Two-Faced Princess

New Embers (20)

Uriel, who heard Adrian and Tanya’s conversation, dropped the sword he was holding with a blank look. All four, including Caelion and Evangeline, looked at him in astonishment. He had never let go of his sword even while sleeping. But even with their gazes, Uriel didn’t pick up the sword and murmured something instead.

“A young nobleman who looks like Sid?” He spoke in a slightly roughened voice and turned to Adrian. “Adrian, is there something that the Byan family is using near the place the princess mentioned?”

“What? But——-” Embarrassed, Adrian stammered and tried to remember something. “The Byan family has never been good at doing business in the capital. There are no mansions. No houses. Nothing. And these days, they don’t have any access at all——-Ah!” She said something as if it had occurred to her. “They don’t have a mansion there but I know he enjoyed hunting in the southwest forest. I heard this from Sid Byan before. There was a hunting ground in the forest which the Emperor only allowed the Byan family to use. The order was as good as nothing after the Emperor’s death, but the little hut used at that time remained.” Bull’s eye! Uriel kicked the fallen sword up and grabbed it with his hand.

“He’s there.” He spoke with conviction. “The person who might have had a grudge against Her Highness, and at the same time knew something about her.” He added, moving to the door as if he had no time to waste. “Sid Byan’s only son.”

Adrian and Tanya’s faces hardened from shock. The Emperor and Apollonia’s most loyal subjects. His son, whose father had lived for them and eventually sacrificed his life, kidnapped his father’s master.

“Are you sure?” asked Caelion. He tried to follow Uriel halfway but looked at Evangeline again. “If you’re wrong, we can lose more precious time.”

“That’s right. We must wait.”

Uriel opened the door and said.”When you know the exact place, then start moving.” Without waiting for an answer, he quickly passed down the hall and disappeared. He wondered if the dense atmosphere was getting heavier, but it began to rain one by one from the window.

* * *

*PITTER-PATTER*

In the stillness, she heard the pitter-patter of rain hitting the roof of the cabin. Knox held the sword more firmly around Apollonia’s neck.

“I want you to think clearly. Who had to lose in order to take care of you and protect you? The fact that you and the true Emperor whom Sid Byan followed for a long time is actually no different from your father.” Knox said as he stared at Apollonia.

“Knox, listen to me————”

“Don’t call my name like you called my father’s name. I am neither your friend nor your servant.” His hand, holding the dagger, pressed unto Apollonia’s neck where a pale red scar had formed. Knox’s pupils trembled when he saw this but the sword wasn’t removed from Apollonia’s neck. The gruesome coldness of the blade had spread all over her body from the neck that she couldn’t even move.

‘Am I going to die just like this?’

The royal throne she wanted to sit on came to her head. The Emperor’s will rang in her ears and it was bothersome. Countless people and memories crossed her mind. Her mother. The Emperor. Sid. Adrian. Maya. The people of Lishan. Caelion. Even Emperor Gaius and Petra. Among many memories, it was Uriel’s face that shone the most. Uriel always appeared before her in times of crisis but it wasn’t because the situation was dangerous that he remembered now. What came to mind was Uriel’s smile——— a soft and warm one that he didn’t usually show but one that she couldn’t take her eyes off every time he listened to her lyric performance. Apollonia liked the look. No, in fact, Apollonia loved every aspect of Uriel. The first time they met and held a sword against her but couldn’t strike her, the way he stood by her shocked her grandfather’s intentions in Kalt Mountain’s heart, the promise to live for her and all the moments he actually kept his promise, and also his kindness of holding her in his arms and comforting her. He remembered every word of Apollonia’s actions without handing it over to the point where he could even read her longing for her mother, whom she had never talked about. All those facts filled her head the moment Knox’s sword touched her neck, though she had already known it. It was unbearably painful when she imagined that she might never see Uriel again crossed her mind. Apollonia took a deep breath, feeling as if she had been hit in the head with something.