ㅤChapter 62
ㅤThe moment their lips were about to touch, the world spun around.
ㅤAquamarine, who had been on top of Theodore, was now pinned down on the bed by a strong force.
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ㅤ”……You finally let your mask slip, you liar.”
ㅤ”Your Majesty!? Why……?”
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ㅤTheodore’s expression was calm. The flush on his face and his erratic breathing returned to normal in an instant. He was a completely different person from just a moment ago.
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ㅤ”There’s no way the drink you prepared wasn’t tampered with. I figured you probably put in some kind of aphrodisiac, and I was right. Unfortunately, as the Emperor of Langley, I’ve built up a tolerance.”
ㅤ”Wha……!? So you were just acting……!?”
ㅤ”That’s right. There’s no way I would mistake you for Ruby. Ruby is far more beautiful than you.”
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ㅤTheodore looked down at the woman, her face flushed red and her teeth gritted.
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ㅤ”For a while now, I’ve suspected that Ruby might be the Grand Saintess. And today, after seeing her perfectly purify Kyanite’s Rose, I became certain. According to the legends surrounding Kyanite, only the Grand Saintess can purify the Grand Saintess’s equipment. I’m glad you didn’t know that.”
ㅤ”〜〜〜〜っ”
ㅤ”Why are you so obsessed with Ruby? Does it bother you that much that your older sister is superior to you? Bribing the priest who measured the Heavenly Star couldn’t have been easy.”
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ㅤAquamarine’s face was so distorted that its original beauty was unrecognizable. Her peach-colored eyes were completely dyed with hatred.
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ㅤ”—You wouldn’t understand, since you don’t have any siblings! Just because she’s my older sister, she takes everything first. Without any effort, just because she was born first! I’ve always been second, always having to follow in her footsteps. The best things always go to Onee-sama. My life, as the second daughter, is full of hand-me-downs!”
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ㅤAquamarine screamed, forgetting herself.
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ㅤ”Everything I did was to take control of my own life! To prevent that woman from tainting my life! I only did what was natural!”
ㅤ”That’s a pathetic attempt to shift the blame. That’s why you’ll never be able to match Ruby. —At this rate, you’ll never be number one, neither as a Saintess nor as a woman.”
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ㅤAquamarine went berserk at his last words.
ㅤWith tremendous force, she broke free of Theodore’s restraint and exploded like a firecracker.
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ㅤ”I won’t forgive you anymore! I’ll destroy both you and that woman! Why won’t anyone acknowledge me!!”
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ㅤJust then, there was a knock on the door, and Ruby’s bewildered voice called out, “It’s been an hour…… Aquamarine? What’s wrong?”
ㅤAquamarine rushed out the door, brushing past a stunned Ruby and running downstairs.
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ㅤ”……Um, did something happen? Your sister seemed quite angry……”
ㅤ”She probably got scared after we talked about the future. Don’t worry about it.”
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ㅤWhatever the truth may be, the paths of Aquamarine and Ruby had diverged decisively. One as the Grand Saintess. The other as a sinner. They might never see each other again.
ㅤTheodore crossed his arms.
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ㅤ（—But there are still questions. Was Princess Aquamarine truly a Saintess? If she knew Ruby was the Grand Saintess, some of her actions don’t add up. I’ll need to interrogate her once she’s in prison and get to the bottom of this.）
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ㅤAs he was thinking this, knights came running up the stairs from downstairs.
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ㅤ”Princess Aquamarine has stolen a horse and escaped!”
ㅤ”What!?”
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ㅤIt was unexpected that the princess could ride a horse. He had thought she would, at most, lash out at the knights downstairs in a fit of rage—.
ㅤBeside a stunned Theodore, Ruby tilted her head.
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ㅤ”That’s strange. Noblewomen don’t ride horses in Belheim. She doesn’t like animals, and I can’t imagine her learning to ride.”
ㅤ”But she was controlling the horse with the skill of a knight. Vice-Commander Angel and his men are in pursuit.”
ㅤ”Continue the pursuit. Since the crime of escaping has been added, imprison her immediately upon capture.”
ㅤ”Yes, sir!”
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ㅤTheodore turned to Ruby and said, “I’m sorry, Ruby.”
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ㅤ”Please return to the castle first. I will join the search for Princess Aquamarine.”
ㅤ”Understood. I apologize for my sister’s constant trouble…… She’s a timid girl, so I think she just ran off impulsively.”
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ㅤTwo-thirds of the accompanying knights escorted Ruby back to the castle, while the remaining third joined Theodore in the search for Aquamarine.
ㅤRuby returned safely to the Imperial Palace and waited for her husband’s return—.
ㅤLate at night, as she was stifling a yawn, she was rendered speechless by the urgent news.
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ㅤ”Princess Aquamarine has broken through Crimguard Fortress and entered the Underworld! Your Majesty was also caught up in it!”
ㅤ”What……!?”
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ㅤThe Underworld, the threat of this world. All miasma originates from there, and demons and monsters run rampant. Naturally, no human has ever set foot in it.
ㅤAll the blood drained from her head.
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ㅤ”Your Majesty…… Aquamarine……”
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ㅤRuby’s vision went black, and she couldn’t move for a while.