NOVEL NEXT chapter 105
105 – 105. Tyranny and Famine (2)
The anxiety that the relationship between her sister and Eda Nante might meet a disastrous end turned out to be an unfounded worry.
Elizabeta smiled faintly at the sight of her sister, who was gazing endlessly at the wedding ring adorning her slender ring finger, bursting into a silly grin.
It’s a relief that the misunderstandings have been cleared up.
There had been many ups and downs along the way, but it seemed that the proposal had ultimately been successful.
The blue diamond cube sparkled brilliantly.
In response, Ludmila showed her utmost devotion by polishing the wedding ring with a handkerchief several times.
“Sister, are you that happy? At this rate, it’ll wear out.”
“Of course, I must cherish the wedding ring given to me by Eda Nante.”
“I heard from the First Saint. You took it by force, didn’t you?”
“Oh, no!”
She cherished the wedding ring so much that she wore it almost all the time, except when washing up.
And even when she had to reluctantly take it off for a moment, she always kept it within her sight.
It must never be lost.
Ludmila even appeared stern, as if she were attending to the emperor.
“It’s time. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Okay.”
Rising from her seat, Ludmila meticulously checked the wedding ring on her ring finger before making her way to meet the emperor.
The emperor and the ministers gathered to confirm the situation that had arisen in the Marquisate of Hoenberk. And as Eda Nante arrived shortly after, the briefing began.
“The heretical forces, cornered and desperate, launched a surprise attack on the Marquisate of Hoenberk. Thanks to prior intelligence, we were able to suppress them in advance alongside Her Highness Ludmila.”
“…….”
Eda Nante cleverly disguised the incident caused by Ludmila, who had turned into an agent of tyranny, as a surprise attack by the heretical forces.
There were no casualties.
This was due to the fact that the incident took place in a remote area with no nearby towns or cities.
The emperor and the ministers nodded, praising Eda Nante and Ludmila for preemptively suppressing the brutal heretical forces. The Empire’s intelligence agency also demonstrated agility in predicting the movements of the heretical forces, which they had only detected belatedly.
‘To have to report falsehoods to the emperor again….’
There were no heretics.
Only a jealous, mad red dragon existed.
It was the result of moral failing.
Ludmila felt a pang of guilt for deceiving her father and the ministers.
“Reports have come in that a large number of vampires have been spotted in the Count Hilidhar’s territory. They are likely the same wicked kind that sought to conspire against us.”
“……”
Vampires?
What on earth does that mean?
Ludmila tilted her head, listening intently to the conversation between the Emperor and the ministers.
In fact, a cult had been detected in the Marquisate of Hoenberk. Upon hearing the news late, Ludmila looked at Edanant with a face marred by confusion.
“Your Majesty, we have eradicated all the vampires that invaded the Empire alongside Her Highness Ludmila.”
“What a truly joyous victory! We have avenged ourselves upon that accursed race!”
To conceal the truth, Edanant reported in a flat tone that all the cultists who had invaded the Marquisate of Hoenberk had been exterminated.
Since Edanant had said nothing beforehand, Ludmila could only feel bewildered.
‘Could it be… that there really were cultists in the Marquisate of Hoenberk?’
It must be true, as it was a report captured by the Empire’s intelligence agency.
Vampires.
And cultists.
Ludmila speculated on the reason Edanant and Jeblin had rushed to the Marquisate of Hoenberk. Surely, their sudden actions were connected to the movements of the cultist forces.
“…Ugh!”
It may be confusing right now, but please just kiss me for now.
Edanant winked with one eye, sending a significant gesture.
Unable to decipher Edanant’s intentions, Ludmila could only swallow her breath and comply.
‘E-Edanant has a wedding ring too…! Did he receive it from the Marquis of Hoenberk?’
The wedding ring adorning Ludmila’s slender ring finger glimmered with the same luster as the accessory on Edanant’s finger.
The same wedding ring—.
A couple’s ring that proved they were in love.
Seeing the ring on Edanant’s finger, Ludmila’s face flushed as she turned away. It was all the more embarrassing to have a couple’s ring with Edanant in front of her respected father and the ministers.
* * *
I,
I liked him first…!
My feelings for him would not be outdone by anyone.
For three long years, I searched for you, waiting to meet again.
As Jeblinne recalled Edanant presenting a wedding ring to his rival in love, her face twisted in jealousy, and she spat out her feelings.
“I liked you first…! How dare you, a mere interloper!!”
Three years of waiting had been utterly ruined by that damned princess’s interference.
I feel resentment.
It’s nothing but hatred.
Rudmila, who had stolen the place that rightfully belonged to me,
and Edanant, who despite finally recalling all the memories of the past, chose another woman in the end.
The girl with flowing silver hair trembled, suppressing her agitated heart, her lips quivering. The misery bestowed upon the defeated heroine, who had lost her place as the protagonist, began to ravage her emotions.
“Jeblinne.”
“What business do you have with someone who’s already been pushed aside? Go to the spinster you adore so much!”
Edanant.
The one who dared to bring defeat to the First Saint, the object of my mixed feelings, approached.
Then Jeblinne hastily wiped away the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes with her sleeve and shouted.
“You promised. You said you would grant me anything I desired.”
“You always dodged the issue like that! You’re a scoundrel who toys with women with sweet whispers!”
Scoundrel. Womanizer.
Recently, cruel nicknames had been popping up like mushrooms after rain.
Edanant approached the saintess, who spoke with a voice full of tears, a bitter smile on his face. He reached out his hands and embraced her trembling shoulders.
“I always keep my promises.”
As he comforted her shoulders, Edanant knelt down at Jeblinne’s feet. At the same time, he pulled out a ring box he had kept in his pocket.
Click.
The ring box opened, revealing a wedding ring.
It was a new accessory, similar in design to the diamond-studded wedding ring he had gifted to Rudmila. Jeblinne’s eyes widened in astonishment at the sight of the sparkling wedding ring.
“I know it’s terribly rude to Ethan, but… do you perhaps have two mothers?”
“No.”
Two mothers?
What kind of absurdity is that?
Edanant answered Jeblinne’s cautious question with a brief response.
“You clearly gifted a wedding ring from the Hoenberk family to a spinster.”
“That’s right.”
“Where on earth did you find this wedding ring?”
“There were two wedding rings that my father gave to my mother. At the time, my mother, being a new bride, lost one of the rings, so they bought a new one. Later, she found the lost wedding ring again.”
It felt like watching a ridiculous comedy.
Jebeline couldn’t help but burst into laughter at Edanant’s serious explanation.
Fool.
What a truly foolish person.
It made her feel foolish for wallowing in her own misery.
He always appeared serious, yet showed such clumsiness. As Jebeline reminisced about the precious memories she had stored like an album, she realized once again that she genuinely loved Edanant.
“Which ring did Ethan’s mother prefer?”
“This wedding ring. She cherished it so much that she wore it on her finger until her last moments. It’s true. You can ask my father, and he’ll tell you right away.”
It was a precious keepsake from her mother, who had passed away early.
Jebeline gazed at the glass-like diamond wedding ring, shining with a serene light, with a reverent heart.
“Is it really okay for you to give me such a precious keepsake… without a second thought?”
“It’s fine. She would be happy about it.”
As Edanant opened the ring box to show her the wedding ring, he soon rose to his feet. Jebeline, wanting to receive the wedding ring while still kneeling, couldn’t help but show a hint of disappointment.
Tap.
He closed the ring box again.
Noticing Jebeline’s confusion, Edanant spoke.
“When everything is ready, I’ll propose to you and give you the wedding ring. Can you wait a little until then?”
“Hmph! Ethan, you really are quite skilled.”
Jebeline pouted at Edanant’s request to wait a moment.
Then, Edanant bowed his head and pressed his lips against Jebeline’s snowy white cheek.
Peck.
He left a soft kiss on her cheek.
Startled by the sudden ambush, Jebeline flinched, her shoulders trembling. Perhaps she hadn’t expected such a sudden kiss, as her cute face was clearly flustered.
“I’m just joking. You think I wouldn’t give our cute saintess a wedding ring?”
“Ugh, ugh…! Ughhh!!”
Having simultaneously conquered the red dragon and the white dragon, Edanant had, at some point, transformed into a skilled flirt. With his sweet whispers as he bowed his head, the virgin of the Holy Kingdom could only let out moans of distress.