…”
“What? Is there something else?”
“You noticed that. You’re really something, Marion.”
Kaiden looked at me with a serious expression. I was baffled, not understanding what he meant. He patted my head once and said earnestly,
“You’ve gotten smarter lately. Good job, Marion.”
“You…!”
This guy was teasing me for being dumb again! I was instantly furious.
Since we were in the palace, I couldn’t lash out and only clenched my fists. As petty revenge, I gripped his hand tightly, and Kaiden chuckled.
“Don’t laugh!”
“Can’t I even laugh? So this is what it’s like to be whipped by my wife.”
I stared at him in disbelief. His acting was so over-the-top it was infuriating. If I could just hit him once, I’d have no regrets.
I was fuming, my face red, when we arrived at our destination.
“The Diamond Palace.”
“!”
A transparent, beautiful palace stood before us. Its intricate decorations, made of diamonds, lived up to its name.
[How much is all that worth?]
Bled and I were in awe.
The Diamond Palace was a place I hadn’t visited often. It felt too lofty for someone of commoner origin like me.
As we slowly entered, its grandeur became even more apparent.
“…I’m getting married in a place like this?’
Guilt started to creep in. To hold a wedding ceremony in such a sacred place for a fake marriage.
My mind was in turmoil, preventing me from properly taking in the sights, when Kaiden muttered,
“We have a visitor.”
I looked up at his words.
At the far end of the palace stood a person. A woman with wavy pink hair.
It was Stella, the heroine of the original story.
Stella stood on a dais, gazing at a statue of a goddess fixed as if descending from the ceiling.
[That’s Nyx, the goddess the empire worships. After the monsters started rampaging, the people’s faith in her halved, but it rose again after Stella, the saintess, appeared.]
Just as Bled said. And that meant this world was progressing according to the original novel.
‘But for some reason, the impact of Stella, the heroine, feels much weaker than in the original…’
I looked at her back with narrowed eyes.
[Isn’t that obvious? If I were a reporter, I’d splash a headline about “the commoner-born swordmaster pregnant with the Grand Duke’s child” instead of some outdated saintess story.]
‘What, you jerk?’
[It’s more thrilling and dramatic.]
‘I’m dramatic, huh?!’
While I was bickering with Bled in my head, Stella’s soft voice reached my ears.
“Why did you…”
Kaiden and I were far from Stella, but as swordmasters, we could hear her murmur.
Her tone, tinged with resentment, made me pause in confusion.
Kaiden made his presence known.
“I didn’t know the Saintess was here.”
Startled, Stella turned around. A flash of displeasure and wariness crossed her face when she saw us.
[That’s odd. You said the prophecy described Stella with a smile as her trademark.]
As Bled noted, she felt different from the heroine I knew. Was this a side of her not shown in the novel?
I couldn’t dwell on it further. Kaiden took my hand and approached Stella.
“Greetings to the two swordmasters.”
“Greetings to the Saintess.”
“Were you visiting the goddess?”
When Kaiden asked, Stella nodded.
“Yes. What brings you two here?”
“We’re having our wedding here in a month, so we came to check out the venue.”
Kaiden raised our joined hands. I blushed slightly, embarrassed by the gesture.
‘Why’s he acting like an excited groom? His face is so expressionless.’
I quickly lowered my hand, and Kaiden looked at me with a “what’s wrong?” expression.
“A wedding.”
But Stella looked at Kaiden with a strange gaze. Then she shot me an unfriendly glance.
‘…What’s that about?’
I tilted my head, puzzled, but Stella quickly put on a smiling face and blessed us.
“May the goddess’s blessings be with you both.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll take my leave then.”
Stella bowed slightly and left. Kaiden watched her retreating figure. I tried not to care, but seeing him like that made me uneasy.
His lingering gaze on Stella stirred my heart.
For a moment, I wondered. What if it had been Stella standing beside Kaiden instead of me?
They’d be blessed as a far more fitting couple than a commoner like me.
My heart ached.
As my thoughts reached this point, I grew curious about how closely this story would follow the original.
Since I, a swordmaster, didn’t side with the Crown Prince, Kaiden naturally didn’t side with Prince Lucas either.
Then the Crown Prince started showing a strange obsession with me.
If Kaiden doesn’t fall for Stella, would she develop a strange obsession with him? But what if Kaiden does fall for her?
[What pointless thoughts are you having?]
Bled’s words snapped me out of it.
‘…Can you read my thoughts now?’
[I can tell just by looking at your face.]
I rubbed my face for no reason. Then Kaiden muttered,
“Something feels off.”
“What?”
I looked at him, confused, and he quietly explained.
“About the Saintess.”
“What about her?”
“When I first saw her, she seemed like a noble lady fresh from the countryside, but in just a few days, she’s wandering the palace like she’s used to it.”
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By Anna 💓
Hii ! Since December is the holiday season i’ll be unlocking the next chapter chapters for only 5 Novaras as a little gift from me enjoy 🫶💓 BTW the next 2 chapters can be unlocked with novas ( the website free coins) .
