CHAPTER 90……………………………………….
The surrounding audience also focused on Giovanni.
The atmosphere was full of curiosity about what he might say.
At that moment.
“Father, no!”
A clear voice cut through the tense silence.
The king’s face twisted at a voice he shouldn’t have heard.
“She’s a criminal of the kingdom. How can you hand her over elsewhere? Even if you don’t execute her now, a criminal belongs in the kingdom.”
Princess Laratu, who had rushed to the king’s side in a single stride, shook her head as she spoke.
“The execution was rather sudden as it is. Please wait a little longer. There’s still much we don’t know about her… please…”
The surrounding nobles whispered among themselves, glancing at the princess.
“Princess.”
At the king’s cold voice, Princess Laratu flinched.
As everyone in the kingdom acknowledged, the king cared deeply for the princess.
But if we were to be precise, he was more like a father scolding from above, looking down at a misbehaving child, rather than someone who would lock eyes with a petulant kid.
“This is not your place. Return to your quarters.”
A brief reprimand mindful of others’ eyes.
Princess Laratu, who had been ready to argue, fell silent at the king’s fierce aura, which seemed ready to explode if she spoke another word.
After a moment, once the princess stepped back, the king turned his gaze to Giovanni as if nothing had happened.
“My apologies. Please continue speaking.”
Giovanni silently nodded.
“To see Your Majesty care so for Doberakan, I cannot help but feel moved.”
The ensuing conversation went exactly as expected.
I stared at Giovanni with all my heart.
If he could be spared here, I could repay him in a way worth the life price he paid.
If only I could convey this to him…!
I tried to focus my gaze as if sending telepathy.
Would this time work?
“I will grant you the Aision Desert.”
‘Isn’t that far too much for a life price?’
I froze, mouth agape.
“The Aision Desert, you say?”
A sudden proposal prompted an emergency meeting.
The king, having asked Giovanni for time to consider, gathered the nobles and asked:
“What do you think that man is thinking?”
First, they decided to hear the opinions of the nobles observing the situation.
Coincidentally, most of the nobles who had suggested sending the witch to the execution platform to appease public opinion were present.
“If we interpret it literally, it seems that the ‘witch’ is something the empire really needs.”
“Have you ever heard of a witch?”
“The empire is famous for its sorcerers. If there are all kinds of tricksters, surely there must also be witches who practice black magic!”
“This is an unquestionable benefit to us.”
“I wouldn’t call it a benefit. The Aision Desert is only a tiny piece of land with no oasis, after all.”
The empire’s territory was vast, far beyond the kingdom’s reach.
Even one Octo short, the population density was significantly lower than that of the kingdom.
The Aision Desert was a land gifted to Giovanni at birth. Though adjacent to the kingdom, it lacked an oasis, making it inhospitable for human settlement.
“All this fuss over such a useless piece of land…”
“Useless?”
A noble shouted indignantly.
“Whether it’s useful or not is irrelevant. What matters is that it belongs to the empire. The kingdom’s territory could be expanded, without war or reparations, all for just one person!”
He lowered his voice sharply.
“Actually, we all know she isn’t that important, don’t we?”
The nobles, who had influenced the kingdom’s upheaval over the witch and execution, cleared their throats.
“If no one can live there, it can serve as a prison. A desert prison isn’t that useless, is it?”
The king nodded in agreement.
It was indeed an immensely advantageous deal.
To gain land now for the formerly useless Egrain—it was practically a windfall.
Opinions suddenly tilted in one direction.
“We need to think carefully.”
All eyes turned to Princess Laratu.
Having kept silent all this time for interfering in the king’s affairs, the princess couldn’t hold back and spoke again.
King Hermanon’s eyes showed surprise.
Though sometimes considered naive, she had never once questioned his decisions before.
She was usually a lovable, obedient daughter who always thought the king was right—so why now?
Instead of immediately scolding her as before, the king asked:
“Why do you oppose it so strongly?”
“That is…”
The princess hesitated, unable to answer immediately. Even the king’s earlier look, which usually coaxed answers, faltered.
Desperate, the princess explained her thoughts.
“The problem is that the prince’s intentions are unclear. He’s not foolish—if he’s offering such extravagant compensation, there must be a reason, right?”
“Princess, I will explain that.”
An elderly noble stepped forward, twitching his lips.
“Young people and their impulses.”
The princess sighed.
“Count Hamel.”
Romanticist Hamel. As his nickname suggested, he was a man full of love.
“Do you think that makes sense?”
He had already been involved with more than five women publicly. Knowing the prince’s romantic history, Princess Laratu reacted coldly, but Hamel paid no mind, brushing his hair back with his hand.
“The criminal Egrain and the prince were once close. Even if briefly lovers, the prince might wish to save her. He was moved by Egrain’s letter and even asked her to dance—apparently, he’s a romantic man like me.”
“Thank you for your opinion, but it seems irrelevant to the discussion.”
“Princess! You’re not opposing this out of jealousy for the two of them, are you?”
“What did you say?”
“You, Princess… the imperial prince… hmm. The king’s wrath is terrifying.”
The princess’s face flushed red, then turned pale.
Hamel was implying that she was jealous of the prince saving Egrain!
“How dare you…”
She glared at him; Hamel quickly hid his face behind his hat.
But the princess wasn’t the only one angry.
“Shut your mouth, Hamel.”
The king glared at him too. Hamel ducked behind another noble entirely.
“Ignore the count’s words, Father.”
“You, step back as well.”
The princess bit her lip at the cold, angry response.
At that moment, Hubert stepped forward to support her.
“The princess also has a point. Handing over a kingdom citizen to the empire looks bad, no matter the crime.”
The nobles swallowed their retorts and stared at him. His sharpened jaw and gaunt face seemed more sensitive than usual.
Hubert had not been part of the selection of a scapegoat to appease the people.
As he faced the king without a trace of a smile, people’s eyes searched for his reaction, curious because she was part of the Count’s family.
“Is that out of consideration for the criminal?”
The king asked sharply.
“No.”
“Hm.”
Even with his hardened expression, the king nodded without emotion.
Perhaps due to previous incidents eroding the king’s trust, he no longer paid as much attention to opinions.
Princess Laratu realized Hubert could not sway the king’s mind much, and her gaze wavered.
‘No. No matter how I look at it, sending Egrain to the empire is wrong. Should I say that now?’
Could Egrain be responsible for the recent loss of the priest’s abilities?
‘But they said it wasn’t a major priest.’
Pain prickled her lips. She bit them without realizing, startled at the unfamiliar action—so frustrated she was.
She recalled the day she visited the temple.
[This is unprecedented.]
The senior priest, the temple’s eldest, could not hide his embarrassment.
[What do you think, Princess?]
The question came from Uranus, one of only ten senior priests at the temple.
Wise and talented, he was highly respected for both his skills and calm, warm nature.
[As the senior priest said, it is unprecedented. Princess, you must have been worried.]
Princess Laratu, who had kept the matter to herself, bowed in gratitude.
[But personally, I don’t think there’s much to worry about.]
[You think so?]
[I have seen that believer. I did not sense the energy of a major priest. If there were other evil forces, surely there would have been signs.]
Laratu, once certain Egrain had some hidden power, was confused.
Could she have been wrong?
Then he asked her a question.
[Does Marta’s blessing take away, or is it taken, Princess?]
The question came from Uranus, respected and wise.
Having atoned in the prayer room for losing the aquamarine, a symbol of a priest, his gaunt face was pale.
The princess glanced at his hollow neck and nodded.
She must have been fooled by Aris’s lies.
Indeed, whether Aris had lost her power had not yet been confirmed.
Returning with guilt, she found the situation oddly twisted.
Egrain—a witch?
She had briefly suspected her of being an imperial informant, but “witch” was absurd.
She could immediately see it was a plot by her father and the nobles.
For the first time, she felt a twinge of guilt.
If Egrain were to die now, that guilt would linger forever.
She did not want her executed.
Even in moments of deep hatred, exile had been sufficient.
Yet the idea of Giovanni taking her to the empire made her uneasy in a different way.
Egrain had no ability to steal blessings.
The senior priest had confirmed that—but lingering doubts resurfaced.
Really? Is Egrain truly innocent?
Apart from the nagging unease, there was nothing she could do.
Having lived her whole life as the royal’s cherished, obedient princess, she didn’t know rebellion.
So she just watched.
As the king and nobles exchanged Egrain for the desert land.
