NOVEL NEXT Chapter 170- Mathili's Shock
'Is she really... Princess Aleriana?!'
There was visible shock on Mathili's face as she stood in the corridor, staring at the woman who was idealized as one of the most prominent princesses—one without any notable background, yet still holding her position in the race for the heirship.
Though the odds were slim, it wasn't entirely impossible for her to win.
To become the queen—or even the king—of the Azure Flame Kingdom, one undoubtedly needed the backing of both the aristocracy and the hidden powerhouses.
In the case of the first queen and the second, that support was undeniable—especially for the first queen, who stood on an entirely different level.
Having the strongest member of the Orthodox faction as her father gave the first queen a position of dominance, making her sons—or even her daughter—stand at the peak of potential candidates for the throne.
So realistically, there was no place for a princess without any support—even if she possessed the strength to wipe out the Exorcism Sect.
Without a superpower of equal caliber to the Sword Saint, one of the top three strongest ranked members of the Orthodox, there was just—
No chance.
What made Mathili doubt whether the woman before her was truly Princess Aleriana was the way she held her hands and gave such a teasing smile back to the man standing nearby.
"I definitely... got a job, wife."
A flirtatious voice drew Mathili's gaze to Kyle, who bowed slightly, one hand placed over his chest in a princely manner before stepping forward and winking at the princess.
'...How impudent.'
Mathili's frown deepened. Kyle's approach was completely unexpected from someone standing before Princess Aleriana. It clearly showed his place in this arranged marriage:
An obstacle. A shackle.
She came to that conclusion quickly. From how well she had timed stopping the carriage under an excuse, she hadn't expected him to kiss the princess.
That act alone exposed his lustful inclinations, proving him to be incompetent as a support figure for someone like Aleriana on her path to the throne.
What confused Mathili even more was why the princess would choose such a man to marry.
"Hm? What job?"
The princess tilted her head, looking genuinely confused. Her inquiry only increased Mathili's doubts—why would Aleriana care about this man's job, especially when she should be focused on claiming the Legacy?
Everything was slowly breaking the image Mathili had of Aleriana—whom she had considered sharp, composed, and unlike any other royal heir.
"Nothing. Just an escort duty for a small trading company, haha,"
Kyle Chapel replied, ruffling his hair. Though his eyes narrowed with a grin, he gave Mathili a knowing side glance—as if reading her mind.
Her early arrival was unexpected. But with the recent changes—the early unlocking of the Puppet Master's Legacy, and now Mathili's sudden presence—Kyle was growing desperate. He feared that the butterfly effect he had triggered might be accelerating events.
Still, he needed to portray a different version of himself to Mathili.
To create a micro-reality of misinformation and mask what she might otherwise notice—especially anything that pointed toward his real target:
Mira Valens.
"Oh, an escort—"
Before Princess Aleriana could say anything in amusement, she was suddenly interrupted by Mathili, who stepped forward. Her pink hair made her stand out clearly as she bowed politely.
"Greetings, Princess Aleriana. I am the sister of the head of the Valens family—"
Mathili attempted to introduce herself, trying to make a good impression and use the opportunity that Kyle was wasting.
"How dare you interrupt me?"
Aleriana's voice was sharp and cold—like a blade. Her sapphire eyes glared at Mathili, clearly showing her disapproval at the interruption.
'!'
"I-I..."
Shock flooded Mathili's expression. She blinked, unable to comprehend why she was receiving such a cold reaction from the princess.
Her hand clenched involuntarily. She had only come to assess whether Aleriana was truly worthy of the Valens family's support.
"Can't you hear me?"
Aleriana's voice came again, firm and angered. She questioned why a random woman dared interrupt her conversation with Kyle.
This wasn't the typical Aleriana. Such behavior could only be explained by the live information she had received from Olea—about a woman claiming to be pregnant with Kyle's child.
So by trying to intimidate this woman, she was attempting to gain the upper hand and assess the intentions behind her making such false claims of being pregnant.
The chances of her really being pregnant, but with the child of the real Kyle, were higher.
Yet, Aleriana needed to be vigilant not to let such a woman near her husband.
That pink hair. It gave her away immediately.
A member of the Valens family.
A family rumored to have once captured a mermaid—a human female with the lower body of a fish—and forced her to breed with the head of the family, resulting in two daughters: Mathili and Mira.
In hopes of producing a unique power or ability, they had ultimately tortured the mermaid to death.
Or something along those lines.
Not that Aleriana cared about their tragic backstory—especially not when a random woman dared claim to be pregnant with her husband's child.
"N-No... P-Princess, I—I..."
Mathili was in disbelief. She didn't understand why the princess was so furious with her.
'Is this because of him—?'
Her gaze turned toward Kyle, trying to see if this anger was connected to him, but before she could process it—
Kyle stepped in front of her, shielding her behind his back.
"Stop, wife. You cannot bully her—she is pregnant."
Kyle, finally seeing an opportunity, stepped forward between Mathili and Aleriana, shielding Mathili as if protecting her from a beast. Yet, a subtle smirk curled on his lips—one that did not go unnoticed by Aleriana, whose narrowed eyes clearly reflected her suspicion.
'!'
"Y-You..."
Mathili stood there, stunned. She couldn't comprehend why Kyle was helping her. Bewildered, her thoughts spiraled back to that moment when her emotional wall had shattered—the moment he suddenly kissed her after she claimed to be carrying his child.
Especially knowing how, typically, a nobleman—particularly one married into royalty—would panic, fearing scandal or trial.