By Zephyria 
“It can’t be helped, Brother Noah came all this way with such difficulty.”
I smiled innocently, looking at the two pairs of blue eyes that were shining in very similar colors.
“Thank you for your concern, Allen. You’re not upset, are you?”
I tilted my head to the side, putting a lot of meaning into it, hoping that he would be upset, and Allen looked at the ceiling of the carriage as if he was dumbfounded, sighed once, and then jumped up from his seat.
“…Upset? Not at all. Well, I understand. No matter what anyone says, today is Brother Noah’s day to be the main character. It’s right for you to do what you want.”
“I’m glad you understand. Then I’ll see you later.”
I watched Allen’s back as he moved his long legs and got out of the carriage, and I smiled innocently until the end, teasing him. Allen deliberately pushed Andrew’s shoulder slightly as he got off. He definitely did it on purpose. Whenever he, who only knew how to sit in a high place and look down on me and act like he knew everything, acted in such a base way, a chilling thrill ran deep inside me.
“Noah……”
Andrew, with his gaunt impression, just stood there blankly, unable to say a word even though his youngest brother, who was much younger than him, pushed his shoulder and went out, and then muttered my name blankly, as if he couldn’t believe it. I gently pulled his dry hand to my side. He sat down next to me as if he was collapsing.
Who could imagine that the man who often scolded me for being vulgar and only poured out sharp and painful words and this person next to me were the same person? I was determined to win, but even if this Iteration failed, Andrew Hamilton’s helpless expression would remain in my heart as a clear trophy forever.
Clatter, clatter. The sound of hooves slowly stepping on the dirt began to be heard. Inside the carriage that had started moving again, I lazily took the strength out of my shoulders and leaned my head on Andrew’s shoulder. The moment the top of my head touched his shoulder, he even stopped breathing and focused all his attention on this moment. He couldn’t even dare to shake off the hand that was still being held by me. His dry hand seemed to be unable to do anything but tremble.
“You’re trembling so much at just an engagement ceremony… What are you going to do on the wedding day?”
“……”
“Are you in pain?”
Andrew Hamilton’s head slowly moved from top to bottom, and then from bottom to top. While I was holding him tightly and determined not to let him go from this unbearable pain… I admired him with a sigh of pity.
“Don’t worry, Brother Noah.”
“……”
“No matter how great the pain is, you’ll eventually get used to it. You can believe me because I’m telling you from experience.”
He did not retort that Noah Hamilton, who had grown up so preciously in the mansion and had finally made the Crown Prince and Grand Duke Graham, and even him, kneel, could not have experienced much pain even if he had experienced pain. We didn’t say anything. Instead, inside the carriage heading to the Grand Temple, we were quietly, quietly holding our breath, deceiving the eyes of the world in a strange peace surrounded by silence. Outside, the cheers of the people watching the procession of the prospective Crown Princess were noisy.
When we were right in front of the Grand Temple. I closed my eyes, pretending not to know. A sad breath, barely composed, approached closely over my closed eyes. Pitifully, trembling lips were pressed like a stamp on my smooth forehead, the tip of my round nose, and my slightly parted lips.
“…Now.”
The voice of Count Hamilton, announcing the arrival, was very hoarse. It was so terrible that it was difficult to maintain his dignity.
“Now, it seems like we’ve all arrived.”
“Ah. Already? I must have been tired, I fell asleep for a moment.”
Of course, it was a blatant lie that I had fallen asleep, and Andrew would know it was a lie as well. But it didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to push him away, and I was going to accept the great brother’s terrible affection for his younger brother by pretending not to know his heart and actions indefinitely. From now on, too.
-“The Hamilton family’s carriage has arrived!”
As the shout of the servant, who seemed to be overjoyed at the long-awaited celebration, ended, the two people representing the Count Hamilton family linked arms and finally headed out of the carriage.
Waaaaah!
The cheers of the people who had come to the Grand Temple poured out so loudly that my ears were ringing. When I smiled brightly and waved my hand lightly, the cheers grew even louder. The ringing sound was somehow similar to the shouts of the public courtroom that poured out at me on the day I was sentenced to death.
*
It was a grand engagement ceremony. Comparing only the scale of the engagement ceremony, no Empress or Crown Princess in history had ever held such a luxurious engagement ceremony. Originally, engagement ceremonies were usually held in the Imperial Palace in conjunction with a banquet, rather than holding such a noisy event. Since it was not a formal marriage, it was just a ritual to inform the same nobles of the confirmed fact once again…
Today’s ceremony, which opened even the sanctuary of the Grand Temple under the direction of the High Priest, looked like a wedding ceremony. The only exception was that the last procedure was the announcement of the engagement date, not the oath of marriage.
“How is it? Do you like it?”
Even though the High Priest was reciting the scripture in a sacred voice right in front of him, the Crown Prince didn’t care and fixed his gaze on me and asked. His voice was unusually excited, as if he was secretly excited. The gazes of the audience members that were piercing into my back were so sharp that I pretended not to hear and focused on the High Priest in front of me, and the Crown Prince chuckled and brought his head closer to me. The guests who were sitting in their designated seats in the chapel and maintaining silence seemed surprised. The sound of gasping breaths tickled my ears noisily.
“……”
I glanced back and forth between the High Priest, who was loudly reciting the Holy Scripture, and the Crown Prince, who didn’t know how to keep his dignity. The High Priest was either already used to the Crown Prince’s eccentric behavior, or he was just trying to protect himself from the actions of the powerful person who was becoming more and more powerful without knowing the fear of the heavens, and he was just maintaining a motionless attitude.
“Your Highness,” I whispered softly and poked his side, and the Crown Prince opened his mouth wide and smiled happily, as if he had seen some great trick.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve met, aren’t you being too harsh?”
“…What can I do if the law is like that?”
“Ha, damn old-fashioned law. Anyway, I’ve never received help in my life.”
He really didn’t come to see me even once during the engagement period. Of course, he would have received reports on my movements through the people he had planted in the mansion, but he really kept that old-fashioned law intact without even sending a short letter.
To be honest, I didn’t expect much because he was such a selfish person, but it was unexpected.
He said that how well each and every minor law was observed and completed in the process leading up to the national wedding would directly affect my position in the Imperial Palace, or something like that. If everything went according to plan, I was planning to hand in the divorce papers as soon as I got married, so I didn’t need him to carefully consider my position after entering the palace… The circumstances that I couldn’t bring myself to say weighed heavily in my heart.
“But it was worth enduring it. It’s finally the moment when you officially become my person.”
His purple eyes were deeply curved with joy. For some reason, I hesitated to meet his smiling eyes. …It must be because of guilt. Thinking of betraying him and running away, I’m just sorry. It must be just that, but strangely, my heart was overly heavy.
“I don’t know how much longer I’ll have to wait to be planted in the Imperial Palace.”
I felt like I was doing something I shouldn’t be doing. I felt more sorry than when I was forcing Andrew to continue loving me. He, who had always been arrogant, dared. He dared to be pitiful.
“When I first met you, you were like an unripe acorn, but you’ve grown a little in the meantime.”
His voice was dreamy and hazy, as if he was wandering in a dream. It had been quite a while since I had rejected all of Allen’s interference and deactivated all the functions of the interface window, so I hadn’t been able to check his favorability, but if I were to check his favorability at this moment… My inexplicable guilt would definitely grow even bigger.
“…I will ask you one last time. Adrian of Pearson and Noah of Hamilton. Do you swear to look at each other upright until the day the marriage is concluded according to the conscience and justice given by God?”
It seemed that the High Priest’s opening remarks were over. The Crown Prince answered that he would in a confident voice, and I nodded silently. Perhaps they thought I was just shy, the faint laughter of the crowd spread and subsided like dust.
Without hesitation, we each wrote our names on the bottom of the written oath that the High Priest was holding out. As soon as I put down the pen, my shoulder was grabbed.
The final part of the vow was, as expected, a kiss. He turned me to face him and looked down at me silently for a moment. The Crown Prince’s warm gaze felt so unfamiliar.
Soon, a cautious hand came to cup my chin. But that was it. The Crown Prince’s face, which had been approaching with a pleased smile, stopped abruptly just before our noses touched.
“This is…”
The purple eyes, which had been so warm, now turned cold as usual.
“Your Highness…?”
What’s the problem this time? I couldn’t guess the reason. He didn’t answer my call. Instead, the thumb that had been cupping my chin slowly moved up and carefully caressed my lips.
“Your lipstick is smudged. As if you’ve been kissing someone.”
“……!”
LN 176
What the hell? Is he crazy? How can he have such sharp eyes? I definitely checked the mirror when I had some time earlier. My lower lip was slightly, very slightly smudged, but not enough to be noticeable. That’s why I came in without fixing it…
I quickly raised my eyes to gauge the Crown Prince’s mood. As expected, he looked subtly displeased. Something was definitely bothering him, but even he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.
Well, even if my lipstick was smudged, it could have just happened while I was talking, and Andrew wouldn’t have left pheromones on my body unless he was crazy. Carlisle hadn’t even received the Blessing yet, so he hadn’t manifested as an Alpha.
“Eung…. What’s wrong, Your Highness? You’re suddenly making such a scary face…”
I drooped the ends of my eyebrows and pretended to be dejected, wrapping my arms around his neck and gently pulling him towards me.
“Why are you suddenly angry? It’s not because of me, is it?”
I fluttered my eyelashes and smiled sweetly. Then, without waiting for an answer, I randomly pecked at the Crown Prince’s stern lips and firm jawline. The Crown Prince, who had been trying to act cold, couldn’t hold out for long and regained his previous smile.
“Yes… I must be imagining things…”
The Crown Prince muttered to himself and then pulled me into an embrace. I pretended not to hear and asked, “Huh?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
Was there any creature easier to manipulate than a man floundering in love? I skillfully hid the urge to burst into laughter and put on a bright smile. The High Priest and everyone in the chapel blessed us with one heart and sent us a great round of applause.
Adrian Pearson whispered in my ear with an uncharacteristically emotional voice that he was unbelievably happy. I nodded my head greatly and lied.
“Yes, me too.”
It was a perfect engagement ceremony without a single flaw.
* * *
No matter how grand the engagement ceremony was, we couldn’t hold a banquet in the temple. The guests left one by one for the Banquet Hall in the nearby detached palace, and I stayed behind in the Great Temple with the Crown Prince for a moment. We had to pay our respects to the temple, one of the centers of power, for opening the Great Chapel for us, even though it wasn’t a royal wedding or coronation. The Crown Prince, however, said he had urgent business to attend to and left me alone to meet with his subordinates.
“You’ve worked hard, Princess.”
“Ah. High Priest.”
As I was resting in the reception room that the temple had guided me to, the white-haired High Priest came in with a hearty laugh. I, who had been comfortably lounging on the soft sofa, quickly straightened my back and sat up straight. The High Priest waved his hand, saying that I must be tired and didn’t need to do that, but it was difficult to do that in front of the High Priest, who looked like he was old enough to be my grandparent.
“Thank you so much for today. I didn’t expect you to preside over the ceremony yourself, High Priest.”
“Isn’t this an imperial celebration that has been held after a long time? If this old body can be of help, I should do it as much as possible.”
The High Priest, stroking his beard and laughing heartily, had such a simple and kind face that anyone would open their heart to him at once. He looked more like the grandfather next door who always gave you snacks than the head of the temple.
It was my first time meeting the High Priest, who always had such a kind face, at a time other than the Day of Blessing, so I felt strangely moved. I never had a reason to come to the temple unless it was the Day of Blessing, so he only seemed like an NPC who helped with Omega manifestation.
“By the way, time flies so fast. It feels like just yesterday that Princess manifested as a Dominant Omega… And now she’s already engaged to the Crown Prince.”
The title ‘Princess’ was quite burdensome. No, it was that the Crown Prince’s affection for me was so unwavering that everyone pretended not to hear it, but strictly speaking, even though we had an engagement ceremony, I was still a ‘prospective’ Crown Princess. If someone made it public that I was being called by such a tremendous title that could only be attached to royalty and severely punished me, I wouldn’t be able to defend myself.
So, even those who were trying to curry favor with me in advance rarely used such an excessive title as Princess. Usually, those who called me that were… only the Crown Prince’s subordinates…?
“I knew this would happen. The Crown Prince showed interest right away that day.”
“Yes…?”
The High Priest smiled contentedly again as he watched me blink, wondering what he was talking about.
“What are you talking about so interestingly?”
“Your Highness!”
“You’ve arrived, Your Highness.”
I turned my head with a delighted expression at the Crown Prince’s voice, which had appeared with good timing, and the High Priest bowed deeply, almost excessively politely. The Crown Prince, who wielded power almost equivalent to the Emperor, and the High Priest, who represented the divine authority… If you asked who was higher, it was of course the Crown Prince now, but that didn’t mean that someone in the position of the High Priest would volunteer to be such a loyal subject? As if catching the question marks popping up over my head, the Crown Prince tapped my cheek and opened his mouth.
“Come to think of it, there’s one more thing I need to thank you for.”
“Yes…?”
“The day you first manifested, you rested in the High Priest’s residence, didn’t you?”
“Did I…?”
“I went to receive the High Priest’s report and smelled the remaining pheromones. I was intrigued by it and went to Count Hamilton’s mansion that day.”
There was no room for further questions. The High Priest’s report. That meant that the Crown Prince and the temple had been in cahoots from the very beginning. No… Why wasn’t this important Setting in the Setting book? I thought the Crown Prince suddenly appeared because I chose a different option, but it was connected in this way… For a moment, various thoughts sprang up simultaneously, but I puffed up my cheeks nicely and said in a kind voice.
“Wow, it’s like our relationship started here! To have our engagement ceremony in such a place is so romantic!”
“Hehe, you’re so innocent…”
Who was calling who innocent… I couldn’t help but wonder if he would still be so relaxed after receiving the divorce papers I handed him later.
“Well, now that you’re both here, I’ll present the gift that this old man has prepared. Please accept it, though it’s not much.”
No matter what I was thinking inside, we were just a loving couple on the outside. The High Priest, who had been watching us with a pleased expression, took out a small box from his arms. When the Crown Prince nodded, the High Priest opened the box.
“This is…”
“This is a bracelet made by processing the Divine object, the Verdant Crystal, which was directly made and consecrated by the Saint of several generations ago. It was made as a pair, so please wear one each. It can immediately detoxify mild poisons and greatly speed up the treatment of even strong poisons.”
The platinum bracelet with a noble, lustrous green gemstone embedded in it was clearly a precious item, even if you didn’t hear the explanation and just looked at it. The Crown Prince put on the bracelet without hesitation, picked up the remaining one, and gestured to me, moving his fingers back and forth. It meant to show me his wrist so he could put it on me.
“Uh, Your Highness… Such, such a precious thing… I, well, I’m not confident that I can take good care of it…”
I was sweating profusely. Ha, I let my guard down. What was the temple? It was a place to worship God. It meant a place to worship that unlucky Allen. So, even when I entered the temple, I was worried that Allen would do something, but he was quietly well until the end of the ceremony, and he even moved to the detached palace with the other nobles, so I unknowingly let my guard down.
Even now, I was somehow free from Allen’s influence while wearing the Ancient God’s Divine object. To wear an accessory full of divine energy again in this state? I didn’t know the exact result, but I knew the direction. It was a shortcut to ruin.
“Even if a Divine object is precious, it’s just an object. Don’t worry, I won’t blame you if you lose or break the bracelet.”
“W, wow… Really? Thank you so much…”
Thank you, thank you… But I don’t think I can wear it? Even if I do wear it, at least… I really can’t do it in this Great Temple, which is full of divine energy…?
I swallowed hard and tried to laugh somehow. Should I thank him and drag him onto the bed right away? Then I might be able to get out of this situation… I was about to jump into the Crown Prince’s arms with that thought.
“Why are you so disobedient, Noah.”
“Y, Your Highness…?”
“Give me your wrist right now.”
It was definitely the Crown Prince, the person in front of me was definitely Adrian Pearson. But something about his voice was subtly different. I was startled and slowly moved my butt back, and someone with Adrian’s body elegantly raised the corners of his lips.
“Y, you, how…!”
It would be strange if I didn’t recognize him. That was definitely Allen’s smile.
“Now, be good?”
LN 177
Since the High Priest would be the one most influenced by the Ancient God’s power in this world, he would definitely be a hindrance to me in this situation, but I unconsciously turned my eyes to the High Priest sitting across from me as if seeking help. It was almost an instinctive movement, like a drowning person flailing their arms and legs.
But somehow, the High Priest had already made a move, and he was frozen like a statue in the same position as when he was organizing the box containing the bracelet, with a pleased smile on his face. As soon as that figure reached my sight, my body moved before my head could turn.
“Where do you think you’re going, daring to.”
I was definitely going to jump up and run straight out the door. But I only took three steps. My limbs became stiff as if weights were attached. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t lift them.
“A Divine object made by humans… I wondered if it would be of any use, but indeed, it’s subtly useful.”
A languid voice echoed from behind me. It wasn’t the Crown Prince’s voice, but what should I say? It felt like another person’s voice was thinly layered over it. The voice with a strange resonance was full of vitality in this place where the divine energy was thickly gathered, like a fish in water.
“Hmm…”
The Crown Prince, no, Allen, who had come up to me gently, stroked my collarbone with just the tips of his fingers, with a displeased expression. Under the thin silk fabric, there was a round bead clinging tightly to my soft skin instead of soft skin. The fingers that had been gently stroking the fabric like seaweed soon put some strength into it.
“……!”
The bead… slipped slightly along the skin that was covered in cold sweat. My heart was pounding like crazy. If I wasn’t in a position where I couldn’t even move my tongue without Allen’s permission, I would have screamed. Until now, no matter how much Allen tried to remove it with his own hands, the bead, which had been firmly resisting without budging even a little if my will was not involved, was moving. Then in this situation… If I wear that bracelet… What will happen? A desperate prediction swept over my whole body like a huge wave.
“Don’t worry, the game won’t end right away. Wasn’t our rule to safely reach the predetermined ending scene and compete?”
Allen, who had taken over the Crown Prince’s shell, spoke in a kind tone and voice as if he were comforting a crying child. It was an attitude and expression that the Crown Prince would never have imagined. I felt even more creeped out by the gap.
No, that can’t happen. Again… I couldn’t go back to being a marionette with strings, unaware that I had lost control of my ego again. I absolutely hated that.
While I was gritting my teeth inwardly, Allen put strength into his fingertips and scratched the bead a few more times, then cleanly removed his hand from the bead that seemed to fall but didn’t fall in the end, and turned his attention to my still stiff hand.
“It seems like this is not enough… Well, that’s fine. It won’t matter anyway if I use this as well.”
The platinum bracelet, which was gorgeously designed with elegant curves, was beautiful enough on its own, but to my eyes, it just looked like a ruthless chain that bound my soul.
No, no, no…! I screamed madly inside. My eyes, which couldn’t even blink, were all burning.
The large hand that was bringing the bracelet with the eerily shining green Divine Stone to my wrist was approaching slowly as if to mock me, then suddenly changed direction.
“Wait, wait. I have to solve this first. I’ve been annoyed by it for a while now.”
Allen’s fingers were still soft, although they had grown noticeably taller in a short period of time. He had been exposed to harsh and unpleasant work outside, so it was natural to have calluses from labor, but he seemed determined not to leave even a single trace of such unaesthetic marks, and they were as soft and smooth as if they would melt. I knew that fact better than anyone else because the sensation had been engraved on my skin like an imprinting while my bare skin had been touched by his white and delicate fingers several times.
But now, the sensation of the fingers that were grabbing my chin with a not-so-gentle attitude while trying to put on the bracelet was… very unfamiliar to Allen. The rough calluses were definitely the hands of a man who had been holding a sword for a long time. It was Adrian’s hand.
Why was he able to dominate Adrian’s body so easily? Was it because this was the Great Temple, or was it because of that bracelet? Or both? I had to accurately grasp the conditions to avoid this situation in the future. Even in the midst of despair, I desperately racked my brain.
“Tsk, anyway, those lowly things who don’t know their place are just full of vain dreams…”
Allen clicked his tongue in displeasure and rubbed my lips roughly with his thumb. The lipstick on my lips must have been smeared haphazardly now. That wasn’t important in this situation, though.
“How is it, Noah.”
“……”
“Was the breath of the brother who devoured despair sweet?”
“……”
“Was the Crown Prince’s affection, who struggled not to love you first in the repeated life, sweet?”
What was that… Allen, who had blocked my mouth so that I couldn’t utter a single word, was asking me such questions.
“It’s natural that those foolish people willingly worship you and want to covet you.”
“……”
“But you shouldn’t enjoy it.”
“……”
“Keep that in mind.”
The only one you should truly love with all your heart is me. The strange voice, which contained exactly half of Adrian’s and Allen’s voices, was still kind, but at the same time, it asserted with surprising coldness. The purple eyes, which had a noticeably different color than usual, came right up to my unmoving face.
“……”
“……”
Ah. I see now that I’m close. The identity of the emotion that was quietly burning in his eyes was none other than jealousy. The sight of a Ancient God who had chosen to degrade himself by loving a mere human made me shudder all over for a moment. The sense of crisis and fear receded a step. A sense of elation washed over me.
To guess at the will of God, who seemed to be playing some silly prank with my fate, would be a daunting and difficult task. Especially if what God desired was my despair itself.
But from some point on, the means and the end were clearly reversed. This greedy and foolish God had already tasted the sweetness of my flesh enough, and He became so desperate that He came running with His tail on fire, jealous of something as simple as a kiss with another.
Then, does Allen love me? Is the beginning of all this suffocating tragedy because he loved me?
It was a question I couldn’t easily answer right now. But it didn’t matter. What was important wasn’t whether God truly loved me or not. It was the fact that God craved my love.
The agitation in my heart calmed down surprisingly. The hideous God, wearing Adrian’s skin, bit my lower lip painfully with eyes distorted by jealousy. Was He trying to punish me? It was a touch that felt stinging pain. He didn’t blink once while kissing me, still meeting my gaze. How long had I been receiving this punishment? The sticky lips cleanly detached.
“This is…”
“……”
“This isn’t pleasant at all… To touch you while wearing the skin of another being… Yes, I admit it. It’s awful.”
God was foolish and immature.
I knew well that He was a being who had lived for an immeasurable amount of time, but at least His emotional behavior in front of me was certainly like that.
“How about you?”
He looked straight at me and asked. The moment He blinked, a gasp escaped me. It was still hard to move my body, but at least above my neck was free. Now I could blink my dry eyes as I pleased, and freely wag my tongue lewdly.
“What do you mean, ‘How about me?’ If you’re going to ask a question, ask it so I can understand.”
“I’m asking which is better, kissing me or this body. No, not just this guy. I’m including all the touches from the other guys you’ve tasted with that body.”
“Well… does that question even have any meaning…”
“Answer.”
“Aren’t you going to manipulate me as you please anyway? If there’s an answer you want to hear, don’t act so annoying and ask a fool who will move according to your taste. Because whatever answer I give of my own will, it won’t satisfy you.”
I glanced at the bracelet He was holding and sarcastically mocked Him. Allen quietly raged. The hand holding the bracelet clenched tightly. It even trembled. The more emotionally shaken He became, the more subtly the restraints on my body irregularly lightened and then became heavier. The control was faltering. Even if the oppression was released, it was still inside the temple, so it would be hard to run far…
He wasn’t holding the bracelet, but wearing it and checking Adrian’s wrist again. Just in time. The bracelet was caught on the side of the hand that was gently cupping my cheek. The string of the elaborately crafted bracelet was very thin. I timed it and put a little strength into my neck. …Success. The strength worked well. It was enough to move my head even now.
“If you want me to act like a cute teddy bear that says ‘I love you’ when you press its belly, go ahead. You’re a god, after all. To you, a mere human would only look like a doll anyway.”
“You don’t even know how specially I’m treating you, and you dare…!”
His energy fluctuated ominously. Instinctively, I had a feeling. It was right now.
“I love you, Allen. You’re the only one for me.”
“……!”
While ridiculing the God who was shaken mercilessly by a love confession full of mockery, I quickly lowered my head and set my teeth on the inside of His wrist. A thin metal string caught between my canines. And I bit down with all my might.
“Ah, no…!”
What a joke. Where in this world is there something that can’t be done?
The string of the bracelet, which was merely aesthetically beautiful and had no other function, snapped helplessly. Clang! Rattle, rattle… The luridly sparkling green gem pathetically rolled and fell onto the marble floor.
“Ugh… what?”
“Your Highness, Adrian!”
It was my perfect victory.