Chapter 878 – Day 99 – The Princess Did Her Best
“It’s not just the Crown Princess… I see… Is that what happened…”
The nobleman, who was too exhausted to be called a nobleman, nods his head with difficulty.
With his beard that wasn’t even properly trimmed, his eyes were only saved by the fact that the princess and her companions had come here.
“I know very well that you value your daughter. However, the Count is in very poor health right now. Why don’t you get our help first and wait for the Princess to negotiate with the Royal Mistress?”
“Ah… You are right… I understand. I will do so… Thank you, saintess…”
The nobleman, whose dry eyes finally shed tears, did not reject the approaching Sister of the Order of Saints.
“Thanks to the saint, the work is ending smoothly.”
“No. Arisa is convincing the nobles who have no intention of listening to my story, right?”
Grace smiled at Arisa, who appeared wiping the sweat from her forehead.
“Everyone may have their own story, but they are not people who deserve to die here in a war of words with the Royal Mistress.”
“I think so too. I hope the princess will deliver good news quickly.”
With a smile, Grace flips aside the colorful cloth and goes out.
The sky had already turned pitch black. Grace, with twinkling stars in her eyes, looked at Arisa.
“What should we do with those who refuse Arisa’s persuasion?”
“If that’s the case, you don’t have to worry about it. Because Elaine is here. If the elegant words of a nobleman don’t work, you have no choice but to use your skills.”
“Is it okay if I do that? Everyone here is to get their beloved daughter back…”
Arisa shook her head left and right.
“The Royal Mistress’s concubine hunt has been around for quite some time. Just because women are sent to the Duchy of Altema, there is no rule that they will go to the imperial palace within a few months. In the worst case, the daughter who was so expected may have died a long time ago. “
“It’s such a sad thing that I feel guilty just saying it out of her mouth.”
“But that’s reality. Everyone chose to send their precious daughters here. The Royal Mistress may be an unforgivable villain, but that doesn’t mean she never travels around the territory accepting the ‘Emperor’s concubines’ as sacrifices, right?”
Grace, with a bitter expression, nods her head.
“I know what you’re saying. You’re saying that the living must live, right?”
“I don’t intend to refute you if you call me cold-blooded. But for both parents to die just to get their already dead daughter back… It’s such a sad and painful thing. If we can prevent such a sad thing with Elaine’s power, shouldn’t we stop it?”
After finishing her words, Arisa sighed and looked towards the end of the Dukedom of Altema.
“Leda? Are you there?”
“Yes, Arisa Hecati.”
Leda appeared from the darkness smiling.
“What is the situation of the advance? The people of the Holy Maid’s Church were able to get here in a hurry, but the situation is different for the soldiers and knights, right?”
“Yes, we are currently approaching the Duchy of Altema. However, we have to pass through a narrow road…”
“Ah, then don’t force yourself to come into the Duchy of Altema. It would be better to just rest for the day near the border.”
Arisa touched her chin and fell into thought for a moment.
“How’s the supply situation? Anyway, when we arrive at Holympia tomorrow, we’ll have to burn everything in a flashy manner without having to see anything.”
“There is no problem as there is cooperation from nearby nobles.”
“Really? It looks like everyone is trying to show off by providing food and drink even if they can’t provide the soldiers. That’s shameful.”
Arisa clicked her tongue.
“I don’t know if it was Venus’s actions or the Royal Mistress’ whim, but the soldiers were definitely able to get this far.”
Leda nodded her head quietly.
“But what comes next?”
Arisa let out a sigh at Grace’s cautious question.
“You could get to the Duchy of Altema, and if you passed here, you could quickly march to Holympia and get there… But here’s the problem.”
Since the fastest route to Holimpia was through the Duchy of Altema, the princess had no choice.
“Venus could go to Holympia alone, but that would be crazy. But if I take a detour, I don’t know what will happen to the Empress.”
Arisa shook her head.
“Anyway, let’s all do what we can. The saintess will continue to look after the nobles, and Leda will deliver information to the knights as Venus requested.”
They both smiled and nodded.
“Ha… The problem is our Venus.”
Looking up at the Royal Mistress’ castle shining brightly under the pitch-black night sky, Arisa let out a deep sigh.
“I hope you don’t do anything stupid…”
* * *
As if spouting out an eternal truth, the Royal Mistress looked very calm and sipped the steaming white tea.
“No sin…?”
“Yes, I am not guilty. Venus Holympia.”
“You used unforgivable magic and threw the emperor’s concubine like prey to Abamama?”
“That cannot be a sin.”
The princess’s eyes were shaken violently.
Ceres, Zinaida Gregory, Eve Thera.
There were many other women for whom the princess forgave her sins.
People who committed sins were everywhere.
‘The sense of guilt itself… No, this is not a sense of guilt…’
Many people I have met so far are at least aware that they have committed a sin.
Most of the cases were that they were not ashamed of the sin, that they were prepared to be covered in that much blood, or that they were struggling while being crushed by the weight of the sin.
“Royal Mistress, you just fulfilled the wishes of those who came here to become the emperor’s concubines?”
“That’s right, Hedone, our distinguished guest. Therefore, I cannot be said to have committed a sin.”
“She wants to become the emperor’s concubine. She wants to enjoy wealth and fame… That’s because you have granted her that wish.”
“Yes, I have never forced anything on them.”
The princess felt dizzy.
“The nobles outside…”
“There is no need for me to grant their wishes. Are you really planning to tell me that not granting a request is a sin?”
The princess quickly sipped her tea to soothe her pounding head.
‘Does the Royal Mistress truly think she has done a good deed?!’
The princess, who wanted to scream, trembled with her hands.
“Royal Mistress, let me ask you a question.”
“Yes, do whatever you want.”
“From now on, I plan to go to Jupiter Holympia, that is, to Holympia to settle the matter with His Majesty the Emperor.”
The Royal Mistress quietly sipped her tea.
“Can you let me pass through the Duchy of Altema?”
“No. I love His Majesty Emperor Jupiter. There’s no way I’m letting you go if you’re trying to harm him, right?”
“Then why aren’t you attacking me now?”
“Venus Holympia. Because you can’t do anything alone. You’d need an army to defeat the Almighty, right?”
Was he already playing with it on his palm?
The princess let out a long sigh and closed her eyes tightly.
“Are you not planning on cooperating with me?”
“Yes, none.”
The Royal Mistress answered like a sword without even thinking for a second.
The princess, who was in a state of confusion, took a look at her Hedone.
“Royal Mistress…”
“Dear guest, Hedone. No matter what you say, my love for the Great One will not change one bit.”
The Royal Mistress made a smile that she had never shown before, as if she was in a good mood just thinking about the Emperor.
‘In the end, do we have to use this method?’
There were only two choices now.
Kill the Royal Mistress or get her cooperation somehow.
“… You love Abama so much. It’s really a pity.”
“If you’re going to badmouth him in front of me, you better be prepared.”
“But still? Let’s be honest.”
The princess showed off her bravado in the face of her obvious brutality.
“Have you never received anything in return?”
“…”
“Look! This beautiful castle! Abamama’s concubines fill this place! Aren’t you doing anything for the man you love!”
The princess clenches her fists and says.
“You are making a sacrifice? That’s right! Even though everyone in the empire criticizes you as a crazy woman and a seductress, aren’t you doing your best here in the hope that your love will one day be repaid?”
“… So what happened?”
“Ah! I feel sorry for you!! Aren’t you pitiful? Aren’t you pitiful! Aren’t you not receiving the love you have for a single moment in return!”
Surprisingly, the Royal Mistress was unable to refute.
“Abamamama? Even if she isn’t always around, she talks to and has a good time.”
“… That’s because she is the empress.”
“You who devote yourself to Abama? Have you ever even had a proper conversation?”
“Yes. What on earth do you think of me?”
The princess smiled and immediately stretched out her hands and grabbed the Royal Mistress’s shoulders.
“Was that Abama’s love that you hoped for?”
“That’s…”
“Isn’t it true? Even if you think so, isn’t it true? Then I promise you here!”
Rather than killing, let’s be a little more forceful.
The princess held the Royal Mistress’s shoulder with firm resolve.
“I will give you the love you did not receive from Abama! So, if it’s just once, feel free to receive new love! Royal Mistress!”
In order to save the woman she never wanted to be associated with in her life, the princess planned to let her know what her true love was.
… Of course, if she said it out loud, she was going to rape her, so Ceres, who was standing behind her, closed her eyes tightly and sighed.
